Chapter 860: Setting Sail |
In the northwest direction of the Jiuqu League, near the Demon Wind Gobi, there was a place that could be considered an extension of the Demon Wind Gobi. It was an endless expanse of desert and wasteland, devoid of any greenery or signs of life.
During the time when the demonic beasts occupied the Demon Wind Gobi, this place served as a buffer zone between the Jiuqu League and the Demon Wind Gobi.
It was desolate, with no cultivators settling in this area.
After Taiyi Sect took control of the Demon Wind Gobi, they were unable to fully develop even its central area due to lack of manpower, let alone the barren periphery.
Up until now, no Taiyi Sect cultivators had set foot in this place.
This location lacked spirit veins or any valuable resources, making it practically worthless for cultivators.
To the west of this place was an endless sea.
Despite its usual desolation, this area suddenly became bustling in recent times.
Groups of cultivators gathered on the beaches to the west, and the ground was littered with large crates.
Flying boats arrived from afar and landed here, while many others took off from this location.
The flying boats mainly flew in two directions.
One direction was towards the interior of the Jiuqu League, heading for the Jade Sword Sect's mountain gate.
The other direction was towards the west, flying over the vast ocean.
Xing Jian True Monarch, an elder of the Jade Sword Sect, stood in the air with a group of disciples, overseeing the work below.
The Jade Sword Sect was well aware of the current situation in the Jiuqu League and their own predicament.
In fact, their Sect Master, Jade Sword True Monarch, had realized the impending crisis before anyone else.
This could be attributed to the sharp intuition of a Sword Cultivator or the result of Jade Sword Sect's deep-rooted presence and years of cultivation in the Jiuqu League.
With internal and external troubles plaguing the Jiuqu League, and disarray among the people, continuing to hold on for Jade Sword Sect seemed pointless.
After the departure of Xiao Jiansheng and Bai Zhengyu True Monarch, Jade Sword True Monarch keenly sensed that a great crisis was about to descend upon their sect.
Recent events had all resulted unfavorably for the Jade Sword Sect.
Though lacking evidence, Jade Sword True Monarch was certain that behind these events was a massive force manipulating their development.
The image and reputation of a Sword Cultivator were of an unbending, courageous, and steadfast individual, at least in the eyes of many cultivators.
However, this was the imagined or legendary Sword Cultivator.
In reality, if all Sword Cultivators were like that, only a few could survive for long.
Even a Sword Cultivator from the esteemed Holy Land Sect would find it challenging to act without constraint.
Furthermore, Jade Sword True Monarch wasn't just a Sword Cultivator; he was also the Sect Master of Jade Sword Sect, responsible for ensuring the sect's legacy and continuation.
If another less resolute person were in his position, they might have harbored fantasies and been reluctant to give up everything.
In reality, there were elders within Jade Sword Sect who believed that the sect should hold on a bit longer and not retreat easily.
Even if the worst scenario occurred, with the Dali Dynasty's North Sweeping Grand Army and various cultivation forces of the Jiuqu League joining forces to besiege the Jade Sword Sect, they could defend their mountain gate.
With over two thousand years of operation and accumulation, Jade Sword Sect could firmly hold onto their mountain gate.
They could likely endure for decades, or even longer.
As long as the Dali Dynasty couldn't break through their mountain gate in a short time, the situation would likely change over time.
At the very least, the Purple Yang Holy Sect wouldn't stand idly by and watch the Dali Dynasty unify the entire Jiuqu League.
However, Jade Sword True Monarch dismissed these elders' suggestions.
He believed that defending the mountain gate would be walking into a trap, seeking a path of self-destruction.
Retreating to the mountain gate would mean giving up all initiative and passively enduring the enemy's attacks.As for relying on Purple Yang Holy Sect, that is also unacceptable. How can we place the fate of our sect in the hands of others? If Purple Yang Holy Sect doesn't come to our aid, wouldn't Jade Sword Sect be left with no choice but to perish?
Jade Sword True Monarch's decision was straightforward – to abandon everything in the Jiuqu League and relocate the entire Jade Sword Sect far away from here.
Although Jade Sword True Monarch managed to force this order through despite opposition, implementing it posed various challenges.
Like most sects in the Cultivation World, the ancient Jade Sword Sect had also prepared contingencies and fallback plans.
Many years ago, Jade Sword Sect had dispatched elite forces to actively explore overseas territories, searching for potential escape routes for the sect.
Beyond the vast ocean, there was a land where Jade Sword Sect could temporarily take refuge.
Giving up everything in the Jiuqu League was not an easy task. This place had spirit veins and abundant resources. Moving overseas meant starting from scratch.
Overseas territories were not a utopia; they still harbored many dangers – from terrifying natural disasters to powerful Sea Clans and ruthless Demonic Cultivators. Any one of these posed a tremendous threat to Jade Sword Sect, and one misstep could lead to its destruction.
With his determination set, Jade Sword True Monarch intended to avoid the dominance of the Dali Dynasty and head overseas to establish a new survival space for Jade Sword Sect.
Thanks to the foundation laid by Jade Sword Sect's predecessors, the sect was not entirely unfamiliar with overseas territories.
Jade Sword Sect's members acted decisively, wasting no time after the order for relocation was issued. They began the comprehensive migration with utmost efficiency.
During the migration, they had to avoid making excessive noise to prevent alerting others prematurely.
At this moment, Jade Sword Sect's years of cultivation and efforts in the Jiuqu League truly shone through. Whether it was the deployment of personnel or the transfer of resources, everything was swift and discreet.
So far, Jade Sword Sect's actions had proceeded relatively smoothly.
This location near the sea was chosen as the departure point and temporary transit station for the journey overseas.
Flying boats from the Jiuqu League arrived here to rest before either unloading their cargo and returning or continuing their journey overseas.
The seeds of the sect had already embarked on their journey to the overseas territories, and the accumulated resources of the sect had begun to be transported.
Jade Sword True Monarch personally led a group of trusted individuals to remain behind, acting as the rearguard.
Disciples stationed in various places of the sect had been arriving here one after another, preparing to head overseas.
Fei Guo True Monarch was currently striving to break free from entanglements with the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan, preparing to meet up with Jade Sword True Monarch.
Once they joined forces, they would make every effort to protect the last group of followers and begin their retreat.
In truth, Jade Sword Sect's relocation was already more than halfway successful.
Even if the Dali Dynasty reacted promptly and dispatched a large army to pursue them, it would be challenging to catch up with Jade Sword Sect's forces and annihilate them all.
In reality, on the Dali Dynasty's side, they were even more aware of Jade Sword Sect's relocation than Jade Sword True Monarch had imagined.
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