Limitless Ascension: Strength Amid Adversity – Chapter 197

Soon, an astonishing announcement erupted from the Yuhua Sect.

“Fellow Daoists, our Yuhua Sect, feeling the hardships of the world, is preparing to gather a mighty army to charge into the Underworld Abyss and bring peace to the ages, forever eliminating future calamities!!!”

This powerful declaration spread like wildfire through the fourteen states of the Eastern Domain, causing a massive uproar.

Instantly, a tidal wave of discussions broke out.

“Wow, the Yuhua Sect truly deserves its title as the foremost among the Ten Great Sects of the Eastern Domain—are they really determined to wipe out the Underworld Abyss once and for all?”

“If this grand act can be realized, it will surely be a monumental achievement!”

“Yuhua Sect is amazing, daring to take the lead!”

……

One must say, once this statement was issued, the prestige of Yuhua Sect skyrocketed.

All prior doubts and jeers vanished, and no one dared to be sarcastic anymore—it was as if they had regained face and won back everyone’s goodwill.

Pingzhou.

Dragon and Phoenix Tavern.

The costs here weren’t cheap; the ingredients were all quite precious, and low-tier cultivators simply didn’t stand a chance.

At this moment, the patrons were indulging in food and drink, chatting about the latest gossip.

“Have you heard? The Yuhua Sect Master is ready to lend a hand and personally attack the Underworld Abyss!”

“Oh wow, who doesn’t know about this by now? This news has dominated the front page of the cultivation daily for days!”

“Those despicable beings of the Underworld Abyss are finally going to pay! Good! Serves them right! Just thinking about it makes me feel good!”

“Even though they’ve been completely routed back to the Abyss, that place is a hard nut to crack with many dangers inside—who knows what risks lie hidden there?”

“True that; the Underworld Abyss has existed for ages. Even the ancient sages of the Human Race only managed to drive them back, not venture deeper. One can imagine how tough it is.”

Clearly, the topic of everyone’s discussion revolved around the Yuhua Sect’s event.

If there were a trending chart in the Eastern Domain, this incident would undoubtedly top the list.

And from the tone of the discussions, one could tell everyone supported the idea.

Boom!

Suddenly, a tall and mighty man, wearing a broad sword on his back, slammed the table and stood up, his booming voice ringing out:

“Fellow Daoists, with such a spirit of sacrifice from the Yuhua Sect, shouldn’t we do something about it?!”

His loud voice, paired with the sensitive topic, silenced the noisy tavern.

The room fell into a pin-drop silence, with everyone looking on in astonishment.

At the same time, hundreds of divine senses focused on the tall man, but he stood tall and unflinching.

“What do you mean by that, brother?”

Among them, a thin man who looked like a monkey, wearing a traditional cap, stood up first to break the deadlock, bowing respectfully as he asked.

The tall man’s gaze was sharp, his demeanor resolute, as he intoned, “Now that the Underworld Abyss is weak, why don’t we ride this momentum and follow the Yuhua Sect into the Abyss to slay our foes?”

“Well…” the thin man pondered.

The crowd exchanged glances, some feeling hesitant.

After all, most cultivators were keen to watch the spectacle of Yuhua Sect’s attack, but didn’t want to jump into the fray, fearing they’d end up as corpses.

The Underworld forces had been thoroughly defeated, retreating back to their lair; it’d take at least tens of thousands of years for them to regain any strength.

Now that a golden era had begun with opportunities everywhere, nobody wanted to risk their necks at this crucial moment.

If one were to lose their life, it wouldn’t be worth it!

This was also the general sentiment of almost all patrons in the tavern.

They could support, donate resources, whatever, but to risk their lives? Nope!

The thin man sighed and said helplessly, “I understand your meaning, brother, but things are not as simple as you think—everyone has their own struggles.”

“Hahaha!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the tall man let out a big laugh filled with sarcasm, making everyone’s expressions sour.

The thin man frowned, displeased, and asked, “What are you laughing at?”

“I laugh at how scared you all are!”

“I laugh at how you all are so afraid of dying!”

“I laugh at how hypocritical you all are!”

The tall man berated passionately, disregarding the feelings of those around him.

Boom~!!

Suddenly, an overwhelming aura erupted, like palpable killing intent focusing around him.

The temperature inside the tavern dropped to freezing point, and the patrons were filled with rage, all wanting to teach this insolent young fool a lesson.

Even then, the tall man remained unafraid, standing tall with a confident smirk, saying:

“What? Did I hit a nerve?”

“You won’t fight the beasts of the Underworld, but instead, you’ll come after me for speaking the truth? Is this how you treat your own kin?”

“Come on! Kill me! If my death can awaken your conscience, then my death would be worth it!”

Upon hearing this, everyone’s faces flushed with heat, and for a moment, none dared to speak up.

The thin man spoke solemnly: “My brother, let’s not be impulsive; we’re all very happy about the Yuhua Sect’s declaration against the Underworld. I believe many are willing to contribute their share of strength.”

“Bullshit!!”

The tall man shouted angrily: “You can fool others, but don’t fool yourselves!”

“Do you think I don’t know what you’re all thinking? You just feel that the Underworld is no longer a threat, and you want to sit back and enjoy a stable life!”

“After all, if the Yuhua Sect wins, everyone rejoices. If they fail, you lose nothing!”

Realizing their thoughts had been exposed, everyone felt embarrassed, wishing they could find a hole to hide in.

“Clearly, the Yuhua Sect can conserve their strength, yet they still choose to attack the Underworld—what’s the reason for this? Isn’t it for a peaceful world, to pave the way for future generations?”

“Tell me, what a noble cause that is!”

“And you? You just hide behind the lines, indulging in pleasure, doing what’s necessary to survive! You still have the audacity to say you support? Pfft! Do you have any sense of shame?!”

The tall man passionately accused as if his indignation erupted in waves.

“Enough!”

Just as everyone was about to lose face and counter, the thin man shot a fierce gaze, questioning:

“Why do you speak so pompously? Would you actually dare to risk your life in this campaign?”

The crowd nodded, faces filled with indignation.

“I would dare!!”

Unexpectedly, the tall man puffed out his chest, his gaze incredibly firm, his tone powerful, saying:

“The reason I dare is that I want to seek justice for my countless compatriots who have suffered. I want to ensure their blood will not be shed in vain!”

“I don’t want to spend every night thereafter drowning in endless guilt and regret!”

“I want my fellow Daoists of the Yuhua Sect to know they are not fighting alone; there are like-minded individuals like me, willing to take action for the dignity of the Human Race!”

His passionate voice echoed throughout the tavern, clear and resonant in everyone’s hearts.

Everyone felt a tremor, struggling with their inner thoughts.

“Everyone, think wisely!”

The tall man decisively turned and left, leaving behind a determined silhouette.

The thin man stared at the retreating figure, lost in thought.

After a few seconds, he sighed and clasped his hands, saying: “I stand corrected.”

Just as he was about to leave the scene, a middle-aged man, puzzled, asked, “Where are you going, fellow Daoist?”

The thin man replied somberly: “I plan to return to the sect, rally everyone together, and contribute to the campaign against the Underworld.”

“This…” the middle-aged man gasped.

Wait, are you serious?

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the thin man reached the tavern doorway, suddenly stopping, turning around to say seriously: “I have something to say; I’m not sure if it’s appropriate.”

“Please go ahead!” the crowd perked up, listening intently.

Looking at the patrons, the thin man spoke earnestly:

“From now on, whether you choose to be a coward for life or a hero for a moment, it depends only on yourselves; as long as your conscience is clear.”

With that, he turned and left.

The tavern fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Many gritted their teeth, nostrils flaring, tightly clenched fists trembling, their insides battling in turmoil.

This feeling was truly unbearable!

“Oh my!!”

After a moment, a loud shout rang out.

A young man dressed in luxurious robes, exuding wealth, stood up, his eyes ablaze with fire, feeling excited and fervent.

“Where are you going, young master?” a cautious patron from the next table inquired.

“I’m heading to the emperor to submit a petition, asking him to send troops to assist the Yuhua Sect in attacking the Underworld!” Saying this, the seemingly well-connected young man bolted out of the tavern with several followers.

“I’m going too!”

“I’ll go as well!”

……

In an instant, a chain reaction formed, as many patrons, now resolute, began leaving the tavern.

Those dining here were either rich or noble, nearly all with connections. Now, clutching their convictions, they planned to return to their respective factions to strongly propose supporting the Yuhua Sect.

Before long, the tavern was cleared out.

A stunned waiter exclaimed: “Boss, they all just…”

Beside him, a middle-aged man with a plump face, moved to tears, choked up, saying: “Young man, you don’t understand; this is a kind of realm.”

“The problem is, they’ve all left—who’s going to pay the bill now?”

“Ah?!!”

Meanwhile,

In a remote alley far from the tavern.

The tall man laughed: “How’s that? Was my performance passionate enough?”

“Not bad, just next time watch your tone; I’m afraid someone might genuinely take action,” the thin man replied.

“Sigh, I just got too immersed in the character; who cares about that?”

“Hehe, better safe than sorry; after all, we’re engaged in something that can’t see the light of day.”

“By the way, the employer behind this contract is really loaded; they’ve hired eighty thousand of our kind just to create momentum for the Yuhua Sect’s action—do you think this could be…”

“Shut up! We’ve sworn the Heart Demon Great Vow; if you spill anything, you know the consequences!”

“Right, right, look at my memory. Let’s hurry to a location.”

“Remember, no matter who the employer is, we only need to focus on payment and carry out the job. After all, when it comes to stirring the pot, we’re true professionals!”