Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 414 - 414 413 Honest and Sincere

414: Chapter 413: Honest and Sincere 414: Chapter 413: Honest and Sincere The Wu Team, the group he was going to join, was also the last one established, because he arrived latest, there was no real distinction of strength or hierarchy amongst them.

As he walked into the courtyard where these cultivators gathered, when more than ten pairs of eyes looked his way, he distinctly felt the exclusion and malice within them.

He was well aware that this was not because two forces were already at odds with each other but rather because cultivators innately rejected such supervision.

No one would be happy about being mistrusted, and that was precisely what he was about to do, to judge everything with a scrutinizing attitude.

Within the Quanzhen Sect, it was the same situation; even the central army’s headquarters didn’t hold these “hound dogs” in high regard.

Lin Zhengyuan was one of the two Golden Core Upper Cultivators responsible for leading this operation on behalf of the Bai Shen Sect,

and the person who brought him here,

gathered everyone together, and without any hint of emotion, announced his identity,

“Wang Shouzhong from Shan Sect, Prosecutor of Jin City, will also serve as the Wu Team’s Observer during this operation.

He will record your performances, achievements, and mistakes throughout this operation, and he has the authority to intervene in your actions on specific occasions.

This is the decision of the Bai Shen Sect’s Elder Council, and everyone must comply unconditionally.”

Lin Zhengyuan’s briefing was lackluster; it neither inspired nor clarified rewards or punishments—simply dull and all business.

In Hou Niao’s view, this was a failing introduction that added an obstacle to his integration; he didn’t know if this was just Lin Zhengyuan’s nature, or if even Lin himself was opposed to external forces’ supervision?

The group’s response was lukewarm at best; they paid their respects to Lin Zhengyuan rather respectfully, but their gestures towards Hou Niao were nothing but perfunctory bows, and a few even skipped the courtesy completely.

The leaders of the Wu Team were two cultivators from the Natural Realm, “Cao De’an and Lv Zhaolin, have met Observer Wang.

We look forward to your guidance in the upcoming cleanup operation.”

Hou Niao returned the gesture, “We are in this together; let’s support each other.”

It was all courteous formalities.

Everyone was clear about the true feelings they had towards each other, but these matters were caught up in a bigger framework that rendered them helpless.

Hou Niao had also learned from Li Chuping about the Bai Shen Sect’s intentions: the factional infighting within the Bai Shen Sect had led to this, which was essentially a power struggle.

The Elder faction sought to solidify its position while the rising faction wanted more…

It was a messy affair that outsiders couldn’t comprehend and didn’t need to delve too deeply into;

On the surface, this operation’s goal was to eliminate the chaos in the Grand Canyon, but what the Elder faction truly valued was how to cultivate their own supervision system within the Bai Shen Sect, much like the control the Quanzhen Sect had over its entire organization.

For this, they didn’t hesitate to use favors, inviting supervision from the Quanzhen Sect, all to verify whether such a measure was feasible within the Bai Shen Sect.

What effect would it have?

How much resistance would it meet?

Then they would decide whether to establish a similar system within the Bai Shen Sect.

It was a trial, and the advantage was that if there was too much internal backlash, they could easily withdraw.

After all, the supervisory force came from Quanzhen.

By contrast, the Quanzhen Sect’s intent was relatively simple – it aimed to cleanse the disorder at the border.

The upper echelons had sensed unease on the Jinxiu Continent, with the aggressive Daoist Sect, the discreetly powerful Buddhist Sect, and the unpredictable Demon Sect, and they wanted to use this opportunity to eliminate the instability around Shan Country.

The two sects struck an agreement, thus leading to the assignment of several observers here.

They weren’t expecting these observers to assist in combat; rather, their presence was more about the psychological impact it would have on the base-level cultivators of the Bai Shen Sect.

So far, it didn’t seem very welcomed.

After Lin Zhengyuan finished introducing, he immediately left, and as soon as he departed, the cultivators scattered like sheep, everyone attending to their own tasks, including the leadership monks, treating him as if he was invisible.

They didn’t even give him a chance to introduce himself in public.

He had no interest in cozying up to anyone’s cold shoulders; essentially, this was a Bai Shen Sect affair, and he needn’t immerse himself too deeply.

Nor did he have any interest in making a bunch of friends or gaining a bunch of followers; he just quietly went about his record keeping.

At the very least, to the Bai Shen Sect cultivators, this Observer from the Shan Sect didn’t seem like a meddlesome talker – perhaps that was being considerate?

The uneventful day passed, and it was time to start the operation.

They couldn’t dawdle in the town too long as it was close to the Grand Canyon, and the longer they lingered, the easier it would be to give themselves away.

Inside the town hall, two Golden Core cultivators of the Bai Shen Sect and Li Chuping stood at the forefront.

Below them were the leaders of five teams, including two leaders and one observer, no more than twenty in all.

A massive 3D map hovered in the hall, with precise and detailed reproductions of various important locations in the Grand Canyon—no one had been deceived by these for centuries.

Lin Zhengyuan was assigning tasks, “Internally, the chaotic forces in the Grand Canyon have formed their own systems and, through a century of integration, have begun to take the shape of Sects, which is why we must eliminate them.

Red Moon Castle, Twin Peaks Heap, Dark River Dock, Stone Gate, Little Wave Bottom—these five locations are the congregation sights for the disorderly cultivators of the canyon.

We don’t expect to capture them all at once; rather, we hope to destroy their backbone, disperse their structure, and reestablish order in the Grand Canyon so that these chaotic powers can no longer use this region as a base to run rampant.”

The other Golden Core Cultivator, Li Zongyuan, said, “We have divided ourselves into five teams so we can strike these five locations simultaneously; otherwise, if the enemy heard us coming and fled, any subsequent gathering would be fruitless and in vain.

Team A to Red Moon Castle, Team B to Twin Peaks Heap, Team C to Dark River Dock, Team D to Stone Gate, and Team E to Little Wave Bottom.

Each team will launch an attack at the appointed time, work together with all your might to resolve the threat of disorderly cultivators in the Grand Canyon.”

Lin Zhengyuan picked up from there, “There are two Golden Core Cultivators within the Grand Canyon—Frost Demon Kong Han and Red Light Superior Zhu Liejun; according to internal sources from the Grand Canyon, they reside in Red Moon Castle and Stone Gate.

Teacher-brother Li and I will tackle them, with Li Biejia from Sikong Mansion to assist.

The rest of the disorderly cultivators are for you to eliminate, making sure to not miss a single key figure.

Portraits of all the main disorders of the Grand Canyon have been drawn and distributed; everyone should know full well what they look like.”

His tone grew ever stern, “This cleanup operation is different from all the missions our Sect has undertaken before; I trust everyone understands how.

All I will say is, whether or not the Bai Shen Sect will establish a supervisory system remains uncertain, but should there be any acts of opposition or defiance, or even intentional disrupting and resisting during this mission, the Elder Council will not take it lightly.

Especially those of you who are the leaders, do not think for a moment that I am unaware of your thoughts, thinking you can dodge supervision by forming a small clique; you are living in a dream!”