Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 771 Understanding the State of Zhao, the War Begins (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
When the news spread, ordinary people and low-level cultivators could only sigh in disbelief that even someone of the Grand Preceptor's cultivation level could make a mistake.

Those who knew the inside story were in an uproar.

This is tantamount to stripping Master Huiming of all his authority and placing him under house arrest!

"What a fine Zhao royal family! Their actions are indeed decisive and ruthless."

When Li Yunjing received the news, he was leisurely sipping tea at a teahouse.

This move by the royal family not only quickly quelled the hidden dangers of the spiritual vein's instability and cleared away internal destabilizing factors, but also barely preserved the outward appearance of the royal family and the Buddhist community.

However, the cracks had already formed.

The Buddhist community's influence in the Zhao state suffered a severe blow, and the relationship between the royal family and the Grand Preceptor's faction also faced an irreparable crisis of trust.

"The 'internal' element, which allows for coordinated action from within and without, is already in place."

Li Yunjing put down his teacup, looked through the window towards the northwest, and said, "Now, we just need to wait for the 'external cooperation'."

He could sense that there were definitely spies from the Yuanyang Dao Sect or even forces that had defected to the Yuanyang Dao Sect in Tianzhao City.

This news will surely reach the "Yuanyang Dao Sect" soon.

When the time comes, the Yuanyang Dao Sect will naturally know what to do.

It is estimated that a major war between the two sides will break out in three to five years.

However, Li Yunjing underestimated the determination of the "Yuanyang Dao Sect" and the hidden traps they had already laid.

It won't take three to five years at all.

On the seventh night after news of Master Huiming's de facto house arrest broke, an unexpected change occurred!

"Woo...Woo...Woo..."

A deep, urgent bugle call suddenly pierced the sky; war had broken out on the border of the "Black Wind Mountains"!

"Enemy attack! A large-scale surprise attack by a cultivator army!"

"Activate the city's protective formation! Quickly!"

On the watchtowers throughout the border fortress, the shouts of the Zhao generals mingled with the sounds of bugles, filled with unbelievable horror.

Before the city's grand formation could be fully activated, the once star-studded night sky was completely illuminated by countless streaks of light, like a raging rain of meteors, sweeping across the land!

Even from such a great distance, the terrifying spiritual pressure pressed down like a tangible tsunami, suffocating everyone.

At the very forefront of that sky full of streaks of light, three enormous, mountain-like, and menacingly designed black warships, like primordial beasts, tore through the clouds and slowly approached.

Runes flickered around the ship, condensing a destructive aura of energy, its power clearly reaching the level of the Nascent Soul Realm!

It is the iconic war weapon of the Yuanyang Dao Sect, the "City-Breaking Axe"!
Three days later, at dawn, a piece of news as shocking as a bolt from the blue finally pierced through layers of blockade and distance, crashing down on Tianzhao City: "Urgent report from the southwest! The 'Black Wind Mountains' have fallen! Zhenyuan Pass... has fallen!"

A messenger, covered in blood and nearly exhausted of his true essence, charged into the west gate of the capital with his last shred of will. After hoarsely shouting out this despairing news, he fell directly from his galloping dragon steed and died.

The equally wounded dragon steed let out a mournful cry, crashed to the ground, and kicked up a cloud of dust.

Instantly, the entire western gate of the capital fell into a deathly silence. All the cultivators and civilians who heard the news felt as if they had been choked, their faces filled with disbelief and horror.

Zhenyuan Pass was one of the most fortified and important passes on the northwestern border of the Zhao Kingdom!

Built against the natural barrier of the "Black Wind Mountain Range," it is home to the "Dragon Cavalry Guard," the most elite border troops of the Zhao Kingdom, and is also guarded by several generals at the Nascent Soul stage!

How could it have fallen in just three days?!
The news spread like wildfire throughout the city, and the original bustling activity was replaced by a huge sense of panic and suffocation.

In the teahouses and taverns, there was no more idle chatter or laughter; everyone's face was solemn as they whispered about the horrifying details they had overheard.

"I heard that... the Yuan Yang Dao Sect has deployed three 'City-Breaking Axes' and no fewer than thirty Nascent Soul cultivators! Their offensive is like a mountain torrent and a tsunami, and it's impossible to stop them!"

"The Zhenyuan Pass formation...it is said that the core of the formation was destroyed from within by an inside agent, which is why it was breached in one fell swoop!"

"General Zhao Mang of the Dragon Guard...fought valiantly and died for his country!"

"The defeated soldiers said that the vanguard of the 'Yuanyang Dao Sect' has crossed the 'Black Wind Mountains' and is rapidly advancing towards the interior!"

"We've always had a good relationship with the Yuan Dynasty, so why are they attacking us?"

"And aren't there four major forces in the Black Wind Mountains? Why didn't they put up a resistance?"

……

Panic is spreading, and doubts are growing.

People unconsciously looked towards the palace, towards the majestic city walls and the array of light that originally symbolized absolute security.

Trust, at this moment, showed a subtle crack.

How could such a fortified fortress be breached so easily from the outside?
And there was an inside accomplice?

Deep within the palace, the atmosphere was extremely tense.

Inside the Golden Palace, the Zhao king and his ministers were already in complete chaos.

The battle report was slammed down on the jade steps. The current Zhao Emperor's face was ashen, his chest heaving violently, and his eyes were filled with rage and a hint of barely perceptible panic.

"Trash! They're all trash!"

"Zhenyuan Pass was as impregnable as a fortress, how could it have fallen in just three days?!"

"Investigate! Investigate thoroughly for me! Don't let any of those spies or traitors get away with it!"

The roar echoed through the hall.

However, more urgent than investigating the traitor was how to stop the formidable and powerful army of the "Yuanyang Dao Sect".

"Your Majesty! The most urgent task is to immediately mobilize the cultivator legions from all the inland states and rush to the aid of the second line of defense, 'Iron Wall City.' We must not allow 'Yuanyang Dao Sect' to advance any further!"

"Your Majesty, please issue an immediate order to activate wartime mechanisms and mobilize the entire nation's resources!"

"It's time to invite all the venerable ancestors of the Royal Hall to come out of seclusion!"

……

A cacophony of voices arose, filled with urgency.

Li Yunjing remained seated by the window of the teahouse, listening to the increasingly loud and chaotic discussions on the street outside, watching the various streaks of light rapidly flying towards the palace in the sky, and slowly savoring the last sip of spiritual tea in his cup.

"Three days... faster than I expected."

“The Yuanyang Dao Sect has gone all out this time, determined to win.”

He thought to himself, "They have indeed accurately seized upon the internal rifts within Zhao."

He placed the tea money on the table, got up, and blended into the chaotic crowd on the street.

It was time for him to leave.

Now that it has begun, he needs to head to the Black Wind Mountains to join the people from the Yuan Yang Dao Sect. In addition, he also needs to recruit the four major forces, including the Wang family.

These were forces he personally negotiated and secured.

Li Yunjing was unwilling to let the people of the "Yuanyang Dao Sect" benefit from it.

As for why Li Yunjing firmly believed that the four major forces had not perished.
None of the four major powers have shared the fate of the Zhao family, so the Yuanyang Dao Sect has no reason to exterminate them.

The fastest way to conquer the Zhao state is to absorb local forces, incorporate them as much as possible, and bring them under one's own control.

The Yuanyang Dao Sect must know this!

Li Yunjing's figure moved like a ghost, silently traversing the increasingly tense and chaotic atmosphere in the capital.

Instead of leaving through the heavily guarded city gate, he returned to a relatively secluded corner of the palace wall in the south of the city.

At this moment, although the capital's protective array was not fully activated, the alert level had already been raised. The array's aura on the wall was noticeably denser than before, and the patrol frequency of the guards had also increased significantly.

"We must leave as soon as possible."

Li Yunjing's gaze narrowed slightly.

Once news of the frontline defeat spreads widely, the royal family may order a city-wide lockdown and a thorough investigation of spies, making it much more difficult to leave at that point.

He held his breath and concentrated, once again unleashing the secret barrier-breaking talisman of the "Divine Firmament Dao Sect".

This time, the ripples caused by the talisman landing on the halo were slightly larger, seemingly triggering some kind of warning mechanism.

"Ok?"

A patrol of guards nearby seemed to have noticed something and looked warily in that direction.

Without hesitation, Li Yunjing transformed into an almost invisible shadow and darted out the instant the crevice opened, simultaneously flicking out an illusion spell with his other hand.

The illusion was very simple, consisting only of sound, making rustling sounds and slight collisions like wild cats fighting.

"It was just a stray cat. What a scare!"

The patrolling guards' attention was successfully diverted.

Li Yunjing had already fled several miles away under the cover of night.

He glanced back at the brightly lit, yet vaguely shrouded city in panic, then turned without hesitation, mounted a streak of light, and sped off towards the southwest "Black Wind Mountains".

He pushed his escape speed to the limit while simultaneously activating his full divine sense to carefully avoid any Zhao state patrol teams and defeated soldiers that might appear along the way.

The closer one gets to the southwest, the more obvious the traces of war become.

Occasionally, one could see scattered cultivators and civilians fleeing south in panic, their faces bearing the lingering fear of their ordeal.

The air seemed to be filled with a faint smell of blood and the scorching sensation after the surge of spiritual energy.

Several days later, Li Yunjing finally arrived at the outer edge of the "Black Wind Mountain Range".

The once lush and verdant mountains, teeming with monsters, are now scarred and devastated in many places.

Huge spell-filled pits, mountains cut in half, and scorched forests are everywhere.

The shattered fragments of magical artifacts and the still-wet bloodstains testify to the fierce battle that once took place here.

Li Yunjing did not linger and flew directly towards Wangjiabao.

However, the scene before him made him frown.

The protective array in the Cloud Mist Valley where Wangjiabao is located has been activated, but the light shield is constantly rippling, clearly under pressure.

Outside the valley, they were suddenly surrounded by an army of about a thousand cultivators!

These cultivators were dressed in uniform black, close-fitting attire, exuding a powerful aura. Their battle flags fluttered, embroidered with the blazing sun totem of the "Yuanyang Dao Sect." The encirclement was not tight, seemingly a siege without an attack, yet an invisible pressure rendered Wangjiabao deathly silent.

"Sure enough."

Li Yunjing understood.

While the Yuanyang Dao Sect did not destroy the four major powers, it certainly did not take them over amicably.

This is "incorporation" under the threat of force.

He concealed his presence and quietly landed on a nearby hilltop overlooking the entire area.

From the Yuanyang Dao Sect's military camp, a group of people emerged, led by a young cultivator at the first level of the Nascent Soul stage with an arrogant expression, accompanied by several Golden Core followers. They were leisurely walking towards the array barrier of Wangjiabao.

"Patriarch Wang, what's your decision?"

The young cultivator channeled his true energy, his voice clearly echoing throughout the valley: "Our 'Yuanyang Dao Sect' has given you a chance to abandon darkness and embrace the light, out of consideration for your arduous cultivation. Do you truly intend to remain stubborn and wait for our sect's 'City-Breaking Axe' to bombard you again?"

Inside the array's protective barrier, the figure of Wang Hanyun, the head of the Wang family, appeared. His face was grim, and behind him followed a group of Wang family elders, each with a sorrowful yet powerless expression.

"Special Envoy Li... he promised my Wang family that if we surrender, he will ensure our family's safety and independence!"

Wang Hanyun gritted his teeth and spoke, his voice carrying a sliver of last hope through the array.

"Special Envoy Li? Which Special Envoy Li?"

"The commander of my clan's frontline army is none other than my ancestor, True Lord Chiyang!"

Upon hearing this, the young cultivator from the Yuanyang Dao Sect scoffed, "I've never heard of any Special Envoy Li! Patriarch Wang, don't be fooled. Delaying this will do neither of us any good!"

Wang Xiong's face turned deathly pale instantly, and the elders behind him stirred, a sense of despair spreading through them.

A True Monarch at the Nascent Soul Realm has actually arrived!
The Yuanyang Dao Sect is absolutely determined to win this war!
Li Yunjing's eyes turned completely cold as he stood atop the hill.

"Hahaha!"

Suddenly, Li Yunjing's loud laughter echoed far and wide through the mountains.

The laughter, rolling like thunder, contained an overwhelming and unstoppable Nascent Soul aura, instantly breaking the tense atmosphere of confrontation outside the valley and drawing everyone's attention.

On a hilltop not far away, a figure stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering in the wind. Who else could it be but Li Yunjing?
"Who said I, Li, don't exist?"

Li Yunjing's voice resounded throughout the surrounding area, his gaze sharp as lightning, directly targeting the young cultivator from the "Yuanyang Dao Sect," "Isn't this Fellow Daoist Liang?"

"Ok?"

The cultivator surnamed Liang from the Yuanyang Dao Sect was greatly surprised, not expecting it to be Li Yunjing!

This special envoy surnamed Li is Li Yunjing.
"So it was Fellow Daoist Li who personally came!"

The arrogance on the face of the cultivator surnamed Liang instantly turned into enthusiasm, even with a hint of respect. He cupped his hands in greeting from afar and said, "I am Liang Kuan, and I have come here on the orders of Ancestor Chiyang to discuss matters with the Wang family. I was unaware that Fellow Daoist Li was setting up this place. I apologize for any offense I may have caused. I hope Fellow Daoist Li will forgive me!"

His sudden change of expression stunned everyone present.

Li Yunjing's heart stirred slightly, and he immediately realized that Liang Kuan was probably not unaware of the situation, but rather originally wanted to take the opportunity to seize credit.

Now that his identity has been exposed on the spot, and seeing that his cultivation level far surpasses his own, he immediately went with the flow, shirking all responsibility and instead adopting an attitude of self-importance.

This young man is clever and well-versed in the ways of survival within the sect.

"Brother Liang, there's no need for such formalities."

"I broke through to the Nascent Soul realm here before, and became acquainted with the Wang family and the four major powers. We got along well, so it's normal that Brother Liang is unaware of this."

Li Yunjing naturally wouldn't expose him at this moment. He laughed loudly and, with a swift movement, landed in front of Liang Kuan like a gentle breeze: "Now that I have arrived, I will personally handle the subsequent negotiations with the Wang family and the other four major forces. Brother Liang can lead his troops to guard the perimeter to prevent a counterattack from the remnants of the Zhao army."

His words not only gave Liang Kuan a way out, but also unceremoniously took back control, pointing out that it was his own achievement and implying that Liang Kuan and the Chiyang Zhenjun behind him should not interfere.

"I see!"

"In that case, I will do my best to cooperate with Brother Li!"

Liang Kuan's eyes twitched slightly, but his smile remained unchanged. He quickly said, "I will immediately order my men to retreat ten miles to protect Brother Li!"

After saying that, he turned around without hesitation and gave the order to the troops behind him to retreat.

Although the Xuanjia cultivators were puzzled, they obeyed orders and quickly retreated like a tide, showing no trace of their previous aggressiveness.

Li Yunjing was already extremely powerful.

Now that he heard that Li Yunjing had broken through to the Nascent Soul realm, Liang Kuan naturally knew that offending this future supreme leader of the "Divine Firmament Dao Sect" would not end well.

Moreover, the four major forces of the Black Wind Mountain Range are not particularly valued by the Yuan Yang Dao Sect.

It's not surprising that they were recruited by the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

The territory of Zhao has expanded, and there are many territories that are even better than the "Black Wind Mountains" that it can take over.

Seeing this, Wang Hanyun and the others inside the array's protective barrier finally felt completely relieved, their faces beaming with joy.

"Thank you, Special Envoy Li, for arriving in time!"

The formation opened a portal, and Wang Hanyun, along with a group of elders, quickly stepped forward to greet Li Yunjing, bowing deeply and saying, "I am deeply grateful!"

"Master Wang, there's no need for such formalities. I will certainly not break my promise."

"Now that Zhenyuan Pass has fallen, the Yuanyang army will soon sweep across the Zhao state."

“Now that the Wang family has abandoned darkness and embraced the light, they are friends of my ‘Shenxiao Dao Sect’.”

Li Yunjing offered a gesture of support, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority, "The conditions we agreed to with the Wang family before! Family independence, resource quotas, and territory autonomy will remain unchanged, and I will petition the sect to recognize the Wang family's pioneering role!"

"Shenxiao Dao Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Hanyun and the others were overjoyed and repeatedly said, "We will leave it all to Special Envoy Li!"

At this moment, the Wang family finally understood!

This special envoy Li was originally from the "Shenxiao Dao Sect"!
The fact that the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" and the "Yuanyang Dao Sect" are staunch allies is known to almost everyone in the "Southern Continent".

It turns out that this operation wasn't just carried out by the "Yuanyang Dao Sect" alone; the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" also participated. It seems the Zhao family is truly doomed.

They were very glad they made the choice they started with.

"I am Li Yunjing, the vice sect leader of the Shenxiao Dao Sect!"

"The most urgent task is to stabilize public sentiment and consolidate resources as soon as possible."

"Please have Patriarch Wang immediately take stock of the cultivators in the clan, so they can be at your disposal at any time."

"In addition, please immediately contact the other three families by secret means, inform them that I have arrived, that my promise is valid, and that they should stop all resistance and accept reorganization."

Li Yunjing continued, "I will personally go to each location later to handle the handover."

"Yes! I'll take care of it right away!"

Wang Hanyun was now completely obedient to Li Yunjing and immediately arranged for people to handle the matter.

"Brother Liang, I will have to trouble you to send someone to report the situation here to Uncle Chiyang."

Li Yunjing then turned to Liang Kuan beside him and instructed, "Tell them that I have taken over the matter of recruiting the four major forces of the 'Black Wind Mountain Range' and that they will be reorganized soon, becoming an aid to our sect's advance into the heart of Zhao. Please rest assured, Uncle-Master."

"Don't worry, Brother Li, I'll take care of it right away!"

Although Liang Kuan may have felt somewhat unwilling, he appeared very respectful on the surface: "I will definitely report Brother Li's merits truthfully!"

He specifically emphasized the word "merit," both as a statement and as an implication that he would not interfere.

Li Yun nodded, seemingly satisfied with the result.

A potential conflict was temporarily averted through the use of identities, cultivation, and witty remarks.

The next step is to quickly integrate the power of the four major forces and truly transform them for our own use, so as to seize more capital and influence in this great war to annex the Zhao state.

At this moment, Elder Zhang of "Fire Cloud Valley", Master Mo Ying of "Hundred Beasts Manor", Elder Liu of "Rending Sky Sword Sect" and others were like ants on a hot pan.

The treatment of the three families was almost exactly the same as that of the Wang family.

They were then surrounded by the army of the "Yuanyang Dao Sect".

This is the front line for the "Yuanyang Dao Sect" to enter the "Zhao Kingdom". The endless stream of troops marching in almost drove the three families to despair.

Let alone resist!
They wouldn't dare do anything!

They could only watch helplessly as their family and sect were surrounded by the "Yuanyang Dao Sect's" servant army, trapped in one place, unable to get in or out.

Outside "Fire Cloud Valley," the flaming banners fluttered in the wind, but they were far less intense than the burning flames in the heart of Old Ancestor Zhang inside the valley.

Outside the valley, the army of cultivators from the "Yuanyang Dao Sect" exuded a murderous aura. Although they did not launch a fierce attack, the invisible pressure was so great that it almost made the protective mountain formation groan.

Old Master Zhang's face was ashen. As he listened to his disciples constantly reporting the news of the reinforcements from the outside world, he began to regret his agreement with Li Yunjing. He felt as if he had been dragged onto a pirate ship and was now in a dilemma.

Chaos reigned at "Hundred Beasts Manor," with countless tamed monsters roaring and howling uneasily, sensing their master's panic and the immense killing intent emanating from the outside world.

Manor Lord Mo Ying's face was ashen, his clenched fists bulging with veins. Although he was famous for his beast taming and formidable combat power, he knew he could never contend with the massive army of cultivators outside, which was like an iron torrent.

Before the gates of the "Sky-Splitting Sword Sect," the grand array of sword energy soaring into the sky was fully activated, but the faces of every disciple showed no trace of their former vigor, only deep worry.

Elder Liu, who was in charge of the overall situation, had a bristling beard and hair, but his heart was ice-cold. He kept trying to contact the Wang family and the other two families, but the news he received was all despairing.

They're all surrounded!

Where is that so-called Special Envoy Li now?

Just when these three families were almost swallowed by despair, and even internal debates arose about whether to fight to the death or simply surrender, a message-carrying flying sword, like a shooting star in the dark night, accurately pierced through the not-so-strict blockade of the "Yuanyang Dao Sect" and shot into the protective formations of the three families respectively.

The flying sword came from the Wang family, and it was imprinted with Wang Hanyun's divine sense as well as a more powerful, yet familiar, nascent soul aura—Li Yunjing!

"Special Envoy Li has arrived, and the crisis has been resolved."

The message was simple and direct: "The previous agreement remains unchanged. Quickly stabilize public sentiment, cease all confrontation, and prepare to accept reorganization. Special Envoy Li will personally visit each household soon."

This news was like a timely rain on parched land, instantly dispelling the clouds of despair that had hung over the three families.

"He's here! He's really here!"

Old Ancestor Zhang let out a long sigh of relief, almost bursting into tears with excitement. He immediately ordered, "Quickly! Pass down the order: no one is to provoke the outside army, collect all magical artifacts, and open the array gate... no, wait until Special Envoy Li arrives before opening it!"

"Quickly! Calm down those restless spirit beasts!"

Master Mo Ying slapped his thigh, his face beaming with joy: "Quickly, invite the elders to come with me and prepare to welcome Special Envoy Li!"

(End of this chapter)