Chapter 875: Intimidating Purple Light, Calling Reinforcements!

“Hmph.”

Lu Changsheng held no favorable opinion of True Lord Ziguang, who had abandoned the city and fled.

If not for the sake of their alliance, he might have even demanded an explanation from the man before him.

“May I ask what brings True Lord Ziguang here?”

Lu Changsheng asked with a calm and indifferent expression.

True Lord Ziguang felt a pang of unease, sensing the lack of warmth from True Lord Yangming.

But with the situation against him, he forced a smile and said, “I’ve heard of your divine might, True Lord, and came to pay my respects.”

“Additionally, I’m preparing for a counterattack. Many of Purple Light Sect’s cultivators and strategic resources are still in the Immortal City, so I’ve come to retrieve them.”

True Lord Ziguang bowed with a smile, revealing his intentions.

“Strategic resources?”

Though Lu Changsheng hadn’t personally inspected the resources of Red Peak Immortal City,

his sons, Lu Lingxiao and Lu Qingxuan, had reported to him after tallying the gains.

Apart from the storage pouches and resources seized from Liang Demonic Cultivators, as well as those taken by Liang from Jiang and Yue cultivators,

the Immortal City held a substantial stash of strategic supplies.

Things like war flying boats, spirit stones, talismans, pills, and disposable magical instruments.

To Lu Changsheng, the value of these supplies was negligible, hardly worth his notice.

Yet, no matter how insignificant, they were now in his possession.

And now True Lord Ziguang thought he could claim them with a single word?

If it were True Lord Xuanjian or someone he was on good terms with, Lu Changsheng might have returned them, considering the needs of the upcoming war.

But who did True Lord Ziguang think he was?

“The rescued cultivators are all in the city. Feel free to take Purple Light Sect’s people with you, my friend.”

Lu Changsheng said evenly, “As for strategic resources… when I arrived, the Immortal City had already been stripped bare.”

If he handed over the resources, would the man next ask about his sect’s storage rings and pouches too?

True Lord Ziguang’s jovial smile froze on his face.

The Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain had only occupied Red Peak Immortal City for a few days before Lu Changsheng arrived and reclaimed it.

Even if the city’s resources had been looted, they couldn’t have been moved so quickly.

Moreover, such strategic supplies would surely be used by the Holy Maiden to bolster her army’s strength. How could they be sent away?

Anger churned in True Lord Ziguang’s heart, his expression darkening.

He hadn’t expected Lu Changsheng to so blatantly disregard his dignity.

The man intended to swallow Purple Light Sect’s strategic resources whole!

“Didn’t you reclaim Red Peak Immortal City right after True Lord Youyue’s attack, my friend?”

True Lord Ziguang, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, maintained control over his expression, feigning surprise as he asked.

“What’s this? Are you accusing me of embezzling Purple Light Sect’s resources, True Lord Ziguang?”

Lu Changsheng’s face turned icy in an instant, his eyes radiating the soul-crushing pressure of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator as he stared down the man before him.

True Lord Ziguang’s heart trembled, a sudden jolt of fear coursing through him as he felt an oppressive danger.

“Let’s be clear. Since I reclaimed Red Peak Immortal City, everything within it belongs to me.”

“You abandoned the city and fled, leaving my son in grave danger, nearly costing him his life. I’ve overlooked this for the sake of the bigger picture, yet now you dare question whether I’ve embezzled your resources? Are you itching to test the sharpness of my blade?”

Lu Changsheng’s voice was cold as he rebuked True Lord Ziguang.

As he spoke, the Nine Calamity Sword appeared in his hand, exuding a sharp aura capable of slicing through sun, moon, and stars.

His confrontation with True Lord Ziguang wasn’t just about his displeasure over the man’s abandonment of the city. It was also about establishing dominance.

Though he had already displayed formidable strength and authority by capturing and killing True Lord Tiancang and three others,

True Lord Ziguang’s audacity in showing up here proved that his intimidation over Yue and Jiang Kingdoms was still insufficient.

Or perhaps, he had been too lenient.

Changsheng True Lord could afford to be mild-mannered, forging goodwill and treating others with kindness.

But True Lord Yangming needed no such gentleness. He required unyielding authority!

“A misunderstanding, True Lord Yangming, a misunderstanding! I meant no such thing.”

True Lord Ziguang hurriedly explained.

Initially, he had thought True Lord Yangming’s feat of single-handedly killing four Nascent Soul cultivators was exaggerated.

First, True Lord Yangming possessed a fourth-rank spirit pet and a fourth-rank puppet king,

making him equivalent to three Nascent Soul combatants on his own.

Second, True Lord Youyue had been pitted against three opponents and was captured early, so she shouldn’t count in the tally.

True Lord Tiancang, True Lord Huangquan, and True Lord Incinerating Wither were not only average in strength but had also been worn down by prolonged combat with him, their conditions far from peak.

Moreover, during the battle, True Lord Huangquan had been divided from the others through True Lord Youyue, splitting their combat strength.

But now, feeling the piercing sword intent emanating from the Nine Calamity Sword in Lu Changsheng’s hand, he realized he was wrong.

This True Lord Yangming’s strength far surpassed his imagination.

Capturing and killing True Lord Tiancang and the others wasn’t due to his spirit pet or puppet king, but stemmed from his own power as a mid-stage Nascent Soul titan.

He wasn’t someone who had just broken through to mid-stage Nascent Soul or relied on secret techniques to temporarily wield such power.

“How could I suspect you of embezzling resources, my friend? It was merely a casual question.”

True Lord Ziguang, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, knew when to bend. He quickly clarified, “Regarding your son, I deeply apologize and am willing to offer compensation.”

“I also came to express my gratitude for reclaiming Red Peak Immortal City and recovering our battlefield losses. Please accept this small token of appreciation, True Lord Yangming.”

True Lord Ziguang had realized that True Lord Yangming harbored deep resentment over his abandonment of the city.

Coming here was like walking straight into a trap.

Regret gnawed at him for making this trip.

With a pained expression, he took out a brocade box filled with rare fourth-rank spirit materials and handed it to Lu Changsheng as a gesture of thanks.

Lu Changsheng accepted the box, opened it for a glance, deemed it acceptable, and stored it in his storage ring. He sheathed the Nine Calamity Sword and gave a faint nod.

With Jiang and Yue Kingdoms preparing to counterattack Liang, he couldn’t truly strike at True Lord Ziguang and cut him down.

Doing so would inevitably disrupt the alliance and affect the subsequent war.

A show of intimidation was enough for now.

Seeing Lu Changsheng’s lukewarm, impassive demeanor, True Lord Ziguang felt a surge of frustration.

Yet he maintained a respectful expression, bowing with a forced smile. “In that case, I’ll take my sect’s cultivators and depart.”

“Mm.” Lu Changsheng nodded, no longer making things difficult.

After all, they were still allies.

He couldn’t demand payment for letting True Lord Ziguang take his sect’s cultivators away. That would be too unsightly.

Besides, as a Nascent Soul True Lord, he had to uphold a certain dignity.

After being intimidated by Lu Changsheng, True Lord Ziguang had no desire to linger in Red Peak Immortal City.

He quickly led his sect’s cultivators away.

Lacking flying boats and warships, their retreat was cumbersome.

He could only order his Core Formation cultivators to lead the group while he departed ahead.

“True Lord Yangming!”

After leaving the Chiyue Mountain Range, True Lord Ziguang’s pale face darkened like a storm cloud, his fists clenched tight.

As a Nascent Soul True Lord and sect patriarch, he was accustomed to being revered, with no one daring to slight him.

Even True Lord Xuanjian and True Lord Hunyuan, whose combat strength far exceeded his, addressed him as an equal, treating him with respect.

Yet here in Red Peak Immortal City, despite believing he had shown ample courtesy,

True Lord Yangming hadn’t given him the slightest regard, completely dismissing his dignity.

How could he not be furious?

But recalling True Lord Yangming’s strength, he could only swallow his anger, suppressing his rage as he pondered how to distance himself from the man.

If he couldn’t provoke him, couldn’t he at least avoid him?

“Once Liang Kingdom is defeated, Yuan Kingdom will surely withdraw its troops. At that time, Wu Kingdom’s territory will be up for grabs…”

True Lord Ziguang mused, considering relocating his sect to Wu Kingdom.

Though Wu Kingdom was currently occupied by Liang and Yuan Kingdoms,

if Beast God Mountain were breached, Wu Kingdom could be dealt with easily.

At that point, he could exchange his war merits for a piece of Wu Kingdom’s territory, putting distance between himself and Jiang Kingdom.

Meanwhile, back in Red Peak Immortal City, True Lord Ziguang’s visit had sparked a realization in Lu Changsheng.

Manpower!

While the decisive factor in war was still the strength of Nascent Soul True Lords,

the cultivation world had an unwritten rule for warfare.

On the battlefield, Nascent Soul cultivators were forbidden from attacking those of lower realms.

After all, the power of Nascent Soul cultivators was simply too overwhelming.

Against cultivators below Nascent Soul, it was utter domination.

Even if an opposing Nascent Soul cultivator held them in check, they could still inflict massive casualties on lower-realm cultivators.

If two Nascent Soul True Lords disregarded the rules and unleashed havoc on the battlefield, the war would lose all meaning.

Even victory would leave them with no one left to command.

Thus, most Nascent Soul factions adhered to this wartime code.

Of course, there was another reason.

Excessive slaughter and the killing of too many innocents could invite karmic retribution, tainting one’s fortune.

Though karma and fortune were elusive and hard to grasp,

at the Nascent Soul level, most cultivators took them seriously, preferring to err on the side of caution.

Therefore, in the upcoming counterattack on Liang Kingdom, Lu Changsheng’s primary role would be to confront the Demonic Mastermind behind Liang,

or to deal with True Lord Nine Spirits, True Lord Yunmei, and the two Nascent Soul True Lords from Yuan Kingdom.

But True Lord Ziguang’s visit had reminded him of something.

If he wanted to gain more resources and benefits from the war, he needed subordinates to seize cities, plunder, and secure resources.

Yet, aside from a few cultivators his son Lu Lingxiao had brought from the Immortal City of Damengze, he had no usable forces.

This would cost him many potential gains.

Reinforcements!

Lu Changsheng immediately decided to call for help, summoning Yun Wanshang to his side.

Though Yun Wanshang’s body had only just barely recovered and she wasn’t fit for combat in the short term,

the upcoming war posed little danger.

Her presence here would simply require her to oversee the rear, splitting Azure Cloud Sect’s forces from Jiang Kingdom.

This way, she could not only plunder resources through Azure Cloud Sect but also claim war merits after the conflict.

Azure Cloud Sect currently relied on a mere third-rank spiritual vein, insufficient to support Yun Wanshang’s cultivation.

If her war merits were substantial, she could request Heavenly Sword Sect, Hunyuan Sect, or Purple Light Sect’s Dragon Seeking or Formation masters to extract a small portion of a fourth-rank spiritual vein from Liang Kingdom to nurture Azure Cloud Sect’s vein.

Moreover, Lu Changsheng recalled that since the Nascent Soul patriarch of Ba Wu Sect in Wu Kingdom had passed away, the region had been mired in chaos.

Ba Wu Sect, under the meddling of various powers, had gradually declined, leaving its fourth-rank spiritual vein unclaimed.

At that time, he could even help Yun Wanshang seize Wu Kingdom’s fourth-rank spiritual vein.

“Caiyun, hurry to the Yue Kingdom Front Lines. We’re counterattacking Liang.”

Lu Changsheng immediately crushed a fourth-rank Yin-Yang Communication Talisman linked to Yun Wanshang, sending a brief message.

But then he thought, since he, the Lord of Dameng City, was already here, how could Changsheng True Lord, the deputy city lord, not come as well?

He promptly crushed another Yin-Yang Sensory Talisman, instructing her to bring Lu Miaoge along.

This way, both Changsheng True Lord and Master Miaoge could earn sufficient war merits in this conflict and be rewarded accordingly.

“Ugh, communicating through talismans is such a hassle.”

Lu Changsheng couldn’t help but envy Zhenhai Patriarch and Minghai True Lord, who could communicate in real-time over vast distances using formations and restrictions.

Though his Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror could achieve the same, if not more conveniently,

the spiritual vein in Red Peak Immortal City wasn’t strong enough for Ah Wu to connect to Bihu Mountain. At most, it could reach the Immortal City of Qingluan.

In Azure Cloud Sect, within Caiyun Hall,

Yun Wanshang spent her days teaching her son Lu Yunxiao, recuperating, and guiding her grand-disciple Lu Shouzheng.

She paid particular attention to this son of her disciple Chu Qingyi.

For one, he was Chu Qingyi’s child.

For another, Lu Shouzheng possessed exceptional talent with a Heavenly Spiritual Root and an unyielding spirit.

At that moment, Yun Wanshang felt a stir in her mind. With a flick of her jade-like hand, a Yin-Yang Communication Talisman appeared, forming a message.

Hurry to the Yue Kingdom Front Lines. Counterattack on Liang.

Yun Wanshang frowned in confusion.

She didn’t understand why Lu Changsheng suddenly summoned her to the Yue Kingdom Front Lines for a counterattack on Liang.

Wasn’t the Liang-Yue War currently at a deadlock, with Yue Kingdom on the losing side?

Moments later, another Yin-Yang Communication Talisman materialized in her hand, instructing her to bring Lu Miaoge.

“This man… does he know the meaning of frugality?”

Yun Wanshang couldn’t help but think Lu Changsheng was wasteful for using two precious fourth-rank Yin-Yang Communication Talismans for such trivial messages.

Yet, with two messages in succession, she realized something must have shifted in the Liang-Yue War, and Lu Changsheng was likely at the Yue Kingdom Front Lines.

“Wasn’t this little rascal supposed to be handling trouble at Starry Sea? How did he end up at the Yue Kingdom Front Lines?”

Though Lu Changsheng had already made a name for himself at the Yue Kingdom Front Lines by killing four Nascent Soul cultivators and shaking the region,

the distance between the two kingdoms meant news took time to travel.

Thus, Yun Wanshang hadn’t yet received word of Lu Changsheng’s situation at the front.

After a moment of thought, she entrusted Lu Yunxiao to her grand-disciple Lu Shouzheng, asking him to look after the boy for a few days while she headed to Bihu Mountain to inquire about the situation.

“Understood, Grandmaster.”

Lu Shouzheng, now sixteen and tall with a sturdy frame, bowed to Yun Wanshang before turning to the delicate, doll-like Lu Yunxiao.

“Yunxiao, Mommy has some matters to attend to. Stay with your brother Shouzheng for a while and be good, alright?”

Yun Wanshang gently instructed her son.

By seniority, Lu Shouzheng should address Lu Yunxiao as Martial Uncle.

But given their similar ages,

and considering both shared Lu Changsheng as their father, Yun Wanshang hoped they would grow closer, so she didn’t enforce the formal titles.

“Okay.”

Though only three years old, Lu Yunxiao was remarkably sensible. He nodded obediently at his mother’s words.

Then he added, “I’ll be good and wait for Mommy to come back.”

“Mm.” Yun Wanshang felt a pang of tenderness as she parted from her son for the first time. Seeing his earnest little face, her heart softened, and she ruffled his hair gently.

Then, without a sound, she set off for Bihu Mountain to ask Lu Miaoge if she knew anything about the situation.