The compilation of the "World-Purifying Dao Canon" was a painstaking endeavor. Tang Xiaoqi immersed himself in sorting out the Dao resonance and engraving the scriptures, his mind focused without distraction, almost forgetting the passage of time in the outside world. Inside the Heart-Guarding Cave, only the jade tablet's radiance circulated, softly resonating with the Dao principles faintly humming around him.
However, just as trees wish for stillness but the wind never ceases, on this day, a rapid spiritual energy fluctuation carrying a sense of panic, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, suddenly shattered the silence of the Heart-Guarding Cave. The restriction at the cave entrance had been triggered—not by forceful impact, but by the distinctive penetrating fluctuation of the highest-level emergency messaging talisman.
Xiao Qi's brow furrowed slightly as he emerged from his deep state of compilation. With a point of his finger, the restriction at the cave entrance opened a crack, and a messaging flying sword of unique design, its entire body emitting a pale golden sharp radiance, shot in like a startled fish, hovering before him. The sword body still trembled slightly, emitting an urgent buzzing sound.
This was not a style used internally by Qingxu Temple or commonly by the Three Realms Alliance. On the hilt was engraved a crossed battle-axe and shield emblem—this was the unique mark of the Western Border garrison "Iron Wall Pass" army.
Xiao Qi's heart tightened, sensing that something major had occurred. He reached out to grasp the flying sword, his divine consciousness probing within.
In an instant, a stream of information mixed with iron-blooded killing intent, the rough texture of wind and sand, and intense anxiety flooded into his sea of consciousness:
"Urgent report! Urgent report! Commander Yue Kunlun of the Western Garrison, with blood tears, reports to the World-Purifying True Lord and the Alliance Council Speaker!"
"Since three days ago, outside the 'Howling Wind Canyon' in the western border, a large-scale alien army has been discovered gathering! Its momentum is vast, covering the sky and blotting out the sun—this is absolutely no ordinary tribal conflict or small-scale harassment!"
"According to images and energy fluctuation analysis brought back at the cost of lives by frontline scouts, confirmed as the main legion of the 'Sun Radiance God Clan' from the Western Continent! The vanguard has already arrived within fifty li outside the canyon, establishing forward camps, with follow-up troops continuously pouring in! Total numbers... likely no less than one hundred thousand! Among them are multiple powerful auras, suspected to include experts equivalent to our Nascent Soul stage!"
"The other side has not immediately launched an attack, nor have they sent envoys to communicate—they have simply stationed troops outside the pass, setting up camps with unclear intentions! However, their military discipline is strict, their killing intent is chilling—they are definitely not here with good will!"
"True Lord, please understand! Our Iron Wall Pass garrison, having gone through the demonic tribulation, has not yet recovered its vitality. Elite forces have been cut nearly in half, and material supplies have not been fully replenished! Facing such military might from the Sun Radiance God Clan, if they truly attack the pass... I fear it cannot hold for long!"
"This subordinate has already ordered the entire army into maximum combat readiness, vowing to live or die with Iron Wall Pass! However, this matter concerns the safety of the western border, and even the stability of the Central Plains—it is absolutely not just a matter for our Western Garrison alone. I earnestly request the True Lord and the Alliance to make swift decisions, dispatch reinforcements, and investigate the alien race's intentions to determine the situation!"
The information stopped abruptly there, but the tension, oppression, and near-desperate plea for help conveyed between the lines pressed heavily upon Xiao Qi's heart.
"Sun Radiance God Clan... one hundred thousand troops... stationed at the border..." Xiao Qi put down the messaging flying sword, a cold light flashing in his eyes. He slowly stood up, the peaceful Dao resonance around him instantly withdrawing as a long-absent sharp and grave aura belonging to a battlefield commander naturally emanated from him.
The Sun Radiance God Clan of the Western Continent—he had heard a little about them during his early travels. They were a race completely different from the Central Plains cultivation civilization, said to worship a so-called "Sun Radiance God." Their cultivation system leaned toward gathering faith and controlling the power of light and fire. Individuals were powerful, their social structure was strictly hierarchical, and they had long coveted the resource-rich Central Plains region. However, separated by endless deserts and treacherous mountain ranges, and blocked by the formidable Iron Wall Pass, although there had been occasional friction between the two sides, they had generally coexisted peacefully.
Now, just after the demonic tribulation had been quelled, when the Central Plains Three Realms were at their weakest point with everything waiting to be rebuilt, the Sun Radiance God Clan had chosen precisely this moment to press their army against the border!
Was this taking advantage of the situation to seize land and resources? Or did they have other designs, testing the Central Plains' strength?
Either way, this was not good news. Having just emerged from the blood and fire of the demonic tribulation, before even catching their breath, a new diplomatic crisis, or even the clouds of war, had already gathered over the western border.
Xiao Qi took a deep breath, suppressing the anger and anxiety rising in his heart. He knew that now was absolutely not the time to panic. As the Master of Qingxu Temple and the de facto supreme leader of the Three Realms Alliance, every decision he made concerned the lives of countless people.
He did not immediately rush out of the Heart-Guarding Cave. Instead, he sat back down, closed his eyes, and his divine consciousness spread out like an invisible network, instantly spanning thousands of mountains and rivers. First, he connected with senior brother Mu Qingfeng, who was managing the Alliance's daily affairs.
"Senior Brother, urgent report from the western border—the Sun Radiance God Clan has one hundred thousand troops stationed outside Iron Wall Pass with unknown intentions. Immediately convene an emergency meeting in the Alliance's name with representatives from all races and heads of all major sects! At the same time, activate the Alliance's wartime protocols, order all sects and cultivation families near the western border to enter a state of readiness, prepared to support Iron Wall Pass at any time. The resource allocation contingency plan, activate immediately!"
Senior Brother's tone was extremely grave—he had clearly also just received the news: "Understood! I'll handle it immediately! Xiao Qi, you..."
"I'll be there shortly." Xiao Qi cut off the divine consciousness connection, then immediately contacted Ao Qin in the Eastern Sea who was reorganizing affairs, and Mu Xue who was about to depart for the Xuanji Sacred Land in the north. He briefly informed them of the situation, hoping that the Dragon Clan and Xuanji Sacred Land would pay close attention and provide support if necessary.
After completing all this, he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze once again falling on that pale golden messaging flying sword.
A message from the border, an alien race at the gate.
This was no longer an internal ideological dispute within the sect, nor was it the literary task of compiling the Dao Canon—it was a real crisis concerning territory and survival. He seemed to already hear, in the biting winds of the Howling Wind Canyon in the western border, the alien war drums and the clash of metal mixed within.
Peace, it turned out, was so fleeting.
He stood up, straightened his robes, and carefully stored the jade tablet containing the draft of the "World-Purifying Dao Canon." Protection had never been empty words. When darkness approached in another form, he must once again take up the sword (even without the Crimson Flame), and for the sake of everything he protected behind him, face the new challenge.
He took a step out of the Heart-Guarding Cave, his figure transforming into a streak of green light, heading straight for the Qingxu Temple main peak council hall. Behind him, the stone door of the Heart-Guarding Cave slowly closed, temporarily sealing away the previous tranquility and contemplation.