Chapter 57 Undercurrents

"Achoo!"

At a top-tier mineral vein in the Eastern Wilderness Secret Realm, a young Taoist priest sneezed.

He looked up, feeling somewhat baffled. "Strange, why do I have this feeling of being watched by something filthy?"

This mineral vein contained numerous top-grade materials. Ever since he arrived, he had been peacefully mining here, with no intention whatsoever of engaging in combat with others.

After all, he was currently a monk of the Lankeshi Temple; those who have left the secular world do not tell lies, nor do they casually pick fights.

Therefore, after entering, he had barely encountered any members of the Desolate Clan, and even upon hearing the rumors of the Sacred Fire, he had not immediately thought of acquiring it.

The young Taoist priest was someone well-versed in human nature, knowing that striking too early yields no benefits, and one must learn to reap the rewards as a third party while the other two contend.

"The early bird gets eaten by the eagle, while the late bird gets the worm."

Humming a little tune, the young Taoist priest continued mining.

He regained his leisurely and carefree demeanor entirely.

Apart from the young Taoist priest, other human prodigies also began gathering various resources throughout the Eastern Wilderness Secret Realm.

However, soon enough, some individuals like Qin Changsheng and his companions were driven out by the Desolate Clan, and the fierce beasts across the entire Eastern Wilderness began systematically hunting down the human race.

News spread outward alongside those who managed to escape.

The news regarding the Sacred Fire, in particular, caused countless people to hold their breath in excitement.

The Sacred Fire of the Desolate Clan was a highly coveted treasure. Whether it was the Daoist sects, the academies, or other factions, they immediately began summoning reinforcements.

Numerous powerful figures—saints, saintly kings, and saintly emperors—directly entered the Eastern Wilderness Secret Realm, and those top-tier prodigies could finally no longer hold back.

For a time, the entire Eastern Wilderness descended into chaos.

Meanwhile, the human cultivators, who had initially been caught off guard by the sudden surge in the Desolate Clan's strength, gradually saw the situation shift in their favor after bringing in reinforcements.

...

While devouring the power of the Sacred Fire, Qin Changsheng secretly pondered his subsequent plans. He was well aware that within this Eastern Wilderness Secret Realm, the situation was growing increasingly complex, with undercurrents surging among various factions. He had to act with utmost caution; a single misstep could lead to eternal damnation.

Moreover, he discovered that the Desolate Clan also possessed many top-tier powerhouses.

Not just the Saintess alone.

Although the Desolate Clan seemingly lacked any immortals on the surface, there was no guarantee that some hidden methods couldn't allow certain individuals to unleash the strength of an immortal. Therefore, he still prioritized stability above all else, waiting for the right opportunity.

Just as Qin Changsheng was engrossed in his devouring, a burst of noisy commotion suddenly erupted from outside the valley.

He furrowed his brows slightly, raised his eyes, and saw a group of Desolate Clan members hurriedly approaching, escorting a white-haired elder. The elder's back was hunched, but his gaze was profound and sharp, as if he could see through all illusions in the world.

"Great Elder, why have you come in person?" Seeing this, the Desolate Clan warriors guarding the valley entrance hurriedly and respectfully bowed.

Paying them no mind, the Great Elder walked straight toward the interior of the valley. His gaze swept across the crowd, finally landing on the Saintess who was cultivating at the center of the Sacred Fire.

"Saintess, those human whelps are simply going too far!" The Great Elder's voice was low and hoarse, yet fraught with boundless anger. "Not only are they wantonly slaughtering our people and plundering our resources here in the Eastern Wilderness, but they now boast of completely destroying our Eastern Wilderness Sacred Land and seizing the Sacred Fire!"

Slowly opening her eyes, the Saintess a flash of solemnity cross her gaze. "Great Elder, I have already heard of this matter. However, there has long been an agreement between our clan and the human race that powerful figures must not easily initiate mutual warfare, so as to avoid triggering a full-scale war between the two races."

"Hmph! An agreement?" The Great Elder let out a cold snort. "When have those human bastards ever taken agreements seriously? Now that our clan's strength has increased thanks to the Sacred Fire, if we don't seize the opportunity to counterattack, I fear there will never be another chance in the future!"

Shaking her head slightly, the Saintess replied, "Great Elder, this matter still requires deliberate discussion. I have already dispatched Jin Lin to scout out the information; once he returns, we shall make our decision."

The Great Elder frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with the Saintess's caution, but ultimately nodded. "Very well, Saintess. However, we cannot simply sit here and wait for death; we must devise a countermeasure as soon as possible."

Observing in secret from the side, Qin Changsheng felt his heart stir. He realized that the conflict between the Desolate Clan and the human race was on the verge of erupting, which might be the prime opportunity for him to fish in troubled waters. He decided to remain inactive for now and continue waiting for the right moment.

Sure enough, Jin Lin returned in a panic shortly after.

"Saint Highness, Elders, something terrible has happened! Hearing that our Sacred Fire has revived, the human race has mobilized countless experts and is charging right at us!"

Jin Lin looked extremely disheveled and was clearly injured.

"What is going on?"

A fluctuation emanated from within the Sacred Fire as the Saintess, Sophia, stepped out.

"When I went out to scout for information, I encountered the Sword Son and other experts of the Sword Tomb, and everyone I brought with me was slaughtered."

"Only I fought my way out and managed to escape back. They even proclaimed that they would trample our Eastern Wilderness, snatch away our Sacred Fire, and pave an invincible path for their gifted disciples!"

Exaggerating the situation, Jin Lin finished his account and then said through gritted teeth, "Saintess, we must strike first and not let them succeed!"

"Has the Sword Son of the Sword Tomb also emerged?"

Hearing this news, the Saintess could not help but narrow her eyes.

"That's right! This time, the human race is dead set on dealing with us and is definitely fully prepared. If we are even a step late, we will plunge into an abyss of eternal damnation!"

Jin Lin looked extremely anxious.

"Saintess, give the order!"

"Indeed, Saintess, we cannot hesitate any longer. We must strike first!"

"How could the sons of our Desolate Clan fear a battle?"

Many high-ranking members of the Desolate Clan were filled with righteous indignation, demanding that the Saintess immediately issue the order to wage war against the human race.

"This matter still requires careful deliberation and cannot be rushed rashly."

Yet, the Saintess remained remarkably calm. "We have an agreement with the human race that experts from both sides must not act arbitrarily, lest it trigger a full-scale war between the two races. That is a consequence we cannot bear."

"But Saintess, if we don't strike now, it truly will be too late."

"Yes, Saintess, you must consider the bigger picture!"

A group of high-ranking Desolate Clan members could not help but chime in.

"Hmph, what damned agreement? It is merely an excuse used by those hypocrites of the human race to bind us! When have they ever abided by it?"

The Great Elder let out a cold snort, a flash of disdain in his eyes. "Saintess, if you worry about triggering a war between the two races, then let this old man act personally and assassinate those human prodigies in secret. That way, we can both weaken their strength and avoid a direct confrontation."

As soon as these words were spoken, echoes of agreement immediately resounded across the area.

"The Great Elder's words are entirely correct!"

"Acting in secret is indeed a brilliant plan!"

"Let the Great Elder lead us to teach those human whelps a lesson!"

Watching her clansmen, who were riled up with anger, Saintess Sophia took a deep breath and shouted in a deep voice, "Silence, all of you!"

Although her voice was not loud, it clearly reached the ears of everyone present, instantly quieting the scene.

"I know you are all angry, but anger cannot solve problems."

Sweeping her gaze across the crowd, the Saintess slowly spoke. "Although the Great Elder's proposal is viable, the risks are equally high. Once our secret actions are discovered by the human race, they will inevitably use them as a pretext to launch a full-scale war."

"But..."

"There are no 'buts'!"

Cutting off the Great Elder, the Saintess continued, "We must act with caution and give the human race no handle to use against us."

"Then, in the Saintess's view, how should we respond?"

Though harboring reluctance in his heart, the Great Elder ultimately chose to take a step back and consult the Saintess's opinion.

"Meet changes with steadfastness."

The Saintess said in a deep voice, "Strengthen the valley's defenses and closely monitor the human race's movements. At the same time, issue an order instructing all clansmen outside to act with caution and avoid conflicts with the human race as much as possible."

"Understood!"

Everyone responded in unison. Though lingering discontent remained in their hearts, they understood that the Saintess's decision was made for the safety of the entire Desolate Clan.

"In addition..."

Pausing for a moment, the Saintess continued, "Jin Lin, you are heavily injured; go down and rest first. As for gathering intelligence, I will make other arrangements."

"Understood, Saintess."

Though feeling somewhat unwilling, Jin Lin did not dare to say anything more at this moment and hastily retreated.

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Eastern Wilderness Secret Realm, a group of terrifyingly powerful figures arrived.

"Is this the entrance to the Eastern Wilderness Secret Realm?"

"Indeed. According to intelligence, the Sacred Fire of the Desolate Clan is located within this secret realm."

"Hmph, those fools of the Desolate Clan thought they could be safe and sound by hiding in this secret realm? How laughable!"

"This time, we will surely seize the Sacred Fire and forge an invincible path for our human race!"

This group of people were precisely the human experts who had rushed over from various factions upon hearing the news.

Among them were saints from the Daoist sects, Confucian scholars from the academies, and powerhouses from other major factions. Each of them was a renowned figure of considerable renown, yet at this moment, they had gathered in one place, striving together for a single goal.

"Everyone, the Eastern Wilderness Secret Realm is fraught with danger; we must proceed with caution."

An elderly leader spoke up. "Our primary objective for this operation is to capture the Sacred Fire. Try to avoid large-scale conflicts with the Desolate Clan so as not to cause unnecessary trouble."

"We will strictly follow the senior's teachings!"

The crowd responded in unison.

Subsequently, the group successively entered the Eastern Wilderness Secret Realm.