Chapter 584: I'll Just Take Her Life Then

Moon Spirit Peak.

When Tushan Jingci woke, she found herself within a secluded, quiet courtyard.

Around the courtyard, layer upon layer of formation arrays had been densely arranged, these arrays closely linked to that great formation the Tushan clan had recently constructed, firmly suppressing Tushan Jingci's cultivation level.

Tushan Jingci gave a great sweep of her sleeve, her golden Dharma form striking fiercely against the barrier of the array, yet the array did not so much as tremble, not a single crack appearing.

"Jingci, don't waste your effort." Tushan Meng stood outside the courtyard, her expression calm as she looked at her disciple. "This formation array, you cannot break."

"Master, you should understand this well, outsiders cannot be trusted." Tushan Jingci said coldly. "Are you truly willing to place the entire fate of the Tushan clan in the hands of that woman of unknown origin?"

"This master has already told you, this master has everything well in hand." Tushan Meng shook her head, her tone carrying a note of helplessness. "Though you have now reached the very peak of the Immortal realm, you are, in the end, still far too young."

Tushan Meng gazed at Tushan Jingci, her eyes deep, and spoke word by word, “Remember this, only by knowing how to make use of everything around you that can be made use of, can you become a worthy master of the Tushan clan! Including making use of things of unknown origin!"

Tushan Jingci said nothing, only gazing coldly back at her own master.

"Enough, I won't say any more to you." Tushan Meng turned away, no longer looking at her, her voice drifting back from behind her. "Before long, you will thank this master."

Having returned to Moon-Gazing Peak, Tushan Meng sat back down in her courtyard, slowly closing her eyes, still deducing something, her expression calm and focused.

An hour later, Tushan Hongxia came before Tushan Meng, bowing respectfully. "Grand Elder, the Human Alliance side has agreed to attend the negotiations."

"Mm, I understand." Tushan Meng nodded slightly, her tone even, betraying neither pleasure nor displeasure. "How are things on our own demon alliance side?"

"This..." Tushan Hongxia hesitated, a flicker of difficulty crossing her face.

"Just say it plainly." Tushan Meng said evenly.

"Yes..."

Tushan Hongxia weighed her words carefully in her mind.

"Regarding your decision to make peace with the human race, Grand Elder, quite a few of the demon race genuinely no longer wish to continue fighting."

"After all, there are rumors that the reason the Ten Thousand Laws Realm has been so diligent in helping the Human Alliance is, in truth, that they wish to use the Human Alliance as a blade, to continuously wear down our demon race's strength."

"Now, while the Ten Thousand Laws Realm quietly recovers and rebuilds over there, our demon race's territory remains mired in civil war. They constantly worry that the Ten Thousand Laws Realm may, one day, suddenly break through the barrier between our two realms and launch a massive assault upon the demon race's territory."

"Not to mention that Xiao Mo and Gui Junmeng are highly likely to break through into the Ascension realm within a century, which is also a form of unseen pressure."

"However, there are also quite a few dynasties and sects who feel dissatisfied, believing that making peace would harm the demon race's honor, particularly the Serpent clan."

Once Tushan Hongxia finished speaking, the courtyard fell silent.

"Go tell the Serpent clan and the other demon cultivators opposed to the peace talks, that inviting them to the Tushan clan's lands this time does not necessarily mean reaching any agreement right away. Many matters can be discussed first, sitting down together, and if we cannot agree, we can discuss it further later."

After a long while, Tushan Meng slowly raised her eyelids, her gaze deep, and spoke slowly.

"This old woman's face is still worth something to them, at least a little."

"I understand."

Tushan Hongxia answered solemnly, then her form flickered, quickly vanishing into the vast night.

Within the courtyard, Tushan Meng continued pouring herself tea at an unhurried pace, while her mind ceaselessly worked through calculations.

This so-called "peace talks" was nothing more than a pretext.

What she truly wanted was simply this, to bring them all to the Tushan clan's lands.

That was all!

...

News that the Human Alliance and the demon alliance were about to hold preliminary peace talks soon spread throughout the entire demon race's territory.

Under the Tushan clan's leadership, the Human Alliance and the demon alliance also entered a temporary state of ceasefire.

The Human Alliance side, too, continuously deliberated over the possible outcomes of the peace talks and what might occur when the time came.

As for who would be sent to the Tushan clan's lands to participate in the negotiations, the Human Alliance side, first and foremost, excluded Xiao Mo and Gui Junmeng from the list.

Xiao Mo and Gui Junmeng now represented, essentially, the hope and future of the entire Human Alliance's rise.

So long as the two of them remained safe and unharmed, even if something went wrong during these peace talks, the Human Alliance would still, in the future, possess two Ascension realm cultivators of supreme strength.

Xiao Mo, for his part, had no great objection to Daoist Master Yun Xi's arrangement in this regard.

Truth be told, Xiao Mo himself believed that the chances of these peace talks between the Human Alliance and the demon alliance succeeding were slim to none, and that they would most likely end in a hasty, inconclusive collapse.

There would be little point in his going.

Besides, Gui Junmeng had only just emerged from seclusion not long ago, having only just managed, with great effort, to stabilize her newly achieved cultivation level.

Barring any mishap, he and Junmeng would be able to undertake their final round of dual cultivation within two months.

Xiao Mo's original plan had been to first help Gui Junmeng ascend to the Ascension realm.

Once Gui Junmeng had entered the Ascension realm and achieved her own great Dao, Xiao Mo would then plan separately, seeking some way to help Jingci break through into the Ascension realm as well.

Moreover, even if he himself went to the Tushan clan's lands, setting aside whether it would provide any substantive help to the peace talks.

After what had happened at the wedding, given Jingci's current stubborn state of mind, seeing him again would very likely cause her to lose her composure entirely, which would only complicate matters further.

However, on a certain night.

Just as Xiao Mo sat in the courtyard, meditating with his eyes closed, his mind immersed in the flow of the Dao's resonance.

A flying sword suddenly tore through the night sky, carrying a sharp, keen edge, plunging straight toward the space between Xiao Mo's brows.

Xiao Mo opened his eyes.

That flying sword hung suspended, a mere inch from the space between Xiao Mo's brows, held back by the River of Yin and Yang, unable to advance another step.

The entire blade of the sword trembled, humming without pause.

"Such intense killing intent?"

Xiao Mo's expression remained unchanged, and he slowly reached out, tapping the flying sword gently. The killing intent and spiritual energy within it vanished at once.

That flying sword, as though drained of all its strength, fell from the air, landing upon Xiao Mo's knee.

This was a message-bearing flying sword.

Xiao Mo opened the hidden compartment within the sword's body, and found a folded note hidden inside.

He unfolded the note slowly, and found only a few sparse words written upon it and yet, these few words alone were enough to make Xiao Mo's brow furrow tightly.

He stared at that note, reading it over and over again.

At last, the note caught fire of its own accord, without any wind, dissolving between Xiao Mo's fingers into a wisp of pale smoke and a few scattered ashes.

"If you and your dear little wife do not come to these peace talks at the Tushan clan's lands, I'll just take her life, then."