MTLNOVEL Chapter 193: Tremor
Lei Meng saw through Song You's intentions in an instant.
He calmly said, "The so-called trickery of gods and ghosts is merely a lack of ability to see through their reality."
"What Lord Lei Meng said is true."
Song You respectfully nodded, "But this time, if we can't curb the edge of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, they will inevitably attack and plunder in the Eastern Sea, even reclaiming the Eastern Sea. When that happens, the Nine Cauldrons Sect will surely gain great power, truly possessing the majesty of an Immortal Sect."
"Reclaim the Eastern Sea? Heh, does the Great Sun Sword Sect agree? Does our Limitless Star Palace agree?"
Lei Meng offered a faint smile.
Though he said this considering the Xuanming Sect a useful chess piece, he eventually added, "I'll contact the Heavenly Palace Cultivators from our Limitless Star Palace for you... Oh, what a coincidence, all the cultivators in that area have been transferred to the Black Flame Continent, you'll have to wait another half hour."
Many forces from the Black Flame Continent originally belonged to the Northern Alliance. Even though the alliance had dissolved, with many hostile forces against the Limitless Star Palace, they had no choice but to call in more power to monitor movements of forces like the Holy Fire Sect, Blue Sea Sacred Land, Stellar Sect, and Red Moon Gate.
"Half an hour..."
Song You's heart sank, he couldn't help saying, "If there are no Heavenly Palace Cultivators available for now, I wonder if it's possible to ask a Dharma Phase Celestial from above the Nine Heavens to lend a hand..."
"Tch!"
Song You hadn't finished speaking when Lei Meng already burst out laughing. After a while, he regained his composure and shrugged, "I don't have that kind of influence to request a Dharma Phase Celestial. Otherwise, why don't you try contacting them yourself? Alright, just wait patiently, I'll notify you when there is news."
After saying that, he abruptly ended the communication.
This attitude made Song You inwardly grit his teeth.
But ultimately...
He dared not express the slightest displeasure and even maintained respectful silence for a long while.
After all, he was conversing with the Vice Hall Master of the Campaign Hall of the powerful Limitless Star Palace, a force capable of annihilating large sects like the Quicksand Sect effortlessly.
Right then...
On the high platform ahead, one soul lamp after another began to extinguish.
This is...
"Fangyuan Island!?"
Song You suddenly looked up.
The extinguishing of this soul lamp triggered a chain reaction.
The second, the third, the fourth...
Subsequently appeared.
"Impossible!"
Song You couldn't help but step forward, wishing he could use his hands to shield these life fires from even the slightest breath of cold wind.
But it was still meaningless.
Especially when...
At the very top, the life fire of their Xuanming Sect Campaign Hall Hall Master, almost level with Song Xuan's, flickered violently and then abruptly extinguished. Song You, the Sect Master of Xuanming Sect, couldn't hold back anymore.
He painfully knelt down, releasing a cry of despair.
"No! No! No!"
...
Great Sun Sword Sect.
Vice Hall Master and Minister of Eastern Sea Archipelago Affairs, Chi Songzi, was focusing his gaze on the map before him.
Two territories on the map were covered in red.
One was the Eastern Sea Archipelago near the Nine Cauldrons Sect, the other, larger one, bordered the Stormy Sea adjacent to the Myriad Beasts Sect.
Though the Stormy Sea was slightly larger than the Eastern Sea Archipelago, its competitor was the strongest and most ancient of the Six Great Immortal Sects: the Myriad Beasts Sect.
Even though the spiritual and divine beasts cultivated by the Myriad Beasts Sect were unlike human cultivators and seemed somewhat outdated in terms of iteration speed, their sheer numbers were overwhelming.
The massive number of spiritual and divine beasts still placed the Myriad Beasts Sect's deterrence above any other large sect, even if the sixth Patrol Heaven Warship of the Great Sun Sword Sect had already taken to the skies, facing the Myriad Beasts Sect was still insufficient.
"Perhaps, we need to deepen cooperation with the Limitless Star Palace."
Chi Songzi pondered, somewhat reluctantly shifting his gaze towards the Eastern Sea Archipelago.
If they could not secure the Stormy Sea, they had to settle for incorporating the Eastern Sea Archipelago first.
Just then, a divine sense hurriedly transmitted, "Hall Master, there is trouble in the Eastern Sea."
Immediately, Nan Bisheng, the Director of Eastern Sea Affairs under direct jurisdiction of the Heavenly Palace Hall, arrived swiftly through the air.
"All flustered, what a sight... Has a fight broken out?"
Chi Songzi exhibited displeasure.
But Nan Bisheng didn't have time to explain as he projected a hologram straightaway.
"Hall Master, please look, the Nine Cauldrons Sect just made an announcement in the Void Divine Realm... The power of the Xuanming Sect in the Eastern Sea... is finished!"
"The power of the Xuanming Sect in the Eastern Sea is finished?"
Chi Songzi was slightly taken aback.
He then shifted his attention to the hologram projected by Nan Bisheng.
At that moment, the press conference seemed to have entered the Q&A session, but with a slight adjustment by Nan Bisheng, the scene quickly returned to the conference venue.
In the hologram, Zhou Lijian, the Master of the External Propaganda Hall, was righteously speaking, "In recent years, the Xuanming Sect has ignored the facts, disregarded diplomatic relations between the two sects, flouted the unified regulations of the Cangwu Great World, and occupied our Eastern Sea territory. They have repeatedly ignored our sect's orders to withdraw. To protect the territorial integrity of our Sect and to comply with the external relations treaty of the Cangwu Alliance, we executed the expulsion and elimination of the Xuanming Sect's forces in the Eastern Sea. This action is reasonable, fair, and in accordance with the laws of the Cangwu Great World..."
"They... they actually started to fight!?"
Chi Songzi was slightly stunned.
However, he wasn't too surprised.
This time the Nine Cauldrons Sect mobilized troops from the Nine Heavens Domain on a large scale, and many had anticipated that the Nine Cauldrons Sect was seriously committed this time.
Now that they had truly started fighting...
He had only one concern.
"What are the casualties on both sides?"
"We are investigating with all our might, but... from what the Heavenly Palace Cultivators have detected in terms of the number of sword lights... the casualties of the Nine Cauldrons Sect are very small, estimated to be... less than twenty people."
"Less than twenty people?"
Chi Songzi was shocked, "How is that possible? The Xuanming Sect had deployed more than half of its great cultivators in the Eastern Sea... If we talk solely about power, it's equivalent to seventy to eighty percent of the sect's total strength. Considering Zhou Lijian's statement, they have already expelled and defeated the Xuanming Sect, meaning they have already secured victory! How could it be possible without paying a price?"
In the memory of this Vice Hall Master of the Campaign Hall of the Great Sun Sword Sect, the strength of the Nine Cauldrons Sect's great cultivators was only comparable to that of the Xuanming Sect, at best slightly stronger.
If the two sides were to battle, even if they didn't both suffer heavily, there should have been significant losses.
He quickly asked, "What about the Xuanming Sect? Have you contacted the Xuanming Sect? Their cultivators haven't crumbled at the first blow, handing over the favorable situation in the Eastern Sea, have they?"
"No, the battle of the Xuanming Sect was very fierce. According to the information I received immediately from the Xuanming Sect... their Sect Master Song You saw the situation in the Eternal Brightness Hall and was so disturbed that he almost fainted."
With a trace of palpitation in Nan Bisheng's voice, he said, "This time, it's estimated that three hundred of Xuanming Sect's great cultivators have fallen! And these were the most elite cultivators!"
"Three hundred!?"
Chi Songzi abruptly stood up, "You're saying the Nine Cauldrons Sect and the Xuanming Sect had a battle result of 300 to 20!?"
"Yes..."
Nan Bisheng nodded.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Chi Songzi swung his hand fiercely.
Their Great Sun Sword Sect's practice battles with the Nine Cauldrons Sect had a loss ratio of 40 to 7, and 40 to 5 with the Xuanming Sect.
The Nine Cauldrons Sect achieving this loss ratio against Xuanming Sect...
Even better than the Great Sun Sword Sect!?
How could the Nine Cauldrons Sect, which was established less than ninety years ago, have developed so quickly!
"The data observed by the Heavenly Palace Cultivators is exactly this..."
Nan Bisheng said softly, "During the battle, the Heavenly Palace Cultivators of the Nine Cauldrons Sect interfered with that sea area, perhaps they were bluffing. Once we verify their casualty list of those who fought, we should have precise data..."
Although the Great Sun Sword Sect didn't have any Golden Core Cultivators stationed, they had a good relationship with the Limitless Star Palace and paid a huge sum for the Limitless Star Palace to establish several Heavenly Palaces.
Though not as numerous as the Nine Cauldrons Sect, they employed the technology of the Limitless Star Palace, and their information-gathering ability was not poor.
At most, due to fewer Heavenly Palaces, the monitoring areas were limited, and there were longer gaps.
"What are we waiting for then!?"
Chi Songzi exclaimed, "I want to find out the condition of each of the one hundred and sixty-six great cultivators the Nine Cauldrons Sect sent into battle! Whether they truly lost less than 20 people or if they are pretending to have achieved victory..."
"Yes."
Nan Bisheng quickly utilized the power of the Heavenly Palace Hall to conduct a comprehensive investigation.
Chi Songzi then connected to the Void Divine Realm.
Looking at Zhou Lijian in the conference being held in the Void Divine Realm, his expression was extremely grave.
If this news is true...
The strength of the Nine Cauldrons Sect...
Was probably far greater than they had anticipated.
...
At the Longxi Academy.
At this time, Su Yaoshuang from the new media major was on stage, assisting the teacher with a data description.
Dressed in a pristine white long dress, she wore a striking blue bow at her chest, and her long, black, silky hair cascaded down her shoulders, intermittently adorned with beige-patterned hairbands.
She looked indescribably pure and lovely.
In fact, within her first year of admission, with the "Su Family's" excellent genes, top-notch food, clothing, and lodging, fourth layer Qi cultivation, and her personal expertise in wardrobe and makeup, Su Yaoshuang had already become the moonlight in many people's eyes.
Especially since she was kind and approachable, more so than many high and mighty fairy-like figures, making her very appealing.
Some enthusiasts consistently ranked her among the top ten fairies of Longxi Academy.
At this moment, she was gently explaining the practice data.
Her crisp and clear enunciation was extremely pleasant to listen to.
However, just then, a normally lagging student suddenly screamed, disrupting the atmosphere, "Holy shit, big news, guys!"
Immediately, nearly a hundred displeased gazes fell on him.
But he was completely unaffected, even ignoring the instructor's frosty gaze, and excitedly said, "Quick, look at the Void Divine Realm! Big news! The latest statement from the External Propaganda Hall, we've started fighting with the Xuanming Sect, and it's not just reprimands or condemnations! It's a real battle! And we won! The smile at the corner of Hall Master Zhou's mouth is nearly bursting! Look at the Campaign section, we won this battle beautifully! They're all using phrases like 'great victory' and 'complete victory'!"
Swept up in excitement, he even stood up, passionately exclaiming, "It's our turn to rise, brothers!"