Chapter 878: Chapter 878
As a disciple of Yuan Gong, Tao Qian naturally seemed a generation lower in front of Jiang Luan and other Secret Demon Elders.
Yet, he was the Spirit Treasure Subduing Evil True Monarch, renowned both inside the realm and in the Outer Realm, with cultivation realm and divine skills exceeding theirs.
Thus, when he spoke praise, including Jiang Luan, the Thousand Puppet Mother, followed by several other elders like the Evil Demon Daoist Tie Lianshan, the Nameless Demon Lord Su Shi, the Black Demon Child, all were overwhelmed.
Each showed a smile, evidently pleased.
Having paid respects to these Secret Demon Sect Masters and Seniors, Tao Qian went on to meet the remaining disciples.
Indeed, as Yuan Gong had said, they were all remarkable talents.
Tao Qian, through his cultivation journey, since starting from Southern Yue, had dealt with major sects like Demon Buddha Temple, Evil Sect, Free Temple, Alchemist, the Xiu Family… and had seen the young talents coming from these forces.
Honest in his assessment, these young Secret Demon Sons before him were not inferior in the least, and some could even compare to true disciples in his Spirit Treasure Sect like Brother Yang Jie and Brother Huang Zhen.
Of course, still not as good as Brother Xuu Xun, Brother Yan, and Senior Sister Lu.
If Tao Qian himself hadn't had those remarkable encounters, he would have stood no chance against these true "talents".
Many of these young Secret Demon Sons, before Tao Qian's arrival, had grumblings in their hearts, secretly feeling that Tao True Monarch's famed reputation was perhaps unjustified.
Once truly near, each of them was dumbfounded.
Even if Tao Qian deliberately restrained his aura, he couldn't entirely prevent it.
It's inevitable, strictly speaking, the two sides were completely different "beings", whether in dharma body, supernatural power, or heart soul understanding, all were as far apart as heaven and earth.
The group of Secret Demon Sons, faced with Tao Qian, in an instant had no hostility.
Even if they verbally remained unconvinced, inwardly they all understood: if Tao Qian desires the slot for the Longevity Realm Secret Demon Ancestral Land, none other would be more suitable.
To speak of the Secret Demon Sons, there was also a familiar face to Tao Qian.
As greetings were exchanged, a striking Secret Demon Son dressed in armor, with a handsome face, six arms, and an extra pair of scarlet eyes on his forehead, suddenly stepped forward, bowed deeply to Tao Qian and said:
"Qi Ye pays respects to Tao True Monarch!"
"Back then in Demon City, True Monarch granted me the grace of instruction, helping me escape from the control of Lingwa father and son, a debt of gratitude akin to rebirth."
"Now Qi Ye has switched to cultivating the 'All Heavens Secret Demon Scripture Formless Chapter', and trained an Invisible Formless Demon Army stationed inside Qiantang Province. Should True Monarch have any orders, Qi Ye will comply without reservation."
With these three sentences spoken, the identity of the person became clear.
Previously the Taishang Demon Son, trapped in Rashamon Princess's emotion tribulation, controlled by Primordial Demon True Monarch Lingwa father and son, commanded the Heavenly Demon Army for them.
Later on, Tao Qian enticed him with a scroll of the Secret Demon Volume, successfully transforming him into a Secret Demon Son, now having apprenticed Evil Demon Daoist Tie Lianshan.
He is someone who remembers kindness, thus immediately expressing his mind upon meeting again.
Tao Qian naturally declined with a smile, only reminiscing about the past.
After the pleasantries, Thousand Puppet Mother Jiang Luan glanced at Yuan Gong, who was entirely absorbed in his own pride, seemingly forgetting the proper matters.
With a helpless shake of her head, she then approached Tao Qian and said:
"Nephew, you know that although our Secret Demon Sect has people spread throughout All Heavens and Myriads of Worlds, we have always been loose, free, and unrestrained."
"Originally, the matter of rebuilding the Mountain Gate was to be carried out by my ancestral land lineage, and for these hundreds of years, we have been plotting and planning, now it's time to act."
"However, unexpectedly, the Great Abyss Origin Sea underwent major upheavals, the Ten Thousand Gods are awakening..."
"Seeking an alternative path, or perhaps idle with boredom, ancestors across realms decided to unite to push this matter forward, which is very appropriate, for these three years, the transformations in the Longevity Realm have been incredibly enigmatic, if we were still the ones rebuilding the Mountain Gate, I fear the Secret Demon Sect would decline into three-second-rate sects in the current Longevity Realm, how could that be allowed?"
These words from Jiang Luan also made Tao Qian raise his eyebrows.
Though he occasionally conversed with the "Ancestor Spirit" Daoist from afar, perceiving mundane changes through shifts in the Human Dao Destiny.
But Tao Qian's true body had been hermiting in Penglai Sea, never actually having deep understanding.
Since Jiang Luan spoke thus, the truth might be completely beyond Tao Qian's expectations.
Before he could inquire, Granny Jiang continued:
"We are already destitute, though over these years, I've cultivated a few somewhat outstanding juniors, competing against All Heavens Secret Demon Sons is exceedingly difficult."
"Luckily, with Nephew willing to join, with your abilities, you'll surely defeat other Secret Demon Sons."
"Other Secret Demon Sons have backing from realm ancestors, some undergo Daoist transformation, or even become Tribulation Immortals, whereas Nephew has only us."
Spitting out the last sentence.
The Secret Demon Elders, including Yuan Gong, all revealed expressions of embarrassment.
Other competitors have ancestors-level existence behind them, even able to present a realm's heritage.
In contrast, the support Tao Qian could receive was extremely meager.
Granny Jiang saying these words was clearly to mention the unpleasant facts upfront, unwilling to deceive Tao Qian.
"The ancestral land lineage originally had ancestors, but unfortunately, along with the sect's accumulation, all perished in the calamities of those years."
"Although we are destitute, nephew need not worry too much, this Monarch has also done some things over these hundreds of years, sitting in the Demon Cave for a century, finally refined a 'All Heavens Demon Net', then went to the Outer Realm, slaughtered a million evil spirits, refining that 'Nine Heavens Four Spirits Binding Earth Evil Thousand Demon Array'... all of which are at your disposal."
"Under my command, including the child Qi Ye's Formless Demon Army, there are eighteen Demon Armies, along with myself, all are at your beck and call."
"This Monarch conquered three great Demon Countries in the Outer Realm, containing various Heavenly Demons numbering in the millions, all can be loaned to Nephew."
A group of elders, each chiming in, nearly gave Tao Qian all the assets accumulated over hundreds of years, including the heritage rescued from past calamities.
Tao Qian in the cultivation world was already considered quite wealthy.
However, upon hearing this now, he was still shaken.
If he were to take everything, it would be a fortune beyond fortune. With his strength alone, he could establish another Major Sect.
It's a pity, this can only be said within the Longevity Realm.
Once outside the realm, the scene is completely different.
"Going to the Source Sea and competing with numerous Secret Demon Sons is like a frog leaping out of a dry well, seeing the vast world."
"These stores of spiritual materials and resources can dominate within the Longevity Realm, but when compared to the foundation of an entire realm, they are extremely meager, likely completely incomparable, unless I drag the Spirit Treasure Sect into this, which is an impossibility."
As the thought came to a close, Tao Qian's expression didn't change.
He merely looked towards Granny Jiang and calmly asked, "Do we now know what the process is for the sect master selection?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Luan immediately replied, "Twelve hours ago, the ancestors sent a demon message. For this selection of sect master, there are no special rules or procedures; only one thing is needed, which is to collect world resources and construct our Secret Demon Sect's first treasure."
Hearing this, Tao Qian couldn't help but become interested.
The first treasure of the Secret Demon!
Such a title, he had never heard before either.
Jiang Luan did not keep him in suspense and directly continued:
"The All Heavens Secret Demon Nest!"
"This is the name of that treasure."
"In the Great Abyss Origin Sea, all heavens and myriads of worlds, life undergoes birth, extinction, and reincarnation. All other things, and even the world itself, experience this."
"The robust boundary walls of a thriving realm are immovable."
"But in the Great Abyss, countless worlds are often on the verge of breaking and destroying. If one can retrieve still usable items like the [Realm Core], [Source Fire], [Heavenly Track], [Earth Body]... and other treasures, they can be used as spiritual materials to construct the indestructible treasure [All Heavens Secret Demon Nest]."
"Once this nest is forged, it will take the Longevity Realm as its heart, connecting all realms. At that time, us Secret Demon Cultivators can travel freely across the heavens, and need not fear sect annihilation tribulation. Even if the Daoist, Buddhist, and Demon Sects unite to exterminate us again, they wouldn't be able to do anything to us."
"The more world spiritual materials we have, the stronger the nest becomes."
"The ancestors have stated: Whoever among the Secret Demon Sons collects the most and the most useful spiritual materials will become the Secret Demon Revival Master, and not only will they control the All Heavens Secret Demon Nest, but if a new sect master asks the ancestors to come forth, the cost can be halved."
After Jiang Luan finished speaking, Tao Qian couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
As he pondered, he felt an abnormality.
Some peculiar terms from his past life jumped out in his mind.
What kind of construction worker?
What kind of all heavens railway?
It turns out the proper sect master selection was turned into a grand infrastructure-building group activity by these second-generation ancestors of the Secret Demon Sect.
What made Tao Qian internally criticize even more was the benefits obtained after becoming the Secret Demon Revival Master.
"To command the [All Heavens Secret Demon Nest], that is to be expected."
"But even if you can ask the ancestors, you still need to pay a price, only reduced by half."
"Hmm? Is it that difficult to have these Daoist Transformation and Tribulation Immortals come forth?"
"Was it just as strenuous for our Spirit Treasure Sect Master to ask the second-generation ancestors for help?"
Tao Qian's thoughts didn't wander for too long, nor did he regret.
To divide soul and body and compete for the position of Secret Demon Sect Master, this was something the Heavenly Venerate tacitly approved.
The spiritual response that Tao Qian had received clearly indicated that this was a significant opportunity for him, one not to be missed.
Thus, he shifted the topic, starting to inquire more details and secret information from Jiang Luan.
Later, he simply gathered the Secret Demon Elders for a discussion on Dao. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭⚫𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵
Several hours later, after knowing all the details, Tao Qian bid farewell to all the elder disciples and left the Ascending Immortal Star Acupoint alone.
Upon exiting the Star Acupoint, he intended to look for his wife and precious daughter.
Just after taking a few steps, he stopped suddenly, furrowing his brows, and directly looked into the void before him.
Ripples spread as a figure resembling an old peasant yet also a scholar emerged.
Before Tao Qian could greet, the Ancestor Spirit, whose face was full of distress, approached without a word, cupped his hands, and said:
"Daoist Tao, I've encountered a difficult matter, and I've come seeking your aid."
"Daoist, there is no need for formality, please speak."
With a raised eyebrow, Tao Qian responded, surprised and curious in his heart.
The Ancestor Spirit is a unique being born of Human Dao Destiny.
That such an existence would encounter difficulties?
The question had just arisen when he received the answer immediately.
"Daoist Tao, you may also know, although I belong to the Human Dao spirit, my true form is the Exotic Treasure [Mountain and River Map]."
"And this treasure, it originally had an original master."
"It was the great Innate God and Demon [Emperor Wa], His Excellency does not require my assistance, thus I am allowed to roam outside."
"But recently, a direct disciple of Emperor Wa's lineage entered the Longevity Realm, and intends to retrieve me back."