noveldrama
Chapter 159 Turmoil
Chapter 159 Turmoil
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Although the conflict between the Nine Cauldrons Sect and the Xuanming Sect was not a confrontation at the level of Great Cultivators, many times, when faces had not been torn, the competition between sects boiled down to the combat power at the higher echelons.
In such a scenario, the 0 to 32 track record that the Nine Cauldrons Sect displayed shocked everyone.
It was said that Song You, the Sect Master of the Xuanming Sect, almost detained the Primordial Spirit Realm Great Cultivator Ma Ke in the Enforcement Hall to put him on trial.
Had it not been for the Campaign Hall Hall Master Lv Ming and several other Hall Masters pleading on his behalf, Ma Ke, the Primordial Spirit Realm Great Cultivator, might have faced severe punishment.
Even so, such a loss still led to many Elders of the Xuanming Sect clamoring to start a war directly with the Nine Cauldrons Sect.
Of course, Song You knew very well that these were only words that needed to be said.
A real fight...
Without the help of outside forces, the Nine Cauldrons Sect could still easily handle them, the Xuanming Sect.
Therefore, the Sect Master immediately summoned Lv Ming, as well as the Great Elder of the Elders Council, Song Xuan, for a discussion.
"According to Ma Ke, the Nine Cauldrons Sect has developed an extremely advanced Third Generation Flying Sword, which has an overwhelming advantage over our flying sword equipment. Our disciples... simply cannot withstand the edge of such flying swords. On Posuo Island, should we continue or not?"
Song You asked directly. Enjoy new adventures from empire
"My suggestion is to organize another large counterattack and give it a try, in case it was just a coincidence. Also, there's Vice Hall Master Bai Lu from the Nine Cauldrons Sect's Nine Heavens Domain sub-sect, who is said to be able to enter the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder Layer.
Could it be her overwhelming strength, or perhaps a new Divine Skill she cultivated, that allowed her to achieve such results against Ma Ke?"
Lv Ming spoke gravely, "After investing so much manpower and resources at Posuo Island, how can we be scared off by just one battle?"
"I also agree with Hall Master Lv's opinion. What if Bai Lu has cultivated some other Divine Skills?"
Song Xuan said directly, "I suggest we send a more powerful Primordial Spirit Realm Cultivator to Posuo Island to suppress Bai Lu!"
"A more powerful Primordial Spirit Realm Cultivator..."
Song You pondered thoughtfully.
To retreat like this was indeed hard to accept.
But...
The Xuanming Sect was not like the Nine Cauldrons Sect; they were a mid-to-small sized sect. There were only a little over a thousand elite sword cultivators in the entire sect, and as for Primordial Spirit Realm Great Cultivators, there were only slightly more than forty.
This was also why Ma Ke, despite making such a grave mistake that resulted in a humiliating 0 to 32 score, devastating the sect's morale and becoming a laughingstock, was only reprimanded.
"Assuming Bai Lu has already withstood the first strike of the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder, in our sect, the only ones who could suppress her are myself, Elder Bei Yingxing, and Master Fei Nande..."
"Let Elder Bei Yingxing go,"
Lv Ming glanced at Sect Master Song You, "We should not belittle ourselves too much. Although the Nine Cauldrons Sect is powerful, they are tied down by various forces, and in the East Sea Archipelago, they have more than just one enemy. The cooperative drills of the Great Sun Sword Sect are the perfect example. The true strength they can deploy is limited.
Therefore, Elder Bei can strike boldly without holding back."
"Indeed, if the Nine Cauldrons Sect really intends to stir up trouble in the East Sea Archipelago, powers like the Great Sun Sword Sect, the Star Sea Sect, the Primordial Yang Sect, the Ancient Immortal Sect, and the Dayue Dynasty would definitely not sit idly by. If things go south, it could provoke a collective attack. Thus, fear should not come from us, but them."
Song Xuan nodded in agreement and added, "Furthermore, we should seek aid from the Limitless Star Palace. Our direct confrontations with the Nine Cauldrons Sect over this period have already demonstrated our sincerity to them.
Even if they're unwilling to send personnel, at the very least, they should sell us a batch of Third Generation Superior Grade Spiritual Artifact Flying Swords, even if at a higher price."
"Then let's proceed with this plan. Let Elder Bei launch a full counterattack! If we cannot strike back, once our sect's disciples develop fear towards the Nine Cauldrons Sect and other sects start to perceive the Xuanming Sect as weak and easily bullied, the powers of the Eastern Sea Archipelago will all swarm in.
How then will we protect our Xuanming Sect's interests in the Eastern Sea Archipelago!"
Song You made a decisive decision.
A 0 to 32 track record...
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It's too demoralizing.
We must retrieve our face.
…
Xuanming Sect made an immediate decision to retaliate.
Other forces neighboring the East Sea Archipelago also learned of the outcome of this battle.
The vast East Sea, which spanned three hundred thousand Li, bordered with over a dozen sects. Although some smaller sects didn't qualify to get involved in the affairs of the East Sea Archipelago, their attentiveness to this matter was not any less than that of Xuanming Sect or Nine Cauldrons Sect.
Especially for the Great Sun Sword Sect, which stood to gain the most from the East Sea Archipelago.
When Chi Songzi, the Vice Hall Master of the Campaign Hall and the Head of the East Sea Archipelago Affairs Department of the Great Sun Sword Sect, received this news from Nan Bisheng, the Head of the East Sea Situation Sensing Department under the intelligence pavilion, he almost thought he was hallucinating.
Since when did Nine Cauldrons Sect, known for their inferior equipment, have the ability to inflict such a casualty ratio against Xuanming Sect?
Although in their eyes, whether it was Nine Cauldrons Sect or Xuanming Sect, both fighting to their deaths was akin to a fight between two insignificant birds.
But…
A casualty ratio of 0 to 32 still managed to shock this Vice Hall Master, who was responsible for all matters big and small in the East Sea Archipelago.
"Investigate! Spare no expense to find out what's really going on! How could Nine Cauldrons Sect possibly have such strength!? Who is backing them? Myriad Beasts Sect? We must not have any restless elements affecting our Great Sun Sword Sect's interests in the East Sea Archipelago!"
Chi Songzi gave orders with a stern tone.
"Understood, our men have already gone to Xuanming Sect and plan to personally question Song You…"
Nan Bisheng said and then hesitated, "What about the drills near Sea Cabinet Island…"
"The Sea Cabinet Island drills…"
Chi Songzi contemplated for a moment.
After all, Nine Cauldrons Sect was a formidable force established on the foundation of Artifact Sect.
Even within the Cangwu Alliance, they still performed the duties of the Artifact Sect.
It was just that the larger sects didn't take them seriously, treating them as if they were inconsequential.
But…
One cannot deny that no one knows what kind of trump cards Nine Cauldrons Sect, inheritor of Artifact Sect's legacy, might still be hiding.
Moreover…
Nine Cauldrons Sect is a force with a Golden Core expert in residence.
With this in mind, Chi Songzi said in a grave voice, "Although our Great Sun Sword Sect possesses the power to defeat Nine Cauldrons Sect at any moment, to be safe, let's not make any rash moves. We must avoid falling into a trap like Xuanming Sect and suffering unnecessary losses."
He waved his hand and continued, "Wait until we clarify who is supporting Nine Cauldrons Sect before we proceed to the next move... Before that, consider the Sea Cabinet Island drills just a routine exercise."
"Yes."
...
The political situation in the East Sea Archipelago hadn't affected Alkaid in the slightest.
It was only on the third day after the war had ended that Sub-sect Sect Master Zhao Siliang and Dragon Majestic City Lord Luo Yunhai personally visited the Purple Cloud Courtyard, placing an additional order for four hundred modified Purple Cloud 12 Flying Swords.
At the same time, he brought news that left the entire Purple Cloud Courtyard cheering for joy.
The Purple Cloud Courtyard was to expand once more, in preparation for its future promotion to a Main Sect-level key Artifact Refining Court.
Alkaid had anticipated this outcome.
Even though he did not wish for such "fame" to elevate his status, it wasn't something he could prevent.
Considering that order of four hundred modified Purple Cloud 12 Flying Swords, he had no choice but to "enthusiastically" receive Zhao Siliang.
...
The defeat at Posuo Island did not subdue the Xuanming Sect.
In the aftermath, the Xuanming Sect organized a few small-scale probes, which were all obliterated effortlessly by the Nine Cauldrons Sect, with considerable losses.
Then, a month later, North Apsis Star, having withstood the tempering of the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder, led over eighty high-rank Sword Cultivators in a major counteroffensive in the vicinity of Posuo Island.
In this battle, Bai Lu's Divine Sense was nearly completely suppressed throughout, with only a tenth or twentieth of it available to guide the trajectory of the Flying Swords.
Yet even so, this great battle concluded with a casualty ratio of 8 to 31.
Thirty-one elite Sword Cultivators of the Xuanming Sect spilled their blood across the skies, and the survivors, under North Apsis Star's protection, hastily fled.
The crushing defeat of the Xuanming Sect in this battle undeniably demonstrated to the other Sects in the East Sea Archipelago the rapid rise of the Nine Cauldrons Sect within the elite Sword Cultivator ranks.
To achieve a casualty ratio of 8 to 31 while the Primordial Spirit Realm Great Cultivator on their side was completely suppressed was an impressive feat...
Even when compared with the Great Sun Sword Sect, or even with the Supreme Yin Sect, the Heavenly Law Pavilion, and other forces at the level of the Six Great Immortal Sects, it did not pale.
And in this battle, the use of the modified Purple Cloud 12 Flying Swords by the Nine Cauldrons Sect also entered people's view for the first time.
Instantly, countless intelligence officers and undercover agents from various Sects flooded into the Nine Cauldrons Sect and the Nine Heavens Domain, seeking related intelligence.
As a result, the area around the Purple Cloud Courtyard gradually became a place of tumult and intrigue.
...
Purple Cloud Courtyard.
Alkaid was quietly refining Flying Sword after Flying Sword, fulfilling the orders assigned by the Sect.
At that moment, a surge of energy fluctuations arrived.
But these fluctuations lasted only briefly before they quieted down.
Soon after, Alkaid sensed Qin Yi's presence approaching and asked, "Another undercover agent?"
"Yes, this time it's from the Star Sea Sect."
As Qin Yi spoke, he stated seriously, "Please rest assured, we will not let anyone harm even a hair on your head."
After he finished, he added, "We've already applied for assistance from Great Cultivators of the Primordial Spirit Realm."
"Primordial Spirit Realm!?"
Alkaid was somewhat surprised.
There were only a little over a hundred openly recognized Primordial Spirit Realm Great Cultivators in the entire Nine Cauldrons Sect, each either holding a key post, stationed at strategic locations, or guarding important individuals.
Now he had reached the point where he needed the protection of a Primordial Spirit Realm Great Cultivator?
He did not refuse, though.
Since he had yet to make a breakthrough, the more stringent the security measures, the better.
"Who is it? Elder Zhang Jianlin?"
Alkaid asked.
"No, Elder Zhang has been transferred to the external affairs department. If nothing goes wrong, he's going to become the spokesperson for matters concerning the East Sea Archipelago," Qin Yi explained, and then added, "For now it's Hall Master Bai Lu; who it will be after that, I do not know."
"Bai Lu?"
Alkaid glanced at him.
This individual was a formidable Great Cultivator in the Primordial Spirit Realm who regarded the Scorching Sun Heavenly Thunder Layer as nothing—how could such an important combatant be relegated to watching over his safety in the rear?
"Hall Master Bai Lu sustained some injuries in her fight with North Apsis Star of the Xuanming Sect and needs to recuperate for a while. Moreover, this battle has also brought her Cultivation to further advancement. Without any surprises, once she's recovered, she'll be considering entering the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder Layer for the true Purple Cloud Divine Thunder Tempering," Qin Yi explained.
Alkaid understood.
"In fact, sending Hall Master Bai Lu to protect you also has another purpose—hoping to resolve any doubts you have regarding your Divine Refinement Path, to better assist you in forming your Primordial Spirit and stepping into the Great Cultivator realm," Qin Yi said, smiling.
Alkaid nodded and wasn't sure what to say.
It was a kind gesture from the higher-ups of the Nine Cauldrons Sect.
But in reality...
He didn't need anyone to teach him if he wanted to make a breakthrough.
However...
Alkaid took a moment to sense the residual scent of blood on Qin Yi's person.
"If the mere Superior Grade Spiritual Artifacts I made can cause such a commotion, what will happen when I truly start producing Treasures..."
Yet, being well-known wasn't without its benefits.
He then said to Qin Yi, "Please invite Master Purple Rose to come and tell her the Purple Cloud 12 model Flying Sword and the external sale version of the modified Purple Cloud 12 Flying Sword have both been optimized by me. The business can now get started."