Chapter 1972: Jitian Dharma Assembly

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Yu Lang held the command token, and shining characters emerged on its surface.

"It's Master!"

Tao Teng, who was observing the situation, sent a voice transmission, his tone a mix of joy and concern. He and Yu Lang had suspected his master might be the mastermind, and now it was confirmed. The Immortal Master Yun, mentioned by the Kuang family, was indeed Tao Teng's master, a cultivator from Yun Du Tian.

Lines of characters hovered before Yu Lang. He read each word carefully, finally understanding a few things. More cultivators than just him and Tao Teng, including Zhao Du and others, had been sent down the mountain from Yun Du Mountain. But why didn't these individuals unite their forces, integrate the armies of various states, and form a single, cohesive power? Wouldn't that defeat their opponents faster?

It turned out this was also a selection process. Under his governance, the Yan State flourished. With effective governance and a strong, well-equipped army, Yan State stood out, and Yu Lang became the chosen one. From then on, Yan State and the surrounding states, all under the influence of Yun Du Tian, would obey his command, making him virtually the commander of a million soldiers. His mission was to help Yan State unify the world!

However, Yu Lang noticed that the so-called 'world'—the states mentioned on the command token, including Yan, Qi, Liang, and only about ten other nearby states—was just a part of the entire human realm. This implied that similar events were likely happening elsewhere. The human realm was divided into regions, each a chessboard, where pieces would determine victory or defeat on their respective boards, thereby influencing the entire game. Perhaps, he too was only temporarily chosen. The winners from each chessboard would compete again until a 'Heavenly Mandated Person' was selected!

"What does Yun Du Tian want?" Yu Lang pondered, caressing the command token. "Do they want to unify the human realm, leaving only one state, to end the chaotic era? But the human realm is vast, its territory far beyond mortal imagination; mortals simply cannot govern it. How would they control local areas? How would decrees be conveyed? Not to mention, during imperial examinations, by the time border residents traveled through mountains and rivers to reach the imperial capital, who knows how many years would have passed. The human realm is not without ambitious rulers, nor lacking the ambition to unify the world; it’s not that they don't want to, but that they cannot. Unless..."

A thought sparked in Yu Lang's mind. Unless cultivators ceased their reclusive lives, joined the military and government, and ruled the state with their magic, all problems would be solved. Yu Lang glanced at the seven sons of the Kuang family before him, and it seemed he understood something.

Outside the capital of Yan State, at Immortal Master Yun’s cave abode, the stone door was wide open today for an unexpected guest. Though it was late autumn and the chill was noticeable, the cave was warm as spring. A stone table stood in the cave, with a person seated on each side.

One was an elder with the face of a child and hair white as crane feathers, dressed in a cloud-water daoist robe—Immortal Master Yun, Tao Teng's master. The other wore a cloak that completely obscured their face, exuding a chilling aura in contrast to Immortal Master Yun.

Immortal tea sat on the table, but the cloaked figure showed no intention of drinking. "Yun Shan," they said coldly, "are you trying to break our agreement by allowing immortals and mortals to mingle?"

"What agreement?" Immortal Master Yun scoffed. "Back then, that demon Jing Cang dared to ascend our sect's mountain gate. If the sect master hadn't ordered not to harm the envoy, that demon would have been slain on the spot! No matter how eloquently that demon spoke, the sect master made no promises from beginning to end!"

The cloaked figure snorted in anger. "Shameless old man, do I have to spell it out? If it weren't for the unspoken understanding between Lonely Cloud Old Man and my master, how could anything have been accomplished?"

Immortal Master Yun chuckled. "Times change. We initially thought you genuinely intended to use the human realm as a chessboard, to reduce casualties between our two sects and avoid being exploited by others. Unsurprisingly, your demonic nature is hard to change! You demons with your wolfish ambitions, don't think you can deceive us; we always knew you harbored ill intentions. Your methods would never lead to a clear victor; they would only cause more chaos, eventually turning the human realm into a living hell, a land of corporeal demons and evil! How can we righteous cultivators sit idly by?"

"What a display of righteousness!" The cloaked figure cackled strangely, their voice dripping with sarcasm. "Without your indulgence, who could stir up trouble in the human realm? First, you used my Soul-Slaying Abyss to suppress the divine path, prevent the Grand Purity Sect from intervening, and shift their pressure onto us. When chaos came, you raised the banner of righteousness, under the guise of suppressing evil, to completely control the human realm. From then on, there would be only one state in the human realm, with all immortal cultivators and deities registered in the immortal roster, impenetrable to outside forces. Yun Du Tian would then have no worries, focusing wholeheartedly on the Jitian Grand Competition. To control everything with a flick of the wrist! What righteous tactics, what cunning!"

Immortal Master Yun remained noncommittal, his expression unchanged.

The cloaked figure continued to sneer. "It seems an unavoidable confrontation is at hand? As far as I know, although both our sides have unearthed many ancient formation relics in the Fire Domain, if we don't cooperate, we won't meet Jitian Sect's requirements. The reward Jitian Sect is offering this time is a once-in-a-myriad-years opportunity! This should be a win-win situation. If you miss this chance because of your actions, we shall see if Lonely Cloud Old Man can sit still!"

Immortal Master Yun slowly rose, walked to the door, and gazed at the continuous mountain ranges. "If you win on the battlefield and unify the human realm, we will naturally retreat. And in the Jitian Grand Competition, we will follow the lead of the Soul-Slaying Abyss! Isn't that what you initially wanted?"

"Good!" The cloaked figure slammed the table, and with a flash, vanished from the cave.

Immortal Master Yun watched the direction the cloaked figure departed, remaining still for a long time.

In the Great Liang State, along the banks of the Du River, the battle between two Nascent Soul cultivators was earth-shattering. The precious light of a whisk and the gleam of a saber clashed in the sky, producing thunderous roars that changed the very color of the heavens and earth. The river surface alternately froze and shattered. Both armies retreated ten miles, no one daring to approach the riverbanks. Tao Teng and others tried their best to calm the soldiers, achieving some success. Everyone looked up at the sky, watching the mighty beings fight.

For a time, the Kuang family patriarch and Old Demon Yu were evenly matched, neither gaining an advantage. Gray mist enveloped the river, and the two figures appeared and disappeared intermittently. Realizing they would not be able to determine a victor quickly, Old Demon Yu lost interest in further entanglement with the Kuang family patriarch and fiercely flung his whisk.

*Swish!*

A streak of light, like a saber beam, shot directly at the Kuang family patriarch's face. With a clang, the Kuang family patriarch intercepted it with his sword, then Old Demon Yu transformed into a streak of light and shot upstream along the Du River.

"Where are you going!" The Kuang family patriarch roared, pursuing closely. Before leaving, he moved his lips slightly, transmitting something. The seven sons of the Kuang family saluted the river surface in unison, loudly affirming their understanding.

As the two Nascent Soul cultivators fought and moved, the mist on the river dissipated instantly, revealing the encampments of both armies. The soldiers of both sides were still absorbed in the recent battle, their minds reeling, unable to extricate themselves, and for a moment, did not react.

Just then, from the East Bank encampment, dozens of streaks of light suddenly flew out, revealing more than a dozen figures who confronted Yu Lang and others across the river.

"General Qin! These are all demon lords under Old Demon Yu, their hands stained with countless killings! We request permission to sally forth and slay these demons!" The eldest of the Kuang family's seven sons clasped his hands and shouted.

"Haha!" A burst of wild laughter came from the opposite bank. "Kuang Shouyi, before a grand army, what talk of righteousness and evil? You, a defeated general of yesteryear, why don't you quickly come and die!"

Yu Lang had not yet fully adapted to his current identity. Upon inquiry, he learned that among the seven sons of the Kuang family, only the sixth and seventh sons had similar cultivation levels to his, while the other five surpassed him, with the eldest and second sons being masters of the False Core Realm. Yet, they now had to obey him and request to join the battle.

*Whew!* Yu Lang couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, steadying his mind. He solemnly said, "Immortal Master Kuang, I now appoint you as Vanguard General. Quickly go to the front, take the enemy general's head, and boost our army's morale!"

"Understood!" Kuang Shouyi responded loudly, conjuring a spiritual sword and charging forward. At the same time, five more of the Kuang family's seven sons flew towards the enemy formation with Kuang Shouyi.

The seventh son of the Kuang family stayed behind. He patted the spatial bag at his waist and retrieved dozens of triangular apricot-yellow flags, presenting them with both hands. "Reporting, General Qin, these are the Blood Elemental Flags personally refined by the patriarch at the behest of Immortal Master Yun."

Yu Lang took the Blood Elemental Flags, his brow furrowing slightly. As Qin Sang's disciple, Qin Sang sometimes gave him refining texts to study. These Blood Elemental Flags seemed different from the artifacts he had seen, suggesting they had a special purpose.

"When a grand army forms a formation, blood energy surges to the sky, and ghosts approaching will be dispersed. If one can absorb blood energy for their own use, they can also transcend the ordinary. The Blood Elemental Flags have this effect. General Qin, distribute these flags among the three armies and practice formations based on them. Led by cultivators, wherever the army's spear points, blood energy will flow like a dragon, and even enemy cultivators will not dare to intrude into the battlefield and slaughter at will," the seventh son of the Kuang family explained quickly.

Upon hearing this, Yu Lang's eyes lit up. So, mortals were not entirely without power. The blood energy of common men could also shine brightly on the battlefield. Although this power was not strong, it could influence the battle to some extent after high-level cultivators were intercepted!

"Tao Teng, where are you!" Yu Lang turned to the back.

"Your subordinate is here!" Tao Teng no longer concealed his cultivation and flew into mid-air.

Yu Lang tossed the Blood Elemental Flags to Tao Teng, explaining their function, and ordered, "Quickly distribute these flags to the generals and practice formations. In one month, we will cross the river and slay the enemy!" Because the two Nascent Soul cultivators' battle had severely damaged the pontoon bridges and warships on the river, both sides would need at least a month to prepare for a cross-river assault.

"Understood!" Tao Teng accepted the order and departed.

Yu Lang turned back and saw that the six members of the Kuang family were already engaged in battle with the enemy. Though not as impactful as the two Nascent Souls, they were still causing quite a stir. His gaze shifted, and Yu Lang looked at the enemy's main camp, noticing that unusual auras had appeared among the enemy forces, evidently they also had means similar to the Blood Elemental Flags.

At this moment, Sha Jiayu, who had been observing, transmitted a question: "Brother, do you want me to step in?" After the Kuang family patriarch and Old Demon Yu left, there were no other Nascent Soul auras nearby. Sha Jiayu could easily deal with those minor demon lords.

"No! Although the Kuang family has few members, they cooperate very well. As long as they don't lose, we should not make unnecessary moves. Unless absolutely necessary, Big Brother Sha, do not act," Yu Lang said in a low voice.

Sha Jiayu nodded, remaining as a personal guard.

Just then, Tao Teng finished his arrangements and flew back. Yu Lang handed him the command token. "Immortal Master Yun has ordered that this token be treated as his personal presence. Take this token, with Big Brother Sha accompanying you, and quickly visit the various righteous sects to invite allies. In a month, I fear there will be a fierce battle. Also, make a trip back to the Daoist temple and inform Master of this matter."

"What about you?" Tao Teng was a little worried, as Yu Lang was a big target, and old demons had tried to kill him before.

"Senior Kuang is back. With Senior Kuang here, there's no need to worry about my safety," Yu Lang knew the outcome of the battle upstream through Sha Jiayu. The two were considered evenly matched, and Old Demon Yu had suffered a hidden loss and retreated voluntarily.

Before he finished speaking, a green rainbow flew over from upstream, without saying much to them, and landed directly at the commander's tent.

"Be careful yourself!" Sha Jiayu and Tao Teng changed into plain clothes and quietly departed.

Yu Lang watched the Blood Elemental Flag formation being drilled below, while also observing the battle on the river. Seeing that the six sons of the Kuang family were subtly falling into a disadvantage, he immediately issued a command to sound the gong for retreat. Both sides withdrew, and the situation temporarily stabilized.

Yu Lang returned to the commander's tent and saw the Kuang family patriarch sitting cross-legged on a futon, eyes closed in silent cultivation. Not daring to disturb him, he quietly withdrew. As the sun set and the moon reached its zenith, the day passed. For the soldiers and generals of both armies, the world had undergone a drastic change.

The next day at noon, the seven sons of the Kuang family, having rested for a night, actively went out to challenge the enemy. Just as the battle was reaching a difficult stalemate, Sha Jiayu rushed back, bringing something to Yu Lang.

"When we left the camp, we first went to the Qingyang Daoist Temple. The Daoist priest instructed me to give these to you." Sha Jiayu opened his palm, revealing three bamboo slips. The slips were smooth and blank.

"The Daoist priest said that when you encounter danger, light a bamboo slip, and he will arrive instantly!" Sha Jiayu said excitedly.

Yu Lang was overjoyed to hear this. Having suddenly shouldered such a heavy responsibility, he had been somewhat uneasy, but now he instantly calmed down. He took the bamboo slips, handling them with affection for a while, then carefully put them away.

Sha Jiayu then departed again.

Over the next month, cultivators, mostly of the Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation realms, continuously arrived at both camps. Some came with a playful spirit, some were inherently arrogant and unruly, but once they learned that the Kuang family patriarch was present in the camp, none dared to cause trouble. Yu Lang proceeded methodically, constantly sending out challenges while also integrating these cultivators into the army to coordinate the drilling of the Blood Elemental Flags. In just one month, the army underwent a transformative change.

A month later, the weather was fair, and the river was calm. Dozens of figures flew out from both banks, engaging in battle high in the sky. The armies set out, and one warship after another, one pontoon bridge after another, arrived at the East Bank. The two armies engaged in fierce battle on the shore, fighting so intensely that blood energy soared to the heavens, dimming the sky and earth.

Ultimately, the cultivators from the Great Liang State were defeated first, causing their army formation to collapse and be scattered by Yan State, leading to a crushing defeat. The Yan State army advanced irresistibly, swiftly occupying the capital of Great Liang State.

Immediately afterwards, secret letters flew in like snowflakes. Before Yu Lang was a sand table, encompassing all the states, including Yan State, with black and white flags marking their positions. The current situation was clear at a glance. As the commander of the central army, all forces would obey his command until a decisive victory was achieved against the Soul-Slaying Abyss.

Two years later, following Great Liang State, Qi State was also subjugated by Yan State. The Yan State army rested, but fighting continued elsewhere, and the situation for Yun Du Tian was excellent. Unknowingly, five years had passed. These five years, Yu Lang had spent entirely on the battlefield.

On this day, the two sides welcomed their final major confrontation; the decisive battle had finally arrived. Unable to achieve victory for a long time, Yu Lang lit a bamboo slip for the first time.