At the summit of Heavenly Mountain.
A miserable-looking old man and a black-haired, star-eyed youth with a calm expression sat facing a chessboard.
Upon the board, the Eight Great Immortal Sects, the immortal sects, their various forces, Dao soldiers, armies, and territories were interlocked like dogs' teeth. Great legions faced one another, conflicts piled upon conflicts; war should have been ready to ignite at a touch, or at the very least, small-scale clashes should have constantly erupted.
Yet there were none.
For more than ten years, the realms had been terrifyingly peaceful. There had not been a single conflict along the borders, and every minor clash that should have occurred had swiftly been smoothed away by an Unknown Power.
This was understandable for the Eastern Extreme Demonic Sect. Its military discipline had always been strict.
But the Eight Great Immortal Sects were the same. They must have secretly executed some cultivators who spent all day stirring up trouble, ultimately creating this state of absolute tranquility.
"Something must have happened...
"...Something must have happened..."
Xu Yan, the black-haired, star-eyed youth, muttered to himself.
"Between the Nine Great Immortal Sects, some powerful tacit understanding has formed. An extremely powerful tacit understanding—powerful enough that even the habitually disorganized Eight Great Immortal Sects Cultivator would voluntarily sacrifice some of their own interests."
"Impossible!"
"...Selflessness... putting the greater picture first..."
"Heh. Could such words actually appear within the Eight Great Immortal Sects?"
His voice was full of mockery.
The surroundings were deathly silent. Wang Zhongdao, the miserable old man, said nothing.
A howling gale swept across the mountaintop, rolling up white clouds and scattering the sky. Sunlight poured directly down, bringing golden radiance that shifted with the rising sun and setting moon.
This scene had continued for decades.
After the Eastern Extreme Demonic Sect achieved