[Within the faction of the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary]
Two more Heavenly Lords had arrived.
Hearing that the Holy Monk wanted to launch an early attack, Heavenly Lord Ning'an's expression turned unsightly.
After briefly exchanging words with the other two Heavenly Lords, he rose into the air.
"Why are they attacking ahead of schedule? The Li Clan hasn't arrived yet.
Weak as the Li Clan may be, they are still a source of strength—even using them as bait would have been useful."
Heavenly Lord Ning'an cursed silently.
Once he reached the high clouds, he utilized a formation to shield his presence from spiritual perception and retrieved a Jade Slip.
"Reporting to Your Honor. Holy Monk Yidian is arrogant and conceited; he does not take the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems seriously at all."
It was unknown to whom he was speaking, but the Jade Slip flickered with light in response.
Heavenly Lord Ning'an spoke in a grave voice,
"This subordinate has not detected anyone else arriving other than the Immortal Suppression Department.
The mysterious force that previously provided the Immortal Suppression Department with intelligence on the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems has not appeared.
Please rest assured, Your Honor: what they reported was only the layout of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
They do not know of the existence of our Grand Tower."
"Although the Li Clan has not arrived, relying on the current strength of the Immortal Suppression Department—combined with the inescapable net laid out around the perimeter, and the fact that the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems has no reinforcements—the Mountain is certain to perish!"
"However, since the Li Clan has not arrived, this subordinate is worried that there might be some..."
Before his voice had even faded, Heavenly Lord Ning'an hurriedly stowed away the Jade Slip and spun around abruptly.
"Good!"
Heavenly Lord Ning'an let out a loud laugh, though his expression gradually turned sinister.
"Reporting to Your Honor: they have arrived.
From this moment forth, the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems shall vanish from the world, and no one will ever investigate our affairs again.
Everything within the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems will belong to us!"
On the ground below, the wind swept through the grass.
Upon the boundless plain—resembling a vast stretch of green canvas—a strange, moving black speck suddenly appeared!
[Within the Eternal Immortal Sect group]
A trace of surprise flashed through He Hao's eyes.
"Is that Li Dalong and Li Yaozu of the Li Clan?"
This was his first time seeing Li Dalong in person.
Rumors claimed that Li Dalong and Li Yaozu had only just entered the Void Refinement Realm.
Yet, observing his aura now, Li Dalong's presence surged like a monstrous sea of blood.
How could this possibly be the early stage of Void Refinement?!!
Then there was Li Yaozu.
The sharp edge of his Sword Qi was such that it compelled Left Sword and Right Sword of the Sword Pavilion, and even Master Han, to cast sidelong glances in his direction.
Master Han raised his eyebrows slightly.
"No wonder the Founding Ancestor holds Li Yaozu in such high regard. Not bad at all."
He could clearly see that Li Yaozu's Sword Intent had already evolved into the Intent of Law!
It was like witnessing a sword pursuing a vicious enemy over thousands of miles—a relentless intent that would not rest until death, capable of breaking any technique.
He truly could not fathom how much slaughter Li Yaozu had experienced, or where he had found so many enemies to hunt down, to be able to cultivate such a state of Intent.
As for Sword Lord Fang Yunyu, seeing Li Yaozu arrive—the man who had defeated him years ago, a figure who was both a rival and a friend—he felt a sense of relief, yet also a touch of bitterness.
"You've come. In the end, you really have come."
Accompanied by the complex expressions of the onlookers...
Inside the Spirit Boat of the Immortal Suppression Department.
Holy Monk Yidian suddenly snapped his bright, piercing eyes open.
"Activate the formation. Do not let a single person from the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems escape!"
.....
[On the Plains]
A fresh breeze blew across the grasslands, bringing the scent of fragrant herbs to the nose.
"Smells much better than the Underworld."
Li Dalong was clad in a black robe.
When his wife was not present, he reverted to that pale, sinister countenance of old.
Having spent so many years in the Underworld, his hair had grown long; under the sunlight, it appeared a deep, dark shade tinged with red.
He carried a silver coffin on his back, with chains wrapped tightly around it, clanking rhythmically as he walked.
Li Dalong raised his head slightly.
He had already noticed the prying gazes of numerous Nascent Soul and Divinity Transformation stage cultivators from the Spirit Boats.
He did not recognize a single person from the Immortal Suppression Department or the Four Great Factions.
Some of them wore complex expressions, resembling the gazes of the malicious ghosts that stared at him in the Underworld.
Following behind him were some fifty individuals.
The fresh breeze blew open the hoods of their black robes, revealing faces that were hideous and ferocious without exception.
Refined corpses and Vengeful Ghosts!
Li Yaozu glanced back.
Five Divinity Transformation stage cultivators and forty-five Nascent Soul cultivators—all hailing from the Underworld.
"Father, should we broadcast Heavenly Lord Ning'an's identity as a member of the Grand Tower to everyone?"
Li Yaozu asked the question aloud, paying no heed to the prying eyes from the clouds above.
This father and son pair were remarkably similar.
Li Dalong carried a coffin on his back, while Li Yaozu carried a black sword case; both made clanking sounds as they moved.
However, clad in white robes with the appearance of a peerless Sword Immortal, Li Yaozu looked completely out of place standing before these creatures of the Underworld.
"There is no turning back."
Li Dalong spoke in a deep, grave voice.
"When Tianyi reported back, he mentioned this.
As a disciple of Huangui, he has already become privy to many secrets.
He is even aware of the cooperation between the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Grand Tower.
And yet, the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems remains completely ignorant of the fact that the Immortal Suppression Department has spent ten years preparing to wipe them out."
"The Grand Tower genuinely wants the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems destroyed.
Only then can the matter of the Ling Tian Three Corpses be put to rest, and only then can the Grand Tower continue to conceal itself."
"At least for this battle, the Grand Tower counts as our ally. Broadcasting the truth now would only destabilize our army's morale."
Hearing this, Li Yaozu frowned slightly.
"The Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems has been quite good to Tianyi, and Huangui has treated him with genuine sincerity. This..."
Li Dalong sighed.
"If things were truly as Su Chen said, and the people of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems were no different from how they were sixty thousand years ago—refining corpses only from the dead or their enemies—then everything would be open for discussion.
But sixty thousand years have passed, and it is too late.
For sixty thousand years, they have refined living people and innocents; they are capable of anything."
As he spoke, Li Dalong glanced at the multitude of Vengeful Ghosts and Jiangshi behind him.
"Just like them. They appear perfectly obedient before you, but the moment you let your guard down, they will bring disaster upon the world.
The day they slip from our control, or we cannot satisfy their desires, they will even... turn and devour their masters.
That is a hunger engraved in their very bones."
"But it is too early to speak of such things.
This battle will not be so simple.
The Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems is a massive entity; ultimately, who will emerge victorious and who will be defeated remains an unknown."
The father and son walked forward, conversing as casually as if they were on a leisurely stroll.
Li Dalong held the Ancestral Spirit Tablet in his hand.
"Old Ancestor, this child and Yaozu have arrived at the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems."
[Inside the Ancestral Space]
The eyes of every Li Clan descendant present lit up with excitement.
Li Wei took a deep breath.
"I will be overseeing this battle personally. If you encounter any danger, you must notify me immediately. Do not take unnecessary risks."
"Yes!"
As Li Wei's voice faded, the clansmen disappeared from the Ancestral Space one by one.
Glancing at the system map, Li Wei saw them reappearing in various locations across the mortal world!
[Special Event — Hunting the Grand Tower!]
[Special Event — The Great Battle of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems!]
Gazing at the now-empty Ancestral Space, Li Wei held his breath and focused his mind.
The Immortal Suppression Department assumed that the Li Clan merely wanted a share of the spoils from the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
No.
What they wanted... was far more than anyone in the Immortal Suppression Department could ever imagine!
After all, it was now...
[The Year 800]
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