"..."
A few days later.
Ever since Su Yueli stopped concerning herself with whether the cultivators of the various dynasties lived or died, the war had continued. Every side still fought over cities and Spiritual Veins.
But large numbers of cultivators who wanted no part in the fighting began to leave. Some joined the People's Protection Corps outright.
Others dared not leave their camps openly, so they secretly supplied refugees with food and routes to safety.
Local armies no longer drove civilians away at will, either.
They feared the People's Protection Corps would intervene. More than that, they feared Su Yueli might come in person.
Though Su Yueli had not appeared for several days.
The decisive battle between Great Xun and Great Qian on the Red Sand Plains had been forced to a halt.
Both sides had suffered heavy losses.
The sight of Motian Xing appearing to absorb resentment had also robbed many of the courage to keep fighting.
The two dynasties had not formally declared a ceasefire, but both had withdrawn three hundred li.
Great Chu and Great Yan still fought over a major city, though high-realm cultivators no longer acted lightly.
No one wanted to become fuel for Motian Xing's breakthrough.
That restraint was fragile.
The moment one side gained a clear advantage, the war would expand again.
But at least the pace of death had slowed.
Su Yueli no longer rushed between every battlefield. She knew she could not force everyone to stop fighting with her fists.
She might hold Great Xun back today, only for Great Qian to march tomorrow.
Kill one commander, and the people beneath him would keep fighting.
She began devoting more of her energy to Motian Xing, tracking the flow of deathly energy across the continent.
She focused on inspecting Demon Path