Chapter 13: The Fire Moon Sect Declares War
“There isn’t much meat at home, so you’ll have to make do with these vegetarian dishes…” Then, Zhu Xiaoyuan took a piece of flatbread from his bowl, broke it into small fragments, and fed them to Hong Xiaoyue.
At first, Hong Xiaoyue’s expression was one of utter shock, but as the aroma of the bread reached her, her tiger-like eyes brightened.
“Meow~”
Her feline cry became even more joyful.
She extended her adorable tongue, instantly curling the bread from Zhu Xiaoyuan’s hand and swallowing it whole.
Immediately, her face was suffused with a look of pure ecstasy.
Heavens!
How could it taste so good… Not only that, the bread was infused with a rich spiritual essence.
She had barely swallowed a morsel, yet the white tiger blood in her veins seemed to grow stronger.
For a moment, she was overwhelmed with excitement—was this her great fortune, her destined opportunity? If she followed this young man, perhaps one day she could transform into a true white tiger.
Suddenly, she felt that being someone’s pet might not be such a bad thing after all.
“Hm! You really know how to enjoy yourself, little cat!” Zhu Xiaoyuan smiled slightly. His culinary skills, honed through rigorous training by the system, had long since reached a transcendent level, and now he had discovered that they even suited the palate of a feline.
It was said that cats loved meat, but there was none in his home. If he truly wanted to find some, he would have to slaughter the chickens in the yard to feed her.
However, he had only raised a few chickens and was reluctant to part with them.
…
Life in the mountain village returned to its usual tranquility, but in the northern cities of Anluan Kingdom, chaos erupted.
It was simple: the beast tide from the Southern Ridge Mountains had swept directly into the northern cities.
In an instant, cities like Dayan and Dali were destroyed by the rampaging beasts; the walls fell, the people perished, and casualties abounded.
This beast tide shook the entire Anluan Kingdom to its core.
…
At this moment, within the Fire Moon Sect.
Yu Qiushui and the others had already returned to the grand hall.
“Master, how should we proceed with Senior Zhu’s game of chess?” Huang Xiantang asked.
Yu Qiushui pondered briefly and replied, “With Senior’s strength, those entering his game must be formidable. We’ve succeeded in drawing the Scarlet Flame Sect into the game, but that is not enough…”
“Senior raised our cultivation to the Spirit Severing stage for a reason!” Huang Xiantang and Leng Qianxue nodded in agreement.
The more they considered it, the more deeply they believed it to be true.
For such a powerful figure whose cultivation reached the heavens, every action must carry profound meaning.
“Then what should we do to fully reveal Senior’s chessboard?” Huang Xiantang asked.
Yu Qiushui waved her hand dismissively, “His cultivation is unparalleled; his thoughts and actions are beyond our comprehension.”
“But one thing is certain: Senior must have a grievance with the forces behind the Scarlet Flame Sect!”
“Since we have received Senior’s favor, I hereby declare—”
“The Fire Moon Sect will declare war on the Scarlet Flame Sect!”
Yu Qiushui’s gaze flashed with divine light.
Huang Xiantang was utterly shocked; this was no trivial matter!
In recent years, the Scarlet Flame Sect’s power had risen rapidly, evolving from a second-rate sect to one that nearly dominated the entire north of Anluan Kingdom.
Most sects had submitted to its rule—if the Fire Moon Sect declared war, it would be a fight to the death.
But remembering Zhu Xiaoyuan in the mountain village, Huang Xiantang felt emboldened. What was the Scarlet Flame Sect, after all? There was nothing to fear!
He swept his arm grandly.
“Obeying Master’s command, I will issue the Sect Leader’s decree!”
“Fire Moon Sect declares war on the Scarlet Flame Sect!”
…
This decree sent shockwaves throughout Anluan Kingdom.
The Scarlet Flame Sect’s rise had already drawn the attention of the kingdom’s major figures.
Within Anluan Kingdom, sects of “Sun” rank were exceedingly rare.
(In the sect hierarchy, those with Nascent Soul cultivators were rated as “Star” rank; those with Spirit Severing cultivators as “Moon” rank; and those with Void Piercing cultivators as “Sun” rank.)
If a sect had a cultivator break through to the Great Achievement stage, it could be called a transcendent sect.
If its cultivation was even higher, reaching the Integration stage, it would become a mighty Supreme Sect. Legend held that above Supreme Sects were the terrifying Sacred Land Sects.
It was said that some Sacred Land Sects had ancestors who broke through to the Immortal Realm.
The Scarlet Flame Sect, however, not only rose rapidly but also eradicated and absorbed many Star and Moon rank sects—including one Sun rank sect.
Their power was beyond doubt.
…
Yet not long ago, a mere Star rank sect in the north dared to declare war on the Scarlet Flame Sect?
At first, many mocked them for their overconfidence, assuming they had been driven to desperation.
But a month later, the Fire Moon Sect remained unscathed, and the Scarlet Flame Sect had not retaliated.
Suddenly, the other forces in Anluan Kingdom were astonished.
Did the Fire Moon Sect have some great trump card?
At the same time, the disturbance in the Southern Ridge Mountains and the ensuing beast tide spread throughout the kingdom, attracting the attention of every faction.
Soon, most sects dispatched people to investigate, and even sects from neighboring empires sent their own.
…
High above the blue sky, a massive flying ship soared.
Aboard were dozens of powerful cultivators, their uniforms bearing a lotus blossom at the cuffs.
This lotus was called the Phoenix, symbolizing the royal cultivators of Anluan Kingdom.
This contingent was from the royal family.
At the bow of the ship, a stern-faced young man gripped a long sword, his gaze sweeping the surroundings as his spiritual sense continuously expanded outward.
Just then, a peerless woman stepped onto the deck, clad in a long dress adorned with lotus flowers. Her appearance was as pure as a blossom, her figure slender and graceful.
She approached the front of the ship and asked, “How much farther?”
The young man replied respectfully, “Princess, we will arrive at the Fire Moon Sect in just half an hour!”
He paused, then looked at her with puzzled eyes. “Princess, the Fire Moon Sect is merely a Star rank sect. Is it truly worth such an effort on your part?”
“Moreover, your actions risk provoking the enmity of the Scarlet Flame Sect!”
Although the royal family ruled Anluan Kingdom, it still had to balance the power of the various sects.
And the princess before him was one of the kingdom’s heirs apparent. Yet she had chosen to visit the inconspicuous Fire Moon Sect, rather than a powerful sect…
He could not understand.
The woman shook her head lightly. Her eyes were crystalline as she gazed forward. “Chen Lin, do you know the saying, ‘He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world’?”
“The Scarlet Flame Sect is indeed formidable, but their rise is built upon countless bones!”
“The Sun rank sect they annihilated did so because it refused to submit to them, and was destroyed for it. Such ruthless examples—how could I ever choose them?”