In the plains.
Five Spirit Boats hovered in the sky.
Regarding the Four Great Factions, just as previously stated, each had dispatched three Void Refinement cultivators and two hundred clansmen.
On the remaining Spirit Boat, the one who had arrived was a Great Commander from the headquarters of the Immortal Suppression Department.
The four Great Commanders of the Immortal Suppression Department were all Integration Realm cultivators without exception, and they were also the Imperial Family's most loyal guards.
They rarely appeared in the world.
Over the past hundred thousand years, few matters had been significant enough to disturb them.
Only when an existence so powerful that the world could not contend with it brought disaster upon the realm would they emerge from their seclusion.
Inside the Spirit Boat of the Immortal Suppression Department.
Inside, a monk could be seen wearing robes, bearing thirteen ordination scars atop his head, and possessing wide earlobes that drooped down to his cheeks.
He was rhythmically striking a wooden fish while chanting Buddhist scriptures.
His name was Holy Monk Yidian.
In the 40,000th year of the Dynasty's reign, the various prefectures of the world were still in a state of chaos, and Buddhism ran rampant.
However, the Buddhist faith eventually began to challenge the majesty of the Human Emperor, leading to the Era of Buddhist Extinction.
The one who assisted the Dynasty in extinguishing Buddhism was, unexpectedly, a monk—this very Holy Monk Yidian.
Rumor had it that he originated from the Buddhist sects.
He fasted and chanted scriptures until he saw through the true nature of Buddhism.
Declaring that "beneath the Buddhist gates, all are demons," he rose up to annihilate the faith.
That one extra ordination scar (incense burn marks on the heads of Buddhist monks) served as a notification to all monks in the world: as long as Holy Monk Yidian exists, his Dharma will always be "a little bit more" than that of any other monk.
"Amitabha. My Buddha is merciful. Why have we not yet begun to slaughter everyone on the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems?"
As Holy Monk Yidian's voice faded, a cultivator from the Immortal Suppression Department outside the Spirit Boat hurriedly reported,
"Reporting to the Commander, the Li Clan of Azure Cloud has not yet arrived."
"How can we be missing the Li Clan of Azure Cloud? Amitabha, Amitabha."
The rhythm of Holy Monk Yidian striking the wooden fish became urgent.
"Pass down the order. This poor monk can wait no longer. In one day's time, I shall propagate the Dharma.
Whether the Li Clan arrives or not, or if they are too cowardly to fight, our numbers are already sufficient.
This poor monk has already been detected by the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
If we do not launch a surprise attack now, the opportunity may be lost."
"Yes."
The corner of the Immortal Suppression Department cultivator's mouth twitched.
Having served under the Grandmaster for thirty thousand years, he knew that in every operation, the Grandmaster never followed the rules.
He truly did whatever he pleased.
...
"What? There is still half a month to go, yet the Grandmaster intends to launch a full assault now?!"
On the Spirit Boat of the Sword Pavilion, Fang Yunyu's expression shifted, his face turning complex.
"Why is he so impatient? The people of the Li Clan haven't arrived yet."
Accompanying him from the Sword Pavilion were two Supreme Elders from Mount Hidden Sword who spent their years in seclusion.
One had the appearance of a youth, while the other was an old man.
Within the Sword Pavilion, these two were commonly addressed as Left Sword and Right Sword, as they attended to the Founding Ancestor's left and right sides.
It was rare for Void Refinement cultivators in this world to take action.
Years ago, when Left Sword and Right Sword left the Sword Pavilion to battle a hidden faction, their combined sword technique shocked the world.
Rumor had it that under their combined power, no one below the Integration Realm could rival them.
At the very highest point in the sky, a middle-aged sword cultivator could be seen standing amidst the clouds with a sword on his back.
His face was weathered by time, and he seemed to be communing with heaven and earth.
When several Divinity Transformation stage cultivators approached, they addressed him as "Master Han."
This person was also a Supreme Elder of Mount Hidden Sword, surnamed Han, who guarded the Sword Pavilion's Scripture Library.
The old man Left Sword, noticing Fang Yunyu's strange expression, he frowned slightly.
"Sword Lord, the one who is impatient is you."
"Although the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems is no ordinary place, we have made ample preparations.
Even if the Li Clan arrives, it will just be Li Dalong and Li Yaozu.
Although Li Dalong possesses a top-tier Void Refinement Space, his actual strength is merely at the initial stage of Void Refinement.
As for Li Yaozu, he was too hasty in breaking through to Void Refinement, so his power is mediocre at best.
Even without them, this battle will not be hindered."
"Senior Brother, you are mistaken," Right Sword said with a smile.
"It is simply a matter of age. Li Yaozu once defeated the Sword Lord; given time, his future will be limitless.
As for Li Dalong and his corpse control techniques, the world does not know what trump cards he holds, so how could we?"
"The world knows well how formidable the Li Clan's Divinity Transformation stage cultivators are.
Furthermore, they are close friends with the Crown Prince.
If Crown Prince were to hear you belittling the Li Clan like this, I fear he would be displeased."
"Hmph!" Left Sword snorted coldly and said no more.
"Yes, it was I who was a bit too impatient."
Fang Yunyu lowered his head, his gaze evasive.
[In the distance]
Zhangsun Buhuo was conversing with two of his family's retainers.
These two retainers hailed from other factions, and both possessed a dignified and imposing bearing.
They were also in-laws of the Zhangsun Clan; one was surnamed Liu, and the other was surnamed Yu.
Once, the Zhangsun Clan had been meek and subservient, relying on these major factions just to establish a foothold.
Yet now, they could command these very factions to obey their every order.
This spoke volumes about the Zhangsun Clan's methods.
The forces on the Zhangsun side appeared to be no different from a ragtag mob of stragglers.
However, Zhangsun Buhuo showed not a hint of wartime nervousness.
Even upon hearing that Holy Monk Yidian intended to launch an attack, he uttered not a single word of comment.