Jiao Xiuyuan smiled, "It's quite normal for a friend to have such thoughts. After all, we cultivators, from Foundation Establishment to Unity Realm, need to seize heaven and earth, fight for resources. In a sense, all cultivators are potential competitors with each other."
"But..."
Jiao Xiuyuan's tone suddenly took on a mysterious meaning, "The Immortal Ascension Realm is different."
"To attain Immortal Ascension, one needs to defy the principles of heaven and earth."
"The principles of heaven and earth are the Tao of heaven."
"Defying the principles of heaven and earth is the path of cultivators."
"By cultivating the path of cultivators, one can replace the Tao of heaven and achieve Immortal Ascension."
"Cultivators who have reached the pinnacle of the Unity Realm and can glimpse the Immortal Ascension Realm each have their unique path because, before reaching this realm, they have already destroyed all potential competitors."
Jiao Xiuyuan calmly described a path of ascension tainted with blood.
"Unity Realm cultivators, with different paths, have no conflicts of interest."
"Observing the process of other Unity Realm cultivators defying the principles of heaven and earth, whether successful or not, will be beneficial to oneself."
"That's why they agree to assist."
A hint of mockery appeared on Jiao Xiuyuan's dark face, "Otherwise, if you want to mobilize cultivators of multiple levels of Unity Realm, you have to spend a considerable amount of blood."
Li Fan carefully pondered Jiao Xiuyuan's words. After a moment, he seemed to grasp something.
From Qi Refinement to Unity Realm, the required medium for ascension is gradually refined as spirit, qi, laws, essence, marrow, and soul.
As a cultivator's realm slowly advances, encountering resistance from the heavens and the earth increases.
In the beginning stages of cultivation, the resistance from the heavens and the earth is almost negligible.
The main conflicts are manifested in struggles between cultivators.
However, when a cultivator reaches the Unity Realm, they not only have to compete with other cultivators for the chance to sacrifice the souls of the heavens and the earth, but they also have to struggle against the souls themselves.
The situation changes.
Eventually, upon reaching the Immortal Ascension Realm, conflicts between cultivators become almost unnecessary.
It turns into a struggle between cultivators and the heavens and the earth.
...
Although Li Fan was still far from the Unity and Immortal Ascension Realms, they were the ultimate goals of cultivation in this realm.
For Li Fan's future cultivation path, this information could provide valuable guidance.
The value of this conversation exceeded 100,000 contribution points.
Li Fan contemplated for a moment and couldn't help asking the long-buried question in his mind, "I wonder, Friend Jiao, what realm have you reached? You seem to know so much about the secrets of Unity and Immortal Ascension Realms."
Jiao Xiuyuan didn't answer, just smiled and said, "If we have fate, Friend, you will know in the future."
Li Fan nodded and didn't press further.
After ending the communication, Li Fan began to contemplate the information provided by Jiao Xiuyuan.
"The Immortal Alliance may produce a new Immortal Ascension Supreme, causing the Five Elders' Association to conduct trials. This never happened in the previous life."
"Could it be a variable caused by the Tianling Prefecture War?"
"It makes sense, after all, the war involved too many aspects. In the early stages, more than a dozen Unity Realm powerhouses fought each other."
"In the face of life and death, gaining insights is also normal."
"According to Jiao Xiuyuan's judgment, to test the truth of the information, the Five Elders' Association will undoubtedly take more aggressive measures."
"The goal should be to force Unity Realm cultivators to reveal themselves."
"It seems that the overall number of Unity Realm cultivators on both sides won't be too many."
"At least, the sudden disappearance of some Unity Realm cultivators can be clearly seen."
"Well... before the storm settles, it's better to be wise and stay put, not going out." Li Fan contemplated silently.
In the following period, things unfolded as Jiao Xiuyuan predicted.
Chapter 265: The Supreme Scheme Unveiled
Without any warning, the Five Elders' Association launched a full-scale probing attack against the Immortal Alliance.
In the regions close to the Five Elders' Association, almost every state encountered Unity Realm cultivators crossing over, creating signs of anomalies that shrouded the entire state and showcased their might.
Li Fan, who was constantly monitoring the discussions among cultivators through the Tianxuan Mirror, roughly understood the Immortal Alliance's response before many messages disappeared.
Apart from a few states where Unity Realm cultivators appeared promptly to counteract, most states displayed an abnormal silence, contrary to their usual behavior.
They only activated protective formations across the entire state.
In the face of such provocation, the Immortal Alliance did not declare a state of war again.
They simply ordered all states to activate defensive formations, maintaining a defensive stance without launching an offensive.
This invisible display of weakness seemed to verify the accuracy of the information.
Whether it was to obstruct the birth of a new Immortal Ascension Supreme or to take advantage of the rare internal vulnerability within the Immortal Alliance, the Five Elders' Association unhesitatingly initiated another war.
Or perhaps...
It couldn't even be called a war.
Because just a few days later, before all Immortal Alliance cultivators entered a state of preparation, most cultivators hadn't even seen the shadow of the enemy.
The newly ignited smoke suddenly dissipated for no apparent reason.
The Five Elders' Association ceased hostilities and never mentioned the prospect of war again.
This inexplicable turn of events not only left Li Fan bewildered but also surprised Jiao Xiuyuan.
Shortly afterward, with the vigorous propaganda by the Immortal Alliance, everyone finally understood what had happened in these few days and the truth behind the turmoil.
The original war plan of the Five Elders' Association should have been like this:
Unity Realm experts infiltrate the Immortal Alliance's territory, searching for the Immortal Ascension Supreme who is currently defying the principles of heaven and earth, disrupting his ascension process. The rest of the cultivators, under the leadership of Nascent Soul stage powerhouses, launch a fierce attack along the entire border of the Immortal Alliance. This serves as a diversion for the Unity Realm assault team.
The emphasis is on attacking regions without Unity Realm cultivators.
It's also an excellent opportunity to expand territory.
The plan was beautiful.
Reality is cruel.
A total of nine Unity Realm experts secretly entered the Immortal Alliance's territory.
Undoubtedly, they were an extremely powerful force.
They reached the core territory of Tianyu State without being discovered.
Perhaps they secretly congratulated themselves on how smoothly the plan was going.
However, just when they relaxed.
The large formation activated, mysterious light descended, suddenly enveloping them.
A multitude of Immortal Alliance Unity Realm cultivators, outnumbering them, appeared suddenly.
Including those Unity Realm Supremes who were supposedly invited to assist in defying the principles of heaven and earth. They all appeared, looking at them with mocking expressions!
At this moment, the Nine Unity Realm experts from the Five Elders' Association could no longer remain ignorant.
From the beginning, all of this was a trap!
A trap that lured the enemy deep into it!
The claim about Unity Realm cultivators about to break through and ascend to the Immortal Ascension Supreme was false and nonexistent.
It was all to lure the Unity Realm Supremes of the Five Elders' Association to come and obstruct.
Then, to capture them all in one fell swoop!
To tear a piece of flesh off the Five Elders' Association!
(End of this chapter)