yú shì jiē xià lái de shí jiān ， lín xuān xiān jí zhōng jīng lì ， tí chún le shù bǎi méi xià pǐn xǐ suǐ dān hé èr shí méi zhōng pǐn dān 。
于是接下来的时间，林轩先集中精力，提纯了数百枚下品洗髓丹和二十枚中品丹。
Thus, Lin Xuan devoted his time to purifying hundreds of lower-grade Essence Cleansing Pills and twenty middle-grade pills.
qí zhōng xià pǐn dān de tí chún fēi cháng shùn lì ， zhōng pǐn dān zé yào màn yī xiē ， lán sè guāng diǎn de yùn yòng yě dào le yí gè píng jǐng ， xiǎng yào yǒu tū pò ， zì jǐ de xiū wèi bì xū zài shàng yí gè děng jí ， yīn wèi xīng hǎi néng liàng de dà xiǎo shì yǔ fǎ lì chéng zhèng bǐ 。
其中下品丹的提纯非常顺利，中品丹则要慢一些，蓝色光点的运用也到了一个瓶颈，想要有突破，自己的修为必须再上一个等级，因为星海能量的大小是与法力成正比。
The purification of the lower-grade pills went smoothly, but it took longer for the middle-grade ones. The application of blue light points hit a bottleneck; breakthroughs required an increase in his cultivation level because the size of Star Sea energy was proportional to one's magical power.
zhī suǒ yǐ yì kǒu qì tí chún nà me duō dān yào ， shì yīn wèi lín xuān dǎ suàn bì guān xiū liàn yī duàn shí jiān ， zhè yī cì ， wú lùn rú hé dōu yào jìn rù líng dòng hòu qī ， dá dào dì wǔ céng gōng fǎ de jìng dì 。
之所以一口气提纯那么多丹药，是因为林轩打算闭关修炼一段时间，这一次，无论如何都要进入灵动后期，达到第五层功法的境地。
Lin Xuan decided to purify so many pills in one go because he intended to seclude himself and refine for some time. This time, no matter what, he aimed to enter the Flexible Spirit Period and reach the fifth layer of his cultivation technique.
què dìng le mù biāo ， lín xuān jiù kāi shǐ cháo zhe tā nǔ lì ， xiàn zài suǒ yǒu de yī qiè ， quán dōu zhǔn bèi wán bì 。
确定了目标，林轩就开始朝着它努力，现在所有的一切，全都准备完毕。
Having set his goal, Lin Xuan began to work towards it. Everything was now ready.
ér zài lín xuān tí chún dān yào de zhè duàn shí jiān ， zhào guó yǎn zhōu de xiū zhēn jiè ， què yǒu xiē shān yǔ yù lái de gǎn jué ， dòng dàng bù ān ， gè xiū zhēn jiā zú mó cā bù duàn ， jǐ dà mén pài suī rán méi yǒu dòng shǒu ， bǎo chí zhe kè zhì ， dàn kǒu shuǐ zhàng yě dǎ le bù shǎo ， sàn xiū men rén rén zì wēi 。
而在林轩提纯丹药的这段时间，赵国兖州的修真界，却有些山雨欲来的感觉，动荡不安，各修真家族摩擦不断，几大门派虽然没有动手，保持着克制，但口水仗也打了不少，散修们人人自危。
During this period when Lin Xuan purified the pills, the cultivation world in the State of Zhao's Yanzhou Region felt like a storm was brewing. There were constant frictions among various cultivation families, and although major sects kept their peace, they engaged in heated verbal battles. Solitary cultivators lived in fear.
dǎo huǒ suǒ shì líng yún mén jiě sàn ， yuán běn líng yún mén dé zuì le níng dān qī de dà gāo shǒu ， bèi pò jiě sàn ， qí tā mén pài zuǐ shàng bù shuō ， xīn zhōng què xìng zāi lè huò ， yuán yīn wú tā ， hǎo chù duō duō a ， shǒu xiān ， kě yǐ guā fēn diào líng yún mén de dì pán 。
导火索是凌云门解散，原本凌云门得罪了凝丹期的大高手，被迫解散，其他门派嘴上不说，心中却幸灾乐祸，原因无他，好处多多啊，首先，可以瓜分掉凌云门的地盘。
The spark that ignited this situation was Lingyun Sect's dissolution. The Lingyun Sect had offended a powerful Condensation Core stage expert, forcing its disbandment. Other sects secretly rejoiced at the news but were reluctant to openly celebrate because it meant they could seize part of the Lingyun Sect’s territory and gain many treasures from their transactions.
qí cì ， cóng jiāo yì huì shàng ， dé dào le bù shǎo bǎo wù ， líng yún mén suī xiǎo ， dàn qiān nián de jī lěi ， shēn jiā hái shì hěn lìng rén yǎn chán 。
其次，从交易会上，得到了不少宝物，凌云门虽小，但千年的积累，身家还是很令人眼馋。
Initially, everyone seemed pleased with this turn of events. However, after the transaction fair, a series of unexpected incidents unfolded. The famous cultivation family, the Wang Family, sent one of its disciples who was ambushed and killed. The acquired cultivation techniques and treasures were also seized.
yuán běn shì jiē dà huān xǐ zhī shì ， kě nǎ lǐ zhī dào ， jiāo yì huì guò hòu ， què fā shēng le yī lián chuàn yì wài ， shǒu xiān shì zhù míng de xiū zhēn jiā zú wāng jiā ， pài chū qù de dì zǐ bèi xí shā ， shōu gòu de gōng fǎ yǔ bǎo wù yě suí zhī bèi qiǎng 。
原本是皆大欢喜之事，可哪里知道，交易会过后，却发生了一连串意外，首先是著名的修真家族汪家，派出去的弟子被袭杀，收购的功法与宝物也随之被抢。
Yan Tianheng thought himself shrewd but was too careless. He left some traces that enraged the Wang Family. As one of the most powerful cultivation families in a vast area, they had never suffered such humiliation before. Three Foundation Establishment stage elders came to Yan Family demanding compensation for their family members' deaths.
yàn tiān héng zì yǐ wéi shì lǎo hú lí ， kě xīn sī hái shì bù gòu xì nì ， cū xīn dà yì le xiē ， liú xià le yì diǎn zhū sī mǎ jì ， wāng jiā dà nù ， tā men kě shì fāng yuán jǐ qiān lǐ shǒu qū yī zhǐ de xiū zhēn jiā zú ， hé shí chī guò zhè zhǒng kuī ， sān wèi zhù jī qī de zhǎng lǎo zhǎo shàng mén ， yào yàn jiā shā rén cháng mìng 。
燕天衡自以为是老狐狸，可心思还是不够细腻，粗心大意了些，留下了一点蛛丝马迹，汪家大怒，他们可是方圆几千里首屈一指的修真家族，何时吃过这种亏，三位筑基期的长老找上门，要燕家杀人偿命。
At this point, it seemed clear who was at fault: Yan Tianheng was weak and had killed for gain. In the cultivation world, might made right, but there were still some graces between families. Yan Tianheng's actions left no room for negotiation.
shì qíng dào cǐ sì hū yě méi yǒu shén me xuán niàn ， wāng jiā qiáng ， yàn jiā ruò ， hé kuàng yàn tiān héng shā rén qiǎng bǎo ， xiū zhēn jiè suī rán yǐ lì fú rén ， dàn gè jiā zú jiān duō shǎo hái shì yào liú yī xiē qíng miàn ， yàn tiān héng cǐ shì zuò dé tài guò ， lián zhuǎn huán de yú dì dōu méi yǒu 。
事情到此似乎也没有什么悬念，汪家强，燕家弱，何况燕天衡杀人抢宝，修真界虽然以力服人，但各家族间多少还是要留一些情面，燕天衡此事做得太过，连转圜的余地都没有。
The three elders of the Wang Family intended to have Yan Tianheng pay with his life. However, upon arrival, they found that both the family head and his son had disappeared. Only old women, children, and low-level cultivators remained in the house.
wāng jiā de sān wèi zhǎng lǎo běn yì shì yào yàn tiān héng dǐ mìng ， nǎ zhī dào qù le yǐ hòu ， cái fā xiàn yàn jiā jiā zhǔ yǔ tā de ér zi jū rán bù zhī suǒ zōng ， jiā lǐ zhǐ yǒu yī xiē lǎo yòu fù rú hé dī jiē xiū zhēn zhě 。
汪家的三位长老本意是要燕天衡抵命，哪知道去了以后，才发现燕家家主与他的儿子居然不知所踪，家里只有一些老幼妇孺和低阶修真者。
Lin Xuan was meticulous; nobody knew that Yan Tianheng's father and son were already buried in an unknown forest. The Wang Family elders believed their rivals had fled.
lín xuān zuò shì qíng cái shì zhēn zhèng de dī shuǐ bù lòu ， méi yǒu rén zhī dào yàn jiā fù zi yǐ jīng cháng mián zài nà bù zhī míng de shù lín zhōng ， wāng jiā zhǎng lǎo hái yǐ wéi duì fāng dōng chuāng shì fā ， qì jiā táo pǎo le 。
林轩做事情才是真正的滴水不漏，没有人知道燕家父子已经长眠在那不知名的树林中，汪家长老还以为对方东窗事发，弃家逃跑了。
Angry beyond measure, one of the elders threatened to wipe out the entire Yan family but was stopped by his companions. They did not do this out of kindness or inability to act; they feared stirring up a larger conflict before all facts were clear.
fèn nù dé bù dé le ， qí zhōng yī huǒ bào pí qì de zhǎng lǎo dāng chǎng jiù yào miè yàn jiā mǎn mén ， què bèi lìng wài liǎng rén quàn zhù ， dāng rán ， tā men yě bú shì hǎo xīn ， huò zhě xià bù liǎo shǒu ， ér shì bù yuàn zài shì qíng méi yǒu míng liǎo qián ， rě qǐ gèng dà de fēng bō 。
愤怒得不得了，其中一火爆脾气的长老当场就要灭燕家满门，却被另外两人劝住，当然，他们也不是好心，或者下不了手，而是不愿在事情没有明了前，惹起更大的风波。
Although the Yan Family was only an average cultivation family, it had deep ties with the Fire Spirit Sect. Not just the Yan family, but the Wang family also maintained good relations with Drifting Cloud Valley.
yàn jiā suī rán jǐn jǐn shì zhōng děng guī mó de xiū zhēn jiā zú ， dàn què yǔ huǒ líng mén yuān yuán shēn hòu ， qí shí bù zhǐ shì yàn jiā ， tā men wāng jiā tóng yàng yǔ piāo yún gǔ jiāo hǎo 。
燕家虽然仅仅是中等规模的修真家族，但却与火灵门渊源深厚，其实不止是燕家，他们汪家同样与飘云谷交好。
In the cultivation world, sects were the most powerful entities. Most cultivation families would choose to align themselves with a sect unless they possessed formidable experts of their own.
yào zhī dào zài xiū zhēn jiè ， mén pài cái shì zuì dà de shì lì ， gè xiū zhēn jiā zú ， chú fēi zhēn yǒu bù dé le de gāo shǒu ， yào bù rán dū huì xuǎn zé yī fù yí gè mén pài 。
要知道在修真界，门派才是最大的势力，各修真家族，除非真有不得了的高手，要不然都会选择依附一个门派。
The choice of which sect to join varied; some chose based on proximity for better support, others due to ancestral ties, or through marriage alliances...
zhì yú yī fù shuí ， gè jiā zú xuǎn zé de yě bù tóng ， yǒu de shì zài tóng yī dì yù ， jiào jìn de ， kě yǐ gèng hǎo zhào fú ， yǒu de zǔ shàng gēn běn jiù shì nà běn pài de dì zǐ ， yǒu de zé tōng guò lián yīn de fāng shì ， bù yī ér zú ……
至于依附谁，各家族选择的也不同，有的是在同一地域，较近的，可以更好照拂，有的祖上根本就是那本派的弟子，有的则通过联姻的方式，不一而足……
Yan Tianheng was already in the wrong for killing and stealing without mercy. The Fire Spirit Sect had no objections to his execution because if they were unreasonable, the Wang family's allies at Drifting Cloud Valley would intervene. However, with Yan Tianheng and his son missing, the Fire Spirit Sect would not stand idly by. This made it clear that the Wang Family was in the wrong.
yàn tiān héng lǐ kuī zài xiān ， shā rén qiǎng bǎo bù liú qíng miàn ， yào tā dǐ mìng ， huǒ líng mén yě wú huà kě shuō ， bì jìng tā men rú guǒ bù jiǎng dào lǐ ， wāng jiā bèi hòu de piāo yún gǔ yě huì jiè rù ， kě xiàn zài yàn tiān héng fù zǐ shī zōng ， miè yàn jiā mǎn mén xiè fèn ， huǒ líng mén kěn dìng bú huì xiù shǒu ， zhè yàng ， cóng dào lǐ shàng lái shuō ， jiù shì wāng jiā bú duì le 。
燕天衡理亏在先，杀人抢宝不留情面，要他抵命，火灵门也无话可说，毕竟他们如果不讲道理，汪家背后的飘云谷也会介入，可现在燕天衡父子失踪，灭燕家满门泄愤，火灵门肯定不会袖手，这样，从道理上来说，就是汪家不对了。
While the cultivation world relied on strength, this was only true when there was a significant disparity in power. If both parties were evenly matched and neither wanted mutual destruction, they had to "reason."
suī rán xiū zhēn jiè shì yǐ quán tou shuō huà ， dàn nà shì zài shuāng fāng shí lì xiāng chà hěn dà de qíng kuàng xià ， jiǎ rú shuāng fāng chà bù duō ， yòu dōu bù xiǎng liǎng bài jù shāng ， nà me jiù yào “ jiǎng dào lǐ ” le 。
虽然修真界是以拳头说话，但那是在双方实力相差很大的情况下，假如双方差不多，又都不想两败俱伤，那么就要“讲道理”了。
Thus, the Wang Family elders left threatening words but did not go far. They split into two groups: one returned with news while searching for Yan Tianheng, and the other two remained on standby, monitoring the area around Yan Family.
yú shì ， wāng jiā zhǎng lǎo diū xià hěn huà ， piāo rán lí qù ， dàn yě bìng méi yǒu zǒu yuǎn ， ér shì bīng fēn liǎng lù ， yī rén huí qù bào xìn ， bìng diào jí dì zǐ sōu suǒ yàn tiān héng ， lìng liǎng rén zé shǒu zhū dài tù ， zài yàn jiā fù jìn jiān shì 。
于是，汪家长老丢下狠话，飘然离去，但也并没有走远，而是兵分两路，一人回去报信，并调集弟子搜索燕天衡，另两人则守株待兔，在燕家附近监视。
Upon hearing of their head’s misfortune, Yan family members were stunned, shocked to silence. Initially, they thought there was a misunderstanding and waited for Yan Tianheng's return to clear things up. However, as time passed, his absence became more apparent, leading them to suspect foul play by Wang Family elders who blamed Yan Tianheng for their deaths.
tīng shuō jiā zhǔ chuǎng le dà huò ， yàn jiā de rén yě shì dāi ruò mù jī ， dà jīng shī sè ， qǐ chū hái yǐ wéi yǒu shén me wù huì ， xiǎng děng yàn tiān héng huí lái jiě shì qīng chǔ ， kě suí zhe shí jiān de liú shì ， yàn jiā fù zi què zōng yǐng quán wú yú shì tā men cóng páng huáng dào yí huò ， yǐ wéi jiā zhǔ zāo le wāng jiā zhǎng lǎo de dú shǒu ， duì fāng wèi le yǎn gài zhēn xiàng ， fǎn guò lái yuān wǎng jiā zhǔ shā le tā men de rén ， hái shàng mén wèn zuì 。
听说家主闯了大祸，燕家的人也是呆若木鸡，大惊失色，起初还以为有什么误会，想等燕天衡回来解释清楚，可随着时间的流逝，燕家父子却踪影全无于是他们从彷徨到疑惑，以为家主遭了汪家长老的毒手，对方为了掩盖真相，反过来冤枉家主杀了他们的人，还上门问罪。
The Yan family was naturally indignant and sought help from the Fire Spirit Sect.
yàn jiā dàng rán bù fú qì le ， biàn xiàng huǒ líng mén qiú zhù 。
燕家当然不服气了，便像火灵门求助。
The Fire Spirit Sect excelled in fire-based cultivation techniques. In Yanzhou's sects, they ranked second, just behind Drifting Cloud Valley.
huǒ líng mén ， gù míng sī yì ， shàn cháng huǒ shǔ xìng de gōng fǎ ， lùn shí lì ， zài yǎn zhōu de zōng pài zhī zhōng ， pái dì èr ， yǔ piāo yún gǔ xiāng bǐ ， jǐn chà le yì diǎn diǎn 。
火灵门，顾名思义，擅长火属性的功法，论实力，在兖州的宗派之中，排第二，与飘云谷相比，仅差了一点点。
Their leader was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator but had a Condensation Core stage senior elder who was known for his high magical power and questionable morals. Yan Tianheng’s second daughter was one of the elders' favored concubines.
tā men de zhǎng mén suī rán shì zhù jī qī ， dàn tóng yàng yǒu yī wèi níng dān qī de qián bèi zhǎng lǎo ， ér nà ge zhǎng lǎo ， fǎ lì suī gāo ， pǐn xíng què hěn hào sè ， ér yàn tiān héng de èr nǚ ér ， zhèng shì nà zhǎng lǎo xǐ huān de xiǎo qiè zhī yī 。
他们的掌门虽然是筑基期，但同样有一位凝丹期的前辈长老，而那个长老，法力虽高，品行却很好色，而燕天衡的二女儿，正是那长老喜欢的小妾之一。
This connection, combined with long-standing rivalry between the Fire Spirit Sect and Drifting Cloud Valley over Yanzhou's cultivation dominance, led to their involvement in this conflict. With these two major sects now entangled, other sects in Yanzhou could not stay out of it either. Some aligned with the Fire Spirit Sect while others with Drifting Cloud Valley.
yǒu le zhè céng guān xì ， jiā shàng huǒ líng mén yǔ piāo yún gǔ yì zhí zhēng duó yǎn zhōu xiū zhēn jiè bà zhǔ de dì wèi ， běn jiù yǒu xián xì ， zhǐ bù guò hù xiāng gù jì ， píng shí jiāng bù mǎn yā le xià lái 。
有了这层关系，加上火灵门与飘云谷一直争夺兖州修真界霸主的地位，本就有嫌隙，只不过互相顾忌，平时将不满压了下来。
Despite the verbal battles, the leaders of various sects were wise enough to avoid mutual destruction. Thus, the situation remained limited to mere words for now.
xiàn zài ， yàn jiā hé wāng jiā gè zhí yī cí ， yī biān shì shù gè dì zǐ bèi xí shā ， bǎo wù yǔ gōng fǎ yě bèi qiǎng zǒu ， lìng yī biān zé shuō jiā zhǔ yù hài ， duì fāng què fǎn yǎo yī kǒu ， zǒng zhī liǎng gè xiū zhēn jiā zú de ēn yuàn ， jiāng piāo yún gǔ yǔ huǒ líng mén liǎng dà zōng pài yě qiān chě le jìn lái 。
现在，燕家和汪家各执一词，一边是数个弟子被袭杀，宝物与功法也被抢走，令一边则说家主遇害，对方却反咬一口，总之两个修真家族的恩怨，将飘云谷与火灵门两大宗派也牵扯了进来。
However, tensions were high, and solitary cultivators lived in constant fear that they might be drawn into this conflict. Other cultivation families also spoke up on behalf of their affiliated sects, adding fuel to the fire. Those with longstanding grudges took advantage of the situation, leading to several clashes among cultivation families over these days.
ér zhè liǎng dà jù tóu yī dòng ， yǎn zhōu de qí tā mén pài zì rán bù kě néng dú shàn qí shēn le ， yǒu de yǔ huǒ líng mén jiāo hǎo ， yǒu de yǔ piāo yún gǔ yǒu jiù ， xíng chéng le liǎng dà duì zhì de lián méng 。
而这两大巨头一动，兖州的其他门派自然不可能独善其身了，有的与火灵门交好，有的与飘云谷有旧，形成了两大对峙的联盟。
In short, things were escalating.
Thus, Lin Xuan devoted his time to purifying hundreds of lower-grade Essence Cleansing Pills and twenty middle-grade pills.
The purification of the lower-grade pills went smoothly, but it took longer for the middle-grade ones. The application of blue light points hit a bottleneck; breakthroughs required an increase in his cultivation level because the size of Star Sea energy was proportional to one's magical power.
Lin Xuan decided to purify so many pills in one go because he intended to seclude himself and refine for some time. This time, no matter what, he aimed to enter the Flexible Spirit Period and reach the fifth layer of his cultivation technique.
Having set his goal, Lin Xuan began to work towards it. Everything was now ready.
During this period when Lin Xuan purified the pills, the cultivation world in the State of Zhao's Yanzhou Region felt like a storm was brewing. There were constant frictions among various cultivation families, and although major sects kept their peace, they engaged in heated verbal battles. Solitary cultivators lived in fear.
The spark that ignited this situation was Lingyun Sect's dissolution. The Lingyun Sect had offended a powerful Condensation Core stage expert, forcing its disbandment. Other sects secretly rejoiced at the news but were reluctant to openly celebrate because it meant they could seize part of the Lingyun Sect’s territory and gain many treasures from their transactions.
Initially, everyone seemed pleased with this turn of events. However, after the transaction fair, a series of unexpected incidents unfolded. The famous cultivation family, the Wang Family, sent one of its disciples who was ambushed and killed. The acquired cultivation techniques and treasures were also seized.
Yan Tianheng thought himself shrewd but was too careless. He left some traces that enraged the Wang Family. As one of the most powerful cultivation families in a vast area, they had never suffered such humiliation before. Three Foundation Establishment stage elders came to Yan Family demanding compensation for their family members' deaths.
At this point, it seemed clear who was at fault: Yan Tianheng was weak and had killed for gain. In the cultivation world, might made right, but there were still some graces between families. Yan Tianheng's actions left no room for negotiation.
The three elders of the Wang Family intended to have Yan Tianheng pay with his life. However, upon arrival, they found that both the family head and his son had disappeared. Only old women, children, and low-level cultivators remained in the house.
Lin Xuan was meticulous; nobody knew that Yan Tianheng's father and son were already buried in an unknown forest. The Wang Family elders believed their rivals had fled.
Angry beyond measure, one of the elders threatened to wipe out the entire Yan family but was stopped by his companions. They did not do this out of kindness or inability to act; they feared stirring up a larger conflict before all facts were clear.
Although the Yan Family was only an average cultivation family, it had deep ties with the Fire Spirit Sect. Not just the Yan family, but the Wang family also maintained good relations with Drifting Cloud Valley.
In the cultivation world, sects were the most powerful entities. Most cultivation families would choose to align themselves with a sect unless they possessed formidable experts of their own.
The choice of which sect to join varied; some chose based on proximity for better support, others due to ancestral ties, or through marriage alliances...
Yan Tianheng was already in the wrong for killing and stealing without mercy. The Fire Spirit Sect had no objections to his execution because if they were unreasonable, the Wang family's allies at Drifting Cloud Valley would intervene. However, with Yan Tianheng and his son missing, the Fire Spirit Sect would not stand idly by. This made it clear that the Wang Family was in the wrong.
While the cultivation world relied on strength, this was only true when there was a significant disparity in power. If both parties were evenly matched and neither wanted mutual destruction, they had to "reason."
Thus, the Wang Family elders left threatening words but did not go far. They split into two groups: one returned with news while searching for Yan Tianheng, and the other two remained on standby, monitoring the area around Yan Family.
Upon hearing of their head’s misfortune, Yan family members were stunned, shocked to silence. Initially, they thought there was a misunderstanding and waited for Yan Tianheng's return to clear things up. However, as time passed, his absence became more apparent, leading them to suspect foul play by Wang Family elders who blamed Yan Tianheng for their deaths.
The Yan family was naturally indignant and sought help from the Fire Spirit Sect.
The Fire Spirit Sect excelled in fire-based cultivation techniques. In Yanzhou's sects, they ranked second, just behind Drifting Cloud Valley.
Their leader was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator but had a Condensation Core stage senior elder who was known for his high magical power and questionable morals. Yan Tianheng’s second daughter was one of the elders' favored concubines.
This connection, combined with long-standing rivalry between the Fire Spirit Sect and Drifting Cloud Valley over Yanzhou's cultivation dominance, led to their involvement in this conflict. With these two major sects now entangled, other sects in Yanzhou could not stay out of it either. Some aligned with the Fire Spirit Sect while others with Drifting Cloud Valley.
Despite the verbal battles, the leaders of various sects were wise enough to avoid mutual destruction. Thus, the situation remained limited to mere words for now.
However, tensions were high, and solitary cultivators lived in constant fear that they might be drawn into this conflict. Other cultivation families also spoke up on behalf of their affiliated sects, adding fuel to the fire. Those with longstanding grudges took advantage of the situation, leading to several clashes among cultivation families over these days.
In short, things were escalating.