Chapter 3383: Both Sides Plan

Mysterious Crane Island in the Azure Sea.

Inside the Mysterious Crane Palace, Feng Qing, Feng Xuan, Halangtai, and Tong Yan were in discussion.

"We have captured many islands, but the human race's formations are formidable. Seven Integration cultivators have already fallen. At this rate, by the time we reach Azure Sea Island, we won't have many Integration cultivators left, making it impossible to eliminate Azure Sea Venerable and Jin Yuyan, and difficult to unify the Azure Sea." Feng Qing said, frowning.

If their losses were too great, they would struggle to completely annihilate the Integration cultivators of both the human and Fiery Essence races, let alone unify the Azure Sea. Unifying the Azure Sea first required the elimination of the human and Fiery Essence Integration cultivators.

"Madam Tong, I recall your Chi Clan possesses a clan-treasured Bewitching Lock. Controlling a Void Refinement cultivator shouldn't be an issue, right?" Halangtai said in a deep voice.

"The Bewitching Lock is a mid-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure, so controlling a Void Refinement cultivator is indeed no problem. Fellow Daoist Ha, if you have a plan, please share it." Tong Yan replied earnestly.

"We'll use the Bewitching Lock to control a Void Refinement cultivator, have him guide us covertly onto Azure Sea Island, eliminate Jin Yuyan and Azure Sea Venerable in one fell swoop, and then deal with the other Integration cultivators." Halangtai suggested.

"This is an excellent plan; it will save us a lot of trouble. The formation set up by True Lord Zixiao's wife is quite powerful; it would be difficult to overcome without several times our current forces, and if the human race receives reinforcements, it would be impossible." Feng Qing expressed strong agreement.

Feng Xuan and Tong Yan both agreed. After discussing the specific arrangements, they headed to the front lines, planning to strike directly at the heart of the enemy.

***

Azure Sea Island.

Inside a magnificent golden manor, Wang Mengbin, Bai Yuqi, Azure Sea Venerable, and Jin Yuyan were seated in a green stone pavilion, conversing with grave expressions.

The Mysterious Crane, Barbarian, and Chi clans had allied against the human and Fiery Essence races, and they had been fighting for decades. All five clans had suffered significant losses, with over a dozen Integration cultivators having perished.

Wang Mengbin and Bai Yuqi had previously participated in racial wars, and strictly speaking, the conflict among the five clans of the Azure Sea was minor in comparison, both in terms of scale and the number of participating Integration cultivators.

According to their information, there were fewer than a hundred Integration cultivators in the Azure Sea in total, with very few Integration-stage rogue cultivators. The loss of over a dozen Integration cultivators was already substantial.

Currently, the five clans were in a stalemate, primarily deploying younger cultivators while Integration cultivators held the line.

Wang Mengbin and the others were stationed in Azure Sea. One or two Integration cultivators were assigned to guard important strongholds, where teleportation arrays were established. If a stronghold came under attack, Integration cultivators from other strongholds would immediately provide support, using formations to repel numerous enemy assaults.

In this conflict, Bai Yuqi contributed significantly. She severely wounded a mid-Integration stage Barbarian using a set of seventh-tier formations.

"The Mysterious Crane Clan suffered minor losses last time, with several Integration cultivators dying, yet they still wish to initiate conflict. This is very strange. Could they have obtained some valuable treasure?" Jin Yuyan speculated.

"What kind of valuable treasure could there be in the Azure Sea? The area is limited, all islands are claimed, and there are no unknown secret realms." Azure Sea Venerable dismissed the idea. He had placed many spies among the foreign races; if the Mysterious Crane, Barbarian, and Chi clans discovered an unknown secret realm or a mighty cultivator's dwelling, it would not escape his notice.

Over the years, the five clans had sent people to investigate their controlled territories multiple times, searching for secret realms or mighty cultivators' dwellings, but found nothing.

"That's hard to say. For instance, the Heavenly Void Jade Scroll. Fellow Daoist Wang and his companions managed to get here, so it's not impossible that a Heavenly Void Jade Scroll or another valuable treasure might have fallen into the territory of their three clans. Otherwise, why would they suddenly ignite a major war?" Jin Yuyan analyzed.

"Perhaps it's not the Heavenly Void Jade Scroll, but a late-Integration stage cultivator." Wang Mengbin said gravely. Since they had drifted to the Azure Sea, cultivators from the Wind Falcon Clan might also have drifted there.

"A late-Integration stage cultivator? That is indeed possible." Azure Sea Venerable nodded.

Just then, the sound of light footsteps was heard as a slender young woman in a purple dress approached. She wore a purple hairpin, her makeup was exquisite, and she was stunningly beautiful.

It was Yang Yan, a mid-Integration stage cultivator and one of Azure Sea Sect's few seventh-tier alchemists.

"Madam Yang, have you succeeded in refining it?" Wang Mengbin asked, his face full of anticipation.

Yang Yan nodded, took out a golden porcelain bottle, and said with a smile, "Fortunately, I didn't fail my mission; it's refined. I tested it on a Void Refinement stage Barbarian, and the effect was quite good."

"Junior Martial Sister Yang, have you truly refined the Nine Nether Yellow Springs?" Azure Sea Venerable exclaimed in surprise.

The Nine Nether Yellow Springs was one of the Ten Great Poisons. If a cultivator was afflicted by it, their physical body would slowly deteriorate. This poison was the bane of body cultivators, though if the poisoning was not deep, the impact would be minimal.

Azure Sea Sect possessed the prescription for the Nine Nether Yellow Springs, but it lacked the Yellow Springs Grass that was over thirty thousand years old, preventing them from refining it.

Yellow Springs Grass typically grew in places with dense Yin energy. When Wang Mengbin was stuck at a bottleneck, he traveled to the Green Glaze Sea Domain, entered the Demonic Cavern, and coincidentally obtained a stalk of Yellow Springs Grass over thirty thousand years old, which he gave to Yang Yan to refine the Nine Nether Yellow Springs.

"Excellent! With this poison, dealing with Halangtai will be much easier. But how do we get him poisoned? Just throwing it out won't even touch him." Jin Yuyan analyzed.

"Leave this matter to us. We are confident we can make Halangtai fall prey to this poison. We will need the cooperation of Fellow Daoist Lan and Madam Jin." Bai Yuqi said with a face full of confidence.

"No problem. Just tell us how Madam Wang needs us to cooperate." Azure Sea Venerable readily agreed.

As Bai Yuqi was about to reply, a deafening roar erupted, and alarms blared loudly.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" A panicked cry rang out, and the entire Azure Sea Island trembled slightly. A giant phantom figure with rugged features, clearly a Barbarian, appeared high in the sky.

"Barbarians! How did they sneak in?" Azure Sea Venerable's face darkened. He had assigned trusted confidants to guard the entrances and exits; it was impossible for enemies to have snuck in unchecked.

"We weren't even looking for trouble with them, yet they dare to attack us. They've got some nerve. Let's go out and meet them. Fellow Daoist Wang, find an opportune moment to strike." Jin Yuyan said in a deep voice, then soared out.

Azure Sea Venerable, Yang Yan, and Bai Yuqi followed closely. Wang Mengbin remained in the manor, taking out a long silver veil and draping it over himself to conceal his aura.

Even if an Integration cultivator used their spiritual sense to search, they would not detect Wang Mengbin's presence.

Halangtai and ten other Integration cultivators floated high in the sky, their expressions indifferent.

Tong Yan used the Bewitching Lock to control a Void Refinement cultivator, then used a treasure to conceal themselves, allowing the Void Refinement cultivator to lead them into Azure Sea Island. When an Integration cultivator discovered their anomaly, they immediately eliminated that person. Feng Xuan hid in the shadows, looking for an opportunity to launch a sneak attack on Jin Yuyan or Azure Sea Venerable.

The human and Fiery Essence races had many masters stationed on Azure Sea Island. After Tong Yan and her companions eliminated one Integration cultivator, there were still six Integration cultivators remaining, not counting Wang Mengbin.

The six cultivators, including Azure Sea Venerable, floated high in the sky, their faces filled with murderous intent.