Sect Master’s Immortal Journey

Upon hearing Zheng Chao speak of the Sea Clan's formidable strength, Meng Zhang's expression turned dark. According to Zheng Chao, the extinction of the demon beasts was now inevitable. Next in line to face the Sea Clan would be the Taiyi Sect.

It remains unclear whether the Sea Clan, after defeating the demon beasts and occupying the western side of Demon Wind Gobi, would halt their expansion. Since the Sea Clan is not a benevolent group, Taiyi Sect must prepare for the worst. If the Sea Clan continues to expand, Taiyi Sect's current territory will be their next target.

Seeing Sect Master Meng Zhang's displeased expression, Zheng Chao said some comforting words. Over the years, Zheng Chao had ventured into the sea and though he had limited achievements, he did gain some knowledge. The Sea Clan, despite their strength, seemed to have their own troubles. Zheng Chao didn't know the specifics of the issues the Sea Clan faced, but he knew it significantly impacted their power and prevented them from fully committing to invading the land. Otherwise, the demon beasts in Demon Wind Gobi would have been crushed by the Sea Clan long ago.

In addition to the forces already in use, it would be difficult for the Sea Clan to call for reinforcements from the sea. However, even with their current strength, the Sea Clan already posed a considerable threat to Taiyi Sect.

Long ago, when Meng Zhang heard about the situation in the western part of Demon Wind Gobi from Delicate WaterSpirit General, he had a rough idea. He wondered if Taiyi Sect could provide assistance to the demon beasts in the west, bolster their strength, and help them resist the Sea Clan's invasion. The rapidly expanding Sea Clan would eventually become a major enemy of Taiyi Sect. While the enemy of an enemy may not become a friend, there could be potential areas of cooperation. When faced with strength, the weaker parties should find some common understanding.

As for the longstanding enmity between the Human Clan and the demon beasts, Meng Zhang didn't care. In the face of the greater interests of the sect, all other considerations were secondary.

Delicate WaterSpirit General had also attempted to make contact with the demon beasts, but they were driven away and even attacked. These demon beasts were inflexible and extremely hostile to humans, refusing any normal interaction with the outside world.

Although Third Rank demon beasts possessed intelligence comparable to humans, they seemed unwilling to communicate and understand reason. Delicate WaterSpirit General's goodwill was met with an unresponsive attitude.

Considering the behavior of these demon beasts, how could Taiyi Sect help them or provide assistance? It was likely that any supply convoy sent by Taiyi Sect would be attacked as soon as it approached the demon beasts' territory.

Since assisting the demon beasts seemed unfeasible, Meng Zhang had to think of alternative approaches. However, apart from the high-level complaints and discussions about "different races," he couldn't come up with any other viable solutions.

Meng Zhang had even considered the idea of launching an offensive against the Sea Clan with a large army of cultivators. But after weighing the factors, he had to abandon this plan. Taiyi Sect was still recovering from the losses of the previous major battle. Their main current objective was to infiltrate Jiuqu League and establish a commercial network there. Sending a large army of cultivators could result in indiscriminate attacks from the demon beasts.

Thus, Meng Zhang decided to temporarily put aside the actions against the Sea Clan and focus on strengthening surveillance. The information brought back by Zheng Chao made Meng Zhang realize that this issue could not be further delayed, and a solution must be devised as soon as possible.

Taiyi Sect currently enjoys the protection of Jin Li True Monarch and is a member of Jiuqu League. Even if the Sea Clan is powerful, they won't be able to wipe out Taiyi Sect. However, with a powerful neighbor like the Sea Clan, Taiyi Sect will face numerous troubles in the future. Even if large-scale battles don't break out, small conflicts are likely inevitable.

Taiyi Sect is currently vigorously developing Demon Wind Gobi, and at this time, the most dreaded scenario is to face external interference. Meng Zhang also considered seeking help from the high-ranking members of Jiuqu League to eliminate the threat posed by the Sea Clan. However, after careful consideration, he decided against it.

Asking for help might be easy, but paying the price could be substantial. There are no free lunches in the world, and Jiuqu League's high-ranking members might not entirely rely on the cultivation forces within the league. Many members, including Taiyi Sect, hope to gain various benefits from the league but are reluctant to have the high-ranking members interfere in their internal affairs.

Currently, Taiyi Sect is a member of Jiuqu League in name only, and due to its remote location in Demon Wind Gobi and the backing of Jin Li True Monarch, it enjoys a high degree of independence within Jiuqu League. Meng Zhang is not willing to draw the attention of Jiuqu League's high-ranking members to Taiyi Sect, nor does he want the influence of Jiuqu League to penetrate into Demon Wind Gobi. He is especially against giving the high-ranking members any reason to interfere in Taiyi Sect's internal affairs.

Meng Zhang has decided to rely on Taiyi Sect's strength as much as possible to deal with the threat posed by the Sea Clan and seek help from Jiuqu League only as a last resort. Jin Li True Monarch would not easily involve herself in such disputes involving at most Gold Core-level cultivators.

The Sea Clan's ability to occupy vast oceans suggests that there may be Primordial Spirit True Monarch-level existences behind them. Furthermore, Zheng Chao had clarified that, for some reason, Fourth Rank Sea Clan finds it difficult to directly intervene in land conflicts. If Jin Li True Monarch were to take action first and use force against the Sea Clan, it might provoke the Fourth Rank Sea Clan and escalate the conflict.

Facing the current situation, Zheng Chao proposed a well-thought-out plan. Taiyi Sect should seize the opportunity of the demon beasts' defeat and take the initiative by sending a large army of cultivators to occupy the demon beasts' territory before the Sea Clan does. They can establish a defensive great formation there to keep the Sea Clan at bay. This way, Taiyi Sect can not only take the initiative but also ensure that most of the battles occur in the demon beasts' territory and avoid damage to their own land.

Meng Zhang had some doubts about Zheng Chao's aggressive plan, wondering if it was appropriate for Taiyi Sect to take the initiative given the Sea Clan's strength. Zheng Chao explained that precisely because the Sea Clan is powerful, Taiyi Sect must take the initiative and strike first. In the demon beasts' territory, there exists a Third Rank spirit vein. If Taiyi Sect can occupy that area first and set up a defensive great formation using the power of the spirit vein, they can withstand the Sea Clan's advantage in strength and even have a chance to win against them despite being weaker.

In reality, Meng Zhang had already been drawn to this plan. He asked a few more questions to see if Zheng Chao had thoroughly considered everything. As a Sect Master who has undergone many years of experience, Meng Zhang is very mature in handling major affairs that could impact the sect's future. He does not make hasty decisions but instead convenes the high-ranking members of the sect to discuss the matter together.

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