Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

Chapter 504 - 510: Strategy

Indeed, the Spiritual Cloud Sect would surely wish to hold onto their territory and legacy, but with limited strength, perhaps they could only hold out initially.

In that time, however, the Spiritual Cloud Sect would become an extremely fearsome battlefield, with a vast number of cultivators and demon cultivators slaughtering each other, and lives were lost at every turn.

Yet as time passed, the already insufficient strength of the Spiritual Cloud Sect would inevitably lead to their continued retreat in the face of powerful demon cultivators.

If they did not want their legacy to be severed, if they desired not to die or fall under the control of demon cultivators, they could only seek help from the Li family or Shen Leishan.

Despite Shen Leishanʼs greater strength, the problem was the distance was far too great, and with the Wood Spirit Sect in between them, timely reinforcement was simply not feasible.

Therefore, the only one left to whom they could seek help was the Li family next door!

Hence, Li Zhirui plan was to wait until the Spiritual Cloud Sect could no longer hold on, then proactively seek help, requesting the Li family to take action.

And to get the Li family to move, naturally, there would be a price to pay.

Li Zhirui was not the type to be insatiably greedy; as long as the Spiritual Cloud Sect was willing to submit to the Li family and thereafter become a vassal under their banner, he would personally lead his clanspeople into battle!

Once the demon cultivators were driven away, the Li family could rightfully claim all the resources occupied by the Spiritual Cloud Sect in the Green Mountain State.

Of course, it was also possible that upon hearing the news, the Spiritual Cloud Sect might decide they were no match for the demon cultivators, willingly abandon their sectʼs headquarters, and escape from Green Mountain State with their key figures.

But this possibility was rather slim!

It wasnʼt that the Spiritual Cloud Sect didnʼt want to escape; they simply had no way to!

Previously, when Li Zhirui had slain that Golden Core demon cultivator, he had already contemplated the subsequent maneuvers.

Because of the sudden death of that demon cultivator, a brief investigation by their kind would reveal what had happened.

Unless they were willing to relinquish the Green Mountain State, they would opt to strike at the Spiritual Cloud Sect preemptively, catching them unawares.

Furthermore, even if the Spiritual Cloud Sect heard the news, their first reaction would be to investigate and see if it was true, rather than immediately packing up to leave.

And the chance for the Spiritual Cloud Sect to flee would disappear amidst this game of gains and losses.

”Zhirui, what is your opinion on this matter?” Li Shiqing, seeing Li Zhirui remain silent, took the initiative to ask.

”I plan to use this opportunity to see if I can incorporate Green Mountain State into our familyʼs territory,” Li Zhirui disclosed his intentions.

These somewhat younger elders, not having been through much tempering to become sly and cunning, didnʼt quite understand his implication, and found it improbable.

Their earlier suggestions, although impassioned, were in truth not rash, knowing that the Li family was entirely reliant on Li Zhirui alone.

Despite his formidable strength, Li Zhirui was but one man, unable to be in multiple places at once, and solely with the Li familyʼs power, it was not feasible to eradicate all the demon cultivators from Green Mountain State, so they suggested to make this matter public and summon numerous cultivators.

”Do you intend to cooperate with Shen Leishan?” Li Shiqing had caught on.

Though the two families were maintaining a strangely standoffish state, if there was a matter beneficial to both, neither would decline, just like the incident with the Taixu Secret Realm before.

However, Li Shiqing guessed the wrong partner for collaboration.

Li Zhirui shook his head and said, ”Not Shen Leishan, but the Wuya Sect and Water Spirit Sect of Cang Hai Province.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned, not just the elders. Even Li Shiqing and Li Shilian took a moment to recall the two sects that Li Zhirui had mentioned.

Cang Hai Province, located south of Green Mountain State, was an Inner Sea occupied and transformed by the human race. Vast in scope, its land area, however, wasnʼt extensive!

Li Zhixuan once sought a breakthrough to her Golden Core stage and had gone to Cang Hai Province for tempering.

Li Zhirui also stayed in Cang Hai Province for some time because he was helping Li Chengshuo find a Contracted Spirit Beast, the Moon Serpent, thus he had a bit more understanding of the province.

And between the two sects—Wuya Sect and Water Spirit Sect—there were many commonalities, such as their proximity to Green Mountain State, being Nascent Soul forces newly risen over the last few centuries, and possessing strength greater than the Li family, though by a limited margin.

The most important point was that there were some conflicts between the two sects!

Although one couldnʼt be sure if they would join forces to confront the Li family for more land in the future, at least in the short term, it seemed unlikely.

After all, after taking over Green Mountain State, they would need to digest their territory and recuperate, recovering from their losses in the great war against Demon Cultivators.

Just these two tasks alone would take several years to resolve.

As Li Zhirui provided his briefing, Li Shiqing nodded continuously, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Li Zhirui.

Although he had known early on that Li Zhirui was intelligent, to be able to come up with such a comprehensive strategy in such a short period was indeed astonishing.

The Elders were similarly shocked; they all knew of Li Zhiruiʼs exceptional talents in cultivation and in alchemy but had never imagined that he would be so formidable in devising strategies as well.

”Who do you plan to send to approach Wuya Sect and Water Spirit Sect to discuss forming an alliance?”

”It can only be Zhixuan and Cheng Huo,” replied Li Zhirui helplessly. These tasks had always been handed to them in the past, and it seemed, now as well.

But there was no choice; Li Zhiyue was in seclusion, and Li Chenglin had just made a breakthrough not long ago. They were the only two available for the job.

”You should start gathering our clan members now and begin preparing for battle.”

Li Zhirui addressed the family Elders with a reminder, ”But donʼt make any big moves for now, to avoid alerting Shen Leishan to the changes in Green Mountain State.”

But honestly speaking, completely concealing the situation from Shen Leishan was nearly impossible, especially after the outbreak of a major battle with such commotion.

Moreover, Green Mountain State bordered Shen Leishan, just closer to the northeast where Wood Spirit Sectʼs territory was.

If Shen Leishan were to find out, they would definitely be tempted!

After all, the resources within the Green Mountain Range were exceedingly rich, not to mention that within Green Mountain State there was a third-order Secret Realm and several lower-order Secret Realms.

The point was to delay their knowledge as much as possible, giving them less time to prepare. If they were to join hastily, then more of their Cultivators would fall.

When it came to resource preparation, Li Zhirui always refrained from intervening, as every Elder had been honed in actual combat, making them the experts in this field.

”Yes!” The Elders responded in unison, then hurriedly left the hall.

Before long, Li Zhixuan and Li Chenghuo arrived.

”Thereʼs a very important matter that I need you to handle...”

Li Zhirui briefly outlined their mission and then handed them a detailed Jade Slip, saying, ”The matter is urgent, so I wonʼt waste words. If you donʼt understand anything, you can check the Jade Slip on the way.”

To be cautious, Li Zhirui also gave them the remaining few fourth-order Talismans he had. As long as they didnʼt encounter a Nascent Soul hell-bent on killing them, they would be safe.