Information Analysis

During the mourning period, Ninth Great-Uncle Wang Zhide made a special trip back to Jade Spring Peak to see his old brothers off on their final journey. He also brought back the latest news of the war.

After the rites, Wang Jize convened a lineage meeting. As someone who had personally experienced it, Wang Daoyuan was permitted to sit in. Wang Zhide reported the intelligence he had gathered. "Rumors in the streets say that this battle may have been a trap laid by Crimson Sun Palace and the Myriad Spirit Sect for the Netherworld Sect.

First, the Myriad Spirit Sect sent people to drive scattered Demon Beasts from the mountains into attacking passing Netherworld Sect caravans, luring Netherworld Sect cultivators over to suppress them. Then the Myriad Spirit Sect and Crimson Sun Palace cultivators turned around and encircled and annihilated the Netherworld Sect cultivators.

According to a Qi Refinement rogue cultivator who took part in the battle, when the Spirit Insects attacked, he fled west and ran into Crimson Sun Palace cultivators trying to intercept and kill him. He turned and fled east, only to encounter Myriad Spirit Sect disciples doing the same. That rogue cultivator possessed extraordinary strength and broke through the encirclement to escape. He is temporarily staying in Qingli Market, and these reports came from him."

"How did the battle develop afterward?" Wang Jize asked.

"According to a Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator who escaped, Crimson Sun Palace and the Myriad Spirit Sect recruited vast numbers of rogue cultivators. They gathered several Golden Core Cultivators, twenty to thirty Violet Mansion Cultivators, no fewer than three hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and too many Qi Refinement cultivators to count. Their aim was to completely sever the trade between the Netherworld Sect and the Demon Race.

However, the Netherworld Sect had received word long ago as well. Aside from the three Violet Mansion elders in plain sight, they had four Golden Core Cultivators lying in ambush in secret. They simply had not recruited rogue cultivators on a large scale, so their numbers of Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement cultivators were far inferior to the other side's.

Moreover, the Myriad Spirit Sect and Crimson Sun Palace were in the shadows, while the Netherworld Sect was out in the open. The Netherworld Sect suffered greatly at the start and was forced to have all its Qi Refinement cultivators withdraw.

That was precisely what the enemy wanted. Their opponents dispatched Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment cultivators to slaughter the Qi Refinement cultivators in large numbers. Our Wang Clan's losses were considered small; many lineages were wiped out to the last man.

It is said that the Netherworld Sect's own cultivators were especially targeted, though their exact casualties are unknown.

After the Qi Refinement cultivators withdrew, the Foundation Establishment cultivators and Violet Mansion elders of both sides began a fierce battle.

The Netherworld Sect had no numerical advantage and suffered heavily. They fought as they retreated, eventually falling back to Golden Goose City. With the city's defenses to rely on, they could barely hold on.

During the retreat, more than a hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators were killed or wounded, and two Violet Mansion Cultivators were injured as well. Still, the Netherworld Sect was fighting on its home ground, and its mountain gate was only several tens of thousands of li from Golden Goose City. As the Netherworld Sect continually sent reinforcements, the two sides returned to a stalemate."

Everyone sank into thought. Wang Daoyuan sensed that something was off. He cupped his hands toward Wang Jize and the elders. "Great-Grandfather, Elders, may I ask Ninth Great-Uncle a few questions?"

Wang Jize nodded. "Go ahead."

Wang Daoyuan cupped his hands toward Wang Zhide. "Ninth Great-Uncle, what I wish to ask is: how many days ago was the latest information you received? Has a major battle broken out, and how is the situation?"

"The latest news was from three days ago." Wang Zhide stroked his long beard lightly, adopting a contemplative expression. "Three days ago, both sides were still facing off at Golden Goose City. No battle between Golden Core Cultivators had erupted."

Wang Daoyuan suddenly understood. "So that was what felt wrong."

Everyone looked puzzled. After pondering for a moment, Wang Shouye seemed to realize something.

Wang Jize smiled. "Daoyuan, stop speaking in riddles. Tell us what you discovered."

After thinking for a moment, Wang Daoyuan said, "This battle is being fought within Netherworld Sect territory. By all reason, the Myriad Spirit Sect's side should have sought a swift battle and swift victory, then left once it was over. Chasing them down along the way to expand their gains would also be perfectly reasonable.

Yet Crimson Sun Palace and the Myriad Spirit Sect planned for years, prepared so thoroughly, and held the advantage in strength, but they did not intercept and kill with all their might. Instead, they allowed the Netherworld Sect's side to withdraw smoothly into Golden Goose City. That is the first anomaly.

The second anomaly is that once the Netherworld Sect retreated into Golden Goose City, it had the city's defensive formation to rely upon. The Myriad Spirit Sect's side could not take it in a short time. Under normal circumstances, they should have withdrawn by now, because Netherworld Sect reinforcements could arrive at any moment. When that happened, they could attack from within and without, and the Myriad Spirit Sect and Crimson Sun Palace might be wiped out entirely.

The third anomaly is that the Myriad Spirit Sect has neither withdrawn nor launched a full assault on Golden Goose City. It might be besieging the city to strike at reinforcements, yet the Netherworld Sect's reinforcements have not been ambushed.

From this, it seems that the Myriad Spirit Sect and Crimson Sun Palace may be planning something enormous—using the cultivators outside Golden Goose City as bait to hook the great fish that is the Netherworld Sect.

As for how they intend to hook that great fish, there is too little intelligence to tell."

"Daoyuan's words make sense, but the Myriad Spirit Sect and Crimson Sun Palace do not have the skill to fish for such a catch." Wang Shouye picked up the thread. "I also considered that the two sects might lure the Netherworld Sect's high-level cultivators to Golden Goose City, then pour out all their strength to crush the Netherworld Sect completely. But as far as I know, Crimson Sun Palace borders the Wei Kingdom to the west and has many conflicts with Wei Kingdom forces. The Myriad Spirit Sect borders the Song Kingdom to the south and frequently clashes with Song Kingdom forces as well.

Therefore, neither sect could possibly commit all its strength to making trouble for the Netherworld Sect, unless they were unafraid that the forces of Song and Wei would raid their nests.

At most, the two sects could each commit half their strength. Of the Three Great Sects, the Netherworld Sect ranks second, while the other two rank first and third. If each contributed half its strength, they would only be roughly equal to the Netherworld Sect. With comparable strength, and the Netherworld Sect fighting on its native soil, the other two sects would be fortunate not to suffer losses. They have no ability to swallow the Netherworld Sect whole.

My guess is that the two sects intend to feint east while striking west, pinning the Netherworld Sect's main force at Golden Goose City before launching a surprise attack elsewhere. As for where they might strike, that is unclear. We do not know what places are vital to the Netherworld Sect. They cannot possibly be attacking the Netherworld Sect's mountain gate, can they?"

Wang Shouye's words were well reasoned and convincing. Everyone nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, a message arrived through a communication jade talisman: intelligence from two days ago stated that the sect masters of the Myriad Spirit Sect and Crimson Sun Palace had led five Golden Core Cultivators, twenty Violet Mansion Cultivators, and more than two hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators to attack the Netherworld Sect's mountain gate.

Everyone turned strange looks on Wang Shouye. His face flushed red as he said, "Well, Daoyuan, when are you going to repay the ten jars of Crimson Blood Brew you owe me?"

Wang Daoyuan smiled. "You're changing the subject that stiffly?"

"Twelfth Uncle, has your mouth been blessed by the heavens? Whatever you say comes true." Wang Daoxing chimed in from the side.

"Enough. It was merely a coincidence. Let us continue with the serious matter." Wang Jize came to Wang Shouye's rescue.

"There is something I do not understand. Why would the other two sects attack the Netherworld Sect's mountain gate? The Netherworld Sect has stood for thousands of years; there is no need to speak of its foundations. Just its Mountain Protecting Grand Formation, together with the Golden Core elders stationed within, means the other two sects could not take it swiftly even if they committed all their strength.

The forces that came do not even amount to half of that. How could they possibly capture it? It cannot really be because of Twelfth Uncle's mouth, can it?" Wang Daoyuan asked doubtfully.

"Daoyuan, enough! Mention that again, and I'll let you see your old uncle's methods."

Wang Daoyuan shot him a disdainful glance. Your greatest method is swindling drinks. What other methods could you possibly have?

Seeing Wang Daoyuan's look and expression, Wang Shouye knew exactly what he was thinking. He only wanted to drag him over, give him a brutal beating, then seize several dozen jars of wine. But this was not the right occasion, so he endured it for now. He would settle the score later.