Chapter 25: This Sect Is Full of Madmen!
Within the camp, many disciples of the Grand Void Palace were fervently rousing their spirits.
“We are disciples of the illustrious Grand Void Palace! Why have we toiled in obscurity at the Black Gathering Point, honing our skills all these years?”
“To make a name for ourselves in a single battle! To achieve glory and honor for our families!”
“If I return empty-handed, I would have no face to meet the elders of my hometown. I’d rather fall on this battlefield!”
“Brothers, let us slay the demons and share the spoils—our path of cultivation will then be bright and boundless!”
Seven years ago, the Grand Void Palace openly recruited a thousand disciples a year, but in truth, they took in five thousand. They had once accepted three thousand in a single year. So many resources poured in—there was bound to be a response.
The Grand Void Palace and the Hundred-Thousand Demon Mountains were like pieces in a game of Go caught in a deadlock—either side could abandon their position at any time, even repeatedly so. Yet, if the balance of power shifted, one side might seize the initiative.
The only way to secure a lasting advantage was to annihilate the other.
If the Hundred-Thousand Demon Mountains destroyed the Grand Void Palace, not only would they unite with other demon forces, but their territory would double. The same held true for the Palace.
However, neither side could openly declare war. After all, the surrounding powers showed no inclination for conflict, and both the demon and human clans had enjoyed a long-standing peace.
These monthly skirmishes and small squads from the Grand Void were methods of wounding each other's next generation while tempering their own.
Yet, years ago, some high-ranking elders of the Grand Void Palace had already foreseen: the escalation of war was inevitable.
It just happened to erupt in this generation.
Neither side wished to give neighboring powers the chance to profit from their strife.
Thus, they maintained a careful restraint.
Now, with massive armies in play, speed was essential.
Should the Chaos Lands or the Jiao Demon Lake learn that the Grand Void Palace and Hundred-Thousand Demon Mountains had begun a clash on a scale of tens of thousands, they would surely mobilize their own to strike at the Palace.
The same risk faced the Demon Mountains.
The current situation was exceedingly complex.
Lu Wu flitted about the camp, gathering news and listening to the analyses of many Grand Void disciples, finding their points persuasive.
Indeed, their reasoning was sound.
But could the Grand Void Palace truly prevail and punch straight through the Hundred-Thousand Demon Mountains?
Would the Demon Mountains really hold back and not allow their cultivators above the Flying Realm to join the battle?
“If those above the Flying Realm stay out, then I’ll be the lord of this battlefield.”
“Let’s hope they stay out, then.”
Lu Wu sought out several self-styled masters of military theory within the camp, listening intently to their strategic debates, much like listening to commentators analyze a soccer match—utterly engrossing.
In the central command tent—
Yi Ya spoke: “Fellow disciples, all of you are second-generation members of the Palace, though some I have yet to meet.”
“What are your thoughts on the coming battle?”
A burly disciple, who looked more like a robust middle-aged man than a youth, stood and clasped his hands in salute. “Senior Brother, fellow brothers and sisters.”
“Please look at the map.”
“We are here. They are here. If we attack, they will surely retreat along the road.”
“This would not be to our advantage.”
Yi Ya raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And you are?”
The burly man grinned sheepishly. “I am Chang Ge, disciple of Master Ling Yun.”
“Aha, a prized student of Elder Ling!” Yi Ya said. “Go on, then.”
Pointing at the map, Chang Ge continued, “Look, the demon tribe entered through the Demon-Suppressing City and fought their way here—why?”
“The Grand Void Range runs east to west, with many strategic mountain passes.”
“Here, toward the northwest, lies the Snowfall Pass.”
“If the demon army avoids us, they will inevitably head north for Snowfall Pass.”
“If they succeed in opening a route to the Chaos Abyss, it would be as if a third of our Grand Void Range is sliced away.”
“If they manage this, even if the Jiao Demon Lake reacts, it will be too late to prevent it. By then, the Demon Mountains’ territory will be directly linked to the Abyss, cutting us and the Jiao Demon Lake off from each other.”
“Their intention was never to complete the monthly campaign by marching straight through. Their aim is to devour a third of our western lands.”
The disciples were stunned.
Hearing it laid out like this, it certainly seemed possible.
Yi Ya asked, “Then can we not drive them back outside Demon-Suppressing City?”
With a sweep of his finger, the bearded strongman Chang Ge clarified, “Their attack is meant to split off a third of our land.”
“Even if we drive them back, we gain nothing but a nominal victory.”
“My suggestion is to split our forces: attack while herding them southeast toward the Southern Border City.”
“Should they retreat within the Demon Mountains’ borders, we immediately announce the commencement of a Grand Void campaign.”
“We march down this route, seize Leopard Head Mountain from the Demon Mountains.”
“If successful, we will have taken a third of their territory.”
“In doing so, we border the Lu Clan, severing the link between Grand Void City and the Demon Mountains.”
“This not only prevents Grand Void City from taking advantage when the Demon Mountains are weakened, but connects us with the Lu Clan, allowing us to draw vast resources for war and cultivation.”
“As we grow stronger, swallowing the Demon Mountains becomes inevitable.”
“Excellent, excellent! That speaks to my heart!” Yi Ya turned to the others, excitement in his eyes. “Anyone else with different ideas?”
The unspoken message: I’m already convinced—just agree, the lot of you!
A female disciple stood up. “I disagree with Senior Brother Chang Ge.”
“I think we should strike northward!”
“If we break through Tiger Leap Gorge, we can head straight for Ten Thousand Demon Peak, the very heart of the Demon Mountains.”
“At that point, our elders—Grandmaster and all—will surely join. We would have the advantage, and could wipe out the Demon Mountains in one swift campaign.”
“Even if the eastern Grand Void City and the western Demon Tower General’s Manor both send troops and carve away much of the Demon Mountains, we could use our central position to expand on both fronts, seizing Leopard Head Mountain and Serpent Valley in the west before anyone else.”
“This would force both the Demon Tower General’s Manor and Grand Void City to act, but we would still claim half the Demon Mountains for ourselves.”
Lu Wu was utterly taken aback.
These disciples of the Grand Void Palace—each more audacious than the last.
A bunch of juniors, plotting the annihilation of a force equal to their own palace?
Yi Ya slapped his thigh. “Ha! That’s a fine plan too. Anyone else?”
A pale young man stood, looking somewhat frail. “Ahem—”
Everyone assumed he was just clearing his throat.
But he coughed and coughed, a relentless fit.
After a long spell, even paler, he managed, “I think both plans are viable.”
“But I have another idea.”
“Right now, we should form Grand Void squads and send one south, piercing through the Demon Mountains.”
“At the same time, our main army should hold back, not pressing the Demon Mountains too hard—just tie them down.”
Yi Ya asked, “What’s the use of that?”
The youth explained, “For years, many of our elders and senior brothers have broken through the Demon Mountains and reached the Holy Capital.”
“They’re scattered all over the Holy Capital.”
“Once our new squads break through, we immediately issue a call for reinforcements, inviting all those elders to return.”
“With overwhelming force, we gamble on a decisive battle—annihilate the Demon Mountains in one blow.”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
This plan was sheer arrogance.
Even the headstrong Yi Ya hesitated: “It does sound exciting, but what if we delay too long and the Chaos Lands or Jiao Demon Lake attack us?”
“Or what if the ancient demon clans from the Chaos Abyss rally to counterattack?”
At this, the youth’s pallor gave way to a flush of excitement, his eyes feverish. “Either we seize the chance, double our territory, and open a path to the Holy Capital, becoming the mightiest sect on the frontier—”
“Or, one wrong move, and all is lost—utter destruction!”
“I think it’s worth the risk!”
Yi Ya shuddered. “Let’s not. I’m the senior brother, not the palace lord. Is this something I can decide?”
“Let’s stick to the first two plans and vote.”
Lu Wu was left dumbstruck.
Was this kind of fervor and bravado unique to the second-generation disciples of the Grand Void Palace, or was it the general spirit of this world of cultivation?
Surely the world of cultivators wasn’t entirely insane?
Ziyu quietly sent a message, “Senior, what do you think?”
Lu Wu replied, “I must say… this youngster is bold and imaginative. I like it.”
He kept listening to the heated discussion, unaware that Ziyu’s eyes were growing feverish as well.