Free Web NovelChapter 299: Chapter 298: Next Target: Netherfire Sect Leader
"The Nether Fire Sect?"
A sudden silence fell over Daluo Palace.
They had all heard of the Nether Fire Sect. Its Sect Leader was an expert with over two thousand years of Dao Practice. He had single-handedly fought and defeated a coalition of five masters from Shide Prefecture, severely injuring all of them. He then annihilated three other sects and occupied Shide Prefecture.
Some of them had seen those five individuals from Shide Prefecture before. Although they were all severely injured at the time, it was clear they were far from simple. And the Netherfire Sect Leader, who had defeated them, hadn’t even been wounded.
According to Li Qingshuang’s intelligence, the Netherfire Sect Leader was also suspected of cultivating a Demon Technique, giving him combat prowess a cut above others with the same level of Dao Practice. They estimated his current power wouldn’t be much less than the Ink Flood Dragon’s, making him one of the top experts they had encountered to date.
Therefore, when an expert of this caliber sent someone to pay a visit, everyone naturally treated the matter with sufficient respect, not daring to slight the visitor.
Of course, the numerous veteran Daoists were no pushovers either. Led by Taoist Yan Song, the group had spent the past year or so slaying demons in the Otherworld. Whether it was their Cultivation, Dao Practice, or combat experience, they were worlds apart from their former selves.
Given a little more time, forget the Netherfire Sect Leader—they were already preparing to surround and attack the Ink Flood Dragon. They were determined not to give the Ink Flood Dragon another chance to emerge and devour people.
"The Nether Fire Sect, the Red Flame Venerable." Gu Zhao’s eyes narrowed. With a stir of his Divine Sense, he looked at Huang Yuan, who was seated to the side. "Greet our guest. Lead him to the Four Imperial Lords Hall. I will go meet him."
"Yes!" Huang Yuan rose, his body transforming into a streak of yellow light that instantly landed outside the Cyan Dragon Mountain Gate of Daluo Palace. With a calm expression, he faced the arrogant old man before him. The man was dressed in red robes embroidered with black flame patterns, and both his hair and beard were a bizarre shade of red.
The man made no effort to conceal his Corpse Qi, allowing Huang Yuan to recognize him as a Corpse Ghost with a single glance.
Huang Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly, but he remained polite. Turning to the side, he clasped his hands in a salute and conjured a bridge of yellow light stretching from the mountain gate to the main palace hall. "Please!"
The Red Flame Venerable glanced at Huang Yuan, let out a disdainful laugh, and stepped onto the bridge of light.
The next moment, the bridge of light brought the Red Flame Venerable and Huang Yuan to the Four Imperial Lords Hall of Daluo Palace. Gu Zhao had already arrived with Taoist Yan Song and was seated in a position of honor below the statue of the Emperor of the North Pole in the Middle Heaven, awaiting the visitor.
They certainly weren’t going to lead an unwelcome guest to the banquet in the rear courtyard. So, while the banquet continued, Gu Zhao brought Taoist Yan Song to meet their visitor.
The Red Flame Venerable glanced at Taoist Yan Song first, then turned to Gu Zhao, his expression unremarkable. "You’re the Daluo Palace Master?"
"Insolent!" Huang Yuan thrust his hands out, a short blade appearing in each palm. "You’re just a Venerable of the Nether Fire Sect! Show some respect to the Palace Master!"
The Red Flame Venerable sneered again. A bizarre red light flashed in his eyes, but it ultimately receded as he reined himself in.
"Red Flame Venerable of the Nether Fire Sect, paying my respects to the Daluo Palace Master!" The Red Flame Venerable offered a perfunctory clasped-hand salute.
Gu Zhao’s expression was calm. "I hear the Netherfire Sect Leader has five great Venerables under his command. Are you one of them?"
The intelligence from Li Qingshuang indicated that while only the Netherfire Sect Leader had acted personally against Shide Prefecture, the Nether Fire Sect actually had five other masters, known as Venerables, who were all figures of the Sect Leader Level.
And this Red Flame Venerable right here clearly possessed a thousand years of Dao Practice. In the old Changping Prefecture, he could have established himself as a preeminent master, and in Bai Shi Prefecture, he could have fought Bi Jingjing on equal footing.
’But how does his strength rank among the Five Flames Venerables?’
"Correct!" The Red Flame Venerable nodded, a smug smile on his face. "I am the leader of the Five Flames Venerables. The fact that I, myself, have come to visit Daluo Palace shows the importance our Sect Leader places on you all. You should be proud!"
In the Red Flame Venerable’s eyes, Daluo Palace was just some recently emerged power. And he had heard the one calling the shots was a Human Mage, so how strong could they possibly be?
Even though Daluo Palace occupied two prefectures, Changping Prefecture was just Jiangnan’s primary buffer zone, with only that fool, the Golden Wind Divine King, trying to act like a patriarch. The weasels of Bai Shi Prefecture bullied the weak and feared the strong, and the White Bone God Monarch was a recluse who never left his domain. None of them were formidable characters.
Thus, in his heart, he didn’t hold Daluo Palace in high regard, and his demeanor on this visit was far from polite.
Gu Zhao, however, wasn’t bothered. ’Who cares what a dead man has to say?’
So Gu Zhao smiled. "Then I must thank the Netherfire Sect Leader for his high regard."
The Red Flame Venerable nodded as if it were only natural. "Good. Since you know what’s good for you, there will be something in it for you in three months."
"What do you mean?" Gu Zhao asked.
With a flip of his right hand, an invitation appeared. The Red Flame Venerable held it out to Gu Zhao. "In three months, on the day of the New Spring festival, the Nether Fire Sect will hold its grand inauguration ceremony in Shide Prefecture. We are specially inviting the Daluo Palace Master to attend the rites."
Gu Zhao looked at the invitation. It was made of something that was neither paper nor leather, with a texture between satin and gold. It was a strange blackish-red color, and on the surface were written a few words: "For the Daluo Palace Master’s Hands Only."
Gu Zhao accepted the invitation. An illusory black flame immediately erupted from its surface, burning its way toward his body.
However, with a mere stir of the True Qi inside him, Gu Zhao easily extinguished the flame.
When the Red Flame Venerable saw this, the corner of his eye twitched. He looked at Gu Zhao again, and his expression became much more solemn.
Gu Zhao opened the invitation. Inside, it invited him to Shide Prefecture on the day of the New Spring festival to attend the Nether Fire Sect’s inauguration ceremony. It also mentioned that there would be important matters to discuss with him at that time.
SNAP! Gu Zhao closed the invitation and passed it to Taoist Yan Song.
"The Nether Fire Sect holding its inauguration in Shide Prefecture is indeed a major event." Gu Zhao looked at the Red Flame Venerable. "But I wonder, what important matter does your Sect Leader wish to discuss with me?"
The Red Flame Venerable gave Gu Zhao a long look. "You will naturally find out when you go."
"The invitation is delivered. I shall take my leave!" The Red Flame Venerable clasped his hands in salute again. The gesture was more formal this time, but the disdain in his eyes was still plain to see. "I trust the Daluo Palace Master will arrive on time. It would be best not to displease our Sect Leader."
With that, the Red Flame Venerable turned to leave.
Gu Zhao watched him leave impassively, silently observing as the Red Flame Venerable strode out of the Four Imperial Lords Hall, leaped into the air, and transformed into a streak of red light before vanishing.
"Sect Leader?" Taoist Yan Song looked at the invitation in his hand, from which he could feel a dense Corpse Qi. It was a testament to the profound depth of the Netherfire Sect Leader’s Dao Practice. "Are we going to attend this inauguration ceremony?"
Gu Zhao didn’t answer, saying only, "Everyone can still improve their strength over the next few months."
Taoist Yan Song raised an eyebrow. "And then?"
"And then, of course, we won’t wait for their inauguration ceremony." A smile spread across Gu Zhao’s face. "Instruct the artisans in town to craft the Divine Statues, plaques, Incense Burners, yellow draperies, and everything else needed for the new temple. I want it all ready within two months."
At this, Gu Zhao turned to Taoist Yan Song, but he was also using the telepathic function of the Five Thunders Order to inform all the other Daoists. "In two months, we march on the Yongzhou Nether Fire Sect. On the day of the New Spring festival, I will hold Daluo Temple’s own grand New Spring ceremony in Shide Prefecture!"
