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In the Tager Desert, the scorching sun hung high in the sky, heating the sand below.
The wind was light, stirring subtle ripples on the dunes.
War drums thundered like thunder, and cries of battle resounded through the sky. Weapons clashed, and screams were endless. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers were locked in a life-and-death struggle in this desert.
"How dare the Yunlan Sect launch an attack? Do they want to start a decisive battle?" Xie Shan, the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect, had a look of confusion on his face.
"Now is not the time to investigate the reason. Since things have come to this, we can only fight." Beside him, the Little Fairy Doctor, dressed in a dark green robe that concealed her appearance, was surrounded by a faint green mist, and a circle of corpses lay around her.
She cast her gaze towards the sky, where Jia Xingtian and Yun Yun were approaching together. Their auras locked onto each other, clashing in the sky.
"I am very surprised that your Jia Ma Empire would make such a decision."
In truth, Yun Yun also didn't understand why Yun Shan would decide to initiate a decisive battle, a single battle to determine victory, but she could only obey.
Jia Xingtian was even more displeased, feeling that this move was too risky, but due to Yun Shan's strength, he couldn't object.
Following Yun Shan into a risky battle might lead to victory, but strongly opposing him and incurring Yun Shan's displeasure, causing him to withdraw, would undoubtedly lead to defeat.
However, he also harbored a faint worry in his heart, fearing that after repelling the Chu Yun Empire, Yun Shan would be unchecked, and in the future, the Jia Ma Empire might be renamed the Yunlan Empire.
Yun Yun said with a cold face, "More words are useless. Let's fight."
"Heh heh, indeed, more words are useless." The Little Fairy Doctor erupted with the terrifying aura of a peak Dou Emperor.
The three of them fought in a chaotic melee.
In the distant sky, "Yun Shan" and Xie Bi Yan stood opposite each other. "Yun Shan" wore a white robe, with a youthful face and hair like a crane's, appearing to possess the demeanor of an immortal and a master.
Xie Bi Yan was hunched over, leaning on a walking stick, looking very ugly.
"Heh, Yun Shan, do you think you have a chance of winning? If it weren't for certain reasons, and I needed this war to continue, the Chu Yun Empire's army would have already breached the Jia Ma Empire Royal Family's imperial city." Xie Bi Yan's gloomy face held a hint of mockery.
"Yun Shan" revealed a playful expression: "Do you think I used my full strength before?"
Xie Bi Yan swung his walking stick, striking down fiercely, and a faint blue beam of light burst forward.
"Yun Shan" extended his right hand, and dense wind-attribute energy surged on his palm.
Their battle did not last long before concluding, as Xie Bi Yan was struck down from the sky by "Yun Shan" with a single move, "Wind Kill Finger."
After letting out an angry roar of "Retreat," he left without looking back.
The Little Fairy Doctor's expression changed, and she released a layer of poisonous mist, immediately retreating with it.
Yun Yun used a wind-attribute Dou Technique to disperse the poisonous gas, and seeing that the Heavenly Poison Woman had already moved far away, she hesitated for a moment and did not pursue.
The Dou Emperors and Dou Kings in the Chu Yun Empire's army, upon seeing Xie Bi Yan defeated and fleeing, also reacted immediately.
Some successfully retreated, while others failed, being tightly held by their opponents and then surrounded by other powerhouses who had freed up their hands, leading to their tragic demise.
The war came to an end.
Yun Yun was stained with a lot of blood… She had also participated in the slaughter of the Chu Yun Empire's powerhouses who had not managed to retreat in time.
She came to "Yun Shan's" side, opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to ask something.
"Yun Shan" glanced at her and said, "Are you asking me why I didn't end this war sooner?"
Yun Yun nodded: "This student does not understand."
"I am the Sect Master of the Yunlan Sect," "Yun Shan" said leisurely.
Yun Yun understood now. She wasn't a fool; she could see how much benefit the Yunlan Sect had gained from this war, and how much its influence and power had expanded.
If the Jia Ma Empire's legitimacy originally lay with the Jia Ma Empire Royal Family, now the Yunlan Sect, in the eyes of the various forces within the Jia Ma Empire, had already surpassed the Royal Family. Even if it wanted to completely seize power in the Jia Ma Empire, it wouldn't cause too much upheaval or significant backlash.
Other forces would not object; they might even "bring food and drink to welcome the king's army."
This was Jia Xingtian's greatest concern all along, but he was helpless. The current Yun Shan was despairingly strong.
"Teacher, do you want to replace the Jia Ma Empire Royal Family?" Yun Yun couldn't help but ask.
"Replace them for what?" "Yun Shan" scoffed, appearing disdainful.
"Ah?" Yun Yun was startled.
"Yun Shan" said earnestly:
"Yun'er, let me teach you another lesson… You must remember, this is a World where great power belongs to oneself. Factional power is merely an appendage of one's own great power, a supplement to one's strength."
"The purpose of expanding one's influence is not for the submission of others, but for the convenience of acquiring resources."
"The reason I expanded the Yunlan Sect's influence to this extent is not because my ambition is so great, but because only with such a large influence can it provide me with enough cultivation resources. My own strength is worthy of such a large influence!"
"Blind expansion is merely self-destruction, but if your strength is sufficient, you must expand, otherwise without enough resources, you can only stand still, or even gradually lose what you currently possess."
"Of course, this kind of expansion is not expansion in the narrow sense, not referring to how much territory is ruled or how many people submit, but more broadly, the scope of your influence's radiation, the range within which you can acquire resources through various means."
"As for the title of the Jia Ma Empire Royal Family that Jia Xingtian cares about… Heh heh, only they would care about that."
Uh… Actually, I also care a little, thinking it's a very important thing… Yun Yun thought silently to herself.
At the same time, she also reflected: Is this Teacher's magnanimity, Teacher's demeanor? It seems compared to Teacher, I still have many shortcomings and much to improve upon.
…
At night, the soldiers tirelessly and smilingly cleaned the battlefield. They liked this job because they often had unexpected income.
The powerhouses above Dou King in the Jia Ma Empire gathered together for a banquet.
Yun Yun and Jia Xingtian became the focus of the banquet.
During this time, Jia Xingtian subtly inquired about Yun Yun's views on the Jia Ma Empire Royal Family. Yun Yun clearly stated that Yun Shan would not entertain such thoughts, but Jia Xingtian clearly wasn't very convinced.
Meanwhile, "Yun Shan," who had ended the war, came alone to a secluded bamboo forest and looked up at the bright moon in the sky.
A figure surrounded by black mist appeared beside him. This time, Protector Wu did not let out his characteristic "hehe" laughter; he couldn't laugh…
Protector Wu suppressed his anger and questioned, "Yun Shan, why did you end this war so early? I haven't collected enough souls yet!"
He had planned for so long, naturally not satisfied with such a small gain. This war, due to "Yun Shan's" actions, ended much earlier than he had expected, and fewer powerhouses perished.
"Yun Shan" smiled, not particularly bothered by Protector Wu's resentment and anger. He said softly, "Xiao Yan is coming. Didn't your Soul Hall deal with him?"
Protector Wu was startled, and asked in confusion, "That boy who escaped from the Xiao Family? I'm not sure, the higher-ups haven't given any related tasks… I suppose they don't care."
After Protector Wu handed over "Xiao Zhan" and "the souls of the Xiao Family members," he didn't receive any feedback.
However, the reward had already been received, so he assumed that the higher-ups had achieved their goal and didn't pay any more attention.
"I received news that he is bringing seven Dou Emperors and is heading this way," "Yun Shan" said lightly.
"Seven Dou Emperors?" Protector Wu was slightly surprised.
"Since you don't value him, then he will be left to my Yunlan Sect to be my disciple's husband. Of course, the premise is that he hasn't discovered the Yunlan Sect's involvement in the Xiao Family's affair… I will compensate your loss with the soul of a Dou Ancestor, how about it?" "Yun Shan" said.
Protector Wu raised an eyebrow: "The soul of a Dou Ancestor? Not enough, two."
"Alright."
Protector Wu nodded, saying nothing more. The compensation Yun Shan promised actually carried a certain deterrent.
After all, even Protector Wu himself wasn't confident in killing a Dou Ancestor.
Since Yun Shan had such confidence, it meant that he was no longer someone he could easily manipulate.
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