Chapter 129: A New War Zone

Peripheral War Zone, Two Realms Mountain.

Qishe of the Imperial Wine Sect, along with Heimu and several Spirit Coalescence Elders, observed the mountain peak solemnly. Slowly, a trace of unease and doubt emerged on his face.

Nearby, two other groups—both strong and formidable—waited calmly, ready to respond to any distress signal from the Core Battle Zone of Two Realms Mountain.

Nearly half an hour had passed since the initial alarm…

Though intense magic power had surged violently to the south earlier, it quickly subsided.

“What happened?”

“It suddenly went quiet?”

“Did Honglian arrive in time to turn things around?”

“That shouldn’t be… I heard this Beast Tide was highly targeted and unusually strong…”

The strongest contenders for the Southern City Inspector post vaguely guessed an unfavorable outcome, yet clung to a faint hope as they waited silently.

Finally, a clear directive arrived from the Reinforcement Department, ordering them to disband immediately. The Beast Tide from Two Realms Mountain had been completely subdued.

The news stunned Qishe and his companions.

Heimu turned to Qishe.

“It seems that woman Honglian learned more than a little from Baimei after all. Otherwise, there’s no way she could have held the southern flank under such pressure.”

“Hmm.”

For the first time, Qishe wore an expression of deep gravity and caution.

“Recently, the Two Realms Mountain defense lines have been critically short-staffed. Core Zone personnel were below thirty percent, with some sectors relying solely on Spirit Coalescence Elders for defense. Logically, they shouldn’t have survived… So, it appears Honglian’s Special Operations Team proved highly effective. We could learn a thing or two from it later.”

Pausing, Qishe continued.

“You, Heimu, begin reassessing Honglian’s forces immediately. Investigate every member of that Special Operations Team in detail. Find out exactly how she stabilized the front. The rest of you, return.”

“Yes!” Heimu nodded, accepting the order.

In their view, Honglian had merely staged a desperate struggle to survive this time. With personnel growing ever scarcer, the post of Southern Inspector would inevitably become vacant once more.

…

Before departing, Honglian reorganized the personnel layout in the Core Battle Zone. The number of Spirit Coalescence Elders assigned to guard key points increased variably from three to five.

Zhao Qian was assigned to guard Combat Zone 617, flanked by Combat Zone 619, guarded by Elder Lu and his two companions. Lu Hangzhi would be responsible for the zone sandwiched in between.

After Honglian left, Lu Hangzhi wasted no time. He quickly introduced himself and discussed general situations with the three Spirit Coalescence Elders under his command.

First was Luo Sen, a Mid Soul-Concentrating Stage practitioner skilled in summoning Blood Slaves. His actual combat strength rivaled Late Concentrators. At full power, his Blood Slaves could overwhelm even Peak Concentration Stage Elders—though tragically, seven peak-stage Blood Slaves had been lost in the recent battle, leaving only five beast skeletons of that level.

Second was Wang Luqiong, a female Elder from the Jade Qin Sect, Mid Soul-Concentrating Stage. She excelled in killing tones and Illusion Arts from her qin. Her illusions could easily affect cultivators in the Epiphany Stage within a three-mile radius and even unsettle Early Spirit Concentration practitioners.

Finally, there was physical cultivator Kong Xing. A Rogue Cultivator who followed his solitary path from youth, he had developed an unconventional body-training method. He consumed monster beast flesh, absorbing their Qi and Blood into his own body. This transformed his internal organs, meridians, Qi, and Blood, forging a physique rivaling that of peak beast masters. At Mid Spirit Concentration, he could physically endure direct assaults from Mid-Leveled Monster Beasts, essentially practicing Dual Cultivation of Body and Spells. His true strength likely matched Late Concentrators.

Lu Hangzhi didn’t overlook the twenty remaining Epiphany Stage Cultivators.

Having experienced the Epiphany Stage himself, he knew very well no weakling survived the Core Zone. Success hinged on unleashing their latent power.

Sure enough, his inquiries revealed significant potential.

A few had limbs torn off by beasts, now gravely injured with diminished combat ability. But the other fifteen were all Peak Ninth Grade experts. With replenished Magic Power, shielding the zone’s airspace shouldn’t pose a major problem.

With this in mind, Lu Hangzhi swiftly made his arrangements.

First, he retrieved seven Late Stage Monster Beast corpses from his Qiankun Pouch, along with three vials of Spirit Honey, and handed them to Luo Sen.

“These might not match Peak Stage beast carcasses, but they should help withstand one large-scale Beast Tide attack,” Lu Hangzhi explained.

Luo Sen locked eyes with him for a second before accepting happily. This visibly reassured the others.

“With Elder Zhao Qian guarding the left and Elder Lu protecting the right, our primary threats come only from the mountain peak and the Sky Passage above,” Lu Hangzhi addressed the group. “Pressure should decrease. Take this time to rest, heal, and recover Magic Power. For now, Kong Xing and I handle the watch.”

Good logic. Having suffered heavy losses in the recent assault, the beasts likely wouldn’t mount another attack soon.

The Epiphany Cultivators quickly complied, settling into meditation seated circles on the ground.

“Elder Kong, keep watch over the Matrix Tower, please. I’ll visit Elder Lu and the others,” Lu Hangzhi stated before heading to the nearby war zone like a neighbor paying a visit.

“Haha, Welcome! What brings you here, friend Lu?” Elder Lu had efficiently settled the twenty injured Epiphany Cultivators outside the Matrix Tower, letting them recuperate. Seeing Lu Hangzhi, he, Chen Xiangxiang, and Buming stood up to greet him warmly.

All three held Lu Hangzhi in high regard – impressed by his decisive intervention in critical moments and his formidable strength. The Epiphany cultivators inside the Matrix Tower also turned their attention to him.

Lu Hangzhi offered a friendly nod, cutting straight to his purpose.

“I came representing my sect to inquire about purchasing certain resources. Things like cultivation manuals, techniques, Magical Artifacts, Spiritual Artifacts, Talismans… that sort.”

“Oh?” Elder Lu prompted curiously, “Hangzhi… What sect?”

“Yesterday, I assumed the position of Sect Leader of the Xuanxin Sect. Unfortunately, our treasure vault holds few Spirit Condensation Stage resources. Do any of you possess unneeded items or information? I offer Spirit Honey in exchange.”

“Ah, I see.” Three faces brightened with kind understanding.

Xuanxin Sect… Honestly, they hadn’t heard much about it. But Lu Hangzhi was unquestionably overqualified to lead such a small sect.

“Very well,” Elder Lu continued. “I happen to have some Magical Artifacts and Spiritual Artifacts left from my Early/Mid Consolidating days, plus some Talismans and Elixirs. Feel free to take them all for, say, a dozen bottles of Spirit Honey? No need to fuss.”

Here, the bonds formed fighting side-by-side proved invaluable. A transaction usually requiring tedious negotiation ended in mere moments.

Moreover…

Elder Lu, a Peak Concentrator, clearly intended to mentor. His Qiankun Pouch overflowed–a quick glance revealed multiple Early Consolidating Grade Artifact sets, hundreds of Elixirs, whole crates of Talismans. Every item surpassed Lu Hangzhi’s wildest expectations.

This wasn’t a trade! It was practically a gift!

Lu Hangzhi had no intention of taking advantage. He immediately multiplied the promised Spirit Honey quantity by ten.

Elder Lu’s eyebrows shot up briefly before his smile broadened as he stored the honey in his Storage Ring.

“I know many… resilient old fellows stationed at Two Realms Mountain,” Elder Lu offered. “Should you keep needing such items—and trade with Spirit Honey—I guarantee you’ll find deals. They possess deeper pockets than mine, and their prices are surprisingly fair.”

“That’s excellent news! Thank you sincerely, Elder Lu.”

“…Uh?” Elder Lu blinked. “You require that many? How many Spirit Condensation Stage cultivators does Xuanxin Sect actually have?” He’d assumed it was a joke; surely a small sect couldn’t need so much equipment.

“Perhaps best not to ask, Elder Lu,” Lu Hangzhi replied with a knowing smile.

The Xuanxin Sect used to boast a single Spirit Condensation Venerable One. Now, it sheltered over a hundred hungry, newly-advanced “elders.” The resources currently stuffed in his pouch wouldn’t even begin to cover them!

“Alright!” Elder Lu decisively slapped his knee. “So long as your Spirit Honey holds out, these Elders will come! Guaranteed.”

“Rest assured, Elder Lu. The Spirit Honey supply is absolutely sufficient.”

“Haha, in that case, I can handle this with confidence!”

Their agreement settled, Lu Hangzhi proposed another idea.

“Elder Lu, have you considered coordinated battle tactics between war zones? When one zone faces overwhelming pressure while another retains reserves… could they offer assistance?”

Elder Lu waved a dismissive hand.

“Your proposal isn’t new, young friend. Many raised it. Many tried it. All… failed eventually. Know why?”

“Self-interest,” Lu Hangzhi answered calmly.

“Exactly. Self-interest.” Deep resignation clouded Elder Lu’s face. “The path of cultivation pits you against the heavens, against all living things. But few grasp the spirit of sacrifice. True, some did intervene boldly when neighbors were desperate. But you can’t guarantee the recipient will ever repay your aid! Worse, Two Realms Mountain teems with fiercely selfish Evil Cultivators. In the end, everyone just cleans the snow in front of their own door. Few meddle in others’ troubles.”

“Who am I, Hangzhi, to shift such deep currents?” Lu Hangzhi conceded. “But after fighting alongside you and your comrades, I recognise you as allies worth binding my fortune to. So regardless, promise me this: If any grave danger arises in your zone, inform me immediately. Even if only one finger on my hand can still move… I WILL come! Every ounce of my strength poured forth!” His vow rang pure and unbreakable like steel.

Elder Lu and the others exchanged profoundly serious looks.

“Amitābha! Truly virtuous!” Buming broke the solemn hush first. Hands pressed together prayerfully, his demeanor serene yet powerful. “Buming swears upon the Golden Body of Buddha: I shall stand and fall only beside Daoist Friend Hangzhi! Never shall I turn a blind eye should he face peril.”

“Count me in!” Chen Xiangxiang added brightly. “Lu Hangzhi’s vow suddenly makes my position feel much safer! I echo the bargain: Danger touches your zone? If I can act, I WILL act.”

Three pairs of eyes fixed on Elder Lu.

He released a long, heavy sigh before nodding with conviction. “Very well. I pledge it also. In crucial moments… my Spirit Beast will hasten to your defense.”

Within the Core Battle Zone, two tightly neighbouring war zones forged a vital pact of strategic cooperation.

Lu Hangzhi then journeyed onward to Zhao Qian’s Zone, securing similar mutual defense compacts and offensive support.

Swiftly, all three zones reshuffled their personnel and strategies!

The formation shifted radically. Instead of hunkering around the Matrix Tower to protect it:

– Epiphany Cultivators formed the inner defensive ring around the Tower.

– Consolidating Elders moved to anchor guard posts on the flanks of their respective zones.

– Their potent Spiritual Sense expanded, covering substantial portions of the adjacent sectors.

Effectively, each war zone gained one extra Elders’ worth of fighting power!