"You damn bastard…"
"You're just a pseudo-Core cultivator not only are your cultivation and combat abilities far inferior to a true Golden Core cultivator, but even your lifespan pales in comparison. No one even knows if you could beat that Black Flood Dragon, so how dare you be the one to stir up trouble?"
"The four nations have enjoyed rare peace for so many years, and it's you trash like you who's shattered it?!"
"You deserve to die!"
Holding the urgent intelligence report in his hands, Li Ye's expression darkened, and he cursed under his breath.
After so many years, it was rare for such intense killing intent to flash across his face.
The news of Wu State's unprovoked invasion of Jing, the provocation of conflict, and the subsequent escalation of war had already spread far and wide.
It was clear this was orchestrated by Jiuding Valley, and given the scale of the incident, only the pseudo-Core cultivator of Jiuding Valley could've made such a decision.
Whether he'd been blinded by greed, thinking Jing State had weakened without Sage Bihu, or whether he had some other motive
In Li Ye's eyes, the man was utterly despicable!
Now, after over a decade of diligent cultivation, Li Ye's mana accumulation had nearly reached three hundred drops.
Give him another peaceful decade or so, and he'd reach full mastery of the Foundation Establishment realm just in time to begin preparing for his long-planned efforts to acquire Golden Core spiritual items and make his breakthrough.
Although he had yet to obtain any third-grade spirit plants over the years, his cultivation and mastery of countless disciplines had steadily and genuinely improved.
His life had been peaceful, fulfilling, and even joyful.
And just as he was drawing near to Golden Core nearing the strength to dominate the Four Nations
Jiuding Valley stirred up this chaos and incited a full-scale war between Wu and Jing!
Unlike the war between Yue and Huan back then or the later demonic outbreak, Li Ye had been able to stay unaffected, nestled deep in the Chidi Mountain Range where those conflicts couldn't reach.
But this time was different.
The Chidi Mountain Range lay at the junction of Yue, Jing, and Wu. If any two of those nations went to war, the area was bound to be impacted.
Other minor matters wouldn't trouble him he had four Foundation Establishment subordinates and a third-grade "Green Vine Verdant Wood Array" protecting his mountain. These were more than enough to keep most disturbances at bay.
But if a moment came when Golden Core cultivators chose his territory as the battleground due to its strategic value the Pingyang Mountain would be hard-pressed to remain untouched.
"Besides," Li Ye muttered, "that pseudo-Core from Jiuding Valley has always behaved similarly to me. He's practically a tool created to guard his sect rarely ventures out, paranoid that other Core cultivators might assassinate him…"
"He's even been mocked frequently by Sage Bihu in the notes."
"For someone so cautious to take the initiative and start a war… he must have some plan, some trump card. Maybe he's got a way to suppress or seriously injure that third-grade Black Flood Dragon."
"Otherwise, as a pseudo-Core whose cultivation can no longer improve, what makes him think he can overpower that dragon who's had a head start in breaking through?"
"If he wasn't confident, then launching this war would be suicidal!"
Li Ye's brow furrowed in deep thought.
"If he does have some scheme... then perhaps he could topple Thousand Island Water City."
"And that I cannot allow to happen."
He had studied and pondered the Bihu notes for many years. Thanks to their guidance, he'd avoided countless detours and had advanced steadily along his cultivation path.
He even gained inspiration and partial success in developing a pill to aid Golden Core. Who knows it might play a vital role in the future!
There was no doubt: on the path toward forming a golden core, he could see farther than most Foundation Establishment cultivators. If he did succeed, Sage Bihu's contribution would be undeniable.
The Sage had left behind two final wishes in his notes:
One, that Thousand Island Water City would continue its legacy;
Two, that his name would live on for generations, remembered by the world.
In Li Ye's view, this was all about fulfilling a promise.
As long as Thousand Island Water City continued to exist, Sage Bihu, its founder, would naturally remain a known name among the cultivators of the Four Nations.
But if Thousand Island Water City were to fall, or worse be seized and overtaken by outsiders then Bihu's name would be trampled underfoot, buried beneath the reputation of others, and ultimately fade from history without a trace.
"I'll just have to keep a closer eye on things…"
After much deliberation, Li Ye finally made up his mind.
With the strength he'd built up over the years combined with his puppets and temporary formations even a pseudo-Core cultivator wasn't necessarily unbeatable. At worst, he could have his real body retreat and fight through proxies.
And no matter what methods the enemy might have prepared against the third-rank Black Flood Dragon, there was no way they could have predicted his involvement.
If he struck at the right moment, it might even be possible to heavily injure or repel the enemy maybe even slay the pseudo-Core with the Black Flood Dragon's help!
And if that pseudo-Core from Jiuding Valley had some hidden trick that pushed things to the brink threatening the very legacy of Thousand Island Water City
Then Li Ye would consider taking action depending on how the situation developed.
Of course, if things truly turned dire, he could always shift his focus and instead help the direct bloodline and disciples of Thousand Island Water City escape, ensuring that Sage Bihu's notes survived.
In the end, it was about repaying a debt.
It was a matter of keeping his conscience clear maintaining his humanity, and his emotions, and most importantly, protecting his mind from inner demons. It was a way of laying early groundwork against future cultivation pitfalls.
Still, such a purpose wasn't worth risking his life recklessly. He'd have to stay flexible and adjust his response as needed.
Even if he couldn't intervene now, there was still the possibility of breaking through to Golden Core in the future and personally hunting down the Jiuding Valley pseudo-Core to help the rightful heirs reclaim their sect.
"Hmm… But if I could just eliminate that pseudo-Core now, the entire war between the two nations wouldn't even matter to me anymore. That'd be a clean and permanent solution."
Li Ye calmed himself, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Besides, Thousand Island Water City likely still has more than one stash of Frost Condensate Water… If I can get my hands on it, I'll have half the ingredients I need for the Water-Fire Alchemy Pill!"
"Even if that Lava Palace's ruined secret chamber doesn't have any Profound Fire Essence, having Frost Condensate Water alone would already increase my chances of forming a golden core!"
On a normal day, trying to get such a treasure from Thousand Island Water City would be impossible.
But in a time of crisis, clinging to such items would be meaningless.
If their sect was about to be destroyed and they had no Golden Core cultivator ready to protect it, offering up such a treasure in exchange for salvation was more than worth the price.
"In both sentiment and reason… this is something I must get involved in."
Li Ye's expression grew firm.
He had always believed he had enough time left in his lifespan to slowly wait for the right chance to obtain the spiritual items he needed for Golden Core.
But now that the opportunity was right in front of him and tied to a personal debt there was no way he could turn away.
"The only real question now is… what exactly is that pseudo-Core from Jiuding Valley planning? What's their true goal behind igniting this war? And could it threaten Thousand Island Water City to the brink of annihilation?"
Only by understanding more could Li Ye avoid falling into a trap that might bury him alive.
To repay a favor or for a bit of Frost Condensate Water would hardly be worth it.
Without delay, he summoned Luo Feibai.
"Send people out to closely investigate the battlefield and both nations' internal movements. I want every detail reported no matter how big or small!"
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