The Five Colors Sect reacted swiftly, thwarting the infiltration plan.
The current battle situation was unfavorable to the Whale-Jiao Society, a far cry from their original goal of a swift, decisive victory.
"We'll have to play our trump card." At Mo Caihuan's command, everyone sprang into action.
That night, terrifying thunderclaps erupted at the Five Colors Sect's headquarters. Buildings exploded, swept away like rotten wood and dry grass. The experts gathered there were blown limb from limb amid the crackling blasts.
Before the experts could even work out which direction the attack was coming from, their headquarters had been wiped out.
This was Mo Caihuan's secret weapon, the Hot Air Balloon Corps. The personal guard she had formed transported hot air balloons and gunpowder to a ravine beside the Five Colors Sect's headquarters and concealed them there.
After assembling the balloons, they flew over the Five Colors Sect under cover of darkness and dropped explosive charges in a direct aerial assault.
Once the air raid was complete, they returned to the ravine, dismantled the balloons, and withdrew disguised as a merchant caravan once more.
At the same time, counterattacks began at every branch. Working together from inside and outside, they killed the trusted loyalists and seized the branches.
The loyalists were beaten to death by the furious rank and file.
Overnight, the Five Colors Sect changed its tune, and all its territory came under the Whale-Jiao Society's control. The world of wandering martial artists was stunned, and the martial community reeled. No one could understand how the Whale-Jiao Society had managed it.
"Third Young Miss, a prisoner was making a fuss about seeing you. I've brought him here."
"Senior Brother Yan, there's no need to be so formal." Mo Caihuan remained quite courteous to her nominal father's eldest disciple. "Who wants to see me?"
Yan Ge replied loyally, "An elder of the Five Colors Sect. He says he has something extremely important to discuss with you."
"Let him in."
Soon, a gray-haired old man over fifty was brought inside. His hair was disheveled and his face bruised, but his eyes were sharp, and he was full of vigor.
"You wanted to see me?"
Upon seeing Mo Caihuan, the elder could not help saying, "I've long heard that Mo Juren had a monstrous daughter who knew how to kill at ten. Seeing you today, I can tell the rumors were true. The leaders of Dominating Mountain Manor and the Five Colors Sect were both heaven-blessed talents, yet they died at the hands of a little girl like you. Impressive, truly impressive."
Mo Caihuan's expression did not change. "My time is precious. If you have something to say, say it."
"Girl, do you know that disaster is hanging over your head? The Whale-Jiao Society has offended someone it should never have offended." The old man raised his head and puffed out his chest, watching Mo Caihuan in hopes of catching a flicker of panic. Unfortunately, he was disappointed.
She remained expressionless, her eyes like a starry sky. Young as she was, she exuded authority without a trace of anger. It was most peculiar.
Finding it uncomfortable to have her stare at him in silence, the old man said, "Didn't you hear me?"
Mo Caihuan said, "You're merely going to tell me that the Five Colors Sect has a backer. The Whale-Jiao Society already controls Lan Province. Next, we'll consolidate our strength. If their backer wants to come, let them come."
"Heh, young in years, but great in ambition. You must think the Five Colors Sect's backer is the imperial court or some martial sect. Then you're gravely mistaken. You'll jump out of your skin when I tell you. You could never imagine who stands behind the Five Colors Sect."
"Let's hear it."
"The Five Colors Sect's backers are none other than the immortals of Spirit Beast Mountain," the old man declared loudly. He continued watching the girl, only to find that her delicate features had not changed at all. Even her willow-leaf brows had not stirred.
Could this girl not know how formidable immortals are? he wondered, then continued, "You're young, so it's natural that you don't know. Spirit Beast Mountain is a sect of immortals. Do you know what immortals are? They swallow clouds and breathe mist, overturn mountains and seas, and can kill mortals like you and me with a flick of a finger."
"If they're immortals, why would they meddle in the Five Colors Sect's affairs?"
Seeing that the girl still showed no reaction and merely asked an ordinary question, the old man felt disappointed. With little enthusiasm, he could only explain, "The founder of the Five Colors Sect was a close friend of an immortal master from the Spirit Beast Sect. One was mortal, the other immortal. The immortal master always remembered his dear friend and looked after his descendants. Now that the Whale-Jiao Society has annihilated the Five Colors Sect with thunderous force, the moment that immortal master hears the news, the sky will come crashing down on you."
"At worst, I'll die." Mo Caihuan spoke as though she welcomed death. "Dying at an immortal's hands would be a worthy end."
"Heh, die? You're thinking far too simply. Immortals have ways to make you wish you were dead." Refusing to believe he could not frighten a child barely in her teens, the old man said, "Immortals can pull out a person's soul and slice it apart inch by inch, leaving them unable to reincarnate."
Mo Caihuan's expression remained unchanged. "If that's all you wanted to say, I'm not interested. You may leave. We'll judge you according to your crimes."
"Wait." Seeing that she truly was not afraid in the slightest, the old man immediately said, "I came to help you. I have a way to save your little life."
"You're only a mortal. Can you really change an immortal's mind? Stop trying to bluff me." Disbelief covered her face.
The old man immediately said, "I may be a mortal, but my ancestor was a cultivator. He rendered a service to the Covering Moon Sect and received an Ascension Token. These tokens are rewards the sect gives specifically to those who have contributed to it. If their descendants possess a spiritual root, they can enter the sect and cultivate. My family hasn't had anyone with a spiritual root for several generations, but we still have the token. With it, you can ask the Covering Moon Sect to intervene once, allowing the Whale-Jiao Society to avert a crisis."
Mo Caihuan's heart stirred. She had never expected him to possess something so valuable. If it really could bring the Covering Moon Sect into the matter, Spirit Beast Mountain would surely show them some respect. The Covering Moon Sect was the largest sect in the Yue Kingdom, and the strongest.
"Then what do you want?" Mo Caihuan asked directly, wasting no words.
"I'm getting old, and I have no descendants. All I want is to live out my days in comfort and wealth. As long as you promise I'll only have to stretch out my arms to be dressed and open my mouth to be fed, I'll hand over the Ascension Token."
"Aren't you afraid I'll take the token, then slaughter the donkey once it's done turning the millstone?" Mo Caihuan asked.
The old man froze, not expecting such a question, then smiled. "You aren't that kind of person. If you really tore down the bridge after crossing the river, how could the Whale-Jiao Society's rank and file fight so fearlessly? I saw it with my own eyes. To hold a branch's gateway, a man stood blocking it with swords and blades sticking out all over his body. He gritted his teeth and kept the enemy from shutting the gates, finally dying on his feet. At my age, I'd never seen anything like it."
"It's not that I've never seen underlings who weren't afraid of death, but they were all fighting for their own wealth and glory. The Whale-Jiao Society's men were different. They weren't fighting for themselves, but for victory." Deeply moved, the old man said, "If you can make them forget their lives and brave death, you certainly aren't a bad person."
"Their sacrifice won't be in vain." Mo Caihuan stood and observed a solemn silence.
Only after a quarter of an incense stick's burning time did she speak again. "Very well, I agree to the deal. Give me the Ascension Token, and I'll ensure you never want for food or clothing for the rest of your life. But let me make the unpleasant part clear first: don't take an inch and ask for a mile, or I'll settle accounts with you when autumn comes."
"As the general, so the soldiers. All I ask is a peaceful, comfortable life. I'll go fetch the Ascension Token now." The old man added, "Of course, you can send someone to keep an eye on me."
"I'll send someone with you. Go quickly and come straight back."
"So you are afraid after all. Don't worry, three days will be enough." Hearing Mo Caihuan emphasize haste, the old man knew she was still panicking inside.
How could she not panic? This was a cultivator they were talking about. But she could not show her anxiety, lest the old man use it to manipulate her.
She had prepared for the worst, but now, beyond the dark willows, bright flowers had revealed a way forward.
Three days later, the Ascension Token lay before Mo Caihuan.
It was a pitch-black triangular plaque, with "Ascension" written on the front and "Token" on the back. Both sides bore a pattern of dark clouds concealing the moon. It was heavy, but it was not metal.
"This is the Ascension Token. Anyone with a spiritual root can use it to enter a cultivation sect," the old man said regretfully.
"How do we use it? We don't even know where the immortals are."
The old man chuckled. "Since I have the token, naturally I know how to use it. Find a cultivators' market, and you'll find cultivators. I happen to know where the market near the Covering Moon Sect is. But all that traveling is sure to wear me out. You'll have to pay extra."
"Tell me the location first."
"Telling you won't help. Without knowing how to enter, you won't be able to get in," the old man said.
"Just tell me first."
"Old Aunt Mountain, Double Clamp Ravine."
Mo Caihuan stood and went into the adjoining room.
The adjoining room held maps and a sand table: a map of the Thirteen Provinces, a map of the Yue Kingdom, and, of course, a map of the Heavenly South.
However, the map of the Heavenly South was not at all accurate, merely a rough outline. The map of the Heavenly South was not particularly accurate either, and would certainly have to be redrawn in the future.
She quickly located Old Aunt Mountain in the northwestern corner of the Yue Kingdom. It was a winding mountain range, a place rich in spiritual energy of the sort cultivators favored.
In the Lower Realm, spiritual energy was mostly concentrated in deep mountains and ancient forests. In the Upper Realm, even the cities had plenty of spiritual energy.