Chapter 58, Victory and Pursuit

Translator: Raznick

 

Outside Gold Maple Peak, the ground was strewn with bodies. Among them were corpses from members of the cultivating clans as well as United Cloud Alliance cultivators, but predominantly the latter.

 

The battle had ended with victory for the clans. However, this triumph was a Pyrrhic one! Out of the 173 participating clan cultivators, 35 fell immediately, while another 7 were left maimed and disabled. Additionally, numerous others sustained varying degrees of injury.

 

Even among Foundation Establishment cultivators, two met their end, with several more injured.

 

“Our side has killed eleven United Cloud Alliance Foundation Establishment cultivators, gravely wounded three, and eliminated one hundred eighty-nine United Cloud Alliance Qi Refining cultivators. Many others were injured.

 

“Furthermore, the spoils from the majority of the defeated enemies have been retrieved by our cultivators, with only a small portion carried away by the fleeing adversaries.”

 

Within the Sun Clan estate at Gold Maple Peak, Sun Zhongping, responsible for cleaning up the battlefield and tallying the casualties, hurriedly entered the hall. Addressing those who were meditating and recovering within.

 

At this point, the cultivator sitting at the head of the hall was Zhou Mingde of the Zhou Clan. As for Sun Yaowu, a mid Violet Palace Cultivator, returned to Green Lotus Monastery seeking help from his seniors to treat his injuries.

 

It turned out that in the previous battle, Zhou Mingde, for the sake of the greater good, gave up his advantageous position and went to assist Sun Yaowu. But no one had expected that Tang Yuan would still have a secret treasure, the Thunderflame Pearl, hidden away.

 

When Zhou Mingde came to help, Tang Yuan fired the pearl towards Sun Yaowu. Unprepared, Sun Yaowu was blasted away and developed serious injuries and nearly destroyed his body!

 

After landing the strike, Tang Yuan lacked the nerve to finish off a core disciple of Green Lotus Monastery. He turned his attention instead to Zhou Mingde, aiming to cut him down with his sword.

 

But he underestimated Zhou Clan’s resources!

 

At the critical moment, Zhou Mingde also produced a highly rare Heavenly Thunder Talisman and activated it, sending it hurtling towards Tang Yuan.

 

That Heavenly Thunder Talisman was created by a Golden Core Stage cultivator who had gathered heavenly thunder, sealed by a master talisman scribe. Its power matched that of a Golden Core Stage cultivator.

 

Tang Yuan sustained injuries no less severe than Sun Yaowu’s. He dared not linger on the battlefield any longer, using a secret art to escape.

 

Find that even Tang Yuan, a late Violet Palace cultivator, had been nearly killed by the Heavenly Thunder Talisman, the remaining two United Cloud Alliance deputies dared not stay on the battlefield either. Who knew if Zhou Mingde had another Heavenly Thunder Talisman in his possession?

 

The outcome was decided once the Violet Palace cultivators from both sides had settled their conflict.

 

Since Zhou Mingde had inflicted heavy wounds on Tang Yuan, it was only natural that the five clans rallied behind him as their leader.

 

At this point, after hearing Clan Leader Sun Zhongping speak, Zhou Mingde cast a glance around at all the cultivators in the hall and spoke slowly: “Fellow Daoists, though our side suffered heavy losses, the result of the battle is a glorious and overwhelming victory!

 

“But failing to deliver a fatal blow is akin to inviting disaster,” he continued.

 

“After this battle, our faction and United Cloud Alliance are mortal enemies. If we do not take advantage of Tang Yuan’s worse condition to eliminate him, the consequences will be dire.”

 

At this juncture, Zhou Mingde paused briefly before speaking with a solemn expression: “Therefore, I propose that our clans mobilize in full forse and strike their headquarters before they can react. Once their main forces arrive, we will surround them, break through their defenses, and capture them all at once!”

 

After he finished speaking, there was a long pause in the hall.

 

The cultivators were well aware that there was always a price to every action. However, attacking the United Cloud Alliance’s main base with the intent of wiping them out was no easy feat. Even if they succeeded, the casualties among the five cultivating clans would undoubtedly be far heavier than in this previous battle.

 

It was important to note that those who perished were their own kin, family members and relatives of the very cultivators present in the hall. Losing just a few dozen was already causing them distress, let alone imagining the horrors of greater losses.

 

Thus, even though they knew Zhou Mingde’s advice was sound, none of the cultivators spoke up immediately. Instead, Wang Guangping cautiously voiced his thoughts: “Fellow Daoist Zhou speaks reason, but I think we should merely stage a show to intimidate those rogue cultivators.” The others nodded in agreement, murmurings of approval filling the hall.

 

“Fellow Daoist Sun is right. After all, rogue cultivators are not to be trifled with. If we can just create a big stir, perhaps the United Cloud Alliance will dissolve on their own!”

 

“I must say, if it’s possible to avoid a direct assault, I’d rather not engage in such a venture.”

 

Apart from the two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Zhou Clan remaining silent, most of the others voiced their agreement with Wang Guangping’s statement. They all wished to avoid another pitched battle.

 

It wasn’t that they lacked foresight or were unmindful of future consequences. Rather, their current conflict with the United Cloud Alliance stemmed from the alliance’s arrogant stance, which had made them feel their status was challenged. Hence, they sought to mete out a lesson to the United Cloud Alliance.

 

After this decisive battle, however, they had already demonstrated their strength and position to the entire cultivation world of Mist Province.

 

In that sense, their got what they came for.

 

Why should they risk heavy casualties by continuing to confront the United Cloud Alliance head-on?

 

Faced with such a resounding chorus of dissent, Zhou Mingde felt a pang of regret but knew better than to ignore the majority opinion. He nodded in agreement at once: “As most Fellow Daoists feel that another direct assault is not advisable, let’s proceed by surrounding them and create a show of force.”

 

After taking a brief rest and meditating to restore their spiritual power, the leadership of the clans all flew together towards the United Cloud Alliance headquarters along with Sun Clan’s cultivators.

 

Meanwhile, upon receiving the news, the cultivators of the other four great clans quickly dispatched some Qi Refining cultivators, creating an imposing momentum as if they intended to destroy the United Cloud Alliance. This formidable display left those watching in a state of uncertainty, unsure whether this was merely a bluff or the real thing.

 

Hardly had the two deputies returned to the United Cloud Alliance headquarters when they were already anxious and unsettled, unable to sit still. “What should we do? Alliance Leader is gone, what are we supposed to do?” Deputy Wei Feng muttered under his breath, his face showing obvious distress. The room only contained him and another deputy, Zhang Zixhuan, so it was clear he was addressing him. However, Zhang Zixuan was equally panicked inside, incapable of providing an answer.

 

At this point, he could only whisper back, “Let’s wait for now. Although the Alliance eader is absent, we’ve already sent a sending talisman to inform him. Even if he’s in seclusion, he wouldn’t ignore it.” Upon hearing this, Wei Feng’s mouth twitched as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately held back.

 

In the end, he could only sigh deeply and say, “Alas! It can’t be helped!”

 

A mighty cultivator of the Violet Palace Stage was reduced to mere sighing and lamentation.

 

Meanwhile, news of the United Cloud Alliance’s crushing defeat and their estate being surrounded quickly reached Zhou Chun, who was at the market.

 

While good news never left home, bad news spread like wildfire.

 

In less than twenty years, the United Cloud Alliance had risen so swiftly—those they had wronged and harmed were countless.

 

Though many lacked the power to retaliate, they found it easy enough to spread word of their downfall after seeing them humiliated.

 

Moreover, the five cultivating clans themselves were actively propagating news of the battle at Gold Maple Peak and the siege of the United Cloud Alliance’s estate.

 

“At this point, even if the United Cloud Alliance isn’t wipped out, their momentum will be weakened. They’ll have no choice but to retreat and keep their heads down!

 

“In light of this, those five cultivating clans truly live up to their reputation as prestigious clan forces with deep roots. Their foundation is far superior to that of the United Cloud Alliance, which is but a nouveau riche in comparison.”

 

Within the Spirit Beast Pavilion, Zhou Chun, having gathered information from various sources, formed his own judgment.

 

He also recalled another matter that was currently being intensely discussed within the market. It was regarding Zhou Clan’s Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi commanding a Flood Dragon to kill three Foundation Establishment cultivators from the United Cloud Alliance.

 

Zhou Chun knew that Zhou Daoyi had not tamed any Flood Dragon, only a Sky Cloud Python.

 

The rumored Flood Dragon had to be the Sky Cloud Python transformed into one through some secret art.

 

“It would be great if my Silver Thunder Python can become a Flood Dragon through secret art once it reaches second-grade.

 

“Third Elder had mentioned that I should keep an eye out for dragon blood grass and dragon blood stones. Perhaps it was because he knew about this secret art within the clan and wanted me to prepare accordingly.”

 

Zhou Chun felt it was undoubtedly true.

 

His enthusiasm rose instantly.

 

Having his Silver Thunder Python evolve into a Flood Dragon would be incredibly difficult.

 

But if it could temporarily manifest as a Flood Dragon and wield some of its amazing arts, that alone would already be an extraordinary ability.

 

This was evident from how Zhou Daoyi, at the mid Foundation Establishment Stage, had managed to kill a late Foundation Establishment cultivator and two others.

 

If Zhou Chun could one day master that secret art, his strength would surpass Zhou Daoyi once he reached Foundation Establishment.

 

After all, the lightning mystical arts of Silver Thunder Python were far more powerful than those wind-based mystical arts of Sky Cloud Python!