Chapter 242: Emerald Purity Sect

Within the quiet, shadows-draped alcove of the Prismatic Forest, Roy leaned against the ancient oak, his dark eyes glowing with a faint, hypnotic crimson thread.

His mind was currently sifting through the shattered, unspooling memories of a high-ranking deacon from the Glorious Mythical Sect.

A man who had proven entirely incapable of resisting Roy’s absolute Mindcraft Authority.

Bit by bit, the intricate geopolitical landscape of the entire Hashian region was mapped out in Roy’s thoughts.

The Hashian territory was immense, divided into four grand mountain ranges, each governed by a regional sect.

The Glorious Mythical Sect ruled the Northern Hashian Mountains.

The Emerald Purity Sect governed the Eastern Hashian Mountains.

The Soul Ordination Sect held the Western Hashian Mountains, while the Crimson Key Sect dominated the South.

Yet, none of these four entities were truly sovereign.

They were merely four small vassal sects operating directly under the overwhelming, tyrannical jurisdiction of the Myriad Heaven Sect.

A super sect that stood as an untouchable colossus over the entire continent.

Every single season, an official envoy from the Myriad Heaven Sect descended into the region to distribute cultivation resources, rare pills, spirit stones, and high-tier techniques among the four lower sects.

However, the relationship between the Glorious Mythical Sect and the Emerald Purity Sect had devolved into deep, bloodthirsty hatred over the past several decades.

The reason was simple, bitter, and eternal: greed.

The Glorious Mythical Sect had systematically bribed, coddled, and established corrupt personal connections with the Myriad Heaven Sect’s regional representative.

Consequently, during every resource distribution, the Glorious Mythical Sect secretly hoarded the lion’s share of the spirit pills and high-grade cultivation veins, leaving the Emerald Purity Sect with scraps.

This blatant favoritism had sparked endless border skirmishes, assassination plots, and bitter rivalries between the two mountain ranges.

It was precisely this unyielding, historical hatred that had driven Roy to select the Eastern Hashian Mountains as the primary stage for his next operation.

The rift was already wide open; it only required a gentle, divine push to turn their petty greed into an all-out, bloody war.

***

Eastern Hashian Mountains — Mount Laobao.

If the Northern Hashian Mountains were rugged, sharp, and oppressive, the Eastern Hashian Mountains were a radiant, breathtaking paradise.

Rising high above the clouds was Mount Laobao, the sacred seat of the Emerald Purity Sect.

The colossal mountain was a natural wonder, its soaring slopes completely covered in dense blanket gardens of multicolored, glowing flowers that filled the air with a sweet, intoxicating floral mist.

Cascading waterfalls of liquid spiritual energy spilled down the quartz cliffs, throwing rainbows across the sky.

High above the soaring, jade-tiled pavilions, hundreds of majestic, white-feathered spiritual cranes circled serenely through the mountain fog, their graceful cries echoing across the valleys.

On the grand, white-marble training grounds carved into the mountainside, thousands of young disciples were currently practicing their martial stances in unison.

They wore the distinct, elegant uniform of the Emerald Purity Sect—a flowing, deep crimson robe accented with brilliant emerald-green silk sashes along the collar and sleeves.

The air vibrated with their synchronized grunts and rhythmic footwork as sword waves cut through the mist.

Just like the Glorious Mythical Sect, the vast majority of the outer disciples were still struggling within the basic Martial Warrior realm, working tirelessly to refine their bones and meridians.

Only the inner elite among them had successfully broken through the bottleneck, advancing into the coveted Martial Master realm.

While the sea of disciples drilled on the lower plazas, two elderly figures walked casually down the high, open-air gallery overlooking the grounds.

Both men wore luxurious, heavy elder robes woven from silver thread.

They walked with their hands tucked neatly into their sleeves, their steps light and effortless—a hallmark of true experts who had reached the Middle-stage of the Martial General realm.

“Have you heard the latest intelligence coming out of the north, Sacred Crane Elder?” the man on the left spoke, his long grey eyebrows twitching slightly as he glanced toward the distant horizon.

The man known as the Sacred Crane Elder chuckled softly, stroking his long, pointed beard. “Of course I have, Divine Hand Elder.

The rumors are spreading faster than a prairie fire. They say the Glorious Mythical Sect is in utter jeopardy. Some strange, radical cult called the Church of the God of the Sky has established a presence right inside their main courtyard.”

The Divine Hand Elder scoffed loudly, a deep look of pure, unadulterated contempt crossing his aged face.

“Hmph! Serves those greedy bastards right!” the Divine Hand Elder spat, shaking his head.

“They have spent the last fifty years sucking up to the Myriad Heaven Sect’s envoy, hoarding our rightful share of the Spirit-Nourishing Pills! Now look at them—getting terrorized in their own backyard by a sudden religious sect! It only proves how soft, weak, and pathetic Sect Leader Mao and his elders have become.”

The Sacred Crane Elder let out a rich, booming laugh that echoed off the painted wooden pillars of the hallway.

“Indeed!” Sacred Crane Elder agreed, his eyes glinting with malicious delight. “Let them bleed! Let them tear each other apart in the north! Once they are thoroughly weakened by this Sky Church, we can finally petition the Myriad Heaven Sect to reassign the regional resource quotas to Mount Laobao. It is the perfect opportunity we have been waiting for!”

Still laughing at the misfortune of their bitter rivals, the two Martial General elders turned a sharp corner and pushed open a pair of massive, carved rosewood double doors, stepping directly into the Grand Hall of Evaluation.

The hall was colossal, supported by thirty towering jade pillars, and packed to absolute capacity.

Hundreds of vibrant young men and women—dressed in fine silk tunics, leather armor, and traveling robes—stood in tight, anxious rows across the polished floor.

Today was a sacred, pivotal day for the Emerald Purity Sect.

Once every year, the sect hosted its grand recruitment evaluation exam, inviting the most talented youths from the cities and noble houses of the Eastern Hashian Mountains to test their spiritual aptitude and compete for a place as a disciple.

The hall buzzed with nervous energy, excited whispers, and the heavy thrum of young, unrefined cultivation mana.

Neither the Sacred Crane Elder nor the Divine Hand Elder paid much attention to the nervous faces of the candidates as they walked toward the high judgment dais at the front of the room.

They were completely oblivious to the shadow creeping beneath their pristine mountain.

Deep amidst the densely packed crowd of hundreds of young candidates, a small group of recruits stood silently side-by-side.

They wore simple, unpretentious traveling tunics that blended perfectly with the common youth around them.

Their eyes were lowered, their expressions calm, modest, and utterly unremarkable.

Yet, deep within their veins, beneath their suppressed mana, burned a dark, unyielding, and fanatical devotion.

They were not mere hopeful candidates seeking martial prestige.

They were the dedicated, hand-picked followers of the God of Beast.

The silent force sent by Roy to infiltrate the heart of Mount Laobao, waiting for the exact moment to strike the spark that would set the entire eastern range ablaze.