Immortal Road.

Lin Shan looked around and found that everyone had a bottle, but they were all wrapped in protective packaging, so he didn't know how much was in each person's bottle.

But one could roughly guess that the people sitting around him were probably about the same size as himself, and there would likely be even more top-tier holy masters on the stage.

He picked it up, poured one into his palm, and smelled it. A refreshing fragrance wafted over, confirming that it was undoubtedly a sixth-grade Earth Spirit Pill. This kind of pill was an excellent item for improving cultivation in the Nascent Soul stage, and people usually couldn't bear to take it.

In the lower realm, due to the concentration of spiritual energy, one can barely breathe in the early stages of the primordial spirit, but in the middle and later stages of the primordial spirit, relying solely on one's own arduous cultivation becomes as slow as a tortoise crawling.

Without the assistance of spiritual treasures from heaven and earth, it would be difficult to make further progress.

Most people on the field put it away, because those who came were all avatars, so they had to take it back to their original bodies. Not many people tested it on the spot.

Next up are the powerful cultivators. They don't need the Earth Spirit Pill. The Pure Lotus Hermit distributes deposits based on each person's pre-arranged needs, which are mostly treasures related to breaking through to the seventh step of the Nascent Soul stage.

Over a hundred people—that's no small number!
Even in every spiritual tide of Wan Hui Nian, if there is one item worthy of a primordial spirit or a great supernatural being, it can be considered a treasure to be the grand finale, let alone this is just a deposit.

If they actually win the fight, the final payment will be an astronomical figure!
Therefore, everyone speculated that the Golden Palace Terrace in the Upper Realm spent a huge amount of money to send these supplies to the Lower Realm to help Layman Jinglian win over the hearts of the people.

Lin Shan squinted at the other side of the river, where a figure gave him a slight nod. It was none other than Venerable Yu She.

She was the only one from the sea tribe, and her group was too small to be of any real significance, so she was not invited to be a guest of honor by Layman Jinglian and was instead seated on either side.

However, as agreed, she arrived early and took out the Tongtian Lingbao Water-Dividing Flag, asking the Pure Lotus Hermit to help repair it. After the repair was completed, the hermit also made a condition: he would temporarily take control of it for this battle and return it to her after the Black Lotus Sect was wiped out.

Venerable Yushe naturally had no objection.

Seeing such a grand scene, with such a massive momentum, far surpassing previous battles of the Spirit Tide, most people believe that this battle is in the bag and the Black Lotus Sect is bound to lose!

Therefore, many people are secretly eager to perform well in this battle and receive the reward of a sixth-grade green lotus. Even if they don't achieve the greatest merit in the end, killing a few more people can still fill their pockets.

In the past, cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage and even those with great supernatural powers would not easily become enemies, for fear of becoming mortal foes in the future. But now, in the struggle between factions, swords have no eyes, so one can't blame others for this.

Your Yuan Nian avatar was beaten up by so many people, so its death can only be attributed to bad luck. How can you blame me alone?

Layman Jinglian was generous and paid a deposit in advance, which reassured everyone and boosted morale instantly, while the previous dissatisfaction was somewhat alleviated.

Next comes the plan of the campaign.

"The Black Lotus Cult has been entrenched in the southwest of the continent for a long time, poisoning the local cultivation community. We must eradicate them completely and leave no hidden dangers. This time, we will divide our forces into five groups, advance step by step to eliminate their outer strongholds, and then slowly encircle them, making it impossible for them to escape!"

"The Daoists from the Shangxiao Sword Sect form one group, the Daoists from the Haoran Holy Land form the second group, I form the third group, the Daoists from the Hunshan Sandy Land of the Demon Race form the fourth group, and the Daoists from the Ice and Snow Alliance of the Alien Race form the fifth group!"

"Encircle them from the north, northeast, and east. Do not pursue a desperate enemy. Advance simultaneously. If one side is in trouble, seek help from the nearest help. Let us establish inter-channels for descent from the void to ensure that the five routes are connected into a large net, and wipe them out in one fell swoop!"

This strategy sounds good, but some people from both sides of the strait inevitably raise questions:

"What if the Black Lotus Sect flees by sea?"

Layman Jinglian smiled but did not answer.

A middle-aged scholar on the stage next to them put everyone at ease.

"The southwestern region borders the boundary between the West Sea and the South China Sea. The collision of the two ocean currents forms a huge and terrifying whirlpool, making it a forbidden area in this region."

"Furthermore, before the battle, our Haoran Holy Land specially brought out the Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure Mountain and River Brush, which was inserted into the diagonal and stirred for a full year. The whirlpool in the sea eye has expanded to tens of thousands of miles! The southwest hurricane and tsunami are raging above it, and even Nascent Soul stage cultivators cannot withstand the hurricane for long!"

"By then, the pursuers would have already surrounded them. Are we afraid they'll escape?"

"hiss----"

Gasps of astonishment filled the air; no one had expected such a move!

It seems that the Holy Land of Vastness is going to fully support the patrolling immortal envoy, even bringing out its own Heavenly Treasure Mountain and River Brush to completely block the Black Lotus Sect's escape route, leaving no room for maneuver.

If this battle were to turn around, wouldn't it mean sacrificing the sacred land's millennia-old heritage?
Such a high-stakes gamble is both admirable and puzzling. Is it really worth it for mortals to risk their lives like this when immortals are fighting?
Then someone else raised a question:
"What if they break up halfway through the battle, realize the situation is not good, and immediately run towards the West Sea or the South Sea, not giving us the opportunity to surround them from three sides and leave one open? What should we do then?"

Layman Jinglian remained silent and smiled.

Everyone present was shrewd, and they couldn't help but guess a terrible truth: Could it be that the sea creatures of the West Sea and the South Sea had also been bribed by the patrolling immortals and had their sea escape routes blocked?
In this way, we can truly achieve a complete encirclement. Given the high-profile nature of their announcement of the attack, it's quite possible that everything is ready!

Lin Shan looked at Venerable Yu She on the other side of the river again, but he only shook his head slightly.

The North Sea sea people are not very clear about the actions of the West Sea and the South Sea, and whether they have allied with Layman Jinglian is also a secret, unknown to outsiders.

If that's the case, then it seems the success rate of this encirclement and suppression has indeed increased significantly. Layman Jinglian's preparations were thorough and foolproof!
However, people on the field continued to raise new questions.

"Our combined strength is indeed formidable, but wouldn't splitting us into five groups be too disrespectful to the enemy? Fairy Qinglian is also a reincarnation of a true immortal, and it's said that she has powerful backers in the upper realm as well. This time, in order to protect herself, she has bribed many fellow cultivators of the primordial spirit realm. We must not let our guard down!"

Layman Jinglian remained silent and smiled.

An elderly man stepped forward to answer for him; he was the Supreme Elder of the Shangxiao Sword Sect.

"It's alright. The leaders of each of our five teams are top experts in this world. They are basically invincible within the same realm of primordial spirit. Even if they encounter the Azure Lotus Fairy in her true form, they will still have the strength to fight her. They are enough to hold out until the other teams break through the void and come to support us!"

According to the five-pronged plan, the distance between each prong was quite far at the beginning, but they would get closer and closer as the encirclement was narrowed. This would provide very fast support for Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

The question is, apart from the Pure Lotus Hermit's team, can the other leaders really stop the Azure Lotus Fairy?
Seeing that everyone still had doubts, Layman Jinglian finally spoke up to explain.

"Everyone need not worry. Fairy Qinglian, like me, should be relegated to the lower realm by relying on resources from the upper realm. At most, she will only recover to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm." "If she wants to ascend, she must bypass the surveillance of the Golden Palace Ascension Platform. If she wants to avoid surveillance, she must first get rid of me. Otherwise, her every move in the lower realm will not escape my eyes."

"The reason I took the initiative to attack this time is because our cultivation has reached its peak and there is no way to advance further. In order to prevent her from continuing to develop and expand her power and launch a counter-encirclement against me in the future, we should strike first before she becomes too powerful!"

“Fellow Daoists, you are all top experts in this world, all at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm. Even if you can’t defeat Fairy Qinglian, you can still hold her back for a while. Just wait for me to arrive and provide support. There won’t be any unexpected events.”

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes darted around. They had never known what realm these top-level Saint Lords were at before, and this was the first time they had heard that they were actually in the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm!

Logically speaking, shouldn't they all be able to ascend directly?

Why risk your life to stay in the mortal realm and clean up after Layman Jinglian? Is it because...?
Everyone here is smart, and it's easy for them to draw inferences from one instance to another and make connections to many behind-the-scenes deals. Once they put themselves in that situation, they can immediately guess what's going on.

This is to accumulate qualifications for future advancement!
The Golden Palace Ascension Platform is the first choice for the vast majority of ascending cultivators. If they can help the patrolling immortal envoys in the lower realm to make contributions, it will definitely leave a brilliant mark on their resume.

After ascending to heaven, I might be able to secure a good job at the Golden Palace Ascension Platform, with a smooth career path and a powerful immortal as my backer. This deal is definitely worthwhile!

Compared to the intrigues and dangers of traveling around to carry out missions, suppress rebellions, and capture criminals in the celestial realm, life in the mortal world is much safer.

They are all top-tier in their respective fields and will not encounter anyone with a higher level of cultivation than themselves. If they don't seize this opportunity to make great contributions, when will they?
Lin Shan suddenly realized that these old guys were indeed shrewd!
No wonder he dared to openly choose to side with Layman Jinglian. The Holy Lord Haoran was even willing to gamble with the rise and fall of the Holy Land. It turns out he was betting on his own future career!
"Everyone, there's no need to worry about this battle. As a Celestial Envoy, I have more than one backup plan, and the important figures above are also paying attention. As long as you make contributions, you will receive a small reward when you ascend to the Golden Palace in the future, as long as you report this battle."

When Layman Jinglian said these words, he was calm and collected, but the people on both sides of the strait below the stage were all deeply moved. This was an unexpected surprise and a hidden benefit.

It's like you've already farmed a bunch of reputation points in the Heavenly Court Golden Palace faction before you even ascend. Once you're on the first level, you get a free newbie gift pack. Doesn't that sound tempting?
"If fellow Daoists have no objections, let's start dividing into teams now. There will be five teams in total. Those of you with connections can form your own teams first, and those without connections will be assigned by me later."

After he finished speaking, the four holy masters on the stage stepped forward.

People from both sides of the strait immediately flew to the central government to visit their acquaintances. They stood in a line behind them, chatting and laughing as if on an autumn outing.

Among them, the demon race would go to seek refuge with the Scorpion Venerable of the Hunshan Sands, while the alien race would go to seek refuge with the Northern Star Divine Lord of the Ice and Snow Alliance. This is probably because they naturally stick together for warmth and do not trust the holy land of the human race, which is understandable.

Many humans have old ties with the Shangxiao Sword Sect and the Haoran Holy Land, so this is the time to showcase their relationships and connections.

These people also knew that following Layman Jinglian might be safer, but to some extent they would also have to face Fairy Qinglian, which might be even more dangerous.

Joining a group from the Shangxiao Sword Sect or the Haoran Holy Land might provide assistance in crucial moments, making things more convenient and flexible.

After the self-selection was completed, it was found that nearly 30% of the respondents remained in the same place!
Among these people, Lin Shan was the kind who had no connections with anyone. Even the Sea Clan's Venerable Yu She didn't choose him, and quietly stayed in place waiting.

The Supreme Elder of the Taixuan Holy Land, who had been chatting and laughing with Lin Shan, did not seek refuge with anyone else, probably because he couldn't bring himself to do so.

After reviewing the situation, the Pure Lotus Hermit decided that the five groups should be roughly balanced. Therefore, he allocated 10% of the remaining 30% to the Upper Night Sword Sect and the Vast Holy Land, while personally leading the remaining 20%.

Lin Shan and Venerable Yu She were both assigned to the tutelage of Layman Jing Lian.

Neither of them had any problems, and since they didn't want to associate with those two holy sites anyway, it was easier for them to just follow Layman Jinglian the whole time.

Those who felt something was amiss were mediated and exchanged, and a final solution was reached.

Then comes the planning of the attack route!

The specifics were kept completely secret. Apart from the leaders of the five routes, none of the lower-level members knew anything and could only follow orders.

The main concern was the fear of leaks during the journey, which could allow the Black Lotus Cult to learn of the plan in advance and launch an ambush.

With so many people here, there must be spies or agents infiltrated by the other side, so it's better to be cautious than not. However, this has also aroused the dissatisfaction of many Nascent Soul cultivators and powerful cultivators.

Since they have no right to know, what if the team leader leads them into a ditch? Wouldn't they just be running around blindly?
The feeling of entrusting one's life and death to another is unsettling for anyone, but considering the benefits promised by Layman Jinglian, they could only endure it under persuasion.

Everything is ready, let the music play and the dance begin!
Layman Jinglian sat down again to resume the banquet, and everyone returned to their seats on both sides of the strait, eating and drinking heartily, laughing and joking as if they had temporarily forgotten about the impending battle.

The Supreme Elder of Taixuan Holy Land, Shouzhuo Shenjun, was offering a toast next to Lin Shan when he saw the newly moved-over Venerable Yushe sitting next to him. He couldn't help but strike up a friendly conversation.

After a round of drinks, the three of them surprisingly formed a small circle!

Venerable Yushe looked at Lin Shan with a puzzled expression, his eyes asking if he knew the guy.
Lin Shan returned a glance, somewhat speechless.

Not familiar.

But the old man was like a leech, sticking to them like glue. They looked around and saw that all the other Nascent Soul stage cultivators had already formed their own teams. This old guy, who was in charge of a holy land, couldn't even get into one of the circles!

They've wasted their lives at this age; no wonder the Taixuan Holy Land can't develop.

With your social skills, you can only squeeze into our crappy circle. You deserve to be lonely for life!
There was nothing they could do; after all, they lived under the same roof, and they couldn't very well deliberately chase him away. Seeing the humble and apologetic Lord Shouzhuo, they had no choice but to accept him, even if it meant holding their noses.

The grand banquet lasted for a full half day before coming to an end.

After a satisfying meal and drinks, and having gotten to know each other—a special opportunity that Layman Jinglian had given everyone—it was time to set off.

"My Lord, we're off now. We'll keep you informed if there's any news, so don't worry!"

"Hehe, no problem, take care on your journey."

After greeting Layman Jinglian, the Holy Masters of the four holy lands led their teams to set off, each with tens of thousands of disciples from different forces.
Seeing that most of the others had already gone down the other paths, Layman Jinglian smiled and called out to the remaining people.

"It's getting late, let's set off, aiming our swords southwest, and crush the Black Lotus Cult!" (End of Chapter)