After the highest echelons of Meteor Island made their most crucial decision, the next step was to boost the morale of the disciples.
Facing a demon race that was almost insurmountably powerful, normal people would naturally feel some fear.
After all, a slow death is better than a quick one. In the face of certain death, how many people would willingly charge forward to their demise?
Therefore, it was imperative to make the vast majority of disciples profoundly understand that humans cannot merely live for the sake of living; life should have a more noble meaning.
When an entire race faces an existential crisis, retreating and clinging to life is shameful.
To sacrifice oneself for righteousness, to shed blood and sacrifice oneself for the fate of humanity, is glorious and worthy of everyone's respect.
Human nature is inherently selfish. When one or two people say such things, others will scoff, deeming them hypocritical or foolish.
But as more people begin to say and do the same, and as everyone around them espouses these ideals.
Most people, in order to appear to fit in, will conceal their true thoughts, gradually begin to doubt themselves, believing their own ideas might be wrong, and eventually be assimilated by the surrounding group.
Xiao Fei did the same. Over the years, Huang Feifei had been helping him train the guards, and they had now developed into a formidable private army.
Since it was a guard force he had cultivated with resources, ideological education was indispensable; every member's mental fortitude had to be up to par.
Otherwise, if he spent money and effort to train a group of experts, and one day they decided they didn't like him and stabbed him in the back, what use would these guards be?
Now, in order to inspire the fighting spirit of all the disciples of the Lu Sect, his guard force became the propaganda backbone, infiltrating the masses and continuously propagating the combat philosophy conveyed by Xiao Fei.
This mission was not particularly difficult. Many among them were cultivators who had once fought their way out of the Lu Kingdom.
As long as these cultivators were still alive, they had grown into key figures of Meteor Island, and they still harbored hopes of one day fighting their way back to their homeland.
Having experienced more hardships, they possessed more fighting spirit than the new generation.
With the drive of Xiao Fei's guard force and these veterans, Meteor Island quickly became united in spirit.
Everyone was eager to fight the demon race to the death.
Taking advantage of the current favorable sentiment, Meteor Island immediately organized the first batch of troops to set out for battle.
Since a confrontation with the demon race was inevitable, it was better to strike early and proactively, which would also allow them to rally some of the remaining human forces.
The first expeditionary force was comprised of the majority of Meteor Island's elite forces.
Including Xiao Fei, Huang Feifei, Zhu Yu, Ancestor Shangguan, Ji Wudi, and Elder Jiang, a total of six Nascent Soul realm powerhouses.
In addition, there were 80 Golden Core cultivators and several hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators.
It was best to achieve some victory in the first battle to better boost morale.
Before departing, Xiao Fei found Ying Xian, the former Crown Prince of Great Qin, who was temporarily residing on Meteor Island to recuperate. The two conversed in a private chamber for a long time.
It was unknown what kind of deal they struck, but Xiao Fei left with a flushed face, appearing quite satisfied.
"Young Master, how should we proceed on this journey? Please make a decision."
In a grand hall aboard the Flying Celestial Boat, all the Nascent Soul ancestors were present. Before any discussions began, Huang Feifei directly asked Xiao Fei to make the decision.
This angered Zhu Yu, who had been about to speak.
This foolish woman only had eyes for her scrawny young master, completely disregarding the many heroes present in the hall.
Although Zhu Yu grumbled inwardly, he did not voice any objections.
After all, with several mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators present, it was certainly not his turn, a mere early-stage cultivator, to take charge.
Moreover, Huang Feifei held the highest prestige on Meteor Island. Since she had spoken, what other opinions could others have?
"Since Feifei has brought it up, I will share my suggestion."
Upon hearing Huang Feifei's question, Xiao Fei did not decline or ask for others' opinions; instead, he directly stated his thoughts.
"My plan is for the Flying Celestial Boat to travel directly west, heading straight for Xiancheng, the former capital of Great Qin."
As Xiao Fei spoke, he projected a map of the Eastern Continent into the air and drew a line on it, pointing directly towards Xiancheng, the old capital of Great Qin.
"We will enter the Eastern Continent from the east coast and head west. Along the way, we will pass through several factions that have already pledged allegiance to the demon race.
Since you went to such lengths to return to Xiancheng, you must have another motive, right?"
Ancestor Shangguan had watched Xiao Fei grow up and was familiar with his nature of acting only when there was a benefit. Now that Xiao Fei was insisting on going to Xiancheng, he must have a hidden agenda.
"Hahaha... Those who know me best are Ancestor Shangguan!"
Xiao Fei laughed heartily, his gaze subtly flicking towards Zhu Yu, carrying a strong hint of threat.
"Little one, be careful, or one day I might even steal your woman."
Of course, this exchange of glances between him and Zhu Yu was only understood by the two of them.
"Indeed, my plan is to not only battle the demon race along the way and punish the factions that have betrayed humanity but also to pursue another objective."
Xiao Fei paused here and took a sip of water to moisten his slightly dry throat.
"As everyone should know, all the treasures that can aid in advancing to the Divine Transformation realm on the Eastern Continent are currently controlled by the Great Qin Dynasty.
My trip to Xiancheng, the former capital of Great Qin, is to find some opportunities related to Divine Transformation."
Everyone present was a Nascent Soul cultivator, and all of them yearned for Divine Transformation opportunities.
Upon hearing Xiao Fei's plan, no one objected any longer.
The Flying Celestial Boat, carrying everyone, quickly flew from the east coast onto the Eastern Continent. After flying for about another hour, they saw a group of demons pursuing a group of human cultivators.
The human cultivators fleeing ahead were with their families, and their cries of agony and fear continued along the way.
It was either parents unable to find their children or terrified screams of horror witnessing the tragic deaths of their parents and siblings.
The pursuing demons behind them traveled lightly, moving faster and more efficiently.
As they chased, they continuously let out whooping and howling sounds.
A black-scaled demon, moving as fast as the wind, was at the forefront of the demon horde. Opening its wide mouth, a long tongue shot out, coiling around a child of four or five years old, intending to drag it back.
"Dad! Save me!"
The child's father reacted quickly, turning back to hold his child tightly, his eyes wide, his legs grinding sparks on the ground.
"Abomination!"
Despite the child's father exerting all his strength, he and his child were still pulled towards the demon horde...
Such scenes were not uncommon on the battlefield at this moment. Human cultivators, after all, were born of parents and had wives and children. When fleeing, they could only support the elderly and carry the young, burdened by their families, making it difficult for many to run fast.
The demon race, on the other hand, had no attachments and was much faster overall. They captured human cultivators on the battlefield, regardless of gender or age, and never left any survivors alive.
Just as this group of demons was wantonly pursuing humans, they suddenly saw a colossal object flying towards them, resembling a castle in the sky.
At this moment, hundreds of energy cannon barrels, thicker than a thigh, simultaneously extended from the aerial castle.
Then, a dazzling array of light erupted, engulfing the entire group of demons.
For most of the demons, the end of their lives was marked by a blinding white light, followed by intense pain, and then nothing more; their consciousness plunged forever into the abyss of darkness.