Meanwhile, the Yinsha Sect began to publicly broadcast the entire sequence of events to the world, forcefully declaring that the deaths of so many cultivators were entirely the fault of the Tianyin Palace. They claimed the palace had used seduction to mislead and instigate Ning Xiao's rebellion, and furthermore, dared to murder a patrol squad from the War Hall. This was an insult to the Yinsha Sect. If the Tianyin Palace did not hand over Ning Xiao and his company, along with the woman who instigated them, war would ensue.

This news was transmitted to every sect in the shortest possible time using a special technique, causing an uproar across the world. Friction between the top-tier great sects had never ceased. However, a true, large-scale war had not occurred for a very, very long time. Even when conflicts arose between them, they usually maintained a certain decorum and restraint, competing based on raw strength with little reliance on intricate schemes.

This was because insidious plots and assassinations were too easily sources of intense resentment and anger, readily escalating into major incidents. If the competition was conducted in a relatively honorable manner, the losing side would not resort to desperate measures. The captains of the War Hall squads were always Foundation Establishment cultivators; it wasn't as if the Yinsha Sect could not afford to assign Core Formation cultivators to these roles. This too was a form of restraint, avoiding the appearance of bullying the weak and preventing the conflict from escalating. Just like the previous skirmish between the Myriad Ghosts Cave and a branch of the Tianyin Palace, the contingent sent, including Ding Wanyan, consisted of Foundation Establishment cultivators, and the opposing side, showing similar discretion, kept the grievances of the Foundation Establishment realm contained within that boundary. This way, any breakdown or clash was limited to mere friction.

But this time, things seemed vastly different. If the Yinsha Sect's declaration was true—that the Tianyin Palace instigated local forces to rebel and even attempted to eliminate an unsuspecting Yinsha Sect War Hall squad—this was crossing a major line. It was no wonder the Yinsha Sect was so extraordinarily enraged. The Tianyin Palace was destroying the unwritten rules governing the great sects, and once those rules were broken, a whole chain of chaotic changes would follow. If they could break the rules, others naturally could as well.

Would the realm not then descend back into chaos? The other three major sects within the Demonic Path immediately expressed strong reactions. If the Tianyin Palace insisted on defying the established order, they would not hesitate to reignite a massive conflict between two factions within the Demonic Path. However, on the Righteous Path, only the Vajra Temple spoke out, stating they believed the Tianyin Palace would not behave this way. Meanwhile, the Free and Unfettered Path and Mount Langya remained silent, especially the Free and Unfettered Path, which had recently been on poor terms with the other three sects.

The Tianyin Palace soon issued its own statement, proclaiming that Ning Xiao of the Seventy-Six Southern Isles and Zhao Lanzhi, a disciple under the Tianyin Palace, were married through free love, not instigation by the palace. They asserted that Ning Xiao leading a force to join the Tianyin Palace and his decision to kill the Yinsha Sect War Hall squad were his own private decisions, unrelated to the Tianyin Palace. However, according to Tianyin Palace rules, Ning Xiao was now their son-in-law, and the Seventy-Six Southern Isles had always regarded Ning Xiao as their paramount leader. Therefore, they requested the Yinsha Sect disciples withdraw from the Seventy-Six Southern Isles. Otherwise, the Tianyin Palace would not shy away from war with the Yinsha Sect.

The Tianyin Palace’s response was akin to pouring oil on the flames of the Yinsha Sect’s fury. With the collective authorization of several Nascent Soul Ancestors, the Yinsha Sect Master issued a war mobilization order against the Tianyin Palace, sending a passionate declaration of war out to the world. Concurrently, Yinsha Sect cultivators stationed in less critical outlying territories began returning to the sect headquarters to await deployment upon receiving the order. All Yinsha Sect disciples currently executing orders or undergoing trials elsewhere were also required to return within a specified deadline upon receiving the mobilization decree. Failure to return on time could result in being labeled a traitor.

For families affiliated with the Yinsha Sect whose direct lineage included one or two Foundation Establishment cultivators, one such cultivator had to report to the Yinsha Sect headquarters. Those with three or more Foundation Establishment cultivators were required to dispatch half of them. The same applied to Core Formation cultivators. For non-direct lineage families or affiliated forces within their immediate jurisdiction, the Yinsha Sect offered highly attractive incentives, such as reduced family taxes or the granting of resources and spirit stones, to enlist their cultivators into the Yinsha Sect army.

Simultaneously, the Yinsha Sect issued a recruitment notice across the entire realm, calling for Foundation Establishment or Core Formation cultivators. The offered conditions were exceptionally generous. Rewards increased progressively based on cultivation realm and strength, including spirit stones, spirit artifacts, elixirs, and even a respectable cultivation technique. If poorer sects attempted this, they would likely face bankruptcy before recruiting many people. However, the Yinsha Sect's policy was to accept anyone whose background was clear, regardless of their current standing. These rewards were precisely what appealed most to rogue cultivators and those from small and medium-sized families; streams of people rushed to register at Yinsha Sect branches across the land. Wealth and status were always pursued through risk. Rather than living mediocre lives, they preferred to take a gamble. At the very least, the remuneration and death benefits offered by the Yinsha Sect would be enough to ensure their descendants lived comfortably for generations.

Ship after ship of flying vessels was dispatched by the Yinsha Sect, heading to branch locations across the globe. These ships, laden with cultivators, sailed back toward the Yinsha Sect headquarters for brief training before being ferried into the necessary battle zones.

Of course, the Tianyin Palace was not foolish; their actions mirrored those of the Yinsha Sect almost exactly. Their rallying power was equally strong, and many cultivators were willing to pledge their lives to the Tianyin Palace. However, in this instance, the Tianyin Palace was slightly disadvantaged: most neutral cultivators felt the Tianyin Palace bore some responsibility in the matter and were more inclined to join the Yinsha Sect’s ranks.

Setting aside the various mobilization and resource allocations happening at headquarters, the area where Lei Dong resided, the Seventy-Six Southern Isles, remained the calmest. Yet, everyone knew that war was a hair's breadth away from breaking out. In history, many large-scale wars between sects were ignited by minor incidents. The Yinsha Sect and the Tianyin Palace had always harbored deep-seated contradictions; they were situated too close to each other, and conflicts of interest never ceased. This time, it was merely the long-accumulated friction that finally erupted.

Led by Ouyang Mi, the Third Legion used slightly more than half its strength and effortlessly subdued the Seventy-Six Southern Isles in a mere seven or eight days. This was also partly because the vast majority of the islanders were unprepared for combat against the Yinsha Sect and lacked strong willpower. Moreover, the Yinsha Sect did not directly occupy the Seventy-Six Southern Isles. They publicly announced that the acting administrator would remain Han Wu, a cultivator from the Seventy-Six Southern Isles.

Although Han Wu was not originally from the Seventy-Six Southern Isles, he had a decent reputation there and had served as the Deputy City Lord of Xiaozhou City for many years. Every cultivator on the islands was intimately familiar with the name Han Wu. Thus, having him front the re-establishment of control over the Seventy-Six Southern Isles greatly weakened any will to resist among the populace.

Furthermore, Han Wu was quite capable. He incessantly toured the region of the Seventy-Six Southern Isles, aggressively spreading propaganda detailing Ning Xiao’s faults and enumerating his crimes.

For instance, he claimed Ning Xiao betrayed the Yinsha Sect, which had shown him immense favor, for the sake of a Tianyin Palace woman, and then attempted to murder innocent Yinsha Sect envoys. Or that his actions were purely to curry favor with that woman, showing utter disregard for the interests and lives of the cultivators of the Seventy-Six Southern Isles. Most damningly, he supposedly fled early with his family and disciples, taking a large amount of resources before the Yinsha Sect army could retaliate, offering no resistance, as if he had plotted all along to sell out the island cultivators. And so on.

Han Wu’s propaganda was highly effective. It immediately turned cultivators who might have resisted toward strong feelings of loathing for Ning Xiao and the Tianyin Palace. Ning Xiao, in particular, was viewed as despicable for having fled with resources while knowing full well the Yinsha Sect would seek retribution. This was the most unforgivable offense, especially considering he was the Lord of Xiaozhou City and the former leader of the Seventy-Six Southern Isles.

Quickly, and with the support of vast resources—spirit stones, equipment, and elixirs—from the Yinsha Sect, Han Wu established an army called the Southern Isle Guard. This force boasted over eight hundred cultivators at the fifth level of Qi Refining and above, more than a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators, and three Core Formation cultivators, including himself. The other two were ancestors from powerful local families who either deeply resented the Tianyin Palace and Ning Xiao for shattering the peace of the Southern Isles, or sought to use this opportunity to organize their clan members into the Guard to secure patronage from the Yinsha Sect.

To the core disciples of the Yinsha Sect, such as Lei Dong, this so-called Southern Isle Guard was a motley crew of uneven strength, essentially a rabble. Putting aside the Qi Refining cultivators, the Foundation Establishment cultivators alone significantly outnumbered the Third Legion’s forces. Yet, the disparity in actual fighting capability was immense. On the other hand, these were still bodies; a gathering of over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators, no matter how weak, would force even a Core Formation cultivator to hold their nose and detour. One could imagine the horror of facing the simultaneous bombardment of over a hundred spells or spirit artifacts. Moreover, the Seventy-Six Southern Isles were currently in turmoil, desperately needing a local power to maintain order, manage external defense, patrols, and so on. These duties could not entirely fall upon the elite troops of the Yinsha Sect War Hall.

Many halted industries also needed to resume operation, such as spirit stone mining, resource extraction, alchemy, and artifact forging. Otherwise, this territory would simply become a dead zone.

The cultivators of the Third Legion were not idle either. Lei Dong’s specific squad, during routine patrols, received a special assignment.

The nine figures steered the Nether Nine, flying cautiously toward the northeast. The Nether Nine skimmed just above the sea surface, its defensive shields fully engaged, weaving through towering waves. The speed was not fast; it took a full seven or eight hours to cover about ten thousand li. Zhang Heng finally anchored the Nether Nine on a deserted islet, and the group settled into meditation to conserve energy.

Three days later, two teammates standing watch outside sent back the signal of the ghost messenger. Zhang Heng's expression immediately turned grave. “They’re here. Everyone, enter combat readiness immediately.”