Translator: CinderTL
Li Chunjun's statement was almost equivalent to a formal declaration of war against the Xian Tian Sect.
However, Jiang Yuxue only hesitated for a moment before immediately responding, "Understood!"
Zhou Yuechen, who was traveling with them, also quickly got into the right mindset: "True Inheritor Long is currently gathering the Core Formation cultivators within his jurisdiction, but it will take some time. Should we wait for True Inheritor Long to assemble his forces before entering Fengzhou of the Xian Tian Sect, or…"
"Now!"
Li Chunjun waved his hand: "It's just Fengzhou, not some dragon's den or tiger's lair."
As he spoke, he took the lead, his sword cutting through the air as he directly crossed the border between the southwestern state and Fengzhou, invading the territory of the Xian Tian Sect.
Of course, thirty years ago, these bordering lands theoretically belonged to the Taixu Sword Sect.
The four of them flew on their swords, moving at an incredible speed.
At this moment, Jiang Yuxue brought another piece of information: "Sword Prodigy, this is the latest message from True Inheritor Long. It details the general distribution of Core Formation cultivators in Fengzhou. Additionally, True Inheritor Long is already on his way here with the thirteen Core Formation cultivators he has gathered so far."
"Mm."
Li Chunjun took the information and glanced over it.
As a border state adjacent to the Taixu Sword Sect, major sects had always heavily fortified it.
Out of the three hundred or so Core Formation cultivators in the Zhou Tian Sect, about sixty were stationed in Fengzhou. Moreover, among these sixty Core Formation cultivators, the proportion of Golden Core cultivators was notably high, almost reaching a two-to-one ratio.
On one hand, the Xian Tian Sect was not adept at direct combat, and their disciples' combat prowess at the same level was inferior to that of the Taixu Sword Sect. They had to rely on their superior cultivation realms to gain an advantage. On the other hand, this also showed how much the Xian Tian Sect valued the Taixu Sword Sect.
"Six resource points, with an average of five or six Core Formation cultivators at each. One capital city, with about twenty to thirty Core Formation cultivators. They're too scattered."
Li Chunjun said, "Has the Xian Tian Sect never considered the possibility of being defeated piecemeal?"
"True Inheritor Long has mentioned that the Xian Tian Sect is skilled in divination techniques and has various methods of deduction. They often have premonitions when danger approaches. Although their forces are scattered, it's difficult to successfully ambush them."
Jiang Yuxue explained.
"Divination techniques? Premonitions?"
Li Chunjun glanced in the direction of Fengzhou's capital: "Can they calculate that today will bring them great calamity?"
This was a question Jiang Yuxue found difficult to answer.
The four of them flew another few hundred miles, and the surroundings gradually became more prosperous.
Li Chunjun's Divine Sense even reached the capital of Fengzhou, two hundred miles away.
It had to be said, the Xian Tian Sect indeed had some tricks up their sleeve.
Whether it was because the Xian Tian Sect had already received the news that Li Chunjun had Long Xian release, or because they had deduced that he would launch a strong attack on Fengzhou's capital, all the formations in the capital had been activated.
And…
The number of Core Formation cultivators within the formations was not just the sixty or so mentioned in Long Xian's report, but over eighty.
After a quick calculation of the timing, Li Chunjun realized that before they had even had the chance to release the news, the True Inheritor stationed in Fengzhou from the Xian Tian Sect had deduced the impending danger and had already requested reinforcements from the sect.
As he pondered this, the capital of Fengzhou gradually came into view.
"Sword Prodigy, it seems the Xian Tian Sect has made thorough preparations. The Tier-4 Grand Formation is interconnected, and even a Nascent Soul True Lord would find it difficult to break through the formation in a short time."
Jiang Yuxue looked at the shimmering formation light in the direction of the capital and spoke.
"Then this formation will be a good test to see if, after breaking through to the Golden Core realm, I can perform better than a Nascent Soul True Lord."
Li Chunjun said.
Jiang Yuxue, Zhang Weiqian, and Zhou Yuechen listened, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
They no longer doubted that their Sword Prodigy, having achieved the Golden Core stage, possessed the combat power of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Now...
The key was to see where he stood among those with Nascent Soul-level strength.
If he was truly exceptional, he could undoubtedly be groomed as a future Child of the Stars, becoming a formidable contender for the Profound Yellow Star Brilliance List.
Li Chunjun and his group soon arrived at the capital of Wind Province.
Although their side consisted of only four people, while the capital of Wind Province boasted eighty-two Core Formation cultivators, each of the Xian Tian Sect's Core Formation cultivators, despite their overwhelming numerical advantage, wore expressions of grave seriousness.
A person's reputation casts a long shadow.
By now, Li Chunjun had already proven his worth as the Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy through his numerous battle achievements, stepping over the countless corpses of Core Formation cultivators from the Chiyang Sword Sect and the Zhou Tian Sect.
In fact, his reputation had grown so formidable that even the previous Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy, Jiang Lingyun, seemed to pale slightly in comparison.
Under such circumstances, even though he had only brought three Golden Core cultivators with him, the eighty-two Core Formation cultivators of the Xian Tian Sect were still under immense pressure.
Among them, Ren Fenghua, the True Inheritor Disciple stationed in Wind Province, despite having eighty-one Core Formation cultivators by his side and the advantage of being within a defensive formation, dared not relax in the slightest.
He took the initiative to rise above the formation's central hub and transmitted a message through his Divine Sense: "Sword Prodigy Li, if we have offended you in any way, please speak plainly. If the fault indeed lies with Wind Province, we will surely offer compensation."
"The location of the border between our two sects thirty years ago is clear in your minds," Li Chunjun declared expressionlessly in a formal tone. "I'll give you one chance: leave immediately and cede the entire Star Province as compensation. In doing so, you may preserve your lives. Otherwise... once the formation is broken, I cannot guarantee how many of you eighty-two will survive."
"The matter of the sect border must be decided through discussions between the higher-ups of both sects. Why must you, Sword Prodigy Li, put me, a mere True Inheritor, in such a difficult position?" Ren Fenghua replied.
Li Chunjun said nothing more. His powerful Divine Sense spread out like a vast net, swiftly enveloping the formation, searching for its flaws.
The perfected Destruction Sword Intent, integrated into his Divine Sense, continuously hammered at the formation's critical points, seeking a way to break through.
He did not understand formations.
But...
The disparity in strength between the two sides was evident.
As long as he found a relatively weak point to attack, he could naturally create an opening, breach the formation, and destroy it in one fell swoop.
Seeing Li Chunjun remain silent, Ren Fenghua's heart sank rapidly.
It seemed this True Inheritor was determined to unleash a massacre in Wind Province and forcibly seize it.
He quickly turned his gaze to someone beside him. "What was the result of the divination?"
"Great calamity!" the Golden Core cultivator replied gravely. "Nine deaths, one life."
"Is the gap really that large? We have eighty-two Core Formation cultivators and the support of the formation. Even a Nascent Soul True Lord would find it difficult to breach the capital in a short time. Is Li Chunjun truly that powerful?" Despair flickered in Ren Fenghua's eyes.
How long has it been since this Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy last made a move?
Three or four months.
Is he really leaving no room for survival for our Xian Tian Sect? For a moment, he had no choice but to continue, "Send a message to the Sect Master. We need more reinforcements."
At that moment, another Golden Core cultivator stepped forward. "I have a divination result here, one that suggests a slim chance of survival amidst certain death."
"A slim chance of survival amidst certain death?"
"Exactly! And if we can seize this sliver of opportunity, the future will be smooth sailing."
The Golden Core cultivator spoke quickly.
"So you're saying... we have a chance to kill Li Chunjun?"
Ren Fenghua's eyes immediately lit up.
"The divination suggests as much. Although the chance is slim, it's not entirely hopeless."
The Golden Core cultivator replied.
"If there's hope..." Ren Fenghua took a deep breath, "Then we fight!"
The enemy had already invaded their stronghold. Could they really flee in disgrace? They had no choice but to fight.
What he truly feared was fighting without any hope.
"Have everyone prepare. We'll hold our ground with the formation and test just how formidable this Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy really is."
Ren Fenghua barked out the order.
...
While Ren Fenghua was giving the order to fight, within an illusionary realm constructed by a Mystic Treasure.
The Chiyang Sword Sect Master Zhan Chiyang, the Fu Hai Sect Master Yun Han Zhenren, the Wu Ji Sect Master Mo Bai, the Xian Tian Sect Master Zhao Chunyang, the Piao Miao Sect Master Ling Jiu, and the Zhou Tian Sect Master Yi Hanliu were all present.
At this moment, the Xian Tian Sect Master, True Lord Chun Yang, spoke with a solemn expression: "Everyone, just as we previously speculated, after Li Chunjun helped the Taixu Sword Sect seize the benefits of Shang Province and Star Province, he will definitely not stop there. This time, he's coming straight for our Feng Province!"
His gaze swept over everyone in the room: "And I believe that occupying Feng Province is not the end! Next, he will inevitably target the Fu Hai Sect, the Piao Miao Sect, and the Wu Ji Sect! Using this method of slowly cutting away at us, step by step, he will devour all of our territories!"
The others nodded, agreeing with his assessment.
"Master Mo, has your sect sent the message yet?"
Ling Jiu Zhenren asked anxiously.
"Naturally."
The Wu Ji Sect Master Mo Bai replied indifferently: "I've taken three approaches. First, I've claimed that Li Chunjun's Nascent Soul-level combat power has already disrupted the balance and that he must be treated as a Nascent Soul cultivator. Second, I've congratulated the Taixu Sword Sect while secretly having people lobby the External Affairs Hall to transfer Li Chunju away. For his better development, he should go to the Profound Yellow Great World. Lastly, there's the Profound Yellow Star Brilliance List."
Before the Immortal Alliance took control of the Profound Yellow Great World, the disciples of the Taixu Sword Sect were frequent names on the Profound Yellow List.
But ever since the Immortal Alliance learned of the various wonders of the Profound Yellow List and its connection to the legacy of the Profound Yellow Supreme, the peerless geniuses of the Immortal Alliance have flocked to the Profound Yellow Great World to compete for a place on the list.
In the past thousand years, few from the Taixu Sword Sect have been able to make the list.
The title of Profound Yellow Overlord has become a hollow one.
In this situation, if the Taixu Sword Sect learns of a young genius like Li Chunjun, who possesses Nascent Soul-level combat power, they will undoubtedly try to bring him to the Profound Yellow Great World to help him ascend the list and restore the glory of the Profound Yellow Overlord.
"The methods are good, but none of them will yield results within a year or two. If we let Li Chunjun continue to stir up trouble like this, within a year or two, the Core Formation cultivators of the major sects will suffer heavy losses, and we'll lose the ability to compete with the Taixu Sword Sect."
Zhan Chiyang said gravely.
"Then let's have a showdown with the Taixu Sword Sect."
Mo Bai said calmly: "I've seen the banner Li Chunjun is raising. Not only does he want the Xian Tian Sect to cede Feng Province as compensation, but he also demands that we hand over Ge Li."
The Sect Master of the Wu Ji Sect chuckled lightly, "Hmph, what evidence does he have? Without any evidence, he's just spouting nonsense here. This is a provocation against a Nascent Soul cultivator! A Nascent Soul cultivator has every right to retaliate!"
"Li Chunjun dared to provoke Ge Li, so he must have some confidence in doing so," said True Lord Chun Yang.
"This matter can be either trivial or significant. On a smaller scale, it's a personal grudge between Li Chunjun and Ge Li. On a larger scale, the Taixu Sword Sect is trying to escalate this into a Nascent Soul-level conflict between the two sects."
A Nascent Soul-level conflict!
These four words caused the expressions of the several sect masters present to darken.
If it truly came to this, none of them would want to see it happen.
With their combined strength, they might be able to annihilate the Taixu Sword Sect's forces in the Blue Star Minor Realm, but the cost…
Would undoubtedly be devastating.
Seeing the change in their expressions, Mo Bai spoke calmly, "Rest assured, we don't want a Nascent Soul-level conflict, and neither does the Taixu Sword Sect. They've just been backed into a corner by Li Chunjun and have no choice but to show their stance. They know full well that if a real war breaks out, they'll be the ones to lose."
These words somewhat reassured the sect masters.
"So, Sect Master Mo, what do you suggest…?"
"As expected, the Taixu Sword Sect will make some gestures to clarify their stance, but they likely won't take real action! However, this matter has already escalated to the Nascent Soul level. The key now lies in whether you all have the courage to act."
Mo Bai turned his gaze to the Chiyang Sword Sect Master Zhan Chiyang, the Zhou Tian Sect Master Yi Hanliu, and the Xian Tian Sect Master True Lord Chun Yang: "Are you bold enough to have your Nascent Soul cultivators take action and eliminate Li Chunjun!"
He then added, "We already know the Taixu Sword Sect lacks the courage to go to war with us. No matter how much they bluff or threaten, once the main point of contention is removed, all problems will be resolved…"
"It's probably not that simple. If we really kill Li Chunjun, the Taixu Sword Sect will go mad," Yun Han Zhenren said gravely.
"So, it all depends on your courage," Mo Bai replied. "Additionally, the greatest significance of Li Chunjun to the Taixu Sword Sect is actually sending him to their main sect in exchange for rewards. If you show a firm resolve to oppose them, engage in a few battles with their Nascent Soul cultivators, and then offer some material compensation, I believe the Taixu Sword Sect won't truly break ties with us."
He added, "At the very least, their higher-ups won't allow them to truly sever relations with us."
"Such a genius dying at our hands…"
"Who would know?" Mo Bai said with a faint smile. "As far as the Taixu Sword Sect's main sect is concerned, who knows how much of a genius he truly is? Could it be that Huan Ming and the others are exaggerating his abilities?"
He glanced at the others, "Would you believe that a native of the Blue Star Minor Realm, after just a few years of cultivation, could possess the strength to rank on the Profound Yellow Star Brilliance List?"
At these words, the group exchanged uneasy glances.
For a cultivator from the Blue Star Minor Realm to become a "Sword Prodigy" was already akin to a fantasy. To rank on the Profound Yellow Star Brilliance List? That was simply counterintuitive.
"Alright, make your decisions and give me a clear answer," Mo Bai said with a smile.
"What about the Wu Ji Sect? What is the Wu Ji Sect's stance…?" Zhan Chiyang inquired.
"Us?" Mo Bai smiled. "What do you think we came to the Blue Star Minor Realm with the Taixu Sword Sect for?"
His smile carried a chill: "The hatred between our two sects will not be erased just because the Taixu Sword Sect has joined the Immortal Alliance. The Wu Ji Sect will fully support any actions taken against the Taixu Sword Sect."
The sect masters present had no doubts about this.
The enmity between these two sects...
It had lasted for tens of thousands of years!
Zhan Chiyang thought of Li Chunjun's rapid growth, his recent ruthless actions, and the deeds of the Chiyang Sword Sect...
He made up his mind.
"Let's do it!"
His gaze turned to Yi Hanliu and True Lord Chun Yang.
These two were apprehensive and did not wish to provoke the Taixu Sword Sect.
But Li Chunjun was clearly no longer limiting the scale of the conflict to the Core Formation level.
First, he killed the Four Symbols True Lord of the Zhou Tian Sect, and now he was targeting True Lord Ge Li of the Xian Tian Sect. Who knew when the blade would fall on their heads?
Today, five cities are ceded; tomorrow, ten cities are ceded. After a night of peace, one wakes to find the enemy at the gates once more.
With this thought, the two True Lords also made their decision: "I refuse to believe the Taixu Sword Sect would dare risk annihilation by going to war with us!"
"I will have our main sect contact the Taixu Sword Sect's main sect and exert pressure on them through that channel!"
"A wise move."
Mo Bai clapped his hands and laughed: "The Taixu Sword Sect, a demonic Dao sect, should be grateful that the Immortal Alliance allowed them to join. How dare they try to disrupt the unity within our alliance?"
(End of the Chapter)
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