Chapter 215
Six months had passed since the elite Tiger-Chasing forces joined the war.
The two princes of Eastern Wilderness recalled some of their forces during this period, maintaining numerical superiority for Eastern Wilderness cultivators.
Yet the talent drain caused by the dynasty’s division proved more severe than anticipated.
Most major sects and talented disciples in Eastern Wilderness had rallied under the Great Prince of the eastern region.
The combined forces of Third Prince and Seventh Prince accounted for less than forty percent.
This left them gaining little ground against Tiger-Chasing’s trained cultivators in Gathering Qi and Condensing Essence stage battles.
After half a year of steady advancement, Tiger-Chasing forces fully crossed Eastern Wilderness’ western border, penetrating deep into the two princes’ territories.
The long-awaited campaign to annihilate and seize land finally commenced.
Frontline leaders gathered at Central Camp, carving up Eastern Wilderness’ southwestern territories like cutting cake into hundreds of parcels.
Each plot bore an assigned family’s name.
Yet this division wasn’t absolute.
If someone’s appetite wasn’t up to the task of swallowing their allotted piece, rival forces would gladly “help” consume it.
The map revealed over half the white zones labeled with He Family of Wanzhong Forest.
These represented numerous mid-sized Gathering Qi forces across Eastern Wilderness.
Though lacking strength or heritage, these groups held quantity.
Tiger-Chasing cared not for their meager wealth, but the land beneath them.
Territory acquisition remained an insatiable hunger.
He Family’s dominance stemmed not just from He Shenglai, but their razor-sharp Gathering Qi weapon – the nightmare haunting Eastern Wilderness soldiers, yellow wind demon Yang Lingrui.
Witnessing this outcome, families marveled at He Family’s foresight, particularly their heir’s vision.
Rumors said Yang Lingrui had barely reached fourth level as a Gathering Qi youth, lacking notable heritage.
Unknown even in Wangyue realm, let alone to Tiger-Chasing.
Yet He Shenglai spotted the gem early, investing authority and resources to benefit Yang Lingrui and Yang Family.
Many then considered these investments excessive.
What value lay in nurturing a merely promising youth? How strong could he become? Was such effort justified?
Their past doubts vanished when seeing “He” plastered across half the white zones.
The gamble paid spectacularly!
Compared to He Family’s current territorial gains, He Shenglai’s past investments in Yang Family seemed trivial.
Deep in Eastern Wilderness’ southwest lay Flying Eagle Mountain Villa.
Four Gathering Qi families had established this mountain estate nearly a century ago.
Now, all four families had Elders in the Perfected Gathering Qi Realm guarding their territories, their prestige and influence surpassing even the Nanshan Li Family of Wangyue. During the upheaval of Eastern Wilderness’s fragmentation, they’d chosen to fortify their mountain villa and eventually pledged allegiance to the Eastern Wilderness Seventh Prince.
They’d first heard rumors about Tiger-Chasing’s Eastern Expedition two years prior. Yet neither these families nor other inland Gathering Qi forces paid it much heed. The border conflicts had dragged on for ten years, with both sides merely squabbling over scraps of land. None believed Tiger-Chasing could penetrate Eastern Wilderness’s heartland. More crucially, they clung to memories of the great Eastern Wilderness that once dominated four rival dynasties.
Only when Tiger-Chasing cavalry smashed through border defenses did they awaken to the new reality. The crisis now spiraled beyond their control. Though the four families initially planned mass relocation, the Seventh Prince stationed troops behind their lands – demanding they hold defensive lines against Tiger-Chasing’s advance. Retreaters faced execution, sealing all escape routes.
The accompanying cultivators in these troops claimed to be allies, but everyone knew they were the Seventh Prince’s enforcers. Any disobedience would meet immediate suppression. Such iron-fisted methods might’ve worked during Eastern Wilderness’s golden age, but now seemed foolish as the realm fractured.
"Elders! Tiger-Chasing Army surrounds the mountain! No escape!" A bloodied cultivator staggered into Flying Eagle Mountain Villa’s meeting hall.
"Surrounded… Any military correspondence?"
"Yes!" The man produced a blood-crusted letter bearing Eastern Wilderness’s seal. Seeing the emblem, the four Elders dared hope for reinforcements. But their brief optimism shattered upon reading the message – only two words stained the parchment: "HOLD FIRM."
"Hold firm? With what?" roared two Elders. "Shall we let our bloodlines perish?"
The military order clearly abandoned them to die fighting. "Had we followed the Great Prince eastward ten years ago…" one began bitterly.
"Why dredge this up now? We all agreed!" another snapped.
"Your clan proposed it!"
"Enough!" Zhang Wutai’s gravelly voice cut through the argument. The strongest among them looked weary. "Debating past choices helps nothing."
For weeks, reports of fallen Gathering Qi families and sects had flooded in. Only combined strength and accumulated resources kept Flying Eagle Mountain Villa standing. Now encircled, survival demanded desperate choices.
As Zhang Wutai opened his mouth to speak, shouts erupted from the villa’s rear. Rushing to the rooftop, the Elders froze. Eastern Wilderness’s Central Camp behind them whirled within a monstrous yellow wind.