Demon Sword Sect's Undercover

"We at the Ying Platform have been observing the changes at Blue Mountain."

Fairy Hong Xiu sneered coldly, "This is also a habit of overseas sects. There is no human scheming, but there is also a battle of wills and strength against the Sea Beasts. We found that the Sea Clan began transporting their Low Rank small Demons to Blue Mountain Island. Any that have developed Spiritual Sense, regardless of species, are sent to Blue Mountain."

Although there is no concrete evidence, I believe this might be some kind of bloodline modification plan, where they hope to use Primordial Magnetic Power to strengthen the Sea Clan."

Fairy Hong Xiu felt a little guilty, "We discovered this but didn't take it to heart, and that's my responsibility. I always believed that relying solely on the Sea Clan's intelligence, they couldn't achieve this. They must have picked up some kind of dubious Cultivation Technique from somewhere, which would ultimately harm themselves, so I deliberately underestimated and indulged them, hoping to watch them fail."

But I forgot one point: It may be impossible relying solely on Jinxiu's foundation, but if assisted by Outer Space forces, it would be another story."

Sighing, "Now it seems the Demon Beasts are playing a grand strategy, and the Beast Clan from Outer Space entered Jinxiu through Hell Star, triggering a Beast Tide that swept across the Continent. This is not something local Demon Beasts could achieve; they cannot self-organize, so it must be a force from a higher Upper Realm, like these human Preachers."

These days I've been pondering, and Blue Mountain Island should be a grand gift from the Outer Space Demon Beasts to the Lizhi Sea Demons. The specifics are unclear, but evidently, this is a well-conceived bloodline modification plan."

Hou Niao chuckled, "So the Fairy's meaning is, if we disrupt their future plan, it will inevitably provoke a major counterattack from the Sea Clan, and the battlefield will be set on Blue Mountain Island?"

Daoist Tianfeng nodded, "In fact, the hardest part of your entire plan is how to lure the Sea Clan to a specific sea area and get them to willingly engage in a decisive battle with humans. I think it's impossible to achieve at sea."

Your Sword Sect can achieve the effect of a surprise attack because you have fewer people, and orders are followed strictly. But if it's a Southwest cultivator army, which has a complex composition with varying habits, do you think this is possible?

If the effect of a surprise attack cannot be achieved, the Sea Clan has no reason for decisive battle. Why would they wager their lives with us? If they dive into the sea, what can we do?

The Sea Clan can drag it out indefinitely on the sea; can we? Should we abandon the mainland?"

Hou Niao was speechless; he had thought about these issues too, but for Sword Cultivators, it's not their character to think everything through before acting. Instead, they act first and ponder later, or think as they go.

Relying only on their two hundred Sword Cultivators, even adding a few hundred from Ying Platform, trying to lure the Sea Clan's main force in circles on the sea is rather unrealistic. The crucial point is that they haven't found the Sea Clan's weak spot, the reason that the Sea Clan can't abandon."

Daoist Tianfeng stared at him, "The Fairy's words have given us a chance for adventure, and I will continue to help you. But if Blue Mountain Island is not as important to the Sea Clan as the Fairy says, or if they have already retreated, then we should pull back to the Continent and adopt a more prudent Combat Method. I know you don't want this, but some risks are unnecessary, even if you are pressed for time!"

The more rushed you are, the steadier you must be."

Fairy Hong Xiu also couldn't be certain, "Our reconnaissance on Blue Mountain Island has been limited, mainly against disturbing them, so we've been very cautious. We need to go there to assess the precise situation. Any conclusions now would be premature."

Hou Niao looked at the two with amusement, "You don't have to worry about me going headlong into a dead-end. This is my army; I won't let them suffer unnecessary losses in battles with the Sea Clan. That's not worth it. So, actually, I've already made my mind up: If there's no suitable opportunity it'll just amount to a sea trip. After all, the gains at Yingtai Immortal Island were not bad, so it wouldn't be a wasted trip. It would be justifiable."

All three were individuals with deep thoughts: Tianfeng had the seasoned cunning of the Three Pure Daoist lineage, Fairy Hong Xiu was meticulous and error-free, and under Hou Niao's carefree exterior was actually a cunning mind.

They gained significant advantages: more than twenty Great Demons and hundreds of Golden Core Sea Demons. Even if there are more Lizhi Sea Demons, such numbers would take two to three tenths of their total. If they really go back to the Continent and arrange for Sea Demon extermination, it would be much easier.

Daoist Tianfeng added, "How will you send news back? Are you confident? You must allow ample time. Even if the southwestern sects move quickly after receiving the message, it will take at least a month to reach Blue Mountain Island. Otherwise, it might end with you having to collect your Sword Cultivation Army's corpses."

Hou Niao snorted, "To think of collecting the Sword Cultivation Army's corpses, I'm afraid no one on Jinxiu Continent has that capability."

... The actions of Ying Platform cultivators were swift, mainly because over this past month, the island had been almost completely ravaged by Sea Demons, and not much was left to take. In just two days, over a dozen floating rafts took off, each heading in different directions to the safety islands.

Each route was accompanied and protected by several Golden Core cultivators. They would remain on the safety islands until the end of the conflict, either to rebuild the Ying Platform or to vanish into smoke.

The remaining Ying Platform cultivators all joined in the fight, including six Nascent Souls and two hundred Golden Cores. They did not require urging or instigation from Hou Niao; their homeland destroyed, they were filled with a desire for revenge, and accompanied by the Sword Cultivation Army, their hearts felt more assured.

Two large tower-like rafts; this time Hou Niao did not have the Sword Cultivators fly across the sea physically. The situation was different now, and there was no possibility of surprise attacks; hiding in the tower-like rafts would instead leave the Sea Demons guessing.

One tower raft for the Sword Sect and one for Ying Platform, one after the other; however, without any apparent reason, Fairy Hong Xiu boarded the Sword Cultivators' raft. Seeing her whispering with Aunty Nineteen, along with Daoist Tianfeng's meaningful smile, he knew they couldn't conceal the identity of the young peacock.

Truly, the perception of Upper Realm cultivators was far sharper than that of a country bumpkin like him. It's said they might have even seen dragons and phoenixes.

You can't conceal a fire with paper.

Amidst the Sword Cultivators, this glorious victory made them extremely excited, but they were no longer the people they once were. Even if their hearts were thrilled, they remained calm outwardly. Following Sect Hierarch Hou, opportunities like this in the future would be numerous. When they consider all this as ordinary, it becomes the legendary Sword Dao Spirit.

The Sword Dao Spirit is nurtured with victories, not merely talked into being.

The battle at Yingtai Immortal Island, excluding Hou Niao and Aunty Nineteen, resulted in seven deaths among the two hundred Sword Cultivators, nearly all of whom were wounded. It is hard to judge whether such sacrifices were worth it, but the rise of the Sword Sect could only be forged through battles; they couldn't develop like the Daoist Sect.

Hou Niao thought it was worth it, and so did everyone else, and that was enough.