Gathering

Ten!?

Gu Jinlai's pupils contracted. "Did you increase the scanning energy level?"

"It's been raised!"

Gu Chifeng nodded heavily.

"In other words..."

There are ten Nascent Spirit Transformation stage cultivators within the close-in weapon system's scanning range!?

Gu Jinlai immediately disembarked from the carriage and personally went to the close-in weapon system mounted on another carriage.

After operating the display screen for a moment, sure enough...

Ten red dots immediately came into view.

Of these ten red dots, six are scattered around, while four are clustered together.

"We haven't entered the city yet... we're still about sixty li away from the eastern city wall of Starlight City, aren't we?"

"Yes."

Gu Chifeng nodded.

General Xue Yue guards the border year-round. Although there are still experts in the army, they do not stay in the city because the military camp is located outside the city. There are nine Grand True Person of the Spirit Transformation stage in Starlight City.

The three ministers of Meteor Guard.

The Lineage four patriarchs.

The governor, Qi Zhongsheng, and his chief advisor, Wen Rulong.

But now, before the close-in weapon system has even scanned the entire city, its detection range has already been cleared by ten beams of light...

"Has Nie Shisan of the Nine Secrets Sword Sect and Ye Yiren of the Taihe Sword Sect arrived yet?"

This Gu Jinlai.

"The Nine Secrets Sword Sect and the Taihe Sword Sect are the two strongest sects in the north and south of Star Province. They are also the only two sects with Spirit Transformation Grand Cultivators in charge. They are confident in their status and will not show up until the Ten Mile Slope Grand Gathering officially begins."

Gu Chaoyang, who was standing to the side, spoke up to introduce the situation.

It's an unspoken rule that people with status and position appear last.

"Because we were rushing to Amakusa Pavilion to collect a debt, we arrived early. There are still six days before the grand event officially begins."

"So, where did these newly emerged Spirit Transformation cultivators come from?"

A sigh has been uttered Gu Jinlai.

Especially the area where the six red dots are clustered together.

This place is a residential area for ordinary people in Starlight City.

It's not far from the courtyard where Gu Jinlai used to live.

Four Nascent Spirit Transformation cultivators living in such a place?

If I said there was no problem, even a ghost wouldn't believe me.

"It seems that Star Province has cooperated with a certain force."

Gu Jinlai a moment's thought, he quickly recalled Xin Tianqi's recent trip to Longque Manor.

To outsiders, it seemed that Xin Tianqi was using the "Gu Jinlai" incident involving Longque Manor to stir up trouble in Starlight City, both as a warning and a way to intimidate them.

But now that I think about it...

Xin Tianqi's solo journey to Longque Manor was itself a demonstration of his sincerity in discussing cooperation.

"As for Star Province's reason for choosing to cooperate with one side... it was also influenced by the fact that Baihe City was captured, and their manpower was tied up and they were powerless to do anything about it."

Gu Jinlai into the distance, one might say, "Rather than being slowly bleed out by the Purgatory Sect, Cold Moon Sect, Yellow Springs Sect, Dragon Sparrow Manor, and Yellow Heaven Sect Path until we are too weak to fight and are completely dismembered, it would be better to make a decisive move, choose to cooperate with one of the forces, cut the Gordian knot, completely eliminate the forces that have infiltrated Star Province, and then take control of those powerful cultivation sects that dominate the region. This would not only clean up Star Province but also strengthen our own forces."

Both Qi Zhongsheng and Xin Tianqi were figures who stood at the pinnacle of the cultivation world from among countless corpses; they possessed the courage to rise from the ashes.

He had already foreseen that once all the major sects arrived, at the Star Province Gathering six days later, all forces would only have two choices.

Submit!

Or death!

As everyone predicted, Star Province could not withstand the pressure from all sides and Demonic Beasts, and the idea of peacefully co-governing Star Province with them would never happen.

As for the consequences?

What harm is there in destroying something that isn't mine?

For those in power, the idea of "one hundred million people dying for the emperor" is never just empty talk.

Gu Jinlai some deliberation, Gu Jinlai said directly, "Send the order to let our three thousand elite troops behind us display their power and intimidate us, then retreat thirty miles. From now on, we one hundred men will act collectively."

"Yes."

Gu Chifeng responded in a deep voice.

"Did Xue Wuqing send anyone to attend this grand event?"

"Xue Wuqing in red has not arrived, but Qin Kaitai in gold has."

"I am, after all, an elder of the Purgatory Sect. Now that I know about this, I cannot just stand by and watch Qin Kaitai die as a result of the Star Province conspiracy."

Gu Jinlai said, "I will write a letter right now, and you can have someone deliver it to Qin Kaitai."

After a moment, he thought of something, "Not only Qin Kaitai, but Cold Moon Demon Sect, the Yellow Heaven Sect, and the Yellow Spring Sect should be sent to me."

"Yes."

Gu Chaoyang responded in a deep voice.

Next...

He has to put on an act.

Since Star Province used Tiancao Pavilion as bait, and he had put on a show of making a big fuss beforehand, if he suddenly became indifferent after arriving in Xingguang City, or even left suddenly, wouldn't that tell Star Province that he had a problem?

Therefore, while having people secretly investigate the situation of Tiancao Pavilion, he also learned about the movements of the Spirit Transformation cultivators in Starlight City.

They, a group of a hundred, temporarily resided outside the city, far from the four Nascent Spirit Transformation of Dragon Sparrow Manor.

Since most sects did not enter the city, his actions did not arouse suspicion.

It has to be said.

At this time, Starlight City could be described as a den of dragons and tigers.

The number of Spirit Transformation cultivators has exceeded thirteen.

This lineup...

Thirteen flying swords were unleashed simultaneously, and Primordial Spirit True Lord met their demise on the spot.

Of course, four of the thirteen Nascent Spirit Transformation cultivators were from the Lineage.

Of the remaining nine, four are presumably from Dragon Sparrow Manor, while the other five are the three ministers of Meteor Guard: Cheng Wanli, Su Wen, and Qi Yuanxing, as well as Qi Zhongsheng and Wen Rulong.

In a rather spacious courtyard.

Outside, the area was heavily guarded by Gu Chifeng and his men.

In the center of the room is a study where people from Gu Jinlai are looking through documents.

"General Xue Yue spends most of his time stationed in Tianguan, a major city in the southwest, and is constantly being watched by the Yellow Spring Sect, the Cold Moon Sect, and the Purgatory Sect. Any move he makes will inevitably provoke a counterattack from these three sects. On the other hand, Xin Tianqi, the number one expert in Star Province, is mainly used to deter Longque Manor and Yellow Heaven Sect. Currently, Longque Manor has even cooperated with Star Province..."

This top expert from Star Province may now be able to free up his resources to suppress the Star Province Grand Gathering.

"Now that things have come to this, if I retreat, it will only prove that I have discovered something, and will force the Star Province side to take action against me ahead of time..."

Gu Jinlai at the close-in weapon system model that he had placed there.

This model has not yet been transformed into Spirit Artifact.

However, whenever he is attacked, he can be possessed by True Spirit and enter a state of spiritual communion.

"Buzz!"

At that moment, Gu Jinlai seemed to sense something.

The constant reflection of spirituality within his soul seemed to form a peculiar connection with his transformed consciousness.

That feeling...

It's as if "thought" has a vessel and can manifest itself through that vessel.

Gu Jinlai, the True Spirit condensation method of immediately activating the Great Sun Ninefold Refinement Visualization Method gathers all these "thoughts" based on spiritual consciousness, gradually...

A blurry little figure appeared in his mind.

"True Spirit."

Gu Jinlai, they have always worn a smile.

This special existence, formed entirely by the projection of the soul's thoughts, is the core of the Celestial Master— the True Spirit.

The moment the True Spirit arises, the Celestial Master's "thoughts" and "ideas" are no longer ethereal things, but truly the essence of wisdom.

"The Celestial Master's scriptures say that the strength of True Spirit is directly determined by its weight. However, the weight of True Spirit is not measured by ordinary standards such as 'kilograms' or 'jin', but by 'thoughts'. The more thoughts True Spirit carries, the heavier and more powerful it becomes. For an ordinary Celestial Master, once True Spirit is formed, it gathers 18,000 thoughts. My True Spirit ..."

I have gained some insights from Gu Jinlai.

At this moment, his True Spirit was in his thoughts...

Or rather, thoughts kept coming and going.

However, upon closer observation, it is found that it can only hold 3,600 thoughts. Any excess thoughts will become illusory and quickly dissipate because they exceed the limits of the True Spirit.

"My spiritual foundation is ultimately too weak. Although I condensed my True Spirit ahead of time because of my higher realm, it is like a premature baby, lacking innate qualities. Compared to the 18,000 thoughts contained in the True Spirit of an ordinary Heavenly Lord, it is far inferior."

Although the True Spirit is weak, there has been little regret in their expressions Gu Jinlai.

With the Eternal Furnace present, the speed at which his True Spirit grows will only increase, and one day he will be able to reach the formal standard of True Spirit and further ascend to the limit of a Heavenly Monarch.

"When my True Spirit is condensed, I can use the secret technique derived from the Great Sun Ninefold Refinement Visualization Method — True Spirit Manifestation, which allows the True Spirit to leave the body and split into two, four, or even ten... My True Spirit is relatively weak now, but under Manifestation, splitting into two is not a problem."

Two True Spirit then possessed the body again...

Although it consumes a great deal of resources, it can temporarily revive two close-in weapon systems.

In addition, there's the one that has already transformed into Spirit Artifact...

The firepower network is now complete.

"Call!"

Gu Jinlai, people have exhaled a long breath.

In this impending upheaval, he will finally have some means to protect himself.

In the time that followed Gu Jinlai quietly experienced the various wondrous uses of the True Spirit.

Two days before the grand event was to begin, Gu Chaoyang and Gu Chifeng arrived again.

"Ancestor."

Gu Chaoyang spoke first, "We have received news that the Yellow Springs Sect, the Purgatory Sect, the Cold Moon Sect, and even the Yellow Heaven Sect Dao are frequently moving their personnel, mobilizing tens of thousands of elite troops to the border of Star Province. Although they have no intention of attacking, they are doing so as a deterrent. Xin Tianqi has already appeared on the border of the Yellow Springs Sect."

He then added, "They're using the pretext of worrying that Star Province might take advantage of this event to do something improper."

"Make the empty appear real, and the real appear empty."

Gu Jinlai, "The actions of the major sects may seem to be to bolster their branches stationed in Star Province, but they will only make the people in Star Province more concerned, thinking that their cooperation with Longque Manor is flawless. In reality, the true purpose of these forces trooping on the border may actually be to take action ahead of time and split Star Province apart."

After saying that, he looked towards Shili Slope, at the continuous high platforms that had already been built. "Let's see if the methods of the major sects are clever enough."

Gu Chaoyang nodded.

"However, Xin Tianqi's departure for the front lines is good news."

Gu Jinlai, he turned to Gu Chifeng and asked, "If I'm not mistaken, have Spirit Transformation cultivators from various sects arrived?"

"Our ancestor was incredibly insightful."

Gu Chifeng nodded. "Today, the Purgatory Sect's forces have arrived, with Red-Robed Elder coming in person, accompanied by Elder Zhou Yunyi and two other elders. It can be said that the Purgatory Sect has sent five Spirit Refining to this Star Province Grand Gathering, especially..."

He took a deep breath. "According to the 'Crimson' close-in weapon system, there are three Nascent Spirit Transformation cultivators hidden in their ranks."

"So it's finally here. Just as I guessed, they're using a counter-strategy. They'll first make Star Province, Longque Manor, the Lineage, and many sects fight a big battle, then launch a surprise attack, unaware of the oriole behind them."

Gu Jinlai nodded. "The people from the Purgatory Sect have also arrived. Including the three Nascent Spirit Transformation from the Yellow Heaven Sect behind the Xuanwu Sect, the three Nascent Soul Spirit Transformation from the Cold Moon Demon Sect, and the three Nascent Spirit Transformation from the Yellow Spring Sect who arrived in the last two days..."

The four major sects have already sent as many as twelve Nascent Spirit Transformation.

"Now that everyone has arrived, let's fire the first shot."

Gu Jinlai slowly stood up. "Gather the troops, enter the city, and head straight for Amakusa Pavilion!"