CHAPTER 69 — The Drums of War
Dawn never came quietly to a cultivation sect—but today, it didn't come at all.
Before the sun's first light touched Cloudsky's peaks, a massive boom shook the mountain range, jolting every disciple awake. The protective formations lighting the sect's borders flared with brilliant blue sigils, buzzing like a hive stirred by a predator.
War had arrived.
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Cloudsky Sect Activates the War Protocol
A deep bell tolled from the central peak—slow, ancient, solemn.
Dong…
Dong…
Dong…
Every disciple recognized the sound:
War Protocol — Activation Level 3.
A thousand steps thundered across the sect as disciples poured from their housing. Defensive formations shone across the mountain ridges like lines of starlight. Array masters spread talisman slips across the ground, their fingers glowing with qi as they carved emergency sigils into stone.
The sky dimmed as spiritual defenses activated.
Lin's group stood at the edge of their courtyard, gazing upward as layers of light spread like the unfolding petals of a lotus.
Bai whistled in awe. "So this is what full defense mode looks like…."
Mu's eyes narrowed. "We're sealing the whole mountain."
Wen gripped his sword. "Then the enemy must be close."
Lin didn't speak.
But his star core pulsed in silent agreement.
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Deployment to the Forward Line
An inner sect messenger sprinted down the path.
"Lin Xuan! Bai! Mu! Wen!" he shouted breathlessly. "You four—Elder Danfeng requests your immediate deployment at the southern forward defense line!"
Wen's eyes widened. "Forward line? Already?"
Bai smirked. "They want the best in front."
Mu shot him a look. "Or the bait."
Lin nodded. "Let's go."
They followed the messenger through the chaotic sect grounds. Outer disciples scrambled to form squads; inner disciples donned armor and strapped weapons across their backs; core disciples took flight toward the high-altitude defense rings.
As Lin's group approached the southern peak, several disciples stopped to stare.
"That's them… isn't it?"
"The ones who fought the demonic strike team?"
"I heard the spear-user killed five foundation experts in a single thrust."
"No, no—Lin Xuan killed a Nascent Soul with one palm!"
"Impossible!"
"I heard he rides a dragon!"
"Don't be stupid. He is the dragon!"
Lin pretended not to hear any of it.
Wen covered his face. "Lin… we're becoming legends."
Bai puffed his chest. "As we should."
Mu rolled her eyes. "Idiots."
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Danfeng's Private Warning
Elder Danfeng met them at the forward line—looking unusually grim.
"You four," he said, pulling Lin aside, "listen carefully."
The others pretended not to eavesdrop.
"The demonic sect wants to cripple Cloudsky now," Danfeng whispered. "Their main target is still unknown, but… Lin… they may believe it's you."
Lin's jaw tightened.
Danfeng placed a talisman in his hand.
"This talisman is linked to the Sect Master's life force. If he falls, the talisman will turn black."
Lin stared at it.
Danfeng's voice dropped to a harsh whisper.
"If that happens, you must run. Do you understand me? Take your team and go. Even if the sect burns."
Lin closed his hand over the talisman.
"…I won't abandon Cloudsky."
Danfeng exhaled sharply.
"You may not have a choice."
He hesitated.
Then added quietly:
"You've grown too quickly. Too bright. Bright flames attract shadows. Hide your full strength unless absolutely necessary."
Lin nodded.
He didn't trust himself to answer.
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First Wave — Probing Strike
The ground trembled.
Wen drew his sword. "Something's coming."
The forest canopy rippled.
And then—
Shadowy figures launched from the treeline, their eyes glowing red with demonic qi. They moved fast—faster than outer disciples could track.
Someone screamed.
The battle began.
"Forward line—DEFEND!" Danfeng roared.
Lin's group surged ahead.
Mu's cauldron rose into the air, flames swirling into a spiraling fire formation.
Wen sliced through the first wave of assassins with clean, crackling sword intent.
Bai's spear thrust exploded into a line of force that skewered three corrupted beasts at once.
Nearby disciples froze, stunned.
"That—what realm are they even at?!"
"That spear—!"
"The alchemist girl, she—she melted that puppet with a single flame!"
"Is this really a Golden Core squad?!"
Lin stepped forward.
A demonic cultivator cloaked in blood mist lunged at him—
Lin flicked two fingers.
A solar ripple blasted forward, shattering the demon's chest and leaving only ash.
Mu blinked. "You said you'd hide your strength."
Lin shrugged. "That was hidden."
Wen choked. "You call that hidden?!"
Bai laughed. "I love this guy."
The first wave collapsed under their combined power.
But Danfeng didn't smile.
He pointed toward the horizon.
"Second wave—larger!"
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Second Wave — Corrupted Beasts and Puppet Army
A thunderous roar erupted as the forest split open.
Dozens of demonic beasts emerged—each one corrupted by blood energy. Their claws dripped acid. Their bones jutted through flesh. Their eyes burned crimson.
Behind them marched puppets—massive constructs stitched from human limbs and beast bones, powered by demonic cores.
Mu inhaled sharply. "This… this is a small army."
Lin's expression didn't change.
"Then we stop it."
Danfeng shouted orders:
"Reinforcements will take five minutes! HOLD THE LINE!"
Wen muttered, "Five minutes in a siege is a lifetime…"
Bai cracked his neck. "Good thing we don't die easy."
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Lin's Group Takes the Front
Bai charged first—spearing a corrupted bear through the skull and flipping its corpse into oncoming beasts.
Wen followed with a sweeping sword strike that unleashed a shockwave of sword intent, slicing through puppet joints.
Mu summoned her flame, and a lotus of pure fire erupted from her hands—melting two puppets into slag.
And Lin—
Lin stepped forward, breath steady, eyes calm.
A demonic beast three times his size lunged.
He didn't even raise a hand.
His star core pulsed, sending a shockwave through his veins.
The beast stopped mid-air—
—and detonated.
Nearby disciples recoiled, trembling.
"H-he didn't even move…"
"What kind of monster is he…?"
"Is this… a human?"
Lin ignored the whispers.
More were coming.
He could feel them.
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The Enemy Reveals Its Real Strength
A distant drum began to rumble.
Low.
Deep.
Bone-shaking.
Every disciple stiffened.
"That sound—"
"It's a demonic war drum!"
"No—no, not now—!"
Blood mist rolled over the horizon.
And then—
A massive formation ignited in the forest, carving a blood-red sigil into the earth. Lightning crackled unnaturally in the sky, and demonic qi surged upward like a pillar.
Wen swallowed hard.
"That's… that's at least a grand formation."
Mu whispered, "This is no probing strike. This is the siege beginning."
Danfeng shouted:
"ALL DISCIPLES—FORM DEFENSIVE RINGS!"
The earth trembled.
Trees shook.
The formation grew brighter.
Lin stepped forward.
His eyes glowed faintly with starlight.
> "The real battle begins now."
The demonic army roared.
The sky burned red.
And Cloudsky Sect braced for war.
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