Free Web NovelChapter 243: War
After Li Qingshan, Li Hanqiu, and Yaoguang had presided over the meeting, the entire Nine Cauldrons Sect swiftly mobilized.
In the decade following the end of the East Sea's war, everyone had known that the sect had entered a rare period of peaceful development.
Even in daily life, people had clearly felt the sect's internal transformation. For instance, once-expensive hovercars had entered ordinary households, and almost everyone could afford one.
Flying swords at the refined artifact level, once worth millions and reserved for high-tier cultivators or wealthy middle-tier cultivators, no longer remained exclusive. Even ordinary middle-tier cultivators could grit their teeth and purchase one.
The prices of low-level pills required for cultivation had rapidly declined.
Arrays such as the Clarity Array, the Spirit-Stimulating Array, and the Psyche-Concentrating Array, which once required enormous sums for a single use, had seen their entry barriers greatly reduced.
Somewhat well-off middle-class cultivators had even been able to inscribe these arrays directly into their own courtyards, enjoying the benefits at all times. This had ensured that both they and their children could quickly complete early- and mid-stage cultivation.
As for the wealthy class, it went without saying. A small villa equipped with a full set of basic cultivation arrays and defensive arrays had already become standard.
These changes in daily life had made every member of the Nine Cauldrons Sect aware that the sect had been improving.
However, just how far it had improved and what level it had reached on a global scale remained unclear to most.
There had been some data circulating within the Void Psychic World, but its reliability had always been questionable.
Under such circumstances, when the Nine Cauldrons Sect officially released its performance report for the past decade, stating that more than 1,200,000,000 individuals had developed spiritual consciousness and that total spirit stone production had reached 464,100,000, the entire sect erupted in shock.
When enthusiasts compiled a global comparison table of spirit stone production across all nations and factions, the entire sect was thrown into complete frenzy.
An output of 464,100,000 spirit stones placed them just below the Infinite Star Palace at 821,100,000 and the Immortal Alliance at 625,800,000! Below them, the Thousand-Beast Sect, the Lunar Sect, the Dharma Heaven Pavilion, and the Golden Temple produced at most four hundred million spirit stones per year.
Although some large sects had also reached comparable levels, not a single one surpassed the Nine Cauldrons Sect. The Nine Cauldrons Sect had truly become the third-largest economic power in the world!
For a time, unprecedented pride filled the hearts of all its members.
Shortly after the data had been released, the Nine Cauldrons Sect announced another shocking piece of news. In three months, it would hold a grand military parade. The scale and the number of participants would be announced one month later.
All the Sky Patrol Warships produced by the Nine Cauldrons Sect would be unveiled at the parade. As for their performance and total number, they asked the world to wait and see.
This announcement once again sparked intense discussion across the Void Psychic World. Everyone was speculating just how many Sky Patrol Warships the Nine Cauldrons Sect would reveal this time.
Meanwhile, surrounding factions on the Heavenly Star Continent, including the Great Sun Sword Sect, the First Yang Sect, the Brahma Divine Kingdom, the Star Sea Sect, the Ancient Immortal Sect, the Xuanming Sect, and the Dayue Dynasty, all convened emergency meetings upon hearing the news.
The reaction had been especially intense within the Great Sun Sword Sect.
Not long ago, in the intelligence they had submitted to the Infinite Star Palace, they had estimated the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s spirit stone production.
Even at their most optimistic, they had only guessed four hundred million. Many had believed that three hundred million would have been more reasonable. Yet no one had expected the actual figure to exceed even their highest estimate.
Within the Great Sun Sword Sect, core figures such as Chi Songzi, Teng Ye, Bai Shi, along with several other hall masters, had gathered under the summons of Sect Master Long Zechuan, engaging in intense discussion.
"Spirit stones represent a sect’s foundation and productivity. Only with sufficient spirit stones can arrays be maintained, cultivation environments improved, and valuable resources purchased. With the Nine Cauldrons Sect reaching 464,100,000 in production, their internal development cannot possibly be weak! Their military strength might be even more terrifying than we imagined!"
"And that figure doesn’t just represent future potential. It proves that their spirit-gathering array technology has achieved a breakthrough. These advancements mean they have likely reached the world’s leading standards!"
"If their spirit-gathering arrays have truly advanced, that’s extraordinary. Doesn’t that mean they have a powerful array grandmaster?! The complexity of such arrays is well known. What level could this grandmaster be? Level 7? Level 8? Or even level 9?!"
"It can't be level 9. Even the Infinite Star Palace only has level 8 array grandmasters at best. No matter how strong the Nine Cauldrons Sect is, it cannot surpass them."
"Even a level 8 array grandmaster stands at the pinnacle of the world. Only the Thousand-Beast Sect, the Lunar Sect, and the Infinite Star Palace possess a few such figures. Not even the Immortal Alliance has one. Take the Infinite Star Palace, for example: their Twelve-Divine-Pillar Grand Array can block star-god-level and divine-beast-level attacks, and moreso the attacks of any Sky Patrol Warship!"
"The reason the Infinite Star Palace can manufacture fourth-generation warships is precisely due to top-tier array techniques. If the Nine Cauldrons Sect also has a level 8 array grandmaster, then... Could the rumors that they have already produced fourth-generation warships be true?"
The discussion continued endlessly.
As their reasoning was further refined through debate, a vague idea of the true strength of the Nine Cauldrons Sect gradually took shape in their minds.
Only at that moment did they realize how powerful the Nine Cauldrons Sect had already grown. It was far beyond all their previous expectations.
For a moment, the room went completely quiet. When the Garrison Hall Master concluded from multiple lines of analysis that the Nine Cauldrons Sect had likely already produced fourth-generation Sky Patrol Warships, everyone was rendered speechless.
"Why has everyone gone silent?" Long Zechuan swept his gaze coldly across the room. "Have you realized that the Nine Cauldrons Sect already possesses one Sky Patrol Warship purchased from the Thousand-Beast Sect, along with our Spring Rain, Vajra, the Longxiang built in imitation of the Vajra, the Jizhou, the Qingzhou, the Yangzhou, the Xuzhou, and the soon-to-be-completed fourth-generation Shenzhou... A total of nine warships?"
His tone grew heavier. "Have you realized that our mighty Great Sun Sword Sect has, without even noticing, already been surpassed? We haven't been surpassed only in terms of top-tier combat strength or battle institutes, but even in the number of Sky Patrol Warships we pride ourselves on! After all, in the past few years, we have only produced two new warships, bringing our total to six."
After a long silence, the Garrison Hall Master finally spoke. "The Infinite Star Palace will not let them go. They have already withdrawn from the Black Flame Continent. Their next goal will inevitably be to unify the Great Cangwu World, and they may use every means short of Golden Core Realm power to force that unification."
Long Zechuan glared at him, wanting to rebuke him. Are you saying that the mighty Great Sun Sword Sect can only fully depend on the Infinite Star Palace now?
But, before he could speak, another hall master added, "Time is running out. The agreement made by those great figures who went to the North Sea Star was said to last a hundred years, but that number was never exact. It could come ten years earlier, or ten years later. In other words, the situation in the Great Cangwu World may become clear in as little as ten years."
"We no longer have the chance to become the hegemon of the Heavenly Star Continent. If we cannot secure sufficient influence in the future Cangwu Alliance Council, it would be better to choose a strong backer in advance..."
"Aligning ourselves with the Infinite Star Palace may indeed be the best option. If we decide early, we might even secure an important seat in the future council they will lead."
One hall master after another voiced their opinions.
These words abruptly choked back what Long Zechuan had almost blurted out. A sudden wave of irritation had risen within him earlier. He had felt as though every hall master in the sect was a fool. But soon he calmed down and realized the source of his irritation was his feeling of complete powerlessness.
Deep down, he knew that there was nothing he could do. And because nothing could be done, he felt that way. The Nine Cauldrons Sect had already grown strong enough to surpass the Great Sun Sword Sect, without anyone realizing it.
After a long silence, he said with a trace of dejection, "Then ask the Infinite Star Palace and see what countermeasures they have."
"Yes," the hall masters answered promptly.
***
They did not need to ask. The moment the Infinite Star Palace received the public data, it immediately held a meeting.
Soon, the Golden Core cultivators reached a consensus. They needed to suppress the rise of the Nine Cauldrons Sect.
However, the lesson of the Black Feather Sect made them realize that, with the Thousand-Beast Sect watching closely, taking action against the Nine Cauldrons Sect would likely lead to another stalemate.
Therefore, before suppressing the Nine Cauldrons Sect, they had to first restrain the Thousand-Beast Sect and prevent it from interfering.
After some discussion, the Golden Core members quickly issued an order to the current palace master, Chuan Yunhai. Immediately after, Chuan Yunhai paid a three-day visit to the Immortal Alliance.
No one knew what he discussed with the eight great families of the Immortal Alliance, nor what agreements they reached.
People only knew that less than half a month after this visit, the Witch Sect, located next to the Thousand-Beast Sect, more precisely within fifteen thousand kilometers of its headquarters, suddenly announced that it would hold a meeting to discuss joining the Immortal Alliance as its ninth "family."
The Witch Sect stretched across a long, narrow region, and at its closest point, its border was less than fifteen thousand kilometers from the headquarters of the Thousand-Beast Sect.
Once it joined the Immortal Alliance, the alliance, which had long opposed the Thousand-Beast Sect, would have effectively moved right up to the Thousand-Beast Sect's doorstep.
At that point, as long as they fortified the Witch Sect’s borders, deployed large-scale arrays, and stockpiled supplies, the Immortal Alliance could wage war directly in the core territory of the Thousand-Beast Sect. The Thousand-Beast Sect would fall into a passive position like never before.
For this reason, the Thousand-Beast Sect strongly opposed it. But the Witch Sect remained determined to join the Immortal Alliance, and its attitude did not waver.
Thus, in less than half a month, the situation across the continent changed drastically. The Thousand-Beast Sect, a massive force that had only rested for a little over ten years, began to move again.
A war broke out. Although it officially targeted the Witch Sect, it was actually against the Immortal Alliance and the Infinite Star Palace, which had deliberately provoked it.
