Chapter Fifty-One: The Meeting of Two Logistics Titans

“Junior Brother, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Don’t be too grief-stricken,” Han Qiaoman consoled him.

“Master treated me like his own child, and now he’s gone. I swear that before my life ends, I will kill those two Nascent Soul cultivators and avenge my master,” Zhou Qi said bitterly.

“Zhou Qi, rest assured. The Celestial Union has slain our elder, and our sect will not let this go unpunished,” another elder encouraged.

Zhou Qi thanked him and, weeping, followed Han Qiaoman to her cave residence.

The war between the Gate of Life and Death and the Celestial Union grew fiercer following the fall of a Nascent Soul cultivator. The Gate of Life and Death immediately implemented equivalent retaliation, dispatching two transformed elders to ambush the enemy’s Nascent Soul cultivators. Suddenly, even Nascent Soul cultivators were unsafe traveling outside, not to mention those of the Infant and Golden Core stages.

The mines and spiritual mountains of both sects became primary targets of attack. Countless cultivators sacrificed themselves to defend a single peak. By now, the struggle was deadlocked, and further fighting would only result in greater losses.

At last, the Heavenly Dao Sect intervened, declaring that neither side could attack the other privately. Instead, it was decreed that on the first day after autumn, the two sects would battle at Huaiwu Plain.

Huaiwu Plain lay on the border between the Gate of Life and Death and the Celestial Union, an unclaimed neutral zone. Its flat terrain had always hosted major joint events between the sects, but now would serve as their battleground.

The terms of battle were clear: combatants must face opponents of equal rank. Nascent Soul cultivators could only fight Nascent Soul cultivators, and could not attack those of lower stages. The same applied to practitioners of the Qi Condensation, Foundation, Golden Core, and Infant stages. There were no restrictions on the number of fighters, save that subordinate sects could not participate.

With these rules, both sects would surely mobilize every member; even newly initiated cultivators would have to fight. Though they might be unable to kill the enemy, they could exhaust the opponent’s spiritual power with their bodies.

As for how far the battle would go, the Heavenly Dao Sect did not specify. But since they had set the rules, it meant that they would no longer stand by idly—the sect would certainly appear and provide an explanation when the time came.

The defeated side would surely lose more; to make up for prior losses in the war, this battle had to be won at all costs.

Both the Gate of Life and Death and the Celestial Union went mad. Previously, resources had been concentrated among the upper ranks, but now, in a last-minute rush, vast quantities of pills and spirit stones were distributed to Qi Condensation and Foundation cultivators, hoping they could advance before the great battle.

Zhou Qi had just arrived at Han Qiaoman’s cave when he was summoned to join the Qi Condensation camp for special training. The instructor was a Foundation cultivator named Quan Yi.

There were around fifty thousand Qi Condensation cultivators, a dark mass standing solemnly in the training grounds, listening to Quan Yi’s address.

“Fellow Daoists, the time has come to determine the fate of the Gate of Life and Death. Many of you joined our sect because of its strength; the sect has provided you with spirit stones, cultivation techniques, and a safe, stable environment. Now, it is your turn to repay the sect.” Hearing Quan Yi’s words, many disciples grew nervous, unsure what role such low-level cultivators could play in a battle of this scale.

“Many harbor dreams of immortality and becoming celestial beings, not wishing to perish early on the path. This war is another trial; if we cannot win, all is lost. I hope you are mentally prepared, ready to obey orders and follow commands. If anyone fears death, you may withdraw now.” Quan Yi finished and closed his eyes.

“I withdraw, I want to go home!” Instantly, hundreds raised their hands. Having just started their path, dying on the battlefield seemed too pointless. If there was a chance to retreat, survival was the priority—even Zhou Qi almost raised his hand.

But as soon as they declared their withdrawal, a sword-light swept across, and hundreds were instantly decapitated, not even leaving time for a scream.

The pungent scent of blood spread; many still held their hands raised, frozen in terror, uncertain where the sword-light had come from. To withdraw meant death—such brutality was shocking.

Seeing the silence below, Quan Yi opened his eyes and said, “Those who cling to life and fear death will die on the path regardless; better to reincarnate early than waste spirit stones.”

Everyone remained silent.

“Does anyone else wish to withdraw?” Quan Yi asked again.

The crowd stood motionless, not daring to make a sound, fearing any inadvertent movement would invite the sword.

“Since there are no objections, we will now divide into groups. Each group will have a leader responsible for training and leading their members in battle,” Quan Yi announced, and began organizing the teams.

“First group, Assault Squad—leader Ning Tian, members are…” Most members of the Assault Squad were cultivators below the fifth layer of Qi Condensation. Rather than an assault squad, it was more accurately a suicide squad; their task was to charge at the enemy, attract fire, and deplete the enemy's spiritual power.

“Second group, Cover Squad—leader Qu Feng, members are…” This group’s task was to cover the assault squad’s advance and prevent them from deviating from the planned route. Any deserters would be executed on the spot.

“Third group, Kill Squad—leader Song Zhi, members are…” Composed of cultivators above the eighth layer of Qi Condensation, this group would be the primary force, responsible for killing enemy cultivators. It was the largest, with over twenty thousand members.

“Fourth group, Formation Squad—leader Wan Qing, members are…” This team was responsible for deploying formations and constructing battle arrays, all focused on the art of array formation.

“Fifth group, Logistics Squad—leader Zhou Qi, members are…” Zhou Qi was startled to find himself appointed leader. But hearing the members’ names, he quickly understood; many surnames matched those of elders, so the squad must consist of elders’ descendants and sect leader’s relatives. Having just become a personal disciple without a master, Zhou Qi was being looked after. He was the only personal disciple in Qi Condensation, so it was fitting to lead.

The logistics squad’s task was simple: to supply spirit stones and pills to everyone. Before the battle, supplies would be distributed, and on the battlefield, the logistics squad would stay at the rear, waving flags and shouting to boost morale.

At a time like this, such odd arrangements were baffling. Zhou Qi couldn’t help but feel speechless. As for training his squad, he had no experience—they were all people with connections. How to train them? Teach them to recognize pills and spirit stones?

Zhou Qi led his logistics squad, lounging crookedly in the training grounds, watching the other squads drill intensely. The assault and kill squads were most diligent—the assault squad needed to prevent members from falling behind, while the kill squad was the main force, and if they weren’t serious, they might as well surrender.

After a difficult day, Zhou Qi returned to Han Qiaoman’s cave and met her as she came back from the Foundation training grounds.

“Junior Brother Zhou, was training hard?” Han Qiaoman asked.

“Not hard. What’s your assignment, Senior Sister?” Zhou Qi asked curiously. He’d barely moved all day—of course it wasn’t hard, just boring.

“Leader of the Foundation cultivators’ logistics squad,” Han Qiaoman replied wistfully, clearly dissatisfied with the arrangement.

“Zhou Qi, Logistics Leader of the Qi Condensation team, greets the Logistics Leader of the Foundation team,” Zhou Qi said with a smile, hands clasped in salute.

“Er…” Han Qiaoman was speechless.

The two logistics leaders looked at each other, at a loss for words. They wondered whether the last few Nascent Soul cultivators had logistics leaders too. If so, it must be Sect Leader Han Yuanzheng.