"Make sure the enemy is completely wiped out. We must secure a total victory." A message was transmitted through psychic thought.

"Leave it to me!" Seeing the two sword cultivators step forward to give chase, Shen Qinglian steadied his thoughts. Not daring to waste any time, he immediately followed after them.

This time, their goal was to annihilate the enemy. Achieving a crushing victory in the most shocking and unfathomable way possible would intimidate every sect across the East Sea.

With that goal in mind, Song Xuan couldn't be allowed to escape; if he did, it would be an obvious blemish on an otherwise flawless ambush.

While Shen Qinglian led his people, pursuing Song Xuan and the sixteen survivors under Yaoguang’s guidance, the higher-ups of the Nine Cauldrons Sect had already begun watching the battle through the Psyche Kingdom.

They could see that the Nine Cauldrons Sect had marched out from the Nine Heavens Domain, fought its first real battle against the Xuanming Sect, and obtained a decisive victory!

"That's amazing! A superb performance from all of our cultivators!" Li Qingshan praised. "After this battle, everyone deserves a generous reward!"

"It truly was a satisfying victory." Huang Tianhao was all smiles as well.

"The Xuanming Sect’s 146 great cultivators are finished. And the people on Fangyuan Island haven't yet reacted. Once Qinglian finishes off Song Xuan and the few other stragglers, we can trap the rest like fish in a barrel and wipe them out in a single sweep," He Xifeng said. "Most importantly, we managed to seal off all news. Outsiders have no idea what method we used to annihilate over three hundred of the Xuanming Sect’s great cultivators with just one strike. The unknown is the most mysterious and intimidating factor. At the very least, until they figure out what kind of trump card we are hiding, they won't dare act rashly, and most importantly, they'll never unite to besiege us."

"That’s right. Something unknown is beyond their control. And not having everything under control will naturally make every faction hesitate to step onto the field," Zhou Lijian said with a smile. "Once we make an example of the Xuanming Sect and eliminate their active forces in the East Sea, we can focus our strength against the real opponent."

The true opponent in the East Sea was the Great Sun Sword Sect. The Star Sea Sect, Ancient Immortal Sect, and Great Yue Dynasty dared to act so aggressively in the East Sea partly because they had major sects backing them. But another important reason was that the Great Sun Sword Sect had lured them in with the promise of splitting the territory.

In other words, the interest group dividing up the East Sea revolved around the Great Sun Sword Sect as its core. As long as the Nine Cauldrons Sect could destroy—or at least repel—the Great Sun Sword Sect, the many forces entrenched in the East Sea would naturally collapse like a house of cards. There would be no need to spend time and effort pushing through them one sect at a time.

"At this point, we can start paying closer attention and look for an opportunity to probe the Great Sun Sword Sect’s true strength," Huang Tianhao said. "If their strength matches our intel, and no other forces intervene, we can begin preparing for that battle. We do not need to defeat the Great Sun Sword Sect completely, but the East Sea is territory that originally belongs to us, and we must reclaim it."

The various hall masters nodded in firm agreement. Even without other considerations, reclaiming the fourteen spiritual power nodes in the East Sea would be enough to increase the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s annual income by tens of millions of spirit stones. Once invested, that amount of spirit stones would raise the sect’s overall strength and significantly deepen its foundation.

"This is... truly incredible," Jiang Zhouyue said. Yet her voice was somewhat heavy.

She was responsible for the defense of the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s territory. Whenever a city needed defensive arrays constructed, she would discuss it with Gao Shenghan, the hall master of the Profound Array Hall, dispatch array casters, and then have Liang Qiu coordinate resources to deploy arrays at the necessary locations.

Likewise, if the Nine Cauldrons Sect came under attack, she was required to rush in immediately to handle the situation and bring it under control. Only when she couldn't handle it alone would she request support from the Warfare Hall.

But this battle made her realize with painful clarity that if she, as the Garrison Hall’s hall master, were to face this kind of restriction, there was likely nothing she could do. She could not think of a single viable method to counter the disadvantage created by a transmission blackout zone.

The other hall masters present understood what she meant from her tone. Before witnessing this battle firsthand, they knew a transmission blackout zone was terrifying, but they didn't fully understand it. They only knew that the Infinite Star Palace had relied on this advantage to crush the Quicksand Sect without the opponent being able to fight back at all.

Now, after witnessing first-hand the effects displayed by a spirit treasure that could reproduce methods belonging to Dharma Form cultivators, they understood just how enormous the impact of a single Dharma Form cultivator on the battlefield could be. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

It truly meant that if a Dharma Form cultivator was willing, they could easily erase any medium or large sect from the Great Cangwu World at the level of information. The world would hear none of that sect’s voices. The world would see none of its actions. Even if that sect were to be an active participant in certain events, no information about it would ever appear. Under such circumstances, how was that sect any different from not existing at all?

"There is no need to feel that dejected," Li Qingshan's voice suddenly rang out, a gentle strength permeating his psychic consciousness. "We have already endured the most difficult period. Now, everything within our Nine Cauldrons Sect has been moving in a positive direction."

He lifted his hand a little, and scenes from the past several years appeared. They showed Yaoguang repeatedly instructing the sect’s array casters as they studied and refined the spirit-gathering array. "Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang completed improvements to the spirit-gathering array, raising our sect’s standards to the very top level in the world. Even the Infinite Star Palace likely cannot match us. As more and more array casters master these methods, within the next ten or twenty years, every spirit-gathering array in the sect will be completely renewed. By then, our Nine Cauldrons Sect’s total annual spirit stone output is projected to reach three hundred million."

He then switched to another scene. "By vigorously promoting the application of technology in our vassal worlds, in just eighty years, the population of each vassal world increased several times. A massive population base naturally gives rise to more exceptionally talented individuals. According to our data, the number of cultivators with high-grade spirit roots within the sect has already exceeded 49,600. Once our spirit stone output rises further, all of them will have the opportunity to reach the Foundation Building Realm."

As he spoke, more images flashed by. "For those with slightly weaker talent, we have been guiding them toward martial cultivation. In the future, after reaching the third realm of body refinement, they will be able to refine qi into psyche, develop psychic consciousness, and enter the Energy Department. As of today, our reserve of personnel in this area has already reached three hundred million. Once the East Sea and the Shiwan Mountains are reclaimed, they will take up their posts immediately.

"Then there are refined artifacts, equipment, and pills. In terms of flying swords, under Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang’s leadership, we can now produce third-generation, semi-low-grade treasured artifact flying swords. And Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang will certainly be able to design third-generation high-grade treasured artifact flying swords in the future, allowing us to become top-tier in this field. Our pills are slightly weaker by comparison, but Hall Master Wu Qingying already possesses the ability to refine second-generation treasured pills."

Li Qingshan’s gaze swept across everyone in the hall, his words ringing with conviction. "The Nine Cauldrons Sect is constantly growing stronger! With all the new talents joining, including people like Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang, we are advancing faster than ever!"

Everyone’s eyes turned toward Li Qingshan. The oppressive, dejected mood in their gazes gradually dissipated, replaced by a brilliant light.

"Therefore, there is no need for us to belittle ourselves." Li Qingshan’s psychic consciousness echoed through the Void Psychic World. "We won't revere anyone, nor submit to any force. Over these eighty-nine years, advancing step by step, we created the situation we have today. This already counts as a miracle. The Pill Sect, the God-Fiend Hall, and the Yang Psyche Sect have all become passing clouds. Only our Nine Cauldrons Sect’s legacy endures. I believe that in the future, our Nine Cauldrons Sect will continue to exist, growing ever stronger and more prosperous. One day... We will once again stand atop the world, becoming a power on par with the current Six Great Immortal Sects."

"Exactly!" Zhang Ruosheng declared loudly. "We endured until now, but now everything is moving in a positive direction. What do we have to fear about the future?

"Life has gradually improved within the sect, and we have begun to worry about gains and losses. But we are still not good enough yet. Otherwise, we wouldn't have this kind of mentality. To get rid of it, we must grow even stronger and allow the Nine Cauldrons Sect to once again stand at the pinnacle of the world!"

"Hahaha, well said. Then let us begin our return to the world’s peak by reclaiming the East Sea." The other hall masters also began to laugh.

An atmosphere of flourishing vitality, brimming with life and momentum, spread through the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s high-level meeting. Yaoguang quietly observed the entire process. At that moment, he vaguely understood why Li Qingshan could earn everyone’s support and firmly hold the position of sect master.

It was not only because he possessed sufficient methods and decisiveness, nor solely because he held the conviction to devote everything to the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s growth and strength, but also because of his mindset. He would always maintain a passionate, upward-looking spirit, be unafraid of hardship and danger, and calmly face incoming pressure and accept all challenges the world threw at them.

Because of this, no matter what kind of danger the Nine Cauldrons Sect might face in the future, even if everyone else fell, he would never fall. Instead, he would struggle back up, pull everyone else to their feet once more, and resume walking forward.

As Yaoguang pondered quietly, Li Qingshan’s psychic consciousness reached out. "Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang, thank you."

"Why thank me?" Yaoguang asked.

"Without you, this battle would never have been won so easily. Even with the third-generation flying swords you refined, we would have suffered at least twenty to thirty casualties to eliminate over a hundred forty people," Li Qingshan said solemnly.

"You flatter me," Yaoguang answered.

"The matter of Fangyuan Island will still require your effort," Li Qingshan said. "We need an appropriate display of strength to stabilize the surrounding environment."

"Of course." Yaoguang nodded slightly. "I am waiting for the day when the sect reclaims the East Sea and the Shiwan Mountains, so everyone can finally live in peace."

"With your support, that day will not be too far off," Li Qingshan said.