Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 448 Failure
The array's restrictions were activated again, and countless golden sword blades rained down, blocking the pursuing Bright Moon Sect members.

Faced with the powerful array's restrictions, Xu Zhuoxuan had no choice but to stop the pursuit. Without his help, the team would have suffered heavy casualties.

Beneath his feet, the corpse of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Huayuan Sect had been smashed into a pulp.

The array attacks continued unabated, and after several more rounds of attacks from the restrictions, the group was finally about to reach the array restrictions. By this time, the Mingyue Sect team had suffered heavy casualties, with corpses lying everywhere.

But then shouts came from outside. It was the arrival of Huayuan Sect reinforcements stationed in Qingyue Valley. Xu Zhuoxuan had already left some people outside to guard against the reinforcements.

However, due to the heavy casualties caused by the attacks from the array's restrictions, and the fact that these people had suffered severe loss of spiritual power and needed new strength, those guarding the outer room were also summoned in.

A rolling roar came from within the colorful clouds, and a vast, water-shaped tornado came from all directions.

At the same time, the Huayuan Sect cultivators guarding the defensive light barrier rushed out, shouting as they ran towards the crowd.

The members of the Bright Moon Sect were filled with fear. By this time, their spiritual energy had been almost completely depleted. Seeing that reinforcements from the Hua Yuan Sect had arrived, they immediately fell into chaos.

"Sect Leader, there have been too many casualties, and everyone's spiritual energy is almost depleted. It's not advisable to continue fighting. Let's retreat from here first!" Seeing that everyone was in chaos and some were even scattering and fleeing, Elder Nie Liang of the Bright Moon Sect hurriedly spoke up to persuade them.

The other Foundation Establishment cultivators also looked at Xu Zhuoxuan with hopeful expressions.

"Withdraw." Xu Zhuoxuan gritted his teeth and made the decision, because he had already consumed more than half of his spiritual energy. If he continued to fight, there would be no result other than more casualties.

An organized evacuation can maintain dignity, but a rout would be a huge disgrace.

…………

"Sect Leader, there is new information from Yongning City. The Bright Moon Sect failed to capture the Hua Yuan Sect's mountain gate in one fell swoop. I heard that they suffered heavy losses and many casualties. However, they have successfully captured all the other camps in Yongning City, and all the resources and territories have fallen into the hands of the Bright Moon Sect."

In the spacious and bright hall, Song Xian strode in. Huang Ye stood up to greet him and bowed, eager to share the intelligence.

He knew the matter was of great importance. Whether the Bright Moon Sect could swallow Yongning City in one fell swoop was not only related to the sect structure of various cities in the Western Frontier County, but also closely related to the future development of the sect. Therefore, he rushed over to report as soon as he received the news.

"Any news about Xu Zhuoxuan?" Song Xian asked without stopping, taking his seat at the head of the table.

The failure of the Bright Moon Sect to attack the Hua Yun Sect's mountain gate was not too unexpected for him. To be more precise, he was not surprised whether the Bright Moon Sect captured Yongning City in one fell swoop or not.

Because these are all possible scenarios, Huayuan Sect itself is not weak. It has long occupied a third-grade low-level spiritual vein, and Yongning City's cultivation resources are among the best in the five cities under the jurisdiction of Xijiang County.

The sect leader of Huayuan Sect has a Foundation Establishment level 10 cultivation, and the sect also has more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators, including several late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. In addition, there is the support of Xuanyang Sect and the protection of a mid-grade third-tier array.

It will be no easy task for the Bright Moon Sect to overcome this tough nut, especially since Xu Zhuoxuan has only recently advanced to the Golden Core realm, and it's hard to say how strong he truly is.

If one's personal strength is not strong enough, it is understandable that one could not successfully take over the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate.

"Xu Zhuoxuan is safe and sound. The exact number of casualties in the Mingyue Sect is still unknown, but there are rumors that there were quite a few."

Song Xian nodded calmly. He wished Xu Zhuoxuan would die in this battle, but he also knew that with a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators and the help of a mid-grade third-tier formation, it would be almost impossible to save the life of a Golden Core cultivator.

"Tell the intelligence team to continue to closely monitor the battle in Yongning City and report any news immediately. Also, keep an eye on the Murong family; they might secretly be helping Hua Yuanzong."

"Yes, I understand."

"I've heard that the sect's atmosphere is getting worse and worse, and it's starting to resemble the Qingyun Sect of yesteryear. It's said that the people the sect sends to inspect various industrial areas are now taking bribes. Is that true?" Song Xian suddenly changed the subject, referring to the sect's internal affairs from the battle of Yongning City.

This matter was mentioned by Su Zhirou and him during a casual chat a few days ago. Of course, she did not see it with her own eyes; she heard about it from Xiao Ling.

As for why Xiao Ling brought this up with her, and what her purpose was, Song Xian didn't investigate. Women can talk about anything.

Perhaps Xiao Ling was just talking casually, or perhaps she had a deeper meaning. Maybe someone from the Surveillance Hall had offended her, so she went to Su Zhirou to complain.

Whether she did it intentionally or unintentionally, once Song Xian found out, he naturally wouldn't let it go.

Although this is not a major issue, it has a significant impact on the sect. If left unchecked, the atmosphere will deteriorate, and eventually, they will do even more outrageous things.

Song Xian himself knew that he no longer had as much control over the sect as before. One reason was objective: the sect had more and more members and was growing larger and larger, and he simply couldn't manage it all by himself.

Unlike before when he was at Guzi Peak, he was now hands-on in everything and knew everything about the big and small matters.

Even if he didn't eat or drink for twelve hours a day, and had three heads and six arms, it wouldn't be enough to keep up with his demands.

Aside from objective factors, he now devotes more time to spiritual practice.

Besides cultivating his Qi, he also had to practice his martial arts techniques and supernatural powers, and sometimes he would study talismans. Each of these things consumed a lot of his energy and time, so he didn't have much leisure to pay attention to the many affairs of the sect. He could only focus on the important things and let go of the trivial ones.

Among sect leaders of the same level, he was already considered diligent, as he would set aside one day each month to participate in sect meetings and keep track of the progress of various affairs.

If any of the palace masters have any important matters, they can come directly to him to report them.

Many other sect leaders of similar size have completely relinquished their leadership, with some not even participating in sect meetings once a year.

Even so, Song Xian still felt as if he had been completely cut off from the grassroots disciples of the sect, as if the channel connecting them had been severed by the leaders of each peak.

His usual sources of information about the sect were only those in the inner cabinet, and at most, the deputy hall masters in charge of the affairs of each hall would have the opportunity to see him and report on matters to him.

Further down the line, he hadn't seen the heads of the various peaks for a long time, let alone the ordinary disciples.

"It's inevitable that some disciples below will take advantage of their positions to seek personal gain. I'm not entirely sure who they are, but I'll investigate immediately when I get back." Huang Ye had to make a statement when he brought up the matter, since patrolling was the responsibility of the Surveillance Hall.

Song Xian's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression. He realized that the situation might be far more serious than he had imagined. Huang Ye's use of the word "inevitable" indicated that this was already a widespread problem. Even he, the palace master, did not take it seriously, so how could he possibly curb this trend?

"Isn't it clearly stated in the sect's rules that sect disciples are not allowed to accept bribes? The Surveillance Hall is the eyes of the sect, responsible for monitoring all sect affairs. As the saying goes, 'He who eats another's food is bound to do his bidding, and he who takes another's money is bound to do his bidding.' If they accept bribes, will they still truthfully report the actual situation in various places?"

"Why would those disciples in charge of the sect's resources and industries bribe the inspectors? They must be embezzling money in secret."

"I was wondering why I hadn't heard of anyone embezzling money all these years. I originally thought it was because the investigations were strict and those disciples didn't dare to commit crimes against the wind."

"It now appears that they are colluding with each other, working together in concert. As the head of the Oversight Hall, you are not only responsible for intelligence, but also for overseeing the sect." "In this position, you cannot try to be a nice guy and offend no one. From now on, you must strictly investigate the disciples' acts of embezzlement, starting with your own Oversight Hall. Investigate what needs to be investigated, and arrest those who need to be arrested."

"Yes." Seeing Song Xian's solemn expression, Huang Ye stood up and solemnly replied, "Yes."

The two chatted for a while longer before he took his leave.

As a result of this conversation, many disciples of the sect were subsequently sentenced to imprisonment, causing a great shock within the sect. But that's another story, so let's leave it at that.

.........

Dark clouds obscured the moon, and a light drizzle pattered against the eaves. In the dimly lit room, Xu Zhuoxuan stood motionless by the window, gazing at the bamboo grove outside, bent by the slanting wind and fine rain.

He felt extremely depressed and frustrated after his failed attack on Huayuan Sect's mountain gate.

He personally led his troops, taking the lead in attacking the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate. He originally thought he would take it easily, but things didn't go as planned. Not only did he fail to take it in one fell swoop, but he also suffered heavy losses.

The failure to capture it this time means that the plan to annex Yongning City has failed. Although all the resource territories except for the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate have been swallowed up, the Huayuan Sect's elite forces are still there and will surely retaliate in the future, which will gradually turn into a protracted tug-of-war.

A protracted war is the most resource-intensive and exhausting. If it goes on for too long, it will only result in heavy losses on both sides, leading to a lose-lose situation.

Footsteps sounded outside, and soon, Nie Liang, the Grand Elder of the Bright Moon Sect, walked in and bowed to him: "Sect Leader, the casualties of our sect in this battle have been tallied, and the rewards and compensation have been distributed."

Xu Zhuoxuan turned back to the main seat, his expression solemn: "What's the Huayuan Sect up to?"

"Not yet, they don't dare leave the mountain gate right now."

"This attempt has failed at the last minute, and dragging it out is not a solution. What good plan do you have?"

Nie Liang pondered and said, "Our sect suffered considerable losses in this battle. In addition, the enemy troops stationed in Qingyue Valley have also arrived at the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate and joined forces with them. With our current strength, it will be very difficult to take over the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate in one fell swoop."

"There are only two options now: one is to increase our forces, offer them great rewards, invite the Hunyuan Sect to lead the cultivators of Bianxi City to join the battle, and then launch a strong attack on the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate."

"Secondly, we should besiege the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate without attacking. Given enough time, they will surely seek peace. Then, through negotiations, we can obtain a portion of Yongning City's resources and territory and retreat back to Humen City."

Xu Zhuoxuan frowned slightly. The main reason he wanted to attack Yongning City was for the spiritual vein. If he couldn't take down the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate, this battle would be meaningless to him.

Other resource territories cannot meet his needs. Moreover, Luo Huang, the sect leader of Huayuan Sect, has already reached the tenth level of Foundation Establishment. Given time, if he cultivates to the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, he will have the opportunity to break through to the Golden Core Realm.

Once they succeed, the resources and territories that currently belong to them will surely be reclaimed by Huayuan Sect. This is why he couldn't wait to take action against Huayuan Sect immediately after breaking through to the Golden Core stage.

He wanted to take Yongning City before Luo Huang, the leader of Huayuan Sect, could break through to the Golden Core Realm.

Now is the moment when their combat strength is most disparate, and he cannot gamble on Luo Huang's failure to break through to the Golden Core stage.

"What conditions can we use to persuade the Hunyuan Sect to help us attack the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate?"

"Well... it depends on how big the appetite of the Hunyuan Sect is. But I think if we can persuade the Hunyuan Sect to help us take over the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate in one fell swoop, it wouldn't hurt to give them some more benefits. Bianxi City and Yongning City are not adjacent, so even if they get Yongning City's resources and territory, they can't effectively control it. These territories are our bedside meat, and we can eat them whenever we want."

…………

In the dimly lit secret chamber of Bianxi City, Song Xian sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. A silent storm was raging within his Niwan Palace. Countless points of light poured into the eerie green light from all directions, as if a giant beast was devouring fish and shrimp. At the same time, the eerie green light, which was his divine consciousness body, continued to grow, and his entire sea of ​​consciousness expanded accordingly.

After an unknown amount of time, the engulfing storm finally ended, and everything returned to calm.

Song Xian slowly opened his eyes, his gaze bright, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. Just now, his Desolate Heaven Expansion Technique had finally broken through to the second level, and his spiritual power had reached a high of 1900 points.

With his current spiritual power, he can control four low-grade second-rank puppets at the same time, and three mid-grade second-rank puppets at the same time.

The boost to his personal combat power is considerable.

If an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator at the Great Perfection stage does not cultivate a divine sense technique or receive the boost from a secret treasure, their divine sense power will only be around 1800 points.

This is because a cultivator's spiritual power is proportional to their spiritual power; spiritual power is half of spiritual power.

The spiritual power at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment is 3600 points, so the basic divine sense power is 1800 points.

After leaving the secret chamber, Song Xian went to the back mountain and began cultivating the Heavenly Revelation Gate supernatural power.

Just as he was delving into its mysteries, a disciple landed in front of him on a flying artifact and bowed to him: "Sect Leader, Senior Ding Mingde of the Bright Moon Sect has come again. He says he has important matters to discuss and is currently waiting outside the mountain gate."

"Tell Junior Brother Zichen to bring him to the council hall." He was not surprised by Ding Mingde's return; in fact, it was expected.

Since the Bright Moon Sect failed to take down the Hua Yuan Sect's mountain gate in one fell swoop, it will most likely seek help from external forces. At present, the only sect in the entire Western Frontier County that has the potential and the strength to change the situation is the Hun Yuan Sect.

It's safe to say that the Beast Taming Sect, the Murong family, and the Yunxing Merchant Guild will definitely not offer any assistance.

Other forces, such as the Jade Abyss Sect, are simply no match for them.

Ding Mingde must have come here for this matter, since he had previously proposed a plan for both sides to work together to take Yongning City.

It was just a casual remark at the time, and no conditions were set, which shows that there wasn't much sincerity involved.

Having suffered this defeat, their return is likely more sincere than the last time.

For the Bright Moon Sect, and especially for Xu Zhuoxuan, the current outcome of the battle is unacceptable.

Everyone knows that he was aiming for the third-grade low-level spiritual vein at the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate. If this goal wasn't achieved, it would be tantamount to failure.

Xu Zhuoxuan must have paid a heavy price to secure the Beast Taming Sect's neutrality. The feud between the two sides has already been established, so how could they possibly back down and give Huayuan Sect a chance to regroup?

The sect leader of Huayuan Sect has already reached the tenth level of Foundation Establishment. He is only one step away from reaching the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment and will have the opportunity to break through to the Golden Core realm. Once he enters the Golden Core realm, it will be almost impossible for Xu Zhuoxuan to take over his sect. So what should he do about his cultivation?
Therefore, he will inevitably use every means possible.

(End of this chapter)