Slow war, war of attrition
Hanging Sword Peak.
At this moment, the sunset glow dyed the sea of clouds a fiery red.
Xu Nuo sat alone on the edge of the Sword Cliff, her slender feet dangling over the ten-thousand-foot Void Realm.
The mountain wind was biting, fluttering her light blue skirt and her ink-black hair, but it could not dispel the turmoil in her brows.
In her hand, she unconsciously rubbed a warm, smooth jade pendant.
It was a fifth-tier Soul Protection Jade Pendant, extremely precious, a gift from Chen Yuan.
In her mind, memories from the Secret Realm surfaced uncontrollably.
When fighting the Guanghan Immortal Palace, he stood alone in front of her.
In the Spring Domain, he suddenly appeared, his Sword Emperor might flashing briefly, his Dharma Idol raising a hand to suppress and kill the guarding Yao Beast;
Within the Main Hall Legacy, he unhesitatingly yielded the Body Integration Legacy—enough to drive the entire Eastern Barren region mad—to her;
"Little Xu Nuo..."
His smiling call seemed to still echo in her ears.
Xu Nuo's heart was troubled like never before.
Since childhood, she had entered the Nine Heavens Sword Pavilion, focusing solely on the sword. Her Revered Master had taught her that the Dao of the Sword was merciless and required severing all ties to the Mortal World.
She had always adhered to this principle, remaining cold, aloof, and rarely interacting with others.
But Chen Yuan's appearance was like a stone dropped into an ancient, cold pool, stirring up endless, unceasing ripples.
She didn't understand why she kept thinking of that guy.
Was it because of his astonishing talent and strength?
"Hmph." A nearly inaudible sigh escaped her lips.
The moment the sigh left her, she was startled. When had she begun sighing over external matters?
Just then, a voice, cold and sharp as a sword, sounded faintly from behind her: "Yun Er, what troubles your heart?"
Xu Nuo was startled. She subconsciously clenched the jade pendant in her hand, hiding it in her sleeve, before hurriedly standing up and turning toward the newcomer.
She saw a woman dressed in dark sword robes, with a beautiful face and deep eyes, whose aura seemed to merge completely with the Hanging Sword Peak itself, standing behind her.
It was her Revered Master, the Extinction Sword Venerable Mu Yan.
"M-Revered Master..."
Xu Nuo slightly lowered her head, hiding the unusual look in her eyes, and reverted to her usual cold demeanor. "Disciple was only comprehending sword techniques; I was not distracted."
Mu Yan's gaze, sharp as a sword, swept over her, seemingly able to pierce through all pretense, finally resting on her tightly clenched sleeve.
She did not expose her, merely stating faintly, "Your heart is troubled. A dusty Sword Heart is a great taboo for a Sword Cultivator."
Xu Nuo's heart tightened. Knowing she couldn't hide anything from her Revered Master's Dharma Eye, yet unsure how to explain, she remained silent.
Mu Yan walked to the edge of the cliff, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her. Gazing at the churning sea of clouds below, her voice remained calm and steady:
"Is it because of the matter regarding the Heavenly Treasure Secret Realm?"
Xu Nuo's delicate body trembled almost imperceptibly, and she pursed her lips tightly.
Mu Yan continued, "Within the Secret Realm, there were countless figures of astonishing talent and brilliance. It is normal that you might develop a certain appreciation for some of them."
Her tone suddenly shifted, becoming sharp: "But Nuo Er, you must remember that we, Sword Cultivators, must use the sword in our hands to cut down all obstacles on our path, including unnecessary attachments.
Emotions are the sharpest double-edged sword on the path of the Dao of the Sword. How many Prodigies have been trapped by love, ultimately ruining their Dao path and wasting their entire lives."
"Disciple... understands," Xu Nuo replied softly, but the hand in her sleeve clenched even tighter.
Mu Yan gave her a deep look, then said no more.
The next moment, Mu Yan's figure dissipated like a wisp of smoke atop the cliff.
The mountain wind remained biting, causing Xu Nuo's robes to flap loudly.
She slowly opened her palm, looking at the Soul Protection Jade Pendant resting quietly there, her eyes filled with complex, hard-to-read emotions.
Her Revered Master's warning still echoed in her ears, but the subtle stirring growing in her heart was like wild grass stubbornly growing on the cliffside—impossible to cut down, only growing more tangled when managed.
The next day, a piece of news spread rapidly throughout the entire Eastern Barren Continent as if it had grown wings, completely shaking the various factions there.
The Guanghan Immortal Palace had declared war on the Kunxu Holy Land!
However, due to the current political landscape of the Eastern Barren, the Guanghan Immortal Palace chose not to engage in a 'Quick War,' but rather initiated a 'Slow War,' or a War of Attrition.
A 'Quick War' means that the Elders and Old Ancestors of both sides personally take action, deciding the victor in a single battle. However, the five major first-rank powers are nearly equal in strength, each having two Mahayana Stage Old Ancestors overseeing them. If they were to force a 'Quick War,' the losses would be catastrophic, possibly even causing them to fall out of the ranks of first-rank powers.
Therefore, wars among higher-tier powers are mostly Wars of Attrition.
It can also be called the war of the younger generation. The younger generation is the foundation of the entire Sect. If the younger generation dies in battle or is killed, a gap in Geniuses will appear. When the old folks pass away, and the supply of fresh blood is insufficient, a powerful Sect will naturally decline.
This is why it is common for some Sects and Families to have private feuds dating back tens of thousands of years, with wars lasting for millennia.
The Guanghan Immortal Palace issued an order: any young Disciple of the Kunxu Holy Land encountered was to be killed without mercy.
The Yaoguang Domain, where the Guanghan Immortal Palace is located, borders the Kunxu Domain of the Kunxu Holy Land, and the border naturally became the frontline battlefield for the younger generation.
While the young Disciples of the Guanghan Immortal Palace and the Kunxu Holy Land fought desperately on the frontline, and the attention of the entire Eastern Barren Continent was drawn to this sudden Sect war.
The central figure who triggered this storm, Chen Yuan, was leisurely returning to Ye Baixi's residence within the Xuantian Sect.
The turbulent events outside seemed to have nothing to do with him.
Inside the quiet room of the residence, Chen Yuan summoned Shen Ling alone.
"Linger, this is for you." Chen Yuan took out a jade bottle, handed it over, and smiled.
Shen Ling took it doubtfully, opened the stopper, and probed inside with her Divine Sense. Her pretty face immediately filled with astonishment.
Inside were sixty densely packed, perfectly round, lustrous, and glowing Medicinal Pills!
The dense medicinal power and unique Pill Aura revealed that they were all fifth-tier Marrow Cleansing Enlightenment Pills!
"Brother... Brother Chen? This... this many?"
Shen Ling's voice was stuttering.
A single fifth-tier Medicinal Pill was already precious—sixty of them?
The value was simply unimaginable!
And they were all for her?
"Yeah, I was just refining them for fun on Danqing Peak a few days ago."
Chen Yuan's tone was casual, as if this were a trivial matter. "They're all yours. Take your time consuming them; they're good for improving your Aptitude."
[Ding, detected Host gifting Shen Ling one fifth-tier Marrow Cleansing Enlightenment Pill, triggering Hundredfold Return. Congratulations to Host for obtaining sixth-tier Medicinal Pill...]
[Ding, detected Host gifting Shen Ling one fifth-tier Marrow Cleansing Enlightenment Pill, triggering Hundredfold Return...]
A string of System notifications rang out in Chen Yuan's mind. His expression remained unchanged, but he silently kept count in his heart.
When he reached the thirty-fourth pill, the long-awaited notification finally arrived:
[Ding, detected Host gifting Shen Ling 1 fifth-tier Marrow Cleansing Enlightenment Pill, triggering Ten Thousandfold Return. Congratulations to Host for obtaining eighth-tier Medicinal Pill: immeasurable marrow cleansing pill!]
Chen Yuan felt reassured, but his actions did not stop.