The entire sect is obsessed with love, but I'm the only one who's truly insane.

Spring has arrived and the ice has melted, and it's time for another state election.

"Did the Supreme Sect come this year?"

"...didn't come."

The crowd grumbled, "They neither accept disciples nor hold any temple fairs. What is the Supreme Sect doing all day long?"

"Focus on your cultivation. Last time, the Supreme Sect took in four disciples, and four outstanding young talents emerged. Who could have imagined such quality?"

"That's right, the Supreme Sect isn't just powerful. I heard that after True Person Lin Du obtained the Heavenly Crafting Pavilion's inheritance, he actually opened it up. Any talisman master who meets the requirements can enter the pavilion to receive instruction. Furthermore, True Person Yan Qing spearheaded the establishment of a Dao Discussion Society!"

"It only publishes the latest inventions or enlightenments in various Taoist theories, from weapon crafting, formations, mechanisms, alchemy, talismanic arts to cultivation insights. In addition to the theories of the Supreme Sect's True Persons, it also includes fresh and valuable theories from powerful True Persons from various regions, as well as from extraordinary and unorthodox practitioners!"

"That's right. In just three years, they've published a sub-journal, which is said to be a basic treatise specifically for newcomers to cultivation. And let me tell you, it's really useful and inspiring. The 'journals' from the Daoist Discussion Society in bookstores are in high demand."

"I know that. The Record of Strange Tales records the reason for the establishment of this book club. It was inspired by Master Lin Du and Master Yan Qing joined forces with several major sects to form an evaluation committee. They are really good people."

"The true men are righteous!"

At this point, everyone couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Their sighs eventually led them back to the original question: "So, what do you think the true disciples of the Supreme Sect are doing?"

The Supreme Sect, whose true disciples were the focus of everyone's attention, gathered together and almost got into a fight.

"I say, if all else fails, let's just dump the bomb in there," Yuan Ye said, scratching his head in frustration. "Simple, convenient, and precise."

"You said these demons have been trying to breach our defenses, and look, the surveillance footage from the wooden sparrows I put in is a bit strange."

Yan Qing brought up the screen. "I know what kind of demon this is. According to the records, it has multiple demonic embryos."

The crowd watched as the enormous demon transformed into its original form. After it consumed the potion and entered an array, it was immediately separated into several segments. Each segment twisted and struggled, and after a long time, these parts crawled out of the array independently.

Lin Du raised his hand and rubbed his eyes. "Just as I expected."

The way demons evolve is by separating their demonic embryos to form multiple demons, which then cultivate by absorbing demonic energy.

Chu Guanmeng looked at the sugar cake in her hand, which had been chewed up in a mess, and remained silent for a moment before quietly rolling it into a ball and stuffing it into her mouth.

Ni Jinxuan, who was lucky enough to get a piece of dessert, quietly put down the sugar cake that was still dripping with black red bean paste. "I think the biggest evolution of demons is that they have brains."

Lin Du expressed his agreement, saying, "Having a brain makes all the difference. The other day, Jin Rui from the Lianheng Sect wrote to me, saying that in just twenty years, the formations designed by participating formation masters have already been destroyed."

Several people sat on bamboo mats, with writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and a silver mirror scattered haphazardly in the middle.

Someone sighed, "What a worry!"

The others sighed in agreement, "What a worry."

Mo Lin decided to boost morale, "Since the source of demonic energy is gone, we can still kill that many demons."

"If all else fails, we can just join forces and charge in."

"Not really." Lin Du rejected the idea. "Hou Cang almost made it back yesterday. Now, whenever a spiritual cultivator appears in the Demon Realm, a signal flare is lit, and all the demons in the surrounding territories will rush over to attack."

"And they'll also snatch your storage ring first, along with traps like spirit-suppressing arrays."

Xia Tian didn't nod. She was the one who treated Hou Cang's injuries, and they were indeed terrible.

Yan Qing concluded, "The spirits and demons are now mortal enemies. We are slowly recovering our strength, while they are already at their wits' end."

Yuan Ye lamented, "There's a reason why one shouldn't pursue a desperate enemy."

A group of people sat on the ground, looking gloomy and dejected, until a cold voice came, "What are you doing? You all look like you're under a dark cloud."

Everyone turned around, and it was Hou Cang.

Hou Cang was clearly badly injured yesterday and is still not fully recovered today, with white gauze still wrapped around his arm.

"A bunch of kids, they don't want to continue after a little setback, huh?"

Hou Cang was much more relaxed than before, seemingly having forgotten his previous caution. He strode over, and the group began to move their seats, finding an empty spot to sit down.

"Yours won't work. The range isn't wide enough, and the destructive power isn't great. Do you dare to go into the danger zone? You wouldn't dare either. You still won't be able to block too many of the demons around you, and you'll only expose your position. Get rid of it."

Hou Cang picked up a pen and crossed out one of the forbidden areas.

Yuan Ye: ...

"Also, this magical artifact of yours will be discovered before it reaches its end, unless you can completely eliminate the spiritual energy leaking out during flight." Hou Cang pushed the wooden bird aside.

Yan Qing: ...

Hou Cang couldn't understand the formation, and Lin Du escaped a calamity.

The brothers, in perfect unison, cleared another space, just as someone appeared. "Hey, fourth brother, what are you doing here?"

Cang Li walked over with a carefree air, twirling a jade flute. "Oh, you're hurt."

He sat down with a flick of his robe, the wide sleeves falling onto the knees of his apprentice and Hou Cang. One swallowed his anger, while the other did not tolerate it and slapped off the corner of his robe.

"What, now that you've become the leader, you're not going to ask your master's opinion anymore?" Cang Li lowered his head. "There are ways to improve. Those roughnecks won't understand, but I can."

Hou Cang: ...

The two brothers, now in the same boat, straightened their backs. Cang Li glanced down at the things on the table. "It can still be changed."

The discussion was gradually joined by all the 99th generation disciples, except for Feng Yi who was at the Tiangong Tower. Zhu Xi was also forced to join in.

It was seven days later when Lin Du finally returned to the library with the vast deployment map.

As the crowd dispersed, Hou Cang and Cangli remained on the mountaintop, each sitting on a bamboo mat, clearly separated from the others.

After a long silence, Cang Li finally spoke, "I used to envy you too."

Hou Cang nodded, "I know."

The two fell silent again as dusk settled and nothing was said.

Finally, Cang Li stood up on his own, preparing to return to his palace.

"But now I envy you too. Cranes yearn for their old nests, clouds yearn for their mountain peaks, yet you are still not as carefree as I am," Hou Cang's voice came from behind.

Cang Li continued forward upon hearing this, "Fool."

"In a towering hall, who can remain carefree? Today we plan for the future, tomorrow we'll be drunk on the battlefield. Let's get going!"

Hou Cang turned around and saw the man stepping steadily on the ground, his elegant robes billowing in the wind, revealing his steady footsteps.

After working hard for several days, Lin Du placed the deployment map on the table and left the library. When he returned after the wind had blown through, he found that the deployment map on his table had been spread out and had several marks of modification on it.

The handwriting is vigorous and powerful, with a strong sense of antiquity.

It could only be that senior in the library.

Lin Du watched for a while, then, without sitting down, performed a Daoist bow, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, senior!"

This path is never lonely; all are fellow travelers.

And she, too, was making her final preparations.