Chapter 984: Chapter 978: The Wolves Have Arrived
Along the border between Deston Prefecture and Shadowfell Prefecture, a million Wu tribe heads were mounted on spikes overnight, extending almost across the entire frontline.
The severed heads separated the two prefectures.
Both the Wu tribe and the Human race had constantly been invading and slaughtering each other across the border. However, upon witnessing this inhumane scene, both sides fell into silence on this day, not daring to advance an inch.
At the border between the two realms.
Cultivators above the Nascent Soul realm from both sides gathered, exchanging accusations and furious curses.
Mostly, it was the Wu tribe furiously cursing the dynasty’s people for their cruel methods, arguing that while war was war, humiliating corpses to provoke the Wu tribe was far too despicable.
Subsequently, a massive battle broke out among the experts, resulting in casualties among the strong.
That battle caused endless thunder to roar across the battlefield, mountains to collapse, and the earth to split apart; even Body Integration realm experts exchanged blows.
After the battle, the Wu tribe ordered their people to imitate the human race, mounting human heads on spikes. The two sides confronted each other, and the war escalated.
“It’s them… they have come.”
Lei Dong and Luo Xing exchanged a glance. Both were old rivals who had fought a massive battle against Azure Cloud many years ago.
Hundreds of years had passed, yet they still could not forget the experience of battling the Li Clan at the border of the Azure Cloud Region back then.
At the border of the Azure Cloud Region in the past, Wu tribe heads had similarly been mounted on spikes.
The Western Border had been fought over for hundreds of years.
The human cultivators and the Wu tribe went back and forth, but they lacked one crucial thing: madness.
They had lived too long and always considered things from multiple angles before acting.
The people of Azure Cloud were different; they were like a group of barefoot madmen, there was nothing they didn’t dare to do!
“It will be fine.”
Luo Xing’s mouth twitched.
“The people of Azure Cloud have developed quite well over the years under the leadership of the Li Clan.
But even if the human race’s cultivation speed is a bit faster, Azure Cloud will at most produce a few more Divinity Transformation and Void Refinement experts.
The ones who truly dominate the battlefield are the mighty figures of the Body Integration realm. At most, they are just… shit-stirrers.”
Luo Xing looked back into the distance at the Nirvana Sage Elder, who was standing amidst the magma in the valley, utilizing the Spiritual power of heaven and earth to search for so-called “opportunities.”
A trace of doubt crept into his heart.
After the incident at the Shadowfell Prefecture Border Pass a few years ago, the Nirvana Sage Elder paid no mind to the Li Clan, and the same was true even now.
But Luo Xing knew that those madmen from the former Azure Cloud Region would absolutely not let the matter drop.
“I heard the Li Clan has produced a few Void Refinement experts. If it were in the past…”
Lei Dong took a deep breath.
“They would try to bite the Sage Elder to death like mad dogs. Rumors in the Azure Dynasty say Li Dalong is dead, but I don’t believe it. And now, Li Dalong hasn’t shown up.”
“Hundreds of years have passed; they have grown.”
Luo Xing smiled bitterly.
“They are still completely mad, but they are no longer mad dogs. The wolves have arrived.”
…….
Sunfall City.
Holding a horsetail Brush, a man with the bearing of a transcendent immortal stood in the noisy government office.
This was where the City Lord of Sunfall City handled city affairs.
“Having been away for two years, I wonder if Fairy Hongxiu is lonely without me.
They say a century passes in the blink of an eye for immortals. What a joke. After two years apart, it feels like an ant nest is crawling in my heart.”
The hall was filled with noisy voices. Li Yunlin stood at the edge, muttering to himself.
He paid no mind to the numerous cultivators gathered in the hall.
All of them were people who had come to fight the mighty figures of the Wu tribe because of the “mounting Wu tribe heads on spikes” incident.
Most of them were covered in injuries from this battle.
Even the Spear Saint, Gu Fenghua, who sat in the seat of honor, looked pale.
“Forty-two people; quite a few experts.”
Li Yunlin looked around and saw over thirty Divinity Transformation cultivators, six Void Refinement experts, and the Spear Saint sitting in his seat.
These were only the council members of Sunfall City; the resident council members of the other two cities were likely about the same.
Furthermore, cultivators from all over the Azure Dynasty had come to various parts of Deston Prefecture.
It was a mixed bag, and the number of unofficial experts and cultivators was no less than those in the three major cities.
It had only been three days since the “mounting heads on spikes” battle at the border, yet it had drawn out quite a few hidden experts.
Li Yunlin had also participated in the battle, so he had a pretty good idea of the strength of all parties.
“Second Brother still handles things the most reliably. With just a small trick, he brought the forces of all parties into plain sight.”
Li Yunlin had cultivated for many years, spending most of his time at the “Repentance Cliff,” the Skyveil Hall, or in the “Confinement Room.”
It was no wonder Li Yunbing often said, “Eldest Brother is not good with words.”
Li Yunlin’s daily demeanor was unique, completely different from the cultivators discussing among themselves in the great hall.
The youthful-looking old Daoist muttered to himself, then cast a glance at every single person in the hall.
“Divinity Transformation realm… cannot withstand a single blow.”
“Early-stage Void Refinement, but merely possessing ordinary Divinity Transformation strength.
No need for the Skyveil Hall; once Senior Ming Daozi’s Daoist Spiritual technique is unleashed, this person will definitely be defeated.”
“Peak Void Refinement realm. This person held back during the battle at the border. Old Cat, if we go all out, does he have the strength to escape from under you and me?”
“The Spear Saint. I am not his match for even a single exchange.”
“…”
During the one-hour council meeting, Li Yunlin had already conducted Daoist Spiritual deductions, beating ninety percent of the people in the hall to death several times over through hundreds of different methods.
“Li Yunlin of the Azure Cloud Li Clan!”
A sudden shout brought Li Yunlin back to his senses. It was the Spear Saint.
The Spear Saint wore gray clothes and had his hair tied in a ponytail. His appearance was handsome and resolute.
Pondering it for a moment, Li Yunlin figured the Spear Saint shouldn’t be a match for the Yidian Sage Monk.
Seeing the Spear Saint’s face full of anger, Li Yunlin asked breezily, “What is the matter, Spear Saint?”
Hearing this, the crowd looked with strange expressions at the furious Bi Shihu in the middle of the hall and the astounded Spear Saint.
Great, Bi Shihu had just sued the Azure Cloud Li Clan eight times over, and you didn’t hear a single word.
“My Lord, the Li Clan has gone too far, stealing my military merits!”
Bi Shihu was practically boiling with rage.
“Not only that, regarding the mounting of Wu tribe heads on spikes at the border, I have already had people investigate.
Among those Wu tribe heads are the very ones I killed in the battle at Cloudsummit City.
The people of the Azure Cloud Li Clan have come and are acting recklessly; they will definitely bring a great disaster upon Deston Prefecture.”
Within a year’s time, the Li Clan’s Azure Cloud Army had quietly arrived in Deston Prefecture.
Currently, fifty thousand soldiers of the Azure Cloud Army were hidden within a Top-Grade Dharma Treasure, the “Golden Toad Divine Palace.”
A hundred-meter-tall golden toad hopping around various parts of Deston Prefecture every day was the garrison of the Azure Cloud people.
“Li Yunlin, what do you have to say for yourself?” The Spear Saint was consumed with anger. He was always just like his indestructible spear.
“Military merits are issued by the Ministry of War. If Bi Shihu feels the Ministry of War made a mistake, Bi Shihu is more than welcome to make a trip to the Imperial Capital.”
Li Yunlin’s face was calm.
“But you wouldn’t dare. You were a deserter in Shadowfell Prefecture.
The Imperial Protectors Guard might shelter you, but the Immortal Suppression Department and the powerful nobles of the Imperial Capital won’t humor you.
If you dare go to the Imperial Capital, Commander Wu Neng will be the first to take your life.”
Bi Shihu’s face turned pale.
Li Yunlin continued,
“As for our Azure Cloud Prefecture’s Lord, Jiang Chenghuan, mounting Wu tribe heads on spikes, so what?
The Wu tribe is the great enemy of our dynasty. Could it be that instead of intimidating the Wu tribe, we should be currying favor with them?
Why not just open our borders and let them slaughter their way in while we’re at it?”
“Insolent!” The Spear Saint slammed his hand on the table.
Li Yunlin’s words made sense, but they were unpleasant to hear.
“This fellow Bi Shihu is the insolent one!”
Li Yunlin flicked his Brush and stared coldly at Bi Shihu.
“A deserter from Shadowfell Prefecture actually dares to falsely accuse the people of my Azure Cloud Prefecture.
When my Azure Cloud people intimidate the Wu tribe, he tries to stop us, wanting to affect the morale of our dynasty’s army.
I propose we send him to the dynasty to be judged by the Lord Commander of the Immortal Suppression Department.”
“You… get out!”
“Yes, sir.”
Daoist cultivators possessed excellent mental states and completely ignored the gazes and questioning of worldly people.
Holding his Brush, under Bi Shihu’s bloodshot gaze, Li Yunlin floated lightly out of the great hall.
Behind him, he could only hear the Spear Saint furiously reprimanding Bi Shihu.
The Spear Saint, Gu Fenghua, cast a subtle glance at Li Yunlin, his eyes holding a fair amount of appreciation.
In this border battle, Li Yunlin of the Azure Cloud Li Clan could truly be called a great talent.
Although his cultivation had only recently entered the Void Refinement realm, his Void Refinement space already contained over a dozen types of laws.
He even fought a mid-stage Void Refinement expert single-handedly without falling to a disadvantage.
He seemed relaxed during the battle; if he had played all his trump cards, killing his opponent would not have been difficult.
In particular, Li Yunlin’s Dao Heart was incredibly firm, a rarity in this world.
The Li Clan was the sort of immortal clan that played with power and chased profit; it was truly unknown how such a blazing era could produce a Daoist who emerged unstained from the mud.
“The Azure Cloud Li Clan. Now that Li Yunlin is in the Void Refinement realm, he is the foundation of the Azure Cloud Li Clan.
Jiang Chenghuan of the Azure Cloud Prefecture is also in the Void Refinement realm. Listening to Li Yunlin’s words, he is actually quite protective of Jiang Chenghuan.”
Gu Fenghua was deep in thought.
“The two of them certainly have different temperaments.
Li Yunlin ignores worldly affairs, while Jiang Chenghuan will resort to any means.
It would be best not to let Jiang Chenghuan use Li Yunlin. When the time comes, I should have a good talk with Li Yunlin.”
…
“Ribbit—Ribbit!”
The lands of Deston Prefecture were all battlefields. Amidst the ruins, a massive golden toad could be seen hopping and moving, kicking up dust that filled the sky.
The Golden Toad Divine Palace.
Li Yunlin, holding his Brush, stepped onto an auspicious cloud refined from the branches of the willow tree raised by the clan, and entered the golden toad’s mouth.
“The Golden Toad Divine Palace gifted by the dynasty during the battle at the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems back then is actually quite a good Dharma Treasure on the battlefield.”
Li Yunlin instantly entered another world.
Inside the Golden Toad Divine Palace was a bamboo forest. The bamboo forest could also form an illusion array.
Within it were two hundred thousand neatly arranged houses, occupied by the immortal soldiers of the Azure Cloud Army who had come from the Azure Cloud Prefecture.
Inside the Golden Toad Divine Palace were three Grade 6 spiritual veins, and there were fruit trees in the courtyards; eating one fruit a day was enough to fill one’s stomach.
Then, reaching the very center.
At this moment, the people of the Li Clan had already gathered.
They exchanged glances and smiled at each other, discussing their respective situations and sharing information.
“Bi Shihu went to complain to the Spear Saint.
He really dared to complain, little knowing that how could our mounting of heads on spikes at the border escape the eyes and ears of the mighty figures?”
Li Yunlin said indifferently, “However, for those mighty figures, their only goal is to resist the Wu tribe and scheme for an opportunity to break through during this great war.”
“Mm.”
Li Changyao said,
“The Heavenly Principle Hall has investigated for many years.
Ba Siyu of Central Heaven City cultivates Earth-attribute methods.
Among the three Body Integration sub-stages—Glimpsing the Dao, Questioning the Dao, and Integrating with the Dao—he has reached the Questioning the Dao stage and has been Questioning the Dao for many years.
Chang’an asked Zhao Guang in the Imperial Capital, if Ba Siyu wants to achieve Integrating with the Dao, he must obtain the Earth Virtue of heaven and earth.
If he can hold Deston Prefecture and protect and expand the territory for our human race, it will be a great merit, sufficient for him to integrate with the Dao.”
“Spear Saint Gu Fenghua’s Spear Dao presses forward with indomitable will.
However, he is already in the Integrating with the Dao stage. Wanting to break through to the Mahayana realm will be exceptionally difficult.”
“The Nirvana Sage Elder is in the Integrating with the Dao stage and wields Heavenly Fire.
It is known to everyone in the world that he intends to plot for the Mahayana realm.”
“…”
The experts of Deston Prefecture were enumerated one by one.
Li Changsheng chuckled.
“The world is truly in chaos; that is why these talents have come seeking their own opportunities. Bi Shihu and the Yun Clan are not worth worrying about.
On this trip, we also need to find an opportunity for the Body Integration realm. Once we have a Body Integration mighty figure, who in the world would dare to underestimate our family?”
“It’s still too early for that.”
Li Yunlin patted Li Changsheng’s head.
“Your father went to Duskwild Prefecture to ask Fourth Prince for a Body Integration opportunity.
But even if he manages to get it, our family is still a long way from the extreme limits of the Void Refinement realm.”
Li Yunbing raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Eldest Brother, you have already reached the mid-stage of the Void Refinement realm and have ample spiritual items. Things will naturally sort themselves out.”
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