Demon Immortal



"Dao Transformation Realm!!!"

Elder Feng and Elder Xu exclaimed in unison as they knelt down from the pressure.

Seeing Elder Feng and Elder Xu kneeling before him didn't bring the necessary satisfaction to Sect Master Yun. Because the person he was most concerned with didn't seem to be fazed by it.

The First Grand Elder looked at the Sect Master calmly without any ripples in his emotions. Seeing that calm look, Sect Master Yun felt a little disgruntled in his heart. He shook his head inwardly.

As expected, the First Grand Elder seemed to have thought of this possibility as well. If he had only banked upon the First Grand Elder's ignorance of his true cultivation level, then this meeting would have been for naught. Luckily, he had his trump card as well.

"When did you figure it out?" Sect Master Yun asked withdrawing his cultivation back into his body.

Elder Feng and Elder Xu breathed heavily in relief. They were almost unable to bear the full impact of the pressure unleashed by the Sect Master. Their limbs almost froze up from the domineering aura that exuded from the Sect Master.

"When you revealed your cultivation during the last sect meeting," the First Grand Elder replied nonchalantly. "When you released the pressure at that time, Liang Tianye didn't seem to be affected much. Moreover, it felt like you didn't completely unleash your cultivation. I have been in the Dao Transformation realm for a long time. It was easier to notice the signs after I started paying attention." 

"The real reason you went into retreat was to break into the Dao Transformation realm. I have to give it to you. You almost had everyone fooled with your cultivation level at the Nascent Soul realm for years. None of the Elders or even I suspected that you had already stepped into the Spirit Severance realm for decades."

"But still, I wasn't able to fool you completely," Sect Master Yun chuckled causing the tense atmosphere to ease up a bit.

"If I am not wrong, Liang TIanye has already stepped into the Spirit Severance realm as well, isn't it? If not, you wouldn't be sending him out to deal with Huang Muyang. No matter how good your trap is, it will be hard to contain a Spirit Severance realm cultivator if he wants to escape."

The moment the First Grand Elder finished his words Elder Feng looked up sharply. She glanced at the Sect Master and at the First Grand Elder with an inscrutable look and looked away. Inwardly, she was cursing herself for not even thinking about this possibility.

After all, Liang Tianye had pretty much hinted at it very clearly during their last conversation. She had mistakenly thought that his information came from the Second Grand Elder. She felt a complicated emotion in her heart as she realized the true distance between Liang Tianye and herself. 

"Ah, that would be telling," Sect Master Yun shook his head. "That's not my secret to tell. Suffice to say, that there are plans in place that would ensure that Huang Muyang wouldn't be walking out of that trap alive. Now, why don't we stop with this posturing and discuss the real issue."

Sect Master Yun suddenly looked at Elder Xu and Elder Feng.

"Why don't you two leave? This is a discussion between two Dao Transformation beings. I don't think you can do much here. After all, a slip from either of us could end your lives pretty quickly," Sect Master Yun smiled widely.

While Sect Master Yun smiled widely, both Elder Xu and Elder Feng felt a chill go up their spine. They didn't mistake the warning and dismissal for anything else. Moreover, what the Sect Master said was true. If a fight broke out, they wouldn't be of much help at all. 

So, they both turned their eyes towards the First Grand Elder seeking his opinion. Seeing them looking at him, the First Grand Elder pondered for a moment and nodded his acceptance. He too knew that these two wouldn't bring much to the table for the upcoming discussion. The matter of the Third Grand Elder being back on the continent shifted things drastically.

The Third Grand Elder was the person who introduced the Sect Master to the sect. He had always been protective of the Sect Master. No matter what the Sect Master did, the Third Grand Elder always had his back. Their relationship was a bit unusual. 

The First Grand Elder didn't take the Third Grand Elder lightly. While he was in the later stage of the Dao Transformation realm, the Third Grand Elder had already stepped into the Earth Immortal realm many years ago. Having the backing of such a person surely added a lot of weight to Sect Master Yun's position.

Seeing the First Grand Elder nod, Elder Xu and Elder Feng breathed a sigh of relief. A mere glancing blow from a Dao Transformation being will be able to annihilate their body and turn it into dust. 

Dao Transformation realm was very unique in the cultivation world. At that stage, a cultivator was straddling the divide between being a cultivator and an immortal. The power they possessed was immense and not even Spirit Severance realm cultivators can come close to them. 

As a person's cultivation progressed, the difference between the realms became more and more vast. The difference between a Dao Transformation realm being and a Spirit Severance being was like that of the chasm between Nascent Soul and Golden Hall. 

Let alone Nascent Soul cultivators like them interfering in matters between two Dao Transformation beings. Even Spirit Severance beings weren't qualified to butt into such a matter. 

Paying their respects to both the Sect Master and the First Grand Elder, they both took their leave hastily. Sect Master Yun watched them go with a calm face. The First Grand Elder only had eyes for Sect Master Yun and didn't even glance at them.

Silence ensued following the departure of the duo.

Neither Sect Master Yun nor the First Grand Elder broke the silence immediately. They both looked at each other and held their gazes for a long time before the First Grand Elder broke the silence.

"Looking at you, I am a little envious. You haven't even crossed your first century. You have already become a Dao Transformation being. Look at me, I am in my third century. And I am still at the later stages of the Dao Transformation realm. Unlike Grand Elder Dong, I don't have the talent to break through to the Earth Immortal realm before I hit the fourth century of my lifespan."

Sect Master Yun shook his head and was about to reply when the First Grand Elder spoke over him.

"Let me finish," the First Grand Elder leaned forward and said with a small smile. "Unlike you talented people, cultivators like me who climbed up the cultivation realms with hard work are pretty attached to the things we have. For you, attachment is detrimental to progress. The speed at which you all progress makes it hard for you to grow attached to certain things."

"In my life, there are only two things I am attached to. My life and this sect. I joined this sect as an entry-level disciple and slowly climbed my way up over three centuries. That is three centuries of my life spent in this place." 

"Obviously, I am very attached to this Heavenly Demon Sect. I will allow no one to cause its demise. Including you," the First Grand Elder spoke with conviction and looked at Sect Master Yun with a serious expression.

"I don't know your plans. I don't know what you plan to do after you accomplish them. I don't know what kind of benefits you will receive for dismantling this sect. I don't know who promised such a thing to you. And I don't care about these things either. This sect will not fall until I live."

"Grand Elder Dong might be able to take me on, but even with the Sect Protecting formation you have control over, you who have just stepped into the Dao Transformation realm will not be able to hold me back. And don't even think that idiot Grand Elder Wen could help either." 

The First Grand Elder paused and looked at Sect Master Yun confidently.

"He is a beastmaster, not an actual cultivator like you and me. His strength lies in controlling beasts. I can take both of you on without much hassle even if you both are aided by the Sect Protection formation."

"With Grand Elder Dong out on an errand, I don't think there is anyone available to stop me. If you don't give me a satisfactory explanation, then we can only tear our faces here and now. I'm not a patient person at all," the First Grand Elder smiled calmly and leaned back in his seat. 

Sect Master Yun didn't reply to that immediately. He looked at the First Grand Elder long and hard. He began to realize that unless he took out his trump card, no resolution could be reached between them. However, he was reluctant to use it.

As a member of the famous Yun clan, he prided himself in his ability to negotiate and move people with his ideas and words. He had the capital to back it up as well. He could offer most people what they wanted. If not, he could use his own strength to complete the deed despite the opponent's disagreement.

However, the situation was different here. There were a lot of things riding on this plan. This plan was one that was hatched several centuries ago. It wasn't just him who had worked for it and now that it was close to fruition, no stubbled could be left behind. He couldn't put his ego in front here.

Taking a deep breath, Sect Master Yun decided to make a final gamble. If this doesn't work, then he could only use the trump card.

"Let me tell you something upfront, Grand Elder," Sect Master Yun leaned forward and spoke sincerely. "You call my cultivation speed fast. But, I disagree. From where I come from, a Dao Transformation being that is nearing a century is just mediocre. I am talented, but the environment I am in has slowed down my progress."

"I am not someone from this world at all. I come from the upper world. There, my cultivation level at my age can only be called average!"

Sect Master Yun spoke causing fierce reaction to appear in the First Grand Elder's face for the first time since he came in.

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