Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 1985 - 1461: Forcibly Assigned (Part 2)
Previously on Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan...
Should this continue without any resolution in sight, the spirits of the Immortal Tao faction will inevitably shatter entirely before long!
Right at that moment, Li Zhixuan devised a strategy that wasn't merely helpful but extraordinarily potent; unsurprisingly, every Heavenly Immortal rallied behind her proposal.
They wasted no time in executing it, dividing the Immortal Tao troops into two groups—so urgently, as if a crisis loomed immediately.
Shortly thereafter, the previously unified cultivator forces parted ways, each under the command of a separate Heavenly Immortal, appearing every bit like a disciplined army!
Li Zhixuan trailed one contingent southward, entering the clash between the Devil Race and Human Dao.
Following a hurried advance, the Immortal Tao warriors emerged abruptly along the battlefield's fringe, inevitably drawing inquiries from the Human Dao cultivators.
"May I ask why you’ve mobilized such a force to the Southern Domain? Is there something important you wish to do?"
"We heard your side is locked in fierce battle with the Devil Race, lacking in strength. Seeing as we’re all human race, we made a special trip to support you." The cultivator delivered these lines with ease, even feigning a look of worry.
Yet the Human Dao cultivators perceived this bunch as slick—and downright brazen!
When had they required outside aid? It wasn't as if the Devil Race proved unbeatable for them.
However, with foes bearing down, debating amid the chaos of war made little sense, forcing them to display grim and hostile expressions, in hopes their demeanor would prompt the cultivators to depart voluntarily.
But these intruders had already resolved to participate—how could a mere excuse repel them? They pretended all was normal, poised to dive into the combat the instant it ignited.
And as throngs of cultivators materialized on the field for the very first time, the Devil Beasts reeled in astonishment—since when had Human Dao allied with Immortal Tao!
Shock swiftly gave way to fury and dread.
Earlier, they'd held Human Dao in a stalemate; now with Immortal Tao's intervention, the scales would tip disastrously, leaving them overwhelmed!
In reality, the Devil Race hadn't waged intense conflicts against cultivators for ages; after all, vast swaths along the borders of East Continent and Southern Domain fell under Human Dao cultivator control.
The remaining untamed spots were treacherous and impenetrable, unfit for large-scale troop movements.
With neither side able to connect, outright warfare became impossible.
Once, Devil Race outposts dotted East Continent, but those territories had vanished completely!
Today, the so-called 'Devil Beasts' lurking in highlands and spiritual realms were cultivated by diverse Immortal Tao sects, serving as training grounds for the youth or for nurturing spirit herbs, bearing scant ties to the true Devil Race.
Moreover, both in quantity and power, they faced rigid constraints.
"Kill!"
The cultivators surged with even greater zeal than their Human Dao counterparts; the battle had barely commenced when they stormed forward, roaring with bloodthirsty fervor.
Not only did the Devil Race gape in disbelief—the Human Dao fighters stood stupefied, wholly unprepared for such a spectacle.
"Are these people even cultivators anymore? More like ravenous wolves disguised as humans!" a Confucian cultivator exclaimed.
"Quit gawking! Move out, lest those cultivators claim every single Devil Beast!"
The group jolted to action, abandoning their prior alignments, charging after the cultivators in a frantic pursuit.
"Damn it!"
The Devil Race muttered curses inwardly yet found themselves compelled to retaliate.
But the moment forces collided, the Devil Race endured devastating blows!
Numerous Devil Beasts had misjudged the cultivators' savage hunger, oblivious to the sheer ferocity of their murderous aura!
Blindsided, vast numbers of Devil Beasts fell injured; weaker low-tier specimens perished instantly.
Once the Devil Beasts regained their wits, the chance had slipped away, worsening their plight immeasurably.
…
The alternate cultivator detachment pressed straight into West Continent, traversing its territories toward Western Sea.
Truth be told, a great many harbored terror and apprehension about venturing through West Continent.
They understood Demon Cultivators intimately—and those weren't the sort to repay kindness with loyalty!
They could assist Demon Cultivators in repelling the Sea Clan one instant, only for betrayal to strike the next.
Should that occur, the cultivators entering this perilous realm would face dire peril. Escaping back to East Continent would demand a harrowing struggle.
Yet no alternative existed; ensnared in this colossal calamity with escape routes barred, what choice remained?
Li Zhixuan joined their ranks, but unlike the reluctant draftees selected by draw, she volunteered willingly.
Her objective proved straightforward: as the ordeal concluded during the return to East Continent, she anticipated a Demon Cultivator ambush, allowing her to counter and eliminate them!
Thus, she would purge all tribulation-related karma—along with her celestial obligations.
Afterward, Li Zhixuan could ascend and vanish at once.
Naturally, success demanded slaying one Sea Clan Heavenly Immortal and one Demon Heavenly Immortal!
Mirroring her earlier engagement with Demon Cultivators, Li Zhixuan initiated an aggressive strike—her faintly diminished condition promptly lured a Heavenly Immortal Realm Water Devil.
…
As conflicts blazed throughout Primal Spirit Realm, the secluded Shanhai State preserved its serene calm, resembling an isolated haven beyond mortal strife.
At that juncture, the Li family caught wind that the Sea Clan had assembled its legions, surging into Western Sea.
"Ah, so that's the explanation!"
Clarity dawned on all, unveiling the motive behind the Sea Clan's proliferation of water devil phantoms.
This revelation compounded the challenge of karmic resolution—given the depleted ranks of Water Devils in East Sea, tracking them down grew exceedingly arduous.
Consequently, certain family members considered journeying northward to seek Ten Thousand Spirits Alliance beings as substitutes for Sea Clan targets.
However, the Ten Thousand Spirits Alliance had barricaded themselves, and any coerced breach might exact a staggering toll in lives. Powerless, they retreated, compelled to scour the expansive East Sea for lingering Water Devil signs.
Subsequently, the Li family learned of Immortal Tao's bifurcation, invoking the 'fellow humans' bond to advance into West Continent and Southern Domain, allying in Human Dao's wars against Devil Race, and Demon Tao's against Sea Clan.
This tactic appeared promising, yet both fronts lay perilously distant from Mount Wanxian, riddled with hazards. Clansmen might perish en route from East Continent at the hands of rival cultivators!
Indeed, amid this apocalyptic tribulation, conventional protocols and taboos held no sway.
Thus, those prime locales remained inaccessible to Shanhai State's cultivators; they were bound to East Sea, persistently hunting the sparse Sea Clan remnants.
Regarding Li Zhirui, absent from view since retreating to his abode, he stayed fully apprised of external developments.
"Once Cave Abyss Sect hears about this, might they reconsider and turn their aggression toward the family?" This notion abruptly crossed his mind.
Should it transpire, the outcome would suit perfectly; the family could bide time securely, spared from exhaustive quests for Water Devils across the lands.
As for losses? In such a cataclysm, avoiding fatalities proved impossible.
Paradoxically, a Cave Abyss Sect assault might inflict fewer casualties on the Li family.
And the very Cave Abyss Sect occupying Li Zhirui's thoughts, upon discovering the bulk of East Sea's Sea Clan relocated, felt not just stunned but predominantly anxious—fearing the forfeiture of their prime karmic cleansing site.
Truthfully, this quandary plagued not only Cave Abyss Sect; every Immortal Tao influence bordering East Sea—from Xiaxian Sect to Yumen He Family—grappled with identical woes.
Similar to eastern East Continent entities tasked with thwarting Demon Tao incursions, their duty entailed blocking Sea Clan shore landings.
Hence, they refrained from sending hordes of disciples to the Immortal Demon Battlefield, instead retaining the bulk of their strength to counter any Sea Clan beachheads!