Chapter 865: Past |
After the Great Wind City's Gu Yue Family allied with Taiyi Sect and became a member of the Hanhai Dao Alliance, the influence of Taiyi Sect expanded significantly.
Originally, Taiyi Sect's influence was limited to the Endless Sea of Sand and Demon Wind Gobi.
First, Fire Cloud Sect actively allied with Taiyi Sect, giving them another tentacle that could reach deep into the Jiuqu League.
Now, with Great Wind City submitting to Taiyi Sect, a major trading city located at a strategic location, Taiyi Sect gained more initiative for the future.
On regular days, Fire Cloud Sect and Great Wind City acted as barriers for Taiyi Sect.
When Taiyi Sect needed to engage in external military operations, these two places became important strongholds.
After defeating the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan's army, the surrounding territories of Taiyi Sect regained tranquility.
Meng Zhang, who received a reminder from True Monarch Wen Dong, did not idle and instead mobilized forces to form a new army of cultivators, ready to enter the Yuan Tu Great Prairie at any time.
Currently, Taiyi Sect's influence and territory have grown immensely.
The number and quality of their core disciples still lag behind the true Primordial Spirit major sects.
In terms of top combat power, there is only Meng Zhang, a Primordial Spirit True Monarch.
Although Jin Li, a True Monarch, is loyal and willing to assist Taiyi Sect, she is not a disciple of Taiyi Sect, creating a certain distance between them.
As for True Monarch Book Mountain, the connection is even more distant.
He originates from the Dark Alliance and has been affiliated with them from start to finish. He only helps Taiyi Sect when necessary because of his good relationship with Meng Zhang and favors owed to him. If the Dark Alliance's headquarters issues other orders, he will undoubtedly follow them.
Throughout Taiyi Sect's history, there has only been one Primordial Spirit True Monarch, Meng Zhang, and he is still in the early stages of the Primordial Spirit realm.
Advancing from the Gold Core stage to the Primordial Spirit stage is a qualitative leap. Even the geniuses from the Holy Land Sects dare not guarantee success, let alone the disciples of Taiyi Sect.
Meng Zhang's own cultivation base also cannot be rushed.
Since entering the Primordial Spirit stage, Meng Zhang has never slackened in his cultivation. His cultivation base has steadily improved.
However, breakthroughs become more difficult for cultivators after entering the Primordial Spirit stage, requiring more time and effort.
When a Primordial Spirit cultivator enters seclusion for cultivation, it is often planned in terms of centuries.
Meng Zhang has only recently entered the Primordial Spirit stage, so how could a breakthrough be that easy?
Now that Taiyi Sect has become a vassal of the Dali Dynasty, the external environment has improved significantly.
As long as the Dali Dynasty doesn't collapse easily, Taiyi Sect will have a long period of stability.
Before Zhang Wei's command to go to war, Taiyi Sect must be ready to act at any time.
Apart from waiting for Zhang Wei's orders, Meng Zhang is also paying attention to intelligence from other directions.
Zhang Wei has assembled cultivators from various major cultivation forces in the Jiuqu League, along with the elite forces of the North Sweeping Grand Army, to advance to the frontlines against the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan.
Despite several fierce attacks by the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan, they couldn't break through the frontline defenses.
After the reinforcements arrived, the Dali Dynasty side not only stabilized their defenses but also gained the strength to counterattack.
However, they seemed to feel that the timing for the counterattack had not yet come, so they didn't launch an immediate offensive.
In Meng Zhang's view, the Dali Dynasty still faces a hidden danger—the Extraterritorial Invader lurking in Cloudmist Great Lake.
Regardless of any previous understanding or collusion between the Dali Dynasty and these Extraterritorial Invaders, the situation has changed, and their relationship will also change.
With the Dali Dynasty conquering the Jiuqu League and becoming the ruler of this land, the Extraterritorial Invader in Cloudmist Great Lake has become a trouble for the Dali Dynasty.Don't be fooled by the current peaceful coexistence between the Extraterritorial Invader and the Dali Dynasty; inevitably, there will be a battle between them sooner or later.
Regardless of their backgrounds or intentions, the natives of Grand Dust World and the Extraterritorial Invader can never coexist.
Meng Zhang understands this, and it's likely that the upper echelons of the Dali Dynasty are well aware of it too.
Currently, the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan takes advantage of the chaos to invade. If Cloudmist Great Lake joins the fight, the recently conquered Dali Dynasty, which now controls the Jiuqu League, will likely face even greater challenges.
Considering these factors, Meng Zhang doesn't relax after defeating the Barbarian Clan's army. He actively seeks ways to increase his side's combat power.
One night, Meng Zhang sets up an altar once again to communicate with the Netherworld's Ghost Deity, Shou Zheng.
Meng Zhang wants to understand how this venerable senior is doing and how much help he can provide to Taiyi Sect.
As his Cultivation Base continues to improve, especially after entering the Primordial Spirit stage, even the Netherworld's Ghost Deity, Shou Zheng, would not underestimate Meng Zhang, let alone the fact that Shou Zheng is a senior cultivator of Taiyi Sect.
Meng Zhang easily contacts Shou Zheng and releases his Divine Sense to communicate with Shou Zheng's released thoughts across space.
Meng Zhang doesn't hide anything from Shou Zheng and tells him about Taiyi Sect's current situation and their submission to the Dali Dynasty.
Upon hearing the name "Dali Dynasty," Shou Zheng couldn't help but sigh.
"It's truly unexpected that the Dali Dynasty has come this far."
"If this continues, I wonder if they will succeed in that important matter."
Before Meng Zhang can ask further, Shou Zheng takes the initiative to explain.
In the Cultivation World, from ancient times to the present, many cultivators and cultivation forces have been dissatisfied with the status of the Holy Land Sects and conspired to overthrow them or even replace them.
Among all these opposition forces, almost none have succeeded.
The reasons are too complex for Shou Zheng to explain in detail.
But the most crucial point is that those Holy Land Sects all have backers.
Meng Zhang is curious about the "backers" mentioned by Shou Zheng.
Although Shou Zheng doesn't explicitly say it, Meng Zhang has a faint guess.
Previously, Meng Zhang heard from Taiyi Sect's predecessors like Extreme Sword Spirit General that the sect's destruction was most likely caused by Viewing Heaven Pavilion.
Now Shou Zheng explicitly tells Meng Zhang that Taiyi Sect was indeed destroyed by Viewing Heaven Pavilion.
If things go as expected, the Dali Dynasty might also follow in Taiyi Sect's footsteps and be destroyed by the Purple Yang Holy Sect.
Of course, in this world, nothing is absolute, and perhaps the Dali Dynasty could break through the encirclement and change its fate.
Shou Zheng shares this information with Meng Zhang to remind him to be prepared and not end up being hung on the Dali Dynasty's tree.
In fact, Meng Zhang has long had such thoughts.
Viewing Heaven Pavilion is Taiyi Sect's enemy, and there is no grievance between the Purple Yang Holy Sect and Taiyi Sect.
If the Dali Dynasty cannot withstand the Purple Yang Holy Sect, Taiyi Sect will have to change sides again.
However, he recalls the oaths and agreements he made when he promised to submit to the Dali Dynasty.
Although the Dali Dynasty offered lenient surrender conditions, the content of the oaths and agreements, while not overly restrictive on Taiyi Sect, could still become troublesome if Taiyi Sect were to betray the Dali Dynasty.
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