Just as Jian Dan was about to respond to Mo Qis question, the massive figure of the Jianlong Ming beast approached, each step heavy and earthshaking.
"Human cultivators, thank you for your assistance. Because of your help, my clan has suffered fewer casualties."
Its voice was loud and deep, and the awkward cadence of its words made the meaning take a moment to settle among them.
Jian Dan stepped forward and bowed with respect.
"Senior, may I ask how the battle is progressing?"
"We have already warned the human cultivators. So far, you are the first to arrive, but the others are not too far behind."
The towering beast turned slightly, motioning its head toward the group where Mo Su stood.
"Even so, this is far from enough. The Ming Ancestor is currently holding back the most powerful foreign insect beast. You would do well to arrange reinforcements quickly."
Once the message sank in, the expressions of Jian Dan and the others grew grim.
"I must go assist my kin. Will you travel with us, or proceed on your own?"
Mo Qi gave Jian Dan a playful wink, then replied respectfully.
"Senior, allow us a moment to discuss. We need to send word to our people in the rear and make arrangements."
"Very well."
With that, the tall Ming beast turned and left.
"Mo Yue, tell us what you've found," Jian Dan said.
The group instinctively formed a circle, and Mo Su cautiously placed a defensive array disk in the center.
"Senior Brother, Senior Sister, as you can see, the situation is just as bad as we feared."
"The foreign insect race has breached this Ming Valley space."
"Yes. The Ming beasts are unwilling to let their territory be overrun, so naturally, they rose up to fight. But their combat methods and structure differ greatly from ours."
In Jian Dan's eyes, their battle tactics were practically nonexistent. There was no coordination between clans, no chain of command. Each group acted independently. It was a mess.
She suspected the idea of breaking through the boundary and calling for help from the cultivation world had likely come from the Ming Ancestor himself.
"You've seen it too. They fight by clan, but there was clearly infighting and competition between them before. That makes coordinated group warfare impossible."
Jian Dan paused, then continued.
"This is my third battle since entering Ming Valley. Each time, I've encountered a different group of Ming beasts, but all of them still fight like savages. Primitive. No strategy. That said, their bodies are prime material for the insect race."
Mo Su, who rarely interjected, added a comment.
"Their environment was already harsh to begin with. Infighting was the norm. This invasion forced them to unite under the Ming Ancestor, but it's no surprise they can't compare to human cultivators."
Jian Dan nodded, then offered another guess.
"The Ming beasts stay in this valley not just because of the dense demonic energy that suits them. I'm guessing if they ever entered the cultivation world, they'd be flayed and dismantled by cultivators."
"Hahaha! Agreed. Even if we couldn't flay them, just having one as a mount would be pretty decent," Mo Yi joked from the side, easing the tension a little.
"Indeed. Back to the main point. We'll move forward with this group, but one of us should head back to report. Tell the Zhēnzūn to deploy more forces. From here on, we face endless battles until we drive the enemy from this space."
Mo Qi's voice was firm and decisive. No one objected. The messenger, naturally, was chosen from among the Black-Robed Guard.
Mo Jiu was the unlucky one pushed forward by his seniors. They assigned him to deliver the report.
With no power to resist the will of his superiors, Mo Jiu could only grit his teeth and quickly retreat, carrying the jade slip of information to rendezvous with the second wave.
The others, having finished preparations, followed the Jianlong Ming rbeast deeper into the valley.
As for Mo Jiu, now heading out rather than in, his speed was much faster. No need for adaptation. He raced to catch up with the second wave at top speed.
When the teams in the rear saw someone from the Black-Robed Guard rushing back like a storm, they assumed something must have gone terribly wrong.
Tang Jian's first reaction was joy, quickly followed by a frown.
Mo Jiu paid no attention to the shifting thoughts around him. He spoke plainly.
"Message from Mo Qi Zūnzhě. Increase your advance speed. The front lines are in constant conflict. Full support is urgently needed."
After delivering the message, he prepared to fly toward the exit to hand the jade slip directly to the Zhēnzūn and assist with early planning.
But just as he lifted his foot, fourteen fellow cultivators at the Divine Transformation stage surrounded him.
Among them, Mo Hang was the most senior. He stepped forward immediately, speaking on behalf of the others.
"Junior Brother, don't be in such a rush. Let us understand the situation up ahead first. That way, we can prepare ourselves."
Seeing the looks in their eyes, Mo Jiu knew they would not let him leave unless he explained clearly. After all, this was a matter of life and death.
Resigned, Mo Jiu shared everything he knew in broad strokes. The moment he saw a gap, he slipped out of their encirclement and fled.
The remaining cultivators looked equally grim. None were in the mood to chase him for more details.
Mo Qi had already reached the Divine Soul stage. The others must be similarly strong. Since they had already engaged the insect race, they too would need to move faster.
"Enough. The situation is dire. Let's depart immediately. No dragging behind."
"Yes."
With a unified response, everyone returned to their teams, gave their orders, and began organizing for departure.
Tang Jian's expression darkened. Mo Yue had already reached the Divine Soul stage? Though she hadn't undergone tribulation, her strength had clearly grown.
Watching most of the cultivators leave, Tang Jian set aside his jealousy and led his team forward at a quicker pace.
With no further obstacles, Mo Jiu made it to the entrance in just five days.
The moment he stepped through the curtain of water at the cave's mouth, Mo Xuan Zhēnzūn appeared.
"Zhēnzūn, this jade slip contains the message from Mo Qi Zūnzhě and Mo Yue Zūnzhě."
Mo Jiu respectfully handed the jade slip over.
In the next moment, the slip floated into Mo Xuan's hand. His eyes flashed as he tossed it into the air.
"All of you, take a look. It matches the analysis made by us and the younger generation. As the leading force of the demon path, Heavenly Demon Palace has acted first and sent the message back. The rest is up to you."
A voice came from the air, belonging to the Zhēnzūn of the Life-Death Pavilion.
"Hey, Mo Xuan, we never said we wouldn't deploy anyone. The situation was unclear. Now that we know, what else is there to say?"
Mo Jiu kept his gaze low and said nothing. He wasn't qualified to speak among the mighty.
Now that his mission was complete, he had to hurry back to his squad.
"Zhēnzūn, if there are no further instructions, I'll return to the front lines."
"Go."
Mo Xuan waved his hand, then added before Mo Jiu left,
"Tell the cultivators of Heavenly Demon Palace to stay alert and act within their means."
"Yes. Thank you for your concern, Zhēnzūn."
With that, Mo Jiu stepped back into the barrier and vanished in an instant.
During Mo Jiu's absence, the other Zhēnzūn of the demon path had already issued orders to their sects to prepare for battle.
Yunling City
After successfully forming her Yuányīng, Du Yanran's appearance grew even more enchanting due to her dual cultivation method. Every smile, every glance carried natural charm. Her playful scolds and laughter alike drew every eye. Fan Jian was utterly spellbound.
Du Yanran had her sights set on a Wind Spirit expected to form soon in Howling Stone City. She wanted to claim it for herself.