Journey of True Cultivation-Chapter 80: Twenty Breaths to Die

"Clap!"

Suddenly, a thunderous clap echoed through Yuan's ears, breaking his meditative focus and forcing him to open his black azure eyes.

It wasn't just Yuan who heard it, all the other dark green robed Inner Sect disciples and green robed Outer Sect disciples, who had been quietly cultivating, also snapped their eyes open at the sound.

Everyone's gaze turned toward the source of the thunderous noise.

Standing there was Yi Lao.

He looked exactly as he had a week before, dressed in the same ceremonial dark green robes, his expression as cold and emotionless as ever. His eyes, filled with indifference, swept across the crowd without a hint of warmth.

"We will now begin the march toward the Crystal River Region," Yi Lao announced, his voice icy and commanding.

There was no care in his tone, only sharp, cold authority. No one dared to speak. No one questioned him. Only silent obedience filled the air.

"Team Leaders at the front. Squad Leaders behind them. The Supreme Squad Leader stays next to me," Yi Lao continued, his words cutting through the quiet like a blade.

Without hesitation, everyone, including Yuan, bowed deeply in unison and shouted as one:

"YES, GENERAL!"

Yi Lao did not respond. He simply raised his hand and motioned for the Supreme Squad Leader to step forward. The Supreme Squad Leader obeyed immediately, walking toward Yi Lao's side.

At the same time, the Team Leaders began to move into position at the front, gathering their assigned squads. Li Yun, along with Yuan and their three smaller teams, joined the front line without delay.

One by one, the formations were set.

The Squad Leaders positioned themselves behind the Team Leaders, while the Supreme Squad Leader stood silently at Yi Lao's side. Yi Lao himself remained at the back, overseeing the entire force.

The entire army stood still, silent, waiting for the next command.

Yi Lao's voice then rang out again, loud, sharp, and commanding.

"March!"

With that single word, the front lines began to move.

The squads fell into step behind them, the formation moving like a single body. At first, the march was silent. But soon, the sound of synchronized footsteps began to echo across the ground.

The rhythm of their march became steady, the earth beneath them trembling slightly beneath the weight of hundreds of disciplined steps. No one knew who had started it, but the beat of their march unified the disciples, giving them something to focus on as they moved forward.

Time passed as they marched tirelessly, their formation never breaking.

For four long days, they continued without rest, only pausing briefly once on the fourth day, not for sleep, but simply to consume fasting pills to maintain their strength. No time was wasted. No effort was spared.

After the short break, the march resumed, relentless, disciplined, and determined.

The army of Yi Lao pressed on, moving steadily toward the Crystal River Region... toward the beginning of war.

All the disciples marched with their backs straight, heads held high, eyes fixed arrogantly toward the sky. Every step they took declared their presence to the world, unshaken, unwavering.

Any demonic beast foolish enough to cross their path was slain instantly, their bodies left as silent witnesses to the army's unstoppable advance.

Slowly, they reached the borders of the Crystal River Region.

Many of the Outer Sect disciples were visibly exhausted. Their stamina simply couldn't compare to that of Blood Purification stage cultivators. But thanks to the endurance pills provided by the sect, they were just barely able to keep up.

There had been no time for sleep. No time to rest. No time even to think.

The only relief was the steady rhythm of their synchronized march, a rhythm that, despite the hardship, gave them the illusion of strength and unity.

Finally, as they arrived at the outskirts of the Crystal River Region, the command to halt was given. Slowly, the army began setting up a few tents to rest.

Yi Lao's cold voice echoed through the camp, sharp and clear as ever.

"We will rest for two hours. After that, we will attack three of the tribes within the Crystal River Region, the Stone Mountain Tribe, the Sharp Peak Mountain Tribe, and the Small Battling Tribe."

The announcement brought a wave of sighs from many disciples, especially the Outer Sect members. Even several Inner Sect disciples let out soft breaths of relief. Finally, rest, if only for a short while.

Yuan, too, was thankful for the brief pause.

The weather today was pleasantly cool, with just enough warmth in the air to make the moment feel almost comfortable, a small blessing amidst the chaos of war.

Choosing a flat stone nearby, Yuan sat down and settled into a lotus position. He closed his eyes, focusing inward as he began to recover the energy spent during the march.

Seven days of constant marching had taken its toll on his body. Even with his cultivation, it had been hard on his bones and blood. Like many of the other Inner Sect disciples, Yuan had used his spiritual blood throughout the journey to ease the strain on his body, but that relief came at a price.

It had cost him a portion of his spiritual blood, and now, before the battle began, he needed to recover it.

Silently, calmly, he focused on restoring his strength, preparing his mind and body for the fight that lay ahead.

The two hours of rest passed far too quickly for every disciple, whether Inner Sect or Outer Sect. All of them wished for more time, but this was war. There was no luxury of comfort, no room for delay.

It was time to fight.

Yuan once again walked beside Li Yun, who appeared full of energy. As a Meridian Awakening Stage cultivator, Li Yun's body was much stronger than Yuan's or any of the other Blood Purification Stage cultivators. Noticing Yuan at his side, Li Yun gave him a soft smile and nodded.

Seeing Li Yun's nod, Yuan returned it silently. But his mind was already drifting elsewhere, pulled back by the familiar voice of Yi Lao echoing across the camp.

"We will attack the Sharp Peak Mountain Tribe first, then the Stone Mountain Tribe, and finally, the Small Battling Tribe. Prepare yourselves, juniors. Be ready to face death, for the glory of the Howling Wind Sect!"

"Glory of the Howling Wind Sect, he says..." Yuan thought to himself, mocking the words in the silence of his mind.

But he said nothing aloud.

In this war, he knew exactly what he was, nothing more than cannon fodder, just another pawn on the battlefield.

Survival was all that mattered now.

And Yuan had already made his plan.

It was simple, but effective: survive the battles, and afterward, plunder the bodies of the fallen, whether they were enemies or fellow sect disciples.

In the chaos of war, many would die. Their bodies would be left cold, abandoned, and forgotten on the battlefield. But those corpses would still carry valuable resources, treasures, pills, and weapons.

Yuan didn't care if others looked down on him for it.

Let them ridicule him. Let them sneer.

As long as he gained the resources to strengthen his cultivation, it was a price he was more than willing to pay.

With these last thoughts, the formation at the front line took shape once again, and the army began moving into full view as they entered the mountain plateau.

The Crystal River Region was vast, but aside from its towering mountains, there was little else. Endless peaks stretched in every direction, with only a few liveable areas scattered between them.

Aside from the mountains themselves, the region was also home to several well known demonic beasts. Some of these beasts were even at the Bone Forging Stage.

However, those that had reached such a level of power often possessed intelligence and, as a result, usually refrained from getting involved in human affairs, unless provoked or attacked directly.

The march continued steadily. The ground trembled beneath the weight of hundreds of footsteps, the air vibrating faintly with the rhythm of their movements.

Then, finally, the Sharp Peak Mountain Tribe came into view.

The tribe was settled around a single, sharp, towering mountain. The spiritual essence here was decent enough for cultivation, though certainly not as rich or stable as the cultivation caves back at the sect.

The Sharp Peak Mountain Tribe had built many houses around the base of the mountain, but the village didn't seem particularly lively.

Instead, the entire tribe appeared to be gathered outside the gates of their village, waiting.

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Their robes were varied in color, but each of them wore the same distinctive fur belt, white in color. From where Yuan stood, it was difficult to see their faces clearly; they were still too far away. Only their silhouettes stood visible against the rocky backdrop.

Suddenly, Yi Lao's commanding voice cut through the air.

"Stop!"

The marching disciples obeyed immediately, their last synchronized step hitting the ground with a resounding stomp.

Yi Lao took a step forward, his cold voice echoing across the plateau.

"Tribe Head of the Sharp Peak Mountain Tribe! Surrender now, and the Howling Wind Sect will spare your people! I, Yi Lao, give you my word!"

He raised one hand calmly as he continued.

"You have twenty breaths of time to consider my offer. If you remain silent, I will take that as your answer and act accordingly."

Cold, sharp, and commanding, Yi Lao's voice rang out, dominating the air as he shouted toward the Sharp Peak Mountain Tribe.

At first, silence fell over the tribe as his words echoed across the mountain plateau.

But that silence didn't last long.

Soon, a loud, mocking laughter broke through the air, a laughter that sounded as if its owner had just heard the greatest joke of his life.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Yi Lao, was it? Well, Yi Lao, I am Sharp Fang, Tribe Head of the Sharp Peak Mountain Tribe!"

The tribe head's voice was rough and full of arrogance, carrying easily across the distance even though Yuan could not see exactly where he stood.

"Neither I nor my ancestors have ever backed down from a fight and we won't start now! We will face the Howling Wind Sect head on! I swear, with my tribes name, we will battle and slaughter your disciples and survive this calamity the heavens have thrown at us!"

His words were bold, brimming with defiance. The pride of the Sharp Peak Mountain Tribe surged within every syllable.

"So hear me well, Yi Lao, disciple of the Howling Wind Sect! Today, I will kill you!"

The tribe's response came like a thunderclap. All at once, the warriors of the Sharp Peak Mountain Tribe let out a deafening battle cry, shouting toward the sky with all their might.

Their voices joined together into a roar so loud, so fierce, that it could shatter the ears of ordinary mortals even from a kilometer away.

Yi Lao simply snorted in disdain, his expression unshaken.

"Hmph... then die."

Those two cold words were all it took.

Every Team Leader, Squad Leader, and the Supreme Squad Leader instantly understood the signal. The battle had begun.

"KILL!!"

The war cry echoed like rolling thunder, and the disciples of the Howling Wind Sect surged forward, marching into the first true clash of the war.