Chapter 515: Wavefold Divine Art
The calm before the storm did not last long. Soon, an unknown immortal attacked the Howling Ravine, a second-rate force on the Sword Continent. Although all the first-rate forces occupied large islands in the sea, it did not mean that there was only the Numinous Sword Sect on the Sword Continent. The only reason no first-rate forces were on the Sword Continent was because of the Numinous Sword Sect’s decree.
The Sword Continent was too large for the Numinous Sword Sect to manage by itself, unless it wanted to lower the standards for recruitment. Since they didn’t want to lower their standards, the Numinous Sword Sects bequeathed provinces for second-rate forces to manage for them. Of course, truecontrol was still ultimately in the Numinous Sword Sect’s hands, and the second-rate forces had to pay offerings every year.
Although the Numinous Sword Sect bequeathed provinces for the second-rate forces, it didn’t mean the Sword Continent was at peace. If anything, it had more wars than the islands controlled by the first-rate forces.
If each second-rate force developed peacefully, it was not impossible for them to nurture immortal emperors and many half-emperors, but if each second-rate force developed an immortal emperor, then their numbers would directly exceed the Numinous Sword Sect.
To prevent this, the Numinous Sword Sect secretly encouraged the second-rate forces to fight each other. Although the resources were abundant on the Sword Continent, it was impossible for it to fill up every forces’ needs. So, wars over resources on the Sword Continent often occurred. If the Numinous Sword Sect felt a second-rate force was becoming too powerful, they would work in the dark to weaken them and maintain the balance.
The Howling Ravine was an average second-rate force on the Sword Continent. Its attacker was the War Saint Clan from the sea. Normally, second-rate forces outside the Sword Continent would attack second-rate forces that ruled provinces in order to replace them. As long as they won, the Numinous Sword Sect would christen them as the new province rulers, but this attack was obviously different.
If the previous attacks on the second-rate forces were an internal conflict, this was an external conflict.
However, except for the two forces involved, everyone adopted a wait-and-see attitude. The Numinous Sword Sect was clear this was a provocation from the Void Moon Alliance or the Three Island Alliance, but as long as they did not explicitly reveal anything, they were content to watch everything.
The Numinous Sword Sect wanted to see which of the second-rate forces had already surrendered to one of the two alliances, which force wanted to stay neutral, and which one stayed loyal.