Chapter 393: Striking While the Iron Is Hot, Diverting Disaster Eastward
Ten days had passed since Xu Sanyan returned from Wavebreak Mountain.
This morning, Xu Sanyan emerged from his meditation chamber, brushing off the dust with a smile. He had completely absorbed all his soul crystals, successfully breaking through to the Peak Stage of the Soul Refinement Realm.
With a thought, his personal panel materialized before him:
Xu Sanyan
Age: 24/1780
Realm: Soul Refining Realm (Peak Stage)
Cultivation Method: Dao-Seizing Vitality Origin Sutra (Peak Stage)
Mystical Arts: Subduing the Heart-Ape Method (Peak Stage), Soaring Void Wind-Riding Technique (Peak Stage), Soul Condensation Technique (Peak Stage), Lu Clan’s Spirit Refining Force (Peak Stage), Purple Mountain Heart-Planting Art (Peak Stage), Detailed Explanation of the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation (Peak Stage)…
Demonic Transformation: Dog Demon (1.3%)
Racial Talent: Vigilance
Techniques: Perfect Circle Stance (Peak Stage), Three Tigers Subduing Dragon Saber (Peak Stage), Horse Appraisal Technique (Peak Stage)…
Vitality: 150
His lifespan had only increased by about a century. Breakthroughs in these minor realms didn’t grant significant gains, a fact he had long anticipated.
Next, he used Vitality to enhance his Demonic Transformation. Approximately 100 points of Vitality could increase the transformation rate by 0.1.
This ability was largely useless. While it offered a slight boost to his physical body, the effect was so minimal it was barely worth mentioning.
“Master, you’ve emerged from seclusion.”
Chunmei, who had been waiting outside the door, rushed forward to greet him with a bow.
“Hmm.”
Xu Sanyan frowned, gazing at the sky. The fog seemed even denser now, nearly obscuring the red lanterns hanging in the courtyard.
“Has anything happened recently?”
Chunmei paused, then lowered her voice. “The Second Madam has been in low spirits lately. I heard the Fang Clan was wiped out.”
“Huh?” Xu Sanyan blinked in surprise. “So soon?”
He had heard about the Fang Clan being besieged by ghost beasts before entering seclusion. Could they have been annihilated in just ten days?
“Yes. And it’s not just the Fang Clan. The Liu Clan, who support the Fourth Madam, also sent a plea for help, but the clan head seems unwilling to send reinforcements.”
Xu Sanyan nodded slowly. He had heard Wang Ying mention the Fang and Liu Clans before. Though their strength couldn’t match that of major families like the Wang Clan, they were far stronger than smaller clans like the Yang Family of Ruler Mountain or the Xiao Family of Wavebreak Mountain.
The Fang Clan, in particular, was said to have many Soul Refining Realm cultivators. He never imagined they would be wiped out so quickly.
“Thousand Autumns City hasn’t been peaceful lately,” Chunmei said, her voice tinged with relief. “We’re lucky to have the formation protecting us. Otherwise, who knows how many more would have died?”
Activating the formation consumed immense resources daily. Most families couldn’t even afford to set one up, let alone maintain it.
Moreover, the annual maintenance of the formation was a massive expense. Only the three sects and two clans of the Chaotic Cloud Mountains could afford such a burden.
Chunmei continued to grumble to herself, “I don’t know why, but there are so many ghost beasts this year. People say they’re swarming outside the city, and their howls are absolutely terrifying.”
As he listened, Xu Sanyan silently pondered. If even the Fang Clan had been destroyed, what hope did the dozens of smaller clans allied with the Wang Family have?
It had only been a little over half a month since the Mist Tide began. Even at the fastest rate, it would still take nearly another month to fully dissipate. By then, how many families would remain?
And what about Suspended Bitter Mountain? They certainly didn’t have the resources to set up a formation. They were likely locked in a desperate battle with ghost beasts right now.
Xu Sanyan’s mind raced. This Mist Tide was an opportunity—a chance to claim the pool milk for himself!
Fortune favors the bold. While the dangers outside the city walls were undeniable, they also concealed immense opportunities!
But he couldn’t act alone. Suspended Bitter Mountain had void harmony realm cultivators. At the very least, he needed the great elder to join him.
With this thought, Xu Sanyan strode toward the great elder’s residence.
Pool milk was incredibly precious. He couldn’t believe the great elder and clan head wouldn’t be tempted.
Arriving at the great elder’s residence, he found the elder absent. Xu Sanyan sat in the main hall to wait, and someone was sent to notify him.
Moments later, the great elder hurried in, his booming laughter echoing from afar. “Ha ha! A rare guest indeed!”
“Greetings, Great Elder,” Xu Sanyan said, clasping his hands in a respectful bow.
“Please, take a seat. Young Master Lin, what brings you to this old man’s humble abode?”
As he spoke, a glint flashed in the great elder’s eyes, and he murmured, “Hmm, your cultivation level has advanced again, young friend. Truly commendable!”
The great elder was genuinely astonished. It had been such a short time since Xu Sanyan’s last breakthrough, yet he had already advanced again?
“Just a stroke of luck,” Xu Sanyan waved dismissively, unwilling to dwell on the matter. He shifted the topic to more pressing concerns. “I’ve heard rumors of ghost beasts swarming the outskirts of the city. Is this true?”
The great elder’s smile faded, his expression turning grave as he nodded. “Indeed. It may be related to that demonic entity on Immortal Inquiry Mountain.”
Xu Sanyan pressed further, “Many families have been annihilated by these ghost beasts. Is this also true?”
“Confirmed,” the great elder replied. As the overseer of the clan’s affairs, he was intimately familiar with the situation, though he couldn’t quite grasp the meaning behind Xu Sanyan’s questions.
Cutting to the chase, Xu Sanyan pointed west and declared, “While Suspended Bitter Mountain possesses formidable strength, they lack any defensive formations. If ghost beasts are currently assaulting their mountain, they must be stretched thin. If we seize the opportune moment and strike unexpectedly…”
He trailed off, lifting his teacup for a sip and quietly observing the great elder.
The mere mention of Suspended Bitter Mountain had illuminated the great elder’s understanding. His eyes lit up, and he immediately began calculating the potential gains and losses.
The pool milk of Suspended Bitter Mountain was exceptionally precious. When consumed internally, it strengthened the internal organs and healed internal injuries. When applied externally, it enhanced physical strength and fortified bones and tendons. Even void harmony realm experts could benefit from it, though they required substantial quantities—a mere drop or two would be useless.
However, Suspended Bitter Mountain was no pushover. Its Sect Leader was a void harmony realm cultivator, not to be underestimated.
If the Wang Family were to engage them in battle, victory would come at a steep price, making the pursuit of pool milk hardly worth the cost.
Moreover, the Wang Family wasn’t the only power in the Chaotic Cloud Mountains. If they suffered heavy losses, the Li Clan and other factions might seize the opportunity to strike against them.
The Wang Family couldn’t afford such risks, so they had long exercised restraint.
But now the situation had changed. The ghost beast assault would undoubtedly inflict severe damage on Suspended Bitter Mountain. If the Wang Family were to exploit this chaos…
The great elder’s thoughts raced, and he found the plan increasingly viable. He felt no moral qualms about such underhanded tactics, instead regarding Xu Sanyan with admiration.
“Young Master Lin, your brilliance truly knows no bounds.”
As long as it benefited the Wang Family, morality was irrelevant.
“Great Elder, your praise is excessive,” Xu Sanyan replied with a modest smile. He had always been known for his cunning and resourcefulness, earning him the title “Little Zhuge of Nanyang.”
“I must consult with the clan head to ensure our strategy is foolproof.”
“As it should be.”
The next day dawned with a thick fog still clinging to the land. Thin rays of sunlight pierced through the mist, bringing a faint glimmer of light.
A gap opened in the formation enveloping Thousand Autumns City, and a group of six people emerged in single file, led by the great elder.
After yesterday’s discussion, the clan head had agreed that the plan was feasible but still felt it lacked certainty. Thus, in addition to the “strike while the iron is hot” strategy, he added a “divert the disaster eastward” tactic.
His plan was to lure all the ghost beasts surrounding Thousand Autumns City toward Suspended Bitter Mountain.
This would not only relieve the pressure on Thousand Autumns City but also deliver a “grand gift” to Suspended Bitter Mountain, achieving two goals with one move.
These old bastards are truly dogs! Xu Sanyan thought to himself. Why didn’t I think of this method?
Looks like I’m still not devious enough.
(End of the Chapter)