Chapter 1679: Both Sides' Plans

Dongli Realm also trains battle formations, but these do not include Soul Transformation cultivators. It's not for lack of desire, but rather an inability to do so.

A battle formation isn't merely a gathering of multiple cultivators; it requires matching magic treasures, ideally those that correspond to their cultivation techniques.

While elite disciples from various major powers in Dongli Realm understand battle formations, their numbers are small. Taking the Four Seas Gate, one of the ten major sects in the South Sea, as an example, fewer than thirty high-level cultivators there are proficient in battle formations. All of them are Core Formation cultivators, with no Nascent Soul cultivators among them.

The Four Seas Gate has eighteen Nascent Soul cultivators. However, given their status, there's no need for all eighteen to act together. In the event of a major crisis, they can simply dispatch Nascent Soul cultivators from their affiliated powers, with a few Nascent Soul cultivators from the Four Seas Gate overseeing them. Therefore, their Nascent Soul cultivators don't need to train in battle formations, as it would be a waste of time.

The Tianlan Sect is different. They have been unified for over six hundred years, precisely for the purpose of invading other realms and carving out a path. They train battle formations for cultivators ranging from Qi Condensation to Soul Transformation. Because internal conflict is forbidden, most high-level cultivators in Tianlan Realm are not individually strong; however, they are highly experienced in group combat.

Simply put, in one-on-one combat, high-level cultivators from Dongli Realm generally have the upper hand, whereas in group combat, high-level cultivators from Tianlan Realm have the advantage.

The Tianlan Sect was able to achieve this by dedicating the entire realm's resources to the endeavor. After the war began, the major powers of Dongli Realm collaborated to allocate some resources for training high-level cultivators in battle formations, but this last-minute effort was completely useless.

Not only did the major powers only allocate a portion of their cultivation resources, but the complete sets of magic treasures required for battle formations could not be quickly manufactured in large quantities. In contrast, after over six hundred years of rule, the Tianlan Sect had accumulated mountains of complete sets of magic treasures. The cost of this was nearly depleting Tianlan Realm's cultivation resources, which is why they had to invade other realms to sustain themselves through war; otherwise, internal unrest would arise.

Sun Tianhu and other Soul Transformation cultivators had not expected that Tianlan Realm's Soul Transformation cultivators would also employ battle formations against their enemies. Each wielding a spirit treasure of the same attribute, they were unstoppable.

Both Dongfang Yulin and Niu Kun were injured, with Dongfang Yulin's injuries being the most severe; he nearly died.

"Fellow Daoist Lei," Sun Tianhu asked in a deep voice, his gaze gloomy, "Do you truly want a fight to the death?"

If he were to use a secret technique to merge with his innate spirit beast, reaching the late Soul Transformation stage, and relying on the Heaven-Connecting Spirit Treasure in his hand, along with the cooperation of Liu Ruyi and others, he was confident he could kill Lei Yunbin. However, doing so would inevitably lead to his own death.

"Hmph," Li Shuo sneered, a sarcastic expression on his face, "Why didn't you say that when you sent people to cause trouble in Tianlan Realm? And now you say this to us?"

"What a joke," Liu Ruyi said with disdain, "If you hadn't invaded our Dongli Realm, would we have sent people to cause trouble in your Tianlan Realm?"

Lei Yunbin's gaze shifted, and he said, "Actually, there's no need for us to fight fiercely. Our two realms can join forces to invade other realms, and the resources can be divided with a 60-40 split."

In both Dongli and Tianlan Realms, there aren't many cultivation resources beneficial to Soul Transformation cultivators. The main ingredient for a fifth-grade pill needs to be at least three thousand years old, and as cultivation improves, the required age of the main ingredient increases. Resources are limited: if one realm has more, another has less.

Tianlan Realm could conquer Dongli Realm, regardless of casualties, but the number of Soul Transformation cultivators would be reduced by at least half, and no one could guarantee their own survival. Therefore, it would be better to cooperate with Dongli Realm to invade other realms, which would minimize internal consumption.

Of course, if Dongli Realm's Soul Transformation cultivators suffer heavy casualties, Tianlan Realm would disregard the agreement and swallow the entire Dongli Realm. Plundering resources from other realms to strengthen themselves is the most brutal and straightforward method.

"This matter is of great importance," Sun Tianhu proposed sincerely, "I need some time to consider. How about we temporarily cease hostilities?"

Lei Yunbin was also well aware that if the fighting continued, the situation would become difficult to control. If Dongli Realm's Soul Transformation cultivators chose to self-detonate to harm their enemies, it would be problematic, as such suicidal attacks were terrifying.

"It's a deal," Lei Yunbin agreed, "Let's retreat for now." Both sides had their own calculations.

Sun Tianhu hoped to gain a breathing space, as they had suffered heavy losses in today's decisive battle. Lei Yunbin, on the other hand, wanted to buy time for his companions who were attacking the Shen family, believing that to force Dongli Realm into unified cooperation, strength was the ultimate truth.

Once the Soul Transformation cultivators reached an agreement, they all ordered a retreat, and a major decisive battle thus ended abruptly.

Inside the deliberation hall, Sun Tianhu and over a dozen other Soul Transformation cultivators gathered, their expressions all grim.

In today's engagement, they had suffered greatly; multiple Nascent Soul cultivators were injured, and Dongfang Yulin had nearly died.

Lei Yunbin and the other nine Soul Transformation cultivators each wielded a lightning-attributed spirit treasure, and unless one possessed a defensive Heaven-Connecting Spirit Treasure, they were utterly unstoppable.

Heaven-Connecting Spirit Treasures were already scarce in Dongli Realm, and defensive ones were even rarer.

"Fellow Daoist Sun," Niu Kun said with a cold face, "Do you really intend to cooperate with Tianlan Realm?"

"Of course not," Sun Tianhu replied, his face filled with killing intent. "I'm just buying time. Once the Spirit-Devouring Qi erupts, it will be their doom. I have already requested aid from the Eastern Barrens, Northern Frontier, and Central Plains, asking each to send a Soul Transformation cultivator."

"Fellow Daoist Sun," Feng Li asked, her face full of confusion, "Why are there so few Soul Transformation cultivators from Tianlan Realm? Even if Fellow Daoist Fu and his companions are causing trouble there, Tianlan Realm couldn't possibly have withdrawn too many Soul Transformation cultivators, could they?"

"The latest news," Sun Tianhu slowly explained, "is that the life-bound soul lamps of the Dual Sages of Sun and Moon have extinguished. They went to Tianlan Realm with their sect's treasure, the Sun-Moon Ring. With their divine abilities, they could gain the upper hand in a two-on-two fight. It's estimated they killed many Soul Transformation cultivators, and Fellow Daoist Fu and his group were also involved. Of course, perhaps Tianlan Realm has sent more Soul Transformation cultivators to cause trouble again. But our forces are too few; if we scatter, they will defeat us one by one."

Sun Tianhu slowly explained that not all Soul Transformation cultivators in Dongli Realm could be concentrated on the front lines, as they had their own clans and sects to protect. Furthermore, some Soul Transformation cultivators were observing the situation, and if Dongli Realm couldn't defeat Tianlan Realm, some would surely defect. Yan Que of the Barbarian Tribe was the best example of this.

After today's battle, having witnessed the power of Tianlan Realm's Soul Transformation cultivators' battle formations, the attitudes of Sun Tianhu and others had changed. If the standoff continued, there was a high probability they would cooperate with Tianlan Realm to invade other realms—a worst-case scenario.

The cultivation resources needed by Soul Transformation cultivators were limited. If Dongli Realm were to cooperate with Tianlan Realm, they would certainly have to provide a large amount of cultivation resources, as Tianlan Realm, having suffered so many casualties, would naturally not work for nothing.

"I hope they reach the front line soon!" Liu Ruyi said, frowning as she looked at Lu Dao. "Fellow Daoist Lu, your Divine Weapon Palace is skilled in artifact refining; you should have complete sets of spirit treasures, right? Now is not the time to be secretive!"

"Our Divine Weapon Palace's treasury has a set of the Ocean-Pacifying Banners spirit treasures," Lu Dao said with a wry smile, "but it only has five flags, not enough for all of us. The Tianlan Sect concentrated its power to accomplish great things; how could the strength of one sect like the Divine Weapon Palace compare to the strength of an entire realm?"

"Having some is better than none," Liu Ruyi sighed. "If not complete sets of spirit treasures, then complete sets of magic treasures will do. Otherwise, we'll be at too great a disadvantage fighting them."

"If only we could contact the ancestors in the Spirit Realm," Dongfang Yulin said weakly, "a single projected clone from them would wipe out our enemies. Alas, I don't know what changes have occurred in the Spirit Realm; neither our Dongli Realm nor Tianlan Realm can contact it!"

The cultivators present exchanged glances, saying nothing. Tianlan Realm also couldn't contact their ancestors in the Spirit Realm; otherwise, they wouldn't need to invade other realms, as ordinary cultivation resources were useless to Soul Transformation cultivators.

They couldn't win now, so they could only stall, waiting for the Spirit-Devouring Qi to erupt in the Buried Immortal Sea.