My Master Knows It All

1344: Chapter 325_3 1344: Chapter 325_3 The calm-looking man had not yet spoken when another person beside him replied, “Return?

Of course, we must return.

My junior disciple is still in the sect, along with Senior Brother’s Dao companion and child.

We naturally need to return to bring all the senior and junior brothers closest to us, and take our families away.”

“But after we return, it’s not certain we’ll be able to leave the Great Teaching.” Among the group, the only female disciple spoke worriedly, “The higher-ups in the Heaven Prayers Sect will surely realize the problem.

If, by then, the Praying Heaven Sect shuts its gates and forbids disciples from leaving, what will we do?”

“That shouldn’t be the case, right?

If they recklessly shut the gates, how many disciples inside do you think would want to leave?

Don’t they fear we’d directly stir up chaos from within?”

“Besides, by then, if everyone wants to leave, they wouldn’t be able to control the situation.

They might not even have the means to close the gates.”

The calm-looking man nodded slightly and said, “Indeed.

We have close junior brothers in the sect and family at home.

We must return to take them away.

Moreover, I fear the Praying Heaven Sect is already in chaos.

And as for our Sect Hierarch, he’s not truly a proper hierarch.

If most of the disciples want to leave, he won’t be able to stop them!”

He stopped short of saying something else: their current interim hierarch had not even been with the Heaven Prayers Sect for a thousand years.

For all they knew, he might have already fled by now.

Now that the ruins had disappeared, the group began to disperse, but their departure paths were remarkably similar—they were all heading toward the Heaven Prayers Sect.

Their journey to the ruins hadn’t been in vain, at least.

They had gleaned one crucial truth: the Heaven Prayers Sect was doomed!

Their knowledge also meant that the factions backing them were aware as well.

Across the entire Eastern Province, almost every power capable of sensing the Heaven Prayers Sect’s Sect Tribulation was now dispatching people toward the sect en masse.

However, Cao Zhen and his group did not immediately hasten toward the Heaven Prayers Sect.

There was still some time before the Sect Tribulation reached its climax, so heading there now would only leave them waiting.

Besides, he still held quite a few promissory notes from major sects.

Naturally, he opted to visit nearby sects first to collect on those debts.

It just so happened that two major sects were not particularly far from the Heaven Prayers Sect.

If the debt collection went smoothly, they should still make it back in time.

And if it doesn’t go smoothly?

What, did they really think the Yin Yang Sect and Dragon Chant Sect were pushovers made of paper?

Among the owed sums were portions for Immortal Bi Yue and Jiu Yin!

Zhao Xingyu was deeply frustrated.

He had initially planned to default on the debt, but damn it all—Cao Zhen had actually brought people directly to his doorstep to demand repayment.

Moreover, they made it explicitly clear that Immortal Bi Yue and Jiu Yin each had a share in the debt.

What else could he do?

He had no choice but to pay up.

Trying to shortchange disciples from the Yin Yang Sect or Dragon Chant Sect?

Their powerful sects would certainly come to their defense.

It wasn’t worth offending two top-tier sects over a few Immortal Herbs.

Fortunately, he had already sold the Square Cauldron given to him by Cao Zhen to someone in the Heaven Prayers Sect.

So, he had no personal qualms—at least, assuming the Heaven Prayers Sect could actually pay him.

However, that debt seemed all but destined to turn into bad debt.

At this moment, the entire Heaven Prayers Sect was already surrounded by forces from all major factions.

Heaven Prayers Sect.

Even as one terrible piece of news after another returned to the sect, under the leadership of Sect Hierarch Swallowing Heaven Demon, the Heaven Prayers Sect was still setting up formations to confront the Sect Tribulation.

But in the hearts of the people, chaos had already begun to take hold.

“Elder Feng, continue leading the disciples in setting up the formations.

I’m going to retrieve more resources.”

The interim hierarch, Swallowing Heaven Demon, gave instructions to an elderly-looking cultivator beside him, then turned and flew off into the distance.

Before long, he arrived in front of the Heaven Prayers Sect’s treasury.

In front of the treasury stood two squads of guards, each brimming with a vitality that suggested their lives were not especially young.

When they saw Swallowing Heaven Demon approach, one thin man with protruding cheekbones stepped forward, cupped his fists, and deferentially said, “Sect Hierarch, you’ve come.

May I ask the purpose of your visit?”

Swallowing Heaven Demon sighed and said, “Naturally, I’ve come to retrieve resources.

The Sect Tribulation is drawing ever closer.

Elder Li, you know the state of the Heaven Prayers Sect… Forget it.

There’s no point in saying much.

We can only do our utmost to set up more formations.”

At these words, Elder Li’s expression dimmed.

He, too, understood all too well the dire state of the Heaven Prayers Sect.

Casting his gaze behind Swallowing Heaven Demon, he suddenly froze in perplexity and asked, “Sect Hierarch, are you here alone?

You know the rules of our Heaven Prayers Sect.

Even though you are the current hierarch, you cannot enter the treasury alone.

There must be consensus from more elders, and at least one elder must accompany you…”

Even though this was the smallest treasury of the Heaven Prayers Sect, Swallowing Heaven Demon still lacked the authority to enter alone and withdraw treasures.

“Sigh, Elder Li, aren’t you aware of the sect’s current predicament?

This time, we ventured into the ruins and returned empty-handed at best.

Worse, we lost many of our elite cultivators, including Huan Tian and Ze Tian.

Now we don’t even have enough people left to properly manage the formations.

How can I muster the personnel to accompany me just to retrieve resources?”

As he spoke, Swallowing Heaven Demon turned to Elder Li with a sense of urgency in his voice: “Elder Li, you’re an elder as well.

Accompany me into the treasury to retrieve the resources.

Time is pressing, and I’ve already begun setting up formations.

We cannot afford further delays…”