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Fangyuan Island. Lü Ming remained on high alert. To that end, he had dispatched over thirty scout teams—a total of one hundred and twenty high-ranking sword cultivators—to spread out and patrol, striving to ensure they would detect the Nine Cauldrons Sect's forces the very instant they appeared in the waters around Fangyuan Island. "Where have Song Xuan and the others reached?" Lü Ming asked. "They are heading toward our position. According to them, they will arrive shortly," an Origin Spirit cultivator answered. "What about the Nine Cauldrons Sect?" "About the same. Should we have Elder Song lie low first to prevent the two forces from accidentally running into each other?" the Origin Spirit cultivator suggested. Lü Ming pondered briefly. Yet the shift in the situation clearly gave them little time to deliberate. The Origin Spirit cultivator monitoring the surrounding ten thousand li through the formation quickly sensed something. "A large number of targets are approaching our location! Judging by the numbers, it's the Nine Cauldrons Sect! They've arrived... Oh no! They've collided! The Nine Cauldrons Sect and Elder Song's force have run into each other!" At those words, Lü Ming's expression darkened. "Didn't I tell Elder Song and the others to take a wide detour to avoid encountering the Nine Cauldrons Sect? How did they still bump into them?" "It's the Nine Cauldrons Sect!" the Origin Spirit cultivator monitoring the surrounding ten thousand li with the formation said hurriedly. "The Nine Cauldrons Sect had the same idea! They deliberately circled around to attack us from the opposite side, and as sheer luck would have it, both forces ran smack into each other!" With that, he immediately asked, "Should we contact Elder Song and tell them to pull back to Fangyuan Island?!" "No!" Lü Ming said at once. "Once we let Elder Song and his people retreat inside, the Nine Cauldrons Sect's sword cultivators will follow right on their heels and storm in. We won't have any formation advantage left!" Just then, the Origin Spirit cultivator seemed to receive a message and spoke urgently, "Hall Master, Elder Song sent word saying the Nine Cauldrons Sect deliberately targeted them! Their collision was no accident! The Nine Cauldrons Sect made such a massive commotion beforehand, openly marching out of Jiuxiao Domain in full view of everyone and locking onto Fangyuan Island, all to keep us pinned on Fangyuan Island, too afraid to make a move!" The cultivator looked up in slight shock. "Holding the initiative, they basically employed an open scheme! Either we cower on Fangyuan Island without stepping out, allowing twenty to thirty percent of our East Sea forces to be tied down for nothing, or we helplessly watch them pick off our strength in the East Sea bit by bit until they amass enough advantage to launch a total assault on Fangyuan Island!" Lü Ming was not surprised by this assessment. As the attackers holding the initiative, why would they abandon such an advantage to bash their heads against Fangyuan Island's fortifications? "Elder Song sent word that an all-out battle between our two sides is inevitable anyway. Since a clash cannot be avoided, why not seize the advantage now, use our superior numbers against their inferior force, and crush the Nine Cauldrons Sect's momentum!" While Lü Ming was still weighing his options, the Origin Spirit cultivator spoke again. Almost simultaneously, another Origin Spirit cultivator chimed in, "Hall Master, the Sect Master has sent an order: assist Elder Song and crush the Nine Cauldrons Sect! The Nine Cauldrons Sect marched so aggressively out of Jiuxiao Domain; our Xuanming Sect must fight this battle!" "The Sect Master's order?" Lü Ming was slightly startled. "How did the Sect Master transmit the order down so quickly?" "Perhaps Elder Song laid out the situation's pros and cons to the Sect Master?" the Origin Spirit cultivator replied carefully. Lü Ming considered it. To be safe, he personally contacted Sect Master Song You. In less than a breath after he reached out, Song You's projection manifested. Before Lü Ming could speak, Song You cut in, "Hall Master Lü, I was just about to contact you! I already understand the current situation as described by Elder Song. This battle, we must fight, and we must fight to display the prestige of our Xuanming Sect! Only then can we obtain more support from the Wuji Astral Palace." He looked sternly at Lü Ming. "I have already made contact with the Wuji Astral Palace. If we can heavily damage this force from the Nine Cauldrons Sect, the sky-patrol warship currently under negotiation will be officially sold to our Xuanming Sect. When that happens, our Xuanming Sect will be the second sect in the East Sea Archipelago to possess a sky-patrol warship! Therefore, do you understand the importance of this battle?!" Lü Ming's heart tightened, and he replied at once, "I understand! I will not disappoint the Sect Master!" "Good! Elder Song will take primary charge of commanding this battle!" Song You said solemnly. "I leave it to you all!" Lü Ming nodded heavily. Although he felt the Sect Master seemed stricter than usual and his tone firmer, given that the sale of a sky-patrol warship from the Wuji Astral Palace was at stake, it was only natural for him to issue such stern instructions. Lü Ming immediately turned back to the Origin Spirit cultivator managing the formation. "We will give Elder Song our full cooperation. What are Elder Song's instructions?" "Elder Song and his force can barely hold off the Nine Cauldrons Sect's attack. He requests that we take the offensive. Once we are within a thousand li of the battlefield, the spell cultivators are to concentrate long-range fire to blanket the Nine Cauldrons Sect's direction, the Origin Spirit cultivators are to assist them in countering the Nine Cauldrons Sect's Origin Spirits, and our sword cultivators are to circle behind the Nine Cauldrons Sect to execute a pincer attack, preventing the Nine Cauldrons Sect from fleeing if the battle turns against them." The Origin Spirit cultivator swiftly relayed the orders. "Our sword cultivators are to detour behind the Nine Cauldrons Sect?" Lü Ming paused, slightly taken aback. "Then wouldn't our spell cultivators and Origin Spirit cultivators be left completely unprotected?" He immediately said, "Reconfirm the order with Elder Song!" At the same time, he sent out his divine sense, ordering everyone on Fangyuan Island to prepare for battle. "Understood." The Origin Spirit cultivator managing the formation quickly transmitted the query and soon received a reply. "Elder Song says that once they receive assistance from our Fangyuan Island's Origin Spirit cultivators, they will fight desperately to hold off the Nine Cauldrons Sect's assault and prevent their sword cultivators from harming our spell cultivators. Furthermore, so long as your speed is fast enough, the Nine Cauldrons Sect won't be able to break through their defensive line at all." At this point, the cultivator hesitated briefly. "Elder Song also said... to heavily damage this force from the Nine Cauldrons Sect and obtain the support we desire... they will wage a bloody battle to the death to hold off the Nine Cauldrons Sect's offensive until a pincer formation is established with you." Lü Ming's heart sank. Elder Song was essentially shifting all the pressure onto them, making them bear the brunt. If they proceeded this way, the forces under his command would inevitably suffer losses. However... The Nine Cauldrons Sect was no weakling. To heavily damage such a force and secure a glorious victory, paying a price was unavoidable. Just as Song Xuan said, as long as they were fast enough in circling around to launch the pincer attack, the Nine Cauldrons Sect might not be able to bypass Song Xuan's forces to flank their spell cultivators. With that thought, the War Hall Master of the Xuanming Sect made his decision without hesitation. "Pass down my command: high-ranking cultivators will remain to guard the island. All Great Cultivators will assemble and rendezvous with Elder Song's forces. Origin Spirit cultivators will intervene in the battle to assist Elder Song's forces in suppressing the enemy Origin Spirit cultivators. Spell cultivators will prepare single-target attack spells from a thousand li away to eliminate targets; our Origin Spirit cultivators will guide your aim. The remaining sword cultivators will follow me to circle behind the enemy. We will execute a pincer attack and thoroughly destroy this elite Nine Cauldrons Sect force, making them understand that the Fangyuan Island waters of the East Sea now belong to our Xuanming Sect, and we will never allow them to meddle!" "Understood!" The cultivators, already fully prepared, shouted in acknowledgment upon receiving the order, taking to the skies one after another. "Crush them!" Lü Ming roared, and Great Cultivator after Great Cultivator soared upward. In an instant, sword lights tore through the air, leaving trails that ripped across the cloud cover before rapidly vanishing into the distance. The spell cultivators and spirit cultivators boarded modified flying boats equipped with basic combat capabilities, rushing toward the battlefield to reinforce Elder Song and the others. Ten thousand li was not a vast distance for sword cultivators. Even flying at full speed in formation, they could cover it in a dozen minutes. Sword cultivators specialized in flying sword propulsion could compress that time to under ten minutes. However, because this contingent of Xuanming Sect sword cultivators had to take a detour, their travel distance would likely reach twenty to thirty thousand li. Under these circumstances, the spell cultivators and Origin Spirit cultivators would undoubtedly reach the battlefield ahead of them. Yet... In reality, the spell cultivators and Origin Spirit cultivators encountered combat far sooner than anticipated. They had advanced less than four thousand li when an Origin Spirit cultivator skilled in reconnaissance sensed something. "Targets approaching! I detected an abnormal rift in the clouds at the edge of the horizon—the telltale sign of sword light tearing through!" The leading Origin Spirit cultivator projected his powerful divine mind across the void, extending straight toward the battlefield six thousand li away. After a moment, he said, "It's Elder Song's people. The Nine Cauldrons Sect's assault is ferocious. Worried about our safety, he dispatched a team of sword cultivators to receive us." The Origin Spirit cultivators nodded upon hearing this. A moment later, another Origin Spirit cultivator sensed something amiss. "It seems... more than one team of sword cultivators is coming..." As he spoke, he prepared to fully unleash his divine mind to investigate ahead. Yet just as he was about to release it, an immense, majestic wave of divine mind swept over the battlefield like Mount Tai crashing down. The Origin Spirit cultivator who had just unleashed his divine mind felt it instantly pulverized, as if crushed by an astral force field. Suffering severe mental trauma, his face turned deathly pale. Risking the collapse of his Origin Spirit, he forced out a low roar with his remaining breath: "A Heavenly Palace cultivator!" This warning jolted the accompanying Origin Spirit cultivators to their senses. A Heavenly Palace cultivator?! The Xuanming Sect had no Heavenly Palace cultivators here, which meant the one exerting this divine mind suppression was... "The Nine Cauldrons Sect!" "On guard!" Stifled shouts rang out simultaneously. Almost at the same instant, the clouds at the horizon were torn apart. Two battle formations comprising one hundred and eight sword cultivators each burst into the sight of the Origin Spirit cultivators and spell cultivators. Immediately after, sword qi soared into the heavens! *Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!* Sword light formed by over a hundred life-bound flying swords piercing through the void, amplified and folded through formations, coalesced into a curtain of swords that filled everyone's vision. "Nine Cauldrons Sect sword cultivators!" Even though everyone had already "seen" the suffocating, terrifying truth before them, the Origin Spirit cultivator on watch still dutifully shouted a warning cry in a voice bordering on despair: "Flying swords incoming!"