We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real? Chapter 645: We'll See How Long You Can Keep Hiding!

The Western Region, Kongnian Temple.

Today, Kongnian Temple had turned away all visiting pilgrims.

The temple's elders had all gathered within the main hall.

Before the hall, that benevolent Buddha statue smiled, holding a flower, gazing down upon the assembled monks yet the monks' expressions appeared extraordinarily grave, the atmosphere within the hall carrying a certain heaviness.

"The abbot has been gone to Ruoye Temple for roughly half a year now. What do all of you make of this?"

Grand Elder Jinghan spoke slowly, addressing the assembled monks.

Roughly half a year ago, Kongnian Temple's abbot, Xujing, had been invited by Ruoye Temple's own abbot to attend a Buddhist gathering there yet to this day, Xujing seemed to have simply vanished, without the slightest word.

This left Kongnian Temple deeply unsettled.

"We have already sent monks to Ruoye Temple. Their abbot said our own abbot traveled together with several other temple abbots to some ancient ruin, and there has been no word since." Second Elder Jinghai said.

"Indeed, it isn't only us searching for our own abbot. Monks from other temples are searching for their own abbots as well."

"We asked Ruoye Temple where exactly this ancient ruin was located, but they claimed not to know, saying that once the Buddhist gathering concluded, their own abbot went into seclusion."

"Does the other party genuinely not know, or are they deliberately concealing it?" said a monk named Fuhua. "I suspect there's something suspicious going on here! I'd wager Ruoye Temple harmed our abbot!"

"Fuhua, don't speak so recklessly about this!" Kongnian Temple's Third Elder rebuked him.

"Without evidence, we certainly shouldn't speak carelessly." Grand Elder Jinghan nodded. "And besides, the abbot is an Ascension realm cultivator. Who in this world could possibly harm him?"

"Indeed." The other elders nodded as well. "The other missing temple abbots are mostly at the middle stage of the Immortal realm as well. How could they all meet with misfortune simultaneously?"

"That's exactly what I think as well. If someone truly managed to harm the abbot and the others, that being's cultivation level must surely have already reached that legendary third realm."

"And there have been quite a few strange occurrences lately as well." another elder said. "Monks have been disappearing continuously of late."

"Could this be the doing of the demonic path?" someone asked.

"That seems unlikely. The demonic path is led by the Ten Thousand Dao Sect, and currently we maintain a mutual non-interference with them, not to mention the Ten Thousand Dao Sect doesn't possess that kind of strength."

"In truth, the demonic path itself hasn't been particularly stable lately either. I've heard a new demonic sect has emerged there, growing steadily stronger, gathering more and more followers, to the point that even the Ten Thousand Dao Sect finds it troublesome."

"In any case, what matters most right now is finding the abbot as quickly as possible."

Jinghan shook his head.

"Send out additional search parties. Something is genuinely wrong at Ruoye Temple. Fuhua, have someone keep watch there. Fushan, see whether we might collaborate with other temples. There's strength in numbers."

"If there's nothing further, this morning's meeting concludes here. The temple will continue operating as usual."

"Then, Grand Elder, should we notify Wangxin about this..." the Fifth Elder asked.

"Let's hold off on that for now." Jinghan let out a sigh. "To Wangxin, the abbot isn't merely her master, but more like a grandfather to her. Telling her now would only cause her needless worry. If it truly becomes necessary, we can call Wangxin back then."

"Yes, Grand Elder."

The assembled monks pressed their hands together in unison, bowing.

Once the morning meeting concluded, the monks left the main hall.

Jinghan turned, kneeling upon a cushion, gazing at the Buddha statue, his aged eyes betraying a note of unease and worry.

Jinghan sensed, faintly, within his own heart.

That something ill was very likely about to happen within this world.

The demon race's territory, a hundred thirty li beyond the Ten Thousand Li Great Wall, held demon encampments stretching over a hundred li.

And the number of these encampments continued growing ceaselessly.

Correspondingly, the demon race's assault grew ever fiercer yet compared to the demon race's former rhythm of "a minor assault every three days, a major battle every five," ever since the Nine-Tailed Kingdom became the demon race's foremost power, with its ruler personally commanding the front lines, the demon race's offensive had become extraordinarily methodical.

Their original goal was no longer simply a matter of "chance," hoping that some day they might "accidentally" breach the Ten Thousand Li Great Wall.

Over these years, the demon race's territory had been engaged in ceaseless "selection."

In every great battle, the demon race's territory dispatched not only demon cultivators to fight, but also sent unawakened beasts onto the battlefield as well.

After each great battle, any demon cultivator who survived would be sent to other armies and sects for focused cultivation.

Those beasts who awakened their spiritual intelligence amid the life-and-death struggle of battle would likewise be sent to various sects then, battle after battle, this ceaseless selection continued.

By now, the demon race's territory had accumulated who knew how many battle-hardened forces.

Beyond this, because the Nine-Tailed Kingdom granted equal status to humans and demons, humans born within the demon race's territory even felt a certain sense of belonging toward the Nine-Tailed Kingdom and so no small number of humans, too, appeared on the battlefield, fighting for the Nine-Tailed Kingdom.

Moreover, having rested and rebuilt over these years, the demon race's territory's fortune had grown remarkably strong.

The demon race's territory had already suffered severe losses after the second human-demon war, and the subsequent civil war had further sapped its vitality yet over these several thousand years, the demon race's territory had, one after another, seen demons break through from the Immortal realm to the Ascension realm, replenishing its depleted ranks of top-tier combat strength.

Not only that, rumor had it that the current ruler of the Nine-Tailed Kingdom's cultivation level and strength had already surpassed that of her late grandmother.

Some even rumored that this ruler of the Nine-Tailed Kingdom stood merely a single step from that legendary third realm.

Beyond this, the demon race's territory had now produced ten prodigies, all under a hundred years of age.

Trained through sects and battlefield experience, these ten represented the future pillars of the demon race's territory.

Among these ten prodigies, five were disciples of the Nine-Tailed Kingdom's ruler herself.

Both the demon race's territory and the Ten Thousand Laws Realm believed that a third human-demon war was drawing near and just as relations between the two realms grew ever more tense.

…

This day, the ruler of Feiyu Kingdom, within the demon race's territory, dismissed all attendants, making his way to a forbidden pavilion within the rear palace.

At the very center of the pavilion stood a stone statue, its face indistinguishable.

"Master!"

The ruler of Feiyu Kingdom knelt on one knee before the statue.

Golden light flared from the statue's eyes, its voice resonating within the ruler's very mind, “How has the task I gave you progressed?"

"Reporting to Master, this subject has dispatched tens of thousands of demon cultivators, searching for the one Master spoke of, but... there is still not the slightest trace of him." The ruler of Feiyu Kingdom said uneasily.

"Search! Keep searching!" The statue raged, violent spiritual energy shaking outward ceaselessly. "Spare no cost! Find him!"

"Yes! Master!"

The ruler of Feiyu Kingdom swallowed hard, hurriedly withdrawing.

"Xiao Mo!"

Golden light flickered within the statue's eyes.

"We'll see how long you can keep hiding!"