Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 313: The Tianxing Alliance

"Junior Brother Yu's efforts have not gone unnoticed by me..."

Yu Yangzi remarked in a calm tone, his voice carrying the indifference of one who had seen countless cultivators during his time with the Xuanlu Guards. "Unfortunately, fate is beyond our control. Most cultivators are like Junior Brother Yu, and our sect's disciples are no exception. In the end, their fates often boil down to two outcomes: they either accept the futility of their pursuit of immortality, give up, and return to the sect to take on a leisurely role, or they return to their hometowns to start families and leave a legacy. Some manage to establish a good foundation and create immortal cultivation families, often depending on the sect for survival. The others, unwilling to give up, frequent the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, seeking elusive opportunities, only to one day vanish without a trace. Those who succeed are exceedingly rare."

Yu Yangzi suddenly chuckled in self-mockery. "I only managed to take one step further than they did. What right do I have to judge them? Enough, let's not dwell on this."

The atmosphere grew heavy, and neither of them continued the conversation as they walked in silence to meet Senior Brother Qi.

There was another person in the room.

His surname was Rong, and he was also a senior brother from Shaohua Mountain. His cultivation had reached the late stage of Foundation Building Realm, only slightly inferior to Senior Brother Qi.

The man had a square face, bronze-colored skin, and an expression of stern seriousness. When Qin Sang and Yu Yangzi greeted him, he returned the courtesy.

"You arrived at just the right time. Junior Brother Rong has just returned from the sect and will be taking over affairs at Xuanlu Stronghold," Qi Yuanshou explained as he introduced the two to the cultivator surnamed Rong.

He then informed Qin Sang and Yu Yangzi that he would be returning to the sect. From now on, they were to consult the cultivator surnamed Rong regarding any matters.

Yu Yangzi, hearing this for the first time, appeared slightly surprised. But soon, as if something dawned on him, his expression turned to one of joy. "Senior Brother Qi, have you sensed an opportunity for a breakthrough? Junior Brother Qin has just advanced to the middle stage of Foundation Building Realm, and now you're about to reach the Core Formation Realm. Today is truly a double celebration!"

Qi Yuanshou chuckled and shook his head. "Junior Brother Qin's breakthrough is indeed a joyous occasion. However, my return to the sect is not for a breakthrough but for another pressing matter."

Yu Yangzi's expression grew serious as he asked, "Senior Brother Qi, has something happened in the sect?"

For disciples like them, the relationship between Shaohua Mountain and its members was akin to that of branches and the trunk of a tree.

If the trunk were damaged, how could the branches survive?

Should anything happen to Shaohua Mountain, even if they managed to survive, losing the sect's support would turn them into rogue cultivators. The path of cultivation would become far more arduous.

At the very least, they would no longer be able to occupy such a prime cave dwelling outside Xuanlu Stronghold.

Shaohua Mountain was safeguarded by a Spiritual Infant grandmaster and Core Formation senior uncles in secluded cultivation. Yet, the summoning of Senior Brother Qi from thousands of miles away inevitably stirred speculation.

Qi Yuanshou shook his head. "There is no need for concern, Junior Brothers. The sect is safe. With the grandmaster present and the protective array intact, it stands firm as a rock. However, there have been unusual movements around the Tianduan Mountains and Yuncang Marshlands. My master has urgently summoned me to investigate."

"The Tianduan Mountains and Yuncang Marshlands..." Yu Yangzi murmured, his face reflecting realization and frustration. "Is the Tianxing Alliance making moves again?"

Qi Yuanshou let out a grunt of acknowledgement. "With the Spirit Tide approaching, the Tianxing Alliance is stirring once more. Whether they will act or not remains uncertain. This concerns not just Shaohua Mountain but the entire Small Cold Domain. However, given our sect's strategic position, we are the first line of defense and cannot afford to be careless. I am returning to conduct investigations and will inform the other major sects once the situation is clear so that we can unite against them. You should also make preparations. If war truly breaks out, no cultivator in the Small Cold Domain will be spared."

Qin Sang silently listened to Qi Yuanshou and Yu Yangzi's conversation, piecing together the situation.

The Tianxing Alliance was another major force outside the Small Cold Domain, separated by the natural barriers of the Tianduan Mountains and Yuncang Marshlands. The immortal cultivation world regarded these two regions as the boundary between the two domains, clearly delineating them.

The Small Cold Domain and the Tianxing Alliance had been at odds since ancient times. Nearly every major war Qin Sang had heard of involved these two factions.

At the height of the conflict, the Small Cold Domain had nearly fallen, with the righteous, demonic, and beast factions joining forces to barely fend off their enemies.

However, the last great war was long ago. For centuries, the Small Cold Domain had remained stable, with both sides maintaining a tacit understanding and an uneasy peace.

During his earlier cultivation journey, Qin Sang had been too focused on advancing his strength to concern himself with such matters. With so many powerful cultivators in the Small Cold Domain, he had assumed any calamity would be handled long before it reached him.

Yet now, he realized he might witness a war between two domains in his lifetime.

This realization caused his brow to furrow as a deep sense of unease crept into his heart.

He had experienced mortal wars before, and some of the gruesome scenes remained vivid in his memory. The wars among cultivators would undoubtedly be even more terrifying.

Once a war began, the momentum would surge forward like an unstoppable torrent.

Only those at the pinnacle, the Spiritual Infant Realm cultivators, could retreat at will. Even Golden Core masters, with the slightest misstep, could find themselves swept away by the chaos.

As for cultivators at the Foundation Building Realm like him, imagining they could stand against the tide was nothing but a fool’s dream. They would have no choice but to follow the flow, tossed about by the currents.

Opportunities might exist within such chaos, but the dangers far outweighed them.

The most frightening part was the complete lack of control over one’s future, life, and death.

Though Qin Sang had embraced the Dao through killing, he had no desire to become ensnared in a calamity of slaughter.

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The path he chose did not require him to gain insights through battles of life and death. Instead, he only needed to focus on cultivating steadily in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield to reach the Fake Core Realm safely.

With this thought in mind, Qin Sang hurriedly inquired about the details.

"When the Spirit Tide strikes, we must leave enough manpower at the seven strongholds to defend against the frenzied Cloud Beasts. If the Tianxing Alliance were to invade at that time, it would place the Small Cold Domain in a dire situation, caught between enemies on both sides. For the Tianxing Alliance, it would be the perfect opportunity. Historically, almost every major war has occurred during the appearance of the Spirit Tide," Qi Yuanshou explained with a faint sigh.

"As for the reasons for the war, it’s nothing more than a struggle for cultivation resources. The Ancient Immortal Battlefield, while perilous, is a treasure trove that has been monopolized by the cultivators of the Small Cold Domain. Do you really think others wouldn’t covet it? Moreover, deep within the Ancient Immortal Battlefield lies..."

Qi Yuanshou paused briefly, then changed the subject. "There’s no need to worry too much. The last time the Spirit Tide appeared, the Tianxing Alliance also made some moves, but before we could even organize a counterattack, they retreated on their own. It was more like an unwilling provocation than a real offensive. I imagine the lessons from the previous war were ingrained deeply enough. This time might be the same; they might not dare to take real action. Still, necessary precautions must be taken."

Qi Yuanshou then offered a brief explanation and issued a few instructions regarding various affairs.

Qin Sang, however, remained firm in his plan to return to the Tianjing Hidden Realm to continue his cultivation. He politely declined Senior Brother Rong’s invitation to stay at Xuanlu Stronghold. After a brief conversation, he took his leave.

As Qin Sang walked toward the Taiyi Core Pavilion, his heart was heavy with worry.

He understood all too well that with his limited strength, he could not change anything. Whatever happened, he could only accept it. The only thing within his power was to quickly improve his cultivation.