Time flew by.
In just a few days, the Great Dragon River—the dividing line between Jiangbei and Jiangnan—had been transformed into a forbidden zone for cultivators.
Mortals remained in their ignorance, but the practitioners of the Way had fled.
Even the Immortal Clans and sects that had called the riverbanks home for generations uprooted themselves and departed in haste.
In their wake, the region was locked down by a dense web of formations from countless sects.
Day and night, every ripple of energy and every minor event was monitored and reflected back to the various powers of the Immortal Nexus.
It was no exaggeration to say that the eyes of every major force were fixed on this single patch of earth.
The area was a powder keg—calm on the surface, but surging with violent undercurrents.
No one knew exactly when the spark would strike.
Then came the tenth day.
As the first streak of sword light rose from the direction of Jiangnan, detonating the War of Dao Struggle, the tension within the hearts of countless cultivators finally snapped.
"The war has begun!"
At the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea, Perfected Lord Hanguang Futian took a deep breath.
Even with his vast experience, this was the first time he had witnessed a "Perfected Lord War" on a scale that threatened to consume the entire Immortal Nexus.
"Will we win?"
He cast a worried glance toward Perfected Lord Feixue's bedchamber.
Although he had long been at odds with Feixue, their interests were perfectly aligned in this moment.
Whether they could defeat the Sword Pavilion and slay Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao would determine his own future.
It was the difference between ascending to the rank of Great Perfected Lord and becoming a "tide-player" in the Thousand Year Great Tribulation, or remaining as mere cannon fodder to be swept away by history.
For the first time in centuries, he felt a twinge of genuine nerves.
Soon, a streak of light descended, and a dignified, graceful woman emerged.
It was Perfected Lord Iridescent Brocade, an old acquaintance of Hanguang Futian.
"Qiluo..." Hanguang Futian looked at her deeply before speaking. "If this battle is lost and Feixue falls, come to me. Defect to my side."
Iridescent Brocade was originally the Daoist partner he had selected to help him break through to Great Perfected Lord, but she had been snatched away by Feixue years ago—a grudge he had nursed ever since.
"Very well," Iridescent Brocade replied with a decisive nod.
Then, she offered a small smile. "However, we won't lose. You are overthinking things."
"Won't lose?" Hanguang Futian shook his head.
"There is no such thing as an undefeated man or an immortal sect in this world... Moreover, our Saint Sect has been at a distinct disadvantage in recent years."
Rumble.
At that moment, a shimmering water-light erupted from the direction of the Sacred Fire Cliff.
It expanded instantly, blanketing the firmament and connecting the ends of the earth like a mighty Heavenly River.
Simultaneously, thick clouds and mist billowed from Jiangnan, obscuring the sun and moon.
The two forces collided above the Great Dragon River with a thunderous boom.
In the wake of the impact, Dao Fruit stars ignited one by one, like oil cast upon a raging fire, painting the sky with the bloody hue of the Immortal Nexus.
Private discussions broke out among the onlookers.
"As expected, it's [Sky-Shrouding]."
"They say it's a war between the Sword Pavilion and the Saint Sect, but in the end, both [Sky-Shrouding] and Feixue hail from the Saint Sect... It's a tragic state of affairs."
"Don't be so quick to judge; this is only the beginning. If it stays like this, it's just a repeat of the last confrontation where neither side had a certain victory. There must be variables this time!"
"Don't forget—the Pure Land and the Dao Court have yet to make their move."
Almost as if on cue, a new aura rose from the direction of Jiangxi. Buddha-light illuminated the world as zen chants resonated through the heavens, reflecting a towering, golden figure.
It was Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer!
Beside her, the other two of the Three Bodhisattvas—Precious Vase Water Moon and Precious Vajra Victory—manifested their Golden Body Dharma Aspects.
A collective gasp went up from the watching Perfected Lords. Standing at the forefront, Bodhisattva Precious Lotus was crowned by billions of shimmering Buddha-lights.
Within that radiance, a twelve-grade lotus bloomed, housing entire Buddha Kingdoms where monks kowtowed and novices chanted.
She was a Late-stage Golden Core—a Great Perfected Lord!
"How is this possible? Where did the Pure Land acquire a three-element Dao Fruit?"
It was common knowledge that the Three Bodhisattvas held the Dao Fruits of [Ornamental Gold], [Weeping Willow Wood], and [Pine & Cypress Wood].
Together, they didn't have the necessary elements to facilitate a breakthrough to the Great Perfected Lord stage.
And yet, Precious Lotus had clearly transcended.
As the gathered lords calculated the karma of the scene, they spotted a shadowy figure deliberately hiding within the dazzling Buddha-light.
"Xuan Yuan!"
In Jiangnan, the Old Dragon Lord gritted his teeth, his heart overflowing with bitterness.
Great Sage Ming Zhu and Great Sage Xuan Yuan—they were supposed to be his!
Because of one catastrophic defeat, both Great Sages had abandoned him, leaving him to live under another's roof in this diminished state.
Led by Precious Lotus, the Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land took their positions, firmly backing the direction of Jiangnan.
Seeing this, Hanguang Futian's expression turned grim. "This is bad. The Pure Land has sided with the Sword Pavilion, and Precious Lotus has somehow reached the Great Perfected Lord stage... This shouldn't be happening."
Before he could process the shock, another heaven-shaking roar erupted as the stars in the dome above blazed with renewed intensity.
From the direction of Jiangdong, Emperor Jiayou manifested his own Dharma Aspect, revealing the undeniable Stature of a Great Perfected Lord.
He, too, moved to the side of Jiangnan and stood firm.
Another one!
In an instant, the Pure Land, the Sword Pavilion, and the Dao Court had formed a united front.
The overwhelming pressure of three Great Perfected Lords materialized into a physical weight, crashing down upon Jiangbei.
"Hahaha!"
Atop the Sword Pavilion's Extreme Heaven Cliff, Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao let out a boisterous laugh.
"Feixue, give up! Evil cannot triumph over righteousness; this is the ultimate principle of heaven and earth!"
So what if you can fight? What good is martial prowess? Success in this world requires power and background.
Look at my side—two additional Great Perfected Lords. No matter how you slice it, the advantage is mine!
Back at the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea, Hanguang Futian's brow was furrowed so tightly it seemed carved from stone.
He had expected the Dao Court to side with the Sword Pavilion, but usually, such an alliance would drive the Pure Land to lean toward the Saint Sect to maintain the balance of power.
No one could have predicted the Pure Land would stand so resolutely with the Sword Pavilion.
What now? Hanguang Futian felt the urge to retreat.
He wanted victory, but he was no fool; he would not fight a war that was fundamentally unwinnable.
Gangxing and [Sky-Shrouding] only want that nameless Perfected Lord. If push comes to shove, we can simply sell that Fellow Daoist out and use our formations to defend... Without him, we can at least ensure our own survival.
Many observers reached the same conclusion.
"Isn't this a guaranteed loss?"
"With both the Pure Land and the Dao Court aiding the Sword Pavilion, the Demon Sect—powerful as it is—cannot stand alone. Following Demon Sect tradition, it's about time they sold out their allies."
"That nameless Perfected Lord is truly unfortunate."
"He brought it on himself by stirring up trouble, forging a blood feud with [Sky-Shrouding], and drawing Gangxing's ire... One can only say he reaped what he sowed."
The world was rife with such talk. Even before the first blow was struck, the Saint Sect had already been sentenced to defeat in the minds of the masses.
Clang! Clang!
Finally, Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao made his move.
With a ninety percent certainty of victory, it was time to crush the "drowning dog."
A sudden pillar of sword light erupted, pointing directly at the Sacred Fire Cliff.
"Fellow Daoist, come out and face me in a fair fight!"
Gangxing's voice boomed across the heavens. Yet, everyone knew there was no such thing as "fair" in this encounter.
This was raw, unadulterated oppression.
It looked like a duel, but with three Great Perfected Lords standing guard, would they truly stand by if Gangxing faltered?
Never. They would strike the moment the tides turned.
"We will win!"
In the shadows, [Sky-Shrouding] grinned.
How could we possibly lose? The moment that bastard shows his face, he's a dead man!