For years, Lin Yun had quietly gathered powerful warriors, honing their skills and loyalty in preparation for this very moment. The time had come to strike, but it had to be subtle. He needed the spark of a small conflict, something so seemingly insignificant that no one would notice it for what it truly was until it was too late.
His voice, calm and measured, cut through the silence. “Our trigger will be a minor dispute between two sect members. Something so small that no one would ever imagine the chaos it will bring. Once that spark is lit, we will guide the fire from the shadows, controlling the flames until they consume Wang Li’s sect entirely.”
Zhao Feng, Lin Yun’s most trusted lieutenant, leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. “Who will be our players in this first move?”
The first step was initiated with almost trivial ease. Wu Ren, as expected, allowed his temper to get the better of him during a casual training competition between sects. He clashed with Lei Ming, a disciple of the Golden Cloud Sect, over a perceived insult. The two exchanged blows, and although the fight was not serious, Lin Yun had orchestrated it so perfectly that the outcome was all but guaranteed. Wu Ren, in his arrogance, accidentally killed Lei Ming. It was a tragic accident, but to the Golden Cloud Sect, it was an unforgivable slight.
Lin Yun’s warriors, already embedded in the Golden Cloud Sect, whispered into the ears of key elders, stoking their anger. “How dare they? The Holy Devil Dragon Sect thinks they can do whatever they want because of their power.”
Before long, the Golden Cloud Sect officially demanded compensation from the Holy Devil Dragon Sect for the death of their disciple. Wang Li, confident that his sect’s prestige would keep the matter from escalating, sent only a token apology, dismissing the incident as an unfortunate accident.
But Lin Yun was ready. This was only the first layer of his plan.
As tensions rose between the Golden Cloud Sect and the Holy Devil Dragon Sect, Lin Yun set the second layer of his strategy into motion. His group secretly assassinated an influential elder from the Crimson Blade Clan, a smaller but respected devil sect. The assassin left traces that pointed directly to Wang Li’s faction. It seemed the Holy Devil Dragon Sect had not only ignored the demands of the righteous sects, but they were also striking at the devil sects behind the scenes.
The Crimson Blade Clan erupted in fury. Their leader, Elder Yin Zhao, who had always maintained a cautious alliance with Wang Li due to political reasons, was now forced to retaliate to save face within his own clan. His warriors began to quietly prepare for conflict.
Lin Yun smiled coldly when he heard of the developments. “And now the third layer.”
He planted forged letters and documents, making it appear as though Lady Qiu Ning had been secretly funneling resources from her sect to support Wang Li’s ambitions. These documents “accidentally” fell into the hands of her most trusted advisors, creating a deep rift within the sect’s leadership.
“Lady Qiu Ning has betrayed us!” whispered the elders. “She has aligned herself with the Holy Devil Dragon Sect in secret. What other secrets could she be hiding?”
Internal dissent within the Silver Moon Sect grew rapidly. Lady Qiu Ning’s authority was being undermined, and even she was unaware of how deeply the seeds of rebellion had already been planted.
Next came the Frost Orchid Sect, led by Mei Hua, another of Wang Li’s secret mistresses. Her sect had long been a powerful player among the righteous sects, but now, whispers of her intimacy with Wang Li were spreading like wildfire. Lin Yun made sure to push this narrative forward, ensuring that her subordinates began to question her loyalty.
“Why has Sect Leader Mei Hua been so lenient with the Holy Devil Dragon Sect?” asked one elder during a council meeting. “Could it be that her personal relationship with Wang Li has clouded her judgment?”
Within weeks, dissent within the Frost Orchid Sect became so strong that Mei Hua struggled to keep control. Her own people no longer trusted her, and she found herself isolated within her own sect. Lin Yun watched, satisfied, as the fourth layer of his plan came into effect.
The fifth layer involved striking at Wang Li’s most trusted allies within the righteous sects. Qin Lian, an elder of the Blazing Sun Sect, was Wang Li’s secret lover, but Lin Yun ensured that her involvement with Wang Li was exposed. A letter, forged by Lin Yun’s operatives, made its way into the hands of the sect leader, suggesting that Qin Lian had been plotting to betray the Blazing Sun Sect in favor of the Holy Devil Dragon Sect.
“What is the meaning of this, Qin Lian?” demanded the sect leader during a heated confrontation. “Do you think you can betray us for Wang Li’s sake?”
Qin Lian was caught off-guard, her attempts to defend herself faltering under the weight of the false evidence Lin Yun had carefully planted. Soon, the Blazing Sun Sect began to distance themselves from Wang Li, their alliance crumbling as doubt and fear took hold.
The sixth layer targeted the devil sects. Lin Yun had already sown discord among them with the assassination of key figures, but now he turned his attention to the Silent Mist Sect, led by Yue Ling, yet another of Wang Li’s lovers. Unlike the others, Yue Ling had always been more cautious, keeping her relationship with Wang Li under wraps. But Lin Yun was patient, and he knew how to exploit even the most careful people.
“How could you let this happen, Yue Ling?” asked her second-in-command. “If word gets out that you’re protecting Wang Li’s spies, our sect will lose all credibility!”
By the time the seventh layer was triggered, the Golden Cloud Sect had already begun taking aggressive actions against the Holy Devil Dragon Sect. Lin Yun knew that Wang Li would try to dismiss the conflict as minor, but he had prepared for that. The seventh layer involved carefully timed attacks on smaller outposts and resource points belonging to Wang Li’s sect, each attack leaving just enough evidence to point back to the Golden Cloud Sect.
Now, it wasn’t just a small conflict between two sects. The Holy Devil Dragon Sect was starting to bleed resources, and their enemies were growing in number.
The eighth layer was aimed at the Jade Moon Sect, led by Yu Shanshan, another of Wang Li’s mistresses. She had always been fiercely loyal to Wang Li, but Lin Yun planted rumors within her sect that suggested she had been using their resources to fund Wang Li’s personal ambitions. It wasn’t long before her own people began to turn against her, believing that she had betrayed them.
Finally, the tenth layer involved Lin Yun’s own warriors. He had spent years building this group, training them in secret, and now they were ready to act. They began targeting key figures within Wang Li’s faction, assassinating elders and leaders in ways that left no trace of their involvement. Each death added to the growing paranoia and fear that now consumed the Holy Devil Dragon Sect.
He couldn’t believe it. How had this happened? He had always been so careful, so powerful. His influence extended far beyond the righteous sects, and yet now it seemed like the entire cultivation world was uniting against him.
“What is going on?” Wang Li muttered under his breath, standing in his private chamber as his mind raced. His once-loyal mistresses were now facing rebellions within their own sects, and the very alliances that had once made him untouchable were crumbling.
Lin Yun watched from the shadows, his expression cold and calculating. His plan had worked perfectly, and now, the Holy Devil Dragon Sect stood on the brink of collapse.
