Earth Vajra Court master Tian Yan was the first to cup his hands and accept the order:
"I obey the sect master's decree! The Earth Vajra Court's thirty elite Elixir-Embracing Realm disciples will assemble and depart at once!"
Wood Vajra Court master Shao Feng followed close behind, his expression grim:
"The Wood Vajra Court is already prepared. Twenty-seven inner disciples of the Elixir-Embracing Realm will set out ahead with me."
The steward left in charge of the Golden Vajra Court also accepted the order, drawing on the court's remaining elites and readying them to depart.
The court masters returned to their respective courts and hurried to select their people.
For this relief mission, they chose only Elixir-Embracing Realm disciples who had weathered a hundred battles and whose cultivation was stable.
They were swift on their feet and skilled at cross-country marches and defensive positions. The outer disciples lacked the cultivation for the mission, so they remained at the mountain gate to guard the sect's rear and watch for another surprise attack on the Cloudpiercing Sect itself.
In the blink of an eye, the elite squads from each court had assembled in the mountain gate square.
Squad after squad stood in formation, weapons drawn. Pills and healing medicine were distributed to every disciple, and a grim air hung over them.
Shi Songquan turned his gaze to Cheng Heng, who stood quietly to one side.
Dressed in blue-green robes, Cheng Heng stood at the front of the ranks, his aura restrained. Yet every court master present knew that, though he had only just entered the Vajra Realm, his fighting strength was not to be underestimated.
With the situation so dire, Cheng Heng had to go to the Azure Water Pavilion as well. They needed every bit of strength they could muster.
"Cheng