Demon Sword Sect's Undercover

The emerging power represented by Hou Niao of the Sword Sect clashed once again with the traditional thoughts of the Masters, only this time the clash appeared more restrained, limited to differences in ideology without involving other matters.

Ultimately, it was Master Hai who broke the silence. The four Masters of the Idle Cloud and Wild Crane had wandered throughout their lives, and were more inclined towards the thoughts of the younger generation. Every conflict was like this.

"Talk about your specific ideas, don't hold back. You need to give us a clear picture to see if this adventure is worth it."

Hou Niao breathed a sigh of relief, grateful in his heart that Master Hai had given him a way out. "I will take a hundred Golden Core cultivators, half of them with body swords and the other half with flying swords. We will target the Ying Platform, and I estimate we will arrive about a month later.

The Ying Platform is crucial, not only as an important Daoist tradition for us humans, but also their understanding of the sea far surpasses ours. What seems uncertain to us might not be so in their eyes. In the ocean, they are the best scouts, far superior to ours.

If the Ying Platform has fallen, we will immediately return. Going after the Sea Demons will be perilous. If the Ying Platform remains intact, and the Sea Demons have not moved against them, I will recruit them to join us. At the very least, we will have capable guides, making the search for the Sea Demons' movements much more efficient.

The most likely scenario is that the Ying Platform is in the midst of a war, and our involvement will be crucial. By helping them, we can bind them tightly to the chariot of the Sword Sect.

The Lizhi Sea Demons must have one or more gathering places. With the help of the Ying Platform cultivators, finding these places will be far more certain than if we were to attempt it on our own. I do not harbor the illusion of settling the entire matter with one battle—that's unrealistic—but I will make them panic, unable to rest easy.

The characteristic of the Sea Demons is that they view the safety of their lairs as more important than we humans do. They will not tolerate a group of humans raiding and plundering in their territory, so they will definitely try to surround us.

The more fiercely we fight, the greater the chance of provoking their anger, but we won't stay in one place. We'll drag these pursuers into circles at sea.

There is no preset battlefield because I also don't know where we will run. We'll act according to circumstances until the Sea Demons grow in number to the point where even we Sword Cultivators cannot escape. At that time, Aunt Nineteen will come back to inform you of our approximate location.

This is the most critical period. How long we can hold them off and how quickly you can provide reinforcement will determine the outcome of this battle.

If we are lucky enough to achieve a decisive victory at sea, forcing the Lizhi Sea Demons to sign a pact, the Beast Tide in the Southwest can diminish invisibly, and the Sword Sect can free up resources to support the Northwest and Northern Territory."

Master Quan asked, "Have you considered the possibility of encountering Nascent Soul-level Sea Demons? Why not bring us old folks along?"

Hou Niao explained, "Given the difference in power between humans and Sea Beasts at the same level, our hundred cultivators have the power to face less than ten Nascent Soul Sea Demons. The point is, we won't confront them head-on. We'll run if we can't win.

The current deployment of the Sea Demons is heavyheaded and lightweight. Historically, their Nascent Soul Sea Demons always lead the charge, and it's impossible for them to send Golden Core Sea Demons out to die. Such a tactic has always been successful, and it will not be different this time. Therefore, most of their Nascent Soul Sea Demons will appear in the offshore areas near Lizhi. These need to be dealt with by the seniors.

If there are only a few Nascent Souls following the team, it makes no sense. It would also expose the gaps on the coastline to the Sea Demons.

We need to leave people at the Mountain Gate just in case, and we must organize the Southwest countries. There's not enough manpower to spread around.

Actually, you don't need to worry about this. Once we meet up with the South Heavenly Gate Ying Platform cultivators, we will be reinforced. There will be Nascent Soul-level cultivators, and everything else we need will be available."

Master Wei smiled, "Let's hope the South Heavenly Gate won't be ruined by you..."

Hou Niao was indifferent, "This is their destiny. As the only powerful human presence in the ocean, failing to fulfill their role as a warning system is their dereliction of duty. Do they still want to stay out of it and save their strength?"

Everyone was speechless. This was typical Hou Dog thinking, but it wasn't entirely without rationale.

The entire strategic concept is that dragging should be sustainable, support should be timely, and coordination should be seamless. Achieving this in the vast ocean is not easy.

After a discussion, the Masters finally made up their minds. One core idea was that if they fought according to the normal historical progress of human-demon wars, the Sword Sect wouldn't be in danger. After paying a certain price, the Southwest could hold on, but the Sword Sect wanted to become the leading force in such a war, it would be unlikely. Additionally, the Northwest and Northern Territory were indeed very realistic threats.

To make a difference, they must hurry!

Master Xu pondered for a long time before presenting his proposal, "In principle, we agree, but we also have requirements."

"Please, go ahead."

"The first requirement is that if you cannot secure the help of the Ying Platform, you cannot proceed to the next step. As just our Sword Sect, sweeping forward is not a problem, but there are too many unexpected incidents at sea. You must have the help of these cultivators who have lived at sea all their lives. They have unique skills in Water System spells, which will be a great aid."

Hou Niao nodded without hesitation, "Rest assured, without their assistance, I'll turn back immediately after taking a bite."

"The second requirement is that a hundred people are not enough. Take two hundred people, find those with the fastest speed, and have Li Chuping and Yu Zhengxing assist you. Discuss everything with them. Do not act unilaterally."

In Hou Niao's growth, these two people provided him significant help. If it were Fang Yazi or Li Shipeng, they certainly couldn't hold back this mad dog. They might even follow in madness, but these two have a bit of restraining power over Hou Dog.

If the main commander is aggressive, the vice commander must be a bit more cautious.

Master Xu's eyes were sharp, "We will gather at the Mirage, all the elite forces of the Southwest Daoist traditions, ready to strike at any time."

As for some details, there's no need to speak of them. Master Xu was a careful person, "The Anhe side remains inactive. They must maintain the rear for our Sword Sect, or it will reveal our weaknesses to the Wu Sect. However, we should not hide our plans from them. In the safety of the Southwest, we are united as one."

Everyone nodded. Master Xu looked at Little Peacock, "Aunt Nineteen, is your plan for the Otherworldly Space transfer reliable?"

Little Peacock proudly said, "How dare you doubt me? Do you think I fabricated this ability just to get out for a walk?"

Master Xu chuckled awkwardly, "No, no, just confirming. Since this matter is of great importance, caution is essential."

Everyone started discussing various unexpected situations that could occur in this plan. This is a high-stakes gamble. Two hundred Golden Cores represent the core future of the Sword Sect. Losing them would set back the Sword Sect for a century, which is no joke.