Chapter 154: The Initial Blueprint

After five months, the Floating Cloud Sect’s mountain stronghold had undergone enormous changes.

Besides the original low peak, two towering peaks thousands of meters high now stood behind it, magically concealed. Viewed from outside, or even from the mountain’s base, only drifting white clouds could be seen—mysterious and elusive.

This was the handiwork of Cultivators.

It was also the Floating Cloud Sect’s powerful new defensive infrastructure, built upon the Heaven-Simulating Array foundations following a significant boost in their overall strength.

To the outside world, these two mountains represented twin super formations: one focused entirely on defense, the other on offense.

Internally, they served as the core base of the sect, concentrating vast amounts of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy, greatly accelerating cultivation progress.

Crafted after Xu Shen’s breakthrough into the Divine Transformation Realm, with Cheng Tianhao’s assistance, its greatest benefit was Ji Chang’s successful entry into the Divine Transformation Realm.

Within those five months, the Floating Cloud Sect also produced twelve more Golden Core Cultivators, though most became Mountain Hall Protectors.

Now, an esteemed visitor arrived at the Floating Cloud Sect: Ji Yuan, Sect Master of the Heaven-Mending Sect, another mighty expert in the Divine Transformation Realm.

Therefore, everyone of importance in the Floating Cloud Sect, led by Xu Shen and Ji Chang, came forth to greet him. Jiang Ying was the only exception, currently in closed-door cultivation. Cheng Tianhao, Zhang San, Wang Wu, Song Qiao, Xu Sen, and others joined in the welcome. After all, Kaoshan City was practically becoming the Floating Cloud Sect’s outer sect.

The secret—that the Kaoshan Patriarch was also a Floating Cloud disciple—was now common knowledge.

Hence, Cheng Tianhao, Zhang San, Wang Wu, and the rest showed only greater reverence towards the Floating Cloud Sect, with not a hint of neglect.

Ji Yuan wasn’t alone; he brought nine Nascent Soul Cultivators. However, these nine weren’t from the Heaven-Mending Sect. They were key leaders from the Western Alliance and the Northern Alliance. Their gathering at Floating Cloud Sect was for important talks.

“Senior Brother Ji Yuan, it’s been a long time!”

Xu Shen laughed heartily, clasping his hands in greeting even while at a distance.

“It has been three hundred years, Junior Brother Xu. Good to see you well.” Ji Yuan stepped forward, embracing Xu Shen with a booming laugh, then did the same with Ji Chang; they were all old acquaintances.

Back in the day, the four great Guardian Sects of the World—the Floating Cloud Sect, the Jiuxuan Spirit Sword Sect, the Shendan Sect, and Lingjingzi’s Lingjing Sect—had stood united.

Even now, Zhao Qingxie, Jiuxuanzi, Shendanzi, and Lingjingzi remained a close-knit group.

“Junior Brother Xu, why is our Junior Brother Shan not present?” Ji Yuan inquired now.

Lately, the Kaoshan Alliance led by the Kaoshan Patriarch had been the rising power, unmatched and acting like the leading force.

A dozen cities along the approximately thousand miles of the Blackwater River now distinctly identified themselves as the Eastern Alliance.

This wasn’t really factionalism; it was for easier trade and travel among people.

“Heh, Senior Brother Li is currently in seclusion,” Xu Shen answered with a slight smile.

“A pity. I had long heard how sharp this Junior Brother’s ‘Red Envelopes’ Technique was. Missing the chance to witness it is truly regrettable,” Ji Yuan laughed. He possessed an Idol of Fortune himself, which was why he had received a Land Deed Seal for the Heaven-Mending Peak he had relocated to his place.

Li Si hadn’t contested him over it.

Naturally, other cities lacked this convenience. Li Si retained control over the Land Deed Seals as an ultimate safeguard. Anyone could scheme if they pleased—that was their freedom—but he reserved the freedom to cut ties without warning.

As for building a new city from scratch and expecting to get a Land Deed Seal? That was just a dream. Every area touched by sunlight was under the unifying suppression of the Yunhua Law Seal. Getting a Land Deed Seal was simply impossible.

“Junior Brothers Xu, Ji, let me formally introduce you. This is Jiang Yi, City Lord of Greyrock City. Six months ago, he traveled eastward with me, contributing greatly.”

Ji Yuan now introduced a man looking about thirty years old to Xu Shen and Ji Chang with formal respect. Xu Shen and Ji Chang both clasped their fists in greeting.

Qing Rock was the Western Alliance’s current second-largest city, with over eighty thousand inhabitants, and a crucial trade partner of the Kaoshan Alliance.

“This is Bai Chu, City Lord of Southern Crossing City. Six months ago, he personally led two hundred thousand souls southward, saving countless lives.”

Ji Yuan presented him next. Southern Crossing City was effectively the leader of the Northern Alliance, primarily composed of inhabitants from the former Sacred Raven Kingdom’s capital. They now held six cities, each within sixty miles of another, all situated along the Raging Torrent River. While lacking a Divine Transformation Realm expert as an anchor force, they boasted twelve Nascent Souls, one hundred and thirty Golden Core Cultivators, tens of thousands in the Foundation Establishment Realm, thirty thousand elite Black-Armored Warriors, over three hundred warships, and six-hundred-plus merchant vessels.

They were immensely wealthy.

Ji Yuan introduced these two men first very purposefully. Previously, the Eastern Kaoshan Alliance, the Western Alliance, and the Northern Alliance were loosely defined entities. This conference aimed to solidify the regional boundaries, ideally gaining the approval of Xu Changsheng, the Calamity-Bearing Human King.

For now, everyone conducted themselves with humility and courtesy; no one acted arrogantly. All understood that cooperation led to mutual success.

“Junior Sister Mi Zhou’er from the Jiuxuan Spirit Sword Sect is here!”

Xu Shen suddenly stirred, announcing with a laugh.

Three warships, swift as the wind, raced up the Blackwater River from its lower reaches. Upon stopping, over twenty figures emerged, mounted upon flying treasures, speeding directly towards the Floating Cloud Sect mountain stronghold.

Leading them was Mi Zhou’er, who had restored her cultivation base and was now at the Nascent Soul Realm. Behind her, Luo Ping, Qu Qi, and Mai Bing had also advanced to the Nascent Soul Realm. Having lived for two to three hundred years, their accumulated potential allowed them to rise swiftly with the tide; their achievements were well-deserved.

Furthermore, the Jiuxuan Spirit Sword Sect was even considered the Floating Cloud Sect’s senior sect, possessing deep reserves. Now aligned with Greyrock City, Eastflow City, and Xuanwu City—along with seven towns—it formed the Southern Alliance with a total population exceeding two hundred thousand people.

However, none of these three cities had direct waterway access. They first gathered at Eastflow City before traveling roughly three hundred miles southeast to board ships at Reed City for the journey north.

“Greetings, Senior Brother Ji Yuan, Senior Brother Ji Chang, Senior Brother Xu Shen. Fellow Daoist Cheng, it’s good to see you again. Where is Junior Brother Li Si?”

Though only in the Nascent Soul Realm, Mi Zhou’er’s bearing reflected her noble lineage from a major sect. She was no longer thin and dark-skinned, carrying a crimson sword case upon her back and standing upon her flying sword with imposing vigor. Arriving at the Floating Cloud Sect seemed like returning to a home away from home.

Xu Shen smiled ruefully, “Junior Sister, welcome. Junior Brother Li is still in seclusion. You must be tired from the journey. Please, come up the mountain for talks.”

“Gentlemen, after you!”

The group quickly entered the Floating Cloud Sect mountain stronghold and took their respective seats. Four Divine Transformation experts and twenty-one Nascent Souls were present, representing the core leadership of nearly fifty settlements.

After brief introductions, they moved to the main agenda.

“Everyone, I have gathered you all today for one matter only: establishing a network of medium and small teleportation array hubs,” Ji Yuan stated first, as this was his proposal.

The reason was simple. Though the greatest distance between any two points was only around three thousand miles, this was not the golden age of cultivation a millennia ago.

Someone in the Divine Transformation Realm could traverse that distance in the time needed for a cup of tea with a flying magic treasure. A Nascent Soul cultivator took at most an hour. Those in the Golden Core Realm needed at least a day, and those in the Foundation Building Realm required about ten days at minimum.

That was just for individuals. Bulk transportation of goods relied entirely on the waterway system of the Raging Torrent River, the Blackwater River, and Crescent Moon Lake. Vessels equipped with Speed Talismans and arrays could travel hundreds of miles a day, but this was still much slower.

Therefore, deploying teleportation arrays was urgently needed.

“My proposal is this: deploy three medium-sized two-way teleportation arrays and nine small-scale, controllable two-way arrays. The hub locations for the medium arrays should be within the main strongholds of the Floating Cloud Sect, the Heaven-Mending Sect, and the Jiuxuan Spirit Sword Sect.”

“The nine small one-way arrays should be sited within these cities: Green Mountain City, Southern Crossing City, Blackwater City, Reed City, Eastflow City, Xuanwu City, Northern Plains City, Raging Torrent City, and North Crossing City. What do you think?”

Ji Yuan clearly had prepared extensively. The placement of three medium arrays securely in the hands of the three major sects allowed constant mutual access. This was an undeniable necessity.

The nine small, controllable two-way arrays meant travel was strictly one direction at a time, routed solely through the medium hubs. Furthermore, explicit permission was needed each time before initiating travel, imposing many restrictions.

But even with these limitations, their importance was undeniable.

The gathered leaders pondered this plan. Ji Yuan waved his hand, conjuring an illusion of an aerial map depicting a five-thousand-mile radius centered on the Yunhua Sect’s territory.

The central five-hundred-mile zone, out of respect, was deliberately shown as blank. All other areas were rendered with crystal clarity.

“Please look,” Ji Yuan began. “My Heaven-Mending Sect is at the westernmost fringe. Here is Heaven-Mending City, forming a strategic triangle with Green Mountain City and Northern Plains City, securing a two-thousand-mile radius across the western expanse. Should conflict arise in the future…”

He paused here, respectfully clasping his hands towards the empty sky before continuing.

“Though Senior Brother Xu Changsheng, the Calamity-Bearing Human King, has yet to issue commands, we, the Heaven-Mending Sect, naturally pledge to defend this western frontier alongside Heaven-Mending City, Green Mountain City, and Northern Plains City. Resistance in the west is the inherent responsibility of our Western Alliance.”

Ji Yuan then gestured northward, towards the thousands-of-miles long Raging Torrent River splitting the land. North of it lay a region perpetually shrouded in the ominous Blood Cloud. South was the protected zone beneath Heaven’s Canopy.

Here, a magnificent city, Southern Crossing City under Bai Chu’s leadership, rose powerfully along the Raging Torrent’s southern bank. Seven other smaller cities clustered densely nearby along the same southern shore, forming a northern bulwark spanning more than seven hundred miles.

Should war come – which was practically inevitable – the Northern Alliance, led by Bai Chu, would fight desperately to defend their territory. This was absolute common knowledge; no one harbored any delusions otherwise.

Under Ji Yuan’s proposal, the Northern Alliance would receive two small controllable arrays: one at Southern Crossing City and another at Raging Torrent City.

Overall, without a Guardian Sect anchoring them, the Northern Alliance remained somewhat weaker. Lacking grand defensive arrays was just one significant weakness.

However, their control over the strategic waterways connecting the Raging Torrent and the Blackwater River conferred a massive advantage.

Next came the Kaoshan Alliance’s Eastern Alliance. Three of their cities made the list: Blackwater City high up the Blackwater River, Reed City at its mid-section, and North Crossing City near its outlet.

These four major cities, linked by the Blackwater River route and backed firmly by the Floating Cloud Sect, enjoyed the most frequent interaction and represented the strongest power bloc.

With three Divine Transformation experts anchoring it, how could it not be the strongest?

Finally, the Southern Alliance, led by the Jiuxuan Spirit Sword Sect, incorporated Greyrock City, Eastflow City, and Xuanwu City. While Greyrock City was only five or six miles from the Jiuxuan Spirit Sword Sect’s gates and thus didn’t need an array, Eastflow City and Xuanwu City received placements.

This distribution scheme ensured fairness, garnering no objections.

Therefore, only one final task remained.

They needed to petition Xu Changsheng, the Calamity-Bearing Human King and sworn brother.

So please give us the funding, Brother.