1454 Participating in a Faction War

"Really? Are you really going to start participating in Faction Wars, Brother Yuan?!" Yu Rou exclaimed excitedly.

He nodded, "Yes, it seems fun."

Bai Lianhua wiped the invisible sweat on her forehead, her hand trembling slightly, and said, "It's going to get rowdy once the rest of the world learns of this. Countless people—myself included—have anticipated the day the famous Demon Sealing Faction shows their prowess."

"Despite being worldwide famous, you guys have never participated in any events, and people are starting to question whether the Demon Sealing Faction actually exists or is just a fake faction."

Yuan chuckled at this information and said, "Faction rankings and whatnot are insignificant matters in our eyes, and we're always busy improving our own cultivation in both Earth and Cultivation Online."

"Insignificant, huh? While that may be true for you, who live in an entirely different world from the rest of us mortals, one's rankings determine whether they are respected, sponsored, or left in the dust. And having a sponsor is incredibly important, as many factions, including top-ranking factions, depend on them for survival and growth."

"Does Eternal Lotuses have any sponsors?" Yuan asked.

"We used to have some, but I refused any monetary support from them so that they wouldn't impact our faction in the slightest, even if they were to disappear from our lives one day suddenly. My decision proved correct since all our sponsors stopped supporting us simultaneously last month. It would've greatly affected our operations if we'd relied on them, and I am willing to bet my savings that Fiery Queen had something to do with it." Bai Lianhua shuddered at the thought of their faction being forced to close down due to a sudden lack of finances.

"I see… I am beginning to understand the economy of factions now… Honestly, I created my faction on a whim. I wanted a place for my friends and family—a place we can call home. I never once considered looking for sponsors or whatnot."

"Then how do the rankings work? Is it true that you must accept a challenge, or you'll lose your rank?" Yuan then asked.

Bai Lianhua nodded, "Yes, but that is only true if the challengers are within 10 ranks of their target. This is to prevent those at the top from purposefully avoiding Faction Wars to prolong their rank. While we don't have to fight those who challenge us, we'll lose our rank to the challenger if we don't respond. Also, a faction can only be challenged once a month by those within 10 ranks."

"What rank is your faction at right now?"

"Last I checked, we were at rank 77, a far cry from rank 9 just several months ago. I feel frustrated and ashamed every time I think about it," she sighed.

"Then what about my Demon Sealing Faction?" Yuan suddenly asked.

"The ranking system has changed drastically since it was first implemented, but the Demon Sealing Faction should be unranked at this moment since you guys haven't participated in any Faction Wars."

"Is that so…"

Yuan closed his eyes and proceeded to ponder about some things.

After a moment of silence, he opened his eyes to look at Bai Lianhua and showed her an ominous smile, "You don't want to deal with the Fiery Locust Swarm, correct? How about we take care of them for you?"

"Huh? You want to challenge the Fiery Locust Swarm? The Demon Sealing Faction only has 11 members, correct?" Bai Lianhua sked.

"Twelve now." Yuan smiled.

In order to manage the Demon Sealing Faction's affairs, Meifeng also joined their faction.

Bai Lianhua looked at him in disbelief and said a moment later, "I don't mean to look down on you or your faction, but you won't defeat the Fiery Locust Swarm with a dozen people. I told you that a Faction War requires a team effort, right? Unless you're a Spirit King or everyone in your faction is a Spirit Lord, you won't be able to overcome the difference in numbers."

"We're all Spirit Grandmasters, but we won't know until we try."

"Well, most Faction Wars are sieges nowadays, where two factions attempt to overtake the other's base. Even you can't defend a base from thousands of people with a dozen, I think…"

"That sounds like a challenge to me." Yuan smiled.

He suddenly retrieved his cell phone and dialed a number.

"W-what are you doing?" Bai Lianhua had a bad feeling about his actions.

An excited voice resounded from the phone the following moment, "Hello, this is Chairman Lee!"

"Good evening, Chairman Lee. Do you have a moment to talk right now?"

"Of course! I always have time for you, Yuan! It's been a while since I've heard from you. I hope you've been doing well."

"I've been doing well. Thank you for asking. Anyways, the purpose for my call is this…"

After a brief pause, he continued, "The Demon Sealing Faction would like to participate in a Faction War. Do you think you can help me arrange one?"

"What?! The Demon Sealing Faction?! Are you serious?!" Chairman Lee's voice was filled with shock and excitement.

"Of course. Why would I joke about something like this?"

Chairman Lee didn't immediately respond, but Yuan could hear some weird noises coming from the background.

A moment later, Chairman Lee responded in a calm voice, "When would you like to participate in a Faction War? Do you have an opponent in mind? If not, we can help you put out a notice to attract challengers."

"I do have an opponent in mind. They are called Fiery Locust Swarm."

"Huh?"

After a moment of silence, Chairman Lee's dumbfounded voice resounded again, "D-did you just say Fiery Locust Swarm? But they are ranked 86th in the world with over forty thousand members, while the Demon Sealing Faction only has twelve…"

"Forty thousand members, huh? I wasn't expecting such a large number, but their number is irrelevant to me. Or am I unable to challenge them due to the difference in our member count?" Yuan asked.

"Regardless of your member count and rank, you are able to challenge anyone that isn't below your rank, but your faction will be at an immense disadvantage, and whether they accept the challenge or not is an entirely different matter." Chairman Lee said.