After My Rebirth, I Ended Up Happily Ever After with the Saintess - Chapter 142

A few days later, in the Cloud Palace, the core vital area of the Nine Heavens Celestial Palace.

The solemn and austere hall of the past was filled with a heavy atmosphere, crowded with people. Representatives from various forces across the Spirit Realm were gathered here, each one a significant figure capable of causing a stir in their respective domains. The Central Plains Imperial Dynasty was represented by the Prince Jing, a figure clad in a four-clawed golden dragon robe, possessing an imposing aura; the Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom sent the Venerable Huijue Arhat, cloaked in an old yet clean golden kasaya, with a withered, ancient-wood-like face, but whose eyes were clear, wise, and contained a hidden Buddhist light; the Eastern Continent Star Palace was represented by the Venerable Xuanji, a white-haired elder holding a Star Compass, one of the three chief elders of the Star Palace; and the Southern Wild Monster Domain was represented by the Crimson-Eyed Monster King, whose aura was defiant, with faint scarlet flames constantly swirling around him. In addition, there were dozens of sect leaders or core elders from first-rate sects, such as the Sect Master of the Profound Cloud Sect who came in person, filled with pride and worry for his disciple, Ye Li and the Pavilion Master of the Azure Water Pavilion whose mood was complex, but firmly supported Qin Yixuan.

All eyes, carrying scrutiny, anticipation, and a trace of unnoticed anxiety, were focused on the main seats. Two women sat side-by-side there. One was Qin Yixuan, the Nine Heavens Xuan Nü (Mysterious Maiden), who had fully adapted to the power and status after her return, seated on a jade throne, her presence exuding an intangible majesty and a compassionate aura. The other, seated slightly lower beside her, was Ye Li, whose complexion was still pale, but whose aura was deep and solid as an abyss, and her gaze sharp as a sword.

Qin Yixuan’s gaze calmly swept over the entire hall, unmoved by the presence of the many formidable experts. She once again systematically and clearly summarized and announced the intelligence currently gathered regarding the Shadow Demon organization and the World-Erosion Plan. She did not merely use words; she also used the Xuan Nü’s divine power to conjure light and shadow images in the air, displaying the chilling residual evil aura of the purified God-Erosion Demon Mark. She even permitted a few representatives to cautiously probe it with their spiritual sense, allowing them to personally feel its sinister toxicity and tenacity, and the hint of a terrifying will be contained within it, which seemed to originate from beyond this world and supersede ordinary demonic qi.

“…In summary,” Qin Yixuan’s voice was clear and steady, echoing in the silent hall, every word seemingly carrying an immense weight, “the Shadow Demon organization is not a rabble but possesses a strict structure, acts with extreme stealth, and its infiltration is extensive. Based on current intelligence analysis, their primary objective appears to be the systematic collection of the vital essence and divine souls that contain great potential and destiny, while also frantically searching for some sort of… key item.” As she spoke, her gaze subtly glanced at Ye Li beside her.

The “key item” she referred to was, naturally, the fragments of the Reincarnation Mirror that Ye Li was searching for. This matter concerned Ye Li’s core secret and safety and was not completely revealed in such a public setting, but core allies such as the Palace Master Yaoguang, the Sect Master of the Profound Cloud Sect, the Pavilion Master of the Azure Water Pavilion, and several heads of major forces were already aware of some of the details in private and had sworn a Heavenly Dao oath to keep it secret.

Ye Li interjected at the appropriate moment. Her voice carried a hint of coldness but was equally attention-grabbing: “When I was fighting the masked man and later when I was purifying the demon mark within the Xuan Nü’s body, a secret treasure I carry was abnormally sensitive to the demonic qi and spatial fluctuations.” She omitted the name Reincarnation Mirror. “Based on its detection, the depths of the Western Regions’ ‘Black Desert’ and the vicinity of the ‘Ten Thousand Bone Cave’ not only have an abyssal gathering of demonic qi, but also contain an extremely special and powerful spatial fluctuation, completely different from ordinary secret realms, filled with the aura of chaos and destruction. That place is highly likely to be an important lair for the Shadow Demons, or even a crucial site for them to conduct some kind of core ritual.”

The representative of the Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom, Venerable Huijue Arhat, chanted a Buddhist name upon hearing this, his voice ringing out like a great bell, tinged with sorrow and resolve: “Amitabha. Fairy Ye Li’s sensing is correct. The Black Desert is a major battlefield relic from the ancient war between immortals and devils. Countless bones are buried beneath the ground, and malevolent qi has accumulated for ten thousand years, lingering persistently, making it difficult for ordinary living beings to approach. The Ten Thousand Bone Cave is the place with the most notorious reputation there. Legend has it that it is where a Devil Dao overlord perished, and the lingering vengeful spirits and liquidized death qi have bred countless strange and fierce creatures. Our Buddhist predecessors have organized forces many times to enter and cleanse this place, attempting to purify the land, but the terrain inside is complex, demonic creatures emerge endlessly, and it seems that some power is guiding them in the dark. Each cleansing effort is like trying to burn weeds that grow back again with the spring breeze. If the Shadow Demons establish their foundation there, utilizing the natural environment of the place, it will indeed be extremely troublesome. As a Buddhist disciple, purifying the land of devils is my bounden duty. I am willing to lead the allied forces to investigate and ascertain the situation!”

His words resonated with many presents, especially the forces familiar with the Western Regions, who nodded in agreement, their faces grave.

Next came intense discussion and strategic deployment. Representatives from all sides spoke up. Some advocated for concentrating all forces and directly rushing to the Western Regions to destroy the Shadow Demon core with a sudden, overwhelming strike; others believed that the Shadow Demons were cunning and had multiple hiding places, suggesting that the forces should be divided to clear out the already exposed strongholds in various regions, clip their wings, and then plan to attack the core; still others worried that this was a feint by the Shadow Demons to lure the forces away, fearing they might take advantage of the emptiness to strike elsewhere.

The debate in the hall lasted for nearly a day. Finally, after comprehensive deliberation by Palace Master Yaoguang, Qin Yixuan, Ye Li, and several highly respected figures such as Venerable Huijue Arhat and Prince Jing of the Central Plains, a relatively safe and strategically deep plan was decided upon: form the Spirit Realm Devil-Slaying Allied Army, divide the forces into two routes, and operate collaboratively.

The First Route: Led personally by Palace Master Yaoguang, in collaboration with part of the Central Plains Imperial Dynasty’s elite legions, the Eastern Continent Star Palace’s formation teams, some monster forces from the Southern Wild, and nearby mobilized sectarian forces. Their responsibility was to clear out the exposed or highly suspected Shadow Demon strongholds in the Central Plains, Eastern Continent, and Southern Wild, rescue any potential surviving geniuses, continue to dig deep for intelligence, attract and tie down the Shadow Demons’ attention as much as possible, and secure the stability of the rear.

The Second Route: This was the main force and the spearhead of the action, personally led by Qin Yixuan, the Nine Heavens Xuan Nü, utilizing her divine power to suppress demonic qi and boost morale; Venerable Huijue Arhat of the Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom would serve as the Deputy Commander, relying on his familiarity with the Western Regions environment and the Buddhist divine abilities to restrain demonic creatures; Ye Li would be the core combatant and intelligence consultant, relying on her powerful individual strength, understanding of the Shadow Demons, and the intelligence support from the Ghost Pavilion; Emissary Yun Ying whose injuries had largely recovered under the continuous healing of the Xuan Nü’s divine power would command the elite of the Nine Heavens Celestial Palace; supplemented by the most elite cultivators drawn from all forces required to be at least at the Nascent Core stage or above, and skilled in combat or special techniques. They would form an elite Western Regions Allied Army, heading straight for the Western Regions, with a clear objective: the Black Desert and the Ten Thousand Bone Cave! Their mission was to eliminate the Shadow Demons’ important stronghold in the Western Regions, destroy their ritual, and search for the key clues i.e., the Reincarnation Mirror fragments and related information to counter the World-Erosion Plan.

With the decision made, the formation of the Allied Army commenced with astonishing efficiency. Qin Yixuan utilized the Xuan Nü’s authority to bestow a powerful “Xuan Nü’s Blessing” upon all members of the Western Regions Allied Army scheduled for the expedition. This blessing not only significantly boosted the spiritual energy recovery rate of the recipients but also formed an invisible sacred shield, effectively warding off the erosion of demonic qi and the bewitchment of the mind, even having a deterrent and purifying effect on low-level demonic creatures. Ye Li, in turn, produced a large quantity of targeted supplies such as “Demon-Slaying Talismans,” “Heart-Cleansing Pills,” and “Vajra Body-Protection Talismans,” which had been secretly produced at full capacity by the Ghost Pavilion and strongly supported by the Profound Cloud Sect. These supplies would undoubtedly be crucial for survival and defeating the enemy in the upcoming battles in the devil domain.

Three days later, the Western Regions Allied Army assembled in the immense central plaza of the Nine Heavens Celestial Palace. Banners fluttered, obscuring the sky, with various sect flags standing alongside the unified Devil-Slaying Alliance banner. All manner of flying magical treasures, battleships, and spirit beast mounts were neatly arranged, emitting powerful energy fluctuations that converged to form a soaring aura of sushazhiqi, solemn killing intent, like a drawn sword, its edge pointing directly west.

Qin Yixuan and Ye Li stood side-by-side on the foremost Xuan Nü’s Carriage, which was pulled by nine spiritual Immortal Cranes and shimmered with colorful light. One was enveloped in a faint nine-colored divine radiance, sacred and majestic, like a deity descending to the mortal world; the other was clad in white, with snow-like silver hair, a tall and straight posture, coldly aloof, her eyes sharp as ice. The two women, one representing holiness and hope, the other representing power and unwavering resolve, became the most steadfast core and spiritual symbol of this Allied Army, and the source of confidence for countless cultivators facing the demonic catastrophe.

Palace Master Yaoguang led the remaining forces and members of the First Route Allied Army to bid farewell to the expeditionary team. There were no excessive words, only firm gazes and silent blessings.

“Depart!” Qin Yixuan’s clear voice spread throughout the area.

The next moment, the carriage took the lead and ascended into the sky, with the nine cranes crying in unison! Immediately after, countless flying boats, sword lights, and monster winds followed suit, like a mighty torrent, cutting across the firmament, carrying a resolute momentum, speeding toward the Western Regions shrouded in death and shadow! The true journey had just begun.