137: Chapter 137 The Flames of War Reignite!

...

The Jin State and Liang Kingdom have joined forces to launch an attack with a menacing Aura.

Various forces across the Xuanling Continent believe that the three major Sects of the Wei State are deeply mired in the North Sea quagmire, and that their southern and eastern defense lines will surely collapse at the first touch.

But the reality is quite the opposite.

The reaction of the three Sects of the Wei State was quite calm, as if they had been prepared for a long time.

On the northern front, the affiliated Cultivators of the Shangqing Sect and Taiqing Sect quickly withdrew from the front lines and began to return to their respective stations for defense.

The Xuanqing Sect displayed the terrifying heritage of a thousand-year-old great Sect; almost simultaneously, all the Nascent Soul Old Ancestors in seclusion emerged, and a total of eight Nascent Soul True Monarchs gathered on the shores of the North Sea.

Eight world-shaking pressures forcibly pushed back the beast tide raised by the Sea Ape Demon King, showing signs of a counterattack.

The sea surface was evaporated by Nascent Soul magic power, revealing land that had been submerged; the Demon King's roar shook heaven and earth, yet it could not cross the line by a single step.

The Southeastern Defense Line.

The Shangqing Sect also stopped hiding its strength; seven Nascent Soul Old Ancestors from the Sect personally arrived at the southwestern border of the Wei State with an incredibly vast Aura.

Using seven nodes—Tianshu, Yaoguang, Kaiyang, Yuheng, Tianquan, Tianxu, and Tianji—as a foundation, they set up a grand array.

Seven majestic passes were linked into a single battle line to guard the southwestern border of the Wei State.

The seven majestic passes were like seven nails driven into the vast world; each pass was like a heaven-reaching giant mountain, immense and boundless.

The walls of the majestic passes were thousands of feet high, reaching straight into the clouds and sky; the surrounding mountains of several hundred feet seemed like unremarkable mounds of earth before them.

Rocks were piled into high walls, upon which array patterns flowed and flickered, exuding an indestructible sense of weight.

Outside the passes was a flat plain with no natural defenses to hold; if the Jin State wanted to invade the Wei State on a large scale, they could only clash head-on and break through these seven majestic passes before they could drive straight into the heartland.

The Shangqing Sect's decree was passed down; the three provinces and eighteen counties under its command, along with eighteen Golden Core forces, all received mandatory mobilization orders.

Moving out in full force, they headed for the front lines.

...

Yunjian Mountain Range, White Cloud Temple.

In front of the Main Peak's grand hall, a giant flying ship covered in cracks was moored.

The hull was covered in claw marks from deep-sea Yao Beasts and pits from acid corrosion, appearing incredibly wretched and battered; fortunately, everyone who was supposed to return had come back alive...

Daoist Yun Du stepped down from the flying ship, his green Daoist robe stained with dark red dried blood, and his originally ruddy face showing an air of ashen defeat.

Behind him followed five Foundation Establishment Elders supporting each other.

Sun Yao's left arm was severed at the root, with granulation tissue constantly growing at the stump; it would likely take some time before a new arm grew back.

Her face was pale, and a lingering fear remained in her eyes.

Ten Foundation Establishment Cultivators had gone, but only five returned, and every one of them was injured.

Great Elder Yun Tianfan stepped forward to meet them; seeing this tragic state, his lips trembled, and for a long time, he could not say a word.

"The North Sea was held after all, but the Xuanqing Sect has taken over the defense line. This time, the Xuanqing Sect has moved out in full force, so the situation in the North Sea should settle down soon."

Daoist Yun Du's voice was hoarse as he pulled out a Jade Slip emitting a piercing golden light.

"The Shangqing Sect's Golden Sword Mobilization Order."

"Ordering all Golden Core, Foundation Establishment, and elite Disciples of Baiyun Prefecture to rush to Tianxu Pass within three days to garrison it together with Qingzhou County."

"Those who disobey will have their Sect exterminated and their bloodline ended."

Great Elder Yun Tianfan fell into silence and let out a sigh.

They had just crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, and before they could even catch their breath, they were to be thrown into another, even larger meat grinder.

"Perfected Qing Shan, does that side need to be notified?"

"Qingguang Sect has already received the mobilization order."

Daoist Yun Du took a deep breath, suppressing the pain from his injuries: "Go and pass the order: for the Sun, Zhao, and Yun lineages, all Foundation Establishment Cultivators who can move must emerge from seclusion."

"Send word to the families of the nine counties under our jurisdiction; each Family must provide one Foundation Establishment Cultivator and fifty mid-to-high-level Qi Refining elites to join the war."

"Assemble twenty-five Foundation Establishment Cultivators and one thousand Qi Refining elites. Tomorrow at noon, set out with me for Tianxu Pass to resist the Demonic Path's invasion."

Great Elder Yun Tianfan took the order and quickly arranged for people to strike the Summoning Bell.

The bell tolled nine times, echoing throughout the Yunjian Mountain Range.

Daoist Yun Du turned his head toward Zixiao Peak, and his figure transformed into a streak of light, soaring into the sky.

...

Boan Peak.

Sun Mao looked at the Jade Slip in his hand, his expression gloomy.

"Uncle, how many people are we sending?" Sun Chengzhu asked, his hand on the hilt of his sword and his gaze sharp.

"All Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the clan will participate, and eighty percent of the elite Disciples in the mid-to-Late Stages of Qi Refining will be mobilized. This is a national war; there is no escaping it."

"Chengzu, you shouldn't go."

"Cultivate in peace and focus entirely on your seclusion to reach Foundation Establishment. If none of us return, then the Sun Clan will be left in your hands."

"Especially Lu Xun and the clan children who have newly joined White Cloud Temple; in the future, stay in the temple and nurture them well."

"In this battle, Sun Lin, Sun Yao, and I will be the ones to go."

"This Family has not yet fallen so low as to send children to the front lines. Go and prepare."

Sun Chengzhu complied, his expression complex.

It felt as if, in an instant, the pressure of the entire Sun Clan lineage had fallen onto his shoulders, along with the burden of generations of sacrifice.

This was a responsibility as heavy as Mount Tai!

...

Artifact Refining Peak.

Zhao Yanshan methodically arranged the list for the expedition.

"Take half of the profits from Mushou Mountain and exchange them for high-grade Talismans and healing Medicinal Pills to distribute. Have everyone get ready."

Zhao Yanshan looked at the clansmen below and said, "This time at Tianxu Pass, kill more enemies and seek less glory. Only by staying alive will the Zhao Clan have a future."

"Only by living do we have hope, and only then can the Zhao Clan lineage have a future."

The families of the nine subordinate counties received the mobilization order, and a cloud of gloom and misery hung over them.

With the Upper Sect's Golden Sword hanging over their heads, no one dared to disobey.

Each Family could only grit their teeth and draw upon their heritage, sending their most elite Cultivators to gather at White Cloud Temple. For a small Family, fifty mid-to-Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivators...

...directly drained the Family's blood, throwing almost the entire older and middle-aged generations into the battlefield, nearly hollowing out the Family.

But with a national war ahead, any reason for avoiding the fight was considered treason.

If the Wei State were destroyed, the fate of these small clans could be easily imagined; there would be only one end: the death of the entire clan.

...