After all the arguing, the final method turned out to be drawing lots—and it was the Bamboo Knot Sect that lucked out, pulling the task of pursuing the Dan Qian Palace.
Sect Master Leng's gloomy face finally cracked a hint of a smile: "Everyone, no more disputes now, I trust? I'll be troubling you to handle this side of things!"
With that, Sect Master Leng mustered his forces and sped off toward the southeastern region.
Sect Master Qin Mo watched him leave with secret delight, then walked forward as if it were the most natural thing in the world: "Sect Master Xing, Sect Master Fu—would either of you be interested in entering the Myriad Manifestations Extreme Realm? I hear there are still some little mice hiding inside. We were ordered to exterminate them all, after all."
Sect Master Xing, clad in his black robe, waved his hand dismissively: "I'd rather not. The Myriad Manifestations Extreme Realm is said to be a land of nirvana—dead and lifeless, with pitifully faint life energy. For a Sovereign Realm powerhouse like myself to go in there, the death energy could easily backlash. I have no intention of setting foot in there."
As a nirvana ground for Sovereign Realm and even Emperor-grade powerhouses, the Myriad Manifestations Extreme Realm indeed harbored vast quantities of death energy. For the living—especially Sovereign Realm cultivators—there was a genuine rebounding force.
Moreover, the life energy within was far too weak. For a Sovereign Realm powerhouse, entering meant all manner of inconveniences, and the likelihood of being consumed by death energy was far greater than for a Sacred Realm cultivator.
Sacred Realm cultivators were lower in level and consumed far less life energy, so the pull of death energy on them was also correspondingly weaker.
As a general rule, unless circumstances were truly dire, Sovereign Realm powerhouses were unwilling to enter a nirvana ground like the Myriad Manifestations Extreme Realm.
But Sect Master Qin Mo had heard Wang Han's intelligence and knew that Jiang Chen was inside. Risk or not, he would not miss this chance.
This was the Zither Demon Sect's one and only opportunity. Capturing Jiang Chen—whether to seize his inheritances or hand him over to His Majesty—would be a tremendous merit.
Who knew? This could be the very chance for his Zither Demon Sect to ascend to a Third-Rank Sect!
Fortune favored the bold, after all!
"Sect Master Fu, what do you say?"
Sect Master Fu of the Golden Talisman Sect considered for a moment, then still shook his head: "I'll pass. Brother Qin Mo, surely you aren't—"
Sect Master Qin Mo nodded with cool indifference: "What His Majesty has ordered must be fulfilled by someone. If this old man must shoulder a bit of risk, what of it?"
He spoke with such righteous conviction that both the Golden Talisman Sect and the Qi Heaven Sect masters were momentarily thrown off balance, unable to read the old man's true thoughts.
They didn't believe for a second he was that noble—there had to be some secret motive.
Still, they genuinely had no desire to set foot in that nirvana ground. A handful of young people were in there conducting trials. Was Sect Master Qin Mo interested in those youths? Looking to recruit a batch of young geniuses?
It held some appeal, but the two sect masters clearly weren't willing to take that kind of risk for something so trivial.
They suspected Sect Master Qin Mo's real target was to obtain some kind of inheritance from the Myriad Manifestations Extreme Realm. After all, those who achieved nirvana within a nirvana ground were all Sovereign Realm powerhouses—or even Emperor-grade experts.
The thing was, throughout the history of the Myriad Manifestations Domain, Emperor-grade powerhouses had been exceedingly rare. What were the odds of stumbling upon an Emperor-grade inheritance?
After weighing it all, the two sect masters ultimately decided not to go.
Sect Master Qin Mo had gone through this entire charade precisely so he could enter alone. Seeing that both sect masters declined, he was absolutely thrilled.
"In that case, this old man will take my newly accepted disciple and these fresh recruits who have pledged loyalty to me, and make a trip to the Myriad Manifestations Extreme Realm. The main Zither Demon Sect army will remain outside to exterminate these stubborn resisters!"
With that, Sect Master Qin Mo beckoned, and the Zither Demon Sect's Deputy Sect Master approached.
"Brother, I'm leaving things here in your hands for now. Remember—root them out completely. Don't let a single one escape alive!"
"Sect Master Xing, Sect Master Fu—with the two of you holding the fort, things should be under control here, yes?"
"Rest easy, Brother Qin Mo. We're Sovereign Realm cultivators ourselves. The strongest in the Myriad Manifestations Domain are barely at the ninth level of the Sacred Realm. No need for us to personally intervene—there won't be any surprises."
"Mm. Stay sharp, and don't underestimate the enemy."
Sect Master Qin Mo waved his hand and addressed Wang Jianyu's group: "You'll lead the way!"
Wang Jianyu's party consisted of six people. Their standing was far below Wang Han's now, so naturally they took point. Wang Han, meanwhile, trailed close behind Sect Master Qin Mo, playing the part of the ever-attentive disciple.
One had to admit—Wang Han was remarkably gifted at reading which way the wind blew. Back at the Sacred Sword Palace, he'd carried himself with his nose in the air. Now, having become a disciple of the Zither Demon Sect Master, he could so seamlessly assume the posture of a loyal servant. It was truly breathtaking.
Seeing the Sacred Sword Palace people actually leading the way to the Myriad Manifestations Extreme Realm, the cultivators from other sects erupted in furious curses.
"Wang Jianyu, you old bastard—may you rot in hell!"
"The Sacred Sword Palace will be infamous for all eternity!"
"Wang Han, you worthless little traitor—you've sold yourself to the enemy, and heaven will strike you down before long!"
These people were truly losing their composure. Inside the Myriad Manifestations Extreme Realm were the top geniuses of every sect. Sect Master Qin Mo's strength was unstoppable—once he entered, the hundred-plus people inside would likely have no survivors!
They had already steeled themselves for a fight to the death. But even so, they clung to a sliver of hope.
That hope lay with the young geniuses inside the Myriad Manifestations Extreme Realm.
As long as those young geniuses survived, the Myriad Manifestations Domain still had a future.
But now, Wang Han and these Sacred Sword Palace traitors were clearly intent on pulling the rug out—cutting off every last seed of the Domain's future.
Their betrayal could not have been more complete.
Yet, encircled on all sides, even if they wanted to stop it, they couldn't. What's more, Sect Master Qin Mo's strength was terrifying. Just moments ago, a single rendition of "Ambush from Ten Sides" had wiped out over two hundred lives with casual ease. A third-level Sovereign Realm powerhouse of that caliber filled the cultivators of the Myriad Manifestations Domain with bottomless despair.