Modern World's Martial Dao Human Immortal

Great Sun Sword Sect.

Chi Songzi was summoned once again to the palace where the Sect Master resided.
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By the time he arrived, Bai Shi, the Hall Master of the Heavenly Palace Hall, was already there with his people, reporting news.

"It's absolutely true that the Nine Cauldrons Sect has completely finished the technological enhancement of the Spirit Gathering Array. The technology they used is even superior to the latest technology possessed by Limitless Star Palace, not to mention the other forces outside of Limitless Star Palace. According to the information our undercover agent risked their life to obtain from inside their Energy Department, there even appeared a Seventh Level and three times improved Spirit Gathering Array! These formations have brought life back to many Spiritual Power nodes that were previously impossible to mine..."

The voice of Bai Shi echoed.

But to Chi Songzi's ears, it was deeply alarming.

Seventh Level Third Generation Spirit Gathering Array!?

As early as ten years ago, they had learned that the Nine Cauldrons Sect was re-deploying Spirit Gathering Arrays within their sect.

But the Energy Department was always of utmost importance, and formations like these...

Unless you were an Array Master, it would be hard for others to recognize the subtleties of these formations.

On top of that, it was confirmed that within the Nine Cauldrons Sect, there were people with Dharma Phase Level powers. Although Great Sun Sword Sect knew that Nine Cauldrons Sect was re-deploying Spirit Gathering Arrays, they couldn't pin down the specifics of the technology or its level of sophistication.

They could only speculate that they were upgrading the Fourth Level formations to Fifth Level, and Fifth Level formations to Sixth Level.

But now, it seems like there's more to it?

"If I remember correctly, didn't the Nine Cauldrons Sect's re-establishment of the Spirit Gathering Arrays begin ten years ago? If we push back the time we didn't pay attention to, it should be fifteen, or even sixteen, seventeen, eighteen years ago? And now they've mastered even Seventh Level Third Generation Spirit Gathering Arrays, not to mention the Sixth Level and Fifth Level Third Generation Spirit Gathering Array technology must be well within their grasp..."

Longze Chuan looked at Bai Shi, the Hall Master of the Heavenly Palace Hall, "Then tell me, how much has the production value of the Nine Cauldrons Sect's Spirit Stones reached over these years? With such a huge output of Spirit Stones, plus their sales of the Purple Cloud series of Flying Swords over the past decade, which has almost taken one-third of the world market from the hands of Limitless Star Palace, how much wealth have they accumulated? How many Third Rank Great Cultivators in the late Foundation Establishment stage, and how advanced a Formation defense system, have they cultivated with this wealth?"

Sweat beaded on Bai Shi's face instantly.

One need not think to know that it was a staggering number.

Three billion?

Probably even more!

It could be three and a half billion, four billion, or even four and a half billion!

A figure far outstripping any of the top Immortal Sects, except Limitless Star Palace and Immortal Alliance.

"How much was our Great Sun Sword Sect's total income from Spirit Stones last year?"

Longze Chuan asked.

"The total production value was two billion one hundred million, and the foreign trade export was forty-six million..."

Bai Shi quickly answered.

"Last year, the Nine Cauldrons Sect reached a foreign trade figure of one billion, on top of a production total value of Spirit Stones of no less than four billion... Our sect, striving to become the overlord of Heavenly Star, has already been left far behind, and you, the Hall Master of Heavenly Palace Hall, are still completely in the dark..."

The tone of Longze Chuan grew heavier.

Bai Shi immediately bowed deeply, "I am very sorry..."

"Next time the Heavenly Palace rotation comes, you will step down. Relieve yourself of your position as the Hall Master of Heavenly Palace Hall, and join the Eastern Sea Situation Perception Department, also serving as the Chief of Divine Fire Court."

As Longze Chuan spoke, he handed the document to his assistant: "Send this message to Palace Master Jones of Limitless Star Palace."

"Yes."

The assistant took the document and quickly carried out the order.

Longze Chuan then turned his gaze back to Chi Songzi: "You have been stationed in the Eastern Sea, observing the development of the Nine Cauldrons Sect. So, may I know, has the number of elite Battle Courtyards in the Nine Cauldrons Sect reached twenty now?"

"Twenty?"

Chi Songzi was slightly startled and hastily said, "That... that can't be possible, right? Thanks to their development over these past decades, the standard Battle Courtyards have indeed increased significantly, and I heard they even lowered some standard and established so-called Reserve Battle Courtyards, but elite Battle Courtyards... An increase only happened eight years ago with the addition of Gan Jiang Battle Courtyard and three years ago with Mo Ye Battle Courtyard, bringing the total number of elite Battle Courtyards to nine. Twenty? Where would they get so many Third Rank Great Cultivators in the late Foundation Establishment stage from?"

Longze Chuan didn't speak but simply pointed at a document for him to read for himself.

Chi Songzi stepped forward and after a moment of reading, cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

The document clearly stated that half a year ago, those so-called Reserve Battle Courtyards, Yin Hu, and the old elite Battle Courtyard Divine Might had a practice battle that was almost indistinguishable from real combat, and the outcome...

40:34, it was the Reserve Battle Courtyard Yin Hu that narrowly defeated the old elite Battle Courtyard Divine Might!?

"This... How is this possible!? That was clearly a reserve team..."

There were twelve of these reserve teams.

No!

According to the latest information he had, it seemed that the Nine Cauldrons Sect was considering creating another twelve Reserve Battle Courtyards.

In no more than three years, the Nine Cauldrons Sect will have a total of twenty-four such reserve teams, and if these reserve teams all have a strength comparable to elite Battle Courtyards like Divine Might...

That would mean thirty-three powerful Battle Courtyards!

This force...

Chi Songzi felt an uncontrollable chill.

"How could there be so many..."

In less than twenty years, the Nine Cauldrons Sect had developed from only having five or six elite Battle Courtyards to the brink of having thirty-three?

What kind of joke was this?

"It's not just the Battle Courtyards that are that simple. In these ten-plus years, the Nine Cauldrons Sect has also been vigorously producing Patrol Heaven Warships. In addition to the original generation warship purchased from the Myriad Beasts Sect and our own Spring Rain and Vajra, they have produced four Patrol Heaven Warships in just over a decade—Jizhou, Qingzhou, Yangzhou, Xuzhou... especially the soon-to-be-completed Divine Might Vessel..."

Longze Chuan's expression was icy: "Suspected to belong to the Fourth Generation Patrol Heaven Warships!"

"Fourth Generation Patrol Heaven Warships!?"

Chi Songzi was utterly stunned.

"Impossible, it doesn't make sense... Our Vajra is just barely counted among the Third Generation warships. It's already the limit for them to produce a Third Generation warship after learning from the technology on our Vajra in just over a decade. How could they possibly replace the old with the new, developing the technology for Fourth Generation Patrol Heaven Warships that only the Limitless Star Palace currently possesses in the world!?"

The Vice Hall Master racked his brains but could not figure out why.

"It should be related to the brand-new system promoted by the Nine Cauldrons Sect."

As Longze Chuan spoke, his expression grew grave: "The new system they promoted... is not simple... it's suspected to be... from the complete legacy of the Northern Sea."

"The Northern Sea's legacy!?"

As the Vice Hall Master of the Campaign Hall, Chi Songzi had heard somewhat of the Northern Sea Star's exploits.

Without any exaggeration, all the "new" cultivation systems in the world today are transmitted from the Northern Sea.

However, due to the urgent situation at the time, the things that could be transmitted were limited, and in the end, those Hollow Void Realm powerhouses who could twist space transmitted only the methods inclined towards the offensive side, thereby cultivating a number of extreme powerhouses.

"We are in the midst of a major change that has not happened in a hundred years, and in this change, we, the Great Sun Sword Sect, are undoubtedly at a disadvantage. Under such circumstances, it's no longer realistic to think about turning the tide by our own strength. The only method is to seek the help of allies."

Longze Chuan spoke calmly, "I also passed along the news about the Northern Sea's legacy to the Limitless Star Palace, so let's wait for the Limitless Star Palace's final decision."

Upon hearing this, Chi Songzi suddenly looked up at his own Sect Master.

To inform the Limitless Star Palace of all these messages...

Was their Sect Master planning to...

Forsake their hegemonic status on the Heavenly Star Continent and fully align with the Limitless Star Palace?

"Time is of the essence; we have just over twenty years left. In the future, the competition among the top Immortal Sects will definitely not be as mild as it is now... If our Great Sun Sword Sect could have emerged victorious from the battle with the Nine Cauldrons Sect a decade ago, or even annexing the entire Nine Cauldrons Sect, there might still be hope to take the stage and compete with the top Immortal Sects... But now, our strength, territory, and influence are not as before... The Saint Heir's advancement to Golden Core... also ended in failure... Under these circumstances, we must make a choice."

As Longze Chuan said this, his face carried deep regret.

Upon hearing this, Chi Songzi's expression was also one of sorrow.

The Saint Heir that the Great Sun Sword Sect had placed their greatest hopes upon, touted as the most likely in recent years to achieve the Golden Core—the genius Cultivator with an Immortal Foundation—had met the same fate as his predecessors, falling on the road to achieving the Golden Core.

This news was still being concealed, but their top echelon had already heard about it.

It was precisely because of this blow that their Sect Master, knowing that there was no hope of becoming the overlord of the Heavenly Star, decided to fully side with the Limitless Star Palace.

...

Elsewhere.

The Palace Master of the Heavenly Palace Hall of the Limitless Star Palace, Jones, saw the intelligence sent by the Great Sun Sword Sect immediately.

This intelligence, with its various charts and data, detailed the current strength of the Nine Cauldrons Sect.

And...

Their strength growth arc chart!

This arc chart showed an outrageously steep increase that, fifteen years ago, soared almost vertically into the sky.

Whether it was in the realm of talent, economy, or military, it was all soaring at an extremely fast rate.

In just fifteen years, the growth was so rapid that it had reached a level capable of posing a threat to the Limitless Star Palace.

Upon receiving this data and comparing it with their own massive, though not as detailed as the Great Sun Sword Sect's data, the Palace Master of the Heavenly Palace Hall broke out in a cold sweat instantly.

He reported the news to the current Palace Master—Chuan Yunhai—without delay.

Chuan Yunhai, holding the information, discussed it with his advisors for three days and nights.

Afterward, he took the results of the discussion to Lin Deng, Luo Fu, and the stable Sunshine Golden Cores of the Limitless Star Palace.

After yet another round of intensive discussions, the Limitless Star Palace finally realized that a new challenger was rising, and they needed to mobilize all the forces they could to suppress the other party to prevent a real threat from being posed.

Sometime later...

A shocking piece of news was issued by the Limitless Star Palace.

The Limitless Star Palace acknowledged its strategic failure in the Black Flame Continent and would withdraw completely from the Black Feather Sect battleground.