I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

After the sect leader finished speaking, the square fell into a deathly silence.

Immediately afterwards, as if a pot had exploded, exclamations, discussions, and gasps of surprise rose and fell, weaving together into a cacophony of sounds.

"War? Another war is about to break out?"

"The Blood Fiend Sect? That's one of the five major sects; their strength is no less than ours!"

"Join forces with the Heavenly Demon Sect? Would the Heavenly Demon Sect agree to that?"

"Since the sect leader announced it himself, it seems that it has been decided."

Li Hanshan stood in the crowd, his brows slightly furrowed. War against the Blood Fiend Sect? He had encountered Blood Fiend Sect cultivators in both the Trial Realm and the Monster Beast Mountain Range.

The Trial Realm is for refining Qi, while the Monster Mountain Range is for cultivating Golden Cores.

The three blood-robed men who besieged Qin Muyue were from the Blood Fiend Sect. The Blood Fiend Sect's techniques are based on blood fiend energy, and their methods are bizarre and vicious; they are certainly not benevolent.

But why would the Joyful Union Sect wage war against the Blood Fiend Sect? And why would they join forces with the Heavenly Demon Sect?

On the high platform, the sect leader raised her hand and gestured downwards. The clamor in the square gradually subsided, and everyone's attention returned to her.

"This war is not a war to annihilate the sect, but a war of punishment." The sect leader's voice remained calm. "In recent years, the Blood Fiend Sect has repeatedly invaded our sect's borders, slaughtered our disciples, and plundered our resources. If we do not punish them, they will only become more brazen."

The sect leader's words reminded Li Hanshan of the Monster Mountain Range.

This Blood Fiend Sect's Golden Core cultivators even dared to attack Qin Muyue, a quasi-saintess.

It seems that this isn't the first or second time that the two sides have clashed.

She paused, her gaze sweeping across the entire area, her tone becoming more serious: "All disciples who participated in this battle will be rewarded by the sect according to their merits."

These words caused another commotion in the square.

"Rewards for merit? What rewards?"

"Spirit stones? Elixirs? Or magical artifacts?"

"I heard that the disciple who made the greatest contribution in the last war against the Yinming Sect was directly rewarded with a fifth-grade pill, and his cultivation level rose several realms!"

The sect leader's next words silenced everyone.

"The one who achieves the highest merit in this battle will be personally accepted as a disciple by this sect master."

An unprecedented uproar erupted in the square.

"What? Accepted as a disciple? The sect leader is personally accepting disciples!"

"My God, that's the sect leader! A powerful cultivator in the late Nascent Soul stage!"

"If I could become the sect leader's disciple, wouldn't that be like rising to the top in one step?"

"Even more glamorous than becoming a saint or saint!"

Li Hanshan was also taken aback. The relationship between a sect leader's disciple and his disciple was far more than just a nominal master-disciple bond. With the sect leader's late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, even a few words of guidance would be invaluable to a Golden Core cultivator. Moreover, the identity of being the sect leader's disciple was itself a protective shield. With this shield, who in the sect would dare to covet him?

His gaze sharpened slightly, and he had already made up his mind. He absolutely had to participate in this war. Although his current strength was not weak, he had made too many enemies. The Three Elders were eyeing him covetously, and there were others in the sect secretly watching him. If he could become the sect leader's disciple, these troubles would no longer be troubles.

Of course, the price is that he will reveal more of his strength. But compared to the benefits of becoming a sect leader's disciple, this price is acceptable.

"Sect Master, when will the war begin?"

A voice rang out from the crowd, breaking Li Hanshan's thoughts.

He looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young man in a golden robe walk out from the crowd. The man had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, a face as handsome as jade, and a deep and sharp aura about him, clearly indicating that he was in the late stage of the Golden Core realm. He walked to the front of the platform, clasped his hands in a salute to the sect leader, and his movements were elegant and natural, making it clear that he was a core figure of the Joyful Union Sect.

"It's the Holy Son, Song Qingyun!"

Someone called out the other person's name.

Holy Son.

To be precise, he is a quasi-holy son.

Li Hanshan understood. The Hehuan Sect had quasi-saintesses, so naturally they also had quasi-saintesses. However, since joining the sect, he had mostly interacted with female cultivators and didn't know much about the situation among male cultivators.

"Late stage of Golden Core..." Li Hanshan thought to himself, making a comparison. He was currently at the third level of Golden Core, still quite a distance from the late stage. However, he was a Celestial Grade Golden Core, and the quality of his spiritual power and the strength of his divine sense far surpassed those of others at the same level. If they were to fight, he might not necessarily lose to someone at the late stage of Golden Core.

However, the strength of a quasi-saint is clearly incomparable to that of an ordinary late-stage Golden Core cultivator. Those who can become quasi-saints must be among the best of the male disciples of the Joyful Union Sect, possessing exceptional cultivation, techniques, and magical treasures.

"Han Lang, that's Song Qingyun, one of the quasi-holy sons," Hua Nongying whispered in his ear. "Seventh level of Golden Core, extremely powerful in combat."

Seventh level of Golden Core.

Li Hanshan silently memorized it. The strength of the Hehuan Sect was far greater than he had imagined. A quasi-saint son at the late Golden Core stage, a quasi-saintess at the Golden Core stage, and those Golden Core elders hidden in the shadows, plus the two mid-Nascent Soul elders, the First Elder and the Second Elder, and the sect leader at the late Nascent Soul stage... This force was enough to sweep across an entire region.

However, the quasi-holy maiden of the Hehuan Sect seems to be weaker than the quasi-holy son.

The quasi-holy son is already in the late Golden Core stage, while the three quasi-holy daughters are only in the early Golden Core stage.

The sect leader looked at Song Qingyun and said calmly, "Three months later."

Three months.

Li Hanshan silently calculated in his heart. He could still improve further in three months. Although the difference between the third and fourth levels of the Golden Core realm was only one minor realm, the difference between the mid-stage and early-stage Golden Core realms was immense. If he could break through to the fourth level of the Golden Core realm within these three months, his chances on the battlefield would be greatly increased.

"Sect Master, may I ask how many disciples our side will deploy for this battle? And what is the situation on the Blood Fiend Sect's side?"

Another voice rang out. Another young man in a white robe stepped out from the crowd. He had a handsome face and a refined demeanor, and he was holding a folding fan in his hand. He didn't look like a cultivator, but rather like a scholar.

"This is also a quasi-holy son, Ouyang Ming," Hua Nongying continued, "sixth level of Golden Core, with strange methods, not easy to deal with."

Sixth level of Golden Core. Another peak mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.

Looking at these potential holy sons, Li Hanshan couldn't help but sigh. The foundation of the Hehuan Sect was truly unfathomable. In just over two years, he had cultivated from a mortal to the third level of the Golden Core stage, a speed that was already ridiculously fast. Yet, looking at the entire Hehuan Sect, there were at least dozens of Golden Core cultivators. His third level Golden Core was insignificant among them.

"However, even the sect leader might not possess my Immortal-grade Golden Core," Li Hanshan thought to himself. Although his cultivation level wasn't high, his potential was unmatched. How many cultivators in the past few thousand years had achieved an Immortal-grade Golden Core? Given enough time, surpassing these quasi-holy sons and daughters, and even the sect leader, wasn't impossible.

The only disadvantage is age.

He is 103 years old this year. Although his lifespan has greatly increased after breaking through to the Golden Core stage, and being over 100 years old is considered young among Golden Core cultivators, in the eyes of the people in the Joyful Union Sect, he is a centenarian. Most of those quasi-holy sons and daughters are only in their twenties, in the prime of their lives. Although age is not as important in the cultivation world as it is in the mortal world, it represents a person's potential and still affects how others perceive them.

"So what if I'm old? I have a Celestial-grade Golden Elixir, I have the Yang Manual cultivation technique, and I have maids to help me." Li Hanshan sneered inwardly, "As long as I'm strong enough, who cares how old I am?"

The sect leader's voice rang out again, pulling him back to reality.

"For this war, the sect will mobilize 70% of its disciples. The specific deployment will be announced by the Grand Elder later."

She paused, her gaze sweeping across the room, her tone becoming sharper: "We will assemble here three months from now. All participating disciples must be present. Those who are late will be treated as deserters."

"yes!"

Tens of thousands of disciples responded in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

The sect leader nodded and said nothing more. She turned and walked towards the back of the platform, followed closely by the First Elder and the Second Elder. The three quasi-saintesses and the Third Elder also dispersed.

The disciples in the square began to leave one after another, but the discussions continued.

"Three months, I need to prepare properly."

"I've heard that there are quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Blood Fiend Sect. I need to get a few life-saving magic treasures."

"I wonder how many people will die this time..."

Li Hanshan stood still, looking in the direction the sect leader had left, his gaze deep.

Three months later, at the Blood Fiend Sect. This was a war, but also an opportunity. He would demonstrate his strength to everyone in this war.

No, not all of it can be revealed. Revealing only a part is enough. He needs to get the sect leader's attention, but not be seen as a monster. After all, an old man who has cultivated from a mortal to a Golden Core cultivator in just over two years is already astonishing enough. If he were to reveal his Immortal-grade Golden Core and the Yang Scroll cultivation technique, even the sect leader might become uneasy.

Hua Nongying took his arm and said softly, "Hanlang, let's go back too."

Li Hanshan nodded, and together with Hua Nongying and Yun Shuyue, he summoned his flying sword and flew towards the cave.

Behind me, the crowd in the square gradually dispersed, leaving the platform empty, with only the night wind still blowing.

Three months later, the Hehuan Sect will unleash a bloody storm.