"A Sect Mobilization Order?" Han Yi's mind reeled. It was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing.
"Yes," Chu Jinmo nodded, lowering her voice. "A Demon Cave has appeared east of the Jade Capital Mountain Holy Land and west of the Grand Void Sect."
"The Great Qian Immortal Kingdom has issued an order for all sects within its territory to dispatch forces to contain and eradicate it, preventing the Demon Cave from expanding further."
"As the Profound Pill Sect, ranking just below the three major sects, we are naturally obligated to respond." Chu Jinmo sighed.
"Do you remember the Heavenly Demon invasion of Little Spirit Void Peak, the one that made you think the sky was falling? That was merely caused by a single Great Heavenly Demon who escaped from the Demon Cave."
"But inside the Demon Cave lurk not only Great Heavenly Demons equivalent to Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators in the Cultivation World, but also Heavenly Demon Kings, Heavenly Demon Lords, and even Heavenly Demon Gods comparable to Transformation God Stage experts."
"This matter now threatens the very security of the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom." Chu Jinmo's voice was somber, clearly weighed down by the gravity of the situation.
Han Yi, meanwhile, was utterly bewildered.
Before he could ask any questions, Chu Jinmo abruptly said, "In any case, Junior Brother Han, prepare as soon as possible. I have urgent matters to attend to. Farewell for now," and hurried away.
"A Demon Cave?"
"And it's located east of the Jade Capital Mountain Holy Land, one of the two great Holy Lands, and west of the Grand Void Sect, one of the three major sects."
"Moreover, the Demon Cave is inhabited by even more formidable entities: Heavenly Demon Kings, Heavenly Demon Lords, and Heavenly Demon Gods."
"To eradicate this threat, the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom has issued a mobilization order, requiring all sects within its borders to send forces for a joint assault."
Han Yi stood motionless, processing the information Chu Jinmo had just shared.
Yet inwardly, he remained utterly bewildered. He knew nothing about "Demon Caves." As for the two great Holy Lands and three major sects, he was familiar with them.
Within the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom, the two great Holy Lands were the Jade Capital Mountain Holy Land and the Myriad Stars Sea Holy Land. Both were home to Transformation God Stage powerhouses, possessed profound historical foundations, and predated the kingdom's founding by countless millennia.
The three major sects were the Grand Void Sect, the Southern Dipper Divine Palace, and the Scarlet Cloud Sword Sect. Each boasted multiple Nascent Soul Stage experts and controlled resources second only to those of the kingdom and the two Holy Lands, dwarfing the Profound Pill Sect's influence by orders of magnitude.
Han Yi didn't press Chu Jinmo for more details. Her willingness to share so much already demonstrated the strength of their friendship.
Afterward, Han Yi sought out Zheng Hai, only to find that Zheng Hai knew even less than he did. Together, they then traveled to Little Dragon's Whisker Peak to find Guan Di.
Four years had passed, but Guan Di remained at the peak of the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, unable to break through to the Seventh Layer.
Although only a single step separated the Sixth and Seventh Layers, the difference in power was immense. This was why Seventh Layer cultivators resided on the Inner Peak, while those at the Sixth Layer lived on the Outer Peak.
"I don't know either, but something definitely feels off within the sect lately. On Vermilion Bird Peak, I sense undercurrents stirring."
"Your cultivation realms are still low. Stay out of trouble for now, and especially, don't descend the mountain."
Guan Di's expression grew grave, his tone tinged with uncertainty.
Han Yi didn't reveal what Chu Jinmo had told him. Instead, he inquired about the situation on Little Spirit Void Peak and the sect's overall state, voicing his own concerns.
As expected.
Guan Di, who oversaw the Management Hall on Vermilion Bird Peak, had also sensed anomalies, even without concrete information.
Shortly after, Han Yi and Zheng Hai departed Little Dragon's Whisker Peak, their hearts heavy.
A week later.
An announcement from the Sect Leader reverberated throughout the Inner and Outer Peaks, stirring up a storm. The undercurrents of unease within the Profound Pill Sect had officially escalated into a state of mobilization.
In the spacious backyard...
Han Yi's expression turned grave.
"So, the Profound Pill Sect needs to dispatch three Golden Core cultivators, twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators, four hundred Late-Stage Qi Refining practitioners, and three thousand Mid-Stage Qi Refining practitioners to the outskirts of the Demon Cave to encircle and eliminate the escaped Heavenly Demons?"
Zheng Hai sat across from Han Yi, his face even darker than usual, his voice tinged with frustration.
"If I'd known this was coming, I wouldn't have rushed to break through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer. Damn it, they dug a pit and waited for me to fall right in."
"Bad luck," Han Yi muttered.
A few days earlier, Zheng Hai had secluded himself to advance to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, seeking greater safety and strength. He had barely emerged from his retreat when the mobilization order arrived, leaving him with a bitter taste in his mouth, like swallowing a live fly.
Han Yi felt equally indignant on behalf of his friend.
"There's no turning back now. We need to find a way to cope."
Zheng Hai grumbled, "What way is there to find? The Outer Sect boasts a hundred thousand disciples, but there are probably only about eight thousand at the Mid-Stage Qi Refining level. Drawing three thousand from that pool means nearly a forty percent chance of being selected. We're at the mercy of fate."
Han Yi narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. He mentally reviewed the information he had gathered over the past few days. Since the Sect Leader issued the mobilization order three days prior, all relevant intelligence had been widely disseminated.
Han Yi now understood what a "Demon Cave" truly was.
In the Cultivation World, a Demon Cave referred to a place where Heavenly Demons gathered. More specifically, it was a location occupied by Heavenly Demons that had possessed the bodies of cultivators, allowing them to manifest their true forms.
The Cultivation World and the outer realms were originally separate, with Heavenly Demons only able to descend through specific channels.
For example, when a cultivator broke through to a higher realm, a temporary coordinate would appear in the outer realms. Heavenly Demons near this coordinate would be drawn to it, passing through the temporary channel to descend into the Cultivation World.
Moreover, the temporary channel opened during a breakthrough could only allow Heavenly Demons of equal or lower cultivation realm than the cultivator to pass through. This was a self-preservation mechanism of the Cultivation World.
However, exceptional circumstances could arise. For instance, a fierce battle between two Transformation God Stage powerhouses might shatter the barrier between realms, creating a breach. Heavenly Demons near this breach could then descend directly into the Cultivation World, regardless of their strength.
Among these descending demons, if there were a Heavenly Demon Lord equivalent to a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, it could establish a Heavenly Demon Ritual to widen and maintain the breach, continuously drawing more Heavenly Demons through.
The descended Heavenly Demons gathered beneath the gateway, seizing the bodies of cultivators to manifest their true forms and wreak havoc across the land.
Rumor had it that other Cultivation Worlds had been completely overrun by Heavenly Demons using this very method, turning cultivators into livestock to be farmed and slaughtered.
And now, it was happening here.
A gateway had been opened, though Han Yi's current level of cultivation was far too low to comprehend the underlying reasons.
The invading Heavenly Demons swiftly occupied the territory, annihilating Giant Que Mountain—a power rivaling even the Profound Pill Sect—and establishing a Heavenly Demon Ritual to summon more Heavenly Demon Lords and even several Heavenly Demon Gods.
The situation was dire.
Even the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom and the Jade Capital Mountain Holy Land had suffered setbacks in their counterattacks, leaving them with no choice but to gradually eradicate the threat.
This was the reason for the mobilization orders now circulating among the sects throughout Great Qian.
"Mid-Stage Qi Refining cultivators make up approximately forty percent of those being selected."
"And it's not a lottery—it's a selection process."
Han Yi emphasized the word "selection."
"Han Yi, do you have a way to evade this conscription?" Zheng Hai's eyes lit up.
Over the past three years, he had witnessed his friend's extraordinary transformation. Whether it was in pill refinement, cultivation realm, strength, or connections, Han Yi seemed like a completely different person compared to three years prior.
If not for his enduring familiarity, Zheng Hai would have suspected Han Yi had been possessed by another entity.
Han Yi shook his head slightly.
He had a few leads, but whether they would work remained to be seen. He would have to put them into practice to find out.
"Don't worry too much," Han Yi reassured his friend. "Based on my assessment, the selection for Mid-Stage Qi Refining will primarily focus on those at the Fifth Layer. The Fourth Layer has only just entered the mid-stage, and their strength, while superior to the Third Layer, is only marginally so."
"As for the Sixth Layer, they serve as reserves for the Late-Stage Qi Refining. The Sect will undoubtedly think twice before letting them go."
After comforting his friend, Han Yi left Little Boulder Peak and returned to Little Spirit Void Peak.
This time, instead of heading straight to his courtyard, he went directly to the main building on Little Spirit Void Peak to meet someone.