APTnovel Chapter 619 The world is so vast, where can't one go?
Chapter 619 The world is so vast, where can't one go?
"Every day, people sneak down the mountain, and we can't stop them. Hundreds and thousands of names are being crossed off the sect's roster every day."
"The current Tai Xuan Holy Land..."
Gu Changkong raised his head, his eyes red with drunkenness, and looked at Lin Hanzhou, his voice trembling slightly.
"In terms of high-end combat power above the Saint Realm, apart from that ancestor who has never appeared in the world... there are only the two of us left, the Saint Lord and me."
"There are only two saints left, Brother Xiao..."
Upon hearing this confirmed news, even Lin Hanzhou, who was mentally prepared, couldn't help but feel a slight sense of surprise.
He knew that the Tai Xuan Holy Land was declining, and he also knew that some people would desert.
But he never expected that the proportion of deserters would be so outrageously high!
Of the original six sages, five have fled! Only Gu Changkong remains, struggling to hold on.
This isn't just a case of the tree falling and the monkeys scattering; it's like the tree has been completely stripped bare!
"No wonder the Holy Lord Tai Xuan looked at me so strangely yesterday. It turns out he doesn't have a single usable soldier left and has become a completely powerless commander."
"If he doesn't target someone as exceptionally talented as me, who else could he possibly target?"
Lin Hanzhou sneered inwardly.
It's lamentable that such a prestigious holy land has fallen to this state, but in the cultivation world, this is the cruelest reality.
A being of saintly stature is a highly sought-after guest by various powerful forces wherever they go.
Faced with a ship destined to sink, who would be willing to stay and perish with it?
"Brother Gu..."
Lin Hanzhou asked in a deliberately puzzled tone.
"Since even five of the Sage Elders have left, then... why don't you leave?"
This is also a question that Lin Hanzhou has never been able to understand.
With Gu Changkong's cultivation at the Saint Realm, he could easily find any excuse to leave if he wanted to.
The world is so vast, where can't one go?
Upon hearing Lin Hanzhou's question, Gu Changkong poured himself another glass of wine, but he didn't drink it. Instead, he stared blankly at his slightly weathered face reflected in the glass.
Do you think I'm stupid?
Gu Changkong gave a wry smile and shook his head.
"In fact, the Holy Lord has never ordered any disciple or elder to leave."
"He left a way out in the mountain-protecting formation, so anyone who wants to leave can leave at any time, including me."
"But...I don't want to leave."
Gu Changkong's voice lowered, and a nostalgic light appeared in his eyes.
"Brother Xiao, you haven't been in the Holy Land for long, so you may not understand. But I was orphaned and destitute from a young age. I was rescued from a pile of corpses by the Holy Lord during a monster rampage."
"It was the Holy Lord who brought me back to the Tai Xuan Holy Land, taught me cultivation techniques, bestowed resources upon me, and allowed me to join the sect."
"I have weathered all the storms of these past thousands of years under the protection of Tai Xuan."
"For me, this is not just a sect for cultivation; this is... my home."
As Gu Changkong spoke, his eyes reddened slightly, but his tone became unusually firm.
"Now my family is in trouble, and the house is about to collapse."
"Others can just pack up and leave, but I, Gu Changkong, can't!"
"As long as I have a breath left, I cannot stand idly by and watch the Tai Xuan Holy Land perish."
Seeing Gu Changkong's genuine emotions, Lin Hanzhou felt a rare sense of respect.
In a cultivation world where self-interest reigns supreme and loyalty is cold and indifferent, people like Gu Changkong, who are grateful and value relationships, are extremely rare.
"Brother Gu, your noble character is truly admirable."
Lin Hanzhou raised his glass and toasted Gu Changkong.
"Hehe, what's all this talk about being noble or not? I'm just a stubborn person."
After drinking the wine, Gu Changkong felt the effects fully kick in, and he mumbled incoherently.
"Besides... besides, things might not have reached the point of absolute irreversibility yet."
"His Majesty... he must have already thought of a way to break this deadlock."
Lin Hanzhou's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately and keenly grasped the implied meaning in those words.
"Oh? The Holy Lord has a way?"
Lin Hanzhou subtly steered the conversation.
"Is there any way to revive someone from this deadly predicament?"
"Of course!"
Gu Changkong let out a burp, a proud smile spreading across his face.
"Brother Xiao, don't be fooled by the Holy Lord's current worried expression. When it comes to strategy and scheming, there are very few people in the entire Eastern Continent who can surpass the Holy Lord."
"Back then, the extraordinary Qingyun Great Sage was far superior to the current Holy Lord in terms of both cultivation talent and prestige within the Holy Land."
"Logically speaking, the position of the Supreme Profound Saint Master should belong to the Great Saint of Azure Cloud."
"But later, the Great Sage of Qingyun voluntarily relinquished the position of Holy Lord, willingly retreating to the background. Do you know why?"
Gu Changkong approached Lin Hanzhou mysteriously and lowered his voice to speak.
"That's because the Great Sage of Qingyun once said that he considered himself the best in terms of cultivation talent."
"But when it comes to strategic planning, foresight, and the ability to turn the tide in dire straits, even ten of them combined couldn't defeat the current Holy Lord!"
"The Holy Lord has endured for so many years, and he didn't even flinch when the five saints left. What does this mean? It means that he definitely has a shocking trump card hidden in his heart that is enough to overturn the entire chessboard!"
As Gu Changkong finished speaking, his voice grew softer and softer, and his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
The terrifying aftereffects of the "Saint's Intoxication" finally erupted completely.
"Brother Xiao...you are exceptionally gifted, you are the hope of Taixuan...as long as...as long as..."
Before Gu Changkong could finish speaking, his head suddenly slammed onto the white jade table with a "bang," and then he slid to the ground, emitting a series of even snores.
He was completely drunk and passed out.
Seeing this, Lin Hanzhou followed Gu Changkong's example and fell backward onto the cold ground with a "plop," closing his eyes as if he were also drunk and unconscious.
However, beneath Lin Hanzhou's tightly closed eyes, the depths of his gaze were clear, like an unfathomable icy lake in the dead of winter.
"Strategic planning? A stunning trump card to turn the tide in a desperate situation?"
Lin Hanzhou silently pondered the information that Gu Changkong had just revealed.
It seems that the Supreme Lord of Tai Xuan is not as helpless as he appears on the surface.
This old fellow has been able to sit firmly in the position of Holy Lord for so many years under the halo of the Great Sage of Qingyun; he is definitely not an ordinary person.
"He didn't even care about the escape of the five saints in the sect, which means that he has completely abandoned conventional defensive strategies and is preparing to gamble everything."
"And the way he looked at me yesterday..."
The image of the Tai Xuan Saint Master's crazed gaze when he was hidden in the void resurfaced in Lin Hanzhou's mind, and a vague clue gradually began to connect in his mind.
"Could it be...?"
An extremely bold and crazy guess pierced the fog in his mind like lightning.
Although Lin Hanzhou was lying on the ground pretending to be drunk, a chilling killing intent was hidden beneath his seemingly calm body.
"You old bastard, whatever your so-called earth-shattering trump card is, as long as you dare to try and scheme against me..."
"I'll show you who the real hunter is!"