I Can See Your Combat Power

The reason the alliance felt an overwhelming surge of enthusiasm was because everyone believed that by pooling their forces, they could snatch the Minor Spiritual Realm from the Tang Clan and topple them. But now, Mi Jin plainly told him that even if they used all of the Mi Clan’s resources, they could only hope for a pyrrhic victory.

“Heh…” Mi Hai let out a self-deprecating laugh, feeling his body’s aches and pains erupt as his figure swayed, “Then what is this war for?”

“To prevent the extermination of the Mi Clan by the Tang Family in twenty years,” said Mi Jin, his gaze calm, as if explaining a simple truth. “Hesitation is a beautiful thing, because when we hesitate, it seems like we have unlimited choices and possibilities. But time will inevitably push us towards a dreadful choice. Instead of defensively waiting until that moment, it would be better to seize the initiative when we are at our strongest.”

The Mi Clan was still hiding several cards up their sleeves, while the Tang Clan had already called upon all current Martial Ancestors and assigned them to the battlefield. If the battle situation worsened, they would have to summon those who had sealed themselves in solitude and play their last card. This was the Mi Clan’s biggest victory.

Overwhelmed with pain, Mi Hai seemed to have lost all strength and shook his head helplessly, “Let’s hope for a good outcome.”

“There will certainly be a good outcome!” Mi Jin declared resolutely. “As long as our clan can drive the Tang Clan out of Longzhou, using the Mi Clan’s abilities, we can unite the upper and lower reaches of Lingjiang within ten years, possessing all of the large cities, famous mountains, and in a maximum of thirty years, we will have several hundred Martial Ancestors at our disposal. At that time, our clan can rest easy.”

When it comes to sharing the same territory, both the Tang and Mi families were like two ferocious beasts occupying the western part of Longzhou. Only once one of the beasts left, could the other run wild in Longzhou.

Mi Jin’s goal was not a mere city or territory. His efforts to preserve his final trump cards were not solely due to fear of the Xiao Family. The so-called trump cards were to be used at the decisive moment. To drive out the Tang Clan was only the beginning.

From his initial furious questioning to his subsequent deflated frustration, and now to his hopeful optimism, Sect Head Mi Hai had experienced many emotional highs and lows in a short period, and he also understood a truth.

“When it comes to vision, tolerance, scheming, and control, I am not your equal,” Mi Hai sighed. He then turned around and left.

Although he already knew that those chosen by the elders of the clan were reliable people, he, with his high and mighty attitude, always believed that the gap between them was not big. However, he didn’t realize until today that while his focus was on the attack and defense of the North Mountain, Mi Jin’s eyes had already penetrated through time, starting to depict a blueprint for the Mi Clan in the coming decades.

He couldn’t compete even if he tried. He was no match.

…

Beimang and Longzhou bordered each other. Because Beimang was famous for its numerous mountains, Ji Fu arranged for the three million Spirit Herbs and alchemical formula rites agreed upon with the Tang Clan to be transported to the border of Longzhou. They moved steadily westward.

It was not until the convoy was stopped by a flood that the leader of the convoy, Ji Xuanyuan, commanded a halt.

“Ji Qing, go ahead and see what is going on.” Ji Xuanyuan, riding on a dragon beast, spoke to the guard next to him.

Although they both bore the prefix Ji, Ji Fu and Ji Xuanyuan were part of the Han Family main branch, while Ji Qing and others had received the Ji-family name from a branch family. Hence, Ji Xuanyuan treated Ji Qing as an underling, and the surrounding guards were accustomed to it.

Ji Qing, once given the order, soared into the air and went forward. He disappeared into a mountain range in the middle of the floodwaters and returned to the convoy a short while later.

“Responding to the commander, this was originally Jiejiang City. It was destroyed by a flood a few months ago. Now the former inhabitants of Jiejiang City are building cities on various mountains,” he reported.

Ji Xuanyuan frowned, displeased. “What is the Martial Saint Mountain doing? It can’t even manage a small flood. It’s been so many months, yet they allow it to wreak havoc?”

He was unhappy that despite the enormity of the disaster, the Martial Saint Mountain had failed to control the flooding. Zhongzhou used to be referred to as God’s Land because, no matter what kind of natural disasters they faced, the Han Family always had a solution. Powerful people like the King Realm Ancestor were considered land immortals. Be it tsunamis, hurricanes, droughts, or floods, they had the power to conquer it all. Ji Xuanyuan was discontented that the Martial Saint Mountain was letting the flood continue to rampage.

Ji Qing didn’t know how to respond, so he continued to report about the disaster in Longzhou. “It is said that this flood was caused by a change in the course of Longjiang. The previously minor Lingjiang could not withstand the torrential waters of Longjiang, thus causing the entirety of Lingjiang’s three thousand miles to become a marshland. Starting from Jiejiang City and all the way towards the west, all the major cities along the river have been flooded and destroyed, including Xiling.”

“What?” Ji Xuanyuan asked, his brows shooting up. “Are you saying that the Tang Clan’s territory was also flooded?”

Ji Qing nodded, “The redirection of Longjiang caused the greatest damage to Xiling City, Clear Water County, and Shen Ping City. Due to the cities’ low altitudes, they were immediately flooded, turning the middle segment of Lingjiang into a lake.”

“Look at what Ji Fu has done!” Ji Xuanyuan turned to look at an old man in white robes riding another Dragon Beast, “He was threatened by such a small family, and even made a covenant with them, isn’t that mess?”

Where there are people, there is conflict. As one of the leaders of the Slaughter Immortal Army, Ji Xuanyuan had always held a grudge against Ji Fu, who he believed had been unfairly chosen as the Saint Child of the main clan due to his luck in awakening the Undying Bloodline, and was charged with the responsibility of reviving the Han Family, which rubbed him the wrong way, and so he tended to focus on Ji Fu’s mistakes.

The old man in the white robe opened his eyes to look at the flooding and Ji Xuanyuan making a fuss near him, then calmly closed his eyes again.

Ji Xuanyuan, having received no response, turned to Ji Qing to give further orders. “Since the convoy can’t pass, we will set up camp here. Go to Xiling and see how the Xiao Family is doing. Ask the merchant named Xiao Zheng about how we can deliver these goods to him.”

While Ji Xuanyuan looked down on the Tang Clan, he actually approved of Xiao Zheng. Beimang’s geography, full of mountains and marshes combined with unrest, seldom saw merchants enter its territory. Even local people rarely ventured into business, but Xiao Zheng entered Beimang repeatedly, trading goods with various tribes. His fair dealings and authentic Beimang accent had earned him the trust of the local tribes, making him one of the few merchants who could enter and leave Beimang safely.

As Ji Qing mounted his dragon and flew away, Ji Xuanyuan turned to the convoy behind him and shouted, “Set up camp!”

…

October 22nd

When Ji Qing arrived at the border of Xiling, he saw the battlefield at the North Mountain where more than a hundred Martial Ancestors were fighting. Powerful Spirit Arts filled the sky, mountains, and flood, their explosions lighting up the atmosphere like fireworks, causing the entire space to tremble.

Looking at this suddenly erupted battle, Ji Qing found no place to land on the North Mountain.