Free Web NovelChapter 359: Chapter 212: Escalating
He pushed the thoughts aside.
...
After being stranded at Snow Dragon Pass for half a month, the fleet finally set off again.
Upon their safe return to Changchun Immortal City, Array Masters who had long been waiting immediately boarded the ship. They began repairing the Flying Ship’s Array Prohibitions, a task estimated to take at least three to five months.
The Flying Ship Lü Zhong had captured would take even longer—a conservative estimate put the repairs at half a year.
The repairs cost hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones, but it was still a massive profit. A hundred-zhang Flying Ship was worth a fortune, to say nothing of a War Flying Ship, which started at a minimum of five hundred thousand Spirit Stones.
Changchun Valley also sent over a reward of Pills and Spirit Stones, valued at tens of thousands of Spirit Stones.
All in all, the trip had been incredibly profitable.
He took advantage of the free time to return to Lintao Pavilion.
The days passed, one by one.
The flames of war burned hotter and hotter, showing no signs of stopping.
Both sides, fighting over the Spirit Stone Mine, went all out and suffered massive casualties. The daily list of the fallen posted on the Changchun Street notice boards was at least in the triple digits.
Most were hired Loose Cultivators or cultivators from families and Sects affiliated with Changchun Valley. A smaller portion consisted of Changchun Valley’s own disciples.
During this period, Changchun Immortal City also suffered attacks.
Several large workshops were blown sky-high, and their Masters all suffered heavy losses. The Dongbu Alchemy Workshop was among them, sustaining the most damage; it was said to have been nearly razed to the ground.
If things were like this inside the Immortal City, the situation outside was even worse.
Resource production sites were attacked one after another.
Some successfully repelled the attacks, while others were burned to the ground.
In this climate, even the Chengde Commerce Association suffered losses; two of its farming estates were razed.
In the courtyard, Lü Zhong was having tea with Yu Feng’Er.
"Husband, if this keeps up, do you think it will escalate into a war between two domains?" Yu Feng’Er asked, her eyes filled with worry.
Lü Zhong shared her concern. A war between two domains was no laughing matter.
The previous War of the Three Sects had seen the deaths of tens of thousands of cultivators and a thousand times as many mortals. The devastation was beyond description. If the Nascent Soul Sects truly went to all-out war, the conflict would likely engulf the entire Southern Barbarian region.
In such a situation, cultivating in peace would be impossible.
"Let’s hope things don’t get that bad," Lü Zhong replied after a moment of thought.
The entire war had started over a single Spirit Stone Mine.
’Logically, it shouldn’t have escalated to this point.’
"I really don’t know what those True Monarchs are thinking."
A True Monarch’s will was the Sect’s will.
As long as the Nascent Soul True Monarchs controlling the Sects wanted to fight, their war machines could only press forward. They would either crush their opponents or be shattered themselves; there was no possibility of putting on the brakes.
...
「Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.」
The repairs on the Flying Ship were progressing more slowly than expected.
The work would not be finished until the next day.
During this time, Lü Zhong had finished refining the Thunder Stone.
His Wood Thunder Skill had improved significantly, allowing him to condense powerful Wood Thunder Talismans.
The war continued to escalate, with both sides pouring in more resources.
The dead cultivators became mere numbers. The list included not only Qi Refining cultivators but also Foundation Establishment True Cultivators. Even Core Formation Cultivators occasionally appeared on it. The list grew longer by the day.
Lü Zhong couldn’t help but feel relieved. His earlier judgment had been correct, allowing him to avoid the most intense period of fighting.
But the thought of having to set out again soon still filled him with unease.
From what he knew, an increasing number of Flying Ship fleets were being ambushed, and it wasn’t uncommon for a Flying Ship to be shot down and destroyed.
’Setting out under these circumstances really isn’t a good idea.’
"Ningwu Market..."
That was the fleet’s next destination.
Ningwu Market was located in the southwest of the Changchun Domain. It was a Small Workshop Market at the junction of three domains, perennially shrouded in thick fog. A distress call had arrived from there today, claiming they were besieged by an Allied Army that had appeared out of nowhere.
The fleet’s mission was not only to transport reinforcements but also to stay and assist in the defense for one year.
’Assist in the defense... I hope nothing goes wrong,’ Lü Zhong thought.
Early the next morning, he arrived at the pier.
The Flying Ship, once blackened by smoke and fire, had been repainted and looked brand new. Its damaged Array Prohibitions, repaired by the hands of the Array Masters, were now fully restored.
There were many new faces among the crew, a clear sign that many from the last trip had been left forever at Snow Dragon Pass.
His gaze swept over Fang Kuanhong and Jie Yu. Those two had been "incredibly busy" during this time, frequently contacting Allied Army spies who had infiltrated the city. After Lü Zhong reported the matter to Changchun Valley, they decided to let him simply observe while a newly dispatched Foundation Establishment cultivator from the valley handled the surveillance.
The man’s name was Fang Qing. He had a sinister face and looked like the kind of person who specialized in dirty work.
Lü Zhong had interacted with Fang Qing a few times and always felt the man was like a venomous snake, ready to strike and devour someone.
’If I get the chance, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to ’accidentally’ injure him.’
’Having him around all the time is truly unbearable.’
Once the supplies were replenished, the fleet slowly ascended into the sky.
Lü Zhong waved goodbye to Yu Feng’Er. That silly woman was still a handful, even after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage. Imagine, a dignified Foundation Establishment True Cultivator crying her eyes out.
He could only send her a telepathic message, telling her not to worry and that he would be back soon.
...
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Magic Skills exploded in mid-air one after another.
Two days after setting out, the fleet encountered a flock of Storm Eagles.
These feathered beasts were extremely territorial; the fleet was attacked the moment it entered their range.
Led by a Tier Three Storm Eagle King, the massive flock launched a fierce assault on the fleet, spitting out wind blades as dense as rain.
The cultivators fought back, unleashing streams of Magic Skills.
The flock’s assault only ceased once the fleet had completely left the Storm Eagle Territory.
A peaceful leg of the journey followed.
The fleet flew above a sea of clouds, and the clear, crisp air was refreshing.
