Chapter 625: The Heavenly Mountain Alliance; The Frontier War; The Fifty-Year Accord; He Lianyun's Invitation (II)

"President, something major has happened!"

Inside the cave residence, Luo Chen raised an eyebrow when he saw Sima Huiniang, whose composure was rarely shaken, now wearing a look of agitation.

He said calmly, "What has happened to make you so unsettled? Don't rush, speak slowly."

Sima Huiniang took a deep breath and spoke word by word. "The Heavenly Mountain Alliance has declared a Frontier War!"

Luo Chen's expression flickered slightly in surprise. This was a little unexpected... but only just a little. All was according to plan.

***

The Bell and Cauldron was a fine establishment with branches all across the domain, and it was owned by the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. That often came as a surprise to newcomers—its design clashed with the sect's austere image. At the same time, the restaurant was undeniably the preferred dining spot for wealthy cultivators. Many of the city's most renowned spirit dishes, delicacies, and pastries originated from The Bell and Cauldron. The meals not only satisfied the taste buds but also enhanced cultivation, making it a popular choice among cultivators of means. Those with wealth would visit regularly to enjoy its dishes.

Naturally, a place of such prestige had its own hierarchy. For instance, the Tianlan branch of The Bell and Cauldron was divided into five floors. The first floor served Qi Refinement cultivators, while the second was reserved for the wealthy among them and for Initiates. The third floor could only be accessed by Adepts, whereas the fourth and fifth remained vacant throughout the year. It was said they were reserved for Sages and Ascendants.

It sounded rather farfetched, but the fact was that Divine Transformation Realm cultivators very much roamed around. Though they were rarely seen in person, legends of their presence circulated often enough. The pocket world at the Jilei Nine Mountains, left behind by Ascendant Bai Ye, stood as undeniable proof, and rumor had it that within the Holy Lands of the Five Domains, many such Divine Transformation Ascendants were in seclusion, striving toward the grand endeavor of ascension.

Of course, whether a mere restaurant like The Bell and Cauldron could truly produce spirit dishes fit for such mighty beings was another matter entirely. In any case, the restaurant was unusually lively today, and it was not for any Ascendant.

On the second floor, more than a dozen Initiates had gathered. It was an uncommon sight in itself. Dozens of wealthy Qi Refinement cultivators were also on the second floor to... dine, in theory. Whether these people were truly here for the food was open to debate.

At least, the man and woman seated by the window were clearly not there just to enjoy a meal. Luo Chen lifted his cup and took a slow sip of warm wine as his powerful spirit consciousness spread quietly through the room. In truth, he did not even need to eavesdrop with it. The second floor was already filled with noise and chatter, the air thick with speculation. Nearly every conversation centered on the same topic—the Frontier War.

"Three years ago, when Fairy Icesoul held her Core Formation Ceremony, the various forces went to offer congratulations, including the Sword Sect. But in reality, they were there to negotiate a ceasefire between the two upper sects. They say that Sage Han Zhan and Sage Jade Cauldron both went to Heavenly Mountain in person and reached an agreement."

"Is the Frontier War truly happening?"

"It seems so. Bai Ye's residence has already been sealed. Word is that envoys from the Nether Origin Sect of the Holy Land have arrived."

"Bai Ye was a Divine Transformation ancestor of the Nether Origin Sect, so it makes sense that they're getting involved. Well... It's probably also that they could no longer tolerate the Jade Cauldron Domain's internal squabbles. It's just been draining the human race's strength. So they ordered the Falling Cloud Sect to launch a Frontier War."

"Still, the news is pretty late. Apparently, the upper sects of the outer domains had already suspected this and dispatched advance forces into the Jade Cauldron Domain to prepare for war."

"True. Speaking of that, the last Frontier War had sixteen sects join forces to destroy Lianxia Mountain Range and establish dominance over the Jade Cauldron Domain. Who knows what will arise this time?"

"I don't care about the sects and dominance. All I care about is getting an opportunity! For rogue cultivators like us, this could be the chance of a lifetime."

As the murmurs of discussion filled the room, Luo Chen's expression grew increasingly grave. After a long silence, he finally turned to Sima Huiniang and gave a slight nod.

"It seems the information we received was accurate."

It was more than just accurate. The message that had come directly from Ice Fortress contained details far beyond what these people were discussing. The Nether Origin Sect of the Eastern Wilderness Holy Land had indeed dispatched a Nascent Soul elder to the Jade Cauldron Domain.

The elder's first action had been to revoke both the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect's and the Falling Cloud Sect's rights to explore Bai Ye's pocket world, and then seal it temporarily. The second was to mediate between the two upper sects, which was a polite way of saying that a ceasefire had been immediately enforced without too much debate. The third was to order the Falling Cloud Sect to initiate an external war, opening the Frontier across the vast Great Million Mountains of the Eastern Wilderness.

There were many intricate details involved. The main events had taken place at Heavenly Mountain near the Ice Fortress, all within the past three years. The forces involved were not limited to the two upper sects and four major sects of the Jade Cauldron Domain; for the last three years, cultivators from beyond the domain had continuously gathered at Heavenly Mountain to discuss the preparations for the Frontier War.

Sima Huiniang nodded solemnly and said, "The tentative date has been set. It will be fifty years from now! As of now, five Nascent Soul upper sects and thirteen Golden Core major sects across seven great domains have agreed to take part in the war."

The five upper sects were led by the Falling Cloud Sect—the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, Skysail City, Medicine King Sect, and Hehuan Sect. These were all neighbors, so to say. The thirteen Golden Core sects naturally included the four within the Jade Cauldron Domain itself, but the remaining nine were by no means insignificant.

And this was only the preliminary list of participants. With fifty years of preparation ahead, no one could predict how many more Golden Core and Nascent Soul sects would eventually join the war effort. Everyone understood that although a Frontier War always brought devastating casualties, the rewards it offered were equally immense.

The Medicine King Sect's dominance over an entire domain and the wide renown of its pills were largely due to its participation in no fewer than five Frontier Wars. Each campaign had allowed it to drive rival Golden Core sects out of its territory while expanding its alchemical trade into new regions.

On the other hand, Skysail City was a rising power. It was clear that they were following the same path as the Medicine King Sect. In fact, both the recent Jade Cauldron civil war and the upcoming Frontier War bore the mark of their influence. Where war erupted, the consumption of enchanted artifacts and treasures would always be the greatest.

Under normal circumstances, a well-crafted enchanted artifact could last a cultivator a century, be repaired for another, and passed down for yet another hundred years. But if that was the case, how would artifact creators ever earn spirit stones? Were they to rely on peace alone, they would starve in the cold wind. Of course not! Only through war could enchanted artifacts and treasures be rapidly exhausted, enabling Skysail City to seize enormous profit.

When Luo Chen imagined the coming war fifty years from now, and how countless cultivators would be drawn into it, a faint surge of excitement rose in his chest. Yet the feeling quickly faded, replaced by cool rationality.

During the preparation period, the Jade Cauldron Domain will inevitably become the foremost bridgehead, and Tianlan City, being located on the eastern flank, will be right at the center of it all. In fifty years, cultivators from the Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and even Nascent Soul Realms will gather here. No wonder Senior Sister advised me to keep a low profile. She must have been worried I might draw the attention of someone far beyond my reach.

Luo Chen turned toward Sima Huiniang. "We should halt the Luo Tian Society's expansion here."

Sima Huiniang nodded. "I was thinking the same. Our current ventures are already enough to sustain three thousand members. Even if you advance to the Golden Core Realm, we'll be able to support you. Any further expansion will only increase the risk of conflict."

The shifting of great powers often swept even the smallest figures into their current. Even someone as renowned as Luo Chen could find himself powerless before the tides of such an era. As he looked at the cultivators filling The Bell and Cauldron with heated discussion, he could see clearly that the Frontier War had already become inevitable. If not, news would never have spread among them so swiftly.

He shook his head, rose from his seat, and descended the stairs. Sima Huiniang paid the spirit stones and followed closely behind.

In Tianlan, neither of them unknown, and their movement immediately drew the attention of many within the restaurant. After their departure, murmurs rippled through the crowd once more. However, none of that had anything to do with Luo Chen. What mattered to him now were the developments of the Frontier War.

All of this had taken place just one month after the Heavenly Mountain Alliance had convened. Even more detailed news soon followed.

Windflower Palace of the Windflower Domain has decided to join the war. The Divine Talisman Sect of the Divine Talisman Domain has also declared participation, along with three additional major sects.

During the fifty-year preparation period, all life-and-death duels at or above the Golden Core Realm are strictly forbidden within the Jade Cauldron Domain. Any who violates this decree will be punished jointly by the seven Nascent Soul upper sects.

The Falling Cloud Sect and Jade Cauldron Sword Sect have jointly established an enforcement team to patrol the entire domain!

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

These three announcements completely dispelled the ambitions of those cultivators from other domains who had been harboring restless thoughts. Those who had intended to exploit the chaos within the Jade Cauldron Domain could only suppress their greed and lie low for now. Even raiding cultivators had to restrain their actions. If any were unfortunate enough to be captured by the enforcement team, they might not even get the chance to reincarnate.

Inside the cave residence, Luo Chen rubbed his temples as he read through the intelligence report Xing Zhonghan had delivered.

The participation of Windflower Palace had been within his expectations. The former site of the Flame Alliance was now occupied by a first-rate force known as Stormwind Manor. Among its two Adepts, one hailed from the Mystical Wind Hall of the Windflower Domain. His name was Diwu Qi, and he was rumored to be a guest elder of the Windflower Palace. He had likely arrived in the Jade Cauldron Domain early, serving as a vanguard to establish Windflower Palace's foothold within the domain.

Storms are brewing all around... Once the war begins, the Luo Tian Society will surely be swept into it. When such a tide arrives, how am I to find my own place within it?

While he pondered the uncertain future, a formal letter of visitation was delivered to his cave.

Fellow Daoist Dan Chenzi,

It has been six years since our last meeting.

I was unable to personally witness your feat of striking down an Adept during the Flame Alliance campaign, yet the tale has reached my ears. It is vivid as if I had seen it with my own eyes. It was truly a glorious battle; I can only regret that I was not there to fight beside you.

I have long heard of your extraordinary skill in alchemy. I also have several friends who share a deep interest in the Dao of Alchemy, and we hope to exchange some insights with you.

May I know when you might be available for us to pay our respects and discuss the way of alchemy?

Respectfully, He Lianyun.

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow as he read the letter. He had been back in the city for three years now, and even though he hadn't tried very hard to conceal his presence, he had been living in seclusion for the most part. During that time, many had sought to visit him, but most were politely turned away under the excuse that he was still recovering from his injuries.

However, this visitor was one he could consider meeting. He Lianyun was the founder and Grand Elder of the Lianyun Trade Alliance. He was at the ninth stage of Foundation Establishment.

"

Hmm

, those so-called friends of his who are interested in alchemy...?" Luo Chen mulled over the words, and a faint, thoughtful expression flickered across his face.