Not long after Ying Mingchao and the others returned to Hero City, the master of the Sword-Wielding Immortal Sect and the abbot of the Buddha Light Heavenly Temple also arrived in Hero City one after another.
Through investigation from various sources, they were able to confirm that the Soul Infant Sect had indeed followed through on mass-distributing the invitation letters — it was no empty threat.
Moreover, the invitations had not merely been sent to the powerful factions. Nearly every force within the Hundred Refinements Ordinary Realm had received one.
This move was, without question, a public declaration of their existence to the entire Hundred Refinements Ordinary Realm — and furthermore, they were inviting everyone under the guise of a martial cultivation grand assembly.
For a time, Ying Mingchao and the others could not figure out what the Soul Infant Sect was truly scheming.
But one thing was certain — based on what they knew of the Soul Infant Sect, this move was far from what it appeared to be on the surface.
After much deliberation, the allied army decided to go all in. They would abandon the defense of their cities, gather the strongest military force they could assemble, and launch a direct assault on the Soul Infant Sect. Victory or defeat would be decided in this single battle.
As the allied army — comprising Hero City, the Sword-Wielding Immortal Sect, the Buddha Light Heavenly Temple, and numerous second-tier powers, making it arguably the strongest coalition the Hundred Refinements Ordinary Realm had ever seen — marched toward the Soul Infant Sect's stronghold, other forces throughout the realm were also making their way toward the Soul Infant Sect.
Although their speed was far slower than that of the allied army, they had set out much earlier.
These people were the ones who had no idea what was really going on. In their world, they had never even heard the name "Soul Infant Sect."
The invitations that had appeared so suddenly left some believing it was a gift falling from the heavens, while others suspected it was nothing more than a scam.
But regardless of what they thought, driven by a mix of skepticism and hope, they had all chosen to investigate for themselves.
After all, this concerned their cultivation. None of them wanted to miss this opportunity.
Amidst the vast army of thousands upon thousands, war banners fluttered in the wind, their momentum overwhelming.
In particular, the massive war chariots that crushed through the void as they advanced were a truly imposing sight.
And anyone who could ride within those war chariots was certainly a person of considerable status.
Among them was Chu Feng.
Chu Feng had been given the highest treatment within the allied army. The chariot he occupied was the same one where the most powerful fighters resided.
Everyone in this chariot aside from Chu Feng was a True Immortal level powerhouse, and that included Zhao Hong.
Zhao Hong did not enjoy such gatherings, so she had left the chariot. When Chu Feng noticed she had been gone for quite some time, he went to look for her — and that was when he spotted a familiar figure. Master Pocket.
Master Pocket stood at the edge of the army, gazing ahead into the distance.
"Master, why not rest inside the war chariot?"
Chu Feng walked up and asked. Although Master Pocket was not a True Immortal powerhouse, he was at the peak of the Martial Ancestor realm. Someone of his standing should have had a chariot provided for his rest as well.
"Amitabha, Amitabha. It is rare for forces from across the realm to join hands in battle — and for such a righteous cause as eradicating evil and promoting good at that. This humble monk simply wishes to experience it alongside everyone," Master Pocket said.
When he spoke of how rare this was, Chu Feng understood.
After all, the various factions of the Hundred Refinements Ordinary Realm all had their own selfish agendas. They had joined forces to explore ruins on many occasions, but each harbored their own private interests.
A battle with a truly unified purpose like this was genuinely rare.
In truth, to speed up their march, everyone was currently relying on Ying Mingchao's power to advance.
So whether they were inside a war chariot or walking outside, everyone traveled at the same speed. The journey was not arduous for anyone.
"Master, there is something this junior would like to ask you about," Chu Feng said.
"What is it?" Master Pocket asked.
"It concerns the founding patriarch of the Buddha Light Heavenly Temple," Chu Feng said.
Chu Feng had previously made discreet inquiries about the founding patriarch of the Buddha Light Heavenly Temple from others as well.