Chapter 454: Who's in charge?

Surprise attack on the rear of the sea clan.

That is indeed a good direction.

After all, the sea clan relies on the Endless Sea; facing human cultivators, they basically have no rear worries; even under all‑round pressure, the human side's pressure is not small.

If we can contain the sea clan's rear, preventing them from launching large‑scale attacks, once the human cultivators figure out how to deal with the Dragon Fish Vast Sea Grand Formation, the sea clan will not be hard to handle.

As for saying.

The sea clan has hidden in the Endless Sea for so many years; finding their lair is actually not that difficult.

Originally, the sea clan's lair couldn't be found because they rarely appeared and posed little threat to human cultivators; even if their lair were found, it would surely be full of powerful sea clan members, so storming it would be no different from suicide.

But now, with so many sea clan cultivators pouring out, Fourth‑Level sea clan cultivators are tough to deal with, yet capturing a few Third‑Level ones is still not difficult.

As long as we lightly search their souls or give them a strict interrogation, we can always learn the true location of the sea clan's lair.

This surprise attack might possibly be discovered in advance by the sea clan.

"Speaking of which, you should actually pay more attention to another matter." Wuxiang Jianjun suddenly reminded.

However, we cannot therefore think the sea clan's lair has become a place we can come and go as we please.

Yunhe gave a slight nod.

Fortunately.

Then the person in charge of the sea clan battlefield would likely be Huangquan Laozu and Yunhe alone.

"Indeed, strength is the key to winning everything."

"Vermilion Bird Secret Realm."

To put it bluntly.

Wuxiang Jianjun took a sip of wine, some liquor still on his disheveled beard; he didn't care about his image and casually wiped it off, then continued:

That's why we need frontline human cultivators to restrain, disrupt, or even hold them.

Wuxiang Jianjun said via voice transmission.

But no matter how you say it.

"Looks like I've been found out." Yunhe let out a helpless laugh.

As long as it's not excessive, isn't it just a matter of his word?

Even without merit, I believe many forces would be willing to establish some connection with him, even to owe him a favor or half a favor.

Exactly.

This also made him sigh inwardly.

Wuxiang Jianjun expressed his attitude; he will be the leader of this surprise attack.

"Moreover, not long ago you beat Qilin Changlan badly; the sea clan surely now fears our side on the East Sea Coast, giving us time to make multiple preparations."

"Vermilion Bird True Venerable?" Yunhe narrowed his eyes.

But if we get deep into the sea clan's rear and are blocked by reinforcements, we'd truly not know which way to run.

Although he is not yet a Late‑Nascent‑Soul cultivator, after his battle with Qilin Changlan his strength has gained recognition.

"What is it?"

Although most of the sea clan's power may be used on the current battlefield, it doesn't mean they have no defenses for their lair.

Since the sea clan can so clearly learn that human cultivators have gathered in Hundred Li City, it shows that the Vast Sea Spirit Turtle and Ten Thousand Sea Forest are not isolated cases; the human side still has someone with an unclear connection to the sea clan.

Seeing Yunhe puzzled, he then smacked his lips and said:

Even if he cannot compare to Xuandu Daoren or Wuxiang Jianjun, he still has considerable influence in the Human Cultivator Alliance, barely qualifying as half a "decision‑maker".

If he were ambushed or surrounded by the sea clan on the front line, it would be dangerous, but at least the escape direction and goal would be clear.

Compared with sneaking into the sea clan's rear, the front line is definitely safer.

"By the way, I happen to need a batch of supplies; does blocking Qilin Changlan's surprise attack count as merit?" Yunhe asked again via divine sense.

Moreover.

Upon hearing this, Yunhe froze.

But then.

Considering Huangquan Laozu's possible ties to the Heavenly Corpse Gu and his faint hostility toward him, Yunhe felt especially troubled.

"However, there's no need to worry for now. The sea clan has just swallowed the Yuan Kingdom and other coastal states; stabilizing these territories will certainly take considerable time."

He also couldn't immediately adapt to the change in his status.

"What do you think—who's in charge now?"

He then slowly reacted.

Upon hearing that, Wuxiang Jianjun turned sideways, showed a strange expression, and even gave the look of looking at a fool.

A surprise attack on the sea clan's rear is certainly a very risky venture; therefore, upon hearing Wuxiang Jianjun's words, Yunhe immediately declared he would not participate in this surprise attack.

"That's true."

"It's said that someone mistakenly entered a place in the Southern Border and, after escaping with great difficulty, very likely it was the Vermilion Bird Secret Realm."

"Southern Border? Has it appeared in the present world?"

As for the Vermilion Bird Secret Realm, Yunhe has always paid attention to it.

After all, in this cultivation world, the Nascent Soul level is already considered top‑tier, but the true ultimate limit remains the God Transformation realm.

Moreover, if one's cultivation base wishes to continue advancing, the only way is to break through God Transformation and then ascend to the Upper Realm.

But let alone ascending to the Upper Realm, just breaking through God Transformation is already a huge problem.

Like Sheng Banzi of the Hundred Dawn Tower, who had already reached Late Nascent Soul hundreds of years ago, he left the Hundred Dawn Tower in search of a method to break through God Transformation, yet to this day there's been no word of his success.

According to Yunhe's understanding, in the Eastern Border cultivation world, over the past few centuries no one seems to have broken through God Transformation, let alone ascended to the Upper Realm.

This shows how difficult it is to break through God Transformation.

Moreover, the "Vermilion Bird Secret Realm" is the cave-abode secret realm left behind by the God Transformation cultivator "Vermilion Bird True Sovereign", and it is very likely that there is a method, or even an opportunity, to break through to God Transformation inside.

All Yuan Ying cultivators in the entire Eastern Border cultivation world, not just the Formless Sword Lord, Mysterious Void Daoist, and other late Yuan Ying cultivators, almost all want to enter it to investigate.

If the "Vermilion Bird Secret Realm" truly appears in the world, one can imagine how great an impact it would have on the entire Eastern Border cultivation world.

The Formless Sword Lord shook his head.

"It cannot be certain, but it has already attracted attention from many sides; I believe that in the near future there may be results."

"To enter the 'Vermilion Bird Secret Realm' one must have the 'Southern Ming Vermilion Bird Token'; therefore, even if someone else finds it first, there is no need to rush."

However, the "Vermilion Bird Secret Realm" is in the Southern Frontier, which inevitably reminds Yunhe of some things.

"I will have the Hundred Dawn Pavilion pay more attention." Yunhe said.

"That will do."

Because of Yunhe's arrival, the plan that had originally been hesitant about implementing a "surprise attack on the Sea Clan rear" was quickly approved.

This plan was known only to the cultivators present at the time; if the Sea Clan also learned of it, that would indicate that among those present cultivators, there still existed someone in contact with the Sea Clan.

And Yunhe and Old Ancestor Huangquan simply "divided" their respective defense lines.

Yunhe stationed himself at the Ice Immortal Pavilion, thus taking charge of the two major coastal regions of Wu State and Yue State; Old Ancestor Huangquan stationed himself at Xian State, also taking charge of Qi State to the south of Xian State, barely guaranteeing the stability of the human cultivators' defense line against the Sea Clan.

After obtaining two stalks of the "Three-Headed Insect Venom Grass", Yunhe did not stay long in Bai Li City, but instead returned once more to the Wu State Ice Immortal Pavilion.

Together with him were the Purple Robe True Lord, Guang Chengzi, the King of Jinling, and the Precept Elder of the Tai Xuan Zhengyi Sect—Zhai Fu Daoist—making a total of four mid Yuan Ying cultivators!

Furthermore, adding the "Binding Tiger Daoist" Zhang Ding Tian, who had already arrived at the Ice Immortal Pavilion earlier, and Yunhe himself.

Within the Ice Immortal Pavilion, a full six mid Yuan Ying cultivators had gathered!

However,

Because Yunhe still needed to look after Yue State, he assigned Guang Chengzi, the King of Jinling, and Zhai Fu Daoist to Yue State.

Given the distance between the two states, if anything happened in Yue State, they could rush there immediately.

Originally, according to Yunhe's intention, he naturally hoped to keep Guang Chengzi, who had a relatively closer relationship with him, in Yue State.

However, the King of Jinling, Zhai Fu Daoist, and Zhang Ding Tian are not skilled in formations, while Guang Chengzi and he are considered fairly renowned formation masters; therefore, only Guang Chengzi could be assigned to Yue State, to arrange and organize the formations within Yue State.

Zhang Ding Tian had long been ordered to garrison the Ice Immortal Pavilion; although Yunhe said their statuses had created some disparity, after all he was merely a mid Yuan Ying cultivator—capable of directing one or two, but issuing orders would be going too far.

Moreover, his feelings toward Zhang Ding Tian and the four major merchant alliances behind him were still decent, so there was no need to cause trouble for others.

As for the Purple Robe True Lord,

Yunhe is still fairly familiar with this person; they have also experienced danger together, making him someone Yunhe trusts relatively well, and his combat ability is also quite formidable, so he naturally kept him nearby.

According to the Formless Sword Lord, although the Purple Robe True Lord had previously shattered his own natal magic treasure, he fortuitously obtained the Formless Sword Sect's "Heart Sword Inheritance"; his strength not only did not suffer a major decline, but actually increased considerably.

Considering the Ice Snow Pavilion now has Yunhe, the Purple Robe True Lord, the Binding Tiger Daoist Zhang Ding Tian, the Cold Sword True Lord, the Crouching Dragon Senior, and several early Yuan Ying cultivators from various places in the Eastern Border who came to earn merit and treasures, the Ice Snow Pavilion's combat power is absolutely extravagant.

If the Azure Scale Long Wave dares to come alone again this time, Yunhe even has confidence to join forces with the others and drive it completely out of the Ice Snow Pavilion!

Of course, besides Yuan Ying-level cultivators, there are naturally many Jie Dan and Foundation Establishment cultivators as well.

With such strength, unless the Sea Clan launches a major invasion, even Yunhe does not need to step forward; the Purple Robe True Lord and the others can resolve the vast majority of troubles.

Originally, intelligence gathering within Wu State was handled by Wan Hai Lin and his disciples of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, along with spirit beasts.

After the Vast Sea Spirit Turtle and Wan Hai Lin were dealt with by Yunhe, the intelligence of Wu State and Yue State was handed over to the Hundred Dawn Pavilion and its cultivators.

Regarding this, neither Guang Chengzi, Ji Liuyun, et al., nor the cultivators of the Hundred Dawn Pavilion had any complaints or dissatisfaction.

Now, who is the cultivator who controls nearly half of the strength of the human cultivators on the Eastern Coast?

It is the elder of their Hundred Dawn Pavilion, the Old Devil Yun who can resist late Fourth Level with mid Yuan Ying cultivation without yielding, Yunhe!

The cultivators of the Hundred Dawn Pavilion now go out with their backs straighter.

As for the cultivators of the other forces, their attitude when facing them has improved who knows how much.

Actually, it's not just the Hundred Dawn Pavilion's cultivators.

The disciples of the Ice Immortal Pavilion are the same.

Originally, before Yunhe arrived, the disciples of the Ice Immortal Pavilion, when faced with the influx of foreign cultivators into the pavilion, especially those with bad tempers who were hard to get along with, mostly chose to yield and avoid.

After all, most of them had survived from the battlefield, and whether in cultivation base or strength, they were quite formidable.

But nowadays, there is no need for the Ice Immortal Pavilion disciples to do anything; those earlier cultivators have all restrained their tempers, and when facing the Ice Immortal Pavilion disciples, they are also very courteous, greeting with smiles.

To say that a Foundation Establishment disciple of the Ice Immortal Pavilion is equivalent to a Jie Dan cultivator is a bit of an exaggeration, but if an early Jie Dan disciple of the Ice Immortal Pavilion encounters an outside late Jie Dan cultivator, their standings are practically equal.

This is the influence brought by Yunhe.

The main manifestation of this is in some markets and exchange gatherings.

Although the battlefield is frightening, with so many cultivators gathering, it will inevitably gradually form small markets or rather secret exchange gatherings.

And in these markets, the status of the Ice Immortal Pavilion disciples and the Hundred Dawn Pavilion cultivators becomes especially distinctive.

They also experienced for the first time the treatment afforded to disciples of the Tai Xuan Zhengyi Sect and the Formless Sword Sect when they are abroad.

Besides this, it is also manifested on the battlefield at the border between Wu State and Yuan State.

Although large-scale battles hardly ever break out, small-scale collisions still occur continuously.

This is not merely due to the contradictions between the two sides, but more because each side has its own "needs".

Cultivators of all levels rush to the battlefield; aside from the local cultivators around Yuan and Wu States, most are there to earn merit and resources.

Obviously, the absence of warfare is not what these cultivators wish for.

Even though it is dangerous, which cultivator has not grown through repeated dangers?

The Sea Clan side is the same.

Therefore, in these small-scale collisions and frictions, the disciples of the Ice Immortal Pavilion and the Hundred Dawn Pavilion, as long as their strength is sufficient, can mostly assume some important duties.

However, these have no effect on Yunhe.

He returned to the Ice Immortal Pavilion, gave some instructions to Immortal Lady Binggui, and then went back to his cave for closed-door cultivation.

This is the state of most Yuan Ying cultivators; when there is no need to appear, the Yuan Ying cultivators stationed in Wu State all enter their caves for closed-door cultivation, to increase their strength or recover their condition.

With Yunhe's presence, the cultivators who had been somewhat worried also calmed down and continued their cultivation.

Almost there.

Putting down the Jade Slip, Yunhe exhaled lightly, closed his eyes, after a simple breath adjustment, he then took out the Hundred Birds Embracing the Elixir Cauldron.

He prepared to refine the Nurturing Gu Pill.

In the Yao Shou Shijie, the condition of the Corpse Soul Gu was not good.

Whether it was the Heavenly Gu Ancestor's soul or the Heavenly Corpse Gu's divine soul, or the Heavenly Corpse Gu's physical body, for the current stage Corpse Soul Gu, the level was too high.

The Heavenly Gu Ancestor had been a Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivator thousands of years ago; the Heavenly Corpse Gu could render even the Heavenly Gu Ancestor unable to cope, showing that it must have reached at least the Fourth Level Mid Stage, or even the Fourth Level Late Stage. Although Yunhe's Corpse Soul Gu had also broken through to the Fourth Level, it could only be considered Fourth Level Early Stage, and the pressure from the Heavenly Corpse Gu's physical body and the Heavenly Gu Ancestor's soul was immense.

Not to mention the influence of the Heavenly Corpse Gu on the Corpse Soul Gu.

Therefore, the Heavenly Corpse Gu urgently needed the Nurturing Gu Pill to make up for its deficiencies, using the pill's power to 'digest' those two massive energies.

Yunhe cast a hand seal, pouring Infant Fire into the elixir cauldron.

He began refining the elixir.

(End of Chapter)