92: Deputy Palace Master Bai Li

Emerging from the perilous Divine Wilderness Realm and once again breathing the air of the Immortal Realm, everyone let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if an eternity had passed.

Looking back at the golden light gate, which gradually shrank and finally disappeared completely, many disciples felt lingering fear. There were many opportunities inside, but life was only one!

"Count the numbers, prioritize treatment for the wounded, and immediately return to the Star Palace!" Temple Master Lin ordered, his voice carrying a hint of fatigue, but more so a sense of calm and control. His Immortal Lord cultivation made him the natural backbone for everyone just by standing there.

The team quickly reorganized. Although everyone was injured and exhausted, their eyes were exceptionally bright, and their aura was more than a notch stronger than before they entered! This trip was worth it!

With Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace, the super spatial navigator, the journey back was incredibly smooth. After several spatial jumps, the familiar Star Palace dojo, enveloped in the Great Chaos Star Radiance Array, appeared before their eyes.

Seeing their Temple Master and senior brothers and sisters return, each with an even more terrifying aura, the disciples on guard burst into thunderous cheers and quickly opened the array to welcome them.

Liu Ruyan led the remaining personnel to greet them. She saw that although the team had some casualties, their overall strength had increased instead of decreased. Especially when she felt the unfathomable Immortal Lord pressure from Temple Master Lin, she was filled with both surprise and joy.

"Welcome back, Temple Master!"

Temple Master Lin waved his hand: "Dispense with the formalities. Liu Ruyan, arrange for all disciples returning from the Divine Wilderness Realm to have theirMerit Points doubled! The compensation for fallen disciples will be increased by another thirty percent! For the injured, use the best medicine to ensure no hidden dangers remain!"

"Yes! Temple Master!" Liu Ruyan quickly agreed, looking at her reborn companions with envy.

Temple Master Lin then looked at Bai Li, who was standing to the side. After a period of recuperation, the former Immortal Alliance Alliance Master looked much better, and her peak Immortal Lord cultivation had fully recovered. At this moment, she was looking at him with a complex gaze.

"Fellow Daoist Bai Li, thank you for your hard work holding down the fort during this time."

"It's my duty." Bai Li shook her head, her gaze sweeping over the group of formidable-aura disciples behind Temple Master Lin. Especially when she felt the mid- and late-Heavenly Immortal cultivation of Yun Qingyao, Leng Yuechan, and others, her heart was filled with unparalleled shock. How long had it been? The Star Palace's strength had expanded to such an extent! What kind of divine nest did this Temple Master Lin take them to raid?

"Now that I have recovered and have been taken in by Temple Master Lin, I shall naturally serve the Star Palace." Bai Li's tone was solemn, "May I ask what the Temple Master's next plans are?"

"Plans?" Temple Master Lin grinned, his smile carrying a hint of cold sharpness, "Of course, it's time to stretch our muscles!"

His voice suddenly rose, echoing throughout the entire square: "All elders and core disciples, gather for a meeting in the Star Main Hall after one incense stick's time!"

"Yes!"

One incense stick's time later, in the Star Main Hall.

Temple Master Lin was seated in the main position, with Bai Li and Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace standing beside him. Below, core disciples above mid-Heavenly Immortal cultivation, such as Yun Qingyao, Leng Yuechan, Chu Xinghe, Su Yuan, Linglong, and Kong Ming, as well as management personnel like Liu Ruyan and Huang Yan, were all present. The entire hall was filled with a powerful and suffocating aura.

"Everyone is here." Temple Master Lin's gaze swept over those below, "While we were away, it wasn't quiet outside, was it?"

Liu Ruyan immediately stepped forward to report: "Reporting to Temple Master! Old Dog Xuan Gu is missing, and most of his remaining forces have scattered like birds and beasts. Some have been secretly assimilated or eliminated by us. However, the Asura Clan intensified their offensive while we were in the Divine Wilderness Realm! Around the Flowing Fire Desert, seven small resource worlds and three important mineral veins that originally belonged to the Immortal Alliance have been occupied by the Asura Clan! They have built fortresses there, stationed heavy troops, constantly encroaching on our activity space, and have repeatedly attacked our transport convoys!"

She waved her hand, and a huge light screen appeared, marking the areas occupied by the Asura Clan, like several poisonous thorns, embedded around the Star Palace's sphere of influence.

"This is outrageous!" Mo Sha slammed his fist on his chair, "These bastards, they stole my home while I was away!"

"They hit the young ones, and now the old ones are here." Ye Chen's voice was cold.

Temple Master Lin's eyes narrowed slightly, and his fingers gently tapped the armrest: "It seems the lesson we gave them last time wasn't painful enough. Do they think our Star Palace will just cower at home like turtles?"

He looked at Bai Li: "Deputy Palace Master Bai Li."

Bai Li was slightly startled, then became solemn: "Present." Temple Master Lin publicly giving her the position of Deputy Palace Master was both trust and responsibility.

"You are familiar with the former Immortal Alliance forces and understand the surrounding situation. I want you to take the lead, with Yun Qingyao and Chu Xinghe assisting, to formulate a detailed recovery plan. I want these occupied areas, along with the Asura scum on them, to be completely wiped out within three months!"

"Yes!" A sharp glint flashed in Bai Li's eyes as she accepted the order. Returning to the battlefield and wielding authority was what she excelled at!

"Brother Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace," Temple Master Lin then looked at Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace, "I'll trouble you to be responsible for the overall spatial deployment and support, ensuring our people can quickly reach the battlefield and also retreat at any time."

"It's my duty." Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace smiled slightly and nodded in agreement.

"As for you..." Temple Master Lin's gaze swept over the disciples below, who were eagerly flexing their muscles, "You all better thoroughly digest the good things you obtained in the Divine Wilderness Realm! Consolidate your cultivation well! Next, there will be plenty of tough battles to fight! If anyone drops the ball, don't blame me for throwing them back to the Abyss to mine!"

"Yes! Temple Master (Master)!" Everyone roared in unison, their fighting spirit boiling.

In the following days, the Star Palace's war machine once again ran at high speed, but this time, it was no longer for defense, but for active preparation for war!

Bai Li displayed her excellent capabilities as a former Alliance Master, quickly integrating information and formulating several detailed offensive plans. Yun Qingyao was responsible for troop deployment, and Chu Xinghe led the engineering team to frantically modify warships and reinforce mobile war fortresses. Su Yuan's intelligence network operated at full capacity, infiltrating occupied areas and collecting information on enemy deployments. Logistics were handled by Huang Yan and Qing Xuan, with elixirs, talismans, and immortal crystals supplied like flowing water.

The entire Star Palace was filled with a tense and excited atmosphere, like the calm before a storm.

One month later, preparations were complete!

"First target, reclaim the Obsidian Star Belt!" In the Star Main Hall, Bai Li pointed at the star map, "This place is rich in Obsidian Divine Stones, an important material for refining defensive arrays and immortal armor. It is guarded by a regular Asura Clan army of about three thousand soldiers, led by an Asura War General in the early Immortal Lord stage, and the fortress defenses are well-established."

"In this battle, we must achieve a quick victory and fire the first shot! Uphold the prestige of our Star Palace!"

"Mo Sha! Ye Chen!"

"Present!" The two stepped forward.

"You two will lead the Ancient Demon Battle Group and the Nirvana Walkers as the vanguard. Force a landing and tear open a defensive breach for me!"

"Understood!"

"Kong Ming! Linglong!"

"Present!"

"You two will lead the Martial Monk Corps and the Demonic Sound Sect to follow up, consolidate the position, and clear out the remaining enemies within the stronghold!"

"Yes!"

"Leng Yuechan!"

"Disciple present!"

"Your sword is the fastest and sharpest. You are responsible for the beheading operation, finding and killing that Asura Commander!"

"Understood!"

"Yun Qingyao will oversee the overall situation, Chu Xinghe will be responsible for array suppression and interference, Su Yuan will provide real-time intelligence, and Brother Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace will be responsible for spatial blockade and support! Move out!"

Orders were issued one by one, clear and with distinct divisions of labor!

The next moment, above the Star Palace, dozens of warships, modified by Chu Xinghe, covered in thick armor, and inscribed with Chaos Array patterns, slowly ascended. Loaded with the murderous elites of the Star Palace, they instantly vanished through the spatialaisle opened by Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace!

Obsidian Star Belt, Asura Clan front-line fortress.

The Asura Commander in the early Immortal Lord stage was inspecting the defenses when he suddenly felt a pang in his heart and abruptly looked up!

He saw the space above the fortress being violently torn open like a curtain! Dozens of ferocious warships, like bloodthirsty giant sharks, brazenly burst out! Immediately after, countless powerful figures descended like dumplings from the sky, charging directly towards the most heavily defended area in a desperate assault!

"Enemy attack! Highest alert!" The Asura Commander roared in anger and shock!

But it was too late!

Mo Sha laughed wildly, his Ancient Demon True Body expanding, crashing violently against the fortress's energy shield like a battering ram, causing it to shake violently! Ye Chen, like a ghost, appeared directly inside the shield with the Nirvana Walkers. Sword light flashed, and the Asura soldiers controlling the shield array fell in droves!

A breach was instantly opened!

Kong Ming chanted Buddhist scriptures, and the Merit Golden Wheel formed a continuous barrier, pushing forward against the dense energy rays! Linglong's demonic sound was all-pervasive, and many Asura soldiers in the fortress screamed, clutching their heads, falling into chaos!

Leng Yuechan's figure moved as if teleporting, ignoring all obstructions along the way. Her Ice Soul Nirvana Sword Intent locked onto the terrified Asura Commander!

"Die!"

A flash of cold sword light froze the void!

The Asura Commander only had time to raise his weapon to block before he and his weapon were frozen by the extremely cold Nirvana Sword Intent and then silently annihilated!

With the Commander dead, the resistance within the fortress instantly collapsed!

In just one hour, the battle was over! Three thousand Asura defenders were completely annihilated! On the Star Palace's side, there were fewer than a hundred casualties!

The news of victory spread, and the entire Star Palace rejoiced!

In the following two months, the Star Palace army moved like a lightning strike! The second target, "Blazing Flame Small World," was reclaimed! The third target, "Wind Flutter Mineral Star," was reclaimed! ... One after another, the strongholds, mineral stars, and small worlds occupied by the Asura Clan were successively captured! The Star Palace displayed astonishing siege capabilities and formidable combat power! Especially Temple Master Lin's several personal disciples, each showcasing their divine abilities, were almost invincible among their peers, often able to sway the outcome of battles!

The Asura Clan's front lines were shaken, and they had no choice but to mobilize heavy troops, attempting to encircle and annihilate this suddenly extremely fierce force.

However, with Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace's spatial power, the Star Palace's army was elusive. Today they would chew off one of your strongholds here, and tomorrow they would appear a hundred thousand miles away to wipe out one of your logistics bases, leaving the Asura Clan in a state of disarray and struggling to cope!

The Star Palace's sphere of influence expanded outwards at an unprecedented speed! Lost territories were continuously reclaimed, and the defense line was even pushed out a considerable distance!

Temple Master Lin stayed in the central command and did not personally act. His very existence was a deterrent. He knew that this was just the beginning, and the Asura Clan's true counterattack had not yet arrived.

He looked at the continuously expanding blue area on the star map, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Fight, the harder we fight, the larger our territory will be, the more resources we'll have, and the more experts we'll be able to cultivate!"

"Old Dog Xuan Gu, and the masters behind the Asura Clan..."

"We'll settle our debts slowly!"

The banner of the Star Palace was officially planted across the hundred million li territory surrounding the Flowing Fire Desert, announcing the rise of a new hegemon!