Chapter 3196: Wang Chuanming Incites Conflict

Atop the Azure Lotus

The Fu Clan is a subordinate clan of the Golden Scale Clan, with a long history. They control over 20,000 islands, and Golden Ferret Island is one of them.

Golden Ferret Island is heavily planted with golden pear fruit trees, whose fruits are a favorite of the Golden Ferrets. Many Golden Ferrets are reared on the island, and the Fu Clan has stationed two Void Refinement cultivators there.

In the northwestern corner of the island, in a resplendent golden palace, a burly old man in a red robe sat on the main seat, his expression grim.

This was Tong Dong, a mid-Void Refinement stage cultivator.

A short, stout man in a golden shirt was reporting to the red-robed elder. His left arm was missing, and multiple bleeding lacerations were visible on his body.

"What? Yu'er was killed by cultivators from the Fire Pig Clan? Are you sure you're not mistaken?" Tong Dong said with a grim face.

The Fu Clan and the Fire Pig Clan had been old rivals for many years, with constant conflicts. Previously, both were subordinate to the Golden Scale Clan, sharing the same benefactor. With the Golden Scale Clan keeping them in check, their conflicts were limited to minor skirmishes. However, after the Silver Shark Clan rose to power, the Fire Pig Clan allied with them and frequently provoked incidents.

The Fu Clan's higher-ups preferred not to fight to the death with the Fire Pig Clan, choosing to yield as much as possible. During the last clan conflict, the Fire Pig Clan suffered heavy losses and casualties. The Fu Clan, allied with several other clans, seized the opportunity to attack the Fire Pig Clan, occupying over a thousand islands and eliminating a group of their experts.

The Fire Pig Clan's higher-ups wanted to end the war quickly and had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill.

Tong Yu was Tong Dong's most valued descendant. While out on an errand, he encountered cultivators from the Fire Pig Clan. Old enemies meeting inflamed their animosity, leading to a fierce fight. Mi Feng, who was leading them, killed Tong Yu, but a Fu Clan cultivator broke through the encirclement and immediately rushed back to report.

"I'm not mistaken; they were indeed cultivators from the Fire Pig Clan. I recognized Mi Feng." The man in the golden shirt said with certainty.

"How could they have appeared in that sea area? That region has always been our Fu Clan's sphere of activity!" Tong Dong asked, puzzled.

"I don't know! We were all very perplexed. They suddenly burst out from under the sea and attacked us, as if they had come prepared." The man in the golden shirt shook his head, his face full of bewilderment.

Just as Tong Dong was about to say something, he took out a glowing red shell from his robes and cast a spell into it. A respectful male voice sounded: "Great-grandfather, Aunt Tong Yue has arrived. She says she has an urgent matter to report."

"Invite her in quickly and bring her to my residence." Tong Dong instructed.

"Yes, Great-grandfather."

Putting away the red shell, Tong Dong looked at the man in the golden shirt and ordered: "You may withdraw for now! Heal your injuries properly. I will send someone to investigate thoroughly."

The man in the golden shirt acknowledged, bowed, and withdrew.

Not long after, Tong Yue strode in. She was none other than Wang Guangyue, a spy planted by the Wang Clan's Dark Hall within the Fu Clan.

A tall, slender young man in a green shirt followed behind her; he was at the Soul Transformation stage of cultivation.

Wang Chuanming intended to plot clan conflicts, create chaos, and force He Guang to leave Azure Cicada Island, then find an opportunity to eliminate He Guang.

"Tong Yue, what urgent matter do you have?" Tong Dong asked casually. Though his relationship with Tong Yue wasn't deep, as they were from the same clan, he was willing to help if needed.

"I received information that Fellow Daoist Mi on Fire Kite Island might possess a Level Six Thunder Absorbing Pearl. Are you interested in making a move against him?" Tong Yue said in a deep voice.

The information was, of course, false; she merely wanted to use this opportunity to provoke conflict between the Fu Clan and the Fire Pig Clan, creating chaos.

"A Level Six Thunder Absorbing Pearl? Where did you get this information? Is it true?" Tong Dong said with a frown.

"Tong Feng, you tell him!" Tong Yue looked at the young man in the green shirt and instructed.

"Grandson was out hunting demonic beasts with clan members when we were attacked by a Level Six demonic beast and nearly died. We hid on a deserted island to heal. During that time, two cultivators from the Fire Pig Clan were pursuing a demonic bird and stayed on the island for a while. They inadvertently revealed that Mi Xi, who is stationed on Fire Kite Island, had eliminated Elder He of our Fu Clan, and the Level Six Golden Thunder Hawk Elder He had raised was also killed. Mi Xi then obtained a Thunder Absorbing Pearl. Grandson was severely injured at the time and dared not alert them. After they left, I immediately rushed back to report." Tong Feng said slowly.

Mi Xi had not, in fact, killed any Void Refinement cultivators of the Fu Clan. This was Wang Chuanming's doing, primarily to frame Mi Xi. The Fu Clan and the Fire Pig Clan were already old rivals, and cultivators from both clans would indeed clash fiercely if they met privately. The two Fire Pig Clan cultivators Tong Feng encountered had been controlled by Wang Chuanming using a Seven-Star Spirit Control Talisman, deliberately letting slip information to make Tong Feng mistakenly believe that Mi Xi had eliminated a Fu Clan Void Refinement cultivator and obtained a Level Six Thunder Absorbing Pearl.

Even if investigated later, Tong Yue could completely clear herself, as she had only come to Tong Dong after hearing reports from her subordinates.

"Are you certain they were cultivators from the Fire Pig Clan? You're not mistaken? They didn't detect your presence?" Tong Dong questioned.

"I couldn't be mistaken; they used the Fire Pig Clan's innate divine ability, so they were definitely from the Fire Pig Clan. I possess a stealth artifact that makes it difficult for Soul Transformation cultivators to detect my presence." Tong Feng said with certainty.

"I had Tong Feng draw portraits of these two individuals for others to examine, and they confirmed the identities of those two Soul Transformation cultivators as Mi Xi's subordinates. So, what do you say? Are you in or out? If you're unwilling, I'll find others. With a Level Six Thunder Absorbing Pearl refined into a formation, passing the Grand Heavenly Tribulation in the future will be much easier for us." As Tong Yue finished speaking, her gaze became fervent.

"Hmph, they killed my descendant. I was just about to seek revenge on them." Tong Dong snorted coldly, his face filled with murderous intent.

"They killed your descendant, hmph. It seems the Fire Pig Clan wants to retaliate against us. We didn't hurt them enough last time." Tong Yue frowned, then, as if realizing something, cautiously said: "Should we report this to the higher-ups? If it sparks a clan conflict, it could be a considerable problem."

Tong Dong glared at her and said impatiently: "We knew nothing about the Level Six Thunder Absorbing Pearl. We're simply avenging Fellow Daoist He. Since Mi Xi killed Fellow Daoist He, it's only natural for us to seek revenge for him. Even if it leads to a clan conflict, the Fire Pig Clan will have brought it upon themselves."

From the information he possessed, it seemed the Fire Pig Clan's high-level cultivators intended revenge, secretly ambushing Fu Clan cultivators. With Tong Yu already dead and the temptation of the Level Six Thunder Absorbing Pearl, Tong Dong decisively opted for retaliation.

"That's right, we are avenging Fellow Daoist He. However, with just a few of us, it might be difficult to take Fire Kite Island. Should we invite other Void Refinement cultivators to join us for a greater chance of success?" Tong Yue suggested.

Tong Dong was quite close to He Yang, He Guang's paternal uncle. He Guang and He Yang were both stationed on Azure Cicada Island.

Wang Chuanming had set up such an elaborate scheme precisely to lure He Guang away from Azure Cicada Island. No one could have imagined that someone would devise such a grand plot specifically targeting He Guang.

Tong Dong nodded and said: "I have a good relationship with Fellow Daoist He from Azure Cicada Island. Let's invite him to join us!"

After discussing for a while, the two left Golden Ferret Island.

Fire Pig Island, the stronghold of the Fire Pig Clan.

Mi Peng stood atop a steep peak, his expression solemn as he gazed at a thundercloud high in the sky.

Within three millennia, the Fire Pig Clan had lost several Integration stage cultivators. The clan had since intensified its efforts in cultivating members and had recently gained one new Integration stage cultivator.

If this clan member could advance to the Integration stage, the Fire Pig Clan would gain yet another Integration stage cultivator.

A rumbling thunder sounded, and the thundercloud churned violently, from which emerged arcs of lightning in seven distinct colors.

"Seven-Colored Divine Lightning!" Mi Peng's expression turned grim. The fact that this clan member could draw nine bolts of Seven-Colored Divine Lightning showed extraordinary potential. However, the Fire Pig Clan lacked items like the Nine-Light Vase, East Yi Shield, or Lightning Transformation Great Formation. They only possessed a Primordial Transformation Great Formation set up with a Level Six Mid-Grade Thunder Absorbing Pearl, along with a defensive low-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure.

The Primordial Transformation Great Formation had already been used by five Void Refinement cultivators to attempt breakthrough to the Integration stage, and all five had succeeded.

As for the defensive mid-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure, it had been used by an Integration stage elder to pass their Grand Heavenly Tribulation. When Mi Peng himself attempted to break through to the Integration stage, he had only attracted seven bolts of Five-Colored Divine Lightning.

A deafening thunderclap sounded, and a thick seven-colored lightning bolt struck down, followed quickly by the second, then the third...

After the seventh seven-colored lightning bolt fell, the seven-colored thundercloud churned violently, then dissipated and vanished, indicating that the tribulation-taker had been struck dead.

Mi Peng let out a long sigh. If this clan member had been able to advance to the Integration stage, their strength would certainly have been formidable, perhaps even capable of leading the Fire Pig Clan to glory.

He took out a glowing red communication disk and cast a spell into it. A panicked male voice sounded: "Something terrible has happened, Clan Leader! The Fu Clan has attacked several of our islands. Mi Xi and his group have perished, and over a dozen islands have fallen into the Fu Clan's hands."

"What's going on? Out of nowhere, the Fu Clan suddenly attacked us?" Mi Peng said with a frown.

"I don't know! The officials in charge of many islands have all launched counterattacks now."

Mi Peng mused for a moment, then instructed: "Issue orders immediately to organize forces and counterattack. Last time, they seized our territory when we were severely weakened, and now they're at it again. They truly think we're pushovers!"

The Fu Clan and the Fire Pig Clan were already old rivals. Since the Fu Clan had made a move, the Fire Pig Clan would certainly retaliate. He was already displeased about his clan member failing to break through to the Integration stage, so the Fu Clan seeking trouble at this moment was like walking right into the line of fire.

"Yes, Clan Leader." A respectful male voice came from the communication disk.