The Battle Begins

Ning'an Prefecture.

This place had originally been an important branch of the Earth Cave Sect. Before Wu Quan migrated to Mozhou Road, three Second Realm cultivators had been stationed at the Dao Palace headquarters here. Now, only one remained: Li Lin of Pingdong Gate.

As Thousand Wood Temple's staunch ally, Pingdong Gate had plundered quite a few Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures during the several wars that had swept through the Southern Cultivation World. That allowed Li Lin to advance to the Second Realm before his lifespan ran out.

There were usually few people at the Dao Palace headquarters in the prefectural city. It consisted of a two-courtyard compound and a three-story Wooden Building. The Wooden Building stored important Dao Palace case files and records, while the courtyard received cultivators passing through.

With one command after another issued by Thousand Wood Temple, the small two-courtyard compound suddenly became bustling. In the blink of an eye, more than twenty Immortal Realm cultivators had gathered there. They were the masters of the various cultivation grounds in Ning'an Prefecture. Most of their inheritances came from the Earth Cave Sect, while a small portion belonged to Thousand Wood Temple's side branches.

"Daoist Priest, why has the Dao Palace summoned us this time?"

Inside the main hall, a Second Realm Earth Vein cultivator like Li Lin, chosen by the crowd, asked Li Lin, who sat in the seat of honor.

Li Lin's gaze fell upon the doorway. Seeing the disguised Wen Hai, he secretly let out a breath of relief. He rose and invited Wen Hai to take the foremost seat on his right. Then, under everyone's expectant gazes, he cupped his fists toward both sides and said:

"According to news from Dao Palace headquarters, Evil Cultivators of the 'First Day' are entrenched in Shuijiang