August 19th, 5:00 PM.
Two days had passed since the Federation fleet departed the capital. They were still some distance from Bayende-Weishu State, but had drawn very close.
Far across the distant edge of the continent, a slender solitary peak rose from the earth, reaching straight up into the clouds above.
A shroud of ethereal white mist wound around the mountain, within which blue-purple arcs of lightning seemed to flicker.
Set against the pale gray sky and fiery red evening clouds, the interplay of light and shadow rendered the scene exceptionally magnificent and awe-inspiring.
"Uncle Briggs, look! It's incredible!"
Briggs crossed his arms and gazed into the distance. "That must be Mount Tianji, the headquarters of the Tianji Sect. At this speed, we should arrive there by tomorrow morning."
They were not the only ones watching. Senior observers from the Consortium and several West Coast congressmen stood by the observation windows, taking in the breathtaking sight.
In official Federation records, this mountain was called Mount Khalid, but to the Tianji Sect, it was known as Mount Tianji, one of the Seventy-Two Famous Scenic Sights, lauded as "Purple Clouds Drifting Eastward, Sky-Piercing Pillar of Heaven."
The Life Plateau in Arcana State was the Federation's highest elevated plateau, but when it came to the single highest peak, none surpassed the one before them. The main sect hall of the Tianji Sect was built atop this mountain pillar. Though it looked like a thin needle from afar, the pillar itself was immensely vast.
Most peculiar of all was that it could only be seen clearly from a great distance; once one drew close, it was often overlooked entirely.
Now, both the Consortium observers and the congressmen looked at the fertile lands beneath the mountain with avarice in their eyes.
As one of the Federation's five major states, it possessed a vast population and abundant resources. The Federation Executive Administration had promised them a share in its development once Weishu State was integrated into the Federation.
Given enough time, the Federation government would have preferred to absorb it slowly on their own rather than share the benefits with others.
However, with the Great Impact drawing near, time was running out. They needed to exploit and extract the wealth of this land as quickly as possible and convert it into usable resources for the Federation.
One of the Consortium observers remarked, "If the current Executive Administration captures this fertile land, the occupant of the Aurelian Palace will undoubtedly go down as the greatest consul in Federation history, and his reelection will be beyond dispute. It seems we will still be dealing with the East Coast Party in the next term."
"Is the Tianji Sect truly unable to hold them off?" someone wondered aloud.
"The higher-ups evaluate the Federation's chances of victory as very high. Although the Federation hasn't shared specific details, everyone believes the Executive Administration holds some card that guarantees victory. We need only wait and see."
The observers nodded in agreement. A victory would yield the best spoils, but even if the Federation lost, they would gladly watch the assertive superpower suffer a setback. Missing out on wealth would be regrettable, but looking at it another way, a weakened Federation would seek more cooperation with them—either way, they stood to gain. Besides, even if they obtained nothing, witnessing what might be the largest clash of beyond-limit forces in nearly a century would make the trip worthwhile.
Meanwhile, within the bridge on the topmost level of the airship, Cassian and Olin were reviewing documents and receiving incoming reports from across the region.
Roberts was merely the nominal person in charge; the actual offensive deployment, inter-faction coordination, communication, and logistical details all fell to them.
Because an astonishing number of airships accompanied them, they had brought a massive field creature aboard the Empyrean Behemoth to ensure seamless regional communications.
At regular intervals, they coordinated by telegraph, and the operations staff marked the positions on the tactical board ahead.
While an active conscious entity would have handled this more efficiently, intelligence indicated that once they entered Weishu State, they would likely encounter interference from the ritual field that blanketed the entire state. Furthermore, once battle commenced, the spiritual interference of Throne martial artists would also become a problem. By then, field-based communications might no longer be reliable, so they had to grow accustomed to conventional methods as soon as possible.
The assault was tentatively scheduled for the morning of the twentieth. If everyone arrived at their appointed times, they would launch the offensive at that hour.
Olin glanced at the tactical board again. Two markers had drawn extremely close to them, their icons practically touching.
"They're here," he said.
Cassian looked up from his desk toward the wide observation windows on either side. Two colossal airships had appeared on the left and right flanks of the Empyrean Behemoth, drawing closer.
Behind each, dozens of smaller airships could be seen.
Upon the largest airship arriving from the left was an emblem shining with torch-like brilliance. Its styling was conspicuous and conveyed a holy aura—evidently the fleet of the New Light Cult.
On the airship approaching from the right, the insignia was a massive face. As it came closer, one could see that it was composed of seven burning petals, each resembling a contorted human figure. This was unmistakably the fleet of the Primitive Sect.
Cassian's gaze sharpened, and he stepped back a few paces to look through the rear windows, where reflections of countless airships crowded the glass.
The flagship vessels of three Throne martial artists—from Tower Whale, Deep Sea Spiral, and Gigagods Flora Company—had also arrived.
Olin noticed as well and glanced down at his wristwatch. "Punctual enough. Just one missing."
Cassian said, "The one from Xiaojue Temple has a shorter route if he heads directly to Weishu State. He should be waiting to rendezvous with us on the other side. When he arrives, he'll telegraph us."
Olin agreed. Although the people of Xiaojue Temple were not fond of cooperating with others, once they made a promise, they unfailingly honored it; they enjoyed an impeccable reputation in that regard.
As the various factions assembled beneath the sunset, more and more airships gathered in the sky painted red by the twilight, practically filling the entire expanse above.
Beholding such a grand spectacle, all the personnel participating in the campaign felt their spirits surge with excitement.
Such a massive mobilization could never be concealed, so the Tianji Sect had detected the Federation's movement long ago, from the very moment their fleet had set out.
Inside the Tianji Great Hall, the four Zhenren—Chonghua, Gao Xu, Ming, and Long Xian—sat in meditation upon the dharma dais.
Zhenren Gao Xu spoke, "The Linax state likely seized this opportunity to strike our Tianji Sect while the Celestial Master is away contending with the demons. This was not decided overnight; it must be a long-standing scheme."
Zhenren Long Xian sighed. "Sixty years ago, when the Celestial Master performed this great merit, it left an imprint on the Mystic Ring. Now that he undertakes this task again, the Federation could naturally deduce it."
Zhenren Ming said, "Knowing those two matters does not necessarily mean knowing that the Celestial Master would be unable to return for several days. I only disclosed those specific details to Huansuo Island. Should we inquire with Huansuo Island to see if the leak originated with them?"
"No need to ask," Zhenren Chonghua, seated at the head, said slowly. "What would asking accomplish? This is our Tianji Sect's internal affair. Waning and waxing, loss and fullness—all are variations of the heavenly mechanism. Only by witnessing change and facing tribulation can our minds remain steadfast. This external tribulation is ours to resolve."
The three Zhenren bowed their heads in assent. Ever since arriving on the Ying Continent, the Tianji Sect had never relied on outsiders; they could depend solely on themselves.
Residing within the Federation, they had remained vigilant against it for years and were fully prepared.
Zhenren Chonghua looked upward, where a long thread-like object extended toward the apex of the hall.
"The Celestial Master has gone to subdue the demons, and the crucial element is that this tianji thread must not break. So long as it remains intact, when the Celestial Master finishes his battle, he can find his way back to this world. We must guard it well."
With that, he attempted a divination, his expression turning solemn. "The Scarlet Star does not show itself; dragons and serpents lie dormant; the heavenly secrets are obscure and indistinct."
The Tianji Sect divined the workings of destiny and usually refrained from predicting fortune or misfortune, but at times they could discern clues from the shapes of things. That nothing could be divined now proved that the situation was perilous in the extreme.
He said, "Now that a great enemy approaches, we must activate the Constellation Esoteric Ritual to defend our mountain and safeguard the sect."
The three Zhenren nodded solemnly.
The Tianji Sect possessed thirty-six parishes and seventy-two scenic sights, each serving as an esoteric ritual pivot that combined across the entire state into a colossal esoteric ritual.
The Tianji Sect had spent centuries establishing it. Merely maintaining it over the centuries had been a heavy burden, not to mention that activating it required immense quantities of ritual materials. Since the era of the Grand Alliance, roughly a century had passed without it being engaged, and they could not be certain whether any flaws had developed.
Once the decision was made, messages immediately radiated from the Tianji Great Hall to every parish and scenic sight.
Upon receiving the word, the Xuanists stationed across the lands sprang into action, initiating the ritual according to the prescribed sequence.
Barely two hours later, the four Zhenren looked out from their high vantage point and saw points of light flickering across the crisscrossed land beneath the night sky, multiplying with every passing breath.
Night had fallen, and as the Milky Way spread across the heavens, starlight bloomed across the earth, seeming to merge heaven and earth into one magnificent, boundless expanse.
After observing for a while, Zhenren Long Xian showed a look of joy and said, "Senior Brother, all thirty-six parishes and seventy-two scenic sights have responded! The grand ritual is without flaw!"
"Good."
Zhenren Chonghua nodded. This was welcome news. He had originally intended to remedy any flaws that arose, but it seemed the past maintenance had held firm, rendering further adjustments unnecessary.
Once this esoteric ritual began operating, so long as a single pivot remained, its effect would persist.
Even if every parish were destroyed, as long as Mount Tianji did not fall, the ritual would endure.
In truth, they even hoped the Federation would attack those parishes, which would buy them precious time. After all, so long as the root of the Tianji Sect remained unbroken, any damaged branches could always be rebuilt.
Zhenren Chonghua looked into the distant sky, gazing toward the direction from which the Federation fleet would arrive. His thoughts stirred, and he made a silent prayer:
*May the Patriarch and the venerated Ancestral Masters protect us, and aid our Tianji Sect in safely weathering this tribulation.*
Chapter 1294