Chapter 437

Chapter 437: The Great Battle Begins

Mount Ziyang was the sect residence on Ziyang Mountain for Grandmaster Ziyang of the Qinyuan Sect, who was also Zhou Chang Le’s master.

Zhou Luo hadn’t expected his message to be received at Mount Ziyang.

Beyond the location, Zhou Chang Le conveyed another piece of news.

Because this great conflict reached so deep, his master, Grandmaster Ziyang, was also about to depart for the Longfeng Mountain range.

This presented Zhou Luo with an opportunity to enter Mount Ziyang.

However, barging uninvited into the residence of a Golden Core master could lead to unpleasant consequences if discovered.

It was true that many of his children had joined Grandmaster Ziyang’s faction over the years, but he himself had little direct contact with the man and even less personal rapport.

Therefore, Zhou Luo chose not to enter Mount Ziyang. Instead, he used the Deliver the Message method to instruct Zhou Chang Le to pass on a verbal request: he wished to see Long Yunshuang.

Should the other party agree to a meeting, it would provide him a suitable pretext to enter Mount Ziyang.

Having sent the message back, Wang Lang arrived right after he finished writing.

"Master Manager, these are the only materials I could find."

He handed over a storage ring, saying with an awkward expression.

A while ago, Zhou Luo had instructed him to procure some materials. Wang Lang had assumed it would be straightforward, yet even after scouring all of Qinyuan City, he’d only managed to find a few kinds.

He felt a pang of guilt, as though he had failed the entrusted task.

"I understand. How’s the business in the city?" Zhou Luo inquired.

The quantity of these materials didn’t overly concern him.

They were primarily intended for his preparation toward forming the Golden Core.

Now that he had reached late-stage Foundation Establishment, it was natural to begin readying himself for the Golden Core stage.

More than the materials, he was concerned about the attitude of the Tian Xia Restaurant.

According to the information he possessed, the Tian Xia Restaurant’s backing came from the imperial direct lineage. While Long Yunting was a member of the Elder Council, his influence alone couldn’t dictate the entire Tian Xia Restaurant.

Thus, despite his political setback, the Tian Xia Restaurant’s holdings within Qinyuan City remained unaffected.

Now, Long Yu was riding high, openly threatening to attack the Qinyuan Sect. What stance would the Tian Xia Restaurant adopt?

After all, his relationship with Long Yunshuang was significant. If the Tian Xia Restaurant intended to remain neutral in the conflict, swiftly distancing themselves from him would be the most prudent choice.

"Business is alright. There has been some decline, but it’s within normal fluctuations," Wang Lang answered respectfully.

These recent days, because of the great battle between the two Immortal Sects, most people had rushed off to the Longfeng Mountain range to observe.

Qinyuan City had lost a large number of customers, while Jiang City saw an influx of numerous cultivators.

Fortunately, Zhou Luo had prepared in advance, deploying a substantial portion of his family’s combat strength into the city.

Otherwise, the family cultivators originally handling security in Jiang City would have been overwhelmed trying to manage such a large, mixed crowd of cultivators.

Zhou Luo gave a slight nod.

It appeared the Tian Xia Restaurant remained untouched by these events. That was just as well, saving him further concern over their position.

However, since Long Yunting was no longer part of the Tian Xia Restaurant’s Elder Council, Long Yu had surely taken his place. What twists might transpire afterwards remained unknown.

"Go. Report to me immediately should there be any news from the tavern."

"Understood, Master Manager." Wang Lang withdrew.

Only after his departure did Zhou Luo shift his gaze to the storage ring.

Forming the Golden Core demanded not only repeated refining of spiritual power but also the aid of various materials channeled into the body.

This process mirrored refining the Foundation Establishment Dan.

The difference lay in this time refining the potion within one’s own body.

Forming the Golden Core required five main ingredients and three hundred sixty-five auxiliary herbs.

What Wang Lang provided was just a drop in the bucket, but time was plentiful, and there was no immediate rush.

He looked up towards the hall entrance, his vision piercing through the clouds to rest upon the deep azure sky.

The scale of the impact this great conflict might bring remained unknown…

Longfeng Mountain range.

This place was once called the most chaotic and complex locale within the Qinyuan Domain.

The Qinyuan Sect had explicitly declared it would not interfere in any affairs of the Longfeng Mountain range, intending it as a training ground for its disciples.

Consequently, this turned the region into a haven for countless evil cultivators and bandits, rendering it utterly off-limits for ordinary cultivators, let alone visits deep into its territory.

Yet now, this paradise for evil cultivators had been utterly transformed into a hellscape.

Countless evil cultivators and bandits had perished amidst the clashes between the two Immortal Sects.

After so many years, a dreadful silence now hung over these mountains once teeming with activity.

The cultivators who once populated the slopes had long since fled the epicenter of the conflict, dispersing either far and wide or seeking refuge within Jiang City.

The entire Longfeng Mountain range was now solely occupied by disciples of the two formidable Immortal Sects.

Using the mountain range as a dividing line, both sides were locked in a fierce and unrelenting contest of spells.

Boom! Boom! Boom!—

Deafening explosions periodically resounded across the vast peaks, piercing spiritual light shooting skyward. Countless trees splintered and fell, the earth shuddered and cracked open, painting an incredibly brutal scene.

On one mountain slope, disciples of the Qinyuan Sect and the Chimagong Sect met face to face.

Without a single word exchanged, both parties immediately summoned their most powerful techniques to confront the enemy.

At that moment, they understood all too clearly: fight or die. To defend their sect’s honor demanded the ultimate sacrifice.

"Kill these fools who do not know death!" their Foundation Establishment cultivator leader roared, arm raised, as his spiritual power surged. He swung his sword, unleashing a vast arc of razor-sharp sword light.

The other Qinyuan Sect disciples surged forward.

"Hmph! Overestimating yourselves."

On the Chimagong Sect side, a combatant reacted just as swiftly. He hefted a massive hammer, imbued with crushing, unstoppable power, and launched an aggressive assault towards his opponents.

The two forces clashed violently.

Across this immense mountain chain, its limits unseen, such battles erupted continuously.

Since this was a final confrontation, the critical element was the depth of the reserve forces.

Therefore, clashes typically involved one Foundation Establishment strong person leading a group of Qi Refinement cultivators into combat.

Previously, Chimagong Sect had violated the tacit rules by deploying Golden Core masters stealthily among their ranks. This unexpected move caught the Qinyuan Sect off guard, leading to the loss of the Longfeng Mountain range.

Now, with the return of its main force and the deployment of vast numbers of disciples, the Qinyuan Sect barely stabilized the situation.

Both sides realized that without external reinforcements, their struggle would end only in mutual annihilation.

Thus, the war had entered a phase of tense stalemate.

Both factions waited, hoping reinforcements would soon turn the tide.

Simultaneously, in a certain part of the sky near the Qinyuan Domain side of the Longfeng Mountain range…

Streaks of light frequently pierced the heavens, while fleets of flying boats coursed through the air like vast clouds, blotting out the sun in a display of terrifying might.

Emblazoned upon each flying boat was the unique insignia of the Qinyuan Sect, radiating an overwhelming sense of power and authority.

Hundreds, thousands of flying boats navigated the skies. Some were no larger than ordinary ships, others rivaled mountains in size. They formed an immense, densely packed armada, seemingly vast enough to shroud the entire firmament—a truly terrifying spectacle.

The true main force of the Qinyuan Sect had arrived.

This time, the sect emptied its reserves. Tens of thousands of disciples stood poised upon the war vessels, descending through the air like celestial soldiers embarking on a divine campaign, shaking the land.

Other cultivators across the Qinyuan Domain looked up at this scene, hearts startled.

As the domain’s supreme power, the Qinyuan Sect rarely unveiled its full might.

To prepare for this great war, its emergence now in such a devastatingly powerful form was a first for the world, causing immense shock.

Dong!—

From the lead gargantuan flying boat came a thunderous strike ringing out to the horizon. A surge of brilliant radiance erupted skyward, unfolding into a vast, shimmering curtain of light painting spectacular patterns across the heavens.

As war drums boomed out their resonant command, the Qinyuan Sect had reached the battlefield.