The Sovereign's Hall, the central political nexus of the entire Immortal Cloud Continent, was paralyzed by a fear it couldn't name. This massive, gold-inlaid floating palace was home to the continent's most powerful beings-mostly Grand Unity Immortals-but its air was thick with paranoia.
The cause was twofold: the spiritual tremor from the mysterious Divine Core ascent (Mei Lan's breakthrough) and the sudden, devastating blow dealt to the Azure Sea Sect (Lin Tian's theft).
In the center of the Hall, the Grand Sovereign, a wizened woman named Chen who was nearing the Grand Unity Peak, presided over an emergency assembly. The primary topic: the cryptic, terrifying spiritual report delivered anonymously hours ago-the report Lin Tian had fabricated.
"This document claims the Azure Sea Sect's disaster was caused by an 'Ascendant from the Sunken Heavens'-a being wielding the 'Dao of Universal Purge,'" Sovereign Chen stated, her voice tight. "It suggests this being is interested in our Ancient Archive-the path to the Nine Heavens."
Immediately, the hall erupted. The elders weren't scared of a rogue cultivator; they were terrified of Tier 3 (Nine Heavens) interference.
"The Sunken Heavens… that implies a connection to the long-lost Emperors!" cried Elder Fang. "We must seal the Ancient Archive! Our focus must shift from territorial wars to defense of our knowledge!"
Lin Tian, miles away in his hidden cave, watched the chaos through the spiritual link to his puppets.
[Strategic Dao Map (Pending Unlock) Access: Paranoia Index ↑ (90%). Vulnerability: Ideological and Resource Guarding.]
His plan was working: the Sovereign's Hall was consuming itself with fear, ensuring they wouldn't investigate the source of the chaos (Lin Tian's hideout).
However, the chaos had another, unintended effect. The spiritual disturbances caused by Mei Lan's battles and Lin Tian's aggressive cultivation had weakened the overall stability of the Immortal Cloud Continent's energy distribution.
In the southern continent, a remote, stable sect known as the Jade Lotus Pavilion began to suffer. This sect was dedicated to healing and neutrality, relying entirely on the stable ambient Immortal Qi. Mistress Ming, the Pavilion Master, felt the spiritual energy that sustained her healing arts suddenly diminish and grow erratic.
Mistress Ming was a gentle but powerful Grand Unity Immortal Stage 2, renowned for her perfect, non-aggressive cultivation and her unique skill in Elemental Harmonization-the ability to perfectly balance all four elements. She was exactly the kind of neutral, high-value asset Lin Tian would eventually need, and the chaos was destroying her resources.
She left her retreat, determined to find the source of the instability. Her path was slow, meticulous, and focused on restoration, putting her on a future collision course with Lin Tian's sphere of influence.
Meanwhile, Elder Mu was preparing for his infiltration of the Black Sun Sect. He had successfully delivered the fabricated report to the Sovereign's Hall and was now focused entirely on Lin Tian's next demand: securing the Cloud-Palm Fruit.
Mu's newly perfected Wood Dao made the infiltration significantly easier. He was no longer battling his own flaws; he was operating at peak efficiency.
[Observer's Eye Activated. Target: Elder Mu. Status: Perfected Tier 2 Puppet. Mission Efficiency: 99%]
Mu knew the Black Sun Sect-a Fire-aligned force-would sense his approach. He deliberately made his presence known in the outer territories, using his perfected Wood Qi to stir up minor environmental conflicts. He was acting as a high-value decoy, ensuring the Black Sun Sect focused on his known ability, diverting attention away from the core of the sect where the Volcanic Spirit Core was located.
Mu wasn't just planning a quiet stealth mission. He was preparing a massive, diversionary attack, a calculated, chaotic display of power designed to consume the Black Sun Sect's defenses entirely. His dedication was absolute, knowing that failure meant eternal spiritual corruption, while success meant continued access to the Master's purifying power.
He was ready to execute Lin Tian's complex sabotage order, ensuring the Black Sun Sect would turn on itself before Lin Tian ever needed to fire a shot. The Cloud Heavens were already unraveling, and Mu was merely the wick on the candle Lin Tian lit.