Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal? Chapter 715: Unified Steps

Previously on Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal?...
Chen Huaian successfully overcomes his heavenly tribulation to reach the Second Tribulation of the Great Ascension Stage, but he feigns a life-threatening injury to deceive the surrounding cultivators. Under the guise of weakness, he allows the souls of the Five Great Demon Saints to escape, intentionally fueling a sense of terror among the human sects. While others view him as a self-sacrificing hero, Li Qingran realizes her master is orchestrating a grand scheme to force the scattered factions of the Cangyun Realm to unite under his banner for protection. Frustrated by his deception yet understanding his long-term goals for Moon Shadow Sect, she expresses her secret indignation as the gathered experts face a future haunted by the lingering threat of the demon race.
As he sensed the movement against his chest, Chen Huaian realized that Li Qingran had already detected his deception. Was it possible she really functioned as both his disciple and his Dao Companion? He couldn't help but wonder, however, if the specific spot she was nibbling on was a bit inappropriate. Chen Huaian let out a silent sigh as he felt the sensation of Li Qingran's teeth gently grazing him. Ultimately, he decided it wasn't a major issue—if they were to have children in the future, at least he wouldn't be the one responsible for nursing them. Standing a short distance away, Rong Qingyun, the Old Ancestor of the Qingyun Sect, watched Chen Huaian with a look of pure astonishment, flanked by her disciples. Her gaze was fixed particularly on Li Qingran, who remained nestled in Chen Huaian’s arms. While boundaries between a master and disciple were often blurred—given that in the Cangyun Realm, a master held a status even more sacred than a biological father—this seemed excessive. Hadn't the pair been embracing for an unusually long time? Could a standard relationship between a master and disciple truly justify such a lengthy hug? Rong Qingyun contemplated the matter; she concluded that even if she were a female disciple, she would eventually find being held for that long quite bothersome... It appeared that Senior Chen was simply the sort of man who deeply cherished his disciples. The thought was infuriating! Rong Qingyun glared at Li Qingran, her eyes burning with a mixture of longing and resentment. She desperately wanted to sink into Senior Chen’s embrace and bask in his powerful aura herself. Reflecting on her own path, her Cultivation had only reached the Unity stage, whereas Senior Chen had ascended to the Second Tribulation of the Great Ascension Stage. Given such a massive disparity in their realms, wouldn't it be entirely logical for her to seek him out as her new master? The more Rong Qingyun turned the idea over in her mind, the more thrilled she became. She possessed great talent, and her looks were... quite succulent. If Senior Chen had a preference for the youthful, cute type, she could simply use Youth Preservation Pills to revert her physical appearance. If he favored a more mature woman, she could easily adjust her age forward. It didn't matter what Senior Chen’s tastes were; since she was over a millennium old and could manipulate her appearance with Youth Preservation Pills, she could satisfy any desire he might have! Rong Qingyun pressed her hands against her glowing cheeks, wriggling with excitement. Imagining herself from Senior Chen’s perspective, she felt certain he would never be able to turn down a disciple like her. While the gathered crowd fretted over how to defend against potential demon race ambushes, Fa Dahai, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up. "The Void Abyss is home to many seniors of the Great Ascension Stage, but as everyone witnessed, they failed us when the human race faced its greatest peril. To protect their own skin and avoid the gaze of the heavenly rules—which would force them into an early tribulation—those seniors vanished one by one after watching Tu Shan Yue's ascension. Whether our race is slaughtered under the siege of the five demon saints is of no concern to them." At this point, Fa Dahai let his gaze wander over the crowd before finally landing on Chen Huaian, who was currently circulating his Qi to recover. "Only Senior Chen possessed the courage to step forward! Currently, only Senior Chen has the power to guarantee our safety and the survival of our Sects. As for those cowards from the Void Abyss, we couldn't rely on them then, and we certainly shouldn't expect anything from them now." Chen Huaian remained seated cross-legged, his eyes shut tight. Though he seemed completely indifferent to Fa Dahai’s speech, he was actually listening intently with both ears. —Master Fa Dahai is a brilliant orator! He realized he needed more subordinates who possessed Fa Dahai's clarity of vision. Don't stop now, keep talking! "Master Fa, if you have a clever plan, please share it with us directly." "Indeed, Master Fa! Your wisdom is evident... We are at a loss, but surely you have a solution." Fa Dahai surveyed the surrounding Cultivators, appearing to hesitate. He knew that his next words might strike a nerve with many of those present. However, there were no other viable paths left to take. "This monk’s proposal is straightforward. Since Senior Chen is our only source of protection, we should relocate our Sects to the vicinity of the Moon Shadow Sect. The Cangyun Realm is vast, and your Sects are scattered across five different continents. If a crisis erupts, requesting reinforcements would be nearly impossible. Furthermore, if the demon race launches coordinated attacks on separate locations, Senior Chen would be stretched too thin to save everyone. Moreover, if Senior Chen leaves to help others, the Moon Shadow Sect itself would become vulnerable to a demon strike. If you stood in Senior Chen’s shoes, would you truly abandon the Moon Shadow Sect to go and defend someone else?" The various Sect leaders and Elders traded glances upon hearing this, eventually nodding in reluctant agreement. It wasn't a matter of simple selfishness. As leaders, their primary duty was the preservation of their own Sects. How could they leave their own homes defenseless to assist others? If their Sect were wiped out and their disciples devoured by demons in their absence, they would be plagued by inner demons and guilt for the rest of their lives. "Since you wouldn't do it yourselves, you cannot expect Senior Chen to do it either." Fa Dahai’s expression turned grave: "Most importantly, as the forefather of the Moon Shadow Sect, Senior Chen is under no obligation to protect us. While he is a Great Ascension Stage powerhouse, having strength does not mean he is required to sacrifice everything for the weak!" The assembly fell into a heavy silence at these words. Chen Huaian struggled to keep a straight face, his lips twitching with the urge to smile. Extremely well said! This Fa Dahai, who looked like a simpleton, was unexpectedly silver-tongued. He truly lived up to his status as a monk who lived by the word of Amitabha. "This monk has said his piece. The choice is yours." Fa Dahai rubbed his smooth scalp and turned to the abbots standing near him: "We shall return at once to begin the relocation. By moving our entire Sect near Senior Chen's Moon Shadow Sect early, we can claim the best positions." After speaking, he turned toward Chen Huaian and cupped his hands respectfully: "Senior Chen, I have a bold request. There are many peaks surrounding the Moon Shadow Sect, and this monk wishes to move the Zen Sect to those mountains. I do not intend to infringe upon your territory; the Zen Sect will not encroach on Moon Shadow Sect land. I wonder if Senior might..." "Master Fa, you are being far too modest." Internally, Chen Huaian was delighted with Fa Dahai, though his face remained a mask of calm: "The Cangyun Realm belongs to all. The Zen Sect is free to settle wherever it chooses. However, Master Fa makes a valid point—if the demon race strikes from all sides, even This Venerable One is but a single man and cannot be everywhere at once. But if the Zen Sect is stationed near the Moon Shadow Sect, I can intervene instantly to repel any demon bold enough to attack you. More importantly, those five demon saints are not fools. If they see the Zen Sect nestled against the Moon Shadow Sect, they will think twice before acting and will likely avoid attacking you altogether." Chen Huaian’s words were loaded with subtext. But none of the Cultivators present were fools; they were all cunning enough to understand the hidden warning. —If the Zen Sect moved next to the Moon Shadow Sect and became an untouchable target, the demons would simply look for easier prey. Wouldn't that leave the isolated Sects as the next victims? The thought sent a collective shiver through the crowd. They could already envision the demon saints leading their hordes in a swift, brutal assault on their undefended homes. "Master Fa is absolutely right!" Fu Hongyu stepped forward, declaring firmly: "My Blade Sect shall also relocate our entire foundation to the vicinity of the Moon Shadow Sect. I humbly ask for Senior Chen’s permission!" "The Qingyun Sect intends to do the same." Rong Qingyun was so overjoyed her expression practically beamed. Moving right next to the Moon Shadow Sect—wouldn't that mean seeing Senior Chen every day? Could such a stroke of luck really be happening? "My Bliss Sect also..." Wang Dagen looked at Chen Huaian with a flattering smile. Seeing Chen Huaian give a slight nod, he let out a massive sigh of relief: "The Bliss Sect follows Senior Chen’s lead. We will move our entire Sect immediately." A single pebble had created a thousand ripples. With four major leaders taking the initiative—including giants like the Qingyun Sect—the other Sect masters and Elders cast aside their hesitation. One after another, every official with any real power voiced their desire to become neighbors with the Moon Shadow Sect. Every one of them pleaded for Chen Huaian's blessing. What more was there to say? Chen Huaian maintained his cold, distant persona, but his heart was practically bursting with triumph. In a way... he really owed those five demon saints a debt of gratitude. Without those five idiots acting as a threat, unifying every Sect in the Cangyun Realm would have taken a lot more effort.