News of the deaths of the Dust Valley Sect and Radiant Sect disciples at the border spread throughout the Western Region.
Not only that, but dozens of villages had been destroyed, and thousands of people had perished. Fear and sorrow permeated the air.
Suddenly, the Radiant Sect made a shocking announcement.
They blamed the Dust Valley Sect for the deaths of their disciples and elders, claiming that the sect had not sent enough reinforcements to defend the border, which had cost their disciples' lives.
Instantly, the people turned against the Dust Valley Sect, accusing them of negligence and betrayal.
"This is nonsense!" Supreme Elder Zhao slammed his fist against the armrest in rage.
"How dare those bastards shift the blame onto us!"
All the elders were furious.
The Radiant Sect had been a thorn in their side for decades, but this went beyond mere rivalry. They were clearly trying to destroy them.
"Sect Master, we must retaliate this time. Enough of their nonsense," Elder Duan said firmly.
For years, they had endured humiliation, as if they were mere servants of the Radiant Sect. But enough was enough.
Looking at the rage on the elders' faces, the Sect Master remained calm.
"Indeed, we must put an end to their bullying," he nodded. "Since they want war, we will give it to them."
"Cease all dealings with the Radiant Sect. Call back our disciples from their region and prepare for war."
"Elder Duan, take five inner elders and a group of disciples to protect the border."
Hearing this, bright smiles appeared on the elders' faces. This time, they would avenge all their grievances.
Quickly, the sect sprang into action.
With the Spirit Link, it was easy to recall their disciples from the Radiant Sect's territory.
Swiftly, the Thousand Wealth Chamber in the region closed its doors.
"Why are you closing?!" a young man shouted.
"No! You can't do this! I've been waiting for days to buy the Spirit Link for my girlfriend!"
The crowd outside the chamber erupted in protest, their faces full of frustration. Many had waited for days, eager for a chance to buy the Spirit Link, only to be denied now.
How could they accept this?
Just then, the store manager stepped outside and addressed the crowd.
"You want to know why we're closing our doors?"
The crowd nodded eagerly.
"The Radiant Sect caused this."
With that, he slammed the door shut with a bang.
"Why would the Radiant Sect stop them from selling us the Spirit Link?"
The news spread quickly, and those who had hoped to purchase the Spirit Link directed their anger at the Radiant Sect.
When the Radiant Sect heard of this, they scoffed and released a statement.
They declared war on the Dust Valley Sect and warned that anyone associated with them would be killed.
With this announcement, tension hung thick in the Western Region.
Many people were furious.
The sects could go to war for all they cared, but they should not have interfered with the sale of the Spirit Link.
Those who had already bought one flaunted it arrogantly, enjoying the ease of communication it provided.
However, the Radiant Sect did not care.
They were hellbent on destroying the Dust Valley Sect.
For the next few days, skirmishes broke out between the two sects, mostly at the border.
Mo Jian was shocked when he emerged from his short seclusion.
He had broken through to Mortal Rank-8 and was only a step away from Mortal Rank-9.
He was ready to celebrate his breakthrough, but the flood of messages on his Spirit Link immediately made him cast that thought aside.
"Tian, what's going on?" he asked, staring at Zhao Tian.
Zhao Tian wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly explained everything.
Mo Jian's brows furrowed.
"How are our stores in the region?" he asked.
"I've closed them for the time being," Zhao Tian responded.
"Good. Don't stop Spirit Link production. This is a rare chance to build up our stock."
After Zhao Tian left, Mo Jian sat in deep thought.
The sudden attack by the Restless Phantoms and the war between the two sects had made his mission significantly harder.
"What should I do?" he muttered. "I know nothing about the Vengeful Spirits. How can I create something to fight them?"
Without wasting time, he left his room.
Over the following days, the battles between the Dust Valley Sect and the Radiant Sect escalated.
Disciples were dying.
Meanwhile, the war at the border had taken a turn for the worse. The number of Vengeful Spirits had surged, and thousands of Restless Phantoms roamed freely.
The sect's previous outposts had been lost to the Vengeful Spirits.
The Western Border had shrunk once again.
Compared to the sect war, the Vengeful Spirits were the real danger.
The Dust Valley Sect had deployed five Core Refining Elders to the border, yet the situation remained dire.
While this chaos unfolded, Mo Jian buried himself in the sect library.
After fighting the Vengeful Spirits for decades, the sect must have uncovered some secrets about them.
The sect only knew the different types of Vengeful Spirits and some of their behaviors.
As for their weaknesses?
Fuming with frustration, Mo Jian stormed out of the library.
Returning to his room in the Thousand Wealth Chamber, he immediately purchased a compendium on Spirits and Ghosts.
It cost him 1,000 IP.
Flipping through the Tome of Restless Spirits, his eyes lit up when he found what he was looking for.
He needed a mortal flame called Ember Flame.
"I need to find this Ember Flame," he murmured.
The Ember Flame could be used to forge weapons capable of harming Vengeful Spirits.
Unfortunately, it could only be found in regions infested with them.
"I have to go to the border," he muttered.
With that, he began preparing for his departure.
Meanwhile, deep in the Vengeful Spirit Zone, an old man hovered in the air, his withered face twisted into a wicked grin.
"Just a little more... and my plan will succeed," he mused, revealing his missing teeth before vanishing into thin air.