Chapter 276: Indifferent to Life and Death

At the eastern coast, near the monument to those who died in the Five Gods Cult uprising.

Although it was not yet noon, the sunlight had already turned from warm and bright to scorching. Qing Yanzi stood at the edge of a cliff, gazing eastward at the sky. Streams of light continuously fell onto the beach below.

Behind him, Mu Wanxuan quietly watched the blue sky and white clouds. She chuckled softly from time to time.

With worried expressions, Jingyun and Chi Wen gazed at her with pity from nearby.

That poor child... Fei Yu's death is hurting her too much. I'm afraid her emotions have already grown a little unstable.

"Little Xuanxuan!" someone emotionally yet softly called from the sky.

Several righteous cultivators who were about to land on the beach paused in midair. A flash zoomed past them and descended swiftly onto the edge of the cliff, pulling Mu Wanxuan into a tight embrace.

"You scared me to death. I'm glad you made it out!"

The cultivators turned toward them and immediately recognized the well-known half-immortal fox, Xi Lian.

Even the most stoic Daoist elders couldn't help but steal a few glimpses at the two Celestial Immortal beauties. Mu Wanxuan's ethereal aura, delicate and flawless figure, and peerlessly beautiful yet slightly aloof face embodied the very essence of purity and grace. In contrast, the half-immortal fox holding her had an all-enchanting charm, tender warmth, and overt emotion. Her racial traits were glaringly distinct.

"Big... Sister!" Mu Wanxuan hadn't spoken in three years. Hence, the words came out clumsy and awkward. She gently patted Xi Lian's fragrant shoulder.

Xi Lian had rushed over as soon as she heard that Mu Wanxuan had left the Small Nether Realm and come to the eastern sea. She came all the way from the mountain villa just to comfort and help her move on from the pain of losing her junior brother. However, there was no trace of sorrow or loneliness on Mu Wanxuan's face.

Seeing her looking better and even smiling a little, Xi Lian couldn't help but ask with deep concern, "Little Xuanxuan, if you're hurting, you have to speak up. Don't fall onto the devilish path like I did."

Mu Wanxuan shook her head gently but didn't explain further.

"I understand."

Xi Lian frowned slightly and looked back. Jingyun and Chi Wen had already stepped forward to greet her. After exchanging glances, the three all expressed concern for Mu Wanxuan. However, since she refused to speak her heart, all they could do was quietly accompany her and wait. No one dared press further.

Xi Lian intentionally changed the subject. "So, what are you all gathering here for?"

"Fightin'!" Chi Wen raised her little hand with a swing, then puffed her cheeks. Her cultivation was too weak to take part in such a grand event.

Xi Lian perked up. "Who are we fighting?"

"The Sakura Island cultivators," Chi Wen replied softly.

Xi Lian laughed. "We're finally past the shouting matches. That's more like it. We're all cultivators. What issue can't be settled through combat?"

Jingyun shook her head helplessly. "Are you also planning to join in the fun, Senior?"

"If Little Xuanxuan's going, then I'm going!" Xi Lian snapped her fingers and linked her arm with Mu Wanxuan's. "Let's see who dares bully her."

Chi Wen giggled. "With you joining, this war might be over before it even starts."

At that moment, Qing Yanzi muttered, "Senior Xi Lian, please observe from the sidelines. This battle is only a surface-level confrontation. We have to win beautifully to shock and deter the petty."

Xi Lian pouted. "You say that like I was planning to help. I'm only here to look after Little Xuanxuan.

Hmph!

"

Amid their conversation, Mu Wanxuan raised her hand.

When the others looked over, Mu Wanxuan held up the new "3D projection" phone that the Special Investigation Unit had issued her with. She then typed quickly on the virtual screen.

Mu Wanxuan: Why are we fighting the cultivators of Sakura Island?

Qing Yanzi chuckled. Gently, he answered, "Little Wen, give Little Xuan a proper explanation."

"Alrighty!" Chi Wen answered with a slight hop, making her ponytail bounce. Smiling so widely that she was squinting, she recounted the cultivation-related events in the past three years.

Roughly three years ago, the cultivation world had sent a diplomatic delegation to negotiate with Sakura Island's cultivation world about the Yin-Yang All-Creation Sect's survivors. The negotiations failed, and a series of conflicts broke out.

With the Special Investigation Unit doing its best to mediate, the cultivators temporarily held themselves back. They merely tore down several of the enemy's shrines and crippled a few dozen overly arrogant practitioners before withdrawing. However, over the course of thirty months, the situation escalated.

Foreign powers that sought to suppress the Hua Republic began to openly or secretly support Sakura Island's cultivation world. Almost half of the world's cultivators also started accusing the Hua Republic of "monopolizing cultivation secrets" and "bullying friendly neighbors."

Chi Wen smirked as she sprinkled some personal commentary on the matter. She then went on with her report. According to her, before the resurgence of primal qi and the Hua Republic's rise, foreign forces relentlessly pushed their cultures into our nation in an attempt to gradually assimilate it.

Before primal qi returned, the Hua Republic began to rise. Hence, it tried to promote the treasured cultural heritage of its ancient civilization, but it was met with joint suppression from all sides. International forces repeatedly pursued and blocked outstanding enterprises, subjecting them to all kinds of unfair treatment.

Now that primal qi had returned and the uniqueness of their culture was evident, those same forces had the gall to beg for cultural imports?

No, that question shouldn't be asked. If anyone did, Mu Wanxuan would flood them with memes. The question did not exist. It should never be uttered.

Over the past three years, Sakura Island's cultivation world began to unify under pressure. Several hidden villages partially revealed themselves, and their cultivation atmosphere grew more intense, leading to a long stream of provocations and verbal spats between the two cultivation worlds.

The officials initially tried to formally call for restraint from both sides, but they eventually stopped interfering and simply reiterated their stance: they would not start a war against any foreign cultivation world, but they also wouldn't tolerate invaders.

Unfortunately, the more tolerant and gentle one was, the more others believed they were weak and easy to bully. Perhaps that was why just a year ago, a major Sakura Island TV station interviewed a newly appointed elder of the Yin-Yang All-Creation Sect. During the interview, the elder openly recruited talented youths and guided them in cultivation.

The righteous cultivators saw the elder's actions as a blatant provocation against the righteous path. With tacit approval from above, over ten Daoist elders crossed the eastern sea the same day and executed the elder on live television. They then dispersed the young cultivators and shattered the broadcasting building with a few strikes.

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Afterward, they issued a statement. 'Corrupt cultivators harm the world. If Sakura Island continues to indulge such evil, the Shu Sword Sect may be forced to settle all the debts in the past hundred years!'"

"Sakura Island sent out over a hundred experts to stop the ten elders, but among those elders was an old peak Golden Core Realm Daoist who had brought his sect's treasured artifact: the Qi-Sealing Dragon-Phoenix Drum. When the drum was rung three times, dozens of people fell like dumplings from the sky. The elders retreated unscathed.

"However, that resounding slap across the face only fueled Sakura Island's fury. In the following year, their provocations continued. The Yin-Yang All-Creation Sect gained public support across Sakura Island.

"While foreign forces stirred up trouble by accusing the Hua Republic of withholding cultivation knowledge, the entire cultivation world of the Hua Republic grew increasingly enraged. After some time, they finally requested permission to wipe out Sakura Island's cultivation world from the Special Investigation Unit.

"The Longhu Mountains then unleashed a large-scale strategic weapon: Shi Qianzhang, who had spent two and a half years self-studying the Sakura language. That man used funds from the Special Investigation Unit to hire local trolls in Sakura Island and published a series of articles in newspapers and major web portals.

"Without using a single curse word, he managed to single-handedly flame half of Sakura Island's cultivation world, sparking a wave of verbal warfare. Many prominent experts from Sakura Island stepped in one after another, though they continued to hold back their tempers.

"After seven or eight months of verbal battle, Sakura Island's cultivation world finally issued a formal challenge. The cultivation world gladly accepted. Today at noon, experts from both sides would converge at the center of the sea between the nations for a massive team battle.

"All participants had signed life-and-death waivers and issued joint statements that the duel had no affiliation with either government. Meanwhile, the two governments continued to act as if they were trying to prevent the clash. The Hua Republic even made it look as though they were repeatedly trying to persuade the Daoist masters, who were simply too 'righteously furious' to listen.

"To prevent Sakura Island from pulling any tricks, over a hundred advanced navy warships surrounded the agreed area, ensuring no modern weapons could interfere. With the navy taking the initiative to show force, some of the more level-headed individuals in Sakura Island finally began to sober up from the patriotic fervor that had gripped them for the past two to three years. Things are no longer the same as twenty years ago, let alone a hundred.

"But it was already too late. Over a thousand Sakura Island cultivators had already gathered at sea while the cultivators of the Hua Republic were still assembling. They now eagerly wait for the battle."

Just as Chi Wen finished her explanation, Qing Yanzi issued an instruction loudly enough for it to echo across the beach.

"Everyone, before we depart, allow me to set three ground rules!"

Five or six minutes later, several dozen Daoist elders soared into the sky, leading the way. Behind them, nearly a thousand Daoist-robed cultivators stepped onto the blue waves and departed with grace.

A thousand cultivators crossing the sea, two nations locked in battle. The Battle of the Eastern Sea had begun!

***

In the Earth Qi Seal.

Wang Sheng, who was diligently studying the mysteries of his Heavenly Abode, opened his eyes. He noticed that Spiritless had risen by another half

cun

, which meant that the Earth Qi Seal was releasing primal qi at an even faster rate.

Perhaps he would be able to emerge from seclusion earlier than twenty years.