Following a Hundred Years of Cultivation, I'm dying Before I Got Cheats

Chapter 971: The Pantheon Sect’s Invitation, All Sects Convene
Editor: Henyee Translations

As the time of the great calamity remained uncertain, the ambiguity of the situation only deepened the anxiety.

Even the most capable cultivators, accustomed to facing challenges head-on, found themselves grappling with a sense of helplessness that many would never forget.

Over the years, they had forgotten their initial vulnerability, the desperate struggles in the mires of powerlessness.

Not everyone possessed Jiang Chengxuan’s strong will and stable mindset. The sudden and immense sense of crisis increasingly dominated their thoughts day by day.

Eventually, under the weight of this immense pressure, many sects could no longer keep to themselves. They began reaching out to other sects, seeking to collaborate and strategize together. This news naturally reached the Haoran Sect.

At that moment, Jiang Chengxuan was in his cave, contemplating potential allies for cooperation.

“Husband, are you considering whom to contact?” Shen Ruyan gently asked, stepping out from behind Jiang Chengxuan.

Jiang Chengxuan never kept Shen Ruyan in the dark about such matters. Moreover, if the Haoran Sect were to form alliances, Thunderclap Valley would undoubtedly be the first choice, given their relationship, relative strengths, and geographical proximity.

“Yes, there’s been a lot of this kind of news recently, but not everyone can actually be of help to us,” Jiang Chengxuan responded, turning to face Shen Ruyan.

Sitting as the master of the Haoran Sect, Jiang Chengxuan naturally prioritized the interests of his sect. In times like these, it wasn’t necessarily better to have more allies. Sometimes, aligning with too powerful a force could be cumbersome and lead to hesitation.

For instance, if two sects practiced the same techniques, it might only be sensible to choose one as an ally. Otherwise, internal conflicts could arise, significantly affecting collective strength.

Initially, Jiang Chengxuan was most interested in any unique messages passed down from the immortal ancestors of various sects, hoping for more detailed information. However, after contacting other sects, he realized that the messages were uniformly the same.

Whether from the immortal ancestors of any sect, none provided detailed information. All they knew were key phrases like “demonic immortals descending” and “millennial calamity.”

The sects Jiang Chengxuan was considering for an alliance were those he had cooperated with during the battle in the Eastern Sky Domain, including Feitian Sect, Qian Family, and Thunderclap Valley. The trust among these groups, forged through shared struggles, was unquestionable. Additionally, their geographic proximity ensured there would be no burden of coordination.

As these thoughts processed, a new message arrived. Surprisingly, it was an invitation from the Pantheon Sect, proposing a reformation of the alliances across the Floodgate Realm to jointly defend against the demonic immortals’ schemes.

Given that this was an invitation from the leading and most established sect of the Floodgate Realm, Jiang Chengxuan decided it was worth considering. After all, isolating oneself would no longer lead to improvements.

…

Soon, two beams of light shot up from the Haoran Sect and swiftly descended at the entrance of the Pantheon Sect.

Recognized by the elders of the Pantheon Sect, Jiang Chengxuan and Shen Ruyan were promptly led to the grand assembly hall of the sect.

Many representatives from various forces, such as the Feitian Sect and the Qian Family, were already present. Jiang Chengxuan and Shen Ruyan nodded to them in greeting.

They noticed that representatives from Qiankun Hall and Five Elements Heaven Sect were conspicuously absent, likely to maintain their pseudo-righteous facade. Possibly, they had already sought alliances with genuine demonic forces.

Before the main speakers of the Pantheon Sect arrived, everyone in the hall engaged in casual conversations, exchanging available information. However, as expected, nothing significantly new was discussed.

As they exchanged pleasantries and reassurances, the atmosphere helped stave off the underlying panic momentarily.

Then, as the figure of the Pantheon Daolord emerged from the depths of the hall, another alliance meeting commenced—a scene reminiscent of the prelude to the Five Realms War.

“Esteemed guests, welcome. Whether or not we succeed, at least we see each other’s determination,” the Pantheon Daolord began, his commanding voice filling the hall.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Even if the sects did not end up forming an alliance, at least they understood each other’s stances.

“Everyone is aware that this calamity is extraordinary, occurring once every million years, and involves the hands of immortals. Time is pressing, so let’s be brief. Starting from the left, let us share what we know and suggest,” continued the Pantheon Daolord, making a gesture towards the representatives from the Southern Heavenly Realm’s Flying Sea Gate to start.

They began sharing information from their respective areas about the impending disaster. Fortunately, this information exchange didn’t take much time, as the details from each sect were brief and largely reiterated known facts, bringing no new insights. Even the Pantheon Sect, despite its prominence, had nothing additional of value to offer.

Consequently, the assembly hall fell into a prolonged silence. The lack of detailed information about the calamity made it difficult for any of the sects to formulate a precise plan of action.

“It seems that our ancestors have been transparent, giving us all the information they could,” the Pantheon Daolord sighed, acknowledging the uniform vagueness of the messages. It was clear that even the immortal ancestors in the upper realms had no effective solutions for this calamity.

Thus, the responsibility to deal with the crisis would rest on their own shoulders.

“Let’s each share any viable strategies we might have. By pooling our wisdom, we might not leave here empty-handed,” Jiang Chengxuan proposed, prompting nods of agreement from the sect leaders gathered.

Following his lead, they began to share their respective approaches to the crisis.

For example, Jiang Chengxuan’s method of advancing resources to disciples, to be repaid later, garnered much approval. This strategy not only ensured continuous improvement in the disciples’ strength but also crucially meant that, after the calamity, some interest could be recouped, preventing the complete depletion of the sect’s resources.

This approach was particularly appealing to sects that were resource-constrained.