Chapter 35: Will We Win?
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Xiao Rang spoke, recounting Lin Heng’s plan to turn the enemy’s scheme against them and wipe out every attacker in a single stroke.
He then began assigning tasks.
“Since the mastermind intends to lure away the experts stationed at our mountain gate, let us grant them what they want. Starting today, dispatch numerous experts down the mountain.”
“The five rats hiding within the territories of the five vassal states, as well as the local tyrants attacking our merchant caravans and industries in Frost City and Starry Valley—strike them all with overwhelming force and exterminate them in one sweep.”
“This matter will be handled by the Elder of Law Enforcement.”
Xiao Rang looked at Li Yan and issued his order.
“I shall obey the Sect Master’s command.”
Li Yan cupped his fists in reply, excitement showing on his face.
He had previously proposed withdrawing their experts and turning a blind eye to the evil outsiders, but that had merely been forced by circumstances.
Deep down, he naturally believed that sending every one of those evil figures to the underworld would be the best outcome.
Xiao Rang’s order now suited him perfectly.
“Elder of Transmission, you will be responsible for contacting those experts who left the sect many years ago and have since cultivated in seclusion. You may be generous. Promise them benefits and blessings for their descendants. Whether our Cloud Sword Palace can become the strongest power in Mist Province may depend on this single endeavor.”
Xiao Rang then issued another instruction.
Most of those experts who had left the sect years ago and lived in seclusion were already advanced in age, with little life left to them.
Normally, for the sake of prolonging their lives, they would no longer take action. But this opportunity was rare. They would have to drag their aging bodies out one last time and let them shine for the sect.
Perhaps after such a fierce battle, they would either die in combat or perish from old age.
Yet for the sake of their descendants, and for the sake of making their sect the strongest in the land, they would surely not mind risking everything.
“I shall obey the Sect Master’s command.”
Jin Ming cupped his fists in reply, excitement likewise evident on his face.
As the Elder of Transmission, he was responsible for educating the younger disciples. Whenever an expert of the sect earned merit, it was he who taught them the sect’s profound martial arts. Entrusting him with this task was entirely appropriate.
“As for the rest of you elders, contact any experts from the neutral faction whom you know, doing so as discreetly as possible.”
“From here on, I will coordinate everything and gather supplies, making all logistical preparations for the great battle.”
At last, Xiao Rang looked around at everyone and slowly gave his final order.
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“We shall obey.”
All the elders answered with excitement.
Their honor, disgrace, success, and failure would be decided in this one endeavor. Even Zhang Ya, ordinarily the calmest and most indifferent among them, felt a rare surge of passion at that moment.
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Time passed, and undercurrents surged.
In an unnamed stretch of barren mountains a hundred kilometers from the mountain gate of Cloud Sword Palace, two old men with hair and beards as white as snow were playing chess.
“It seems that Lin Heng will not be sneaking down the mountain after all.”
One of the old men pondered for a long while before placing a piece. His voice carried a hint of regret.
He was Feng Yue, a Grandmaster of Starry Valley. He had devoted his entire life to cultivating the Starry Valley’s inherited Astral Conception, which allowed him to observe the stars, predict fortune and misfortune, and perform divinations. With the aid of the starlight that existed everywhere, his perceptive abilities had become astonishingly powerful.
Although this place was far from the mountain gate of Cloud Sword Palace, he could still vaguely sense whether any Grandmaster-level expert had departed from its vicinity. Moreover, by the aura of those Grandmasters, he could distinguish their identities.
He could not perceive any further details, but that was enough. All they needed to confirm was whether Lin Heng was still within the mountain gate of Cloud Sword Palace.
Feng Yue had been monitoring the place for more than a month, yet he still had not detected any sign of Lin Heng leaving.
“It does not matter. If Lin Heng does not leave, we will proceed according to the original plan.”
“New Year’s Eve is only three days away. So far, Cloud Sword Palace has noticed nothing amiss, and one-third of its experts have already been dispatched elsewhere.”
“When the time comes, we will first have those evil outsiders charge in and exhaust the inner strength of Cloud Sword Palace’s experts. Then we will strike and deliver the decisive blow, slaughtering all of them. Afterward, our Frost City can divide the world between us and your Starry Valley as planned.”
The other old man placed down a piece as well before speaking.
When he finished, this Grandmaster from Frost City, named Cang Chengyu, smoothly took over Feng Yue’s surveillance using his own Conception of Wind and Frost.
As its name suggested, the Conception of Wind and Frost was extraordinarily sensitive to changes in air currents and temperature.
Cang Chengyu watched the movements around the mountain gate of Cloud Sword Palace by distinguishing subtle changes in the airflow and temperature, preventing Lin Heng from slipping away while they were not paying attention.
“I hope so.”
Feng Yue glanced at his closed-eyed ally and let out a sigh.
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During the period that had passed, the sects behind the two men had made extensive preparations. First, disguising their identities, they contacted the five evil factions of the Anti-Cloud Sword Palace Alliance. Together with five unruly major powers from their own territories, they formed the Society for the Slaying of Heng.
After that, they assembled their forces, trained in the Three Powers Formation, and prepared to launch a direct assault on the mountain gate of Cloud Sword Palace.
The two of them had been assigned to monitor the mountain gate, preventing Lin Heng from fleeing ahead of time.
Everything had proceeded in an orderly fashion, and now the plan had finally reached its conclusion.
If all went smoothly, they could eliminate a group of unruly evil outsiders while also removing Cloud Sword Palace, their rival.
If they failed, the end awaiting them would be inevitable: either they would die now, or Cloud Sword Palace would settle accounts with them in the future.
But they had no choice. Even if they did nothing, they would still slowly perish like frogs boiled in warm water. Since that was the case, they might as well stake everything on one grand and glorious battle while they still had the chance.
Who knew what kind of ending this meticulously prepared plan would ultimately bring?
As his thoughts turned, Feng Yue quickly cast aside his distracting thoughts, quieted his mind, and began recovering from the energy he had expended.
In a while, he would have to take over from Cang Chengyu and resume monitoring the mountain gate of Cloud Sword Palace.
Watching from such a great distance was indeed discreet, and there was no chance of alerting the enemy. But the consumption was immense.
Even a Grandmaster found it difficult to endure. Only by taking turns could the two of them maintain uninterrupted surveillance.
The final three days passed without incident.
Because of the movements of Starry Valley and Frost City, another group of Cloud Sword Palace’s experts was dispatched across the region to suppress disturbances. All of its Innate Realm disciples, the backbone of the sect, had departed, while only half of its Grandmaster Realm experts remained.
The young disciples who had yet to reach the Innate Realm were also given leave before the New Year, returning home to visit their families and celebrate the festival.
Everything unfolded naturally. Cloud Sword Palace appeared to sense not the slightest danger, retaining the calm, composure, and grace befitting a sacred land of martial arts.
For a time, the entire Cloud Sword Palace grew unusually quiet. Its mountain gate, normally home to more than ten thousand people, now held only a few hundred.
Everything was proceeding according to plan—smoothly beyond expectation.
At that very moment, at the place a hundred kilometers from the mountain gate where the two Grandmasters had been keeping watch, numerous experts dressed in black gathered.
Starry Valley and Frost City had mobilized every available force. More than two thousand Grandmasters and over twenty Great Grandmasters assembled there.
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