A Quasi Sun Level Force?

Lie Huo Mountain's rapid rise had long since become a conspicuous matter throughout the entire Fire Kingdom.

Within the Fire Kingdom, there were very few "Sun" Level Forces to begin with.

—A force with Nascent Soul Realm cultivators was a "Star" Level Force. One with a Spirit Severing expert in command was a "Moon" Level Force, while one with a Void Integration expert was a "Sun" Level Force.

A force with a Mahayana Stage expert was known as an Extraordinary Force,

while a sect with a Body Integration Realm expert was revered as a Supreme Force!

Above the Supreme Forces were the terrifying Holy Land Level Forces. It was said that those forces had once produced Immortals!

...Yet in recent days, Lie Huo Mountain had risen rapidly, swallowing up a heap of Star and Moon Level Forces and even destroying a Sun Level Force.

This was truly frightening!

And now, in the southern part of the Fire Kingdom, a sect that had only been a Star Level Force until recently had actually declared war on Lie Huo Mountain?

At first, most people paid no attention.

Because, in the eyes of the world, this was nothing more than the Lihuo Sect, driven to the end of its rope, throwing an egg against a rock.

But a month later, the Lihuo Sect was still standing, while not a single person from Lie Huo Mountain dared to go bother them!

This took the many forces of the Fire Kingdom by surprise.

They all began to speculate that the Lihuo Sect had some hidden trump card!

On top of that, word spread that something unusual was happening in the Cangli Mountain Range in the southern Fire Kingdom, where a Great Beast Tide had occurred.

All sides were paying even closer attention.

There were too many legends about that mountain range. For a time, all the major sects in the Fire Kingdom sent people there.

Even sects from other countries were on their way!

An Imperial Sky Ship streaked across the sky.

Dozens of powerful cultivators were aboard the ship.

Every one of them wore clothes embroidered with a Crimson Flame Lotus!

In the Fire Kingdom, the Crimson Flame Lotus was the symbol of the Royal Family.

This was a royal entourage.

At the front of the group, a young man watched the surrounding wilderness, a long sword in his hand as he warily kept an eye on their surroundings.

From inside the cabin emerged a woman dressed in a pale golden gown. She had a graceful figure and stunning features. With elegant, measured steps, she walked to the front and asked, "We're almost there, aren't we?"

The young man replied, "Princess, we'll reach the Lihuo Sect in half an hour."

But then he paused and said, "Princess, the Lihuo Sect is only a small Star Level Force. Is it worth our while to go there?"

"And besides, could this make Lie Huo Mountain hostile toward us?"

As the rulers of the Fire Kingdom, the Royal Family was powerful, but it still needed to keep the various forces in balance.

Especially since the Princess was one of the candidates for the Fire Kingdom throne. At a time like this, she had come to the south, not to the most powerful Lie Huo Mountain, but to an obscure sect like the Lihuo Sect...

He had a bad feeling about it.

But the young woman merely shook her head, her beautiful eyes fixed ahead. "Lin Tong, remember this: 'He who follows the Way has many helpers; he who strays from it has few.'"

"Lie Huo Mountain is indeed powerful, but its strength was built upon the ruin of countless sects."

"A great Sun Level sect was wiped out to the last soul simply because it refused to submit. Such a ruthless force—anyone who tries to recruit them is playing with fire."

"By contrast, at a time like this, it's remarkable that a small sect like the Lihuo Sect still dares to be so bold."

The corners of her lips lifted slightly. "Besides, after declaring war on Lie Huo Mountain for so long and still surviving, this sect probably isn't as simple as it seems, is it?"

At her words, Lin Tong couldn't help but freeze.

Lihuo Sect.

Inside the main hall.

Yu Qishui, Wei Yushan, Mu Qianning, and numerous elders were discussing matters.

"Former Sect Master, are we really not going to activate the Mountain Protecting Great Array? Lie Huo Mountain could attack at any moment..."

An elder spoke up, his face anxious.

Ever since the declaration of war, these elders had been on tenterhooks.

In their eyes, this was practically walking to their own deaths.

But the Former Sect Master and the current Sect Master were both extremely confident.

What was more, they had even told everyone to cultivate in seclusion and pay no mind to Lie Huo Mountain.

At first, everyone had thought the Former Sect Master and Sect Master must have gone mad.

But Lie Huo Mountain really hadn't come to the Lihuo Sect.

Not even a single scout had appeared.

This was completely at odds with Lie Huo Mountain's overbearing style.

"Don't worry. It's been a whole month. They don't dare come."

Yu Qishui smiled faintly. He had finally put his mind at ease.

The reason he had told the sect to make no preparations was that if the force behind Lie Huo Mountain made a move, Lie Huo Mountain wouldn't be able to stop them anyway.

And if the force behind Lie Huo Mountain did make a move, perhaps he and the others would have done Senior Li one more favor?

Maybe, after they drew out their opponent, Senior Li would personally deal with them. By then, what would the people behind Lie Huo Mountain amount to?

They could say that making this decision had been a gamble.

Their sect could very well suffer utter annihilation because of it.

But he firmly believed that even if the entire sect had to be sacrificed, as long as they could do something for Senior Li, Senior Li would surely remember them!

What sort of person was Senior Li? With just a wave of his hand, an incomparably glorious Lihuo Sect would rise again from the ruins of their sect!

But the Chess Game he had been plotting in his heart had fallen apart completely!

Because... Lie Huo Mountain actually didn't dare come!

Damn it, he'd overestimated those bastards... Yu Qishui was practically getting bored waiting.

He'd been too hasty.

"Fire Kingdom Princess Huo Ling'er has come to pay a visit to the Lihuo Sect!"

At that moment, a voice that pierced clouds and mist suddenly rang out from beyond the Lihuo Sect's mountain gate.

In an instant, everyone in the main hall changed expression!

"Fire Kingdom Princess Huo Ling'er? Why has she come..."

"Huo Ling'er, the Fire Emperor's third daughter."

"The Fire Kingdom Royal Family has never paid our Lihuo Sect any attention. Why has she come?"

Everyone began talking at once.

Yu Qishui, however, stirred inwardly.

Even the Royal Family had come?

There must be something going on...

"Come, let's go welcome the Princess!"

He swept his hand through the air!

Everyone went out to greet her.

"We welcome Princess Huo Ling'er!"

The mountain gate swung wide!

Outside the Lihuo Sect, Huo Ling'er and the others were waiting aboard the Imperial Sky Ship. Hearing those words, the ship slowly descended.

"Princess, the Lihuo Sect is far too careless! They've offended Lie Huo Mountain, yet they're still so lax. They haven't even activated the Mountain Protecting Great Array, and there isn't a trace of a defense anywhere in the sect."

Lin Tong spoke with surprise.

Huo Ling'er only smiled. "Careless? Why do I get the feeling the Lihuo Sect doesn't take Lie Huo Mountain seriously?"

Her curiosity grew. What exactly gave this little Lihuo Sect such confidence?

The Imperial Sky Ship landed.

"I am Wei Yushan, Sect Master of the Lihuo Sect. This is my master, the Former Sect Master Yu. We welcome Princess Huo Ling'er!"

Wei Yushan stepped forward and spoke.

After Huo Ling'er and her people disembarked, she formed a hand seal and drew the enormous flying ship back into her sleeve.

She turned to Wei Yushan, surprised. "Sect Master Wei... you've entered the Spirit Severing Stage?"

Her spiritual sense was exceptionally powerful!

According to the reports, the Lihuo Sect was clearly a force no stronger than a three-star one, with at most two or three Nascent Soul cultivators.

But Wei Yushan was clearly an advanced cultivator in the Nascent Soul Realm!

This wasn't a Star Level Force at all, but a... Moon Level Force!

She couldn't help looking over the others.

When she saw Yu Qishui, she was even more surprised. Another Spirit Severing Stage cultivator, and an extraordinary one at that. Wasn't he already close to entering the Void Integration Stage?!

This was a... quasi-Sun Level Force.

The Fire Kingdom Royal Family was a true Extraordinary Force, with a Mahayana Stage expert in command, but it still had to take the Sun Level Forces within its borders seriously.

A quasi-Sun Level Force had appeared, and the Fire Kingdom Royal Family hadn't noticed at all...

Then her gaze swept across Mu Qianning, and her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.

"An unparalleled genius!"

This young woman looked about the same age as her, yet her cultivation had already reached Nascent Soul Perfection, and she was about to enter the Spirit Severing Stage?

She was far too monstrous!

She stared at Mu Qianning in shock and asked, "May I ask... who is your master?"