As the command was given with the sound of war drums, hundreds of flying beasts circled dozens of massive Camel-Rays, forming a colossal battle formation that blotted out the sky above Celestial Gate Mountain.
Within the formation, streaks of Escape Light constantly shot back and forth—these were Wei Family Cultivators relaying commands.
A moment later, a Wei Family Cultivator approached Fang Qingyuan and announced:
"By order of the Ancestor: turn south and advance at full speed."
Hearing this, the expression of She Xi Yu, the She Family Patriarch beside Fang Qingyuan, shifted slightly. He murmured:
"South? Are we heading to White Mountain?"
She Xi Yu's words served as a wake-up call for Fang Qingyuan. 'Why, after all their careful deliberation, would the Wei Family choose to march on White Mountain?'
After all, White Mountain was not a pleasant place. For some unknown reason, its cultivators were exceptionally belligerent. The various sects fought one another without restraint, acting less like proper cultivation sects and more like lawless bandits vying for territory.
Even the Southern Border, which had only been opened up for a little over two hundred years, had a culture that was immeasurably better than that of White Mountain.
In this realm, the chaos of White Mountain was second only to that of the Overseas Archipelago. From what Fang Qingyuan had heard, when cultivators from the Archipelago clashed, they wouldn't rest until they had slaughtered every last inhabitant on their enemy's island.
White Mountain was better in that regard. They only killed half.
However, since the Wei Family had already issued the command, Fang Qingyuan had no choice but to obey. He steered his mount, Yinbao, followed the Camel-Rays ahead, and began to slowly change direction.
The vast battle formation resembled dark clouds looming over a city. Accompanied by the roars of beasts, the thunder of drums, and the long cries of cultivators shooting past, the entire aerial legion advanced like a monstrous tidal wave, slowly pressing southward.
...
South of Celestial Gate Mountain lay the Black River, which stretched for thousands of miles. Beyond the Black River was the astonishingly vast Death Swamp.
The natural conditions in the Death Swamp were even harsher, making it impossible for mortals to survive and reproduce. The swamp formed the border between the White Mountain and Southern Border territories. Crossing it meant entering White Mountain Territory.
When the massive battle formation crossed the Death Swamp and entered the White Mountain region, the first sect it encountered was scared witless.
The sect immediately activated its Mountain Protection Array, and a thick barrier of Spiritual Light materialized to firmly shield its mountain peak.
Even though they were protected by the array, the people inside were wailing in terror, frantically feeding High-tier Spirit Stones into the Array to replenish its Spiritual Qi.
They knew that if the Wei Family's army were to actually attack, their Mountain Protection Array alone would not be able to withstand the assault.
And the consequences of their gates being breached—the complete slaughter of the main lineage cultivators and half of all others—was a price they could not possibly bear.
As for the cultivators and mortals who were not on the protected mountain peak, they shrieked themselves hoarse, wailing as if the apocalypse had come.
However, the army was merely passing through and had no intention of stopping. Long after the Wei Family's forces had moved on, the sect's protective array remained active.
It wasn't just the first sect that overreacted. Wherever the Wei Family's army went, every sect in White Mountain went on high alert, as if facing a formidable foe.
The smaller sects, those with only Foundation Establishment battle power, all sealed their gates, activated their Mountain Protection Arrays, and dared not even peek outside.
Meanwhile, the mid-tier sects with Golden Core Cultivators would dispatch them to the front of the Wei Family's formation. They would fly alongside as an escort until they had personally watched the army leave their sect's sphere of influence, only then breathing a sigh of relief.
After several days of this saber-rattling march, the enormous disturbance created by the Wei Family's army had thrown every sect in White Mountain into a state of panic.
This was because the strongest cultivators in the White Mountain sects were at the Golden Core realm. Their Nascent Soul Ancestors were all sequestered on White Mountain proper and could not descend, which meant the Wei Family's army could plausibly attack any sect it chose.
Fortunately, however, the Wei Family army had a clear destination. After marching for many days, the beast tide that formed their battle line finally halted before a tall, imposing mountain peak.
The mountain was magnificent, and the Spiritual Land it harbored was a fourth-rank, low-grade Earth Spirit Vein—far superior to the third-rank, high-grade Wood Spirit Land back at Celestial Gate Mountain.
Although it was only a single rank higher, a fourth-rank Spiritual Land could support the cultivation of a Nascent Soul Ancestor, whereas a third-rank one could not.
Even though the White Mountain Cultivators had to ascend White Mountain proper to attempt Nascent Soul Formation, who would ever complain that their home Spirit Vein was too high-grade?
To say nothing of other benefits, the cultivation speed on a fourth-rank, low-grade vein was a full third faster than on a third-rank, high-grade one.
"Huh! Could this be Shandu Mountain?"
She Xi Yu, Patriarch of the She Family, couldn't help but exclaim upon seeing the mountain. Shandu Mountain was a prize, but the Swen Family who occupied it were no pushovers.
The Swen Family had one Golden Core and five Foundation Establishment cultivators. Their Golden Core Ancestor, Swen Guang, was a ruthless man. His signature technique, Infinite Light, was said to be powerful enough to make gods and demons alike give way.
The Swen Family hadn't survived in White Mountain for over a century by hiding and avoiding trouble; they had carved out their place through bloodshed.
Fang Qingyuan couldn't understand it. 'Why would Wei Tong choose them? Are they really the weakest option?'
As the Wei Family's army swept forward, the Swen Family on Shandu Mountain, who were neither blind nor deaf, immediately responded. The mountain's array flared to life, projecting a thick shield of Spiritual Qi that resembled a giant, inverted bowl, tightly enveloping Shandu Mountain.
Inside, the cultivators were in a state of chaos, running about and shouting in panic.
Just then, an opening appeared in the Shandu Mountain Protection Array. Several figures flew out, led by a Golden Core Cultivator who positioned himself before the army's beast tide and bellowed:
"I am Swen Guang of the Shandu Sect! Which fellow Daoist from the Beast Taming Sect is present? Show yourself and answer me!"
Swen Guang had the appearance of a scholar, projecting a refined aura. But in his towering rage, the sinister ruthlessness deep in his bones was laid bare, completely shredding his gentle facade.
Lechuan emerged from the army formation, riding his Spirit Beast. He flew forward, offered a salute, and said with an easy smile:
"Sect Leader Swen, it's a misunderstanding. I am Lechuan, the new Dean of Tianshan Villa. The Beast Taming Sect is not participating in this campaign; the Wei Family simply paid us a hefty price to provide transportation for their cultivators. Please, don't get the wrong idea."
Swen Guang's brow furrowed at the sight of Lechuan. He didn't believe a single word the man had said. However, Lechuan's statement was also beneficial to him, so he forced a smile and replied:
"Excellent, Dean Le. Since you aren't participating, you may as well stand aside and watch."
Having dealt with Lechuan, Swen Guang fixed his gaze on the center of the army formation. He watched as Wei Tong emerged from the ranks, standing atop a late-stage Golden Core flood dragon.
Wei Tong looked at Swen Guang, his expression one of solemn and righteous indignation, and bellowed his condemnation:
"Swen Guang! You have allowed your sect members to run rampant, harming fellow cultivators, bullying the weak, and engaging in murder and robbery! You have committed every imaginable evil! Today, we act on behalf of heaven to execute you tyrannical villains, to rid White Mountain of your scourge, and restore justice to the Cultivation Realm!"
At Wei Tong's grand declaration, Swen Guang actually laughed, his amusement laced with fury. He replied with a sinister sneer:
"Anyone in the world could say such things, Wei Tong, but not you. Your reputation at Celestial Gate Mountain and the stories of your deeds... sometimes even we White Mountain Cultivators are left speechless by them. What's the matter? Have you finally decided you're done stirring up trouble in the Southern Border and thought you'd come roll in our mud instead?"