The border of Westfall Prefecture.
Li Xinnian was currently gathering with Master Yuming of the Great Ming King Temple from Azure Cloud Prefecture, Patriarch Sun Haotian of the Sun Clan, and Feng Chunlin of the Feng Clan from Azure Cloud Prefecture, bringing along over a thousand cultivators.
On one side were the people of the Eternal Immortal Sect, also numbering over a thousand.
The Eternal sect now had eleven elders.
The Eternal Immortal Sect adhered to the principle of "where respect and authority are derived from one's actual cultivation realm and enlightenment, rather than just age or strict seniority," so there was not much petty calculation or bickering within the sect.
Those who reached the Void Refinement Realm could become elders.
Disciples of each lineage respectfully addressed their respective elder as "Master."
If one truly lacked a direct inheritance, they could still address the elders as "Teacher."
Every year, the elders would hold sessions to preach the Dao.
The Azure Cloud Li Clan and the Eternal Immortal Sect had cooperated for many years, and the Eternal Immortal Sect knew full well that the Li Clan viewed them as Azure Cloud's "natural barrier."
Amidst the chaos of the Wu Race's invasion, the two factions had long since begun sharing resources to cover each other's shortcomings.
Should the Wu Race ever breach their territory, they would also need the Li Clan's assistance.
The one leading the Eternal Immortal Sect's forces on this expedition was named Duanmu Yushu, a junior from the clan of the current Sect Master, Duanmu Qi.
Duanmu Yushu was a sword cultivator as elegant and striking as a jade tree facing the wind.
At not even four hundred years old, he had already reached the middle stage of the Divinity Transformation realm, making him one of the descendants Duanmu Qi valued the most within the Duanmu Clan.
"Brother Xinnian, the Wu Race has already carved a path of slaughter into Deston Prefecture.
The Central Plains are now occupied by the Wu Race.
Recently, the number of Wu Race members trespassing into our Westfall Prefecture has been steadily increasing, and this time, a Divinity Transformation realm expert is actually hiding among them."
Duanmu Yushu smiled at Li Xinnian.
"The grand tides of the world are shifting. Brother Xinnian, you should carefully consider whether you wish to act alongside me."
The moment the phrase "act alongside me" was spoken, Li Xinnian's brow furrowed deeply.
[Special Event — Eternal Spirit-Refining Eight Directions Formation]
[In this world of chaos, the Wu Race and the Human Race are engaged in a bitter, protracted battle.
Taking advantage of the turmoil in the Western Border, various human factions have charged into the Endless Forest.
Cultivators above the Divinity Transformation realm are no longer bound by any restrictions.
Duanmu Yushu, a disciple of the Eternal Immortal Sect, has been good friends with Li Xinnian for many years, sharing a mutual appreciation.
Unwilling to remain stagnant at the middle stage of the Divinity Transformation realm, he secretly acquired a formation designed to sacrifice and refine living beings.
He intends to head into Wu Race territory and use the lives of an entire large tribe to break through to the peak of the Divinity Transformation realm.]
[This method, which severely harms the harmony of Heaven, yields incredibly rich rewards.
It requires years of meticulous planning, lying dormant within the Wu Race, and setting up eight hundred and eighty-eight array nodes.]
Li Xinnian had been in Azure Cloud Prefecture for many years, yet he had never committed such an utterly depraved act.
Over the years, he had made quite a few friends, with Duanmu Yushu being the foremost among them.
The Eternal Immortal Sect was such a resplendent and orthodox grand sect; he never imagined that Duanmu Yushu would be secretly plotting to "eat people."
"Brother Yushu, I cannot bring myself to do it." Li Xinnian let out a long breath.
"There is karma in all worldly affairs, and I do not wish to entangle myself with such causes.
However, please rest assured, Brother Yushu. This matter remains strictly between you and me.
If you manage to achieve the position of an elder within the Eternal Immortal Sect, I only ask that you offer us your assistance in the future."
"Sigh."
Seeing Li Xinnian's sincere tone, Duanmu Yushu sighed,
"Brother Xinnian, the world is in great chaos today, and cultivators are resorting to any means necessary. Why must you rigidly adhere to human morality and conventional ethics?
Even within the Wu Race, they devour one another, and when have the Wu Race ever treated our human race as actual human beings?
Furthermore, the mighty figures of our human race..."
Seeing that Li Xinnian still stood firm in his convictions, Duanmu Yushu no longer tried to persuade him and had no choice but to lead his sect members away.
Among those sect members, a disciple who knew of the matter frowned and said,
"Senior Brother, this fellow Li Xinnian really doesn't know what's good for him.
You kindly offered to pull him along, yet he was completely unswayed."
"Hmph!"
Duanmu Yushu gave a cold snort.
"What do you know? We cultivators all walk different paths.
Brother Xinnian possesses outstanding innate talent; at nearly four hundred years of age, he is already at the early stage of the Divinity Transformation realm, and his future prospects are boundless.
He doesn't seek shortcuts because he adheres to his true heart.
How many people in this world can resist the temptation of a sudden leap in their cultivation base? How could you possibly be qualified to judge Li Xinnian?"
Flying through the cloudy sky, after Duanmu Yushu finished scolding his junior brother, his face broke out into a broad smile.
Over the years, Li Xinnian had helped their Duanmu Clan quite a bit, assisting them in entering the imperial court, which was how the two had originally become acquainted.
The more he interacted with him, the more he admired Li Xinnian.
"In this world, there will definitely be a place for both me and Brother Xinnian."