Five years of simmering tension had brought Lunara to a knife's edge, and the first deep cut came from the Shadow Fang Clan.
Originating from the Satur continent—a medium-sized continent, with the most powerful force being a mid-tier sect called Black lotus sect with their hybrid dao of flame and darkness. There are also some independent forces on the continent but the Black lotus sect has a say in what is right and what is wrong with their sect leader being a late stage Nascent soul realm cultivator. A third of the continent landmass is covered by forests which is the home of nomadic Shadow Fang clan. They roam throughout the forest hunting beasts and raiding cultivators throughout the continent. Though the Shadow fang clan and Black lotus guild refrain from fighting each other head on. Shadow Fang clan being small in numbers fear retaliations from Black lotus sect with tens of thousands of members, and Black lotus fearing the loses which may occur due to the presence of a Nascent soul being in the clan and their nomadic nature refrain from hunting the clan. After the Heavenly Phenomenon, their has been a spike in the raids of the Shadow Fang clan and many independent forces have suffered huge losses even the Black Lotus sect have suffered some losses due to which the sect have been preparing to hunt them down.
But in recent two years their have been no signs of Shadow clan, the raids have also stopped. There are various speculations among the native forces but nothing is confirmed so the forces have been preparing themselves for a sudden major attack from the Shadow Fang clan.
….
In the north-eastern side across the Satur continent there was a small continent called Salva. The strongest force their was a small sect following the dao of earth, with their sect leader being a late stage core formation realm cultivator, controlling the whole continent.
The continent was a well known place among its neighbour, as it was a local trade hub during peace times. In the recent years the continent has lost its vigor due to the recent years rising tensions as nobody wanted to trade in these risky environment. But this have little to do with mortals, their lives was just a little more harsher than before.
It was night time on the continent and everything was same as yesterday. In a mortal settlement, a town to be specific, people were going around there work some buying vegetables from stalls, labours working in mines were having dinners in groups, people were moving around here and there.
Suddenly there was a loud crash sound, people were confused looking here and there, some people quickly found where the sound came from, it had come from the town walls as it was crashing down. Before people could come to their senses, loud roars started coming from that direction and it was getting near them.
It was a beast tide.
And everybody soon understood this as the beasts roars with people shouting and crying were getting near. And every one went into a panic, running away from the roars, while some so fear stricken that they stood there crying and shouting for help. It was a tragic scene.
Suddenly there was a loud sound of bell ringing. Hearing the bell sound some people found their hope, as this was a setting by that sect, to be used in dire conditions such as this beast tide.
….
On a mountain not far from the town was the stronghold of the Iron Blood sect the strongest force of the continent.
Inside the sect, disciples were moving around in a hurry some carrying reports while many preparing themselves to respond to the news of beast tides. Yes, their were multiple beast tides happening all over the continent.
In the sect leaders compound all the elders have gathered.
"What are the recent status of things?" the sect leader asked, he was a robust looking man with a deep scar on the forearms of his left hand.
"There have been no news after the attack on Morby town. Either our disciples there are dead or have ran away and hence not responding." spoke one of the elders.
"Either way it can be said that the beast tides are organized." another said.
"But how can there be so many beasts, their have been no signs of it. It is as if they have come out of nowhere." someone said.
"No matter what is the reason, we should act quickly otherwise our loses will keep rising" one elder said.
"Some of us should go with the disciples to keep things in check and find out the reason for the beast tide."
Soon everyone was looking at the sect leader to make the final decision.
"There can only be two reasons for the beast tide. First due to the shortage in resources in the forest of the beasts, causing them to move outside the forest and rampage all over to reduce their numbers in the conflict and also to get food. Second a Beastmen has risen among one of the groups of beast from the forest." The sect leader said.
"If it's the first case then we have to send disciples and some elders to cull their numbers and the beast tides will come to an end on their own. But if it's the second case, we should prepare to evacuate, as only a Nascent soul beast can transform to a beastmen together with its group members transforming as well. If it was any other time we could have asked for help and organized a hunt in exchange for dao resources. But now everyone is skeptical of each other and nobody wants to find themselves in a vulnerable state while fighting the beastmen." he continued.
"We will send some elders with groups of disciples to nearby areas to quell the beast tide and to look out for any traces of beastmen. And if they find traces of beastmen, they should immediately inform the sect and escape the continent. We will also escape after there are confirmations, after which we will act as rogue cultivators and move around, and in future if we get chances we can come back to form the sect." he said.
Everyone seems to agree with him. And now they should decide who will go, for this they again looked at the sect leader.
"Elder Heren, elder Nina, elder Sam, and elder Augustus will take one hundred fifty disciples each and move to east, west, north and south respectively."
No one had any objections to this arrangement, as though there are some risks in going far from the sect as the dao enhancement will reduce as they move away from the sect but this is also their chance to earn merits and latter convert it to cultivation resources and make progress in their cultivation.
Two of the elders going were in early stage core formation realms and the others were in late stage foundation establishment realm.