Win a Little More

At first, Li Fan was somewhat suspicious, wondering if the thing hidden in his sleeve was causing trouble in the dark. But as he noticed one after another, five or six more demonic energies appeared within his Divine Sense range. He could then confirm that this was no longer a coincidence, but rather a large-scale operation launched by the Divine Cult.

It should be known that Yunmeng Marsh covers a vast area, and the underwater world is extremely complex. Just within Li Fan's Divine Sense range, so many demons have broken free of their seals; there are probably even more in other places.

These incompetent demon corpses, though sealed away for years, can be dealt with by three or four Golden Core cultivators. But if dozens or even hundreds of demons were to emerge simultaneously, how much protection could Hengshan offer? What if a few escaped and caused a major disaster? Who would bear the responsibility for failing to guard against the demons?

This is the outcome of trying to negotiate with a tiger for its skin. The Daoists of Hengshan had a pretty good plan: to exchange resources and Cultivation Method with the Divine Sect, and after Emei left, to even bring the Divine Sect into their alliance to compete with Songshan and the Immortal Palace for the world.

But the truth is, that cult never intended to share the world with you. All these years of cooperation were probably just for today's scheme, and it's definitely not just about releasing a large group of demon corpses to scare the Dao Lords of Hengshan and cause some trouble. There must be other motives behind it.

If Li Fan learned anything from his long-term interactions with the cult, it was that these people would never act rashly. And when they did, it was always something big.

As the weaker party in terms of overall strength, the Divine Cult also knew that they could not win by attrition against the accumulated strength of the Central Plains. They never fought a battle they could not win. Once they took action, even if there were sacrifices in some local areas, other areas would be accompanied by a clear-cut offensive with tactical advantages to achieve their highest priority strategic objectives.

This decisive and efficient style almost certainly indicates that apostles within a legion system were highly involved in the formulation of the cult's strategic decisions and action plans over the years. Coupled with methods outside the conventional sphere of influence, reckless tactical plans, and a barrage of attacks, they truly utterly thrashed the natives.

The Xuanmen (Daoist sect) is not without intelligent people, but the problem is that cultivators are too intelligent, too independent, and too self-centered. Their goals are too clear, and their vision is too limited and narrow. Even the most powerful cultivators can easily be distracted by the 'opportunities' or 'calamities' before them, becoming preoccupied with personal and sect gains and losses, and neglecting the overall picture.

Furthermore, the traditional master-disciple system of old-school sects is not an organizational model focused on combat. This results in a lack of clear and effective command chains, and it's difficult to have a large strategic reserve force that can be mobilized at any time. Often, those patrolling the area are disciples on training missions, while the majority of the strength is in seclusion cultivating and refining treasures. The sect's gates are guarded by the elders. Once they are specifically mobilized and lured away, the entire sect will find itself in an awkward situation where there is no one to command.

It could even be worse. For example, when they discover problems arising from all sides, and it's obvious to anyone that someone is plotting something in secret, these Daoist and Divine Lords are more likely to choose to defend their own little territory, stay at their mountain gates, and thus fall into a completely passive strategic position, allowing the Divine Sect's plan to succeed.

Thinking about this, Li Fan had to admit that he might have tricked Hengshan.

In Gen Province's Ghost Valley, wiping out an elite squad, especially the core team led by a candidate for sect leader, would likely have dealt a significant strategic blow to Hengshan. An ancient sect has far too many resources to guard against, and far too few trustworthy disciples. The fact that these demon seals were secretly orchestrated shows that Hengshan has been deeply infiltrated by the Divine Cult.

Judging from the fact that these newly-broken Nascent Soul Stage were sent out to do work, and that someone like Bai Shuangying, who clearly lacked proper training, was also given the Shangqing Subduing Demon Technique and entrusted with important tasks, it seems that Hengshan is truly short of manpower.

And then there's that Purple Void Dao Lord. She'd barely left when something happened at Hengshan a few days later. Was it a prelude to her absence, or was the whole operation a ploy to lure her back? And what major event could have caused Purple Void Dao Lord and even a whole group of female cultivators from the Yellow Court Palace to be transferred away?

Yes, the problem is no longer with Hengshan, but with the true purpose of the cult.

It's really hard to guess, because the cult is the attacker hiding in the shadows, and they have so many resources to gain from the Central Plains. They'll make a profit even if they succeed in just one or two places. It's just a matter of whether they win a little more or a little less.

But why launch it at this time? Could it be because the company took action, and the Legion reacted in response? After all, even his unreliable system could detect the mobilization of a cruiser; the Legion, his old rival, shouldn't be completely unaware...

For a moment, Li Fan did not act. He remained above Yunmengze, constantly calculating and deducing, watching the Si Nan in his hand spin wildly.

As a pawn caught in the chaotic game of life, Li Fan didn't have many options. His faction was too weak to pursue too many objectives.

There is only one chance to act, and only one target. Since the secrets of heaven are unclear and there are opportunities to take advantage of the chaos everywhere, let the Si Nan choose the one with the greatest risk and reward!

Si Nan! Stop! Go go go!

Li Fan flew swiftly in the direction indicated by Si Nan, leaving Yunmeng Marsh and arriving near a solitary mountain.

This place is guarded by the Daoist temple of Hengshan Shangqing Palace, clearly a forbidden area of the sect, heavily protected and protected. Moreover, within Li Fan's Divine Sense range, he discovered three Nascent Soul Stage cultivators flying towards this place, all of them true disciples of Hengshan Supreme Purity, clearly coming to reinforce.

These three are incredibly powerful. Judging from their profound Shangqing protective Qi, they are no ordinary people. They are likely core disciples of Hengshan, similar to the elites we killed earlier. It seems this place must contain some important magical treasures!

So Li Fan didn't hold back, changed into the Divine Cult outfit, activated the invisibility effect of the Gui Xu Dao Yi, and prepared to rob them.

Xuan Tian, "... Wait a minute. I think I've been here before."

What? You've already robbed someone once? What was inside?

Xuan Tian: "Did I rob him? Let me think... That's strange... The place looks familiar, and the dojo looks familiar too, but when you put them together, something doesn't feel right... That's strange..."

Alas, the illustrious Sword Ancestor Xuantian has grown old and his memory has declined; it's truly heartbreaking to hear...

Xuan Tian: "What are you saying, you brat! Who's having memory problems! This place is wrong! This training ground shouldn't be here!"

... Okay, okay, this place is wrong. I shouldn't have grown legs and wandered here aimlessly.

Xuan Tian, "Ah, yes, yes, you're right! The Daoist temple has been moved here! Hahaha! I understand, I understand! It's a long story, I'll explain it to you later! Kill! Kill, kill, kill! Loot this place! Kill everyone! Make it clean! If you don't want to be hunted down by the Shangqing Sect, don't give yourself away!"

Li Fan, "..."

What could Li Fan say? Since Xuan Tian had given the order, he would simply do as he was told.

So Li Fan drew the blood sword, a standard weapon of the Divine Sect, and with a flick of his finger along the blade, imbued it with a layer of Shangqing Subduing Sword Qi. Just as he was about to rush over and kill, the restrictions on the Daoist temple suddenly opened, and two auras soared into the sky! It turned out that there were clearly two Divine Lords of the Shangqing Sect guarding the Daoist temple!

Ugh, this is painful.

Li Fan had no choice but to sheathe his sword and continue to lie in wait, watching from afar as the three Nascent Soul Stage cultivators fell into the Daoist temple. Then the restrictive formation closed again, and the five streams of Shangqing Subduing Demon True Qi vanished without a trace.

With such tight security, what are we going to do?

Xuan Tian said, "Don't be afraid! They're just two Divine Transformation. You sneak in, use the Tai Sha Sword Embryo to kill one, and I and the Blood Infant will hold off the other one. Once we've taken care of those two old ghosts, the other three will be easy to deal with! Go!"

Li Fan was genuinely curious about what treasure was inside; Xuan Tian was practically green with envy!

What's that saying again? For a 300% profit, capital will commit any crime, even risking the gallows.

Xuan Tian is in this state right now, and of course Li Fan wouldn't dare say he'd be any better off.

The last time Xuan Tian was this excited was when he was seizing raw silk, and Li Fan thought about it, and there was indeed room for maneuver.

After all, he had already completed the analysis of the Shangqing Subduing Demon True Qi, so the Shangqing Sect members were nothing but chickens and dogs to him, easily dispatched one by one with a sword strike. And the Tai Sha Sword Rainbow could deliver a fatal blow...

Let's do it! Anyway, this wave hasn't turned into a killing spree, which means the risk he's facing is less than 50/50!

So Li Fan skillfully transformed into Li Kun, secretly swam into the barrier, and then searched for the locations of the two Supreme Purity Divine Lords, preparing to infiltrate and assassinate them.

The five people were huddled together, presumably discussing the attack on Hengshan. Once they separated... wait, what? Why did they start fighting?

A real fight broke out! Whoosh! Boom! Bang! Three Nascent Soul Stage Divine Transformation cultivators!

In an instant, more than a dozen beams of light collided with each other! Five streams of true energy soared into the sky! Daoist incantations and talismans roared and exploded! They even blew the roof off the Daoist palace! This was no simple disagreement; it was clearly a fight to the death from the start!

Oh... what's going on? Could it be that one side is affiliated with the cult? Or is it just internal strife within Hengshan?

Xuan Tian, "Hehehehehehe! Heaven is helping me! It really is heaven helping me! Attack! Kill them all! Hehehehehehehe!"

... But honestly, Xuan Tian, what exactly is hidden in this place? Why would it cause their sect to turn against each other and fight like this?

Xuan Tian: "Hehehe! What else could it be! This mountain is the Hengshan Sword Casting Pool! These things outside must have been transported directly from the Hotong Mountain Sword Casting Manor!"

Holy crap!

Xuan Tian, "Do you still remember what happened to the Lü Family back then? I felt something was off when I saw those sword furnaces. The Lü Family really knew how to forge swords! They were clearly master swordsmiths who had received the true teachings of Hotong Mountain! Such talents actually fled to the South China Sea, which clearly means something happened in their sect and they were trying to avoid trouble. Now it seems that even a place like the Sword Casting Manor has been directly acquired by Hengshan!"

Heh, I reckon it's nothing more than a split within Hotong Mountain's Inner Sect, which Hengshan instigated and manipulated behind the scenes, playing one faction against another. These sword-making skills and assets were given as a thank-you gift. Tsk tsk, they quietly usurped one of the Nine Great Xuan Sects. Hengshan's quite something!"

Hengshan is actually that powerful? But it's not surprising, considering how many people fought for Xun Kingdom back then, and Hengshan ultimately won, with their supported Crown Prince faction gaining the upper hand. Hengshan probably still has the strength to contend for the world. Although I don't know what the Divine Cult is plotting this time, I, Li Fan, will accept what's here!

So Li Fan lay prone under the rubble, watching the Hengshan fighters fight to the death with wide eyes.

Judging from the scene and the trash talk between the two groups, he guessed that the two old gods were probably from the Divine Cult. As for the gods who had reached the Divine Transformation stage, their strength was a bit weak and their magic weapons were also a bit rubbish. They probably couldn't survive the tribulation and wanted to reincarnate in the Divine Cult. They took this opportunity to steal flying swords and other things in preparation for running away.

Those three Nascent Soul Stage were probably an anti-traitor squad. Their magic weapons were excellent, almost all of them being entry- Nascent Soul Realm. They were completely overwhelming the two Divine Lords. Most of their talismans were also Thunder Talisman. They also threw out many Daoist flags to set up arrays and seal the entrance, preventing their targets from escaping. It was clear that they came prepared, and they probably had a mission arranged by their sect beforehand.

However, they were ruthless enough to strike first, clearly having barely exchanged a few words before making their move. Two swords pierced his chest, and one cleaved his face, instantly leaving a Divine Lord covered in blood, his skull shattered, half his face drooping as he fought the sword, barely holding on by relying on his superior cultivation level.

In summary, these three Nascent Soul Stage cultivators held a clear advantage over the two old Divine Lords, having prepared mentally and tactically. Moreover, they disregarded all demons and monsters as soon as trouble broke out outside and came directly to the scene. It's likely that the upper echelons of Hengshan were also somewhat prepared for the infiltration of the Divine Sect, which is why they sent people to eliminate the traitors immediately.

Tsk tsk, as expected of the giants of Daoism, none of them are easy to deal with...

Xuan Tian replied, "Of course! The old men of the Xuanmen sect spend all their time scheming against people. How can you possibly outwit them? It's much simpler and more straightforward to just draw your sword and rob them."

... But who's in charge of Hengshan now? How many Dao Lords? How many Divine Lords?

Xuan Tian said, "Who knows? Leaving aside the Outer Sect sects and allies that Hengshan has branched off from, just consider the spiritual veins suitable for cultivation in Ink Bamboo Mountain. There are two mountains and fourteen peaks, while Hengshan itself has as many as seventy-two peaks! Among them are many Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land lands and grotto-heavens, and the Central Plains has produced many talented people. At least one must be at the True Monarch realm to become the master of a peak, right?"

In terms of manpower, Hengshan certainly has some, but it's scattered in various places, unlike the concentrated resources of other religions like Penglai.

Wow, comparing it to Ink Bamboo Mountain, Li Fan alone occupies all five peaks of Mozhu Mountain, while the rest of Bamboo Mountain are just a bunch of worthless scoundrels, how can they be compared...?

Xuan Tian: "What, are you scared, kid?"

Ha! Just kidding! Li Fan wouldn't be afraid! He's afraid of winning too much! He can't handle it! Go for it!

Then Li Fan let out a clear whistle and drew his sword.

He made his move just when the battle was about to be decided.

The first god-king to be ambushed was naturally the stronger one, and he was subjected to a concentrated attack, flanked by two people. In the end, he was beaten dizzy and bloody by the magic weapon, and missed a sword strike. He was then beheaded.

Although one of the Nascent Soul Stage cultivators lost an arm in his dying counterattack, his strength remained. He continued to vent his anger by tearing the corpse apart with wild sword strikes while simultaneously taking medicine to regulate his breathing.

Meanwhile, the other person turned back to provide support, continuing the two-on-one fight to annihilate the remaining gods.

This person was clearly injured, possibly having just undergone tribulation, and his strength was severely diminished. To be intercepted by a Nascent Soul Stage using talismans and magic weapons was extremely humiliating. Now that his companion was dead, he dared not fight back and turned to flee.

"The protectors of the divine cult are here!"

So Li Fan rushed out, and in the old god's hopeful and joyful gaze upon seeing reinforcements, he took advantage of the old god's unpreparedness and severed his head with a single sword stroke.

Without giving the others a chance to recover their Qi, Li Fan stealthily lunged at the two Nascent Soul Stage from Hengshan opposite him. With a flick of his left hand, he threw the hostage from his sleeve onto one of their sword blades as a shield, while simultaneously thrusting his crimson sword straight at the other opponent's face.

Since he couldn't use a powerful magic weapon like the 'Moon Soul' to leave any trace, and only had a broken sword, Li Fan, in order to win quickly, unleashed his full power, using the full cultivation of seven Nascent Soul Stage cultivators.

But what Li Fan didn't expect was that when he rushed into the formation, he suddenly felt a huge boost! He didn't know if it was because 'Shangli' had been activated or what, but in any case, his cultivation speed suddenly increased by a lot, so much so that his sword speed increased dramatically. With just one sword, he cleaved the head of an opponent from the center. Then he even turned back with ease, and with a horizontal sword strike, the Sword Qi roared, sweeping the two Hengshan True Persons on his left into four pieces!

At this moment, Li Fan scanned the entire scene and realized that he was in a strange state of acceleration. Not only was the one-armed master on the ground who was finishing off the enemy still slow to form hand seals, but even the magical treasures around him were still attacking the location of the afterimage he had just appeared!

Holy crap? What the heck is this? I think I triggered it once when I was attacked by the company's soldiers, right? Is it a new passive skill?

Li Fan was also puzzled for a moment, but when he cleaved the remaining Hengshan cultivator in two with a single sword strike, the strange slow-motion state disappeared in an instant!

Then, countless blood clots exploded, shattering and scattering across the ground like a rain of blood.

What exactly happened just now...?

Xuan Tian: "Don't just stand there! Destroy all the magic weapons! Don't let them escape!"

Holy crap, does "annihilating them all" even count?! Fine, I'll chop them down!