East Continent.
The Alliance of a Hundred Tribes.
Seven days have passed since the conclusion of the Ten Thousand Tribes Assembly.
In these seven days, the landscape of the Hundred Tribes’ territory has undergone immense change. Countless minor tribes have risen in prominence thanks to this assembly, while numerous major ones have fallen into irreversible decline.
Among these, the Ye family and the Qi family, along with the Jiang family and the Nangong clan, are the most noteworthy.
Firstly, concerning the Ye and Qi families, who are rivals of the Jiang family among the Hundred Tribes.
During this period of volatile change, while other families managed to secure some resources, these two families have been in constant decline. They have been on the brink of being encircled and annexed multiple times, their status plummeting. Many families from outside the Hundred Tribes have caught up, subtly aiming to replace them.
And all of this is because of one person.
Xu Mu, or rather, Mu Xu.
Because Xu Mu fought on behalf of the Jiang family, he slew Zhou Jiejie and defeated Zuo Mingqiu. Even the two peerless talents of the Royal Court were defeated by him. Although he voluntarily conceded when facing the Nangong Saintess, it was clear to everyone that Xu Mu was the true Supremacy.
This Supremacy hailed from the Jiang family.
As a result, the Jiang family’s status skyrocketed. Countless factions paid visits, vying to become guest elders of the Jiang family. In the process, they brought abundant resources, creating mutual benefits and helping the Jiang family ascend to become one of the top thirty among the Hundred Tribes.
Moreover, had the Jiang family been able to locate Xu Mu and personally negotiate cooperation with these visiting factions, perhaps the Jiang family would truly have entered the top twenty or even fifteen among the Hundred Tribes solely because of him, becoming a super-clan.
However, since the Ten Thousand Tribes Assembly, the Jiang family has not seen any trace of Xu Mu. Despite the regret, the Jiang family’s high command is already quite satisfied with this outcome. Because regardless of whether Xu Mu appears or not, the Jiang family's rise is already set in stone, a stark contrast to the Qi and Ye families.
Jiang Sheng, Qian Qian, and other Jiang family prodigies have seen their status within the clan soar due to their connection with Xu Mu. Countless outsiders have been desperately seeking to forge connections with them, all for the sake of potentially establishing a future relationship with Xu Mu.
After all, a prodigy of Xu Mu’s caliber has not appeared in the world since Ji Chang. No one doubts his potential, and many believe it is only a matter of time before he ranks on the World Ranking...
And besides the Jiang family, the clan that benefited the most from this Ten Thousand Tribes Assembly was undoubtedly the Nangong clan.
For no matter what, the position of Supremacy belonged to Nangong Huai Tian. Many major clans and foreign powers from imperial dynasties immediately presented valuable treasures and resources, and dispatched numerous guest elders to station themselves at the Nangong clan, thus alleviating their immediate crisis.
The Nangong clan was already a super-clan, with countless Domain Lords overseeing its affairs. They enjoyed close relationships with Baiyun Daoist Abbey and Medicine King Valley. Coupled with the Supremacy’s investiture and the multitude of factions seeking alliance, the Nangong clan’s prestige, for a time, surpassed even that of the Xuanyuan clan, which possessed the Divine Continent, projecting an aura of being the foremost clan in the world.
But it was clear to everyone that the prosperity of the Nangong clan was merely superficial.
Because no matter how many friendly factions or abundant resources one possessed, they had to be capable of defending them.
The Nangong clan was originally capable.
However, due to the chaos that erupted in their ancestral land, countless of their strongest individuals were killed or injured. They required time to recover and even closed their gates to the outside world for a period. This led many clans to cast covetous glances upon this super-clan with a thousand-year heritage.
The law of the jungle, survival of the fittest. Even a morsel falling from a super-clan like the Nangong could sustain ordinary tribes for hundreds of years, let alone the clan itself.
Therefore, no clan wished to pass up this opportunity for a meteoric rise. Even though Nangong Huai Tian had become the Supremacy, they were still plotting and biding their time, though their intentions were less overt than before.
This situation persisted until two days prior. With the arrival of Agu Damu leading a host of experts from the Royal Court, who forcibly intervened in the Nangong clan's internal affairs, those major clans that had retreated began to gather again, their intentions even more frenzied than before. In just two days, they had successively conquered four domains of the Nangong clan, capturing over a hundred cities and plundering immense resources, forcing Nangong Mao Guan to order all clansmen to retreat to the Nangong mountain gate.
If the mountain stands, the clan stands. If the mountain falls, the clan perishes.
The Golden Tent Royal Court intervened, and countless major clans laid siege, pushing the Nangong clan to the brink of desperation. However, the attackers could not breach the mountain gate for the time being, as over a hundred Domain Lords alone were stationed within the gate, supporting the mountain-protecting formation.
These hundred-plus Domain Lords were almost all outsiders who had come due to Nangong Huai Tian's Supremacy status, serving as guest elders. Coupled with the "wounded soldiers" remaining from the Nangong clan itself, and the maneuvering of the Heavenly Water Daoist and experts from Medicine King Valley, the opposing forces had formed a delicate balance.
However, this balance would not last long. The resources consumed by war were immense. On both the besieging and besieged sides, countless experts were withdrawing daily, no longer participating in the great war. As for who would ultimately win or lose this conflict, and whether the Nangong clan could continue to exist in this land, it remained an unknown.
...
...
Tenth day of the siege of the Nangong clan.
Within Baiyun Daoist Abbey, amidst swirling clouds and continuous green mountain ranges, cultivators clad in Daoist robes, upon hearing news of the Nangong clan, would prepare their Dao swords and wine, intending to rush to the battlefield. However, they were invariably intercepted by their respective elders.
Before the abbey’s mountain gate, an elder, adorned with a Dao hairpin, wearing a flowing cloud Daoist robe, and sporting a long beard, stood at regular intervals.
Before these elders stood countless young prodigies, most of them at the Third Realm, with some at the Fourth Realm. They were the most talented and youngest Daoists of Baiyun Daoist Abbey.
Now, they wished to descend the mountain.
But these elders would not permit them to leave, for while their cultivation talent was immense, participating in a war of such magnitude would be akin to sending them to their deaths.
"You naive children, always eager to meddle in affairs you don't understand! Did the abbey spend twenty years cultivating you just to send you to your deaths?!"
Before the mountain gate of Baiyun Daoist Abbey, a Domain Lord realm Daoist named Yuan Tian pointed at the familiar faces before him, berating them furiously, his voice scattering much of the mist.
Daoist Yuan Tian was the abbey's Disciplinary Elder, a figure of considerable authority. Even the external Daoists showed him great respect, let alone these disciples whom he had disciplined countless times.
Yet, today, faced with this fearsome Disciplinary Daoist, thousands of these disciples stood unyielding, remaining silent, like a wall erected before the mountain gate formation.
Daoist Yuan Tian's face was thin. His comically long eyebrows twitched incessantly. After sweeping his gaze across them, he fixed his eyes on a tall, young Daoist and sharply rebuked, "Chang Qing, I order you to return to the abbey. Are you rebelling?!"
The tall, young Daoist, with a sword at his waist, faced the Disciplinary Master’s questioning without fear, meeting his gaze calmly and asking, "Master, my strength is too weak; descending the mountain is suicide. I understand this logic."
"But what I don't understand is, why are you not going?"
Daoist Yuan Tian fell silent for a moment. His gaunt face regained its composure, and he let out a cold snort. "So, you are all attempting to force my hand."
"What, if we old folks don't go to support, you will go to your deaths? If that is the case, then you might as well go to your deaths!"
Chang Qing shook his head, his expression serene. "Master, we will not go to our deaths, but if you do not go, we will certainly descend the mountain."
"The Nangong clan and our Daoist Abbey have a good relationship. Everyone in the abbey has received favors. The Saintess herself has debated with us; we have long considered her our junior sister. If our junior sister is in trouble, how can the sect not aid her?"
Daoist Yuan Tian coldly snorted. "Whether to help or not has nothing to do with you."
Chang Qing's eyes were firm. "We merely seek an explanation."
"Our Baiyun Daoist Abbey has over five hundred publicly known Daoists at the Domain Lord realm, and countless hidden powerhouses in the deep mountains. Those as strong as Uncle-Master Tian Shui number more than five. Saving the Nangong clan would be effortless, so why are we not helping?"
Elder Yuan Tian responded with a cold snort. "If this matter were as simple as you say, I would have descended the mountain long ago. Why would I be waiting until now?"
"Have you considered why our Baiyun Daoist Abbey, as a super-faction independent of aristocratic families, has achieved its current status? It is precisely because we are absolutely impartial and rarely interfere in worldly affairs and disputes. Thus, even though we are so powerful that no family dares to provoke us, we can still exist."
"But if we were to rashly dispatch ourselves this time, we might save the Nangong clan, but who knows if other clans might unite to attack us in the future? The Hundred Tribes might rise up against Baiyun Daoist Abbey for its military might. Do you think such a thing wouldn't happen?"
Chang Qing was taken aback for a moment. After careful consideration, he stated earnestly, "Of course, that is impossible."
"The reason they are the Hundred Tribes is that they are not united. They lack the strength to destroy our Daoist Abbey."
"If I'm not mistaken, Master, you are testing me, deliberately setting a trap with this question."
Daoist Yuan Tian's expression softened slightly upon hearing this, but he immediately let out another cold snort. "At least you haven't lost your mind, young man."
"However, the threat from the Hundred Tribes still exists. More importantly, our dispatch of troops lacks legitimacy. Other super-factions might interfere, such as the Demon Slaying Division, or the Hunters' Alliance. Those are existences no weaker than us. Not to mention the Royal Court has already sent someone; Agu Damu and Uncle-Master Tian Shui have been in a standoff for a long time."
"If we move first, we will be completely on the defensive. Who knows if this is their conspiracy, or what their true objective is? Therefore, we must remain patient, understand?"
Chang Qing, hearing this, fell silent with the other disciples for a while. Then, he took a deep breath and spoke, "Forgive my presumption, Master, but I believe we should still provide support."
Elder Yuan Tian coldly snorted. "What you think is not accurate. I only listen to the Sect Leader Uncle-Master."
"Moreover, that fellow who has an unclear relationship with the Saintess is already on Tianguang Peak, speaking with Senior Brother. Since he was willing to concede for the Saintess, he will surely not stand idly by and watch the Nangong clan be destroyed."
"If he can persuade Senior Brother to act, then the Nangong clan will naturally be safe. Whether we old bones go or not will have the same result. So, what are you brats worrying yourselves sick over?"
Daoist Yuan Tian spoke, spittle flying, his expression one of bitter disappointment. Chang Qing and the others listened, utterly stunned.
The fellow with the unclear relationship with the Saintess was currently at their Daoist Abbey, having a personal meeting with that Human King realm Uncle-Master?
Recalling the rumors about Mu Xu, many young Daoists breathed a sigh of relief. Chang Qing also bowed his head in shame and said, "If that is the case, then the Nangong clan should be out of danger. Disciples will take their leave now."
Daoist Yuan Tian heard this and suddenly called out, "Wait!"
The hearts of many young Daoists tightened, and their bodies stiffened as they stopped.
Daoist Yuan Tian spoke impatiently, "You all keep a close eye on the movements on Tianguang Peak. If there is any news, inform me immediately."
"Damn it, do you think I don't want to act? It's all for the greater picture. You bunch of immature kids, get lost now!"
Upon hearing this, Chang Qing's eyes turned slightly red, and he smiled with relief. "Yes, Master!"
...