A Sect from a Spirit Vein

Chapter 299 - 259: Mobilizing the Troops

This scroll’s essentials for crafting Daoist Soldiers can yield Dao soldiers of three levels: Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul, known respectively as Flying Snake, Ming Snake, and Soaring Snake.

The most critical aspect is, according to the inscription at the end of the scriptures, this volume is actually the secret inheritance classic of the now-extinct colossal sect, Taoling Sect.

Its extinction implies that with a bit of caution, Lu Qian can use it without worrying about its original owner hunting him down.

If Daoist Soldiers can be successfully crafted, along with the Mountain Protection Grand Array, the sect’s defenses would be stronger than a fortress, eliminating the worry of being sneak-attacked.

As the inheritance classic of a super sect, this volume’s essentials are written almost like a manual, with detailed diagrams, models, and component parameters, allowing one to proceed step by step with Artifact Refining as the foundation.

The two major issues are: firstly, the Spirit Vein. Daoist Soldiers consume enormous energy, and even at the Foundation Establishment level, without a Third-Level Spiritual Vein to simultaneously supply the Mountain Protection Grand Array, it will be hard to freely operate them. Secondly, the cost. Being the treasure of the Taoling Sect, the Daoist Soldier volume is immensely potent but correspondingly expensive in materials. A Foundation Establishment level Daoist Soldier’s material cost alone exceeds that of the Void-Soaring and Distant-Guarding Divine Ship.

In conclusion, although this could significantly enhance Yunshan Sect’s overall strength, under current conditions, it’s hard to produce and utilize them.

The second scroll of scripture brought by Wu Yan is the "Vast Sea Star Battle Array Secret Technique."

The author of this scripture, "Taibaizi," is someone Lu Qian has never heard of, seemingly a loose cultivator; however, it’s astonishing that a loose cultivator could write such a battle array secret technique.

Flipping through a few pages, this battle array secret technique set Lu Qian’s heart aflame. It’s because it can rival the mystical existence of the "Immortal Dragon Slayer Painting!"

Battle arrays are typically foundational inheritances that major sects never reveal. Once the disciples form an array, they can combine strengths, share spirits, vastly enhancing both offensive and defensive capabilities.

To form a battle array, besides the disciples who form the array needing to be implanted with "Array Core," they must also practice the power techniques and resonance essentials within the secret technique, requiring years of refining and harmonizing with meticulous effort.

From this perspective, the Immortal Dragon Slayer Painting is convenient, swift, and more potent, whereas the "Vast Sea Star Battle Array Secret Technique" is a method of combining forces and resonances without an upper limit; with just a minimum of three, one can form an array, and as disciples’ cultivation improves, the power of the battle array will also increase.

This secret technique is sufficient to establish Yunshan Sect’s millennial foundation!

Although Lu Qian is extremely excited, the same issue persists: it cannot be utilized immediately. Only after the current turmoil can cultivation begin step by step.

The last volume of scripture also startled Lu Qian.

This is the only cultivation technique Wu Yan found that can be used immediately, yet this technique leads to death.

The "Blood Boiling and Soul Burning Scripture."

A short silk book that felt like a thousand pounds in Lu Qian’s hands.

It’s a forbidden technique for evaporating vital blood and burning the divine soul at the critical moment to gain immense power. It operates more viciously than general forbidden techniques, with misuse leading directly to death.

This is the trump card and also the Soul-Chasing Talisman.

After contemplating for a while and discussing with Wu Yan, Lu Qian let her go back to cultivate well, meanwhile notifying attendant disciples to summon the elders.

Soon, the "Blood Boiling and Soul Burning Scripture" was passed around among everyone with heavy gazes.

"In the time of dire straits, by using this method, perhaps there is a half chance of survival," Lu Qian said in a deep voice, "Of course, I hope none of us ever faces such a day to use this method."

Three days later, under a full moon, at the banquet hall in the Shahe Gang’s headquarters in Mingsha Bay, northeast of Chongming County, a feast was in full swing.

Currently, among the Five Peaks and Five Veins of the Xuanguang Sect, there are five Foundation Establishment cultivators remaining. Among them, the Peak Master of Zhiyan Peak, the Second Elder of the Xuanguang Sect, and one Foundation Establishment cultivator besides the Peak Master Hee Yangchen on Huanjian Peak. The remaining are two Foundation Establishment cultivators on Yinghua Peak, the Xuanguang Sect’s Fifth Elder, and his fellow junior brother.

The Fifth Elder has built Shahe Gang into the current most powerful group with the most cultivators. He, along with his junior brother, stationed with Yinghua Peak disciples at Mingsha Bay, guarding against Sanshan County.

Over the past century, he has gained quite a benefit from the Shahe Gang, and Yinghua Peak has developed quite well, leading to mutual win-win results. Hence, he always considered himself as the strongest contender for Sect Leader, with his biggest rival being Fourth Elder Hee Yangchen.

Initially, he had a strong edge over Hee Yangchen. Although Huanjian Peak also had two Foundation Establishment cultivators and Hee Yangchen’s strength was considerable, his arrogance made him unpopular, and he did not support his faction below him.

Seeing other elders pulling together their groups, Hee Yangchen hurried and, hastily choosing an ally, approached the newly established Yunshan Sect. This became a topic of ridicule among other elders.

Unexpectedly, Yunshan Sect rose rapidly, was managed intelligently, and founded a bustling Shuangye Square, donating a tenth of the stock to Xuanguang Sect, greatly earning Hee Yangchen prestige. Furthermore, their combat power surged quickly, soon boasting three Foundation Establishment cultivators, firmly controlling the Shuangye Alliance, dominating the south of Chongming County.

With Chongming County’s military might greatly diminished, even though Yunshan Sect lost its Mountain Gate, no disciples were harmed. As power waned and waxed, it even became the second most powerful Foundation Establishment Sect in Chongming County after Shahe Gang.

This time, Hee Yangchen inexplicably realized seizing the moral high ground of resisting foreign enemies. Besides leading his Huanjian Peak, he called on disciples from the other two peaks, taking a total of five hundred elite to the border, instantly becoming the strongest battle force, causing much displeasure.

"Don’t worry, Senior Brother; no matter how smug Hee Yangchen is, he’ll meet his doom soon enough," his junior brother, with a flushed face, raised a wineglass, "With Bichao Mountain destroyed, once the Zhenren emerges, they’ll be thunderously angry, ensuring Yunshan Sect is obliterated entirely, and that Hee Yangchen won’t escape blame either."

"Although Elder Hee has five hundred elites, haven’t you still got us? My Sahe Gang boasts three Foundation Establishment and three hundred elite disciples ready at your command!" Han Wen smacked his own rolls of fat, making a loud sound.

Despite this, there aren’t so many disciples in Mingsha Bay presently. Although Xuanguang Sect issued a ban on internal conflict, precautions against Spirit Talisman Sect going berserk were still necessary, so Han Wen stationed a renowned mid-Foundation Establishment Honored Guest Elder with a hundred elites at Golden Dawn Peak, while he and Zhang Hansong remained at Mingsha Bay with the rest of the disciples.

Thus, there were four Foundation Establishment cultivators present in the grand hall.

The Fifth Elder snorted, "I fear when Sanshan County’s army presses, the Zhenren won’t be able to attend to both sides and might spare Yunshan Sect with a raised hand..."

Just as he finished speaking, noise spread from outside the banquet hall, and before Han Wen could reprimand anyone, a voice already shouted from outside the hall: "Fifth Elder, Sanshan County has dispatched its army!"

"The Liyuan Sect has ordered its seven subordinate Foundation Establishment Sects to mobilize two thousand cultivators, advancing towards the border!"

The Fifth Elder abruptly stood, throwing down his wine cup: "Investigate further! Make sure to verify the real-time dynamics of Sanshan County’s cultivator army!"

Chongming County and Sanshan County have been at odds for hundreds of years, with many scouts and covert lines laid on both sides. Sanshan County, knowing Chongming County’s military power was greatly diminished, grew weak, while Chongming County could likewise learn of Sanshan County’s situation; at the very least, movements like assembling a cultivator army couldn’t be concealed.

"Command the Yinghua Peak disciples to assemble! Gang Leader Han, please mobilize the Shahe Gang elite at once. The entire boundary line is so extensive; Liyuan Sect might divide into several forces, advancing simultaneously, or small cultivator units might harass separately, with a main force breaking through the lines with thunderous force."

"A three-hundred-mile range of outposts has already been set north of Mingsha Bay; the moment the enemy breaches, information will flow continuously. We’ll then choose the opponent strategy based on the encountered enemy army—"

With a buzz, the Thousand-Mile Mirror he held suddenly lit up, which was his connection to the main lookout.

A figure within shouted anxiously: "Fifth Elder, a Golden Core-level escape light heads your way! A hundred miles away!"