The sun and moon turned, the rivers flowed without pause, and time pressed ever onward. In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed since the Mountain-Chasing Dao and the Barbarian Clan divided Layered Mountains Continent between them.
For the cultivators of Layered Mountains Continent, those ten years had been a time of rapid growth. The Barbarian Clan and the human cultivators alike had suffered losses in their struggles, but talented figures had also emerged one after another. New branches replaced rotten wood, bursting with still more vigorous life.
Yet beneath those promising prospects, undercurrents stirred. They came not from within, but from beyond.
"Have more outsiders caused trouble?"
Reading the report delivered by a disciple under his command, the Insect Daoist felt a headache coming on.
Over the past decade and more, he had fully settled into the Mountain-Chasing Dao and risen to become its chief elder of external affairs, responsible for handling all its dealings with the outside world.
As the Mountain-Chasing Dao's influence grew, neither the Barbarian Clan nor its other subordinate powers dared provoke it lightly. He had been exceedingly comfortable in his position; calling him a man of high rank and great power would be no exaggeration.
But in recent years, his days had grown more difficult. More and more cultivators from beyond the continent were crossing the sea and pouring into Layered Mountains Continent.
At first, they had only been Rogue Cultivators. Though they had some skill, they could do nothing but bow their heads before the Mountain-Chasing Dao. Now, entire cultivation lineages and small sects had begun relocating here. There were even quite a few demons among the arrivals, not just human cultivators.
Most of those who could cross the sea were far from weak. No one of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm