The moment
In fact, the human domain — which had been so oppressed by the Cloudwind Sect that it had grown lifeless and stagnant — suddenly erupted with vigorous energy.
Because at last, the stance of Glazed Jade City had been made clear. Young Master Jiang Chen had spoken. And when Jiang Chen spoke, it meant decisive action.
A grand alliance of the world. In the current human domain, no one questioned whether Jiang Chen had the authority to call for one.
In truth, perhaps only Jiang Chen possessed such authority.
After word of Glazed Jade City's alliance reached the far corners, every force at the third-rank sect level and above was filled with exhilaration and eager to participate.
Some of the more impatient sects organized their delegations immediately and set out for Glazed Jade City without a moment's delay.
The last time Glazed Jade City had hosted the Dragon-
Now, Young Master Jiang Chen was calling for a world alliance, and the momentum behind it was at least equal to — if not greater than — the last gathering. Perhaps there would be an even bigger surprise this time?
Even without surprises, the alliance was clearly aimed at the Cloudwind Sect. For the past three or four years, the entire human domain had been living under the shadow of that organization.
If Young Master Jiang Chen's appearance could dispel that shadow, then that alone was cause for celebration.
And so, upon receiving the news of Jiang Chen's call to arms, forces across the board were invigorated. They felt that the broader situation of the human domain was finally on the verge of another breakthrough.
Jiang Chen took in the atmosphere of the human domain and was genuinely surprised. He had never expected that in just over three years of secluded cultivation, the Cloudwind Sect had managed to stir up such enormous waves — profoundly reshaping the balance of power across the entire human realm.
"What exactly is this Cloudwind Sect?" The question burned in Jiang Chen's mind.
If not for the fact that he still couldn't gauge their true depths, Jiang Chen would have wanted to march straight to the Cloudwind Sect's headquarters and crush them just as he had destroyed the Dan Fire City.
"Brother Mo and
Jiang Chen's gaze was clear and focused as he turned toward the great emperors of Glazed Jade City. "Everyone, do you have any leads regarding the origins of this Cloudwind Sect? Any concrete thoughts?"
"Young Master, we have a fairly complete picture of the powerful figures within our human domain. This Cloudwind Sect was certainly not founded by any of our known strongmen. That said, it's hard to say for certain — the human world also harbors many old monsters who have withdrawn from the world. Perhaps one of them decided to act on a whim?"
"If it's merely some reclusive human powerhouse coming out for some fresh air, then that would be one thing. What worries me most is the possibility of an outside race exploiting the situation to slip in."
For reasons he couldn't quite articulate, even though Jiang Chen had suppressed the Dan Fire City three years ago, he felt no ease whatsoever.
He had always sensed that the situation in the human domain remained unresolved — balanced on a knife's edge.
"Everyone, there are no outsiders here. There are matters I'd like to hear your opinions on."
Jiang Chen's tone was grave.
Everyone stiffened, sensing that he was about to broach something of great importance.
Jiang Chen did not beat around the bush. "Over these three years, I cultivated in seclusion and achieved a breakthrough in martial cultivation. But during that time, I also spent countless hours contemplating the future of the human race. Do you think that we humans have already been trapped by the Boundary Markers, like frogs at the bottom of a well? It appears stable on the surface, but in truth, we're hanging by a thread — our fate utterly beyond our own control."
What Jiang Chen said was undeniable. Since the ancient era, the human race had been confined to this land, ignorant of the world beyond and blind to the broader situation of the entire
Calling them frogs at the bottom of a well was harsh — but it was the truth.
For these emperors, however, each of them was a centuries-old monster with deeply entrenched ways of thinking. They felt there was nothing wrong with things as they were.
Hearing Jiang Chen's shocking words, Emperor Nian showed a flicker of surprise. "Young Master Jiang Chen, after the ancient Sealing War, the races built the Boundary Markers precisely to ensure peace for all. Everything that brings benefit also carries its cost. Without the Boundary Markers, where would our human race have found ten thousand years of tranquility? Where would we have found the time to recuperate and rebuild?"
From that angle, Emperor Nian's argument was not without merit.
Under the protection of the Boundary Markers, everyone lived in peace — and there was nothing wrong with that. One could even say this was exactly how things ought to be.
But times changed. The times of the past were not the times of today.
After the ancient Sealing War, the races had needed peace — needed time to heal their wounds and restore their strength.
The construction of the Boundary Markers had indeed granted that peace to all.
However, from the ancient era to the present, while the situation had not changed dramatically, it had undeniably evolved. As circumstances shifted, remaining closed off was clearly becoming unsustainable.
Jiang Chen drew a deep breath and spoke with composure. "Emperor Nian's words are not without reason. The Boundary Markers have served a purpose since the ancient era and have earned their place in history. But... has anyone considered that our human domain knows absolutely nothing of the situation beyond our borders? If one day a major upheaval occurs outside, and we receive not even a whisper of warning — wouldn't we simply be sitting ducks, waiting for our doom?"
This was no empty scaremongering.
The invasion by three Heavenly Position cultivators from the Nandou Li clan had already sounded the alarm for the human race — a stark reminder that the peace maintained by the Boundary Markers was growing increasingly unreliable.