"No... It’s not just him!"

Silver Moon’s eyes sparkled, hastily revealing all the information about Li Lan Mountain.

This alone took more than half a stick of incense’s worth of time.

"Xie Xuanyi... Undying Spring..."

The Great Palace Master’s expression grew increasingly solemn as he listened. With hands behind his back, standing atop the Snow Mountain, he spoke in a deep voice, "Are you suggesting there is a second ’Harmonizer’?"

"Very likely... No, it must be!"

Silver Moon gritted his teeth and said, "Great Palace Master, Xie Xuanyi and Mo Zhen have long known each other! During the confrontation at Li Lan Mountain, I found it quite strange. It seems they have long planned an ambush against the Venerable Master... despite the Venerable Master being always cautious, he ultimately fell victim to this calculation..."

As he spoke, he sighed sorrowfully.

"..."

Jiang Huang’s eyes revealed a hint of disdain, thinking this behavior completely insincere.

This Silver Moon, though following Sun Erosion, truly held little respect in his heart.

Sun Erosion was dead.

Silver Moon was far from sad; instead, he felt a touch of secret delight.

Next... the territory of Erosion Sun Swamp would be redistributed between Heavenly Phoenix Palace and Great Ape Mountain.

This territory needed a new master, and the first in line was Silver Moon himself!

"Alright."

Chi Fu Dragon Lord consoled softly, "You shouldn’t be too sad; Heavenly Phoenix Palace will avenge Sun Erosion... The urgent task is to stabilize the order of the Holy Land, and it might be hard on you for some time."

"Is this... alright?"

Silver Moon cautiously raised his head, looking at the Great Palace Master.

"These days are indeed tumultuous."

The Great Palace Master said expressionlessly, "Over the next couple of days, I will discuss with Great Ape Mountain to reorganize Howling Wind Valley and Erosion Sun Swamp. You must hold fast to the Pocket Worlds of the two Holy Lands and avoid any mishaps."

"Yes!"

Silver Moon suppressed his joy and bowed deeply, "Thank you for the favor, Great Palace Master. Silver Moon will make every effort!"

A single rise to power, nothing less.

Howling Wind Valley collapsed, Sun Eater Venerable died suddenly.

Silver Moon, overnight, became the Lord of the Holy Land, promptly becoming the leader directing the Demon Country’s course.

Dragon Wood Venerable looked conflicted.

Throughout, he hadn’t spoken much. Firstly, due to his low realm, merely at Yin God Realm, unqualified to speak. Secondly... he truly felt a pang of sorrow.

A truly grieving person doesn’t want to talk.

Many years ago, he had started following Sun Erosion, cultivating step by step before finally reaching "Great Perfection."

He hadn’t waited for the Venerable Master to refine the Great Erosion Pill.

But he did wait for the news of the master’s death.

Ascending to Great Perfection should be a joyous occasion, but no matter what, he couldn’t be happy now.

Dragon Wood knew well that the Demon Country thrived on survival of the fittest, its hierarchy strict.

Perhaps to the Great Palace Master or the Old Saint Emperor, Sun Erosion’s life or death wasn’t so crucial.

The Demon Country was located in the barren northern region, even if today’s south-north conflict ended in defeat, it would merely be an echo of past retreats... the Human Race would never counterattack, no one would target this barren land. If Howling Wind Valley was gone, it was gone. If now Erosion Sun Swamp perished, it actually wouldn’t make much difference.

This Great Marsh simply required a change of name, a shift in leadership.

This person could be Silver Moon, Wu Jiu, or anyone.

As long as they were willing to bow, easily controlled.

Thus, for them... changing the master of the marsh was rather a good thing.

Sun Erosion had cultivated to the Eighth Heaven, becoming difficult to control any further; once promoted another realm, he’d have the qualification to negotiate at the table.

For years, the Venerable Master had quietly endured.

The so-called "Swallowing Sea."

Was the Venerable Master’s final plan.

Unfortunately, fate counts more than plans...

"Dragon Wood."

Just as Dragon Wood was lost in thoughts, the Great Palace Master spoke again, the old man actively calling Dragon Wood’s name.

"Master?"

Dragon Wood Venerable was stunned, snapping back to his senses.

"Would you be willing to join under my Heavenly Phoenix Palace?"

The Great Palace Master suddenly extended an olive branch.

He saw the melancholy in Dragon Wood’s Heart Lake.

With Sun Eater Venerable’s death, it’s likely Dragon Wood Venerable was the only one in the entire marsh truly deeply saddened.

"Me?"

Dragon Wood froze again.

Not only him, even Silver Moon beside him, showed a look of surprise.

"Your aptitude is quite good. Since Sun Eater Venerable faced an accident, follow me and work for me."

The Great Palace Master didn’t leave any room for Dragon Wood Venerable to refuse.

He said casually, "From today onwards, you will be under Heavenly Phoenix Palace’s protection... don’t remain guarding this marsh; follow me back to Heavenly Phoenix Palace. I have tasks for you."

Dragon Wood Venerable opened his mouth, hesitated to speak.

Of course he knows.

This isn’t a consultation with him.

In the position of the Great Palace Master, once he speaks, it’s an order.

He can only agree: "...Yes."

The Great Palace Master nodded.

In the next moment.

The old man extends his palm once again, locking onto a Star Gate in the void.

The Star Shifting divine skill is activated for the second time.

This time, the Great Palace Master of the Heavenly Phoenix Palace brings an additional person.

...

...

Void shatters, scenes change.

This time.

The group arrives above the snow-capped mountains of the southern Great Marsh.

"What is this?"

Dragon Wood Venerable stands beside the Great Palace Master, gazing through heavenly clouds at the mountains below.

He smells a thick bloody aura.

"This is where your Venerable Master was slain."

The Great Palace Master descends slowly with the group, landing in a place where the snow mountain is shattered, a huge concave pit filled with splashing crimson blood.

"The Venerable Master... died here..."

Dragon Wood Venerable crouches down, unable to suppress the grief in his heart, and even his voice becomes hoarse and strained.

The blood is still warm.

"There are several Yang God Realm Great Divine Ability Users’ auras here."

Chi Fu Dragon Lord furrows his brows.

He sniffs hard, finding not only a bloody smell in the air but also lingering Taoist Intent and Sword Qi.

"Including Sun Eater, there are a total of five Yang Gods."

The Great Palace Master narrows his eyes slightly and says slowly: "This was a long-planned ambush... the life-and-death battle of five Great Divine Ability Users, and yet neither I nor the Holy Emperor sensed it..."

At such a realm, if there is any significant movement, it would inevitably attract a large amount of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi!

Logically speaking...

Such a battle couldn’t hide the heavenly secret for so long.

Achieving this effect requires two conditions.

First, the battle must be brief, never to fall into prolonged war.

Second, the Qi Mechanism lockdown must be perfect; this territory is likely covered by a perfect Grotto Heaven so that the Qi Mechanism doesn’t leak at all.

"Five Great Divine Ability Users slaughtering here..."

Dragon Wood Venerable stands up, growling with hatred: "Four against one, was it a setup to destroy the Venerable Master?"

"Yes."

The Great Palace Master nods and then hesitates slightly.

With his fingertips, he gets a trace of Taoist Intent from the void, muttering: "But... or perhaps three against two?"

"Three against two?"

Chi Fu Dragon Lord seems puzzled.

"In this snow mountain, there’s still a trace of aura, severely injured, almost mingled with Sun Eater’s Blood Qi."

The Great Palace Master frowns and says, "If I’m not wrong, Sun Eater probably had an ally. Unfortunately, despite having an ally, he still perished."

Speaking of which.

He activates the divine skill, completely restoring that trace of Taoist Intent.

A gust of strong wind disperses the Blood Qi.

"Chu Lin?"

Seeing that blood-red Taoist Intent, Dragon Wood Venerable can’t suppress his voice and cries out.

"..."

The Great Palace Master looks meaningfully at this loyal servant of Sun Eater.

These years.

The Sun Erosion Swamp has had an enigmatic Yang God Realm strong presence doing many decisive things. For this strong presence, Sun Eater Venerable offers utmost protection; almost no one knows the true identity. But for those of the Great Palace Master’s level, most concealments are ineffective, and to him, there are no secrets within the Demon Country territory.

The Great Palace Master has known for long that this mysterious presence is the Sea Surfing King who betrayed the Da Chu Dynasty.

"You mean... the Great Venerable encountered Chu Lin when fleeing..."

Dragon Wood Venerable’s brows lock tightly; he has a poor impression of Chu Lin, even with suspicion: "This guy fought alongside the Great Venerable and then died in battle?"

"Judging from the aura, that’s the case."

The Great Palace Master says calmly: "If we analyze based on these residual auras, Chu Lin should have been fighting enemies with Sun Eater... but unfortunately, they lost in the end..."

"Just that..."

He looks around.

The snow-capped mountains are pitted, everywhere tainted with Sun Eater’s fresh blood.

"Chu Lin might still be alive."