Originally, the ruling territory of Flying Swan Sect was now a scene of devastation and despair. Due to the recklessness of Fire Cloud Sect and Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch, various cultivation forces were completely destroyed. The lucky survivors couldn't continue living there and had to scatter in all directions, seeking new opportunities.
Fire Cloud Sect focused on consolidating their rule, while Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch busied themselves with plundering, leaving them no time to chase down the fleeing cultivators. As a result, many of them managed to escape.
A significant portion of these fleeing cultivators sought refuge in the nearby territory of Taiyi Sect.
After hearing the reports from his disciples, Meng Zhang made a new judgment: for the time being, Fire Cloud Sect and Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch should be too preoccupied to invade Taiyi Sect's territory.
During the recent expedition to the Endless Sea of Sand, Taiyi Sect and the Hanhai Alliance mobilized elite disciples, forming a large cultivator army. Now that the war was over, Meng Zhang ordered the army to disband. The cultivators from various Hanhai Alliance members returned to their homes.
Then, he had Delicate WaterSpirit General and Yang Xueyi lead a capable force to the border of Taiyi Sect's territory to set up defenses against potential attacks from the two sects.
The rest of the cultivators in the sect were given time to recuperate and prepare for the next major battle.
On the side of Flying Swan Sect, they quickly gained control of Northern Desert Qi Family's territory and established effective rule. To defend against potential invasions from the two sects, Fei ShiDaoist Master also led a capable force to the border and guarded against enemy incursions.
Regardless of the past conflicts and calculations between Taiyi Sect and Flying Swan Sect, they currently needed each other. The two sects maintained communication and mutual support. If Fire Cloud Sect and Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch showed any unusual movements, both Flying Swan Sect and Taiyi Sect would respond immediately.
Though Flying Swan Sect had weakened, Taiyi Sect had risen again. Taiyi Sect's current strength was not much inferior to Flying Swan Sect's peak.With Fire Cloud Sect and Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch occupying such a large territory and seizing vast benefits, they no longer had the motivation to continue expanding. Digesting the spoils and developing such a vast territory would require an enormous amount of manpower and resources.
Moreover, True Monarch Profound Wind and True Monarch Mountain Peak had been in seclusion, recovering from their injuries, ever since they fled from the Deadly Sea of Sand. Without the pressure from Primordial Spirit True Monarch, Fire Cloud Sect and Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch could finally prioritize their own interests and not rush into unnecessary battles.
Although Fire Cloud Sect and Flying Swan Sect had deep enmity and had accumulated centuries of grievances with Taiyi Sect, when enough benefits were at stake, hatred could be temporarily set aside to reap the gains first.
As a result, the Endless Sea of Sand fell into silence after the recent upheaval and the change in rulership.
The cultivators stationed at the borders of Taiyi Sect and Flying Swan Sect intensified patrols and carefully screened the incoming fleeing cultivators. Both sects needed external cultivators, especially Taiyi Sect, which had occupied the vast Demon Wind Gobi and urgently required more cultivators to join in its development.
However, among the incoming fleeing cultivators, there were undoubtedly spies from Fire Cloud Sect and Yellow Lotus Sect East River Branch. How to distinguish and find out the malicious spies would pose a challenging problem for the low-level cultivators of Taiyi Sect and Flying Swan Sect.
The number of incoming fleeing cultivators was less than two thousand, and with some effort, Meng Zhang could complete the screening process in a short time. However, why should all this work fall on him as the Sect Master? What were the disciples in the sect doing?
In a normal sect, low-level cultivators surrounded and served the high-level cultivators, with a vast number of low-level cultivators supporting a few high-level ones. It shouldn't be the other way around, with high-level cultivators monopolizing everything and the low-level cultivators just enjoying the benefits.
In fact, since returning to the sect, Meng Zhang had been extremely busy. He had not casually spread the news about True Monarch Tian Zhu's situation, only informing the Gold Core cultivators and a few Guardian Spirit Generals in the sect. Other than that, only his senior disciple Niu Dawei knew.
True Monarch Profound Wind and True Monarch Mountain Peak must be curious about the final outcome of that battle. They feared True Monarch Tian Zhu and dared not personally explore the Deadly Sea of Sand, so they probably sent their subordinates to investigate.
The last battlefield of True Monarch Tian Zhu and the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit was full of strange phenomena, diffusing the power of the Grand Dao. Ordinary Gold Core Daoist Masters couldn't approach the area for a short time.
With time passing, the power of the Grand Dao would gradually dissipate, and only then would it be possible to enter the battlefield.
Before others entered the battlefield for investigation, Taiyi Sect and Flying Swan Sect needed to take the initiative.
Soon, a series of rumors about True Monarch Tian Zhu spread from Taiyi Sect's territory and gradually expanded throughout the entire Endless Sea of Sand, reaching Jiuqu League.
These rumors varied greatly, with some sounding obviously false and others appearing credible. True and false rumors were mixed together, making it difficult to discern the truth.
Some rumors claimed that True Monarch Tian Zhu had completely devoured the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit's body and soul, currently in seclusion to digest them. Once the digestion was complete, True Monarch Tian Zhu would advance to the Return to Emptiness realm.
After achieving Return to Emptiness, True Monarch Tian Zhu would sweep everything, seeking revenge and settling grievances.
On the contrary, another rumor claimed the opposite, stating that True Monarch Tian Zhu failed in the battle with the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit and was instead devoured by the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit's Primordial Spirit and physical body.
After the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit completed the digestion, it would fully recover, leading to untold calamities throughout the Grand Dust World.
The most reliable-sounding rumor said that True Monarch Tian Zhu failed to devour the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit and had to kill the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit entirely. After tapping into his potential using secret methods during the battle, True Monarch Tian Zhu couldn't sustain it afterward and had to retreat to recover from his injuries.
Rumors of True Monarch Tian Zhu being severely injured and on the verge of dying during meditation, or his foundation being damaged and his Cultivation Base declining, spread with vivid details.
Within a short period, the rumors had thoroughly spread, reaching countless ears.
For the cultivators in the Cultivation World, besides gossip about romance, they loved to hear gossip about top-level cultivators.
The conflict between True Monarch Tian Zhu and the Fifth Rank Earth Spirit was originally a relatively secretive matter known only to high-level cultivators in the Cultivation World. The cultivators who knew about it never dared to spread the information randomly, fearing the wrath of the powerful True Monarch Tian Zhu.
Now, not only had the rumors become widespread, but they had also become the topic of discussion for numerous cultivators.
In Jiuqu League, there were even audacious storytellers who turned these rumors into stories and began telling them everywhere, making it quite lively.
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