A month, in the world of cultivators, passed in the blink of an eye. However, within Qingyue Sect and the entire Tianyu Kingdom, changes of earth-shattering magnitude had occurred!
Firstly, the gates of Qingyue Sect, after a decade, were reopened. All outer and inner disciples were once again allowed to venture into the world. Qingyue Sect even permitted outer disciples to join the Tianyu Kingdom's military, participating in the empire's power struggles!
Simultaneously, Qingyue Sect officially announced that its Sect Master had broken through the bottleneck of the Enlightenment Realm, achieving the True Human realm! Furthermore, in one month's time, the Sect Master would formally abdicate, becoming the first Grand Elder in the sect's history!
These two pieces of news from Qingyue Sect sent shockwaves through the entire secular world.
The Holy Land had explicitly forbidden all inner disciples of sects from participating in the power struggles of mortal kingdoms. Qingyue Sect's actions were undoubtedly a slap in the face to the Holy Land.
They couldn't fathom how Dongfang Dao, having merely broken through to the True Human realm, possessed the audacity to defy the Holy Land's decree. After all, True Human realm experts in the Holy Land numbered at least a thousand!
Thus, as soon as this news broke, the powers behind the surrounding ninth-tier sects immediately withdrew their influence. Some territories, even after being annexed by the Tianyu Empire, received no strong response, at most only verbal warnings.
It wasn't that they were afraid, but rather they were awaiting the Holy Land's reaction. The Mangtian tribe was not to be trifled with; they were inherently brutal and highly likely to slaughter the entire Qingyue Sect, perhaps even capturing and consuming all of humanity.
"Report, Sect Master, the twelfth affiliated sect has sent a plea for help, stating that their imperial territory has been annexed by the Tianyu Empire by one-third, with over two hundred thousand casualties among their people!"
Thousands of miles from Qingyue Sect, within a grand hall, an elder with a long, white beard sat at the head seat, listening calmly to the information relayed from below.
"Twelfth? That's one of our Kuimei tribe's ninth-tier sects, isn't it?" The elder raised his eyes slightly.
The Kuimei tribe, with its billions of people, possessed the Kuimei Sect, one of the three first-tier sects below the Holy Land. Under the Kuimei Sect were four fifth-tier sects and over forty eighth and ninth-tier sects.
This white-bearded elder was Su Yan, the Sect Master of the Northern Kuimei Sect, a fifth-tier sect, and also a core disciple of the Kuimei Sect.
"Replying to Sect Master, the twelfth is our Northern Kuimei Sect's direct affiliate." The subordinate lowered his head, not daring to meet Su Yan's gaze.
"Junior Sister Lin, what are the sect's instructions?" Su Yan pondered for a moment, then turned to a female cultivator seated below.
"Senior Brother Yan, the sect's intention is that the current Qingyue Sect is like a grasshopper in autumn. The entire world has been submerged under the Holy Land's pressure for too long. Qingyue Sect's emergence now is precisely an opportunity to test whether the Holy Land still possesses the methods it had a thousand years ago."
Junior Sister Lin sat regally, her green silk robes flowing like a water lily. Her alluring expression evoked a sense of longing.
Su Yan fell silent.
The sect's intent was to use their affiliated sects as a test, as the Holy Land had not made a move in a thousand years, and the three top-tier sects above were eager to act.
However, if the number of affiliated sects under his command decreased, the resources he turned in would also diminish, directly impacting his performance.
Despite his inner displeasure, he dared not show it. Even in this small fifth-tier sect, countless spies from other core disciples were watching him. A single misstep could lead to this coveted position falling into the hands of another.
"So we just watch, doing nothing?" Su Yan was unwilling.
"This is the sect's reply, they didn't elaborate further," Junior Sister Lin said indifferently.
"Very well, Elder Du, let our outer disciples join in as well. As soon as we see Qingyue Sect disciples making a move, we have no reason to hold back." Su Yan spoke, and while He Lin harbored no ill will towards him, she wasn't part of his faction.
In a fifth-tier sect, outer disciples generally possessed strength above the Spirit Refining realm, below the Golden Core. They were slightly stronger than eighth-tier sects, and their numbers were more than five times that of eighth-tier sects.
"Understood!" An elder stepped forward, clasped his hands, and departed.
"Sect Master, have you considered the consequences if your actions interfere with the Holy Land's judgment?" After Elder Du left, another elder stepped forward.
"Elder Xiao! You are our sect's inspector and concurrently the Grand Elder of our Northern Kuimei Sect. Currently, Qingyue Sect has only seized partial territories from two of our eighth and ninth-tier sects. Will they stop there? If two are taken, then the sect will be next. What about the resources we are to submit in six months?"
He gave his order first without a word, and then offered a post-hoc critique. Although this was the standard behavior of a seasoned veteran, Su Yan couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.
According to the usual practice, the Northern Kuimei Sect would collect resources from other affiliated sects in three months. The preceding period was allocated for over a dozen affiliated sects to gather them. If affiliated sects were taken by Qingyue Sect, their gathered resources would undoubtedly be plundered by Qingyue Sect.
In that case, the deficit in resources would have to be covered by the Northern Kuimei Sect. However, the Northern Kuimei Sect's resources were also limited. The resources of one or two affiliated sects were manageable; at most, the entire Northern Kuimei Sect would have to tighten its belt. But what if there were more?
"Sect Master, you are the Sect Master. I am merely an inspector dispatched by the main sect. Although I receive a salary as the Grand Elder here, I hold no authority in sect management. Therefore, if your decision proves wrong, you alone will bear the responsibility." Elder Xiao remained unfazed by Su Yan's anger, his face as calm as stagnant water.
"Very well! If there are any problems, I, Su Yan, will bear them all! Old Yan!"
"Sect Master!" An elder stepped forward.
"You are the elder responsible for the Mission Hall. I want you to issue a mission to all outer disciples. For every Qingyue Sect outer disciple killed on the battlefield, they will receive ten sect points!" Su Yan said sternly, his tone leaving no room for doubt, even carrying a hint of killing intent!
"Ten points for killing an outer disciple of an eighth-tier sect?! Su Yan, you've gone mad!" Elder Xiao, his face grim, watched Yan Zheng walk out of the hall and couldn't help but roar at Su Yan.
"Xiao Ren, do you know how much territory Qingyue Sect has truly seized from our Northern Kuimei Sect?" Su Yan stared intently at Elder Xiao, flipping his hand. A leaf floated in the air, shimmering with a faint glow.
"This is... a千里传书 (Qianli Chuanshu - message sent over a thousand miles)?" Xiao Ren's eyes narrowed. Even He Lin, who had been watching from the side, showed a hint of shock on her face.