Summons!

"This year, have we ascertained the scale of the insectoid threat to the Blessed Land?"

Inside the New Moon Blessed Land's assembly hall.

Song Zhixing sat in the position of honor on the left, facing the heads of the other three Foundation Establishment families from within the Blessed Land.

Below the four of them were the heads of the remaining Qi Refining families.

At the highest point of the hall were four enormous, purple-gold chairs.

Nominally, these were seats belonging to the four Foundation Establishment Ancestors of the Blessed Land.

However, ever since this assembly hall was built, no one had ever sat in those four seats.

Their placement was more of a symbol, representing the four Foundation Establishment Ancestors of the New Moon Blessed Land.

With Foundation Establishment Ancestors present, everyone could feel at ease.

"We've basically scouted it out. The scale is about twice as large as last year."

The one responsible for investigating the insectoid movements was a cultivator in the late Qi Refining Realm. With his cultivation, he was considered quite prominent even within the hall.

Yet, before he stood up, hardly anyone looked at him.

It was as if he had no presence, easily overlooked by others.

Only when he stood did everyone's gaze fall upon him, and upon hearing his words, they couldn't help but gasp and their expressions changed drastically.

The insectoid scale had doubled?

Given the current state of the Blessed Land, could they truly withstand it?

Many people were silently weighing their options.

At the same time, some cast furtive glances at Song Zhixing, lost in their own thoughts.

"Setting aside the settlements and the traps used as bait, what's the reduction?" Song Zhixing continued to ask.

"It can be reduced by one-tenth."

"One-tenth?"

Song Zhixing nodded, not saying much more, not even proposing to 'rescue' those settlements.

Because all of this was already part of the plan.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have deliberately increased the price of entry quotas to the Blessed Land this year.

And one-tenth, while seemingly small, was worth it in the eyes of Song Zhixing and everyone in the hall, even if it were only a reduction of half that.

"I believe everyone has heard the scale of this year's insectoid threat. For our New Moon Blessed Land, this is also a great calamity. Therefore, this year, all cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm will be deployed. In addition, all ordinary people at Perfection of Fetal Movement and Fetal Movement Major Accomplishment will be conscripted," Song Zhixing declared sternly, surveying the room.

"All of them? Patriarch Song, we..."

At this moment, someone in the crowd stood up, a look of difficulty on his face. He hadn't finished speaking before not only Song Zhixing, but also the heads of the other three Foundation Establishment families, turned their gaze towards him.

Instantly, he was so frightened he dared not speak further. Even though he was a Qi Refining Realm cultivator, looking down on ordinary people, sweat still beaded on his forehead.

A feeling of his life being beyond his own control arose spontaneously.

He had initially thought that with the other three Foundation Establishment families stirring, their small families might be able to hide and fish in troubled waters. Now, it seemed he had been too naive.

Many in the room inwardly sneered, cursing him as a fool.

They were also unwilling to comply with Song Zhixing's demands, as combat could lead to injury or death.

But they also understood clearly that no one could stand aside in this battle.

If their respective families were considered small homes, then the Blessed Land was the great home.

Without reason, asking them to abandon their small homes for the great home was certainly impossible.

But they also understood a truth: when the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact.

Without the protection of the Blessed Land, their families would lose their foundation for survival. Especially now that the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster had arrived and insectoids were everywhere outside.

If the Blessed Land were breached by the insectoids, they would have nowhere to escape, and their entire families would be annihilated.

Under these circumstances, they were fighting not so much for the Blessed Land as for their own families.

Even if the other three Foundation Establishment families wanted to seize the position of Blessed Land Lord, they first had to ensure the Blessed Land remained intact. This was an absolute bottom line that could not be crossed.

Therefore, anyone who tried to shirk their responsibility or avoid contributing to the Blessed Land would be regarded as an enemy.

"Patriarch Song, the insectoid threat is indeed fierce this time, and it is only right that we work together. However, before coming here, my elders asked me to inquire: will Old Ancestor Song make a move? After all, he is the only cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage within the Blessed Land, and the Blessed Land Lord, its pillar of support. Only when he makes a move can we all feel at ease, and we will have no regrets even if we expend the last bit of our families' strength."

Suddenly, a middle-aged man sitting opposite Song Zhixing asked softly.

As he spoke, an eerie silence fell upon the hall.

They were all aware that the Song family's Blessed Land Lord was nearing the end of his lifespan. The undercurrents within the Blessed Land recently were also related to this.

If any other Qi Refining Realm family head had asked this question, Song Zhixing would have already flown into a rage.

But the one asking the question now was the head of the Yan Family, a Foundation Establishment family, and he was asking on behalf of his elder.

As for who this elder was, it was self-evident.

"Yan Family Head, you can rest assured. Long before the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster descended, our ancestor had already come out of seclusion. He is currently seated atop Moon Gazing Peak, working with the Moon Gazing Vine to resist the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster.

As for those insectoids, if a truly critical moment arrives, our ancestor will definitely make a move.

However, regarding the Yan Family Head's elder, if they happen to be free, they could go to Moon Gazing Peak for a game of chess with our ancestor. I believe our ancestor would be delighted."

Song Zhixing said calmly.

The Yan Family's Foundation Establishment Realm ancestor was also the youngest Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Blessed Land. He had just completed his succession sixty years ago and was known for his domineering ways.

Song Zhixing was confident that with the foundation he had laid in the Qi Refining Realm, once he broke through, he would definitely surpass the other party quickly. Even if he had just broken through, he wouldn't fear the other party.

But unfortunately, he was still stuck at the most crucial step.

No matter how close he was to the Foundation Establishment Realm, even if it was just a sliver, it was still a world of difference.

Right now, the Yan Family's Foundation Establishment cultivator could easily crush him with just one finger.

Thinking of his own ancestor's situation, Song Zhixing felt a sense of urgency. This plan absolutely could not fail.

As long as it succeeded, once he stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm and formed a contract with the Moon Gazing Vine, he wouldn't fear even three Foundation Establishment cultivators attacking him together.

Because at that time, facing him would be like facing the entire Blessed Land.

"I will relay the message."

Yan Zhengyang nodded expressionlessly.

As for whether he would relay the message, he had no intention of doing so.

What kind of place was Moon Gazing Peak?

Let alone his own elder, even if you added the two elders from the other two families, they wouldn't dare to ascend Moon Gazing Peak lightly.

There, even if the Song Family ancestor's lifespan was nearing its end and he couldn't act, the Moon Gazing Vine alone would be enough to crush them.

Fortunately, as members of the New Moon Blessed Land, under normal circumstances, the Moon Gazing Vine wouldn't attack them.

But who knew if the Song Family ancestor would go mad?

Therefore, the closer his lifespan got to its end, the less likely anyone was to provoke him.

Everything was just waiting for the right moment.

Perhaps this moment was very, very close, within reach.

Soon, as the meeting in the council hall concluded, a conscription order swept through the entire Blessed Land like a storm in a short period.

Countless people reacted to this conscription order with anger, joy, or faces ashen.

Meanwhile.

At the Ox Ridge Settlement, Yu An perked up as he heard the sound of the wild beast approaching.

However, to his surprise, after stopping outside the wall, the other party didn't act immediately, as if waiting or testing something.

Could it be...

Yu An's heart stirred.

Chapter 2~