Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 725 - 709: Internal Disputes

The news that Master Chongyang, Du Chongyang, was coming to the Beiting Continent's Cultivation Realm was not widely known among the cultivators.

This was to prevent that Holy Demon Avatar in the Demon Realm from finding out the news and fleeing the area ahead of time to hide.

As the true mastermind behind this demonic calamity, if that Holy Demon Avatar cannot be eliminated, then the calamity could reoccur at any time.

Of course, Zhouyang was not on the list of those who needed to keep the secret.

After Xu Tianlin and Nie Yushuang emerged from the secret chamber, they conveyed the good news to all the cultivators who participated in the Demon Realm expedition, allowing them to remain at ease in guarding Ice City and prepare to spearhead the future counteroffensive against the Demon Realm.

Zhouyang did not care whether he would be at the forefront as a vanguard; he was more concerned about meeting Master Chongyang, Du Chongyang.

As a cultivator aspiring to cross the tribulation and attain immortality, he was naturally eager to truly meet such a living and breathing True Immortal.

The opportunity to meet a True Immortal at the Tribulation Crossing stage in person—not to mention leading a counterattack against the Demon Realm—was worth the risk of battling that black beast again.

It wasn't just him; many other cultivators, including Master Cyan Yang, were also excited upon hearing the news.

When the Heaven-Sundering True Demon caused chaos in the Liuyun Continent's Cultivation Realm, although Master Chongyang, Du Chongyang, made a move, few had the chance to see him in person.

Even late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators like Xu Tianlin and Guo Huaiyang, who weren't present at the time, didn't get to see his true form.

And though Master Cyan Yang was there, due to his distant position, by the time he learned of Master Chongyang's appearance and rushed to see the True Immortal's magnificence, Chongyang had already chased the Heaven-Sundering True Demon from the battlefield.

So this time, upon hearing that Master Chongyang himself would come to lead the cultivators against the Demon Realm, everyone, previously anxious and worried due to the appearance of the Holy Demon Avatar, suddenly calmed down.

All believed that with the Tribulation Crossing True Immortal's intervention, there would be no suspense in quelling this demonic calamity.

This was the long-standing reverence for those at the pinnacle of the "Spirit Realm" and confidence in the ultimate power of the Immortal Dao.

In the "Spirit Realm," a Tribulation Crossing True Immortal represents the strongest force of the Immortal Dao, the apex pursued by all cultivators.

Since ancient times, in the "Spirit Realm," no disaster could not be quelled once a Tribulation Crossing True Immortal intervened.

This time, it would be no different!

However, just as all the cultivators were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Master Chongyang's true form in Ice City, news of demon cultivators attacking various spiritual mountains and blessed lands scattered like snowflakes from all sides.

In merely half a month, dozens of spiritual mountains were ravaged by demon cultivators, resulting directly in the deaths of a Nascent Soul cultivator and over a dozen Golden Core cultivators, along with thousands to tens of thousands of others in realms such as the Purple Mansion, Foundation Establishment, and Qi Cultivation.

Nie Yushuang, after receiving consecutive distress transmissions from forces all around, had no choice but to convene with Xu Tianlin, Guo Huaiyang, and Zhouyang to discuss countermeasures. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Ever since that day Zhouyang revealed the 'Vermilion Bird Fan,' a Tier Seven Immortal Artifact, he was regarded by other Nascent Soul cultivators as equivalent to a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, and received entirely different treatment.

"Fellow Daoists Xu, Guo, and Zhou, you must have heard of the demon cultivators' slaughter of spiritual mountains across the Northern Beiting Continent's Cultivation Realm these past few days. What are your thoughts on this?"

In the cave abode, as soon as Zhouyang and the other two arrived, Nie Yushuang wasted no time in asking their opinions on the demon cultivators' slaughter.

Currently in Ice City, there were still as many as eleven Nascent Soul cultivators from the Liuyun Continent's Cultivation Realm aiding them, one third more than the number stationed from the Beiting Continent's Cultivation Realm.

Thus, even though Nie Yushuang was the host and a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator, at the 'Half-Step True Immortal' realm, he still needed the support of leaders like Xu Tianlin, Guo Huaiyang, and Zhouyang to mobilize these Nascent Soul cultivators.

If Zhouyang and the others disagreed, he would have difficulty leveraging any Liuyun Continent's Cultivation Realm cultivators for assistance.

Upon hearing Nie Yushuang's question, Zhouyang and the other two exchanged glances and communicated silently before Xu Tianlin spoke up: "We believe this is a desperate act by the demon cultivators. Knowing we have discovered the Holy Demon Avatar, they must have realized that we would report this to Elder Chongyang, prompting their mad rampage and capturing of cultivators as blood food to help the Holy Demon Avatar condense a True Demon Body!"

Nie Yushuang, hearing this response, nodded repeatedly and said, "What Fellow Daoist Xu says is quite right; I share the same view. Therefore, I believe we absolutely cannot stand by while the demon cultivators slaughter. We must prevent their scheme from succeeding at all costs, and stop the Holy Demon Avatar's plan to condense a True Demon Body!"

When the words "at all costs" came from Nie Yushuang's mouth, the faces of Xu Tianlin, Zhouyang, and the others slightly changed, and none of them spoke for a moment.

What does "at all costs" mean?

Previously, when Zhouyang and others ventured into the Demon Realm for intelligence in the Ice Sea Demon Abyss, it barely fulfilled those four words.

The outcome of that operation was evident, with eight Nascent Soul cultivators perishing in just one day!

Now, Nie Yushuang was planning such an operation again, while declaring "at all costs," which made Zhouyang and the three hesitate to agree lightly.

After a moment of silence, Xu Tianlin slightly shook his head and said, "We understand Fellow Daoist Nie's eagerness for demon extermination and Dao protection, and are willing to assist and support. However, the matter of fighting outside the city is of great importance, involving the lives of many fellow cultivators. We must discuss with other fellow Daoists before giving you a response, Fellow Daoist Nie."

He could not outright reject Nie Yushuang's proposal, as that would not only embarrass Nie but also dishearten the cultivators from the Beiting Continent's Cultivation Realm.

Nor could he readily agree to Nie Yushuang's proposal, for that would disregard the safety of the Liuyun Continent's Cultivation Realm Nascent Soul cultivators like Master Cyan Yang, who were not present today, similarly disheartening them.

So postponing Nie Yushuang's proposal to have time for discussion with the absent cultivators was his only option.

For Nie Yushuang, Xu Tianlin's response did not surprise him.

After listening to Xu Tianlin, Nie Yushuang showed no sign of disappointment and simply said gravely, "I understand your concerns, Fellow Daoist Xu. However, the situation is urgent, so I urge Fellow Daoist Xu and your companions to deliberate quickly and give me a response promptly."

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Nie, we shall give you a definite answer within today."

Xu Tianlin cupped his hands and responded solemnly.

Immediately, Zhouyang and Guo Huaiyang left Nie Yushuang's cave abode together with Xu Tianlin, and then gathered Master Cyan Yang and other Nascent Soul cultivators at Xu Tianlin's cave abode to discuss the matter of going out to provide support.

As expected, right after Xu Tianlin fully recounted Nie Yushuang's words, someone among the cultivators immediately stood up to vehemently oppose it.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, we absolutely cannot agree to this!"

Zhouyang looked intently and saw that the cultivator who stood up to loudly oppose was precisely Ning Shiqi, a Mid-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator who had previously participated in the expedition to the Demon Realm, a robust-looking middle-aged man.

He looked at Xu Tianlin with an agitated expression and said loudly, "We have come from millions of miles away to support the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm, and within less than half a year, we have already experienced two bloody battles, resulting in a loss of forty percent of the eighteen fellow cultivators who came with us!"

"That's as many as seven Nascent Soul cultivators!"

"And now, while the corpses of our fallen comrades have yet to grow cold, he, Nie Yushuang, wants us to go out and fight to the death with Demon Cultivators again. Do the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm cultivators count as people, while we do not? Is our lives worthless?"

He shouted in a voice filled with grief and indignation, his face full of sorrow and anger.

"I'm not saying this to defend myself as being cowardly or afraid to die. I just want to tell Fellow Daoist Xu that we cannot be used as fools so easily!"

After Ning Shiqi finished speaking, he clasped his hands in salute to Xu Tianlin, then retreated to the side with a sullen face.

As soon as he stepped down, another Early-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator stood up and applauded loudly, saying, "Well said, Fellow Daoist Ning's words truly resonate with me!"

"In my opinion, since Elder Chongyang is about to arrive, let's just wait for his arrival and launch a counterattack together then!"

"As long as Elder Chongyang can slay that Holy Demon Avatar, and we can destroy the Demon Realm, the current losses of some middle-to-low-tier cultivators are completely acceptable!"

This Nascent Soul cultivator with the surname Chang was severely injured in the battle of the Demon City and has not fully recovered yet, so it is unsurprising that he made such a statement now.

With the statements of Ning and Chang being made, another Mid-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator with the surname Che stood up and said, "I also believe that we should not go out to battle. The Demon Cultivators' current behavior is like a cornered dog. It reveals their inner panic. If we go out to battle now, it will just play into their hands, giving them a chance to strike us again before Elder Chongyang arrives!"

"As for Nie Yushuang's concern regarding the Holy Demon Avatar refining a True Demon Body by consuming blood meals, while it can't be ruled out, I believe that as long as we gather all Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators onto the Tier Six Spirit Mountains, relying on middle-to-lower-tier cultivators as blood meals, even if they capture tens of thousands, it cannot compare to the efficacy of ten Nascent Soul cultivators!"

The higher the cultivation of a cultivator, the greater the requirement for the concentration and purity of Spiritual Qi, which applies to Demon Cultivators as well.

A Blood Demon Dao Golden Core Stage Demon Cultivator might be able to match a month's worth of cultivation by refining the full essence blood of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

However, for a Nascent Soul Stage Demon Cultivator, the full essence blood of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would not necessarily be as effective as three days of cultivation in the Ice Sea Demon Abyss.

For a being of the caliber of that giant black beast, only the essence blood and Golden Core of cultivators above the Golden Core Stage can provide the power far exceeding what its own cultivation can achieve.

So while the words of the cultivator with the surname Che were harsh, they were not without reason.

However, not everyone could, like him and Ning, and Chang, watch as a large number of middle-to-low-tier cultivators were taken by demon cultivators as blood meals.

Thus, after they had expressed their opinions, Master Cyan Yang, with his brows tightly furrowed, spoke out in opposition: "I do not fully agree with the opinions of some fellow Daoists."

He looked directly at Ning, Chang, and others, and said in a deep voice, "What is our purpose in coming to the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm, if not to help the cultivators and mortals of the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm avoid the slaughter of demon cultivators? Now, knowing full well that demon cultivators are slaughtering cultivators and mortals outside, and yet some fellow Daoists suggest that we just sit by and watch – isn't this contrary to our original intent of coming here?"

"What Fellow Daoist Cyan Yang says is absolutely right!"

Shen Menglong of the Yuqing Daoist Sect also stood up to support Master Cyan Yang, speaking in a rousing voice: "We have come from millions of miles away to the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm, precisely to exterminate demons and protect the Dao. If we turn a blind eye to the evil actions of demon cultivators, how can we ever have the face to shout this slogan again?"

Upon hearing their words of righteousness, Ning, Chang, and others' faces turned blue and white with anger and frustration.

Ning Shiqi immediately shouted, "Who says we don't want to exterminate demons and protect the Dao? We simply do not wish to die in vain!"

The cultivator with the surname Chang also stared at Master Cyan Yang with a stern expression, shouting, "Fellow Daoist Cyan Yang, are these injuries not gained from battling demon cultivators? Exterminating demons and protecting the Dao are indeed our duties as cultivators, but the premise of exterminating demons and protecting the Dao is the ability to win. Otherwise, it is not exterminating demons and protecting the Dao but seeking death!"

The cultivator with the surname Che coldly said, "Still, my words stand: if Elder Chongyang leads an attack on the Demon Realm, I'll be the first to sign up without saying a word!"

"But if Nie Yushuang can't even beat the 'Celestial Corpse Ascendant,' then asking me to go out of the city to fight recklessly against unknown demon cultivators, I must beg to be excused from this task!"

"Alright, Fellow Daoists, Xu already knows everyone's opinions. For now, let's listen to what Xu has to say!"

Xu Tianlin quickly interrupted the debate, preventing the situation from escalating further.

He glanced around at the cultivators and said slowly, "In fact, all of you have valid points, but Xu believes that we should consider not only our own safety but also the bigger picture."

"If we follow Fellow Daoist Ning and others' suggestion to ignore Fellow Daoist Nie's request and sit idle, it would not only break the hearts of Fellow Daoist Nie and all Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm cultivators but also leave us unable to explain to the incoming Master Chongyang!"

"Further, if Fellow Daoist Nie and others were to fail in their battle outside the city, it would only bolster the Demon Cultivators' strength. If the Holy Demon Avatar truly succeeds in refining a True Demon Body, the suffering in the future will extend far beyond just the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm!"

"Of course, what Fellow Daoist Ning and others said is not entirely without reason. We have already greatly aided the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm with two consecutive bloody battles, and have made tremendous sacrifices. There is no reason for us to fight to the death for others again."

"Therefore, Xu suggests that we send a portion of cultivators out this time, not to engage in a bloody battle with demon cultivators, but to act as a deterrent to prevent demon cultivators from continuing to slaughter and transport captives!"

"This way, we can answer to Fellow Daoist Nie and also protect our own lives to the greatest extent possible!"