"Massacre a city? That certainly sounds like something a Demonic Dao sect would do!"
Bingqian's expression remained largely impassive as he calmly stated, "But to come all the way to our Heavenly Azure Prefecture to commit such an atrocity... what audacity!"
"As for Mo Wentian reaching the Nascent Soul stage, that is quite unexpected."
He glanced at True Lord Green Wood and continued, "I recall he is over two hundred years older than us, correct?"
"Indeed. Had he not succeeded in Nascent Soul Formation, he would likely only have a few decades of lifespan remaining."
"Nascent Soul... Once this matter with the Greedy Wolf Sect is resolved, I also plan to enter seclusion to prepare for my own Nascent Soul Formation."
True Lord Green Wood's face lit up with joy, only just realizing that Bingqian had already reached the Golden Core Perfection stage. "Congratulations, Junior Brother, on finally reaching Golden Core Perfection. I am still no match for you."
"With your talent, Senior Brother, reaching Golden Core Perfection is only a matter of another twenty or thirty years."
Upon arriving at the grotto-residence.
"To think that during my seclusion, a True Lord Withered Glory would emerge in the Heavenly Azure Prefecture. The five members of the Xu Family are all prodigies, and their sole descendant also possesses the potential to become one.
Senior Brother, this Xu Family is truly remarkable. If left to develop freely, they might reach the level of our Heavenly Azure Sect in the future, or perhaps even surpass it."
Bingqian was clearly pointing out the threat the Xu Family posed to the Heavenly Azure Sect.
True Lord Green Wood nodded slightly. "I understand. If not for the issue with the Greedy Wolf Sect, our Heavenly Azure Sect might have already taken measures against the Xu Family."
'Come to my quarters!'
A voice abruptly echoed in the ears of the three men.
"It's the Grand Elder!"
The three exchanged glances before leaving the grotto-residence and flying toward the place where Xi Daoyun was in seclusion.
They departed about fifteen minutes later.
Half a month later.
True Lord Green Wood convened a meeting of all the Golden Core factions within the Heavenly Azure Sect.
Inside the grand hall.
Golden Core stage immortal cultivators sat lined up on both sides of a long, rectangular stone table.
Sitting in the seat of honor was True Lord Green Wood, flanked by Bai Yan and Bingqian.
Below them sat True Lord Fierce Sun and Mo Wenshang of the Mo Family.
Following them were Xu Chuan, the other late-stage Golden Core cultivators, and finally the early and mid-stage Golden Core cultivators.
Mo Wenshang asked with a smile, "Daoist Friend Green Wood, for what matter have you summoned us here today?"
"Naturally, it is regarding the Greedy Wolf Sect. Two years ago, they massacred Sieve Constellation City, invoking the wrath of both men and gods. Now that Senior Mo has successfully achieved Nascent Soul Formation, and our sect's Elder Bingqian has attained a major success divine ability and reached the Golden Core Perfection stage.
Now is the perfect time for our counterattack.
The Greedy Wolf Prefecture has always viewed our Heavenly Azure Prefecture as lambs waiting to be slaughtered. They would never expect us to launch a preemptive strike.
According to the observations of our sect's disciples stationed at the border, their defenses are far less stringent than ours, and the formations they've set up are merely at the Tier 3 Mid-Grade level."
"A counterattack?!"
Hearing this, everyone in the hall looked at each other in dismay.
It was indeed an incredibly bold idea!
"If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to speak up," True Lord Green Wood offered.
Xu Chuan looked toward the young man with long ice-blue hair, assuming he must be the Elder Bingqian that Green Wood had mentioned.
'He is indeed very strong.'
Xu Chuan could feel a subtle sense of pressure emanating from him.
At that moment, Bingqian seemed to notice the scrutiny. Turning his head, his eyes met Xu Chuan's.
Xu Chuan gave a slight nod and withdrew his gaze.
True Lord Fierce Sun stated, "My Heavenly Plume Sect does not plan to participate in the conflict between your two prefectures."
"Daoist Friend Fierce Sun, there is no need to be so absolute. In the past, I wouldn't have tried to persuade you, but you must take the incident at Sieve Constellation City as a warning.
If they occupy the Heavenly Azure Prefecture, your sect's fate will not be much better. Even if you survive, you will be imprisoned and forced to refine magical artifacts for them.
After all, the Heavenly Foundry Sect is too far away to offer any timely aid."
True Lord Fierce Sun fell silent, a trace of hesitation flickering in his eyes.
Mo Wenshang mused, "A preemptive counterattack is indeed a sound proposal."
He had previously been secretly colluding with the Greedy Wolf Sect, but once Mo Wentian reached Nascent Soul, he completely severed those ties. He even implemented a strategy to cut the weeds and dig up the roots by silencing his former contacts to prevent any leaks.
With Mo Wentian around, as long as he didn't die, the Mo Family would inevitably become a colossus within the Heavenly Azure Prefecture, perhaps even replacing the Heavenly Azure Sect in the future.
Therefore, he was also inclined to launch a surprise attack on the Greedy Wolf Sect to cripple them.
"The Mo Family agrees to this, but how does your esteemed sect plan to arrange the forces?"
With both the Heavenly Azure Sect and the newly ascended Nascent Soul Noble Family, the Mo Family, in agreement, the rest had no choice but to follow along. After all, no single Golden Core Aristocratic Family could withstand their combined suppression.
Hearing this, True Lord Green Wood smiled faintly and said, "Daoist Friend Mo is truly righteous. Our sect's Grand Elder and Senior Mo will also accompany us on this campaign. They will solely be responsible for dealing with the Greedy Wolf Sect's Nascent Soul cultivators and their sect-protecting grand formation.
As for the rest of us, we will still divide into three routes.
Elder Bingqian, Daoist Friend Withered Glory, and I shall each lead one route."
Xu Chuan cupped his fists and said, "I am honored by Daoist Friend Green Wood's high regard, but I am merely at the early-stage Golden Core realm. I fear I am unsuited for such a heavy responsibility. It would be better to let Daoist Friend Mo lead."
Mo Wenshang stroked his beard, his eyes rippling slightly as he caught Xu Chuan's intentional deference to the Mo Family. After a moment of thought, he replied, "Since Daoist Friend Withered Glory puts it that way, then my Mo Family will not decline to shoulder this duty.
However, I deeply admire your divine abilities, Daoist Friend. I hope you will look after us on the journey."
"Naturally."
"In that case, the route through Thousand Stone Forest will be entrusted to the Mo Family, Daoist Friend Xu, and the Green Wood Sect. Daoist Friend Ximen, you will join them as well. The route through Grand Harmony Lake will be led by Elder Yang, the old Sect Master of the Qingcang Sect, and myself.
Heavenly Gate Pass will be handled by Junior Brother Bingqian, Junior Brother Bai Yan, the Lei Family, and the old Sect Master of the Jiaocang Sect."
"No problem."
"Agreed."
"Leave it to me, Senior Brother."
Xu Chuan and the others voiced their agreement one by one.
Next came the discussion of details and the assigning of routes for the remaining Golden Core factions.
True Lord Green Wood still granted them the right to choose for themselves.
After all, this matter directly concerned their survival and personal interests.
Aside from mobilizing these Golden Core Aristocratic Families, True Lord Green Wood also requested that everyone gather as many Foundation Establishment cultivators from their respective territories as possible.
During this offensive, wiping out the clans of the Greedy Wolf Prefecture was inevitable. The resulting spoils would be a significant opportunity for rogue cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage.
Heroes are born in chaotic times.
Perhaps someone would stumble upon a Golden Core Formation Opportunity, rising with the trend, and in twenty or thirty years, a new Golden Core faction would emerge within the Heavenly Azure Prefecture.
More than two hours later.
"Then today's meeting concludes here. In half a month, I expect everyone to assemble your forces outside the Heavenly Azure Sect so we can set out together."
The moment True Lord Green Wood finished speaking, Xu Chuan abruptly interjected, "There must be spies from the Greedy Wolf Sect embedded within the Heavenly Azure Prefecture. If they send a warning, does Daoist Friend Green Wood have a countermeasure?"
True Lord Green Wood stroked his beard with a faint smile. "You need not worry about that, Daoist Friend Withered Glory. The three grand arrays around Thousand Stone Forest all contain restrictions that block communications.
Unless they take detours through other routes and rush back in person, they cannot send word.
But those routes are perilous. One would need to be at least at the Golden Core stage to pass through them.
And if one or two Golden Core cultivators were to suddenly vanish right now, I am certain everyone here would notice.
When it comes to traitors, our Heavenly Azure Sect will show absolutely no mercy. We will thoroughly obliterate their entire faction."
As he spoke, True Lord Green Wood's gaze swept across everyone present, doing nothing to conceal the sharp, threatening glint in his eyes.
"Then I can put my mind at ease," Xu Chuan replied.
The crowd stood up and began to leave the grand hall.
Suddenly, Bingqian walked over to Xu Chuan.
"True Lord Bingqian, do you have some advice for me?" Xu Chuan looked at him in confusion.
"I was previously in seclusion, pushing my divine ability to major success. I only recently emerged, yet in the blink of an eye, the Xu Family has gained immense renown.
I am intensely curious about you, Daoist Friend Withered Glory. Why don't we exchange a few moves?"
The others halted their steps, watching with keen interest.
"Very well," Xu Chuan agreed without hesitation.
He was also quite curious about Bingqian's true strength.
Despite the Heavenly Azure Sect showing the Xu Family much care and acting exceptionally friendly at present, Xu Chuan didn't believe for a second that they harbored no thoughts of suppressing his clan.
It was only the current political climate holding them back.
The corner of Bingqian's mouth curled up slightly as he leaped lightly into the air. Xu Chuan flew up to face him, stopping roughly three hundred feet away.
"Daoist Friend Withered Glory, let us refrain from using magic treasures and simply test our divine abilities. We'll limit it to a single exchange. How does that sound?"
Xu Chuan cupped his fists and gave a mild smile. "Then please be lenient, Daoist Friend Bingqian."
The moment the words left his mouth, a chilling glint coalesced in Bingqian's eyes. His hands moved like a butterfly flitting through flowers, forming hand seals at lightning speed.
In mere moments.
A brilliant, clear light erupted from his palms.
Seventy-two indigo lotus petals unfurled layer by layer. Flame-like patterns flowed within their translucent, jade-like texture, erupting with a blend of bone-chilling frost and searing divine power. Frost materialized in the surrounding void, accompanied by dancing, spectral flames.
Seeing this, a deep solemnity settled over Xu Chuan's face.
The spectators below burst into widespread discussion.
"What terrifying power!"
"Is this truly just the might of a major success divine ability?!"
True Lord Green Wood stroked his beard to explain, "Junior Brother Bingqian cultivates an ancient ice flame divine ability known as the Qianlan Ice Flame.
This divine ability is exceedingly difficult to comprehend, but its power is astonishing.
Although it is only at major success, it is already comparable to standard perfected divine abilities."
"So that's how it is!"
"Elder Bingqian's reputation has long echoed throughout the Heavenly Azure Prefecture, yet he has only just achieved major success in his divine ability. If he had practiced any other ice-element divine ability, he probably would have mastered it to major success ages ago."
Xu Chuan's hands formed a seal, condensing the Flourishing Glory Seal in the blink of an eye.
Moreover, he conjured three in rapid succession.
As his comprehension of the Dao of Withering and Flourishing deepened, stacking multiple seals had become effortless.
"Go!"
Bingqian gave a low shout as the seventy-two-petaled indigo ice lotus expanded to roughly ten feet in size. Carrying the momentum to freeze a thousand miles, it shot toward Xu Chuan with a thunderous boom.
Wherever it passed, the air froze into a rain of shattered ice crystals, only to be instantly melted into a white mist by the flaring light. The streak of indigo light tore through the sky, its sheer presence causing the hearts of the early-stage Golden Core cultivators to pound wildly in their chests.
They instinctively knew they couldn't withstand even a single strike from it.
Seeing the ice lotus hurtling toward him, Xu Chuan thrust forward the Flourishing Glory Seal, which radiated a brilliant emerald glow.
BOOM! A deafening explosion ripped through the air.
Emerald light clashed violently against indigo flames.
In just a split second, the Flourishing Glory Seal showed signs of collapsing.
Right then, the second and third seals overlapped with the first.
The three seals merged harmoniously, their emerald radiance growing exponentially brighter as they completely halted the advance of the Ice Flame Lotus.
Wave after wave of residual shockwaves cascaded outward continuously.
The entire sky seemed to tremble softly.
After more than ten breaths of time.
The two divine abilities canceled each other out, slowly dissipating into the atmosphere.
"The Withered Glory Divine Ability is truly extraordinary. The majestic momentum contained within that seal... this True Lord has never witnessed anything quite like it."
"Daoist Friend Bingqian praises me too highly. Your ice flame divine ability is the truly formidable one. I imagine that strike wasn't your full strength."
"Less than sixty percent," Bingqian replied mildly. "After all, my cultivation realm is vastly superior to yours. If I were to attack with full force, this would no longer be a friendly spar."
'Just as I thought,' Xu Chuan murmured inwardly.
Golden Core Perfection might seem like just another name for the ninth layer of Golden Core, but in reality, they were two entirely different realms. Both mana and divine sense underwent another profound qualitative transformation.
The quality of Xu Chuan's mana was on par with the mid-stage Golden Core. If he faced a major success divine ability unleashed by a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, he could still barely hold his ground.
But against Golden Core Perfection? Without using his magic treasures and other hidden trump cards, he had practically zero chance of winning.
'Still, the fact that he used less than sixty percent must also be because his divine ability is exceptionally potent.'
While Xu Chuan was lost in thought, Bingqian added, "Daoist Friend Withered Glory, let us conclude our spar here. I hope that in the future, when you reach the Perfection stage, we can have a truly exhilarating battle."
"If the opportunity arises, absolutely," Xu Chuan said, cupping his fists.
With the spectacle over, the crowd began to disperse.
Xu Chuan and True Lord Fierce Sun flew together toward Cloudstream Town.
"Daoist Friend Fierce Sun, what is your assessment of Bingqian?"
"That ice flame divine ability is extremely powerful," True Lord Fierce Sun pondered for a few seconds before answering. "In an all-out fight, I'm not confident I could win."
Xu Chuan gave a slight nod. "They are a Nascent Soul sect with thousands of years of heritage, after all."
A moment later, True Lord Fierce Sun asked, "Do you think my Heavenly Plume Sect should participate in this campaign?"
"You should participate. Furthermore, Deling will be going as well."
True Lord Fierce Sun's brows furrowed slightly.
"Deling's strength is nothing to scoff at. Even if she encounters a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, she can put up a fight. Besides, this endeavor is not as simple as just attacking the Greedy Wolf Sect."
Xu Chuan added, "As for the rest, you can ask Deling when you return. With you accompanying her, I will feel much more at ease."
'Why are you speaking in riddles?'
True Lord Fierce Sun grumbled inwardly, but refrained from pressing the matter further.
If Xu Deling was going, then as her Dao Protector, it was only natural that he had to tag along.
After all, this wasn't an ordinary sightseeing trip—it was a deep plunge into the heart of enemy territory.
Upon returning to the Heavenly Plume Sect, True Lord Fierce Sun immediately sought out Xu Deling to question her. If the situation proved too perilous, he intended to dissuade her from going.
But before he even arrived at the sect, Xu Chuan had already pulled the divine senses of Xu Mingxian, Ye Fan and his wife, and Xu Deling into the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven, informing them of the situation and making a series of arrangements.
"So this is what you wanted to ask about, Senior Brother," Xu Deling said with a soft smile. "I do indeed plan to go. Firstly, for the sake of gaining experience.
Secondly, it is my grandfather's arrangement."
"What arrangement?"
"My grandfather suspects that the Heavenly Azure Prefecture's operation has a high probability of failure. I will use the opportunity to slip away from the Greedy Wolf Prefecture's territory and head toward the Profound Moon Prefecture."
"Failure? Why would your grandfather say such a thing? The Heavenly Azure Prefecture currently has two Nascent Soul stage cultivators on its side!"
"I don't know." Xu Deling shook her head. "Regardless, I listen to my grandfather."
True Lord Fierce Sun let out a soft sigh. "Let's set that aside for now. What are you going to the Profound Moon Prefecture for? Are you going to purchase materials again?"
"It's a secret." Xu Deling flashed a radiant smile, delivering an answer that left True Lord Fierce Sun not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"You girl, truly... Forget it. Since your Xu Family has already made a decision, I'll just accompany you."
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
At the Xu Family estate.
Inside the main hall.
The core members of the Xu Family were gathered together.
The corner of Xu Mingxian's mouth turned up. "Just as you predicted, Father. The Heavenly Azure Sect is indeed launching a sneak attack against the Greedy Wolf Sect."
"With the Mo Clan Ancestor's Nascent Soul Formation, they hold the advantage. If they don't seize the initiative early on, the tide will turn again once Tianluo also forms a Nascent Soul," Xu Chuan noted calmly.
"Since Tianluo's body was taken over via possession by an Ancient Demon, if he regains his Nascent Soul realm cultivation, what level of power do you think he will reach?" Ye Fan suddenly interjected.
"He should be capable of rivaling a Great Nascent Soul Cultivator."
"If that's truly the case, then it is indeed a critical turning point. With an ally of that caliber, the Greedy Wolf Sect would have absolutely no reason to fear the Heavenly Foundry Sect.
The Heavenly Plume Sect would undoubtedly be imprisoned and reduced to mere tools for refining artifacts.
If they refuse, it would be inescapable death."
A thought crossed Xu Mingxian's mind, and he asked, "However, if the whole nest comes out for our Xu Family this time, what will happen to the Cloudstream Clan Territory?"
"Do you lack faith in the grand array you personally constructed? Besides, you will all definitely return safely long before the Greedy Wolf Prefecture launches a full-scale invasion."
"Honored Master, this disciple feels that trading a Nascent Soul-level favor merely to guarantee our safe return is somewhat of a loss," Ye Fan said.
"Favors are meant to be used eventually. The Mo Clan Ancestor is exceedingly shrewd; he wouldn't allow me to hold that favor over their heads indefinitely. No one would be happy in that position."
"But didn't you say he swore an oath not to target our Xu Family if he successfully reached Nascent Soul?"
"Oaths always have loopholes. As our Xu Family continues to grow stronger, we will inevitably encroach upon the interests of the Heavenly Azure Sect and the Mo Family. They won't just sit idly by and watch it happen."
Glancing over at them, Xu Chuan continued, "In short, this is a rare opportunity for tempering yourselves. Just focus on fighting with everything you have."
"Yes, Honored Master (Grandfather)."
"Understood, Father."
Afterward, Ye Fan and his wife left. Xu Mingxian remained behind and retrieved a set of formation flags from his storage pouch, handing them to Xu Chuan.
"What is this?" Xu Chuan asked in surprise.
"Over the past two years, Deling brought back quite a few high-level array Dao materials. Among them were Cloud Mist Stones and Tier 4 Heavenly Illusionary Wood, which are the primary materials needed to craft a Tier 3 Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array.
Thanks to those, I finally succeeded in forging a Tier 3 Low-Grade set of Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array flags.
It is only fitting that you take these array flags to use, Father."
"Mingxian, you truly managed to slip your old man a massive surprise. These array flags will be incredibly useful for my upcoming journey."
Xu Chuan didn't decline. Smiling, he brought out his previous peak Tier 2 set of Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array flags and handed them to Xu Mingxian.
With this new set of array flags in his possession, Xu Chuan felt like a tiger that had grown wings. He no longer needed to fear being surrounded by Golden Core cultivators.
After all, the illusions generated by a Tier 3 Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array were so lifelike that even late-stage Golden Core cultivators would struggle to distinguish reality from fabrication.
The next day.
Xu Chuan found time to visit the Mo Family and reached an agreement with Mo Wentian.
Although Mo Wentian was surprised that Xu Chuan was cashing in his favor for this, he was secretly thrilled by the prospect.
If he waited until conflict inevitably erupted between their families, having that favor dangling over his head would have placed him in a tremendously passive position.
"Rest assured, Daoist Friend Withered Glory. With this old man present, I guarantee the members of your Xu Family will remain safe and sound," Mo Wentian laughed, stroking his beard.
"Then I shall trouble Senior Mo with this. I still have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
Xu Chuan did not linger and departed immediately.
The Seven Heavenly Azure Cities, the Three Sects, the Lei Family, the Mo Family, and others were all actively conscripting forces. Many Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators flocked to join their ranks.
The Xu Family sent three people to join: two were youths of the Wu family, and the third was Mei Yun.
In addition to them were the two brothers from the Huang Family, Huang Tianba and Huang Tianxiong. One was at the late stage of the Eighth-Layer Foundation Establishment, while the other was at the early stage of the Seventh-Layer Foundation Establishment.
Huang Tianxiong had recently received a Void Rushing Pill from the Xu Family. Thanks to that, he hadn't stayed stuck at his previous bottleneck for long before stepping into the late Foundation Establishment stage.
The descendants of the three Huang brothers had already grown to number over a dozen.
Backed by the Xu Family, many female cultivators at the Qi Refining Stage in Cloudstream Town were willing to marry the three brothers as concubines.
Their clan's development could be considered steady and secure.
In several decades or a century, they might even grow into a family capable of rivaling the Hua Clan.
The other families also dispatched numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators.
From the town's rogue cultivators alone, over two hundred individuals enlisted, though most of them were merely at the early or mid Foundation Establishment stage.
This expedition was an opportunity. To seek wealth in danger was the prevailing mindset among the vast majority of rogue cultivators.
If they relied solely on honest labor or hunting demonic beasts, they would likely struggle to scrape together enough resources for their cultivation.
If Cloudstream Town alone could muster a force of over two hundred, the Seven Heavenly Azure Cities, the Mo Family, and the Lei Family naturally produced far greater numbers.
As for the disciples of the Three Sects, there were only over a hundred from each. However, despite their smaller numbers, the vast majority were at the late Foundation Establishment stage or even the perfection stage.
Time flew by.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
One magic skiff after another converged outside the Heavenly Azure Sect, totaling more than a dozen massive vessels.
The magic skiffs were constructed with millennia-old spirit wood as their foundation, inlaid with hundred-refined fine gold, and engraved with profound, intricate runes along their hulls.
"Everyone, on this assault against the Greedy Wolf Prefecture, we will make them pay their blood debts in blood!"
"Blood for blood!"
"Blood for blood!"
Countless echoing battle cries pierced the heavens.
"Move out!"
At True Lord Green Wood's command, the fleet of over a dozen magic skiffs split into three groups, heading toward Thousand Stone Forest, Grand Harmony Lake, and Heavenly Gate Pass, respectively.
Mo Wentian remained on the Mo Family's magic skiff, which took the lead at the very front.
The forces of the Xu Family and the Green Wood Sect flanked them on either side, followed closely by the contingents from Horn Constellation City and Heart Constellation City.
Xi Daoyun, meanwhile, was assigned to the Grand Harmony Lake route. After all, the majority of the Xi Family's disciples were part of that division.
The force heading toward Heavenly Gate Pass appeared somewhat thin by comparison.
However, if one discounted the presence of Nascent Soul cultivators, this group actually possessed the strongest overall combat power.
The elite troops from both the Lei Family and the Cang Family—two paramount Golden Core Noble Families—were deployed on this front.
Thousand Stone Forest.
The combined forces of the Mo Family, the Xu Family, and their allies slipped through the restrictive grand array erected by the Heavenly Azure Sect. Piercing through the waves of clouds, they charted a direct course for the Greedy Wolf Sect's defensive lines hundreds of miles away.
At this very moment.
The disciples and stationed elders of the Greedy Wolf Sect remained utterly oblivious. The patrolling disciples were chatting and laughing without a care in the world.
"Who knows when the sect will launch a full-scale invasion of the Heavenly Azure Prefecture? I can hardly wait to plunder to my heart's content."
"You can say that again!"
"They're probably waiting for Elder Tianluo to finish his Nascent Soul Formation."
"The way Elder Tianluo slaughtered that entire city last time... he's truly a role model for our generation. Honestly, I'd be satisfied just robbing a couple of Foundation Establishment clans."
"Elder Tianluo is already this terrifying at the Golden Core stage; just imagine him after reaching Nascent Soul. He might even overthrow the Sect Master and take his place."
"Speaking recklessly about the Sect Master? Are you courting death?!" The person next to him quickly grabbed his arm, signaling him to shut his mouth.
"The Greedy Wolf Sect has always operated on the rule that the strong reign supreme. The competition is brutal. If Elder Tianluo's strength surpasses the Sect Master's one day, it's inevitable."
The disciple wore a look of disdain, dismissing his peer's caution entirely.
"Look! What is that?"
Suddenly, a disciple pointed at a cluster of tiny black dots on the distant horizon, far beyond their grand array.
"I can't see clearly, but they're heading right for us."
A few moments later.
The outlines of the massive magic skiffs came into sharp focus.
The group of Greedy Wolf Sect disciples turned pale with sheer terror, immediately shouting at the top of their lungs, "Enemy attack!"
"Enemy attack!"
"The Heavenly Azure Sect is attacking!"
The alarm echoed across the entire outpost, plunging the disciples into total chaos.
The stationed Golden Core cultivator of the Greedy Wolf Sect flew out from his quarters. Upon taking in the sheer scale of the approaching armada, the color drained entirely from his face. He instantly sent out a transmission to report the dire news.
Having done so, without a second word, he turned tail and bolted frantically toward the interior of the Greedy Wolf Prefecture.
"The elder ran away!"
As soon as those words rang out, the remaining patrol disciples instantly abandoned their posts, scattering like a flock of startled birds.
"Attack!" Mo Wenshang roared his command.
The four magic skiffs lined up in a broad formation, their decks absolutely swarming with Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators.
Together, they channeled their magical arts, unleashing a relentless barrage upon the Greedy Wolf Sect's restrictive arrays.
In an instant, streams of gold, crimson, yellow, and black light transformed into a sky filled with shooting stars, violently bombarding the defensive barrier.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Their concentrated attacks rained down relentlessly upon a specific sector of the barrier.
Deafening blasts reverberated in every direction.
The luminous screen of the array shuddered violently, fractures spreading across it like a rapid spiderweb.
Right on its heels, Mo Wenshang shouted anew, "Daoist Friend Withered Glory, Daoist Friend Ximen, Daoist Friend Chen—let us Golden Core cultivators strike as well!"
Eight or nine Golden Core cultivators launched their full-powered strikes simultaneously at the fracturing point of the grand array.
BOOM!
Unable to hold out any longer, the light screen of the grand array shattered with an explosive boom. The ensuing shockwaves sent boulders flying, snapped ancient trees right in half, and kicked up a cloud of dust that blotted out the sun.
Several Greedy Wolf Sect disciples who were too slow to escape were caught in the shockwave, suffering severe injuries on the spot.
As the magic skiffs cruised past, hundreds more magical arts rained down upon them, obliterating their top-grade defensive magical artifacts and pulverizing their bodies to dust.
"Daoist Friend Mo, what about the fleeing Greedy Wolf Sect disciples?"
"We will temporarily split into three forces to hunt them down. Daoist Friend Ximen, you will go with the Green Wood Sect. Stay in touch via our identity tokens. We'll rendezvous afterward and push forward to the Greedy Wolf Sect."
"Understood." Xu Chuan smiled faintly. "Then I will choose this route."
He casually pointed in a specific direction.
"Agreed. Daoist Friend Withered Glory, Daoist Friend Ximen, Daoist Friend Chen, you all set out first. I will completely dismantle the remnants of this formation before I move out."
Xu Chuan and the others nodded in acknowledgment.
The direction he chose was exactly the one the Greedy Wolf Sect's Golden Core elder had fled toward. No matter how fast a human could fly, they couldn't outpace a magic skiff.
The spoils hidden within a Golden Core elder's storage pouch were far richer than those of dozens of Foundation Establishment disciples combined.
Xu Chuan extended his divine sense to blanket a radius of dozens of miles. Not a single Foundation Establishment disciple caught within that zone managed to escape; their souls were all completely snuffed out by his overwhelming mental power.
He swept all of their lifeless bodies into the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven.
Fifteen minutes later.
Xu Chuan's divine sense successfully locked onto the fleeing Golden Core elder.
The man was only at the early Golden Core stage; the probing range of his spiritual sense was nowhere near as expansive as Xu Chuan's.
"Daoist Friend Fierce Sun, I've spotted a big fish. I will be right back."
"Do as you wish, Daoist Friend Withered Glory."
With a blur of motion, Xu Chuan transformed into a streak of rainbow light and vanished into the horizon.
In a matter of seconds, he materialized right in front of the fleeing Greedy Wolf Sect elder.
"How did you track me down?!" the man blurted out, a look of sheer bewilderment plastered across his face.
Xu Chuan didn't bother to answer. He directly unleashed a full-powered divine sense secret method, causing the man's vision to spin and his mind to plunge into severe vertigo.
In the very next heartbeat, Xu Chuan closed the distance like a bolt of lightning.
A single palm strike infused with the Withered Silence Seal violently extinguished the elder's soul. After pocketing the storage pouch and tossing the corpse into the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven, Xu Chuan hovered in place, waiting for his magic skiff to catch up.
Less than five minutes later.
The magic skiff sailed over. Xu Chuan smoothly returned to the deck, sat cross-legged, and silently began replenishing his expended divine sense power.
True Lord Fierce Sun swept the area with his own divine sense. Finding practically zero residual mana fluctuations from a struggle, he couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
Such a clean scene meant the Greedy Wolf Sect elder had been killed by Xu Chuan with virtually no power to resist.
'Although I can slay an early-stage Golden Core cultivator in just a few moves, I certainly couldn't execute them without letting them put up any resistance whatsoever.'
If an early-stage Golden Core cultivator fought desperately, burning their life essence to deploy magic treasures and divine abilities, even an ordinary Golden Core Perfection stage cultivator would struggle to secure an instant kill.
'It seems Xu Chuan is hiding quite a few trump cards... But then again, if he weren't, how else could he have slain that Blood-Robed Ancestor?'
An hour later, the three detachments regrouped and advanced steadily toward the Greedy Wolf Sect.
Meanwhile, the defensive checkpoints at both Grand Harmony Lake and Heavenly Gate Pass had also been successfully breached.
The Heavenly Azure Prefecture's three mighty armies surged forward with imposing momentum, closing in on the Greedy Wolf Sect.
Every marketplace and clan they encountered along the way was completely eradicated.
The Demonic Dao was undeniably brutal, but the methods employed by the righteous path were not the least bit inferior when it came to sheer ruthlessness.
By now.
News of the Heavenly Azure Prefecture's full-scale invasion had already reached the Greedy Wolf Sect. Numerous Golden Core Aristocratic Families within the Greedy Wolf Prefecture scrambled to rush to the sect for protection, terrified of being steamrolled by the advancing armies.
No matter how profound a single family's foundations were, it was mathematically impossible for them to hold out against the combined might of an entire prefecture.
Even if they were guarded by a Tier 3 High-Grade grand array, it would only afford them an extra fifteen minutes of survival at best.
At the Greedy Wolf Sect.
Inside the sect's main assembly hall.
"Sect Master, the Heavenly Azure Prefecture has split into three armies and is marching straight toward our sect. What should we do now?" A late-stage Golden Core elder looked up anxiously at Qi Tianxiong, who was seated on the grand throne.
"Wherever they pass, total devastation follows. Three Golden Core Noble Families, dozens of Foundation Establishment clans, and six or seven marketplaces have practically been wiped off the map," another elder reported grimly.
Qi Tianxiong listened to their reports with utter indifference. After a pause, he replied smoothly, "All of our local factions are converging here as we speak. What is there to worry about?
As for those aristocratic clans that were annihilated... well, we can only blame their bad luck.
But as long as we slaughter the invaders from the Heavenly Azure Prefecture, every last piece of wealth they looted will naturally fall right back into our hands.
I imagine the surviving factions will be quite happy to see that happen."
"Sect Master, how did those cowards from the Heavenly Azure Prefecture suddenly muster the courage to launch a full-scale assault? Could they have found some powerful new backing?" True Lord Canglang interjected.
"We haven't received a single scrap of intelligence from the Heavenly Azure Prefecture over the last two years. It seems the Heavenly Azure Sect locked down their borders completely," Qi Tianxiong said. "As for backing... when it comes to overall strength, our Greedy Wolf Prefecture has always been the superior force.
Do they truly believe that catching us off guard will guarantee them victory?
That is simply a wildly imaginative delusion."
True Lord Heavenly Wolf pondered for a while before looking at Qi Tianxiong. "Sect Master, should we notify Elder Tianluo?"
"I will personally invite him out of seclusion shortly. You have no need to trouble yourselves over that matter."
"Understood."
"Is there anything else? If not, send out the order to every disciple in the sect to prepare for battle."
The elders looked at one another, but no one raised any further objections.
With that, the meeting concluded.
Qi Tianxiong arrived outside the grotto-residence where Tianluo was in seclusion and sent a voice transmission inside. "Brother Tianluo, I have an urgent matter to discuss with you."
A long moment later, a voice drifted out from the depths of the cave.
"Brother Qi, for you to seek me out at such a time... has something major occurred?"
"Your guess is correct, Brother Tianluo. The forces of the Heavenly Azure Prefecture have launched a full-scale invasion. They are marching straight toward our Greedy Wolf Sect and should arrive in a matter of days."
A sound of bewildered intrigue emanated from the grotto-residence. "Interesting. To think they would take the initiative to attack us. Could some unforeseen variable have caused the Heavenly Azure Sect's confidence to swell so drastically?"
"That is precisely my line of thought. Such a sudden change in posture wouldn't simply be due to gaining an extra True Lord or two. Most likely, one of their Golden Core cultivators has broken through to Nascent Soul.
To my knowledge, the Cang Family, the Mo Family, and the Lei Family all have cultivators at the Golden Core Perfection stage.
As for the Xi Family, a century ago, their Golden Core Perfection cultivator perished while attempting to reach Nascent Soul. Currently, the strongest Golden Core cultivator in the Xi Family is Xi Muran."
The grotto-residence fell utterly silent again. A good while passed before the voice replied, "Are you hoping I will intercept this newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator from the Heavenly Azure Prefecture, Brother Qi?
With your strength at the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm, fending off two early-stage Nascent Souls shouldn't be much of a problem for you."
"That old ghost Xi is anything but simple. Do not be fooled by the fact that he's been stuck at the peak of the early Nascent Soul stage for so long. His true combat power is not the least bit inferior to a mid-stage Nascent Soul.
You've fought him before. You should be well aware of what he is capable of."
"Xi Daoyun is indeed far from weak. Last time, he didn't even use his true divine abilities, otherwise, my injuries wouldn't have been so light. Furthermore, his evasion divine abilities have already reached major success. As for what other tricks he might be hiding, it is hard to say."
"I've clashed with him a few times in the past, but neither of us ever went all out. Therefore, I don't know the full extent of the divine abilities he commands either," Qi Tianxiong admitted.
"Very well. I will intercept the Heavenly Azure Prefecture's new Nascent Soul cultivator for you."
"Many thanks, Brother Tianluo." Qi Tianxiong cupped his fists and laughed heartily. "Once we crush the invaders from the Heavenly Azure Prefecture, you'll be able to prepare for your own Nascent Soul Formation with total peace of mind.
By the way, how is your progress coming along?"
"I have already reached the False Nascent Soul stage. Shattering the core to form the soul is no obstacle for me. The only real unknown is just how terrifying the inner demon tribulation will prove to be."
"I have full confidence that you will succeed in Nascent Soul Formation, Brother Tianluo."
"Once they arrive, I will send you a transmission."