Flight

"Easy! Far too easy!" "Hahaha! Back then, when I heard the folks from the Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute say that fighting cultivators from the Xuanming Sect was as easy as catching frogs, I never imagined that we too would get to enjoy slicing through enemies like melons and vegetables!" "The mighty Great Sun Sword Sect... Twenty years ago, a scene like this would have been utterly unimaginable... You have no idea how despairing we were back then during that joint drill when the score was a crushing seven to forty! But now... not only have we won battle after battle against the Great Sun Sword Sect, we've even captured two of their sky-patrol warships back-to-back! It's simply... unimaginable!" "Twenty-five years ago, I made a post in the Virtual Spirit Realm saying I hoped that in twenty-five years, the Nine Cauldrons Sect would have at least one sky-patrol warship and four elite battle courtyards equipped with high-grade Treasure Weapons. Back then, everyone laughed at me and called it a daydream. But look at us now! Not only do we have three sky-patrol warships, our elite battle courtyards have grown to seven! Best of all, every sword cultivator in those seven elite courtyards wields third-generation... or even fourth-generation high-grade Treasure Weapons! That blows my wild wishlist completely out of the water!" Sword cultivators landed on the sky-patrol warship one after another, each overwhelmed with emotion. Not long after these sword cultivators arrived, another large group of cultivators approached from the distance. Most of them were high-tier sword cultivators. Their duty was to take over the sky-patrol warship and pilot it back to the Third Sky-Patrol Research Institute for further study. With the arrival of the high-tier sword cultivators, Yaoguang stepped onto the warship once again. "A third-generation sky-patrol warship? It seems a bit inferior compared to the one from Wuji Astral Palace." Recalling the differences between the two vessels, Yaoguang offered a fair assessment. "Compared to the Great Sun Sword Sect, Wuji Astral Palace is more advanced in every technical aspect," Tang Fenghua explained with a beaming smile. "Otherwise, while Wuji Astral Palace is already building fourth-generation warships, the Great Sun Sword Sect has only just broken through into third-generation technology, and so far they've only deployed two of them." As Li Qingshan's disciple and a fourth-order great sword cultivator who had established his Dao Foundation, he was privy to far more intelligence than ordinary Great Cultivators. "True enough. Still, having one is better than having none. Given the technology we have in hand, once we fully master every layout and system aboard this ship, refining an even more advanced third-generation sky-patrol warship is only a matter of time," Yaoguang replied. Tang Fenghua glanced at Yaoguang upon hearing that. In his mind, the phrasing shouldn't have been "given the technology we have in hand," but rather... *Given the technology you have in hand.* He mused silently. However, he wouldn't say those words aloud. Even though he, along with many in the upper echelon, knew full well that let alone third-generation sky-patrol warships, Yaoguang deserved the lion's share of the credit even for building the second-generation warships, if Yaoguang was willing to share that credit with the rest of the Third Sky-Patrol Research Institute, they wouldn't stop him. Talking too much would only harm solidarity. Yaoguang cast his divine mind to glance toward the Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute holding off the enemy at the sect's doorstep, and said, "Take this warship back. I will lead the Zhenhai Courtyard to the East Sea to provide reinforcement. This time, we will wipe out the Great Sun Sword Sect's three elite courtyards entirely and uproot their influence in the East Sea once and for all!" "Leaving the warship's escort to the others is plenty. I'll go into battle with you!" Tang Fenghua said, adding, "Hall Master Yaoguang wouldn't suspect that anyone could slip right under your nose and snatch this sky-patrol warship away, would you?" Hearing this, Yaoguang smiled and conceded the point. However, for safety's sake, he still left Bailu and a dozen-odd Great Cultivators behind to guard the sky-patrol warship. He then led more than a hundred and sixty people straight out of the Jiuxiao Domain, charging toward the battlefield in the East Sea Archipelago. ... East Sea Archipelago. The Great Sun Sword Sect's three elite battle courtyards—the Shenfeng, Shenmu, and Shenshan Courtyards—seeking to invade the Nine Cauldrons Sect's homeland, were directly blocked by the Nine Cauldrons Sect's Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute. In this battle, the Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute held nothing back, pushing the capabilities of the Zixiao-15 to the limit. After all, even in a power as formidable as the Great Sun Sword Sect, not every sword cultivator could be outfitted with third-generation high-grade Treasure Weapon flying swords. What was more, the Zixiao-15's performance exceeded that of standard third-generation high-grade Treasure flying swords. Under these circumstances, even though the Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute were outnumbered, the combat power they unleashed was not in the slightest inferior to that of the Great Sun Sword Sect's three elite courtyards. The two sides clashed fiercely across the skies above the East Sea Archipelago, trading blows back and forth. This sight utterly shocked the upper echelons of the Great Sun Sword Sect, Shouyang Sect, Myriad Beasts Sect, Immortal Alliance, and Wuji Astral Palace, who were observing the movement from afar via Heavenly Palace cultivators. In an instant, countless messages flew back and forth through the Heavenly Palace cultivators. "How is this possible?! Since when did the Nine Cauldrons Sect possess such advanced flying swords?! A few years ago, didn't they lack even the crafting technique for second-generation low-grade Treasure flying swords, having to brute-force a single second-generation low-grade Treasure Weapon with absurdly expensive materials?" "I want all the intelligence on this model of flying sword! Now! Immediately!" "This must be the Zixiao-15 flying sword our sleeper agents have been investigating! Our agents have long deduced that the Nine Cauldrons Sect had broken through not only the crafting techniques for low-grade Treasure flying swords, but high-grade ones as well—otherwise, they would never have put low-grade Treasure flying swords up for sale! Now it seems that's confirmed! Not only have they cracked the technology, they've mass-equipped their forces with it!" "Can someone tell me what the hell is happening? In my memory, the casualty ratio between Nine Cauldrons Sect and Great Sun Sword Sect sword cultivators was generally worse than one to five! What is going on now? Has the Nine Cauldrons Sect turned on cheats?" These messages crisscrossed continuously. Everyone was struggling to process the shock brought by the Nine Cauldrons Sect and the Zixiao-15 flying swords. Unlike previous clashes obscured by Yaoguang, this time, to prove they were only counterattacking after the Great Sun Sword Sect invaded their territory, the Nine Cauldrons Sect did little to conceal their movements. Consequently, every major sect with Heavenly Palace cultivators could clearly observe the battle unfold. It was readily apparent that if the Nine Cauldrons Sect truly emerged victorious from this clash, their standing in the Cangwu Great World would see a marked leap. ... Great Sun Sword Sect Command. Chisongzi and several high-ranking figures were also observing the scene from afar through Heavenly Palace cultivators. At this moment, however, their expressions were exceedingly grim. Right then, a voice rang out. "Baishi, I need an explanation!" As the words fell, a silhouette projected downward. Upon seeing this silhouette, everyone present bowed respectfully in greeting. "Sovereign Sect Master." The projection was none other than the master who reigned supreme over everyone in the Great Sun Sword Sect, the tamer of the divine beast Daheitian—Sect Master Long Zechuan. Confronted with the Sect Master's interrogation, even though Baishi was present only in the form of a virtual projection, cold sweat seemed to seep from his forehead. He bowed deeply, lowering his head to the floor: "I apologize, Sect Master. This was a failure on the part of our Heavenly Palace Hall." "It seems prolonged complacency has made you forget your duties," Long Zechuan said before cutting straight to the point: "Where is our warship, the Vajra? What is its current situation?" "We just established contact with the Vajra. They were ambushed, but the situation is still under control..." "Is that so?" Long Zechuan's expression turned icy. "Yet Lord Linden of Wuji Astral Palace sent word that they detected abnormal interference within the Nine Cauldrons Sect's Jiuxiao Domain. If I remember correctly, that very interference was your prearranged signal indicating a dire crisis!" Hearing this, Chisongzi shuddered. Baishi, already bent low, bowed even deeper. "You have deeply disappointed me," Long Zechuan said coldly. "My deepest apologies..." Baishi knew his days as Hall Master of the Heavenly Palace Hall were over. "Lord Linden has already relayed to us that according to their observation and assessment, the powerful high-grade spirit treasure from the Origin Realm is not in the hands of Li Qingshan, Sect Master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect. Instead, it was entrusted to Yaoguang—that prodigy of formations, artifacts, and soul cultivation. According to Linden's personal appraisal, relying on that spirit treasure combined with a divine soul combined-strike formation in their possession, their power is on par with a genuine Dharma Idol cultivator." Long Zechuan continued indifferently, "Right now, he is leading his Zhenhai Courtyard in a rapid advance toward this battlefield. Furthermore, two sky-patrol warships have simultaneously appeared in their rear. One is the Jiaolong sold by the Myriad Beasts Sect, and the other... is none other than our Great Sun Sword Sect's Chunyu..." Hearing that their own Chunyu was now being piloted by the hostile Nine Cauldrons Sect and turned against them, Chisongzi, Fujino, and the others couldn't help clenching their teeth. "So, what are you waiting for?! Or do you truly believe that the Shenfeng, Shenmu, and Shenshan Courtyards can withstand a Nine Cauldrons Sect backed by a Dharma Idol cultivator?!" Long Zechuan's utterly disappointed voice rang out once more. Chisongzi and the others jolted, hurriedly answering, "Understood!" Immediately, they contacted the First Seats of the Shenfeng, Shenmu, and Shenshan Courtyards: "Our strategic plan has failed. The Nine Cauldrons Sect was prepared all along. Retreat immediately! Everyone, withdraw from the East Sea!" Upon receiving the order, the three courtyards seemed unable to believe it. The three First Seats even solemnly promised Chisongzi that they could keep fighting. They claimed that the flying swords used by the Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute consumed immense spiritual power, and that victory would ultimately be theirs. Such blind confidence pushed Chisongzi to the brink of cursing out loud: "Fools! Who do you think you're about to face?! A Dharma Idol cultivator leading an elite battle courtyard! If you want to die, don't drag our brave warriors along to throw their lives away!" He mercilessly issued an absolute order: "Full retreat!"