290: Chapter 290 This chessboard, I shall wield the pieces!

Daoist Yun Du smiled bitterly, feeling quite unwilling, and paced back and forth by the Thunder Pool.

"Brother Shi, the northern land of Feng Prefecture took decades to develop, establishing branch altars, founding immortal cities, building thirty-six workshops, and securing several Tier 3 Spiritual Veins."

"With this commotion in the North Sea, are we really just going to hand it over like this?"

"The Nascent Soul True Monarchs of the Shangqing Sect are determined to abandon it; what can you, a Golden Core Master of the temple, do about it?"

Daoist Yun Du felt unwilling and muttered, "That is a massive amount of resources. With the Yao Race passing through this time, not a blade of grass will remain."

"By the time they retreat, that territory will likely not recover for decades or even a century. It truly is... sigh."

"Forget it, forget it."

Shi Jian, however, remained unconcerned: "If resources are gone, we can find ways to seek them later. It is merely a momentary gain or loss."

"If life is lost, then everything is gone."

"Now that the Shangqing Sect has set the tone to sacrifice the pawn to save the chariot, you and I should just follow suit."

Daoist Yun Du was speechless. He opened his mouth, but had no power to refute.

"Pass down the order."

Shi Jian did not give him a chance to overthink: "Contract the defensive lines of all branch altars, activate the Sect-protecting formation, have all Disciples stop going out, take inventory of the storehouse, and prepare for war."

"Go. The national war is about to begin."

Daoist Yun Du opened his mouth, finally let out a long sigh, and cupped his hands to take his leave. His back appeared somewhat hunched, and most of his spirit was lost.

Once Daoist Yun Du left, Shi Pan spoke up: "Old Ancestor, this Daoist Yun Du is human after all; he still cannot see through things clearly."

"It is not that he cannot see through it; it is that he cannot bear to let go."

Shi Jian stood up, his massive body stirring up a pool of thunder liquid: "Among Human Race Cultivators, there are those who are righteous and awe-inspiring, and there are those who are selfish and self-interested."

"And Daoist Yun Du places too much importance on the gains and losses of the White Cloud Temple tradition. Different Realms lead to different perspectives."

"He understands a great deal, but he never speaks it out."

"It is just that he cares too much about White Cloud Temple and cherishes his own reputation too much. For such a person, this life ends here."

Shi Jian walked to the edge of the cliff, stood at the peak, and overlooked the entire Yunjian Mountain Range.

This beast tide was something he had sought all along.

He wished for this chaos to be even more intense, preferably turning everything upside down, so he could use this to completely reshuffle the deck and seek further advancement.

Now, White Crane is on the verge of forming his Nascent Soul, and the commotion is immense.

If the world were peaceful, the Human Race Nascent Soul old monsters would surely notice and intervene to stop it.

Now, the sea Yao are attacking from three directions, the Liang Kingdom is in chaos, the Wei State is overwhelmed, and the thirteen Nascent Soul beings of the Shangqing Sect are all pinned to their respective chessboards.

Who still has the time to care about a bird hiding in the deep mountains and old forests to break through?

By then, all parties will be constrained by this.

Perhaps the Nascent Soul old monsters all have their own chessboards to manipulate, and he, Shi Jian, will open another game amidst these many chessboards.

To seek a glimmer of survival for his Yao Race!

"Shi Pan."

"Here!"

"Pass the order to all Yao departments." Shi Jian's tone was cold at this moment: "The Dark Gold, Thunder Bear, Bedrock, Frost Snow, and Primal clans are to enter combat readiness."

"The Wind Rat and Black Dog Clans are to deploy all spies, and at the same time, send messages to those hidden agents buried within the various forces of the Human Race."

"Wait for the situation to change and strike back at any moment."

"Also, send a message to the thirty-six tribes of Mushou Mountain to stand by at all times. When the time comes, the beast herd will rise from the mountains and take over the Ming Prefecture Northern Protectorate."

"The world is about to descend into chaos; the time to eat meat is almost here."

"We strictly follow the Old Ancestor's decree!"

Shi Pan received the order and retreated, his eyes filled with fanaticism. How many years had it been? This great chaos was approaching, and it was also the time for his Bear Clan to rise!

The storm is coming, and heaven and earth mourn together.

Feng Prefecture, Evil Water Marsh.

The once prosperous land has now turned into a blood-colored swamp.

Waves a hundred feet high shattered coastal cities and towns, and thousands of sea beasts swarmed into every corner of the land.

Mortals didn't even have time to scream before being dragged into the water by jagged-toothed monster fish. Blood stained the rivers red, and severed limbs floated with the waves.

"Damn it!"

"My life should not end here!"

A Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator was fleeing on a flying sword. Before he could fly even a hundred feet, a strange snake with two wings suddenly lunged out of the water.

It bit him in half in one gulp, chewing in mid-air, and the blood fell like rain.

Corpses littered the fields, and for a thousand miles, there was no sound of a rooster crowing.

This is the common people under the crushing weight of the grand trend. In the games of Nascent Soul old monsters and Transformed Demon Kings, Mortals are like grass, and low-level Cultivators are like ants.

No one cares about the cries of ants.

In the eyes of those in power, this is just an insignificant war of attrition, numbers that can be filled with flesh and blood...

Humans use Yao as pills, and Yao use humans as food; all are merely sustenance.

Half a month later, a transfer order was issued from the Shangqing Sect, flying into the various Protectorates of the Qingcang Kingdom, ordering all forces.

White Cloud Temple, Main Peak Great Hall.

Daoist Yun Du held the Jade Slip emitting purple light, his expression shifting uncertainly.

"Temple Master, what does the Shangqing Sect say?"

Lu Xun stood to the side and asked in a deep voice. He was now a Golden Core Master, representing the Qingguang Sect to discuss matters...

Daoist Yun Du's voice was dry, his face helpless: "The Upper Sect's order commands all Protectorates within the Qingcang Kingdom to withdraw seventy percent of their elite Disciples and immediately march to the Eastern Front to station troops on the border of the Liang Kingdom."

"And our White Cloud Temple must send two Golden Core Masters to the Eastern Front."

There was a commotion in the great hall.

"The Eastern Front? The Yao are in the south and north; why go to the Eastern Front?"

An Elder below asked in confusion, but Lu Xun saw through everything and sneered: "You all still don't understand?"

"The Shangqing Sect is taking advantage of the chaos. The Liang Kingdom is currently a mess, the three major Sects are being restrained by demonic Cultivators, and the East Sea Yao Race is applying pressure."

"This move by the Shangqing Sect is to swallow the Liang Kingdom in one bite!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked, their expressions varied.

Daoist Yun Du squeezed the Jade Slip and turned to look in the direction of Zixiao Peak.

For such a major matter, he had to consult Shi Jian. The current White Cloud Temple was no longer his sole domain; all major matters required consultation.

Half an hour later, Daoist Yun Du ascended Zixiao Peak.

After hearing the order, a glint flashed in Shi Jian's dark golden eyes.

This is truly Heaven helping me!

"Since it is the decree of the Shangqing Sect, White Cloud Temple shall naturally comply."

Shi Jian's tone was calm: "Brother Yun, you lead the team personally. Take seventy percent of the Human Race Disciples in the temple, as well as Golden Core Cultivators like Sun Chengzhu and Lu Xun, and bring them all to the Eastern Front to station."

Daoist Yun Du was stunned: "I lead the team? Then who will guard the Sect?"

"I will watch over it myself."

Shi Jian stared at him: "What, Brother Yun does not trust me?"

That faint Nascent Soul Divine Sense immediately pressed down, causing Daoist Yun Du's breathing to hitch, and he quickly lowered his head:

"I dare not, I dare not."

"It is just that after this departure, the Sect will be empty..."

"The Sect has the Sect-protecting formation, and I am here to guard all sides."

Shi Jian said unquestioningly: "Go. Perform well on the Eastern Front, seize more resources, and use them to make up for the losses in the south."

"However, Brother Yun, please remember, do not rush to the front and act as cannon fodder."

Daoist Yun Du smiled bitterly, helpless, and could only accept the order.

Three days later.

Above the Yunjian Mountain Range, ten massive spiritual energy flying ships lined up in a row.

Daoist Yun Du stood at the bow of the main ship, looking at the mountain gate below. He felt uneasy, sensing that something major was about to happen.

Moreover, this transfer had taken away almost all the elite Human Race members of White Cloud Temple.

What remained, apart from a few old, weak, sick, and disabled, were all Yao Beast clans. How could he be at ease? Yet he was helpless.

"Depart!"

Following Daoist Yun Du's order, the flying ships broke through the air, turning into ten streaks of light, disappearing at the end of the eastern horizon...

Peak of Zixiao Peak.

Shi Jian stood at the edge of the cliff, watching the flying ships sail away.

The entire Yunjian Mountain Range became completely quiet. Once the Human Race Cultivators left, this place became the true base camp of the Yao Race.

"Old Ancestor, they have gone far away." Shi Pan walked behind him.

"Seal the mountain."

"Yes, Old Ancestor!"