They reached the sect with five bound prisoners and memory jade evidence. Liang Qiu summoned an emergency council of sect elders.
The captured Phoenix Flame disciples were placed under truth compulsion formations. What they revealed was damning.
"Sect Master Hua ordered the operation," one confessed. "Create spatial tears, weaken the Azure Sky Sect, then launch a coordinated attack with allied sects. Divide the territory and resources."
"Which sects are allied with her?" an elder demanded.
"Crimson Moon Sect. Shadow Valley Sect. Iron Mountain Sect. Four of the Nine Supreme Sects working together."
Murmurs of shock rippled through the council. This wasn't just a conflict between two sects—this was the beginning of a war that would reshape the entire cultivation world.
Kai felt sick. In his previous life, the Nine Supreme Sects had eventually united against him. Now, they were fracturing early, drawn into conflict by actions he and Yuhan had taken.
"We need to present this evidence to the Cultivation Alliance," Liang Qiu decided. "If four major sects are conspiring to create demon realm breaches, it threatens everyone."
But Kai knew from his previous life that the Cultivation Alliance was fractured, political, slow to act. By the time they finished debating, the Phoenix Flame Sect would have completed their preparations.
"Sect Master," Kai said carefully. "What if we took a more direct approach?"
"Explain."
"The spatial tears require constant maintenance. If we could strike at the formation masters maintaining them simultaneously—disrupt all twelve tears at once—we'd buy months of time. Maybe force them to reconsider their timeline."
"That would require twelve teams of highly skilled cultivators, all attacking at precisely the same moment," Elder Shen objected. "We don't have those resources."
"We could if we called in favors," Yuhan suggested. "Master Jian has connections throughout the cultivation world. Rogue cultivators, retired experts, people who owe him debts."
Master Jian, who'd been silent until now, laughed. "Using my reputation to assemble a strike force? Bold. Reckless. I like it."
Liang Qiu considered. "It could work. If we move fast, before they realize we know the full scope of their plan."
"Then we move," Kai said. "Now. Tonight."
The decision was made. Messages were sent via communication talismans to Master Jian's contacts. Within hours, responses came back. Old warriors emerged from retirement. Rogue cultivators agreed to help. A force was assembled.
Twelve teams. Twelve targets. One simultaneous strike at midnight.
Kai and Yuhan were assigned the original tear in the Northern Forest—the one they'd first discovered. It felt fitting, closing the circle.
As they prepared to depart, Master Jian pulled them aside.
"This is dangerous," he said bluntly. "The Phoenix Flame Sect will know we're coming. They'll have traps, ambushes. Some of you might not come back."
"We understand," Kai said.
"Do you? Because I see how you two look at each other. You're not just martial brothers. You're..." He gestured vaguely. "Connected. Bonded. In love, if I'm reading it correctly."
Neither denied it.
"Good," Master Jian said. "Love makes you fight harder. But it also makes you vulnerable. Don't do something stupid trying to protect each other. Fight smart, fight together, and come back alive. Understood?"
"Understood, Master."
They flew toward the Northern Forest under cover of darkness, part of a coordinated operation across hundreds of miles. Twelve teams, all striking at midnight.
The fate of the sect—maybe the entire realm—hung in the balance.