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Chapter 107: Chapter 104: Convergence
"Ten?!"
Gu Jinlai’s pupils shrank, "Did you increase the scanning energy level?"
"I did!"
Gu Chifeng nodded heavily.
"That means..."
Within the scanning range of the Short Range Defense Cannon, there are ten Divinity Transformation Cultivators?!
Gu Jinlai immediately got off the carriage and personally approached another carriage, which carried the Short Range Defense Cannon.
After operating on the display screen for a moment, sure enough...
Ten red dots jumped into view.
Of these ten red dots, six were scattered around, but four were all gathered together.
"We haven’t entered the city yet... How far are we from East City’s wall of Starlight City? About sixty-some miles?"
"Yes."
Gu Chifeng nodded.
General Xue Yue, who usually guards the frontier, though still having experts in the military, was stationed outside the city and didn’t stay within the city. In Starlight City, the publicly known Divinity Transformation Great Masters numbered nine.
Three department heads of the Meteor Star Guard.
Four patriarchs from the Four Great Families.
The State Governor, Qi Zhongsheng, along with his Chief Staff, Wen Rulong.
But now, without even a full scan of the city, the Short Range Defense Cannon had already detected ten streaks of Qingguang...
"Have Nie Shisan from the Nine Formulas Sword Sect and Ye Yiren from the Taihe Sword Sect arrived?"
Gu Jinlai asked.
"The Nine Formulas Sword Sect and the Taihe Sword Sect are the two strongest sects in the northern and southern parts of Star State, and they are also the only two forces among the sect powers that have Divinity Transformation Cultivators stationed within. Proud of their status, they will not appear until the Ten Miles Slope ceremony officially begins,"
Gu Chaoyang on the side spoke up to explain.
It’s an unspoken rule that people with status and position make their entrance last.
"Since we were in a hurry to visit the Heavenly Grass Pavilion to collect a debt, we arrived early, and now there are six more days until the ceremony officially starts."
"So, where exactly did these emerging Divinity Transformation Cultivators come from."
Gu Jinlai sighed.
Especially the place where those six red dots were clustered.
This place was a commoners’ living area in Starlight City.
And it was not far from the courtyard where Gu Jinlai had originally stayed.
Such venerable Divinity Transformation Cultivators living in this kind of place, and four of them together? If anyone said there was no problem, it would be a ghost that believed it.
"It seems Star State has collaborated with certain forces."
Gu Jinlai pondered for a moment and quickly thought of the recent trip Xin Tianqi made to Dragon Sparrow Manor.
To outsiders, Xin Tianqi’s visit to Dragon Sparrow Manor was seen as him stirring trouble in Starlight City about the matter of "borrowing Gu Jinlai" and as a way to intimidate them.
But now it seemed...
Xin Tianqi’s journey to Dragon Sparrow Manor alone was a display of sincerity for cooperation talks.
"As for the purpose of Star State choosing to collaborate with a particular force... it was also influenced by the takeover of Baihe City and their inability to intervene due to their forces being occupied elsewhere."
Gu Jinlai looked into the distance, "Instead of being slowly bled by Purgatory Sect, Cold Moon Sect, Netherworld Sect, Dragon Sparrow Manor, and Yellow Sky Sect, until they are too weak to fight and completely dismembered, it’s better to make a decisive move, choose to collaborate with one force, cut through the chaos quickly, completely remove the forces that have infiltrated into Star State’s territory, and then take control of those cultivating sects that dominate on their own. While clearing the inside of Star State, they would also strengthen themselves."
Whether it was Qi Zhongsheng or Xin Tianqi, both had emerged from countless bodies to stand at the pinnacle of the Cultivation World; they weren’t lacking the resolve to tear down and rebuild.
He had already anticipated it, just waiting for all the Major Sects to arrive. In six days, at the Star State ceremony, all the powers would only have two choices.
Submit!
Or death!
It would never happen that Star State, unable to withstand the pressure from various sides and devils, would agree to govern Star State with them in a peaceful manner, as everyone expected.
As for the consequences?
If it’s not mine, why should I care if it’s destroyed?
For those in power, the idea that one would rather see jade shatter than be a tile intact was never an empty talk.
After spinning these thoughts, Gu Jinlai commanded directly, "Send the order, let our three thousand elites display their might for intimidation, then retreat thirty miles. After that, our group of a hundred will move together."
"Yes."
Gu Chifeng responded with a solemn voice.
"Has Xue Wuqing sent anyone to participate in this grand event?"
"Red Robed Xue Wuqing hasn’t arrived, but Golden Robe Qin Kaitai has."
"After all, I am an elder of the Purgatory Sect. Now that I’m aware of this matter, I cannot just watch Qin Kaitai die beneath Star State’s conspiracy."
Gu Jinlai said, "I’ll write a letter, and you’ll deliver it to Qin Kaitai."
A moment later, he thought of something, "Not only Qin Kaitai, but send it to Cold Moon Demon Sect, Yellow Sky Sect, and Netherworld Sect too."
"Yes."
Gu Chaoyang replied with a grave tone.
What followed...
He had to put on a show.
Since Star State had used the Heavenly Grass Pavilion as bait, and he had also made a show of force beforehand, if he suddenly became indifferent upon reaching Starlight City, or said he was leaving, wouldn’t that just signal to Star State that something was amiss with him?
Therefore, he let people "secretly" probe into the Heavenly Grass Pavilion situation, while also keeping an eye on the movements of those Divinity Transformation Cultivators in Starlight City.
His group of a hundred would temporarily stay outside the city, far from the four Divinity Transformations of Dragon Sparrow Manor.
Since most of the sects had not entered the city either, this action of his wouldn’t arouse suspicion.
It had to be said.
The Starlight City at this time could truly be called a dragon’s lair and a tiger’s den.
The number of Divinity Transformation Great Cultivators had already exceeded thirteen.
Such a lineup... 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝘤𝘰𝑚
If thirteen flying swords were unleashed at once, even Primordial Spirit True Monarchs would fall on the spot.
Of course, among these thirteen Divinity Transformation Great Cultivators, the Four Great Families accounted for four.
Of the remaining nine, four are presumed to be from Dragon Sparrow Manor, and the other five are Meteor Star Guard Cheng Wanli, Su Wen, Qi Yuanxing, the three department heads, as well as Qi Zhongsheng and Wen Rulong.
...
In a considerably spacious courtyard.
Outside, it was heavily guarded by Gu Chifeng and others.
In a study at the center, Gu Jinlai was perusing documents.
"General Xue Yue spends most of his time stationing troops in the southwestern fortress city of Heavenly Pass City, constantly being watched by the Netherworld Sect, Cold Moon Sect, and Purgatory Sect. Any slight move would inevitably provoke a counterattack from the three major sects, whereas Xin Tianqi, the number one expert of Star State, is mainly used to deter Dragon Sparrow Manor and Yellow Sky Sect. Now that Dragon Sparrow Manor has cooperated with Star State..."
This number one expert of Star State might have the opportunity to free up his hands to suppress the situation at the Star State grand assembly.
"At this point, if I retreat it would undoubtedly prove that I’ve discovered something, only to force Star State to act against me prematurely..."
Gu Jinlai glanced at the Short Range Defense Cannon model he had placed aside.
This model had not yet become a Co-spirit into Spiritual Artifact.
But should he come under attack, he could at any moment enter True Spirit Possession and enter the Co-spirit State.
"Buzz, buzz!"
Just then, Gu Jinlai felt as if he had sensed something.
In his soul, the spiritual nature kept reflecting, as if it had formed a peculiar connection with his transformed Spiritual Sense.
That feeling...
It was as if "thought" had obtained a vessel to carry it and could manifest through this vessel.
Immediately, Gu Jinlai began to use the Grand Sun Nine Refinement Visualization Method, the True Spirit coalescing magic skill, to gather all these "thoughts" based on his Spiritual Sense, slowly...
A blurry little figure appeared in his sea of consciousness.
"True Spirit."
Gu Jinlai revealed a smile.
This special existence, completely projected from the soul’s thoughts, is the core of the Heavenly Master — the True Spirit.
From the moment the True Spirit is derived, the "thoughts" and "intentions" of the Heavenly Master are no longer ethereal but tangible essences of wisdom.
"The Heavenly Master’s Scripture says, the strength of the True Spirit can be directly seen through its weight, but the weight of the True Spirit isn’t measured by ordinary ’kilograms’ or ’pounds’ but by ’thoughts.’ The more thoughts it carries, the heavier and stronger the True Spirit becomes. A common Heavenly Master, with a completed True Spirit, would gather eighteen hundred thoughts. My True Spirit..."
Gu Jinlai quietly perceived it.
At this time, the thoughts... or rather intentions on his True Spirit fluctuated continuously.
But upon close observation, they could only carry three thousand six hundred thoughts, any excess would be beyond the True Spirit’s limit and could not be borne, becoming illusory and rapidly dissipating.
"The foundation of Spiritual Sense is ultimately too weak. Although my realm is higher and I’ve condensed the True Spirit ahead of time, it’s like a premature child with innate deficiencies. Compared to the common True Spirit of a Heavenly Monarch which contains eighteen hundred thoughts, there’s still a big gap."
Although his True Spirit was weaker, Gu Jinlai did not have much regret in his expression.
With the Eternal Furnace, the growth of his True Spirit would only accelerate, and one day it would reach the formal standard of a True Spirit and further climb to the limit of a Heavenly Monarch.
"Once the True Spirit is condensed, I can use the secret technique derived from the Grand Sun Nine Refinements Visualization Method — True Spirit Manifestation, allowing the True Spirit to leave the body, to divide into two, four, or even ten... My True Spirit is weak now, but upon manifestation, splitting into two will not be a problem."
Two True Spirits, when put through True Spirit Possession...
Though the consumption is huge, he could temporarily Co-spirit two Short Range Defense Cannons.
Along with the one that’s already transformed into a Spiritual Artifact...
A web of firepower is established.
"Phew!"
Gu Jinlai took a long breath out.
He finally had some self-protection in the great changes that were coming.
In the following time, Gu Jinlai quietly contemplated the various marvelous uses of the True Spirit.
Two days before the assembly was supposed to start, Gu Chaoyang and Gu Chifeng returned.
"Patriarch."
Gu Chaoyang was the first to speak: "We’ve received news that the Netherworld Sect, Purgatory Sect, and Cold Moon Sect, including Yellow Sky Sect, have frequent personnel movements, deploying tens of thousands of elite troops to station at the borders of Star State. Although there is no intention to attack, they use this as a deterrence. Xin Tianqi has already appeared on the Netherworld Sect’s border."
After finishing, he added: "They pretend to be worried that Star State might engage in improper actions during this grand assembly."
"To feign weakness is to invite attack; to show strength is to discourage it."
Gu Jinlai said: "The several major sects are seemingly strengthening the presence of their divisions within Star State, but they are actually making Star State more vigilant, believing their cooperation with Dragon Sparrow Manor to be flawless. In truth, the real purpose of these powers stationing troops at the border might indeed be to make an early move and break apart Star State."
After speaking, he glanced towards the direction of Ten Miles Slope, where a continuous stretch of high platforms had already been erected: "It all depends on whether the major sects have clever tactics."
Gu Chaoyang nodded in response.
"However, the fact that Xin Tianqi has gone to the front line is actually good news."
Gu Jinlai said, turning to Gu Chifeng: "If my guess is correct, some Divinity Transformation Cultivators from the various sects have arrived, right?"
"Patriarch is as insightful as a god."
Gu Chifeng nodded: "Today, the Purgatory Sect arrived, and the Red Robed Elder Xue Wuqing personally came. Accompanying him were Chang County elder Zhou Yunyi and three other elders. It can be said that the Purgatory Sect has publicly brought five Refining Gods this time for the Star State assembly, especially..."
He took a deep breath: "According to the ’Red’ Short Range Defense Cannon’s probe, there are three Venerable God Transformation Practitioners concealed within their ranks."
"So they’ve finally arrived, just as I expected. Let them first engage in a major battle with Star State, Dragon Sparrow Manor, the Four Great Families, and the various sects. Then they can launch a sudden attack and catch them off guard."
Gu Jinlai nodded: "The people from Purgatory Sect have arrived. Counting the new arrivals over the past two days — the three Venerable God Transformation Practitioners from Xuanwu Sect backed by Yellow Sky Sect, the three from Cold Moon Demon Sect, and the three from Netherworld Sect..."
The arriving Divinity Transformation practitioners from the four major sects tallied up to an imposing twelve.
"Now that everyone has gathered, let us be the ones to fire the first shot."
Gu Jinlai slowly stood up: "Assemble the troops, enter the city, and head straight for Heavenly Grass Pavilion!"
