Chapter 625: Return
Niu Dawei's core formation celebration ended in great splendor. The various guests left one after another, and even the Taiyi Sect disciples on duty outside the sect reluctantly departed. Yang Xueyi was also planning to leave but was asked by Meng Zhang to stay.
In the "Dark Thorn Secret Canon," there were instructions for crafting several special talismans. Yang Xueyi, who inherited the legacy of the Purple Gold Sect, possessed profound cultivation and extraordinary insights, making her a rare Third Rank Talisman Master. With her involvement, the research and adaptation of the "Dark Thorn Secret Canon" would be significantly accelerated.
During these years, nothing significant happened in the Jiuqu League, and Yang Xueyi's disciples who stayed behind were capable of handling routine affairs. Therefore, she decided to remain in the sect and not rush back.
Two years later, with the collective effort of Taiyi Sect's Gold Core cultivators, they produced materials to train the Secret Hall cultivators. According to Meng Zhang's plan, Taiyi Sect intended to establish an entirely new system for cultivating Secret Hall operatives.
Especially for assassins and spies with special missions, they should be selected as young talents, trained from childhood, and endure harsh training to unleash their extraordinary potential. This was a long-term and resource-intensive task, requiring careful consideration and planning, and it would take time before seeing the results.
While Meng Zhang was occupied with strengthening the Secret Hall, an elder who had left the sect many years ago returned.
Zheng Chao, the former War Hall Hall Master, left the sect shortly after core formation and headed west to the Demon Wind Gobi. Although he had passed on the position of War Hall Hall Master to a disciple, as a Gold Core elder and former Hall Master, he had a significant role in guiding the development of War Hall.
Fortunately, during these years, Taiyi Sect had not engaged in external conflicts, and the new War Hall Hall Master was competent in managing the daily affairs of War Hall. Thus, Zheng Chao's prolonged absence did not lead to negative consequences.
Zheng Chao had been away from the sect for many years, and during the initial years, he occasionally sent messages using transmission talismans to report his safety. However, later on, there was almost no news from him. If not for the well-preserved soul lamp kept in the sect, the higher-ups would have suspected something unfortunate had happened to him outside.
When Zheng Chao returned after many years, he brought with him some unsettling news. A significant change that would completely alter the situation in the western Demon Wind Gobi was unfolding.It turned out that Zheng Chao, who was always eager for combat, had gone directly to the western Demon Wind Gobi after leaving Taiyi Sect. Delicate Water Spirit General had traveled deep into Demon Wind Gobi in the past and brought back various intelligence, including information about the Sea Clan's invasion. The monsters in Demon Wind Gobi were steadily retreating, and the Sea Clan was on the verge of overwhelming them.
Meng Zhang was concerned about the situation in the western Demon Wind Gobi potentially affecting Taiyi Sect, so he ordered the disciples to strengthen monitoring of the area. However, due to the rampant monsters and presence of Third Rank beasts in the area, ordinary disciples could only observe from a distance and were unable to venture deep into the region.
After Zheng Chao's core formation, he took the initiative to head westward to the western Demon Wind Gobi, and Meng Zhang was quite pleased with this decision. Zheng Chao's cultivation base and combat experience were outstanding, and as long as he didn't get surrounded by the monstrous beasts, his safety should not be a problem.
Zheng Chao didn't disappoint Meng Zhang's expectations. Not only did he successfully explore the western Demon Wind Gobi, but he also brought back crucial intelligence at a critical time. In front of Meng Zhang, Zheng Chao recounted his experiences over the years.
After leaving Taiyi Sect, Zheng Chao went directly to the depths of the Demon Wind Gobi and arrived at the western coast. At that time, due to the unfavorable situation on the front lines, the monsters in Demon Wind Gobi were in constant retreat. They not only lost a large area along the coast but also faced the relentless pursuit of the Sea Clan, which had advanced deep into the Demon Wind Gobi.
The western coastal area of Demon Wind Gobi had long become the domain of the Sea Clan. Although their combat strength was greatly reduced after coming ashore, they still had the power to overwhelm the monsters.
Upon arriving, Zheng Chao quickly clashed with the stationed Sea Clan. He was never one to shy away from conflict and had a penchant for aggression, often taking the initiative in battles. What started as small skirmishes soon escalated into a series of continuous large-scale wars.
During the Sea Clan's siege, Zheng Chao fought his way through, becoming more formidable as he continued to battle. He circled the western coastal area, inflicting significant damage on the Sea Clan.
In the later stages, Zheng Chao even ventured into the sea, conducting guerrilla warfare and causing havoc. This angered the higher-ups of the Sea Clan, leading them to mobilize significant forces to hunt him down.
Zheng Chao mastered the essence of guerrilla warfare, retreating when facing stronger opponents and attacking when encountering weaker ones. Instead of falling victim to the Sea Clan's pursuit, he inflicted heavy casualties on his pursuers, and he even had some extraordinary encounters in the sea.
Hearing Zheng Chao's account, Meng Zhang couldn't help but feel envious of his adventures. Who was the true transmigrator? Everything Zheng Chao experienced seemed like something only a transmigrator would enjoy.
Zheng Chao's actions caused considerable destruction to the Sea Clan, drawing their attention and diverting some of their forces, which indirectly alleviated the burden on the side of the monsters. Unfortunately, Zheng Chao was alone, and his abilities were limited, so he couldn't have a significant impact on the overall situation.
As the Sea Clan gained overwhelming advantages over the monsters, they could mobilize more forces to pursue Zheng Chao. With his exceptional combat experience and keen senses, Zheng Chao realized that the situation was unfavorable and immediately fled back to the mainland, escaping towards the eastern Demon Wind Gobi.
On his way back, Zheng Chao witnessed the Sea Clan making swift progress, and the monsters were suffering heavy defeats. According to his assessment, the complete annihilation of the monsters was imminent. The Sea Clan had conquered a large area of the western Demon Wind Gobi, bordering directly with Taiyi Sect.
The Sea Clan was notorious for its ferocity and aggression, even more difficult to deal with than the monsters. If Taiyi Sect couldn't make targeted arrangements promptly, they would inevitably find themselves in a passive situation facing this new neighbor.
After listening to Zheng Chao's narrative, Meng Zhang asked him numerous questions, primarily concerning the specific strength of the Sea Clan. Although Zheng Chao had ventured into the sea before, he hadn't delved too deep, so his knowledge of the Sea Clan's forces mainly pertained to their deployments in the nearby waters and on land.
On his return journey, Zheng Chao had carefully investigated the situation. From what he knew, the Sea Clan's strength surpassed Taiyi Sect's current power by far, especially considering the vast numbers of their army. Even if Taiyi Sect mobilized all its elite cultivators to form a large army, it would still be challenging to directly confront the Sea Clan.
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