Chapter 1565: Equilibrium and Schemes

"Do you see it now?" During a private conversation, Kou Chongxue spoke with a mix of irony and self-mockery. "The purpose of an alliance is merely internal balance and self-preservation against formidable enemies. Once you really want to break through or hope that everyone supports you, it may well be the best way to change the game, but it could also mark the beginning of the alliance’s breakdown."

Shang Xia nodded, showing neither expectation nor disappointment as if he had never hoped for support from the other two worlds in his advancement to a Sage.

Even within the Spirit Abundance World, Shang Xia did not expect other Elysiums to proactively aid his attempt to reach the Seven Star Realm.

The Tongyou Institution would naturally support his advancement with all their might, but ultimately, he had to rely on himself.

"I know you've been preparing for advancement in recent years. I won’t pry too much into the details, but I’d like to know how your progress is coming along."

Kou Chongxue needed to understand Shang Xia’s cultivation progress if he was to fully assist him in breaking through.

Shang Xia didn’t plan to hide his progress from the patriarch of his sect. Especially since advancing to the Seven Star Realm was an extremely complicated matter. If he had to rely on himself, it might take 5 or more years.

As such, he needed the help of the institution.

In fact, the assistance had already been underway, and there was no need for secrecy.

Should he successfully advance to the Seven Star Realm, he even planned to share the detailed process with the institution among the high-level experts.

Currently, the only high-level True Immortals in the institution were Shang Xia and Kou Chongxue. Shang Xia started to explain what he needed.

After sorting through the information, Kou Chongxue nodded. "So, your Spirit Calming Vessels are currently placed in the World Origin Sources of 4 different worlds. However, the requirement is for all of them to be placed in the World Origin Source of Spirit Worlds... What do you think about the Spirit Tinkle World? If it’s just about inserting a Spirit Calming Vessels into the World Origin Source, considering their current friendly attitude towards you, they might not notice or suspect anything if you act discreetly."

Shang Xia shook his head helplessly, "It’s too close to our world!”

Kou Chongxue was taken aback. "Do you mean that you can’t place other Spirit Calming Vessels our Heaven Observation Field?”

Shang Xia reluctantly nodded, but then immediately added, "There might be one place that could work..."

"The Essence Ping World?!" Kou Chongxue guessed before Shang Xia could even say it.

Shang Xia smiled. "Exactly, and this time, I must make a trip over."

Kou Chongxue laughed along, "Originally, as 1 of the only 5 high-level True Immortals in our alliance, you never participated in the battle formation training. Several others used to complain, but now that you’ve proven that you can stand against Zhuo Gudao alone, I don’t think they will be able to say much more...”

"However, your lack of involvement in the matter with the Essence Ping World left many in our alliance dissatisfied. Even if you didn’t mention going there, I would have dragged you along.” Kou Chongxue continued, “Especially since Zhuo Gudao has personally entered the fray, the Star Origin Dao Field will surely be more formidable. We need all the help we can get.”

...

It was the beginning of the 35th year of the Spirit Luxuriant Calendar.

After taking over the Azure Sea World, the Star Origin Field controlled the World’s Will in 3 short months.

Under the watchful eyes of all factions across the Heaven Observation Field, the Star Origin Dao Field dragged the Azure Sea World while integrating itself through the void.

Unsurprisingly, their next target was the Azure Star World.

The Spirit Abundance World, Spirit Mammoth World, and the alliance of 3 Spirit Worlds had already anticipated their movements. They wouldn’t allow the Star Origin Dao Field to succeed easily. Gathering their high-level experts, they immediately reacted. They sent their experts over to reinforce the Azure Star World and they even paused their exploration of the Essence Ping World.

During the previous mission to save the Spirit Tinkle World, the experts of the Spirit Abundance World and Spirit Mammoth World stopped the members of the Star Origin Lord Manor from returning, but this time, the roles were reversed. The 7 high-level True Immortals of the Star Origin Lord Manor launched frequent attacks to stop members of the Spirit Abundance World from leaving, and the Spirit Mammoth World was unwilling to send out too many forces.

The experts of the alliance of the 3 Spirit Worlds who had recovered quickly arrived around the Azure Star World.

Surprisingly, when they arrived and met up with the True Immortals of the Spirit Abundance World and Spirit Mammoth World who managed to make it out, they received news that the Star Origin World had already opened their heavenly screen.

Like the Azure Sea World, they also chose to surrender!

The actions of Azure Star World turned the alliance's rescue efforts, including those of the other Spirit Worlds into a joke.

"Why has it come to this?" True Immortal Shao couldn't understand, his gaze shifting skeptically between the True Immortals of the Azure Worlds who came with the Spirit Mammoth World.

The leader of the Spirit Mammoth World’s True Immortal Xuan Bo, responded with a wry smile, "True Immortal Shao, there's no need to be upset. The Star Origin Dao Field has been building its influence in the Heaven Observation Field for over 1,000 years, planting countless agents and connections. Both the Azure Star World and the Azure Sea World lie on their path to the Essence Ping World, showing how long their plan stretched. Even the Spirit Tinkle World, which suffered a great loss due to the accident several years ago, was affected, right?”

True Immortal Shao snorted coldly, "The major upheaval in our world was caused by your actions..."

He paused suddenly.

True Immortal Xuan chuckled, "It seems True Immortal Shao has realized that there might be some factions in our worlds that are secretly aligned with the Star Origin Dao Field...”

True Immortal Shao huffed and fell silent, though his expression showed mixed feelings of disbelief and skepticism.

Kou Chongxue changed the subject. "Fellow True Immortals, after the continuous integration of two Azure Worlds by the Star Origin Dao Field, what level will it reach? Will the assimilation affect the cultivation levels of the middle and high-rank experts of the worlds?"

As Kou Chongxue finished his questions, a fourth tier True Immortal behind True Immortal Xuan chuckled softly, “Patriarch Kou, you are surely the most knowledgeable about the fusion of Azure Worlds. With the Azure Sea World and Azure Star World merging so readily into the Star Origin Dao Field, they might have taken inspiration from your world.”

"As for their fusion... It’s naturally impossible to become an Essence World immediately. However, they can at least nurture a Spirit World not inferior to your Spirit Luxuriant World.”

Kou Chongxue was momentarily stunned, then heard Shang Xia stifling a chuckle nearby. In the end, he graciously bowed to the fourth tier True Immortal. "Thank you for the clarification!"