The arrival of Grand Elder Bram Ironshield and Young Master Raiden Voltaris with their elite troops to Wildfire City was like throwing a giant rock into an already turbulent pond. The ripples it created spread quickly throughout the region, triggering an equally large response from the opposing side.
Spies from the Shadow Viper Sect and the Hugo Clan immediately reported these movements. So did the intelligence networks of the GaleFord Clan and the Red Lotus Empire. It was impossible to hide such a strong aura. All parties were now completely convinced: Crystal Valley held something very valuable, something worth risking for the top powers of the great sects.
Escalation was now inevitable.
The Shadow Viper Sect, feeling disturbed by Bram's deployment of forces, summoned their two oldest Elders from long meditation: Elder Morathi (stage 6 Nascent Soul, master of soul poison) and Elder Krag (stage 6 Nascent Soul, physical destruction specialist). They led a contingent consisting of 5 stage 4 Nascent Souls and 15 peak Core Forging cultivators. The Hugo Clan, seeing an opportunity to gain more profit, proposed a 35% resource split, claiming to deploy "The Shade," their legendary centuries-old assassin who had reached stage 5 Nascent Soul, along with three stage 4 assassins.
On the other hand, the GaleFord Clan and the Red Lotus Empire, who had been secretly cooperating, decided to formalize their alliance. A joint force led directly by Young Patriarch GaleFord (stage 5 Nascent Soul) and General Ironwood of the Red Lotus Empire (stage 6 Nascent Soul) arrived at the border. They brought with them 4 stage 4 Nascent Souls and 20 peak Core Forging cultivators. The Red Lotus Empire, although still playing behind the scenes, was now de facto directly involved.
Wildfire City had now become the densest concentration of high-level cultivators in the history of the southern region. The city was like a volcano ready to erupt. A meeting between representatives from all factions took place at Bram's headquarters, filled with tension that was almost physical.
"We will not evacuate Crystal Valley," Bram declared, his voice booming without needing to shout. "The Burning Sky Sect and Lightning Roar Sect have invested too much. We offer negotiations for the division of mining areas."
Young Master Raiden, sitting next to Bram, added with his typical arrogant attitude, "Our strength here is enough to destroy any faction that tries to challenge us. Negotiate wisely."
The offer was flatly rejected by all parties. Shadow Viper wanted 60% due to their claim of "first discovery." The GaleFord Clan and Red Lotus demanded 50% due to geographical proximity. The Hugo Clan, who only cared about payment, stood alongside Shadow Viper but with their own conditions.
Negotiations broke down. Threats and auras collided in the room, shattering crystal windows and cracking the walls.
Realizing that diplomacy had failed, Bram decided to take the initiative. He couldn't wait for the enemy to strike first. He devised a pre-emptive strike operation.
Operation "Phoenix Wrath" began. The goal was to cripple the combined forces of GaleFord and Red Lotus first, which were considered the most organized threat outside of Shadow Viper.
The combined forces of Burning Sky and Lightning Roar, led directly by Bram Ironshield and Raiden Voltaris, left Wildfire City at night. Their strength consisted of Bram (stage 7), Raiden (stage 5), 4 stage 4 Nascent Souls from Burning Sky, 4 stage 3 Nascent Soul guards of Raiden, and 30 peak Core Forging cultivators. This was the deadliest blow they could strike.
However, their enemies were not caught off guard. The Red Lotus Empire's superior spy network had detected their movements. The combined forces of GaleFord and Red Lotus had prepared, and more surprisingly, they had formed a temporary alliance with Shadow Viper and the Hugo Clan to face this common threat.
The battle that later became known as the "Battle of the Bloody Lake" because a small lake nearby turned red with blood occurred.
The battle was a scene from hell. The sky was split by the collision of Spiritual arts. Bram's crimson "Unwavering Fortress" Spiritual art collided with General Ironwood's silver "Armored Lotus" Spiritual art, while Raiden's "Lightning Storm" Spiritual art clashed with Young Patriarch GaleFord's "Typhoon Wind" Spiritual art.
Nascent Soul level fights took place in the sky, while on the ground, dozens of Core Forging cultivators slaughtered each other. Techniques of fire, lightning, wind, poison, and illusion lunged in all directions, destroying the landscape, burning forests, and drying up lakes.
Bram, with his stage 7 strength, dominated the fight. He almost managed to kill General Ironwood, but the intervention of Elder Morathi (Shadow Viper) and "The Shade" (Hugo Clan) forced him to retreat. Raiden, with his agility, managed to injure Young Patriarch GaleFord, but he himself was hit by Morathi's soul poison, which almost made him lose control of his qi.
The battle raged throughout the night. Casualties on both sides were enormous. Two stage 4 Nascent Souls from Burning Sky were killed, one of Raiden's guards was killed, and dozens of Core Forging cultivators fell. On the enemy side, General Ironwood was seriously injured, a stage 4 Nascent Soul from Red Lotus was killed, and "The Shade" lost an arm.
There was no clear winner. Both sides withdrew at dawn, leaving a battlefield filled with destruction and corpses.
Back in Wildfire City, the atmosphere was gloomy. Victory was not achieved, and the losses were enormous. Bram, whose face for the first time looked tired and old, realized something: this war could not be won through raw power alone. They had reached a military stalemate.
In the midst of that despair, another emergency report came from Crystal Valley. While their main forces were away, an elite team of Hugo Clan assassins and Shadow Viper poison experts managed to infiltrate the mine and detonate one of the main tunnels, trapping dozens of Foundation Establishment miners inside and damaging the largest unexploited crystal vein.
The material and moral losses were devastating.
Lumina, who was helping to care for the wounded, saw the impact firsthand. A young Foundation Establishment cultivator, whose body was half destroyed by poison, grabbed her arm and whispered, "Please... tell my wife... I..." before his breath stopped. Lumina cried silently, her heart broken.
Noctis, who was in charge of clearing debris at the outpost, felt his anger burning. What was all this for? For crystals? For power? Was it worth the lives that were lost?
In an emergency meeting after the battle, a crazy idea emerged from Young Master Raiden, who was still pale from the effects of the poison.
"Our strengths are balanced. We need something... or someone... who can break this stalemate. Something beyond their calculations." He looked towards Bram. "Grand Elder, doesn't your sect have a 'Star Child'? A Direct Disciple with... unusual abilities."
All eyes turned to Bram. The Grand Elder was silent for a moment, considering. Involving Lux was a big risk. He was a valuable asset as well as a soft target. But the situation was desperate.
"Lux Noctis..." Bram muttered. "He's still very young. Not ready for this level of conflict."
"But his measurement abilities and gray qi are, according to reports, unique," Nera Ironshield interjected, present via energy projection. "He might be able to find weaknesses in the enemy's defensive formations, or a way to neutralize their poisons, or even... a way to mine faster without endangering lives."
A great dilemma hung in the room. Would they call an eleven-year-old boy to a battlefield filled with giants? Or would they continue to sacrifice the lives of their cultivators in this bloody stalemate?
While they debated, at the Burning Sky Sect headquarters, Sect Master Klahan received a full report on the Battle of the Bloody Lake. His face became very serious. He looked north, towards the Direct Disciple's pavilion.
The future of Crystal Valley, and perhaps even the future of this war, may now rest on the shoulders of a child who should still be practicing quietly at headquarters.