News of the Azure Cloud Region Army heading straight for the Starfall Region spread throughout all of the Eternal Sun Prefecture in merely five days.
However, at this moment, those feeling the most fear were not the Wu Clan forces within Starfall Region, but rather... Azure Cloud region's old adversaries: those six Wu Clan Divisions.
Even Apostle Lei Dong, who usually avoided direct conflict, at most hiding his Wu Clan identity during leisure times to casually drink tea with Li Dalong in a relationship of both friend and foe, was alarmed by today's developments.
At this moment,
"Alert! All units, on alert!"
Apostle Lei Dong, positioned above the Beast Division's encampment, used his Nascent Soul Projection ability to shout commands, ordering the tribesmen of all Six Divisions onto high alert. In recent years, the situation for these six divisions had deteriorated; under the relentless attacks of Li Tianyue and Li Yunbing, they had been forced into constant retreat.
Gulp.
High above the Beast Division encampment, the division's High Priest swallowed hard.
He saw it clearly: the Azure Cloud region border city! Right now, it was swarming with densely packed masses of Azure Cloud region cultivators. 'A disorderly mob, perhaps,' he might have thought, 'but there are just so many of them!' Having fought for years, he knew firsthand: these Azure Cloud region folk were the most terrifying humans the Wu Clan had ever faced.
What was truly terrifying wasn't their individual strength, but the fact that every single one of them possessed the grim determination to perish together with the Wu Clan. He had even seen it on the battlefield: a lone Azure Cloud region cultivator, merely at the Foundation Establishment stage, charging into a dense crowd of Wu Clan warriors, yelling that after death he would be immortalized, "His name among the Azure Cloud Region Martyrs!"...
For a moment, then, the Beast Division High Priest couldn't tell who was supposed to be the savage ones – the people of the Azure Cloud region, or his own Wu Clan.
Over these years, he had truly been beaten into fear by Li Tianyue's Azure Cloud Region Army. That woman, Li Tianyue, was a complete lunatic; under her command, absolutely no quarter was ever given! During these years, he had even sent out a phantom image to negotiate with the more reasonable Li Yunbing, subtly expressing a desire for a ceasefire. And the result... Li Yunbing's reply? "Have some esteemed elder of yours come forward to negotiate. Cede the territory of twelve Divisions, and in return, you can have ten thousand years of peace between the Azure Cloud region and the Wu Clan."
Now, seeing such a vast number of Azure Cloud region people assembled, the Beast Division High Priest was already sweating profusely.
Meanwhile, the Wu Clan warriors of the six Divisions gradually received the news as well, falling into a state of panic.
"This is bad! Cultivators are massing on the Azure Cloud region border, their numbers increasing daily!"
"Those desperados gathered in the Azure Cloud region have already marched into the Spirit Jade territories and set up camp! For years, they didn't dare exploit the resources excessively, but now they've actually started digging the Spirit Jade mines!"
"Didn't they say the Azure Cloud Region Army and Li Tianyue were away?! How dare these people show up now? Is it a trick?"
"Lord Apostle, just a few days ago, didn't you tell us to prepare for an attack?! Why are we suddenly back on high alert now? Are we in attack or defense mode? Do you possess any trustworthy intelligence, or not?!"
.....
High above.
Lei Dong's expression was grim. In fact, five years ago, he had received intelligence from his Wu Clan brethren in Starfall Region. The intelligence had indicated that the Azure Cloud region would inevitably make a major move someday, with the Li family leading Azure Cloud region soldiers to attack Starfall Region, and furthermore, that the Azure Cloud Region Army was doomed to perish in this venture.
So, when he heard a few days prior that the Azure Cloud Region Army had departed for Starfall Region, he had immediately begun mustering the Wu Clan warriors, preparing to recapture lost territory and resume the conflict from years past.
But now, even though the main Azure Cloud region forces had indeed departed, he still didn't dare to attack.
"Lord Apostle, what should we do now?" the Beast Division High Priest asked, his expression bewildered. "This lowly one has received confirmation: the Azure Cloud Region Army has truly entered Starfall Region. Are we really proceeding with the planned attack on the Azure Cloud region?"
"Defend!"
Lei Dong shook his head. "Years ago," he said, "we charged into the Azure Cloud region brimming with confidence. Back then, it seemed like only the Li family stood against us. No one imagined they could win, yet we were the ones defeated. Our elders intended to annihilate the Li family, but instead, it was our Moon God who perished in the Azure Cloud region. Although the forces currently gathered at the Azure Cloud region border might resemble a rabble, and Li Yunbing sending troops to mine the Spirit Jade lands looks to me like a feint intended to mislead, we still should not act."
"But, Lord Apostle..." the Beast Division High Priest gritted his teeth. "Azure Cloud region grows stronger every day!" he argued. "If we don't risk it all and fight back now, I fear we'll just keep losing more and more territory! Our own resources are fueling their growth!"
How could Lei Dong be unaware of this? Yet his eyes flashed with a cold light. "Calm yourself," he stated. "The Human Race has always been inherently greedy, jealous of the worthy, and envious of the capable. The Azure Cloud region's Li family will come to realize that their enemies extend far beyond just us."
He added, "It is said that among the humans, Eternal Sun Prefecture suppresses Azure Cloud region and the Li family at every turn. Indeed, the very intelligence about this attack on Starfall Region came from Eternal Sun Prefecture."
"Heh." Lei Dong sneered. "Actually," he said, "by simply doing nothing, we have already ushered in a great victory. We ourselves cannot defeat the Azure Cloud region, cannot defeat the Li family. But the foolish people of Eternal Sun Prefecture, unable to truly empathize with our experience, have unwittingly become our sharpest dagger!"
As Lei Dong elaborated, the Beast Division High Priest's eyes grew increasingly bright, and even Lei Dong himself seemed to reach a deeper clarity in his own understanding. "Pass down the order!" he commanded. "Report that the Azure Cloud Region Army attempted an ambush, but we detected it! Retreat another 30 miles!"
"Yes, Lord Apostle!"
The Beast Division High Priest hurried away to relay the command.
At this moment, atop the Azure Cloud region border city wall, Li Dalong, carrying a coffin on his back, stood at the ramparts. Behind him was Li Yunbing, clad in armor, and behind them both stood innumerable Azure Cloud region people. Including those still en route, the total number mobilized would reach twenty percent of the Azure Cloud region's entire population.
"Report! The Wu Clan... shows no signs of movement! In fact, they've even begun to retreat!"
A Golden Core scout delivered the report, causing both Li Dalong and his grandson, Li Yunbing, to frown.
"Retreating again?"
After a long moment, Li Dalong stretched slightly. There was no joy on his face regarding the Wu Clan's retreat; instead, his expression grew more solemn. "Truly worthy of Lei Dong," he murmured.
Although Li Dalong had largely remained within the clan these past years and no longer directed the overall strategy, he would still, in moments of leisure, send out a phantom image to drink tea with Lei Dong. Through this phantom, he had even met two Wu Clan elders: Soul Duke and Luo Xing.
Truth be told, while war remained war, it didn't preclude communication—and occasional arguments—between individuals who held a degree of mutual respect. Most often, these interactions involved that fellow Lei Dong railing against the despicable shamelessness of Li Yunbing and Li Tianyue, particularly the insane cruelty of massacring Wu Clan members in pits. On the rare occasion the Wu Clan won a minor victory or two, Lei Dong would be as ecstatic as if he'd ascended the imperial throne...
Yet Li Dalong never underestimated his opponent in the slightest. He considered Lei Dong much steadier than himself and also possessed a superior grasp of the overall strategic picture.
"Just as well," Li Yunbing also breathed a sigh of relief. "Grandfather," he said, "we must still trouble you to oversee the defenses here. Otherwise, if Lei Dong does employ some scheme, the casualties from this battle could truly be severe."
"He won't," Li Dalong stated. "That bastard won't attack now."
Li Dalong grinned. "It's simple," he said. "He sees our Li family being suppressed by the Eternal Sun Prefecture and wants to wait for us to fight it out amongst ourselves. Regardless of which side loses that fight, it's a major victory for the Wu Clan."
"The treacherous schemer!" Li Dalong scoffed. "We'll just see – once our Li family secures the territory of another Region, let's see if Lei Dong feels anxious then or not!"
The grandfather and grandson pair both turned their gaze together towards the direction of the Starfall Region.
Li Yunbing smiled. "Rest assured, Grandfather," he said. "Tianyue is more than capable of handling this great responsibility. She will undoubtedly bring a major victory back for our Li family."
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