When the War Began, Everyone Chose Their Side

“The Demonic Extermination Conference?”

Not long after True Master Dao Sword left, the Sect Leader made this news public.

Instantly, excitement surged among the Heavenly Dao Sect disciples.
This was a chance to prove themselves!
Moreover, the sect was showing such domineering presence.
Attacked by demonic sects, immediately launching an extermination conference—wasn’t that a display of the sect’s strength?
The demonic sects merely seized a moment of carelessness to attack.

Besides, Jade Lotus True Dharma hadn’t died.
It was said True Master Dao Sword had fed him the Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill, saving him at the cost of turning him into a woman.

Many disciples went to sneak a look.

“I have to say it now—Senior Brother Jade Lotus… Senior Sister Jade Lotus is absolutely the face of our Heavenly Dao Sect!
Even compared to Dao Sword Peak’s Ning Shuang and Qi Huan, she is not inferior in the slightest!”
One disciple declared.
“I already admired Senior Sister Jade Lotus immensely; now I admire her even more!”
“You’re just lusting after her body!
You’re despicable!”

Jade Lotus herself had no thoughts on the matter.
She had no mind to consider such things.
She was under Li Wangyan’s control.

“Jade Lotus!
What happened to you is this master’s responsibility—”
“Master, why say that?
It was merely a demonic sect attack.
As a leading figure of the younger generation, I naturally bear this karma.
Ultimately, this attack happened because my strength was insufficient.
Had I been strong enough, I could have handled it.
How can Master be held responsible?”
True Master Prison Law stammered for a moment, then said, “That True Master Dao Sword certainly had a way to save you, but she harbors resentment over this master’s judgment against her fourth disciple back then.
Thus, she used the Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill to save you.
This master must definitely seek an explanation for you!”

Master, you seem to have gotten something wrong…
Jade Lotus very much wanted to say she hadn’t been transformed by the Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill at all.
But those words, she could not utter.

“Master, regardless, she did save this disciple’s life.
If Master seeks an ‘explanation’ from her, wouldn’t it make others think our Heaven’s Law Peak lacks tolerance and magnanimity?
I beg Master to reconsider.”
Hearing Jade Lotus’s words, True Master Prison Law’s face twitched.
“It’s just… this has truly wronged you!”
“Master, it may not necessarily be a misfortune.”
Jade Lotus True Dharma said earnestly.
“The Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill, as expected of a long-lost medicine, not only brought this disciple back from death but also increased my cultivation speed considerably.
Looking for a silver lining, this might be a shortcut to destiny and fortune.”
“Oh?
Is that so?”
“It is indeed true.”
True Master Prison Law pondered for a moment.
“In that case, our Heaven’s Law Peak should also express gratitude towards Dao Sword Peak…”
“Master is wise.”

…

Meanwhile, Qi Xiao encountered something even more bizarre.
The Peak Lord of Heaven’s Formations Peak, also a Golden Core cultivator named Lu Yun, sought her out.

“Peak Lord Lu, may I ask the reason for your visit?”
“Peak Lord Qi, the Sect Leader intends to launch a war against the demons.
With Senior Brother Jade Lotus attacked, though recovered… will the sect summon Senior Brother Lin back?”

Qi Xiao was taken aback.
Her master had only just sent a transmission to her; how had this Lu Yun already guessed?
“Daoist Lu is truly perceptive.
The sect has indeed summoned Eldest Senior Brother back.”
A flicker of delight crossed Lu Yun’s face.
She blushed slightly.
“In that case, I need not hide much…
I have long admired Senior Brother Lin.
Could you assist me?
No need to do too much.
Just help bring us together a little.
Regardless of the outcome, I will surely reward you generously!”

Huh?
You like Eldest Senior Brother?
But Eldest Senior Brother…
This was truly surprising.
In Qi Xiao’s memory, this Peak Lord named Lu Yun had decent relations with Dao Sword Peak, after all the way of sword formations was a specialty of their Heavenly Dao Sect.
But after all, there was a distinction between the Heaven Branch and Dao Branch, so they weren’t that close.
But then again—Eldest Senior Brother really was popular!

“Peak Lord Lu, there’s something I don’t know if I should say.”
She hesitated.
“Oh?”
“This matter concerns Eldest Senior Brother’s secret.
Logically, I shouldn’t tell you, but perhaps he won’t intend to keep hiding it, so…
You might not want to hear this news.
But if you are determined, I will tell you.”

Qi Xiao’s gaze looked very serious, making Lu Yun’s heart tremble.
She wondered what this so-called secret was.
Could it be that Senior Brother Lin was one person on the surface, another behind the scenes?
“Please speak frankly, Peak Lord Qi!
I am mentally prepared!”
Qi Xiao sighed.
“I knew you’d want to know.
However, before Eldest Senior Brother voluntarily reveals it, I hope Peak Lord Lu can keep it confidential.”
“Naturally.”

Qi Xiao thus said, “Actually… Eldest Senior Brother is a woman.”

For a moment, a huge silence filled Qi Xiao’s cave abode.
After a good while, Lu Yun finally spoke as if waking from a dream.
“What did you say, Peak Lord Qi?
I didn’t hear clearly.”
You clearly heard but can’t accept it.

“I said, Eldest Senior Brother, Lin Wushuang, is actually female.
It’s just that all these years, she has always presented herself as male, using some means to appear no different from a man.
In reality, she is a woman.
Upon returning this time, she will probably reveal her identity—after all, her Ruthless Sword is almost fully cultivated.”
“H-how can this be?!”

Qi Xiao looked at her, not really understanding.
“Peak Lord Lu, Eldest Senior Brother cultivates the Ruthless Sword Dao.
Even if not a woman, would he form a Dao companion with you?
That’s fundamentally unrealistic.
Why be dejected?
You are an intelligent person; you should naturally know this outcome.”

Hearing Qi Xiao’s words, Lu Yun smiled bitterly.
“I do know… but I thought…”
“Thought what?”
“Nothing.
It’s nothing.”
Lu Yun stood up unsteadily, looking deeply struck.
“Troubling you today, Peak Lord Qi.
I need to go back and recover, think carefully about this.
I’ll bother you another day.”
“Take care, Peak Lord Lu.”

In reality, Eldest Senior Brother being recorded in the Mystic Maiden Mirror was basically inevitable.
After all, her master still wanted to “resolve contradictions.”
Qi Xiao herself didn’t really care about such things.
Besides, she had also been transformed…
without even offending Junior Brother.
She felt somewhat unbalanced inside.
So, Eldest Senior Brother should just transform!
Nothing wrong with that.

Eldest Senior Brother should return within the next couple of days.

What she was more concerned about was another matter: the convening of the Demonic Extermination Conference.

She had only been at early Golden Core for five years.
According to her original progress, she needed at least another decade or so to attempt mid-Golden Core.
But due to Junior Brother’s arrival and the Immortal Artifact’s support, she had a risky method that could allow her to advance to mid-Golden Core before the conference.

The Sect Leader convening this conference would absolutely include a segment for Golden Core disciples from various sects to duel.
After all, Nascent Soul grand cultivators were the upper echelons of major sects and couldn’t easily make a move.
Moreover, controlling the aftershocks of their clashes was difficult.
To display strength, Golden Core cultivators were the most suitable.
As for Qi Refinement or Foundation Establishment stages—even if you performed spectacularly, you were still just “ants.”
The Golden Core stage embodied a sect’s foundation.
The more Golden Core cultivators, the higher their grades, the more they displayed a sect’s future potential.
Taking a step back, Golden Core cultivators had five hundred years of lifespan.
Wasn’t that also an embodiment of a sect’s living strength?

If she could reach mid-Golden Core before the conference began, she might achieve a good ranking.
The sect would definitely reward that.
And in the subsequent campaign against the demonic sects, having more strength was always safer.

This matter needed discussion with Junior Brother.
Junior Brother was connected to the demonic sects.
If she could obtain some intelligence from him, she might gain more life-preserving capital in the coming war.

With these thoughts, Qi Xiao changed into the Primordial Veil and Flowing Light Gown Junior Brother had given her.
Using the ‘Flower in the Mirror, Moon on the Water’ technique, she went to Junior Brother’s cave abode.

“Senior Sister, what brings you to me today?”
Qi Xiao dispelled the illusion technique.

Li Wangyan was instantly stunned.
Qi Xiao simply let him look, without the slightest hint of shyness.

After a while, Li Wangyan finally withdrew his gaze, looking at Qi Xiao with an ambiguous half-smile.
“Senior Sister coming today wearing this gown… presumably, you have something to ask of me?”
“As expected of Junior Brother, exceptionally intelligent.
This senior sister indeed has some matters to entrust to you.”
“Senior Sister, feel free to speak?”

Li Wangyan calmly sat on the edge of the stone bed.
“Senior Sister showed me kindness.
As long as it’s within this junior brother’s capabilities, I have no reason to refuse!”

Just don’t bring up any conditions.

“You must already know the news about the war against the demons?”
“Senior Sister came for this matter?”
“Precisely.
Junior Brother, you have connections within the demonic sects.
This time, for you, it might also be difficult to handle.”
Li Wangyan chuckled lightly.
“Demonic sect members?
What does it matter if they die?
We all just mind our own business anyway.
Forming the demonic sects was merely because the righteous factions were too powerful, so everyone banded together for warmth.
Now, the Heavenly Dao Sect wants to launch a war—then we’ll see who the unlucky one is~
Besides, I am now a member of the Heavenly Dao Sect, Senior Sister.
If demonic sect members die, I will clap and cheer.”

Qi Xiao sized up Li Wangyan, trying to determine if he was speaking truthfully.
But Junior Brother’s expression didn’t seem fake.

“Senior Sister won’t beat around the bush with you, it’s just…
if the war begins, could Junior Brother… make some arrangements?
Senior Sister is only at early Golden Core, after all.”

She adopted a somewhat pitiful appearance.

Yes.
Today, Qi Xiao had come to play the pitiful card.
Li Wangyan had favorable feelings toward her.
She came wearing the gown he gifted, then pleaded with him—as a man, Li Wangyan had no reason to refuse Qi Xiao.
Qi Xiao bet on her transmigrator’s understanding, confident of this.

“Senior Sister…”
“Although saying this is somewhat embarrassing, given my cultivation, there is a possibility of falling.
That’s why I came to find you, Junior Brother.
If you have any methods, Senior Sister would be extremely grateful.”

Her posture made Li Wangyan a little dazed.
“Senior Sister… you are truly cunning!”
“What is Junior Brother saying?”
“Nothing.
Since Senior Sister has spoken, then this junior brother will naturally comply.”