CHAPTER 88 — The March of Three Armies
Before dawn broke over Cloudsky Sect, Lin Xuan stood alone in the grand alchemy hall.
The air was cool.
Still.
Silent—except for the slow, rhythmic beating of his divine cauldron.
A tall figure stepped inside.
Saint Shengyuan.
Though reborn into a young body, his eyes carried the depth of a man who had once walked at the edge of the demigod realm.
"Lin Xuan," he said with a calm bow, "I can sense a barrier. One last wall between myself and my former power."
Lin nodded, gesturing to the cauldron.
"That's why I asked you here.
Today, before war begins… you will regain your full strength."
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1. Lin Elevates a Saint
Lin placed multiple ingredients into the cauldron—each chosen personally from within his inner Earth, then upgraded to peak Celestial grade.
Mu watched from the doorway, jaw dropping.
"These… these ingredients alone could bankrupt kingdoms."
Lin focused, ignoring her.
The cauldron swirled with solar fire and lightning arcs.
Shengyuan closed his eyes, sensing the heat.
"To think… a child could refine pills that rival those made by divine alchemists."
Lin smirked softly.
"I'm not a child anymore."
The first pill formed—a luminous core of pure qi.
Then a second.
A third.
All glowing with the intensity of miniature suns.
Mu held her breath.
"These are… Mid-Nascent Soul Ascension Pills?"
"No."
Lin lifted the first pill.
"These are Peak Nascent Soul Pills.
Enough power to push a saint to the absolute limit of what this realm can sustain."
Shengyuan knelt reverently.
"Lin Xuan… you honor me."
Lin placed the pill in the saint's hand.
"No.
You will honor Cloudsky Sect by surviving what is to come."
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2. Shengyuan Breaks Through
The saint swallowed the pill.
The ground rumbled.
WHOOOOOOM—!!!
A pillar of silver-blue light erupted from Shengyuan's body, scorching the earth around him.
Mu staggered back.
Wen shielded his eyes.
Even Bai, in human form, whistled low.
"Damn. He wasn't kidding."
The saint's aura skyrocketed—
Foundation
→ Mid Foundation
→ Late
→ Peak
→ Golden Core
→ Early Nascent Soul
→ Mid
→ Late
And finally—
PEAK NASCENT SOUL REALM
A force like a storm tore through the alchemy hall.
Shengyuan exhaled slowly, opening his eyes.
"I have returned."
Lin nodded.
"One more pillar for Cloudsky."
The saint bowed deeply.
"And I will stand at your side until my last breath."
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3. Lin's Group Enters the Scripture Pavilion
Outside, the rest of Lin's core group stood before the towering doors of the Scripture Pavilion—the ancient building that housed Cloudsky Sect's greatest techniques.
The pavilion master bowed deeply.
"Grand Elder Lin, the Sect Master has granted your party temporary unrestricted access."
Mu's eyes sparkled.
Wen nearly cried.
Bai grinned like a fiend.
Inside, the three split off:
Mu
She headed straight for the alchemist section, locating forbidden cauldron arts that boosted pill efficacy and flame control.
"These… will let me support Lin better."
Wen
He found shadow movement arts—stealth, assassination, misdirection.
Techniques once sealed for fear of misuse.
"These will help me protect them."
Bai
He went to the spear and dragon arts section.
His dragon blood hummed, guiding him.
He found ancient scrolls older than Cloudsky Sect itself.
"Perfect."
Lin observed all three with pride.
"Learn quickly. Tonight, we march."
---
4. The Cloudsky Army Gathers
Night fell.
Cloudsky Sect was a fortress of movement.
Armored disciples assembled in the valley below.
Nascent Soul elders hovered above them like war gods.
The Sect Master stood at the front—his restored power radiating like a blazing star.
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master arrived with her own elite squad.
Lin stepped onto the highest platform overlooking the forces—
Bai at his side, Shengyuan behind him, Aurora hovering above his shoulder.
Whispers spread across the army.
"That's Lin Xuan…"
"He slew a Nascent Soul with a single strike…"
"He brought a dragon…"
"He's younger than my grandson…"
"He saved the sect."
Lin raised a hand.
Silence fell instantly.
---
5. Lin's Speech Before War
"Cloudsky Sect," he shouted, voice amplified with qi,
"the demonic alliance marched upon us not once, but twice."
Growls rose from the disciples.
"We lost many good brothers and sisters."
Silence grew heavier.
"But today—"
Lightning flickered across Lin's eyes.
"—we march to end this war."
The ground trembled as the army roared.
"CLOUDSKYYYYY!!!"
Bai stepped forward.
"Whoever stands in our way—dies."
Shengyuan pointed his sword toward the distant mountains.
"We reclaim our dignity."
Aurora flared with light.
"And we reclaim our future."
Lin lifted his spear.
"Move out!"
---
6. A Spy Among the Ranks
As the army began to march, Elder Shan noticed a shadow breaking from formation.
A man—an outer disciple—slipping toward the forest with suspicious stealth.
Shan narrowed his eyes.
"…A spy?"
Mu sensed it too.
"Senior Brother Lin—I'll handle it."
But Wen stepped out of the shadows.
"I'm faster."
He vanished.
Thirty breaths later—
He returned dragging the unconscious disciple.
Lin's eyes narrowed as he examined the man.
A faint demonic seal pulsed beneath the spy's skin.
"A sleeper agent."
Wen nodded grimly.
"He was about to send a message."
Lin extended his hand.
Lightning burned the seal from existence.
"Interrogate him. We need to know what he learned."
Wen bowed.
"As you command."
---
7. The Alliance Prepares Their Trump Card
Meanwhile, deep within the demonic alliance headquarters—a vast black citadel—five masked Great Elders encircled a massive ritual circle.
In the center floated a grotesque, pulsating heart the size of a boulder.
One elder hissed:
"Cloudsky's grand elder lived…"
Another snarled:
"And he has a dragon."
A third pointed to the ritual heart.
"Then we unleash the Abomination King."
Silence.
Then dark laughter.
"The war begins… now."
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8. The Dragon Vanguard's First Strike
Lin's vanguard—himself, Bai (dragon form), Shengyuan, Mu, Wen, and thirty elite disciples—descended first onto the enemy's forward camp.
The demonic outpost was heavily fortified.
But Lin didn't slow down.
He whispered:
"Bai… go."
The young dragon grinned.
"With pleasure."
He soared into the sky—
ROOOOOOOOOAAAR—!!!
A golden inferno erupted below.
The demon outpost exploded in a wave of divine fire.
Shengyuan launched sword beams that bisected the fleeing commanders.
Mu hurled upgraded explosive talismans that shattered defensive walls.
Wen killed every assassin who tried to slip away unnoticed.
Lin stood in the center of the burning camp, spear in hand.
"Forward," he commanded.
The Cloudsky army swept in behind them.
War had begun.
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