Tens of thousands of Misty Sect inner disciples marched towards the outer sect.
The vast crowd surged with a momentum that shook the heavens, and Zhang Ergou, standing amidst them, was infected by their spirit.
As Lingyu Peak only had Zhang Ergou and Liu Cuilan as disciples, with Chi Yu and Chi Ling joining them, they were only four in total.
Liu Cuilan, due to her cultivation level, was forced to remain within the sect.
Therefore, this expedition from Lingyu Peak consisted of only Zhang Ergou, Chi Ling, and Chi Yu.
Compared to the other main peaks, their group appeared rather solitary.
However, Chi Ling and Chi Yu had long grown accustomed to this situation. Whenever a large-scale event occurred within the sect involving the major peaks, Lingyu Peak never had any disciples participating.
After so many years, it no longer mattered.
Although Zhang Ergou had apprenticed under Chunyang Sanren and Qiao Yanyun in the outer sect, he was accustomed to being alone and accepted this situation with equanimity.
...
"Senior Brother Tiandao, you have arrived."
At the edge of the outer sect's demonic beast forest, Chunyang Sanren was also taken aback by the grand display from the inner sect.
He had requested reinforcements from the inner sect, but he hadn't specified needing so many people.
If the approaching demonic beasts saw this, wouldn't they be scared away?
"Chunyang, what is it?"
Tiandao Laoren nodded slightly. Seeing Chunyang Sanren staring blankly at the inner sect team he had brought, he asked.
"Senior Brother, isn't there too many people coming?"
Chunyang Sanren recovered his senses, pointing at the crowd with his mouth slightly agape.
"This... I have my own plans. Although the demonic beast invasion is a crisis for the outer sect, and even for our entire Misty Sect."
Tiandao Laoren pulled Chunyang Sanren aside.
"However, for our sect, it is also an opportunity."
"Opportunity?"
Chunyang Sanren was somewhat taken aback; he didn't understand Tiandao Laoren's meaning.
"Look again, what are the characteristics of the people I've brought this time?"
Tiandao Laoren didn't reveal his plan directly but continued to play a guessing game with Chunyang Sanren.
"Hmm?" Hearing Tiandao Laoren's words, Chunyang Sanren looked back again, but after a moment, he shook his head.
"I don't see anything different. If there is any difference, it's that most of them are inner disciples, with very few elders."
Chunyang Sanren still couldn't comprehend Tiandao Laoren's intentions.
"Junior Brother Chunyang, you've hit the nail on the head. The reason I brought these inner disciples instead of elders for support is related to the opportunity I mentioned."
Suddenly, Chunyang Sanren seemed to recall something, his eyes lighting up.
"Senior Brother, you mean..."
Tiandao Laoren nodded affirmatively: "Exactly. The sect has been too peaceful for many years. Cultivation is not simply about meditation and enlightenment; greater improvement is achieved through practical combat."
"Only after experiencing trials of life and death can one be considered a true cultivator."
"Although the sect holds various forms of sparring internally, and disciples challenge each other, those are merely child's play."
With Tiandao Laoren explaining so much, Chunyang Sanren naturally understood what he intended to do.
Indeed, what Tiandao Laoren said was true. Why was the Misty Sect declining generation by generation? It was because, in an environment of peaceful and comfortable cultivation, the disciples had become numb.
Without truly experiencing the test of blood and fire, they would not genuinely feel the crisis.
Consequently, disciples lacked contemplation on life and death during their cultivation, leading to a scarcity of outstanding individuals.
Looking at these more than ten thousand inner disciples, the future of the Misty Sect, Chunyang Sanren naturally hoped for each generation to be stronger than the last, not weaker.
He also saw the good intentions behind Tiandao Laoren's plan.
Next, Tiandao Laoren gathered the peak masters of the inner sect and outer sect elders to explain his thoughts.
Naturally, no one raised any objections, and they all agreed with Tiandao Laoren's plan.
After discussion among the elders, it was decided to launch a counterattack against the demonic beasts in units of one thousand.
The remaining individuals would be on standby, ready to be deployed when the first thousand-person team could no longer hold or had repelled the beast attack, followed by the second thousand-person team.
The outer sect disciples would be responsible for transporting resources, while the battle would be entrusted to these more than ten thousand inner disciples.
"Report! A large number of demonic beasts have been discovered ahead."
Not long after Zhang Ergou and the others were organized into teams, a disciple who had gone to scout returned with a report.
Zhang Ergou was assigned to the second thousand-person team, which was further divided into hundred-person squads, and each hundred-person squad was split into ten-person groups.
In Zhang Ergou's group were Chen Gong and Li Yao, who had accompanied him to the Grand Competition between the two sects, along with Lin Yueru, Lu Xiaoyu, Lin Yichen, Xiao Qingyu, Wang Teng, and several new faces brought by Chen Gong.
The primary reason for this grouping was the familiarity among these individuals and their previous combat coordination in the secret realm.
Familiar combinations could maximize combat advantage.
The elders understood this principle, so they allowed the disciples to form their own teams rather than forcibly assigning them.
After all, this was a genuine battle for survival, and there could be no room for carelessness.
The elders would not casually risk the lives of the disciples.
After the scout's report, an elder in charge of command led the first thousand-person team into the depths of the forest.
"Roar~ Roar~ Roar~"
Not long after, earth-shattering roars emanated from the demonic beast forest. Although Zhang Ergou and the others were in the second echelon, they were all on high alert.
The first thousand-person team, shortly after advancing, directly encountered the attacking horde of demonic beasts.
The leading demonic beast was initially stunned. When had humans become so proactive? Hadn't they been told that significant reinforcements would arrive only after they had attacked for a while?
It seemed they had been tricked, and they would definitely settle scores with the one who had spread false information.
The leader was a black bear, its eyes darting about. Seeing thousands of human cultivators approaching, the black bear had already considered retreating.
It hadn't even tasted blood yet. If all its subordinates were lost here, how would it manage to survive in the demonic beast forest in the future?
As the leading black bear was contemplating its next move, the inner sect disciples of the Misty Sect, just brought out from the inner sect, were filled with excitement.
They could no longer restrain themselves. Seeing the demonic beasts right before their eyes, they ignored everything else, their gazes fixed on the beasts opposite them as if their eyes were on fire.
"Kill!"
Someone shouted, and various magical skills rained down on the demonic beasts without reservation.
The demonic beasts were still awaiting their leader's command to attack when they were caught completely off guard by the sudden onslaught.