Times were tough for the Iron Sword Sect and the Wang Clan as well.
Under relentless pressure from Golden Spring Temple and Qingfeng Temple, their territories shrank, their vassals scattered, and their influence rapidly waned.
If not for the overt and covert support of the government, they likely would have collapsed long ago.
The Three Sects were now in the same boat. They could muster a total of only seven Mystic Realm masters, none of whom had reached the realm's late stages. Faced with the combined forces of the Buddhist and Daoist factions, the power gap was immense.
Although their backers behind the scenes had expressed support, they were restricted by a tacit understanding among the higher-ups and couldn't directly intervene.
They still had to bear the brunt of the pressure themselves.
But the government's attitude was disheartening.
