Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 776 A Tug-of-War, Disciple's Training (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
"However, you're right, one should always be wary of others."

"Pass down the order to all units at the front to proceed steadily and cautiously, without being greedy for quick success or making rash advances."

"Consolidate the occupied areas, spread out informants, and closely monitor the movements of forces such as Da Yan and 'Mingxin Temple'."

He paused, then his tone turned serious: "At the same time, we must deliberately publicize the tragic defeat of the Zhao state and the preferential treatment given to those who surrendered, especially to those hesitant forces."

"We must make everyone understand that those who obey me will not necessarily prosper, but those who oppose me will surely perish! The State of Zhao is the best example!"

Li Yunjing concluded by saying this.

"Yes!"

Xiao Anran understood immediately, and a look of admiration flashed in his eyes.

This young deputy leader is not only skilled in combat but also adept at strategic planning, always maintaining control of the overall situation.

The great victory at "Luohunpo" and the subsequent rapid advance were like a thunderous punch, completely stunning and crippling the Zhao state.

However, just as Li Yunjing had predicted, when the allied forces swept across more than half of Zhao's territory and penetrated deep into its heartland, the nature of the war began to quietly change.

The allied forces, especially the "Shenxiao Daozong" route led by Li Yunjing, have seen their advance slow down significantly.

The reason was not that they encountered strong resistance from field armies.

The main force of the Zhao state had been exhausted in the Battle of Luohunpo and the subsequent defeat.

The stagnation stems from deeper problems.

The newly occupied areas are vast and populous.

Although many surrendered in the early stages, it would take a lot of manpower and resources to govern, appease, eliminate the remaining enemy forces, and establish order in order to truly transform these territories into reliable war bases.

Li Yunjing dispatched almost all of his administrative disciples and affiliated family members.

It's impossible for the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" to keep sending disciples to the Zhao State.

The "Crossing the Mountains" branch is under construction and has already drawn away a quarter of the cultivators from the "Divine Firmament Dao Sect".

The "Youyue Kingdom" is the new front line, also with a quarter of its strength.

The East China Sea and the South China Sea are also within the sphere of influence of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect," accounting for a quarter of the area.

The current headquarters, "Great Ming Immortal Cultivation World," is extremely empty, with not even a quarter of its cultivators remaining.

Don't forget that the Xiao family in the distant "Luofu Continent" has a secret force called the "Shenxiao Dao Sect," and with the defenses in other places, the "Shenxiao Mountain Range" is almost completely drained.

It can be said that within the "Shenxiao Daozong" sect, apart from the stewards and elders of the various peaks and halls, there are only a large number of inner disciples, outer disciples, and miscellaneous disciples.

The main force is almost entirely absent from the sect.

In the distant Zhao Kingdom, the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" has done its best.

It's impossible for a sect to convert the resources of the "Crossing Mountains" into hundreds of thousands of Golden Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators in just a few decades.

The battlefront has penetrated hundreds of thousands of miles into the Zhao state, significantly increasing the pressure on the logistical supply lines.

Although utilizing the surrendered native forces of Zhao State alleviated the pressure to some extent, core resources (such as high-level pills, formation materials, and elite magic weapons) still needed to be transported from the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" and even further back to the "Yuanyang Dao Sect," a long journey that was easily disrupted.

Not all the Zhao cultivators surrendered.

Under the organization of the imperial court, some die-hard elements launched attacks in various places and along major transportation routes, specifically targeting and killing cultivators and supplies.

This guerrilla warfare caused immense suffering to the Yuanyang Dao Sect and the Shenxiao Dao Sect, even more dangerous than a decisive battle between the two countries.

Moreover, the eastern part of the Zhao state is characterized by mountains and rivers, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

The remaining forces of the Zhao state retreated to these strategic passes and held their positions there.

Each location conquered requires time for troop deployment, siege, or assault, making it impossible to advance as swiftly as before.

Those towering formations made it difficult to breach the city in a short time, even with the assistance of top-tier formation masters.

Therefore, Li Yunjing directly ordered the army to stop advancing and launch a mopping-up operation on the spot!

The most crucial thing right now is to eliminate all the resistance fighters.

On the other hand, True Lord Chiyang faces a similar problem.

After "Tianxiong Pass", although there were no more large passes to block the way, the closer they got to the core area of ​​Zhao State, "Tianzhao City" and "Longling", the stronger the resistance became.

The Zhao royal family unleashed their most precious resources, mobilizing their last remaining elite troops and resources. The battle for every city and every territory became exceptionally brutal, and the casualties of the allied forces began to rise.

After more than half a year of rapid offensive, the allied forces on both the eastern and western fronts gradually came to a standstill on several main battle lines, forming a long stalemate with the remaining forces of the Zhao state that were retreating to defend.

On the western front, the main force of the "Yuanyang Dao Sect," represented by the True Lord Chiyang, was blocked by the "Panshi Mountain Range" defense line surrounding "Longling."

The State of Zhao concentrated its last remaining fighting force and, relying on the dragon energy of its ancestral land and a grand formation, constructed a solid defensive system.

The Crimson Sun True Lord launched several probing attacks, but failed to break through and instead lost some men. He then ordered a temporary halt to the offensive, focusing on encirclement while simultaneously consolidating the large western territories he had already occupied.

The eastern front, led by Li Yunjing's troops, advanced to the lower reaches of the "Nanli River" and the "Cloud and Mist Swamp" area.

The area is crisscrossed by waterways and shrouded in miasma, making it difficult for large armies to deploy.

Although the surrendered generals, including Liu Kun, provided assistance, the remaining Zhao navy and local indigenous forces continued to resist, taking advantage of the complex environment.

Li Yunjing ordered a steady and methodical advance, focusing primarily on consolidating the already occupied and prosperous areas of Jiangnan and developing them into forward bases.

This standoff has given external forces room to react and maneuver.

Envoys from the "Great Yan Dynasty" and "Mingxin Temple" began to appear more frequently in "Tian Zhao City." Although they had not yet publicly deployed troops, aid supplies, a limited number of "volunteer" cultivators, and various "advisors" began to quietly flow into the Zhao Kingdom, helping it stabilize its last line of defense and delaying the advance of the allied forces.

They were pleased to see the Yuanyang Dao Sect and the Shenxiao Dao Sect mired in the Zhao state's quagmire, constantly depleting their strength.

The coalition leadership was fully aware of this.

True Lord Chiyang and Li Yunjing held several discussions through a communication array.

"Nephew, it seems that these last few bones of the Zhao state are harder to gnaw on than I imagined!"

The voice of True Lord Chiyang came through the formation, tinged with weariness but still steady, “Those rats in the ‘Great Yan Dynasty’ and ‘Mingxin Temple’ have started to secretly pass ropes to the Zhao Kingdom.”

“What my uncle says is absolutely right.”

Li Yunjing responded, "A hasty attack would come at too high a cost and play right into their hands. In my opinion, the best course of action at present is to prioritize consolidating our foundations."

"Oh? Tell me in detail."

"I am somewhat disappointed," True Lord Chiyang asked.

His original intention was for the two major sects to continue drawing on their main forces and, in one fell swoop, completely annihilate the Zhao Kingdom.

But judging from Li Yunjing's expression, it seems that he feels that fighting to this point is enough?

This is not the result that the Yuanyang Dao Sect needs!
However, Li Yunjing was not a subordinate, but the person in charge of an ally, so he had to give him enough respect and allow him to speak.

"First, consolidate the areas already occupied."

"Accelerate the mining of resource points, select reliable people with strokes for training, and supplement them into the auxiliary forces so that our clan's elite troops can be rotated and rested."

"Secondly, targeted attacks."

“Form elite squads, led by Nascent Soul cultivators, specifically to hunt down enemy ‘advisors’ and cut off their supply lines.”

Thirdly, winning hearts and minds is the best strategy.

"Intensify the propaganda offensive against the remaining territory of Zhao, promote our lenient policies, expose the true intentions of Dayan and Mingxin Temple to use them as cannon fodder, and accelerate their internal division."

Li Yunjing offered his opinion.

In his view, a head-on confrontation would result in huge losses and was not a good option.

The Shenxiao Dao Sect has no obligation to mobilize its entire forces to fight for the Yuanyang Dao Sect.

If your "Yuanyang Dao Sect" mobilized a portion of its main force, along with a group of auxiliary troops, and still failed to conquer the Zhao Kingdom, then it has little to do with the "Shenxiao Dao Sect."

The "Shenxiao Dao Sect" has dispatched a total of fifteen Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, including him, along with over a hundred Golden Core Realm elders and a thousand Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.

This has far exceeded the initial promise.

The Shenxiao Dao Sect has done everything in its power to be benevolent and righteous!

"Hmm... makes sense."

"Then let's follow my nephew's plan."

"My main force will take a break for now, and I will allocate some resources to your side to help you stabilize the eastern front."

"You will be in charge of the overall coordination of the sabotage and psychological warfare."

After a moment of contemplation, True Lord Chiyang said, "We need to make Zhao and Da Yan understand that we can't fight anymore? No, we'll just change our approach and make things even more difficult for them!"

As a result, the forms of war have become more multidimensional.

On the main battlefield, large-scale charges and charges decreased, replaced by trench warfare, battle formations, and sneak attacks.

On the unseen front, the battle is even more intense.

Li Yunjing's elite squads were elusive and successfully ambushed supply convoys and cultivator teams from the "Great Yan Dynasty" on multiple occasions. They even killed an important Nascent Soul Realm "advisor" sent by the "Mingxin Temple," greatly hindering the efficiency of the enemy's covert aid.

Meanwhile, various rumors, proclamations, and letters urging surrender flew into the last remaining territory under Zhao's control like snowflakes, shaking the morale of its army and people.

Small groups of Zhao soldiers or local families kept secretly contacting the Allied forces to discuss surrender.

The standoff is not static.

It is a re-accumulation of power, a fierce contest in another form.

The coalition forces are like a giant spider, constantly digesting and absorbing the prey they have captured while weaving an even more deadly web, waiting for the opponent to reveal a weakness, or for themselves to launch the next fatal blow.

The battlefront was silent for a moment, but undercurrents were surging and danger lurked everywhere.

Li Yunjing stood atop the city wall of "Windbreak Fortress," where the rebellion had just been quelled, a deep worry etched on his brow.

"Vice Sect Leader Li!"

"According to the latest statistics, the seventy-three cities of varying sizes that we control consume more than one million mid-grade spirit stones every month, and countless healing and recovery pills are also needed."

"Although there are many Zhao soldiers who have surrendered, it will take time to train and screen them, and their hearts are not yet won over, so we dare not use them all."

Xiao's voice sounded from the side, tinged with weariness, "The logistics line has been repeatedly harassed. Since last month, seventeen transport teams have been attacked, suffering heavy losses."

Li Yunjing's gaze swept over the newly erected tombs outside the city, where dozens of Foundation Establishment disciples who had died in the recent campaign against guerrilla cultivators were buried.

"I know."

His voice was calm, yet carried a heavy weight of pressure. "How is the situation on Uncle Chiyang's side?"

"The main force of the Yuanyang Dao Sect is blocked at the 'Panshi Mountain Range' and cannot advance an inch."

"The Zhao royal family has unleashed their full potential. The Dragon Qi Formation, combined with the assassins, has caused Uncle Chiyang to suffer heavy losses."

"He...sent another message, asking if our sect could send one or two True Persons and three hundred Golden Core cultivators from our homeland or 'across the mountain range' to assist in the battle."

Xiao Anran shook his head slightly, a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone. "Reporting to Uncle Chiyang, the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect' is no longer able to send reinforcements."

"The 'Crossing the Mountains' branch has been established. We need to guard against the demon race's movements in the 'Youyue Kingdom' direction, and we also need to strengthen our defenses over the two major sea areas."

"The sect's headquarters is extremely empty."

Li Yunjing slowly shook his head, his tone resolute: "Tell him that we must digest what we have gained so far, rather than continue to act rashly."

They got all the bargains.

It's time to digest this.

I can't eat anymore.

Why be greedy for more?

In Li Yunjing's view, the "Yuanyang Daozong" was a bit possessive of its food, wanting everything, but when it couldn't eat anymore, it would stop and rest.

"Vice Sect Leader Li, what do you think about us recruiting some independent cultivators, families, and sects from the 'Great Ming Cultivation World,' 'Across the Mountains,' 'Youyue Kingdom,' the East Sea, and the South Sea?"

Xiao Anran proposed a solution that was hardly a solution at all.

Currently, the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" has not exerted its full strength in participating in the "Zhao Kingdom" operation, and its affiliated forces have not been mobilized.

After all, the wars that have raged in various places over the years have caused immense suffering to the sects and families below.

Li Yunjing felt embarrassed to let his men continue fighting.

Unlike the "Shenxiao Dao Sect", the loss of a Golden Core cultivator and a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the lower sects was like the sky falling.

It takes hundreds of years to cultivate a Golden Core cultivator and at least a hundred years to cultivate a Foundation Establishment cultivator. These sects and families do not have the ability to recover.

There is simply no way to compare it with the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

In general, apart from the Louguan Dao and the Beidi Sect, other families and sects in the "Great Ming Cultivation World" have seen a decline in overall combat strength, despite having larger territories and more resources.

Of course, thanks to the increase in territory and countless spoils of war, the decrease in combat strength was somewhat compensated for, so it was not too weak.

"This one……"

Li Yunjing fell into deep thought.

After a long pause, he said cautiously, "In principle, it's possible, but we can't force it. Let's issue a notice and let the people below decide for themselves!"

"Okay!"

Xiao Anran nodded slightly.

He also knew how difficult the days ahead would be, and estimated that few forces would be willing to respond. In the end, only the "Louguan Dao" and the "Northern Emperor Faction" might be willing to come to Zhao to develop in order to seize territory.

These two major Xuanmen forces, following the "Shenxiao Dao Sect," are considered to be living a life of luxury and comfort.

Wherever the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" is located, their traces can be found. The two great sects are powerful and have a complete system for training disciples, so they are not afraid of death or injury!
They even grew stronger as the war progressed!

There's a trend towards some behemoth sects!
He doubted whether some weak but powerful sects could defeat the "Northern Emperor Sect" and the "Louguan Sect" when they went to war with them.

After all, in the 600,000-year history of the "Great Ming Cultivation World," the "Shenxiao Dao Sect," the "Northern Emperor Sect," and the "Louguan Dao" have taken turns in charge.

When one sect declines, another rises.

Throughout the long years, all three companies have remained standing.

Just then, two streaks of azure light broke through the sky, moving at great speed and exuding pure energy; they were the escape lights of the direct descendants of the "Divine Firmament Dao Sect".

The light descended over the city wall, revealing the figures of two young cultivators, a man and a woman, both dressed in the attire of "Shenxiao Dao Sect" stewards. They were travel-worn but their eyes were bright, and their cultivation had clearly reached the advanced stage of Foundation Establishment.

The two were Lin Xuan and Yan Yang, Li Yunjing's nominal disciples.

Now, Lin Xuan's cultivation has improved again, reaching the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm, and he may break through to the Golden Core realm at any time!
Yan Yang also performed well, and after several trials, he also reached the fifth level of the Foundation Establishment realm.

Even Li Yunjing was amazed by the speed at which these two disciples cultivated.

"You are here."

Li Yunjing looked at them, a barely perceptible hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes.

These two are his prized disciples and the most outstanding talents of this generation of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect," representing the future hope of the sect.

Sending them to the perilous front lines of Zhao at this moment is likely intended not only to train them but also to provide them with opportunities for local instruction.

After all, I was busy with various affairs and had not taught my disciples enough, which was somewhat dereliction of duty.

The situation at the front is temporarily stable, so it's a good opportunity to call my disciples over for some training.

"I am very pleased that you have not neglected your cultivation."

Li Yunjing nodded, “Although the front line is temporarily in a stalemate, it is more dangerous than before. It is easy to dodge open attacks, but difficult to guard against hidden arrows. Since you two are new here, you should first familiarize yourselves with Elder Xiao and start by clearing out the bandits near the logistics line.”

"is teacher!"

The two responded in unison, their faces beaming with confident smiles.

Over the years, through wind and rain, the two have experienced countless battles, each with their own story, equally fascinating.

They didn't think anything different would happen in the state of Zhao.

However, reality was far crueler than they imagined.

They were ordered to escort a small supply convoy to a stronghold a hundred miles away. On the way, they encountered an ambush team composed of remnants of Zhao's elite soldiers and two monks who appeared to be from "Mingxin Temple".

The battle broke out instantly.

The ambushers are ruthless and cunning, and are also skilled in coordinated attacks and stealth.

The surrendered Zhao soldiers in the escort team collapsed at the first contact, disrupting their formation.

Lin Xuan roared and unleashed his lightning magic, with dazzling heavenly lightning striking down, but it was always neutralized by the opponent's strange movement techniques or combined defensive magical artifacts.

Yan Yang transformed into a shadowy figure, his longsword striking like a venomous snake, only to find that his proud speed was constantly hampered by the opponent's cunning teamwork and divine sense blockade.

"Junior brother, be careful!"

Lin Xuan cried out in surprise and shoved Yan Yang away, but he himself took a vicious palm strike, and blood immediately trickled from the corner of his mouth.

The lightning-patterned longsword on his back automatically unsheathed, transforming into a bolt of lightning to protect his body, thus stabilizing his position.

On their very first mission, they experienced firsthand the brutality of the front lines.

They barely managed to repel the enemy and save most of the supplies thanks to the life-saving thunder talisman bestowed by Li Yunjing, but nearly half of the "Shenxiao Daozong" disciples traveling with them were killed or wounded.

As for the cultivators who came to join them, they also suffered heavy losses.

The team of over a hundred people was reduced to only forty or fifty.

Many of them were injured.

"We... are too weak."

Yan Yang bit his lip, feeling ashamed of his previous underestimation of his opponent.

"It's not that we're weak, it's that we lack experience."

"The teacher made the right decision to send us here. Only in the face of life and death can we grow the fastest."

Lin Xuan wiped the blood off his sword, his eyes sharpening. "The war here is far more brutal than in the East China Sea. The enemies we encounter are more powerful and stronger!"

In the months that followed, the two men underwent a complete transformation and volunteered to carry out the most dangerous missions.

Infiltrate behind enemy lines to conduct reconnaissance, assassinate key enemy figures, and protect critical supplies.

They went through countless fierce battles, their spells became more and more skillful, and their teamwork became more and more seamless.

Lin Xuan's lightning techniques were no longer straightforward bombardments, but rather more unpredictable and precise; Yan Yang's assassination skills were even more elusive, and he even successfully severely injured a Golden Core general from the Zhao Kingdom in one operation.

……

Fighting rages on every front line, day and night, death is ever-present...

Gradually, the battles between Nascent Soul cultivators and Golden Core cultivators decreased, leaving only the brutal slaughter between Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Today you ambush me, tomorrow I'll ambush you.

The mortality rate of low-level cultivators is rising sharply.

According to battle reports from the eastern front, almost every day, hundreds of Foundation Establishment cultivators and thousands of Qi Refining cultivators die.

The lives of monks have become worthless.

The various camps had also fallen silent.

Many young monks who were participating in the war for the first time also lost their initial novelty and pride, and became taciturn.

Aside from their missions, everyone rested, nurtured their weapons, replenished their supplies of pills and talismans, and practiced meditation to recover their condition.

No one knows whether they will be able to come back alive from the next mission.

At the same time, Li Yunjing felt that his cultivation had reached a critical bottleneck.

Having just broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm, the series of battles and mental and physical exertion have made his realm not completely stable, and he occasionally feels sluggish when circulating his spiritual energy.

Under such circumstances, one's own strength is fundamental.

If one cannot stabilize one's cultivation or even advance further, the consequences would be unimaginable if the "Great Yan Dynasty" or "Mingxin Temple" were to break off relations and directly intervene, or if the Zhao Kingdom's royal family had some desperate counterattack plan.

After careful consideration, Li Yunjing made a decision.

On this day, he summoned Xiao Anran and other masters, as well as his confidants Wang Hanyun, Mo Ying and others, to his residence.

"I intend to go into seclusion for a period of time to consolidate my cultivation."

Li Yunjing got straight to the point, "During this period, all military and political affairs on the eastern front will be temporarily decided by Elder Xiao Anran. The two family heads, Wang and Mo, and the commanders of various departments will assist them."

Everyone was shocked.

The head coach going into seclusion at this time is extremely risky.

"The current situation..."

Xiao looked worried.

"It doesn't matter."

"The stalemate cannot be broken in a day. Our strategy is to consolidate our foundation, clear out the heartland, and win hearts and minds."

Li Yunjing raised his hand to interrupt, "You may proceed according to the plan. If any major changes occur, you may activate this jade talisman, and I will come out of seclusion."

"You two have already made some progress in your training, but you still need to hone your skills."

"During your seclusion, you two will be assigned to the 'Thunder Squad,' which is responsible for hunting down and countering infiltrators from 'Da Yan' and 'Ming Xin Temple.'"

He then looked at Lin Xuan and Yan Yang: "Listen and observe more, and discuss matters with your teammates. Don't be reckless."

(End of this chapter)