When the shriveled old man heard the sect leader, he gloomily said, “Capture him alive? Is Brother Fan joking? You should know that Fellow Daoist Zhong has already fought him once. Not only is he capable of lightning movement, but also a blood movement technique that hasn’t been seen before. We are incapable of blocking him. With such vast abilities, even we are unable to restrain him. Fellow Daoists, do you believe this is possible. If the request is to kill this person and seize his Golden Lightning Bamboo magic treasure, it will be much more possible.”

“Since it is so difficult to capture him, then it is acceptable to kill him.” To the old man’s surprise, the black-robed man had quickly amended his condition. The shriveled old man exchanged a glance with the other spell warriors and had a quick exchange with them through voice transmission before agreeing to the matter. Afterwards, they began to discuss the specific details of the incoming battle.

...

Master Sunreach, Wei Wuya, and a few others were having a discussion about the war in a large hall. In addition to the three great cultivators and Long Han, there were also a beautiful red-clothed woman and a bald eagle-eyed old man.

The old man’s eyes were narrowed, and he wore a glistening jade ring that was engraved with faint talisman characters. It appeared quite rare.

“Fellow Daoist Heavenvenge, this war will depend on all of us. We will draw the main forces of the spell warrior army here. In the meantime, you and your men will steal into Soaring Heavens City and take everything from the city’s resource depot. Even if the Moulan were able to make some use of it before the battle, if we draw this battle out, they will collapse without support form spirit stones or any other of their materials.” Master Sunreach smiled at the old man before him, the renowned Eccentric Heavenvenge, as if nothing unpleasant had occurred between the two of them in the past.

“So long as you are able to drag the Moulan Divine Sages to the border, it will naturally be no problem to infiltrate Soaring Heavens City. And with the transportation formation that Fellow Daoist Wei has given me, directly entering the city will prove even easier. However, my sole worry is why the Moulan would leave their resource behind in the city. Is this not a trap that was set behind for us.” The eagle-eyed old man spoke with a voice reminiscent of clacking stones. It was rather uncomfortable to hear.

Devil Concord calmly said, “Fellow Daoist Heavenvenge, please relax. According to our spies amongst the Moulan, although the Moulan Tribes have occupied the States of Feng Yuan and Ye, they have no other supply of resources; before we evacuated from those countries, we destroyed all the spirit stone mines and other material sources. In spite of the great efforts of the Moulan mortals to repair them, they weren’t able to accomplish much in such a short amount of time. As of current, they are consuming a joint reserve of spirit stones that were pooled together from each of their tribes. These spirit stones are all distributed from a secret storehouse that is guarded by a formidable grand restriction. Additionally, there are several sages guarding it for safe measure. With these measures in place, there will be enough time to transport those materials out of the storehouse before it is breached by a potential attack. It is reasonable to say that these resources are as safe as can be.”

Wei Wuya coldly smiled and said, “However, they hadn’t expected that after the many years we spent at war, we were able to place spies in their ranks as they did with ours. One of the sages guarding the safehouse is precisely one of our own. When the time comes, he will deactivate the grand formation. Fellow Daoist Heavenvenge, so long as you and your people act with discretion, we will catch them entirely unprepared.”

“You Fellow Daoists seem so certain, but I can’t help but ask what I will receive afterwards.”

Long Han answered with a smile, “Once this war is done, our four superpowers will agree to give a section of land in the State of Xu over to you. You may establish your own sect there and we will not interfere in the slightest. From then on, you will be known as a sect founder.”

“Good. Since you seem so confident, my good friends and I will make an attempt. Since it is already late, I will return first to make preparations. We’ll then set off the next day and infiltrate the State of Xu.” Eccentric Heavenvenge appeared satisfied with these conditions, but he had little intention of speaking further with them. He took his leave and soon disappeared from sight.

Devil Concord frowned and slowly said, “That eccentric has good odds of succeeding. He will be bringing those vagrant eccentrics with him as well, each of them possessing profound abilities. If the Moulan aren’t expecting it, there shouldn’t be much reason for them to fail.”

Long Han’s expression stirred and said, “Fellow Daoist Yi speaks truly. So long as we tie down the Moulan Divine Sages, Fellow Daoist Heavenvenge will most likely succeed. However, I didn’t expect that this old eccentric would want to found a sect at his age, not to mention gathering together so many vagrant cultivators to form their own faction. It comes as quite a surprise.”

Master Sunreach leisurely said, “I would say otherwise! Eccentric Heavenvenge has entered mid Nascent Soul stage for at least three hundred years. After being unable to breakthrough to late Nascent Soul stage during this time, I reckon that he has admitted failure. In this case, it is no surprise that he has become committed to something else. Being able to become the founder of a sect will gain much glory for him. However, he has made many enemies out of various large sects and is taking this opportunity to discuss terms with us. His arrival has come as unexpected reinforcements.”

“Enough. Although we have Eccentric Heavenvenge handling some subterfuge, we cannot be careless at the start of this battle. We must prevail. If we are defeated, we will not we able to stop them, regardless of whatever resources they may possess.” Master Sunreach paused before continuing, “Brother Wei, will your Nine Nations Union have any problems blocking their grand spirit technique formations? This should be the spell warrior’s most common tactic for a melee.”

Wei Wuya calmly said, “In the many years we’ve fought them, we’ve gained an understanding towards spirit technique formations no less than that of their own masters. Were it not for the problem of techniques, our Nine Nations Union would’ve been able to employ spirit technique formations of our own. There is no need for Fellow Daoist Sunreach to worry over the issue.”

Master Sunreach was satisfied by his answer and then he looked at the large black-robed man.

When Devil Concord saw this, he began speaking, “Our Six Devil Dao Sects have already made preparations. Not only do we have the Controlling Spirit Sect’s three sect protecting beasts, our Harmonious Bond Sect has also made preparations to release the Dual Yin Yang Devils from their restrictions. The Ghost Spirit Sect’s Myriad Souls Formation is also ready for us. As for the others sects, they each have made various preparations of their own as well. Fellow Daoist Sunreach, have your Righteous Dao Alliance prepared killing maneuvers as well?”

“Our Righteous Dao Alliance had already started. Each sect has opened the halls of their founding ancestors, acquiring many ancient treasures of great power. They definitely won’t leave Fellow Daoist disappointed.” Master Sunreach spoke curtly, but Devil Concord nodded with a less tense expression as if already knowing of the existence of these ancient treasures.

Long Han revealed a trace of regret. “Our Heavenly Dao Union is rather lax in this regard. Our various sects have begun preparation, but there isn’t much that I specifically know about. As for our Phoenix Cry Sect, they have taken several ancient jade talismans out of storage. Their might will be quite eye-opening for the Moulan. But given all the time that has passed, their power has waned. After the battle, they will be completely exhausted.”

“Ancient jade talismans? I didn’t think that the Phoenix Cry Sect possessed such treasures. I believe the other Heavenly Dao Alliance sects won’t be disappointing us either. With that address, our sole worries are the black-robed men and the wagered battle.” Master Sunreach pondered for a moment before hesitantly asking, “Brother Yi, those black-robed men used Devil Dao techniques. Are you able to recognize what they were?”

Devil Concord unhappily snorted. “Their techniques may be Devil Dao, but this is the first time I’ve heard techniques of this type. I cannot make an accurate judgement. But there is no doubt that their Devil Dao techniques are far more pure and ingenious than the Six Devil Dao Sects of the Heavenly South. Additionally, they appeared to resemble the Ghost Spirit Sect’s techniques.”

“The Ghost Spirit Sect?” Master Sunreach pondered for a moment before continuing with a solemn expression, “We don’t know how many those black-robed men there are, but during the siege of Soaring Heavens City, eight of them appeared, all at Nascent Soul stage. There are clearly cultivators of the same sect. As for where this devilish sect has come from, could it be the Grand Empire of Jin?”

When the others heard Master Sunreach, they didn’t appear surprised. It seemed they had assumed the same.

At that moment, the red-clothed woman finally spoke, her voice cold and clear, “Humph! So what if they’re Jin Empire cultivators? From how secretive they've been acting, as if afraid of being seen, it is certain that they are only a single devilish sect, or perhaps only a single branch of one. What is there to be afraid of? We merely have to treat them as spell warriors and feign ignorance otherwise.”

Master Sunreach agreed, “Lady Feng words are reasonable. Even if a branch of the Jin Empire’s Devil Dao is fully supporting the Moulan, we won’t be handing over the Heavenly South to them either despite how powerful they may be.”

“That is right. But we must take into account that not only will the Jin Empire devil cultivators have superior magic treasures, but that they will meddle in the wagered battles tomorrow through some hidden scheme. It will be troublesome. The Jin Empire possesses countless secret techniques, many of which are impossible to defend against.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve already considered this. Do you remember our Great Truths Sect’s Restriction Breaking Bead?

Long Han astonishedly asked, “The Restriction Breaking Bead? The single-used magic tool that can destroy restrictions? Isn’t it only useful against low grade restrictions? The barrier used during the wagered battles — capable of resisting strikes from a Nascent Soul cultivator — are capable of being dissolved with this magic tool?”