Upon returning to the Nine Provinces and Ten Lands, Bai Qiuran and Huangfu Feng decided to act separately.
"You look like a dog that just found a bone… Never mind," Bai Qiuran remarked with a sigh.
“Let’s not dwell on the small things. Sword Ancestor, what about the recording stone?”
Jing Lingyun responded, "If we're talking about people, there are a few, but there isn't a sect in the Demon Alliance dedicated to studying these things. Everyone focuses on their own sect's demonic skills and formations. Didn't you create your own Heavenly Demon Blade?”
She continued, “Besides, while the Demon Alliance is called a union, everyone guards against each other. Who would take the time to study formations for others? Aren't they afraid of being robbed afterward?”
At that moment, he had no time to worry about the conflict between the Dao and the Demons. He divided the images of the inscriptions and the energy stored in the blank spirit stones, giving one portion to Huangfu Feng to take back for the Demon Alliance to research. Meanwhile, he set off towards the most technically advanced sect within the Righteous Dao Alliance: the Xuanfa Academy.
Booming sounds echoed as a large crowd of identical-looking youths, dressed in matching robes and wearing single-lensed golden glasses, rushed towards Bai Qiuran from within the Xuanfa Academy, raising a massive cloud of dust behind them.
Back at the Heavenly Demon Sect, Huangfu Feng took the copied recording stone and energy portion back to the sect. Bai Qiuran blinked, realizing the weight of the situation at hand.
“I won’t waste time arguing with you. The inscriptions above have already been translated by Elder Fu Yun of the Qinming Sword Sect. You, being the strongest in technical abilities at the Xuanfa Academy, I hope you can analyze the effectiveness and operation of this formation. Also, what is the energy within this blank spirit stone that maintains the formation? If you find out, please let me know.”
The Xuanfa Academy, located in Liang Province, was built in a basin surrounded by mountains and protected by complex and dense formations, providing a sense of security that reflected the eccentric nature of its scholars.
Qingyuxuan, the head of the academy, observed the disciple who reported. "Sword Ancestor, please proceed!”
The two fell silent momentarily. Huangfu Feng snapped back to his thoughts and instructed, “Then so be it. Lingyun, gather all the members of our sect who have potential in this area. Send someone to the Hehuan Sect and the Yinline Sect to inform Su Xiangxue and that old skeleton about our discovery regarding the future of our demonic cultivators. Ask them to send experts from their sects to the Heavenly Demon Sect for joint research.”
The head of the Xuanfa Academy, Qingyuxuan, took possession of the two items, and soon his surrounding clones dispersed throughout the academy.
After presenting the jade pendant representing the Qinming Sword Sect's identity to the disciple guarding the mountain gate, Bai Qiuran was led to a reception room and waited as the disciple reported back with his pendant. “I’ll return to the Qinming Sword Sect to check if anything unusual has happened in the Nine Provinces and Ten Lands over the past few days. If any results arise, just have someone inform me at the Qinming Sword Sect.”
Moments later, the disciple returned and respectfully handed back Bai Qiuran’s pendant while apologizing, “Senior, I'm sorry, but the Principal has said he’s too busy to meet with you.”
Huangfu Feng, in shock, turned thoughtful. “Lingyun, we should reflect on why for three thousand years the evil has not triumphed over righteousness... After the Sword Ancestor obtained the item, he went directly to the Xuanfa Academy without hesitation…”
“Is someone slandering me behind my back?” the frightened disciple hurriedly waved his hands, “Principal, it’s not me! I didn’t!”
Disregarding the dispute between the Dao and Demons, Bai Qiuran threw the recording stone that documented the tablet's inscriptions and the blank spirit stone for maintaining energy into the hands of Qingyuxuan, saying loudly, “Since Principal Qingyuxuan doesn’t wish to meet me, our small sect with no technical strength will have to fend for itself and study this record of Celestial Being energy and formations alone. I wonder if the comrades from the Moon-Watching Lake and the Heavenly Saint Buddha Sect would be interested…”
Moments passed, and the disciple returned with Bai Qiuran's pendant, looking urgent and panic-stricken, “I’m truly sorry, but the Principal said he’s too busy to meet you.”
The entire assembly of identical youths surrounding Bai Qiuran suddenly cried out, “Sword Ancestor, please let us see the recording stone!"
Meanwhile, Huangfu Feng pondered, “Lingyun, I think it’s time to reflect on why evil hasn’t triumphed over righteousness in these three thousand years… After the Qinming Sword Ancestor obtained the item, he went directly to the Xuanfa Academy…”