Battlefront Province—one of the Tang Dynasty’s 108 provinces—lies far from the Royal Capital and borders the Ming Dynasty. As a result, its people are famously tough and fierce; every cultivator from Battlefront Province carries a reputation for ruthlessness, and it’s common for them to settle disagreements with their fists or swords.
Battlefront Province is divided into thirty-two counties. Currently, twenty-seven counties are each dominated by a top-tier power, while the remaining five are carved up among dozens of second-tier forces.
There are also three major first-rate clans within the provincial capital itself.
So, all together, Battlefront Province has thirty top-tier powers.
Because resources are scarce in Battlefront Province, cultivators often fight bitterly over what little there is.
After so many battles, everyone here has tons of combat experience.
That’s why, in the Tang Dynasty, cultivators from other provinces generally avoid provoking anyone from Battlefront Province.
The Prime One Church has a branch altar in Battlefront Province too. The branch master, Terry Xie, is a mid-Fusion powerhouse. Before he arrived, the church’s influence here was weak.
That’s why headquarters sent Terry Xie here.
Terry didn’t let them down—he rebuilt the Prime One Church’s prestige in just ten years, forcing all the top-tier powers to pay back taxes they’d owed for years.
Actually, they’d arrived in Battlefront Province ten days earlier.
After gathering tons of intel on the local branch altar, the more Ian learned, the more he realized this was one tough nut to crack.
Not only is Terry Xie a mid-Fusion expert, but Ian had studied the history: after Terry dismantled those five top-tier powers, their Fusion-stage leaders mysteriously vanished.
Even if Terry Xie is mid-Fusion, killing an early Fusion expert isn’t easy. If those five tried to run, he might not have been able to stop them.
Yet after all these years, not a single word has leaked about those five Fusion experts. Ian suspects Terry Xie secretly recruited them.
If that’s true, then the branch altar has six Fusion-stage experts.
Sure, Godbreaker Powder can destroy a Fusion expert’s soul, but only if they actually come into contact with it. That’s why Ian coated the jade slip with it when targeting Monty.
If he’d just tried to toss the powder at Monty, it might not have worked—Fusion experts react fast and have ways to sense danger. As long as they’re careful and shield themselves, Godbreaker Powder can’t touch them.
Even worse, Godbreaker Powder is meant to be a secret weapon. If he uses it openly and an expert gets hit, the secret will get out.
From then on, any opponent would just shield themselves with true essence, making the powder useless.
So, head-on isn’t an option, and neither is the old poison trick. Time for a new approach.
“People die for wealth, birds die for food. Evan, what do cultivators really want?” Ian asked. Even though the two shared the same mind, he liked to think things through this way.
Evan replied, “All cultivators want is immortality and strength. For immortality, you need techniques; for strength, you need treasures and divine arts!”
Ian nodded. “Exactly. Even if Terry Xie has them all under his thumb, it doesn’t mean they truly submit. If an Immortal-grade technique appeared in Battlefront Province, do you think those top-tier powers could sit still?”
Evan added, “Not just the top-tier powers—even Terry Xie himself wouldn’t be able to ignore it!”
At that, Ian’s eyes lit up—a plan was forming in his mind.
One day later.
Ten Soul-Split experts teamed up to chase a single youth into Battlefront Province.
With Fusion experts rarely leaving seclusion, Soul-Split cultivators are the top dogs in the visible cultivation world. Ten of them hunting a lone youth quickly drew everyone’s attention.
People started guessing: why chase that youth? Did he have some earth-shattering secret?
Three days passed in a flash.
The hunted youth fled west, crossing Baxia County, Fengyang County, Taiyi County, and Guhuang County. He finally reached the provincial capital, battered and covered in wounds.
Everyone could see the youth was at the end of his rope—he’d be caught or killed by those ten Soul-Split experts any minute.
With nowhere left to run, the youth climbed a tall building in the capital, channeled his true essence, and shouted: “I know the secret of an Immortal’s relic—whoever saves me, I’ll share it with them!”
As soon as he said that, the ten pursuers’ faces changed dramatically, their eyes flashing with murderous intent.
[Sound effects: Boom, boom, boom!]
After a brief clash, the wounded youth crashed to the street, spitting blood.
“Grab him and take him away!”
The only late Soul-Split expert among the ten pursuers spoke up, his face grim.
The nine early Soul-Split experts attacked again. The youth fought back, but was knocked flying repeatedly. After several exchanges, he couldn’t hold on and lost consciousness.
“Go!”
One pursuer grabbed the youth, preparing to leave the county capital.
But just then, an old man appeared with a dozen followers, blocking their way.
“Release the youth!”
The old man spoke.
“Impossible!” the mid Soul-Split pursuer snapped.
“Then let’s settle this by force!” The old man’s face darkened, and with a wave, his dozen followers charged the pursuers.
The lure of an Immortal’s relic was too strong—even a mere rumor was worth risking everything.
The only late Soul-Split expert among the ten pursuers spoke up, his face grim.
The nine early Soul-Split experts attacked again. The youth fought back, but was knocked flying repeatedly. After several exchanges, he couldn’t hold on and lost consciousness.
“Go!”
One pursuer grabbed the youth, preparing to leave the county capital.
But just then, an old man appeared with a dozen followers, blocking their way.
“Release the youth!”
The old man spoke.
“Impossible!” the mid Soul-Split pursuer snapped.
“Then let’s settle this by force!” The old man’s face darkened, and with a wave, his dozen followers charged the pursuers.
The lure of an Immortal’s relic was too strong—even a mere rumor was worth risking everything.