Boom!
Like a swarm of warships racing through the void, the Yuhua Sect's fleet tore the swirling clouds to shreds.
As far as the eye could see, countless war banners whipped violently in the wind, filling the skies with a deafening roar.
Every battleship was a ninth-grade magical treasure, armed to the teeth with powerful formations, radiating blinding brilliance.
A single energy cannon fired — in an instant, a Nascent Soul cultivator was reduced to ash. Even Transformation Stage experts barely clung to life under the barrage.
The ships overflowed with Yuhua Sect disciples, each one brimming with killing intent so thick it chilled the bones.
An oppressive aura blanketed the heavens and earth, making every living being in the Arid Province tremble in terror.
The terrifying force silently declared to the world:
Anyone who dares stand in our way… will die.
"Hahaha! The Xuantian Sect's finished!"
"No one can survive the fury of the Eastern Domain's number one sect!"
"That Ye guy? Thought he was something special — bet he's wetting himself right now!"
"The cultivators of the Arid Province should know their place. Some people… you just don't cross!"
Whispers and jeers spread like wildfire, as the various forces across the Eastern Domain watched the invasion unfold with burning anticipation.
---
Lingzhou
In an opulent guest chamber, gut-wrenching screams filled the air as the massive bed shook uncontrollably.
Behind sheer white curtains, two indistinct figures moved in a frenzy.
All around them, several female cultivators lay sprawled like discarded puppets — their bodies pale, emaciated, utterly drained of vitality.
"Master! Trouble outside!"
A panicked shout rang from beyond the door.
A servant burst in, only to freeze at the gruesome scene inside. His face went pale as he muttered under his breath, "The Master's truly… inhuman."
The desperate screams abruptly halted.
From within the curtains, an irritated voice barked, "Speak clearly! Who's fighting out there? Or I'll rip your head off and toss it in the cesspit!"
The servant's scalp prickled. He quickly replied, "I-it's the Yuhua Sect, Master! Their army's invaded the Arid Province!"
"What?!"
The curtains were flung aside by a large hand.
Out strode Xue Tianyi, his face alight with excitement.
As the young master of the Xue Family and one of Lingzhou's most infamous wastrels, he'd been harboring resentment toward Ye Junlin ever since his humiliating defeat in the Arid Province — eager for the day the man would fall.
"It's true, Master! Word's spreading fast — the Yuhua Sect's here to wipe Xuantian Sect off the map. A show of dominance!"
At those words, Xue Tianyi's lips curled into a twisted grin.
"A lowborn peasant dares act so high and mighty? Finally, payback's here. I knew he wouldn't last long."
Without another word, Xue Tianyi turned back to the bed. Piercing screams resumed, accompanied by raucous laughter as the bed rattled violently.
"What're you gawking at? Get out!"
"Y-yes!"
The servant swallowed hard and quickly retreated.
---
Arid Province
The sky hung heavy and overcast for thousands of miles, the oppressive atmosphere suffocating the locals and leaving them breathless.
The Yuhua Sect's fleet surged forward like a tidal wave, the crushing spiritual pressure sweeping the land.
"Such terrifying might… how many cultivators did they bring?"
"Can the Xuantian Sect hold out this time?"
"Ye Junlin, run!"
The cultivators of the Arid Province stood frozen, faces ashen as they watched the unstoppable fleet descend. Fear gripped their hearts like an icy hand.
Though they'd heard rumors, seeing the Yuhua Sect's forces firsthand shattered whatever flimsy hopes they clung to — leaving only despair.
---
Banshan Sect
Ouyang Feng's pupils shrank. His aged face paled, and his hands trembled slightly.
A deep, bone-chilling fear surged within him.
How could he, alone, face such a monstrous force with his sword like last time?
Even the thought made his limbs weak.
"Ye Junlin… don't gamble with fate this time. If it comes to it… run," he muttered under his breath.
To the cultivators of the Arid Province, Ye Junlin was their strongest warrior, their spiritual anchor.
If he fell, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Even if he had to abandon everything to survive — it would be understandable.
---
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The deafening war drums thundered like the wrath of heaven, shaking the earth for hundreds of miles.
The colossal fleet advanced unopposed, swiftly breaching Xuantian Sect's territory.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Alarm gongs reverberated throughout the sect.
"The enemy's arrived! All disciples, prepare for battle!"
The disciples, already on high alert, gripped their magical treasures tightly. Their hearts pounded, their faces pale — no one could deny the terror.
After all, before them stood the mightiest sect in the Eastern Domain.
"Where's the Sect Leader?!" the elders demanded anxiously.
At that moment, a wave of powerful energy surged from the back mountain. Several figures emerged from the sundial's internal space.
Cangjian Peak Master let out a long sigh. "After five centuries of seclusion, I was so close to breaking into the Unity Stage… but still fell short. It seems there's a limit to solitary cultivation."
"Hmph, you should be grateful!" Tianxiang Peak Master shot him a glare. "If it weren't for the techniques and pills Nephew Ye provided, you wouldn't have reached Nascent Soul in this lifetime."
"And the Sect Leader? Has he emerged?" the other peak masters asked, brows furrowed.
After five centuries within the sundial, all seven peak masters had advanced to the Transformation Stage — yet, anxiety gnawed at them.
---
Boom!
A vortex tore open in the air.
Xu Yonian stepped out, long hair flying, eyes gleaming with electricity. A fearsome aura of thunder crackled around him.
He had stepped into the early Unity Stage.
"Leader, you've broken through to Unity!" everyone exclaimed in relief.
But Xu Yonian's face remained dark. There was no joy in his eyes — only heavy sorrow.
Once, reaching the Unity Stage would have made him a peerless figure, even in the broader Eastern Domain.
But with the Yuhua Sect's forces descending… what did it mean now?
"A decisive battle is upon us. There's no choice but to fight," Xu Yonian said solemnly, resolve burning in his eyes.
---
Swish!
Suddenly, the sundial's mechanism stopped. A figure was forcefully ejected.
Everyone turned in surprise.
And then, an oppressive force descended like a mountain. Xu Yonian and the others felt their blood run cold.
"Wh-what…?"
Before their eyes, Hong Qianye stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back. His devastatingly beautiful face was like a cold blade, radiating a terrifying aura.
The fire-red mark between his brows gave him a dangerous, otherworldly charm.
A man whose beauty defied convention.
Each step he took left flaming footprints behind, the temperature soaring as though they'd been plunged into molten lava.
"Hahaha! Look who it is — Nephew Ye's prized disciple!" Cangjian Peak Master greeted with a hearty laugh. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. So, tell your Uncle — what level have you reached?"
Hong Qianye's brow twitched. A vein throbbed on his forehead. His eyes turned ice-cold.
"Shut up. Don't spout nonsense."
"Ah!"
Cangjian Peak Master cried out, clutching his eyes and staggering back as a sharp, invisible force seemed to pierce them. A wave of dread gripped him — like standing at death's door.
"Brother Jian!" Everyone stared at Hong Qianye in shock.
This disciple of Nephew Ye was… terrifying.
Tianxiang Peak Master's face darkened. "Hong Qianye, your brother just misspoke. We're all fellow sect members — why such hostility?"
"Fellow sect members?" Hong Qianye sneered.
In his heart, only Ye Junlin was worth acknowledging. The rest of these so-called allies… were beneath notice.
If not for Ye Junlin, he wouldn't spare them a glance.
"Watch your mouth. I'll report you to Nephew Ye!" Tianxiang Peak Master snapped, chest heaving.
"Report me if you like," Hong Qianye said, arms crossed, a cold smirk curling his lips. "I've never cared for his opinion. Besides… that guy's got his hands full right now."
Such rebellious words left the peak masters exchanging uneasy glances.
Was this the same quiet, obedient disciple who once followed Ye Junlin's every command?