Concealment

Led by Li Qingshan, the Sword-Bearing Institute swept out of the Jiuxiao Domain with drawn swords, instantly drawing the attention of every faction across the entire Tianxing Continent. The Sword-Bearing Institute had always been the strongest institute in the Nine Cauldrons Sect. Internally, even its weakest members were rank-three Great Cultivators—meaning they possessed late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivations. It even included numerous rank-four combat cultivators who had already established their Dao foundations. Even barehanded, these people were a match for rank-three cultivators wielding third- or fourth-generation Treasure Weapon flying swords. Equipped with third- and fourth-generation Treasure Weapon flying swords of their own, they could easily take on ten opponents at once when facing rank-three cultivators by employing just a modicum of tactics. Under these circumstances, while the Sword-Bearing Institute ostensibly numbered just over one hundred and twenty people, the combat power they represented was equal to three or four hundred elite Great Sword Cultivators. Not to mention, the one leading this force into battle was none other than the Sect Master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect himself, Li Qingshan. It would be no exaggeration to say that this battle was the most critical engagement in the ninety years since the founding of the Nine Cauldrons Sect. If the Nine Cauldrons Sect won, it would indisputably prove that they possessed the strength of a major sect, and reclaiming the East Sea Archipelago would no longer be a pipe dream. The Great Yue Dynasty, the Astral Sea Sect, the Ancient Immortal Sect, and the Xuanming Sect—who had previously assumed they could occupy the East Sea Archipelago without fear of retaliation because the Great Sun Sword Sect had their backs—would immediately pivot their strategies. The more timid among them might even pack their belongings on the spot and withdraw from the East Sea. Yet if the Nine Cauldrons Sect were defeated... For a long time to come, the East Sea Archipelago would have nothing more to do with them. All factions would plunder the various resources of the East Sea Archipelago to their hearts' content, raking its unique yields into their own sect treasuries. ... High above the East Sea. The sky-patrol warship Chunyu was cruising at Mach 3. This was a standard combat unit carrying thirty-six Foundation Establishment sword cultivators, twenty-four spell cultivators, and twelve Origin Spirit cultivators. Yet with a lineup totaling merely seventy-two Great Cultivators, this single ship could take on three or even four times its numbers against any elite combat institute. In other words, it would take three to four hundred elite Great Cultivators to contend with such a sky-patrol warship. Such was the amplification granted by the myriad formations aboard the warship. Furthermore, the true purpose of a sky-patrol warship was not frontline combat, but logistical support. This fact alone demonstrated how formidable the comprehensive performance of such a realm-stabilizing divine engine truly was. At that moment, the warship's captain, Zuo Chuan, was in communication with Deputy Hall Master Chisongzi. "This time, your primary strike target is not Nine Cauldrons Sect Master Li Qingshan, who is taking the field in person at the head of the Sword-Bearing Institute. Li Qingshan... is a man of grave consequence. If we capture or kill him, that old bastard from the Nine Cauldrons Sect who plays dirty might intervene personally! The risk is too high! Our objective is to occupy the East Sea and steadily chip away at and weaken the Nine Cauldrons Sect's strength, not to wage an all-out war with them! Therefore, your target this time is the First Seat of the Zhenhai Institute, who is overseeing their logistics!" Chisongzi issued his orders. "Understood!" Zuo Chuan nodded slightly. "No! You do not understand!" Chisongzi's voice grew grave. "Sending you to deal with that First Seat of the Zhenhai Institute does not mean he carries less weight than Li Qingshan. According to the Grand Elder and the Heavenly Palace Hall, capturing him—or eliminating him—is of far greater value than taking Li Qingshan!" He paused briefly before continuing, "Just moments ago, David, Hall Master of the External Publicity Hall of the Wuji Astral Palace, contacted me. If we can capture this First Seat of the Zhenhai Institute alive and hand him over, they will share with us their fourth-generation flying sword forging technology. And I do not mean low-grade or mid-grade Treasure Weapon flying swords—I mean fourth-generation high-grade flying swords. You should know what that signifies." "Fourth-generation high-grade Treasure Weapon flying swords?!" Zuo Chuan drew in a sharp breath. In the world today, the only sects capable of manufacturing fourth-generation high-grade Treasure Weapon flying swords were the Wuji Astral Palace, the Myriad Beasts Sect, and the Immortal Alliance. Neither the Taiyin Sect nor the Fatian Pavilion possessed such capability. If the Wuji Astral Palace truly agreed to share their fourth-generation flying sword forging techniques, then with the foundation the Great Sun Sword Sect already possessed, they would leap forward to become a power second only to the Six Great Immortal Sects across the entire Cangwu Great World. In fact... Leaving Golden Cores out of the equation, even an Immortal Sect-level power like the Golden Divine Temple would fall slightly short of them, placing them on equal footing with the Taiyin Sect and the Fatian Pavilion. "This First Seat of the Zhenhai Institute actually carries that much weight?" "In addition to being the First Seat of the Zhenhai Institute, he is also the First Seat of the Zixiao Institute. I hardly need to lecture you on the value of the Zixiao Institute, do I?" "The Zixiao Institute!" Zuo Chuan nodded with solemn gravity. As a major sect that had long coveted the East Sea Archipelago, the Great Sun Sword Sect had kept a close eye on the Nine Cauldrons Sect, and this scrutiny naturally kept them well-informed of the Nine Cauldrons Sect's many developments. A Zixiao Institute capable of forging fourth-generation spirit artifacts... No! Rumor had it they could already forge third-generation low-grade Treasure Weapon flying swords! They naturally understood the value of such an artifact-crafting institute. Furthermore... Judging from the fact that the Wuji Astral Palace was willing to share fourth-generation flying sword technology just to obtain this First Seat of both the Zixiao and Zhenhai Institutes... This cultivator named Yaoguang was likely far more significant than they had anticipated. Zuo Chuan ventured tentatively, "Hall Master, since this cultivator named Yaoguang is so capable..." Before he could finish, Chisongzi cut him off: "Put away whatever thoughts you're entertaining. Since the Wuji Astral Palace offered fourth-generation flying sword technology to claim this person, do you think we can refuse?" He then added, "To take down this combat institute, higher authorities have already reassigned three Heavenly Palace cultivators to assist you. According to their reconnaissance, the Zhenhai Institute led by Yaoguang appears to be aiming to pin you down, buying time for Li Qingshan's Sword-Bearing Institute to crush the Shenhuo Institute. I will order the Shenhuo Institute to hold out as long as possible. As for you, you must shatter the Zhenhai Institute and capture the target before the Shenhuo Institute gives way before the Sword-Bearing Institute. Understood?" "The Zhenhai Institute is nowhere near a frontline elite combat institute! Rest assured, Hall Master, leave it to me!" Zuo Chuan gave a resounding pledge. "The target is already less than thirty thousand li from you. I await your good news!" With that, Chisongzi ended the transmission. Zuo Chuan stared into the distance with resolute determination, then barked out an order: "Pass down my command! Full speed ahead! Activate all formations and prepare to engage the enemy!" ... On the other side. Yaoguang was soaring through the air on sword-light alongside the Zhenhai Institute's seventy-two sword cultivators, thirty-six spell cultivators, and twelve Origin Spirit cultivators. Because they had to accommodate Origin Spirit realm cultivators like Yaoguang and Bailu, their flight speed was not exceptionally fast, hovering around Mach 3. As they flew, Yaoguang glanced at the people around him. The pillar of their martial might was undoubtedly Tang Fenghua, a rank-four Great Cultivator. The rest consisted of rank-three Great Cultivators like Wang Feng. There were rank-two Great Cultivators as well, though they were mostly spell cultivators and spirit cultivators. The sword cultivators responsible for frontal assaults still maintained ample combat strength. At that moment, Yaoguang maintained a divine mind resonance with the twelve Origin Spirit realm cultivators led by Bailu. Through the resonance of their twelve minds, even without amplification from formations, he could perceive the position of the sky-patrol warship Chunyu twelve thousand li away. Of course, this was because he did not wish to expose himself too early to the sight of the Great Sun Sword Sect's Heavenly Palace cultivators, so he had refrained from utilizing the power of his Dharma Idol. Otherwise, no matter how far away the sky-patrol warship Chunyu was, he would still have sensed it. "The sky-patrol warship Chunyu has attack-range amplification formations, allowing their sword cultivators an attack range exceeding a thousand li, but..." Yaoguang's gaze swept across every sword cultivator of the Zhenhai Institute. Every single one of them was equipped with a Zixiao flying sword. Therefore... "The enemy has appeared twelve thousand li away on our left flank. Sword cultivators, accelerate and advance! I want you to launch your strike when you are still three thousand li from the Chunyu. Form the sword array, exert your power, unleash your swords—and leave the rest to us." "Understood." The sword cultivators led by Tang Fenghua acknowledged the command in unison. The group tore through the air, streaking directly toward the sky-patrol warship Chunyu. "Captain Fang Jie, I need you all to prepare the Yin-Yang Dissociation Art to dismantle the formations aboard the sky-patrol warship Chunyu," Yaoguang continued to command. "The Yin-Yang Dissociation Art, specifically designed to disintegrate defensive formations?" Fang Jie, the spell cultivator reassigned to the Zhenhai Institute, was slightly taken aback. "This spell requires nearly half an hour to charge." He glanced into the distance as he spoke. "Furthermore, the sky-patrol warship Chunyu is simply too far from us. The moment they realize we are preparing the Yin-Yang Dissociation Art, they will certainly maneuver out of the spell's strike range, or dispatch sword cultivators to launch a surprise raid on us while we prepare it. At the very least, they could prepare spells in advance to shatter ours." "I know," Yaoguang said with calm confidence. "I will guide you to accelerate the preparation of this spell. Moreover... they will not detect the Yin-Yang Dissociation Art you are preparing, and... it will be impossible for them to dispatch sword cultivators to ambush us or prepare spells ahead of time to disrupt ours." He smiled faintly. "Our sword cultivators will not give them any opportunity to mount an ambush or prepare spells." Recalling the miraculous abilities Yaoguang had displayed during the defense of Longxiang City, Fang Jie chose to place his trust in him without hesitation. He immediately barked an order to the spell cultivators behind him: "Prepare the Yin-Yang Dissociation Art!" Instantly, powerful spell surges rose from the group. Yaoguang tilted his head slightly. His gaze seemed to pierce through endless space, landing upon a Heavenly Palace suspended high above the nine heavens. The Origin Spirit cultivator within that Heavenly Palace was currently channeling the power of the palace's formations, projecting a massive wave of divine mind interference. Yet even as this Heavenly Palace cast interference over the region's information, another Heavenly Palace in the distance was similarly gathering immense divine mind to probe in their direction. That was a Heavenly Palace cultivator from the Great Sun Sword Sect. What that cultivator did not realize, however, was that the divine mind interference projected by the Nine Cauldrons Sect's Heavenly Palace cultivator was intended solely... To interfere. To muddy the waters. The one truly scrambling the information of this entire area, cloaking the fluctuations of a grand spell like the Yin-Yang Dissociation Art so that nothing could be sensed from the outside, was Yaoguang. With his divine mind activated in flawless synchronization with the Nine Cauldrons Sect's Heavenly Palace cultivator, the presence of their entire group vanished entirely from the senses of the Great Sun Sword Sect's Heavenly Palace cultivator. This anomaly prompted the Great Sun Sword Sect's Heavenly Palace cultivator to relay the message back swiftly, and before long, it was placed into Zuo Chuan's hands. "Situation unknown?!" Zuo Chuan knitted his brows tightly. Under such circumstances, the Chunyu ought to exercise caution and avoid advancing recklessly. Yet if a mere display of bluster could frighten them off, what was the point of the Great Sun Sword Sect mobilizing so extensively to patrol the East Sea in the first place? He pondered for a moment before sneering coldly. "My Great Sun Sword Sect's sky-patrol warship is invincible! Aside from the Sword-Bearing Institute, what force in your Nine Cauldrons Sect could possibly contend with one of our sect's sky-patrol warships?!" Filled with absolute confidence in his side's might, he ordered without hesitation: "Close in! Crank the divine mind amplification array to maximum and have our Origin Spirit cultivators blast through their cheap parlor tricks!"