Cultivation: Fortune by Lots-Chapter 585 - 272. Return the property to its rightful owner, repay the debt with one’s life (Two Chapters combined)_3

Chapter 585: 272. Return the property to its rightful owner, repay the debt with one’s life (Two Chapters combined)_3

With the rise of a presence like the Mortal Tao Country, factions arose in stark contrast to the traditional Confucian clans, which have long been producing scholars and protecting their own territories.

Now was a time when these powerful families urgently needed to recuperate and rebuild, and they quickly reshuffled their strategies. At least, the Jingxiang Fang Clan made their stance clear.

In the past, they secretly funded the Great Void Temple, the White Lotus Sect, and the Yellow Sky Sect.

Now, they sought to repair their relations with the Tang Imperial Court.

Expecting them to sacrifice everything for the Great Tang and do whatever the Tang Emperor said was simply unrealistic.

The so-called interplay of leverage and exchange has always been dynamic.

After many years of seclusion, Chief Fang Jingsheng finally made a breakthrough to the Nine Heavens Realm.

And then, for his first move, he targeted the Mount Shu Sect.

But this time, Chief Fang was not suppressing the Taoist Sect.

Instead, he was carrying out an imperial order to suppress a rebellion.

Fu Dongsen, who controlled the important grounds of the Sect Summit of the Mount Shu Sect, was capable of holding out against Fang Jingsheng of the Nine Heavens Realm by combining the forces of the Taiyi Primordial Tower and Qingxiao Manor.

However, their resistance was now meaningless.

After the situation regarding the Mortal Tao Country became public, the Mount Shu Sect fell into disarray.

Even though forces like those of Fu Dongsen had grown significantly, unifying the entire Mount Shu would still require a long-term effort.

Now, they no longer had that opportunity.

Even if Fang Jingsheng, Chu Yu, and Zhang Dongyuan couldn’t dislodge the nail that was the Summit, once Empress Zhang Wantong freed her hands and personally entered Shu, Mount Shu would ultimately fall.

Years of experience with sects like the Yellow Sky Sect, the White Lotus Sect, and the Great Void Temple had taught everyone that such forces could have a foundation, but they should never be exposed to the outside world.

Otherwise, they would be targeted and attacked promptly.

If the first wave didn’t succeed, an endless stream of enemies would continue to encircle them.

At the moment, Shangguan Yunbo was hastening north to Shu, carrying the Expelling Invaders Halberd.

Clearly, Fu Dongsen and the others understood this too.

Therefore, they didn’t stand their ground at the Sect Summit but attempted a breakout.

The method for their breakout was...

"The Summit has collapsed, and the Taiyi Primordial Tower, along with Qingxiao Manor, have used the power of the earth veins to shift and escape underground..."

Just as he entered the region of Shu and was still some distance away from the Summit, Shangguan Yunbo received this news and looked down at the ground.

Both the Upper Primordial Tower above and Qingxiao Manor below were treasures of Mount Shu and had never left the mountain before.

And now, they had actually run away together.

I truly don’t know whether to say that the orthodox lineage of Mount Shu now rests with the Taoist Nation... Lei Jun held his forehead.

Shangguan Sheng glanced at the silent Shangguan Yunbo, not daring to ask anything. He quietly contacted Chu Yu and others at the Summit in private to inquire about the details.

The result of this great battle for Mount Shu, including the failed attempt at escape by Liao Jie, led to the deaths of four cultivators at the Seventh Layer of Heaven Realm. The casualties in the Middle Three Heavens and Lower Three Heavens were even worse.

Wei Qiyue was injured but managed to take refuge in Qingxiao Manor, retreating alongside Fu Dongsen, Hong Jie, and some Shu Mountain cultivators.

Aside from the Taiyi Primordial Tower and Qingxiao Manor, Fu Dongsen also successfully took the North Abyss Divine Spear away from Mount Shu.

The South Bright Separation Fire Cauldron, however, was knocked down.

The High Merit Elders of Mount Shu, Xu Duan and Zhang Dongyuan, both suffered injuries.

Compared to the previous civil strife, this battle resulted in a complete fracturing of the Mount Shu Sect. The losses were so devastating that the term ’Severely Damaged Vitality’ failed to capture their full extent.

Although the Blue Abyss Sword and the South Bright Separation Fire Cauldron remained, Qingxiao Manor, which was located beneath the Summit and connected to Mount Shu’s earth veins, was moved. This caused the entire Mount Ling to sink, nearly collapsing.

The protective barriers of the Sect Summit at Shu Mountain Cloud Peak were nearly ruined. Without the Taiyi Primordial Tower and Qingxiao Manor, it is difficult to imagine the effort and time required to restore its former glory.

Zhang Dongyuan and the others who remained at the Summit, though wanting to cry but finding no tears, had no choice but to compose themselves, calm the panicking disciples, and prepare for reconstruction.

Fang Jingsheng plunged directly into the cracks of the earth veins, continuing his pursuit of the fleeing Fu Dongsen and the others.

But even this trip was his limit; expecting him to fight to the end for the Tang Imperial Court and Mount Shu was out of the question.

Lei Jun and the others resumed their journey, continuing towards Shu Mountain Cloud Peak.

Upon arrival, Lei Jun had no time to reflect on his long-anticipated first visit, as he was confronted with the devastating aftermath of the battle.

No trace of the once enchanting celestial mountain remained, only chaotic Global Spiritual Qi and a landscape of broken mountains and shattered stones.

Zhang Jingzhen, who had previously accompanied Chu Yu and the others to this place, met Lei Jun’s eyes; for a moment, they looked at each other in silence, at a loss for words.

Unspoken, they were both reminded of their own Celestial Master Mansion from years past.

Before this battle, the Mount Shu Sect had been gathering strength through rest and external trade over recent years, gradually repairing the damage from their last civil war, with an upward momentum that was quite evident.

They had over twenty Upper Three Heavens Cultivators.

Not counting Chen Donglou, who had been out of contact for so long that many assumed him dead, they had seven Eighth Heavenly Layer cultivators.

Hong Jie.

Xu Duan, Wei Qiyue.

Fu Dongsen, Zhang Dongyuan, Wang Dongchu.

And the recently advanced Zhang Taigang.

Additionally, Lei Jun had once briefly encountered Ye Dongming. Ye Dongming was rumored to be currently preparing for the Heavenly Moat Tribulation between the Seventh Heavenly Layer and the Eighth Heavenly Layer. If he succeeded, Mount Shu would then have eight cultivators of the Daoist Artifact Refining Sect at the Eightfold Heaven Realm.

But after today’s battle, not counting Ye Dongming who was still at the Seventh Heavenly Layer, the Mount Shu Sect now only had three Eighth Heavenly Layer High Merit Elders left: Xu Duan, Zhang Dongyuan, and Zhang Taigang.

Such strength, in the current world, could still undoubtedly allow it to be called one of the Holy Land Sects. However, compared to its former self and some of the colossal, looming entities around it, its condition could only be described as pitiful.

Just like the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion.

Strictly speaking, they have still not fully recovered from that blow.

Previously, their imposing might had decimated the North and South Lin Clans and the Jinzhou Ye Clan. This was thanks in part to Xu Yuanzhen’s breakthrough to the Nine Heavens Realm, as well as several other special circumstances.