Three days after the battle—
The Immortal Realm did not retaliate.
That made it worse.
Council Hall — Mortal Sect
Shen Yan stared at the border map.
"They're pulling back their forces."
Su Wan zoomed in on the projection on her phone.
"Not pulling back."
"They're clearing the board."
She tapped the edge of the map.
"They're driving low-tier beasts and unstable spirit zones toward our boundary."
A beat.
"They want to force us to choose."
"Either we cross the line to clean it up…"
"…or we let the chaos spill into the Mortal Realm."
Silence fell heavy in the hall.
Shen Yan exhaled slowly.
"This isn't a probe."
"It's coercion."
Xiao Xuanyin remained calm.
"Then we'll follow their script."
Emergency Decree Issued
That very day—
A sect-wide announcement went out.
Mortal Sect — Border Combat Notice
Participation: Voluntary
Combat Equals Cultivation
Full Data Feedback Enabled
Su Wan stared at the registration numbers.
"…Your Majesty."
"…This is a lot."
Xiao Xuanyin glanced over.
"How many?"
She swallowed.
"First wave."
"Eight thousand."
Shen Yan choked.
"Eight—?!"
Border — Chaos Forest
A gray zone where the Three Realms overlapped.
Mutated beasts.Distorted spirit currents.A graveyard for low-tier cultivators.
Until today.
The Mortal Sect arrived.
Not in a swarm.
In structured teams.
"Remember," Shen Yan's voice transmitted across the formation network.
"Our objective is not slaughter."
"It's environmental adaptation."
First Contact
A feral spirit beast lunged from the brush.
In one squad—
A young girl raised her talisman device.
Her hands trembled.
"Don't panic," a retired soldier whispered beside her.
"Its claws are raised too high."
The talisman flared.
The beast froze mid-leap.
"Now."
She punched.
[Target Defeated][Combat Experience +5][Fear Resistance +2]
The girl blinked.
Then grinned.
"…That's it?"
"So this is what they're afraid of?"
Watching From Above
An Immortal Realm elite stood on a ridge, arms folded.
"They're sending mortals to die."
His subordinate hesitated.
"…Then why do they look smoother every minute?"
The elite's expression darkened.
He saw it.
They were reviewing tactics mid-battle.
Marking weak points.
Adjusting formations.
"They're treating combat like homework."
The Roar
From deep within Chaos Forest—
A monstrous howl erupted.
The ground shook.
Trees snapped.
A mutated spirit beast emerged.
Mountain-sized.
Team channels fell silent.
"…That exceeds standard parameters."
Su Wan's voice cut through the transmission network.
"Don't panic."
"Hidden boss."
"Defeat it and rewards are doubled."
The channel exploded instantly.
"Wait, really?!"
"Double rewards?!"
"Perfect, I just unlocked a new skill!"
The Immortal observer: "???"
Boss Battle
The Mortal Sect did not retreat.
Formations unfolded.
Alchemical supplies distributed.
Positioning tightened.
Xiao Xuanyin stood at the boundary line.
He did not strike.
But his presence alone stabilized the field.
Breathing synchronized.
Momentum held.
No panic.
The beast roared.
Charged.
Clashed.
Every impact generated data.
Every injury recalibrated tactics.
And then—
The final strike landed.
The mutated beast collapsed.
System notifications echoed across the entire formation network.
[Large Target Eliminated][Team Coordination +10][Sect Experience Pool Increased]
Cheers erupted.
Eight thousand voices.
No casualties.
Only growth.
The Immortal Elite Retreats
On the ridge—
The Immortal expert took one step back.
Just one.
"…What is this?"
"This is not a mortal realm."
His voice lowered.
"This is a maturing world."
And somewhere far above—
Someone finally understood the shift.
The Mortal Sect had not been forced out.
They had chosen to step across the boundary first.
Not in defiance.
But in evolution.