The Modern Martial Immortal

Chapter 200: Go to War

In the Void Psychic World, the voice of Zhou Lijian continued to echo. ”Internal conflicts within the Xuanming Sect have continued to intensify. The chaos caused by mismanagement within the sect has already inflicted serious harm on members of the Nine Cauldrons Sect. In accordance with Articles 44 and 46 of the Cangwu Alliance Diplomatic Relations Convention, our Nine Cauldrons Sect has formally dispatched ten large flying vessels to enter the Xuanming Sect’s territory to evacuate our sect’s disciples and assets. This operation is not directed at any individual or any faction. Its sole purpose is to ensure the safety and protect the belongings of our sect’s members outside our borders...”

Three hours earlier, when the Public Relations Hall announced that a Void Psychic World press conference would be held regarding the Xuanming Sect’s internal turmoil, countless people had already gathered in front of the channel, waiting for the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s final decision.

Over the past three days, under the Public Relations Hall’s deliberate efforts, everyone within the Nine Cauldrons Sect had already been filled with righteous indignation. Although many harbored complaints that the survivors of the Artifact Sect had not yet returned after the Nine Cauldrons Sect was reestablished, this did not diminish their sympathy or shared outrage.

Especially after witnessing the unspeakably vile acts committed by many within the Xuanming Sect against the Artifact Sect’s survivors, the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s revulsion toward the Xuanming Sect’s conduct had reached its peak.

At many imperial academies, students had even spontaneously organized gatherings and marches to protest the Xuanming Sect’s inhumane behavior. These reports were forwarded by relevant parties to the Void Psychic World’s portals, drawing even more people to learn the truth of the incident.

When this big figure announced the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s final decision word by word, everyone watching the channel could not help but erupt into cheers. Those paying attention to this press conference were not limited to the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s members. Representatives from neighboring sects were also present.

Someone immediately stood up. ”Hall Master Zhou, has your course of action received approval from the Xuanming Sect? If not, does this not constitute an infringement on another sect’s authority?”

”In accordance with Article 41 of the Cangwu Alliance Diplomatic Relations Convention, when members of a sect are persecuted within another sect, that sect bears the obligation to ensure their safety. If that sect is no longer able to fulfill this obligation, we have the right to step in and evacuate our own members. At present, the Xuanming Sect is unable to control its internal situation and has consistently failed to guarantee the safety of the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s members. Under this provision, our upcoming actions are lawful and compliant and do not infringe upon the authority of any sect,” Zhou Lijian responded clearly and calmly.

”I disagree! Our Xuanming Sect is fully capable of maintaining internal stability. Your sect’s actions are an overreach and even a provocation against the Xuanming Sect...” Another person immediately rose to speak. From his remarks, it was not difficult to tell that he was from the Xuanming Sect.

”We have no intention of provoking a conflict with the Xuanming Sect. During this period, we sent no fewer than ten requests asking your sect to provide protection for our members. However, based on facts provided from all sides, the Xuanming Sect simply does not possess the ability to maintain internal order. As such, we had no choice but to act on our own,” Zhou Lijian replied calmly.

”Operations carried out within another sect’s territory require careful deliberation and a vote by the Cangwu Alliance Council before approval. Has your sect bypassed the Cangwu Alliance Council and used evacuation as a pretext to impose force?” Another question followed.

Zhou Lijian recognized the speaker at a glance. It was someone from the Great Sun Sword Sect.

”Urgency must be distinguished by priority. We are conducting a rescue of sect members. Under Article 47, the Emergency Response Clause of the Cangwu Alliance Diplomatic Relations Convention, when a situation becomes extremely dangerous, the harmed sect has the right to act first to ensure the safety of its members, and then report back to the Cangwu Alliance Council afterward, providing evidence to verify the legality of its actions,” the Public Relations Hall Master replied in an orderly manner.

”During this period, the number of incidents leading to a massacre within the Xuanming Sect has already exceeded ten thousand cases. The entire Nine Cauldrons Sect unanimously believes that the situation has reached the point where Article 47 must be invoked.”

While Zhou Lijian sparred verbally with representatives from various sects, more than 230 members from the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s Azure Edge and Divine Might Institutes had already departed, escorting ten large flying vessels as they headed straight for the Xuanming Sect.

The flying vessels were not fast, traveling only between Mach 3 and Mach 10. Moreover, these ten vessels were all medium-to-large flying vessels, each over 1200 meters long and capable of carrying tens of thousands of people.

Such massive behemoths naturally could not fly very quickly and could only maintain a steady speed of Mach 3. This severely slowed the advance of the two battle institutes. They could cover only about 50 thousand kilometers per day.

With the Nine Cauldrons Sect and the Xuanming Sect separated by 150 thousand kilometers, the journey would take three full days. During this time, the amount of spirit stones consumed naturally reached the tens of thousands. More importantly, those three days also gave the Xuanming Sect ample time to prepare.

The Xuanming Sect’s sect master, Song You, convened an internal meeting at once, determined to make the Nine Cauldrons Sect pay dearly. In the battle over the East Sea’s islands, they had lost more than three hundred great cultivators. This score had to be settled.

For the defeat in the East Sea, Song You had shifted the blame onto the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s Heavenly Palace cultivators. This time, however, the battlefield would be Xuanming Sect’s own territory. On their home ground, enhancement and amplification arrays were everywhere.

With amplification from primordial psyche array arts, no matter how capable the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s Heavenly Palace cultivators were, they could at best ensure normal communications. Thinking they could block or alter the Xuanming Sect’s internal exchanges was simply delusional.

Beyond active war preparations, the Xuanming Sect also exerted itself diplomatically. The Infinite Star Palace was temporarily out of reach, but the Great Sun Sword Sect, the Great Yue Dynasty, the Ancient Immortal Sect, and the Star Sea Sect were still forces they could rely on.

After Sect Master Song adopted a low posture and personally visited Chi Songzi, deputy hall master of the Great Sun Sword Sect’s Warfare Hall and head of East Sea Island Affairs Department, and promised undisclosed benefits, the Great Sun Sword Sect soon took action.

Once the Great Sun Sword Sect moved, the others followed suit. Compared to the Great Sun Sword Sect’s major mobilization, these other forces merely adjusted troop deployments within their own territories. They did not dare intrude into waters controlled by the Nine Cauldrons Sect, nor did they dare issue provocative statements.

The truth behind the deaths of more than three hundred great cultivators of the Xuanming Sect had yet to be clarified. Under such circumstances, none of them dared to act rashly. It was enough to wave flags from behind. Any real probing would be left to the Great Sun Sword Sect.

Under these circumstances, a Great Sun Sword Sect battle institute codenamed Divine Fire departed from Liuli Island under the pretext of patrolling maritime security and began pressing toward the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s controlled zone.

Upon receiving the news, Li Qingshan immediately ordered the Sword-Wielding Institute to move out and monitor the situation. He also issued a clear directive. If any great cultivator from the Great Sun Sword Sect’s battle institute made a move, the Sword-Wielding Institute was authorized to retaliate immediately.

However, less than an hour after the Sword-Wielding Institute set out, another development was observed and reported by the Heavenly Palace cultivators. The Spring Rain Sky Patrol Warship lifted off and followed closely behind the Divine Fire Institute.

***

Within the Void Psychic World, Murong Hui, hall master of the Heavenly Palace Hall, said with a grave expression, ”The Great Sun Sword Sect has deployed two elite battle institutes in the East Sea, the Divine Fire and Divine Wind Institutes. In addition, four main battle institutes are stationed across different regions. We can set aside the garrison battle institutes for now. The key issue is the forces they have mobilized at present. The Divine Fire and Divine Wind Institutes already qualify as elite units, but compared to the Spring Rain and Vajra Sky Patrol Warships, they are clearly a tier inferior.”

He made a casual gesture, and the projections of six warships appeared. ”The entire Great Sun Sword Sect possesses six Sky Patrol Warships, eight elite battle institutes, thirteen main battle institutes, and dozens of standard garrison battle institutes. Part of this strength is deployed on their home territory, and part is stationed in the Sea of Storms, but nearly one-third of their total forces is concentrated in the East Sea islands. Among them is the Spring Rain, which is a second-generation Sky Patrol Warship. Its combat power is somewhat weaker, but if you add the Divine Fire Institute to it, then even the Sword-Wielding Institute can’t be fully confident about facing them head-on.”

Murong Hui paused briefly before continuing, ”The most important thing about a Sky Patrol Warship is not its firepower, but the fact that it functions like a mobile fortress. It provides cultivators with ample space to rest and recover.”

This explanation was directed at Yaoguang.

”When two battle institutes of comparable strength engage in a fight to the death, once one side finds itself at a disadvantage, it can immediately withdraw and retreat to a safe place to recuperate. The other side, however, must remain on constant alert, guarding against sudden threats. After just a few days of prolonged entanglement, the side without any respite will be unable to hold on. At that point, they either retreat, or they are worn down and killed outright while operating at only sixty or seventy percent strength, or even less.”

”Sect Master, perhaps I should pull our people back.” Lou Yuyu spoke up.

”That is exactly what the Great Sun Sword Sect wants. If we withdraw, then their objective, together with the Xuanming Sect, will be achieved,” Li Qingshan replied calmly, then turned to Yaoguang. ”The next stage of the battle will depend on you.”

Others assumed that this decisive clash would rely on Yaoguang’s Sea Guardian Institute, but Yaoguang knew exactly what Li Qingshan was referring to.

”I understand, but...” Yaoguang looked at Li Qingshan. ”What if the Sword-Wielding Institute deals with the Great Sun Sword Sect’s Divine Fire Institute, while I hold the Spring Rain in check?”

Li Qingshan froze slightly.

”No.” Xu Qiexing, fully aware of the gravity of the situation, could not help but speak up. ”Only the Sword-Wielding Institute can contend with a Sky Patrol Warship. If it were the Azure Edge Institute or the Divine Might Institute instead, they might not even be able to match that warship. Your Sea Guardian Institute is inferior to both the Azure Edge Institute and the Divine Might Institute. Going up against the Spring Rain would be like sending a lamb into a tiger’s jaws.”

However, Li Qingshan did not agree with Xu Qiexing’s assessment. He looked at Yaoguang intently, considered for a moment, and asked, ”Are you confident?”

”Claiming I can defeat the Spring Rain would be arrogant, but holding them back will not be a problem,” Yaoguang replied. ”With me tying down the Spring Rain, the Sword-Wielding Institute should be able to crush the Divine Fire Institute, right? Once you secure victory, Sect Master, you can come support me afterward.”

”Good!” Li Qingshan nodded heavily.

He knew very well that the true combat power Yaoguang could unleash as a Dharma Form cultivator far exceeded his expectations. If things went well, the Sea Guardian Institute might ultimately display greater strength than even the Sword-Wielding Institute under his own command.

”Then I’ll leave the Spring Rain to you. I will resolve the battle with the Divine Fire Institute as quickly as possible,” Li Qingshan said.

”Sect Master!” Xu Qiexing, Gao Shenghan, and the others felt alarmed.

Sending someone as valuable as Yaoguang onto the battlefield was already a last resort. Letting him face a Sky Patrol Warship directly felt reckless.

Sect Master, this is madness. They all thought.

”You guys must have confidence in Yaoguang.” Li Qingshan smiled faintly. ”Don’t forget, the counterattack at Longxiang City, which Hall Master Yaoguang commanded, forced even the Infinite Star Palace’s Sky Patrol Warship to retreat. No matter how advanced the Spring Rain is, it cannot compare to the Infinite Star Palace, can it?”

Hearing his unwavering confidence, everyone exchanged glances and could only accept the decision.

”Safety comes first. The East Sea can be abandoned, but nothing must happen to you,” Xu Qiexing warned him solemnly.

”Don’t worry. I know my limits.” Yaoguang smiled slightly.

Having served as chief of the Sea Guardian Institute for so long, and having gone through constant drills for an entire year, it was finally time to put the Sea Guardian Institute’s true strength to the test.