There are two possibilities in this situation.
One: the owner of the robe has been isolated by an expert using a spell array.
The second possibility—and the most likely one—is that the person is already dead.
Lily Bai tried each robe one by one, but only one of them gave off a faint response.
That robe belonged to a Sigil Sect disciple.
Following the link from that robe, the all-capable Damian Black found its owner in a remote, desolate part of the seafloor.
The moment Lily saw his face, she was instantly overcome with excitement.
It was actually her junior brother: Nine Li!
No one knew how long he'd been underwater—his skin was pale from soaking so long.
Luckily, thanks to his naturally half-immortal body, even after days submerged, he hadn't drowned.
Lily healed him and gave him a Spirit Elixir from her stash. Finally, he woke up.
"Senior Sister?" Nine Li called out.
"Nine Li, what happened?" Lily asked. "Where are the others?"
"We went to the Celestial Gathering at Evercrest Immortal Mountain, but on our way back, we were attacked by demon beasts," Nine Li said. "The others were all captured, and someone saved me—but then that person was attacked, and I fell into the sea and lost consciousness. I didn't see anything after that."
"Who saved you?"
"I don't know, I didn't recognize him," Nine Li said. "He was really tall and built like a tank."
Mirage had once told Damian Black that Baxa was ambushed by a Drake Abyss Divine General while trying to save people.
Could it really have been him who saved Nine Li?
Lily frowned. "Where did the others get taken? Do you know?"
Nine Li shook his head.
After thinking a bit more, Nine Li added, "After I fell into the sea, I vaguely heard people talking on the shore. I think they mentioned Elm Mountain, but I have no idea what that means."
"Elm Mountain isn't far from here," said Azure Flame. "Why don't we go check it out?"
Lily nodded.
"Senior Sister, who are they?" Nine Li asked.
"Them?" Lily said. "They're also looking for people."
Nine Li just assumed they were from another sect and didn't ask any more questions.
The four of them secretly made their way to Elm Mountain.
Elm Mountain used to be a spiritual paradise.
But after several great battles, it was abandoned.
Now, although Elm Mountain is lush and green again, it's nowhere near as glorious as it once was.
It's just another desolate mountain now.
Rumor has it there's an ancient tomb inside.
Damian Black told Azure Flame to keep an eye on Lily and Nine Li while he slipped off into the mountain himself.
After a while, he came out, dragging two demon beasts behind him.
Nine Li saw them and immediately shouted, "That's them! Those two attacked us!"
"What about the others? Are they still alive?" Lily asked.
Damian Black nodded. "You two go in and rescue them! They're trapped in a formation."
With Damian Black leading, the two went in.
More than twenty people were imprisoned inside the ancient tomb, surrounded by a formation that blocked their aura.
...
The Demon Slayer Alliance joined forces with the Divine Realm to hold a grand oath-taking ceremony at the Sigil Sect.
Various immortal sects and noble families responded to the call, gathering together.
At the oath-taking ceremony, the leader of the Demon Slayer Alliance—and the head of the Twelve Celestial Demon Slayers—Yu Wen Heyun, master of the Changcheng Immortal Sect, looked deeply sorrowful.
"It's all my fault," Yu Wen Heyun said, tears in his eyes. "If we hadn't held the Celestial Gathering and invited all the sects to join, those monsters wouldn't have found an opportunity to attack, killing so many beloved sons and disciples of the sect leaders!"
"Master Yu Wen, how could this be your fault?" The other sects and noble families were sympathetic. "If anyone is to blame, it's those damn monsters! If we don't wipe them out, I'll never forgive myself!"