The Sword God of the Universe

Chapter 2553: Chapter 2253: Gradual Progress

The Thunder Warriors were the ones who truly exerted their strength in battle to seize Tiger Roar City. These cultivators merely followed behind the Thunder Warriors, tidying up the aftermath.

After Jing Yan and Xu Yiming finished their transmission, they informed Grand Steward Bai Han and instructed him to send people to Tiger Roar City for routine city management. Now, Hongmeng City is brimming with talent, so dispatching a small group to manage Tiger Roar City poses no issue.

Right after Tiger Roar City was captured, at the distant headquarters of the Eight Gods Pill Sect, Sect Master Ming Ze and the elders were still deploying troops.

"Sect Master, the reinforcements departing from Radiant City will arrive at Tiger Roar City in half a month," an elder said to Mingze Sect Master.

Radiant City is relatively close to Thunder Domain. This city isn’t under the control of the Eight Gods Pill Sect, but the forces controlling Radiant City have a close relationship with the Eight Gods Pill Sect, so after offering some rewards, Eight Gods Pill Sect managed to persuade the powerhouses of Radiant City to rush to aid Tiger Roar City.

"The strongest cultivators of Hongmeng City haven’t left the city; our Tiger Roar City can definitely hold for half a month. Once the powerhouses departing from Radiant City arrive, it’ll be all settled." Another elder nodded.

In the Great Hall, the senior members of the Eight Gods Pill Sect were generally optimistic in attitude.

Mingze Sect Master didn’t speak, but his thoughts were similar to most of the elders.

However...

Soon after, a message was received from Thunder Domain.

Mingze Sect Master’s face instantly turned grim.

"Tiger Roar City in Thunder Domain, we’ve lost it!" Mingze Sect Master’s voice echoed in the Great Hall.

All the elders fell silent at once.

Tiger Roar City has fallen?

What’s going on?

City Lord Jing Yan of Hongmeng City, including a number of Immortal Venerable Peak powerhouses, hadn’t mobilized, right? How could Tiger Roar City suddenly fall in such circumstances? And it’s been less than a day.

"Hongmeng City has a large number of Thunder Warriors. Our Tiger Roar City was violently breached by a group of Thunder Warriors. Zhan Huilan was killed on the spot," Mingze Sect Master took a deep breath and said slowly.

"Thunder Warriors? How could Hongmeng City have Thunder Warriors?"

"Thunder Domain fell, and after Thunder City was breached, weren’t all the Thunder Warriors nearly annihilated?"

When Thunder City was attacked, most of the Thunder Warriors were destroyed. The remaining few Thunder Warriors also mostly fell into the hands of the forces attacking Thunder Domain. Now Hongmeng City suddenly showcases a large number of Thunder Warriors, which is truly unimaginable.

"The Thunder Warriors from Hongmeng City probably aren’t the ones forged by Thunder Domain years ago. If my guess is correct, these Thunder Warriors were likely constructed by Hongmeng City itself. Based on the information we’ve gathered over the years, many remnants from Thunder Domain have joined Hongmeng City; maybe they brought the Forging Book of Thunder Warriors to Jing Yan," Mingze Sect Master sighed.

"Sect Master, even if Jing Yan has the Forging Book, it’s unlikely that he could forge a large number of Thunder Warriors in such a short time, right? Does Hongmeng City have Immortal Array Masters with such ability?" An elder frowned.

Outsiders still don’t know about Jing Yan’s artifact refining skills.

The Eight Gods Pill Sect received news of Tiger Roar City’s fall, and other major forces naturally also learned that Tiger Roar City had been breached by Hongmeng City. One after another, they realized Hongmeng City had captured Tiger Roar City.

These major forces were initially extremely surprised.

Before Tiger Roar City was attacked, the major forces were monitoring Hongmeng City’s actions. They knew City Lord Jing Yan and the Immortal Venerable Peak powerhouses of Hongmeng City hadn’t left the city, so they believed Tiger Roar City could hold until reinforcements from the Eight Gods Pill Sect’s headquarters arrived. Even if some forces or individuals thought Hongmeng City could potentially capture Tiger Roar City, none believed Hongmeng City could take control within a single day.

Too unbelievable.

Subsequently, they learned Hongmeng City deployed a large number of Thunder Warriors. Upon hearing this, hostile forces to Hongmeng City couldn’t help but feel deeply uneasy once again. The stronger Hongmeng City becomes, the less assured they feel. They wish to destroy Hongmeng City immediately, yet they understand they can’t achieve it.

Countless times, Hongmeng City has caught them off guard. It seems every move Hongmeng City makes showcases astonishing power, and each time is more unexpected than the last.

They think Hongmeng City relies heavily on City Lord Jing Yan; without Jing Yan, Hongmeng City would be vulnerable. However, now with a group of Thunder Warriors guarding it, even if Jing Yan isn’t present, breaking Hongmeng City won’t be an easy task. A common Thunder Warrior can entangle ordinary Immortal Venerable Peak Realm cultivators.

"Tiger Roar City being taken by Hongmeng City, Eight Gods Pill Sect probably won’t reclaim it."

"Indeed. Now that Jing Yan controls Tiger Roar City, he’ll certainly leave strong forces to guard it. For Eight Gods Pill Sect to regain it, they’d need to deploy a large number of Immortal Venerable Peak cultivators and a vast army."

"Tiger Roar City is the pillar of Eight Gods Pill Sect in Thunder Domain; losing it... the impact is significant!"

"..."

One superpower after another is likely to discuss Hongmeng City’s seizure of Tiger Roar City for some time.

Hongmeng City’s capture of Tiger Roar City marks its first proactively initiated war against external forces.

Upon receiving Jing Yan’s instructions, Hongmeng City’s Grand Steward Bai Han immediately dispatched a team of administrators and Array Masters to Tiger Roar City. The formations in Tiger Roar City were forcibly breached by the Thunder Warriors, making repairs somewhat troublesome, requiring many Array Masters and Immortal Array Masters to act. Fortunately, although the formations were breached, most of the formation cores and control nodes can still be used. The repairs will be far simpler than entirely rebuilding them, and the material consumption is negligible.

The entire Kunling Heaven was shaken by the fact that Hongmeng City captured Tiger Roar City within a day.

In the Heavenly Domain, it’s been a long, long time since a city controlled by superpowers was breached.

For Jing Yan, seizing Tiger Roar City is merely the first step in his plan to control Thunder Domain. The road ahead remains long and challenging.

Jing Yan has plans as well.

Eliminating all the forces that have extended their reach into Thunder Domain in a short time isn’t feasible. Even if Jing Yan reaches the Immortal Emperor Realm, it might not be easily accomplished. However, Jing Yan plans to handle this using a balanced approach.

Gather alliances with some, strike others.

For example, with friendly forces like the Golden Toad Commerce, Jing Yan might secretly liaise and negotiate, allowing Golden Toad Commerce to hand over city regulatory rights in Thunder Domain, while Golden Toad Commerce needs to pay certain taxes at a set ratio to Hongmeng City. Essentially, Golden Toad Commerce would be leasing a city in Thunder Domain from Hongmeng City.

There are many complexities involved, and dealing with them is complicated, so it must be approached gradually and strategically.