C1350 Comparing
C1350 Comparing
Their strategy was simple: massacre the lower-level forces and solitary cultivators in large numbers. The victims were then cast into the Demon Aura Blood Spirit Pool to produce Demon Aura Blood Spirit. This method allowed even the Emperor Level Martial Cultivators within the Devil Cloud Sect to swiftly enhance their cultivation. This alarming development spread like wildfire across the entire Dongyuan Continent.
The rest of the Five Overlords, including the Purple Cauldron Sect, could no longer remain passive. They dispatched some of their senior members to conduct an investigation, which was straightforward to verify. Despite not being as concealed as the Devil Cloud Sect, these overlords were among the continent's most powerful factions. The Devil Cloud Sect had a network of branches throughout the provinces of Dongyuan Continent, not just a main headquarters. While the headquarters was untouchable, the branches, some lacking even Emperor Level Martial Cultivators, were vulnerable.
Within days, the investigation yielded conclusive results. Each branch, without exception, housed a Demon Aura Blood Spirit Pool, with effects that matched the reports almost exactly. However, the Demon Aura Blood, despite its remarkable benefits, seemed to require the Devil Cloud Sect's secret internal methods for cultivation and use, rendering it useless to martial artists from other factions.
Upon confirmation, the leaders of the Five Overlords were deeply shaken. No longer content with mere defense, they united. If they remained idle, allowing the Devil Cloud Sect to continue its rampage, nearly half of the continent's martial artists could be slaughtered, significantly bolstering the Sect's power. The current might of the Devil Cloud Sect was already formidable. Should it grow further, even the combined strength of the Five Overlords might not suffice to overcome it.
"It would be annihilated."
Mu Yi was clearly engrossed in his recollection, his narrative tinged with personal emotion.
Indeed, Mu Yi had once been isolated in this remote region, struggling to find words to express himself.
But today, he finally had an audience eager to listen to his tale.
Moreover, this listener was a formidable foe with a deep-seated enmity towards the Devil Cloud Sect.
He felt no need to hold back.
Lin Xuan listened in silence.
It would only take a few minutes.
He needed to get a grasp of the current state of the Dongyuan Continent.
Only then could he implement his original plan.
Or perhaps decide whether to modify it.
"The Five Overlords, including my Purple Cauldron Sect, had hoped to set aside our past grievances and unite.
We aimed to see if we could eradicate the blight of the Devil Cloud Sect once and for all.
At that time, the Five Overlords banded together and even reached the headquarters of the Devil Cloud Sect.
But the outcome was less than satisfactory.
Despite the combined forces of the overlords, whether it was peak Emperor Level or late-period Emperor Level cultivators, we were no fewer than the Devil Cloud Sect.
In fact, we outnumbered them.
Yet, who could have predicted the sect's protective grand array would be so formidable?
I didn't witness it myself, but I heard about the aftermath.
The grand array, powered by several peak Emperor Level Martial Cultivators of the Devil Cloud Sect, unleashed a force that far exceeded the peak Emperor Level.
It obliterated three peak Emperor Level Martial Cultivators and eight late-period Emperor Level Martial Cultivators in one stroke.
The number of Emperor Level Martial Cultivators who fell exceeded the number of fingers on both hands.
The joint assault by the Five Overlords on the Devil Cloud Sect ended in defeat.
The surviving Emperor Level Martial Cultivators were so terrified that they fled.
Some even perished during the Devil Cloud Sect's subsequent pursuit.
After this confrontation, the Five Overlords dared not speak of attacking the Devil Cloud Sect's headquarters again."
A look of lingering fear crossed Mu Yi's face, his voice tinged with dread.
The peak Emperor Level represented the pinnacle of strength across the entire continent.
Even the mightiest Devil Cloud Sect had revealed only a handful of cultivators at that supreme level.
Among the other Five Overlords, the weakest might only have a peak Emperor Level Martial Cultivator at the helm. During that battle, it was shocking to witness the fall of three peak Emperor Level Martial Cultivators. Additionally, eight late-period Emperor Level Martial Cultivators met their end on the spot. Even a late-period Emperor Level Martial Cultivator could easily dispatch someone like Mu Yi, who was merely in the early stages of Emperor Level. Mu Yi couldn't even begin to fathom the horror of that battle.
Upon hearing this, Lin Xuan's expression shifted subtly. It was no surprise that the Demon Aura Hall's branch on the Dongyuan Continent possessed some real strength. The extent of it was somewhat unexpected, but still within what he considered reasonable. The ability to effortlessly eliminate three peak Emperor Level experts and eight late-period Emperor Level experts was beyond the imagination of Dongyuan Continent's martial cultivators. However, for Lin Xuan, fresh from the more advanced Central Essence Continent, this level of power wasn't overly impressive. To put things into perspective, the protective grand array at Jade Dragon Mountain, the Cloud Dragon Annihilating Sky Sealing Array, was far superior in strength.
The fact that it didn't annihilate all the Emperor Level Martial Cultivators present indicated that its power had its limits. Even Lin Xuan, should he exert his true strength, wouldn't find it particularly challenging to achieve such an outcome. He surmised that at best, it could match the might of a severely damaged Emperor Level Spell Formation, but to exceed that would be a tall order. Spell Formations, after all, are controlled by individuals and not a direct measure of a martial cultivator's personal power. This means they come with inherent flaws and methods to counter them.
Moreover, Lin Xuan himself was a top-tier Formation Master, transcending the Emperor Level. Even when faced with breaking a spell formation from the outside, he had a multitude of strategies at his disposal. If the Devil Cloud Sect's power was limited to this, they would stand no chance unless the Demon Aura Hall from the Central Essence Continent dispatched a Half-level Emperor to bolster their ranks. Otherwise, the Devil Cloud Sect would no longer have a reason to exist. A hint of cold determination flickered in Lin Xuan's eyes.
Mu Yi stole a covert glance at Lin Xuan, then quickly averted his gaze. He had come to the realization that the details he had shared, including the continent's most earth-shattering battle, were of the utmost significance.
This individual maintained a calm demeanor, showing no signs of change.
Could it be...
Could this person be more than just a Sect Master level presence?
A conjecture so startling formed in Mu Yi's mind that he could hardly believe it himself.
He quickly stifled the astonishment within him.
However, given the other party's animosity towards the Devil Cloud Sect...
They wouldn't stay quiet for long.
The truth would soon come to light.
After taking a moment to collect himself, Mu Yi resumed speaking.
"After that incident,
the power of the Five Overlords, including my own Purple Cauldron Sect, was diminished.
When it comes to the upper echelon's strength, the Devil Cloud Sect could almost match the five of us combined.
Yet, despite the significant setbacks, the Five Overlords wouldn't just stand by and let the Devil Cloud Sect strengthen unchecked.
Even if they couldn't eliminate the Devil Cloud Sect outright, they could still hinder its expansion.
They shifted from their previous defensive stance.
A considerable number of high-ranking members and exceptional disciples were deployed, spanning from the middle to the lower ranks.
They took up strategic positions in the bustling large and medium-sized cities across the continent.
Their mission was to thwart the Devil Cloud Sect's campaign of annihilation."