Chapter 2882: Yi Feng's Fury

Even a dying camel is bigger than a horse. Though the Lizard Tribe is in decline, in terms of the sheer number of Integration Stage cultivators, neither the Human, Spiritfire, nor Yaksha tribes can compare to them.

A phoenix fallen into water is no match for a chicken. Seeing the Lizard Tribe grow increasingly weak, the Human, Spiritfire, and Yaksha tribes sought to seize the opportunity to destroy them and strengthen themselves.

"The Golden Crow Tribe has suffered significant losses, and ours are heavy too. Why don't we cede some territory, sign a peace agreement, and cease hostilities? Let us recuperate and then devise new plans."

"Indeed! Preserving our strength is paramount. Once the Old Ancestor returns, we can reclaim the lost territories. With the three tribes invading, our resources are almost depleted."

"Yes! There's nothing wrong with giving them a painful lesson, ceding territory, and paying indemnities in exchange for peace."

Several tribal elders spoke up; none of them wanted to continue the fight.

The Lizard Tribe also had internal factions. Important strongholds and vital resources all required expert cultivators to guard them. Taking the large Sun Crystal ore vein as an example, four Integration Stage cultivators were stationed there. As long as they held the vein, they could each get a share of the extracted Sun Crystals, essentially lining their own pockets.

Other strongholds were similar; as long as there was no war, they would continuously accrue benefits.

If they couldn't hold their strongholds, their interests would naturally be compromised. It would be better to cede some territory and resources in exchange for peace, sacrificing the interests of the majority to preserve those of their high-ranking members.

Most of the tribal elders didn't know that the Lizard Tribe's Grand Ascension cultivator had already perished. They all believed the Grand Ascension cultivator was still alive and that everything would be manageable once they returned.

"Hmph, foolish. If you were the high-ranking members of the three tribes, would you cease your attack for such petty gains? If we cede territory and pay indemnities once, there will be a second time. If we agree to cede a tenth of our territory, they'll demand a fifth; if we agree to that, they'll demand a third. They'll just take an inch and try to take a mile." Yifeng chastised them unceremoniously.

A kind person is easily bullied, and a good horse is easily ridden.

At this moment, if the Lizard Tribe took one step back, the three tribes would advance a hundred.

As for seeking refuge with one of the tribes in exchange for protection, that was even less likely. If they defected to another race, it would be fortunate if the Lizard Tribe could retain even a tenth of its territory. At that point, the territory would be insufficient to support the Lizard Tribe's existing high-level cultivators, and in the long run, it would only lead to internal strife.

The Lizard Tribe had over a hundred Integration Stage cultivators. If such a formidable force defected, the Spiritfire, Yaksha, or Human tribes would not feel at ease. They would try every means to weaken the Lizard Tribe's power. The best method would still be a full-scale racial war, which could both exhaust the enemy's strength and simultaneously weaken the Lizard Tribe's.

Unless the leaders of the three tribes were fools, they would never leave the Lizard Tribe alone and allow them to produce Grand Ascension cultivators again.

Back then, the Void Sky Tribe suffered a devastating siege, and some of their members defected to the Yaksha Tribe. What was the result? They were used as cannon fodder by the Yaksha Tribe, sent to fight against the Human Tribe.

Only by hurting the three tribes badly could they perhaps be forced to withdraw.

The Lizard Tribe had a long and profound heritage; they could endure. At worst, it would be a lose-lose situation.

The cultivators fell silent. They also understood this reasoning, but they felt that with a Grand Ascension cultivator present, the three tribes wouldn't go too far.

"Tribal Chief, please give us a definite answer: Is the Old Ancestor still with us?" a thin, green-robed elder asked.

The green-robed elder, Budan, a mid-Integration Stage cultivator, had a square face, small eyes, and a walrus mustache.

Yifeng frowned. At this point, if he claimed the Lizard Tribe's Grand Ascension cultivator was in death seclusion, no one would believe it. However, admitting that the Grand Ascension cultivator had perished would cause morale to collapse.

Despite the Lizard Tribe having numerous experts, there might be spies from the three tribes within, so Yifeng would never tell the truth.

"The Old Ancestor has gone out on business and will return after a while. Our task is to hold our territory. From now on, I do not wish to hear any talk of surrender or ceding territory and paying indemnities. Violators will be treated as traitors to the tribe and executed without mercy." Yifeng's face was filled with murderous intent.

The cultivators all agreed, their expressions solemn.

Yifeng kept Huyan and Jinluo, dismissing the others.

"How is it going? Have you still not found the Five-Yin maidens?" Yifeng pressed. They were only five Five-Yin maidens short.

"No, we haven't found them," Huyan sighed. "Our insiders report that the Wang family and several other powers have protected the Five-Yin maidens, leaving us no way to proceed. A group of our scouts has also been eliminated."

"The Wang family again!" Yifeng said, annoyed. "Once we overcome this obstacle, we must wipe out the Wang family; they've repeatedly thwarted our crucial plans."

Just then, Yifeng took a sparkling spirit-light disk from his robes, sent a spell seal into it, and his face darkened.

"Tribal Chief, what happened?" Jinluo asked, somewhat nervously.

"The Dry Thunder Mine Vein, controlled by the Purple Sable Tribe, has been captured by the Green Lotus Immortal Couple. Two Integration Stage cultivators are missing, and the Purple Sable Tribe is requesting reinforcements," Yifeng said, his face gloomy.

"It's the Wang family again! This is a perfect opportunity to eliminate the Green Lotus Immortal Couple. I'll go reinforce the Purple Sable Tribe," Huyan declared, her face filled with murderous intent, intending to take action personally.

"The Spiritfire Tribe is causing too much commotion over there; the Green Crocodile Tribe can barely hold on. You and Jinluo will reinforce the Green Crocodile Tribe. I will send others to support the Purple Sable Tribe," Yifeng instructed. It wasn't that he underestimated the Green Lotus Immortal Couple, but the Spiritfire Tribe had sent two late-Integration Stage cultivators to lead the attack on the Green Crocodile Tribe. If high-level support wasn't sent soon, the Green Crocodile Tribe would be annihilated.

At this critical time, the annihilation of any affiliated race would severely dampen morale.

Huyan acknowledged, and she and Jinluo withdrew.

Yifeng took out a pale golden communication disk, sent a spell seal into it, and instructed, "Buguang, if I'm not mistaken, you are due to undergo your fourth grand heavenly tribulation within the next five hundred years. Do you have the confidence to pass it?"

"No confidence. I am certainly going to die, Tribal Chief. If you have any orders, please give them. It would be good to take a few down with me before I die," an old voice came from the communication disk.

"You and Buyu will go support the Purple Sable Tribe. You must kill the Green Lotus Immortal Couple; they have repeatedly ruined our important plans. I will take good care of your descendants," Yifeng instructed.

This time, he sent two mid-Integration Stage cultivators; he didn't believe they couldn't eliminate the Green Lotus Immortal Couple.

"Understood. I'm leaving immediately."

Putting away the communication disk, Yifeng muttered to himself, "Green Lotus Immortal Couple? Hmph, a dead immortal couple is more like it."

The Five-Light Mountain Range stretched for tens of millions of miles. It was an important stronghold of the Purple Sable Tribe, housing a medium-sized Five-Light Jade ore vein, making it one of the tribe's more crucial outposts.

Bianyan was stationed there. He had cultivated for over twenty thousand years and possessed early-Integration Stage cultivation.

Bianyan was different from ordinary tribal members; he had a bloodline mutation and cultivated fire-attribute techniques, repelling Human Tribe attacks multiple times.

After the Dry Thunder Mountain Range fell, the Purple Sable Tribe consolidated its forces, strengthening the defenses of the Five-Light Mountain Range, where there were now as many as twenty Void Refinement cultivators.

After this battle, Bianyan dared not be careless and remained constantly on guard.

One day, as he was meditating and regulating his breath in his dwelling, the alarm blared loudly.

Bianyan opened his eyes, took out a red communication disk, sent a spell seal into it, and asked, "What happened?"

"Elder Bian, the Green Lotus Immortal Couple is attacking! The Heavenly Zither Fairy is playing music outside!" a panicked voice rang out.