The four returned to the headquarters in silence.

The lively atmosphere from earlier had vanished completely. Even Qing Luan, who normally remained calm and composed in most situations, seemed distracted throughout the journey back. Xuan Qing repeatedly glanced around nervously as though expecting the immortal named Lin Mu to suddenly appear again from thin air.

Madam Cold Fang remained quiet the entire time.

Han Yu could tell the woman’s thoughts were probably in complete turmoil right now.

After all, she had existed for hundreds of thousands of years. She had witnessed ancient eras of the world and experienced the rise and fall of clans and sects. Yet even she had never met a true immortal before.

None of them had.

Immortals were beings that should have existed only beyond the heavens. And yet tonight they had spoken casually beside a riverside night market while petting a red cat. The absurdity of it all made Han Yu feel strangely unreal.

Once they returned to the headquarters, none of them spoke about Lin Mu to the others.

Not even a hint.

Han Yu made that decision immediately.

They had no idea what kind of temperament the immortal possessed. While Lin Mu appeared relaxed and even somewhat friendly, none of them dared take risks. A single wrong move could potentially bring catastrophe.

Thus the matter was buried deep.

Only the four of them knew.

Even then, they avoided mentioning his name unless absolutely necessary.

The first few days afterward remained difficult. Han Yu found himself repeatedly recalling the pressure Lin Mu had accidentally released. Even now, merely remembering it made his instincts shiver slightly.

It was the kind of power that erased resistance before it could even form.

Still they could not afford to remain distracted for long. If anything, Lin Mu’s appearance had only increased the urgency of everything.

An immortal had descended.

That single fact changed everything.

Until now, Han Yu and the others believed the descent of immortals might either be impossible or extremely restricted. The Blood Sect had spent enormous effort attempting to contact the Immortal Realm, yet even they only hoped for communication.

But now they knew the truth.

Immortals could descend.

Maybe not easily.

Maybe not freely.

But it was possible.

And if one immortal could arrive...

Then who could say others would not follow?

What if the Blood Sect’s ascended immortals truly responded?

What if several immortals descended together?

The very thought made Han Yu’s scalp tingle.

Thus all hesitation vanished.

The plan had to move forward immediately, they could not allow the Blood Sect time to recover. The longer they waited, the more dangerous the situation became. As such, preparations that were originally intended to unfold over several more years were forcibly accelerated.

Over the next few months, the hidden forces that Han Yu had spent years gathering finally began moving openly beneath the surface. Teleportation arrays that had secretly been established throughout the continent activated one after another.

Hidden strongholds became gathering points. Caravans from the Luan Merchant Union quietly transported weapons, talismans, pills and spirit stones under the guise of normal trade.

The various hidden clans that held enmity toward the Blood Sect all mobilized.

The Frost Bat Clan emerged from hiding fully for the first time in countless years.

Dao Treading realm experts who had concealed themselves for centuries now moved through the shadows. Every single person understood this would likely become the greatest war the Blood Continent had seen in hundreds of thousands of years.

Han Yu personally coordinated everything.

Maps covered entire walls inside the headquarters. Formation masters, scouts and spies constantly relayed information through communication arrays while the Rat Battalion moved ceaselessly across the continent.

And finally...

The day arrived.

Hidden gathering points all around the borders of the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect became filled with cultivators.

The atmosphere trembled with killing intent. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Han Yu stood atop a cliff overlooking the distant Blood Sect territory. Behind him stood Qing Luan, Madam Cold Fang, Xuan Qing, Wu Shuan, Senior Brother Duan and dozens of powerful cultivators from the allied factions.

Farther behind them stood entire armies.

Nascent Soul realm experts floated silently in the skies while Dao Shell realm cultivators adjusted their auras quietly.

The Dao Treading realm experts remained the calmest.

Yet even they carried tense expressions.

The Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect had ruled this continent for far too long.

Today... The first true strike against them would begin.

Han Yu closed his eyes briefly.

Then he gave the order.

"All units prepare."

At the same time, within the Blood Sect itself, thousands upon thousands of Jiangshi suddenly received commands simultaneously.

Commands buried deeply within them for years became active.

The next moment...

BOOOOOOM!

An enormous explosion erupted from one of the outer peaks.

Then another followed.

And another.

Within seconds the entire sect was filled with detonations. Buildings collapsed instantly, Formation arrays shattered violently and flames and smoke exploded into the skies. Disciples screamed in panic as explosive talismans hidden for years activated simultaneously all across the sect.

Many died before they even understood what was happening.

Some elders were caught within collapsing halls while several smaller peaks suffered devastating destruction immediately. The sect had grown accustomed to explosions over the years.

Han Yu’s earlier schemes had ensured that.

Every few days some strange accident or explosion would occur somewhere within the sect. People had gradually become numb to such incidents.

But this...

This was entirely different.

The scale overwhelmed everything before it.

Entire districts erupted simultaneously.

Emergency bells rang everywhere.

"What happened!?"

"Enemy attack!?"

"No, the formations exploded!"

"Save the disciples!"

The elders mobilized instantly.

Peak Heads emerged from seclusion while countless cultivators rushed to stabilize the chaos.

Unfortunately their attention focused entirely inward. Thus they failed to notice what was happening to the barrier surrounding the sect. At several weak points along the massive protective formation... The barrier flickered.

Tiny distortions appeared.

Then suddenly...

SHUA!

Figures emerged from hidden locations.

Dozens.

Then hundreds.

Then thousands.

The allied forces had arrived.

Han Yu’s voice rang through the communication arrays.

"Everyone begin!"

At that instant, the gathered Dao Treading realm experts attacked simultaneously. Terrifying attacks smashed directly into the weakened points Han Yu had secretly prepared over the years.

BOOM!

The barrier shook violently.

BOOM!

Cracks spread across the formation.

The Blood Sect’s defensive arrays were powerful beyond imagination.

Yet Han Yu had spent years studying them from within.

He knew their weaknesses.

And with the sect currently distracted internally... The timing was perfect.

Another wave of attacks landed.

KACHA!

One section of the barrier shattered completely.

Then another followed.

The allied cultivators roared instantly.

"CHARGE!"

"LEAVE NO ONE ALIVE!"

"DESTROY THE BLOOD SECT!"

Armies surged forward like floods breaking through dams.

Cultivators poured into the sect from every breached opening.

The war had finally begun and at the exact same moment... Han Yu activated the greatest scam he had ever orchestrated.

All across the sect... The Jiangshi turned.

Nearly seventy percent of all Jiangshi within the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect suddenly attacked their masters.

The effect was catastrophic.

"AHHH!"

"HELP!"

"THE JIANGSHI HAVE GONE MAD!"

"STOP! I AM YOUR MASTER!"

Disciples screamed in terror as their personal Jiangshi guards lunged at them without warning.

Many died instantly.

Others were ambushed from behind.

Entire patrol units collapsed into chaos as Jiangshi began slaughtering their own handlers mercilessly.

The elders suffered equally.

Many relied heavily on Jiangshi servants and bodyguards. Now those same servants turned into executioners. No one had ever imagined such a thing could happen. Jiangshi were supposed to obey absolutely.

That was one of the foundations of the sect itself.

Yet now that foundation was collapsing before their eyes.

Peak after peak descended into madness.

Explosions.

Screams.

Battles.

Smoke.

Blood.

The entire Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect transformed into hell within minutes.

Even the Heart Peak was not spared.

Inside the Grand Hall, the Patriarch and numerous Peak Heads were currently gathered discussing emergency responses when the massive doors suddenly exploded inward.

BOOM!

Several Jiangshi charged directly into the hall.

The Patriarch’s eyes widened.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?" he roared furiously.

At first many assumed traitorous disciples had invaded.

But the moment they saw the Jiangshi...

Everyone froze.

The Jiangshi attacked without hesitation.

Peak Heads instantly obliterated several of them.

Yet before anyone could process the absurdity of what was happening, alarms rang across the entire sect.

A panicked elder rushed into the hall.

"PATRIARCH!"

The man’s face was pale with terror.

"Our sect is under attack!"