Chapter 180: All Spirits Extinguished, Heavenly River Inversion, Full-Line Collapse, Mang Xiang Intervenes, Stone Ancestor Shockingly Appears |
The Middle Front of the two-sect war.
The breeze was gentle and the spring sunlight was bright; it was a perfect day for a spring outing.
Of course, it was also a perfect day to officially begin the decisive battle.
Relying on the weather for an advantage was not that important in a great war.
If the leader of a faction pinned their success or failure on favorable weather, they would be severely underestimating their opponent.
Of course, some trash opponents indeed weren't worth respecting, but Hongdengzhao was no roadside minor faction.
True Person Gua specifically chose such a good day to strike so that after it successfully led its team to break through Hongdengzhao's Middle Front defensive circle, the Sky Serpent Sect's subsequent forces could quickly fill the gap.
About three hundred li away from the Middle Front battlefield, on the Sky Serpent Sect's side, True Person Gua sat upon the stamen of a sunflower.
Beside it, a group of seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Sky Serpent Sect stood obediently with their hands at their sides.
After confirming that the situation on Hongdengzhao's front lines remained unchanged, True Person Gua spoke to Gushen Qingyuan beside it.
"Qingyuan, act according to the plan. Have the frontline disciples retreat into the formation array and heighten their vigilance.
"My divine ability is an indiscriminate attack. Although I will control its direction, even the aftershocks are not something Qi Refining cultivators can withstand."
Those green leaves were transformed from True Person Gua's natal magic treasure, having already completed the reconnaissance.
True Person Gua was very meticulous. The Sky Serpent Sect had two Demon Gods: Tianshe and the Frog Emperor. As a key general under the tutelage of the Frog Emperor, and now the actual person in charge of the Sky Serpent Sect's operations in the two-sect war, it naturally had to control the details as much as possible.
Although those Qi Refining cultivators were de facto consumables, and with a little time there could be a nearly infinite amount, on a relatively short time scale, their numbers were still limited.
In short, save what should be saved and burn what should be burned; they could not be squandered.
"True Person, they are nothing more than Qi Refining cultivators. If they all die, we can just recruit rogue cultivators to fill the gaps.
"But if the sudden shrinking of our battle lines causes Hongdengzhao to notice something is wrong, it will be troublesome."
When it came to treating lives as worthless, the key figures of all the major sects displayed an astonishing consistency.
Yi Zouri, who had not even known Wang Yulou beforehand, had repeatedly targeted him both openly and secretly. His methods could only be described as completely unscrupulous.
Gushen Qingyuan was similar. As a sect master, he served the interests of the sect's grand cultivators. Therefore, he did not care at all whether the low-level Qi Refining cultivators on the front lines lived or died.
Mortal morality and the customary norms established by short-lived species were completely meaningless to these core Foundation Establishment cultivators of major forces who yearned to attain the Dao. They only fought for their own path; everything else had to step aside.
Although the Gushen family could not possibly produce a third Purple Palace cultivator, this did not stop Gushen Qingyuan from continually showing his loyalty to the sect and his reverence for its controllers.
Just as he himself had said—what if?
What if Hongdengzhao noticed a problem?
No.
It was, "What if there is a chance to attain the Dao? I must offer my utmost loyalty to the sect!"
However... in the face of Gushen Qingyuan's absolute loyalty to the sect, True Person Gua's two peanut-sized eyes merely stared at him.
Gushen Qingyuan shivered and hurriedly said,
"I did not think it through. I will go arrange it right now!"
Many times, one's loyalty is completely worthless.
——
Wang Jingyi and Yan Keyi sat opposite each other, neither speaking.
They were waiting, waiting for True Person Xuanzhuan's decision on the matter.
They were certain that Xuanzhuan would step forward. This had nothing to do with Wang Yulou's status or importance; it was simply because Lian Chengxian represented the power of the Immortal Alliance.
If Lian Chengxian's actions were escalated, it would mean Lotus Immortal City interfering in the two-sect war, showing partiality towards the Sky Serpent Sect, and throwing Hongdengzhao into chaos.
Under such circumstances, how to respond—and to what extent—was not something Wang Jingyi or Yan Keyi could decide.
"Junior Martial Sister Jingyi, come, have some tea."
Yan Keyi was in a very good mood, but he maintained a heavy and anxious expression on his face.
The cultivators on the front lines were fighting and dying for immortality, while the town guard in the Defense Pass was busy brewing tea.
This was Hongdengzhao's war, and it was also Mangxiang's war, but those throwing their lives away on the front lines belonged to neither Hongdengzhao's direct lineage nor Mangxiang's direct lineage.
If they couldn't be used to pay the price, then why would grand cultivators even establish organizations?
After waiting a long time without receiving True Person Xuanzhuan's Sacred Decree, Ancestor Jingyi stood up, heavily preoccupied, and said,
"I won't drink anymore. I'm returning to the Southern Front. Once there is news, I hope Senior Martial Brother will notify me and Yulou."
"It is a minor matter. Junior Martial Sister, you may go with peace of mind."
Seeing that Wang Jingyi was finally leaving, Yan Keyi hurriedly stood up to see her off.
Once he confirmed that Wang Jingyi had completely left the Middle Front Defense Pass, Yan Keyi could no longer keep a straight face.
"A joyous occasion refreshes the spirit! Hahahaha, if you won't drink, I will!"
Now, Wang Yulou was facing disaster, standing at the very front lines where the Behemoth Lineage and other factions within the sect were tearing at each other.
Under such a situation, how could Yan Keyi not be happy?
——
Wang Family Mountain.
Boss Crane, who had picked up Wang Rongsheng from Clear Stream Market to return to the clan grounds, landed in the center of Dumb Donkey Plain.
Wang Rongsheng had not returned to the clan grounds in a long time. Watching the dumb donkeys gallop across Dumb Donkey Plain, and smelling the faint odor of donkey dung mixed with the fragrance of flowers and grass, his entire being felt relaxed and happy.
However, thinking about how the old patriarch had suddenly transferred him back to the clan grounds for no apparent reason, Wang Rongsheng felt a bit apprehensive.
Could he be going to the front lines?
"Fourth Brother, you're here."
Wang Rongjiang, the current Patriarch of the Wang Clan, hurriedly came down from the treehouse to welcome him.
His cultivation base was higher than Wang Rongsheng's, but for someone with a four spirit root aptitude to cultivate to this point, Wang Rongsheng could be considered a very impressive and inspiring high-tier Qi Refining cultivator.
As a new Patriarch who had only been in office for a few years, Wang Rongjiang had to respect these Qi Refining cultivators who had made long-standing contributions to the family.
Additionally, there was the matter of seniority. Wang Rongsheng was now over a hundred and twenty years old—older than Wang Rongjiang—and ranked fourth in the Rong generation, so Wang Rongjiang called him Fourth Brother.
"Rongjiang..."
The two chatted idly for a long while before Wang Rongjiang fully revealed the clan's arrangement for Wang Rongsheng.
"...The situation is exactly that. The sect will not be defeated, but the Wang Clan and the ancestor can no longer be separated. If something unpredictable happens, a branch lineage will ensure the family's continuation."
Wang Rongsheng did not answer immediately, subconsciously turning his head to look at the dumb donkeys.
Immortal Venerables sat high upon the Gathering Immortals Platform; major sects suppressed the world's cultivators. If the ancestor focused entirely on the Dao, how would the Wang Clan survive?
Could they really escape?
Yulou was in the West Sea, joining hands with Immortal Alliance Steward Meng Bai to purge the lingering poison of Shen Guang, killing so many people in the process.
This was the normal outcome of the magical combat and games of grand cultivators.
In such a massive purge, Wang Rongsheng did not believe that splitting off a branch lineage would spare the family.
"I understand. I am to take twenty people to Hidden Dragon Abbey, and then reach Foundation Establishment.
"After Foundation Establishment, I will help Hongmei reach Foundation Establishment. In this way, the branch lineage will be able to stand on its own.
"Rongjiang, I will do my best. To be honest, I am not very confident."
Wang Rongsheng was not afraid of the family placing burdens on him. Given the family's kindness towards him, he would willingly go to the battlefield for them.
It was just that having the resolve and actually succeeding were two different things. Wang Rongsheng was afraid he would not make a good Patriarch for the Hidden Dragon Abbey Wang Clan.
"No need to worry. Out of the twenty people, I will select many capable hands for you, all of whom possess both strength and auxiliary arts.
"Moreover, the clan will also support you with two portions of Foundation Establishment resources. Speaking of which, we still have to thank Yulou for this.
"He is now a Steward of the Special Merit Hall. With his position there, the clan will be able to greatly expand its sources of income in the future, and cultivation resources will become much more abundant."
Wang Rongjiang felt somewhat emotional.
In the cultivation world, the influence an extraordinary heavenly genius could bring was immense.
Wang Yulou had only taken a small step into the power struggles of Hongdengzhao, but the benefits he brought to the Wang Clan had already surpassed those of Wang Jingyi and Wang Xianmao combined.
Strength and a share of benefits did not always directly correlate. The strength of the two ancestors was naturally greater than Wang Yulou's, but their future potential was not as high as his.
Wang Jingyi might become a Purple Palace cultivator, but she couldn't just go around shouting, 'I have the aptitude for the Purple Palace, so I must do this and that.' Right now, the most important thing for her was to keep a low profile and cultivate, steadily working toward the promising future envisioned by the ancestor.
Deeply participating in the sect's internal conflicts of interest was dangerous, but it could indeed secure many benefits that the Wang Clan would not have even dared to imagine before.
"Yulou... having him born into our Wang Clan is our clan's blessing."
Wang Rongsheng felt somewhat emotional.
When he first met Wang Yulou, the latter was just a youth. From a small boy in Hidden Dragon Market to a core figure on Hongdengzhao's front lines in the two-sect war, Wang Yulou had already shouldered the responsibilities of the family along his journey.
As a fellow cultivator, Wang Rongsheng even felt a bit jealous of this junior. Of course, this jealousy carried no malice; compared to Wang Yulou, he simply felt somewhat lost.
Cultivation was very simple, but reaching a high level was difficult. Achieving Foundation Establishment at over a hundred and twenty years of age—did he really have a chance to take another step forward?
——
Northern Front Defense Pass.
Kong Gu held Wang Yulou's hand, gripping it tightly. Wang Yulou tried to forcefully break free a few times but couldn't.
Of course, this wasn't because the old geezer Kong Gu harbored any strange intentions toward Wang Yulou; he simply hoped that Wang Yulou wouldn't take Lin Ying away with him.
Kong Gu was a smart man, the kind of smart man who stood at the very top.
Lin Ying had almost been abducted and killed by Lian Chengxian on his turf. If Wang Yulou simply took her and left right after that, Kong Gu's relationship with him would be finished.
Although relationships often served mutual interests for people like them, Wang Yulou's potential was simply too massive; Kong Gu couldn't bear to reduce their connection to a purely transactional one.
"Fellow Daoist Jade Palace, Junior Martial Sister Lin absolutely doesn't need to leave. I will give up my residence within the Defense Pass for her, letting her stay in the center of the grand array.
"You know that grand array yourself; even if a Purple Palace cultivator attacked, it could hold them off for a short while. In that time, she could easily wait for backup from the sect's True Persons.
"With Junior Martial Sister Lin cultivating inside, she will naturally be absolutely safe. No more accidents will occur."
Giving up a mere residence would not affect Kong Gu's authority on the Northern Front in the slightest.
Wondrous Peak Mountain and the Valley Spirit Sect had been fighting for nearly twenty years, having long since hammered out a stable internal governance framework for wartime. Kong Gu did not have to face the pressures and troubles that Wang Yulou had encountered.
Of course, this might also be because Wondrous Peak Mountain was a small sect, and its three True Persons did not want internal strife affecting their overall interests—they could afford the losses, but it simply wasn't worth it.
Hongdengzhao was different. Hongdengzhao was simply too large. Forget losing one battle; even if they lost two in a row, Candlelight Immortal Venerable would still sit securely upon the Gathering Immortals Platform.
"There's no need. I want to take her back to the sect. The Immortal Alliance interfering in the two-sect war and directly laying hands on a disciple of our Hongdengzhao—this matter must be dealt with as quickly as possible."
Lin Ying was now also an inner gate disciple of Hongdengzhao.
Mang Xiang was preparing to attain the Dao, and Wang Yulou, following Mang Xiang, was on a meteoric rise. His Dao Companions, serving as the extensions of his growing influence, naturally rose with the tide.
"That's true. I didn't think it through."
Faced with Wang Yulou's airtight reasoning, Kong Gu could no longer keep trying to make him stay.
Watching Wang Yulou wrap his arm around Lin Ying and ride away on the Black Dragon Steed, escorted by a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators, Kong Gu glared resentfully in the direction Lian Chengxian had been taken by the Immortal Alliance Emissary.
Idiot! If you had even half a brain, you wouldn't have dug such a massive pit for me!
——
Although he needed to take his senior martial sister back to the sect, the real reason was that Ancestor Jingyi and Yan Keyi were both stationed at the Middle Front Defense Pass.
In reality, Wang Yulou still had to make a trip back to the Middle Front.
Ancestor Jingyi and Yan Keyi had not appeared directly at the scene of the incident because they needed to control the intensity of the conflict; Wang Yulou had personally insisted on this.
If Lian Chengxian could be taken down on the spot, that would naturally be for the best.
If things grew troublesome, it wouldn't be too late to have Yan Keyi and Wang Jingyi step forward then.
Lian Chengxian indeed had a powerful surname. Although Wang Yulou was a disciple under the tutelage of the Behemoth Lineage, he couldn't haphazardly mobilize their resources and strength, especially against someone like Lian Chengxian.
If the Behemoth Lineage rushed in too early, and if Lian Chengxian had a whole set of calculated schemes backing him, it would mean Wang Yulou had ruined his faction's initiative.
These matters sounded complicated, but they were the "true web of interests." No matter how complex, Wang Yulou had to do his best to perceive and navigate them.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to reach where he was today.
To be able to stand firm in such a fierce vortex, Wang Yulou's capabilities were naturally exceptional.
Just the act of deliberately beating Lian Chengxian half to death, taking the initiative to hand bargaining chips to his opponents, was a move countless people would never comprehend in their entire lifetimes.
Being "results-oriented" was just empty talk; mastering the practical methods of process control was true knowledge.
Of course, Wang Yulou respected cultivators who liked to rely on magical combat and absolute strength to forge their own paths—he respected them immensely, and he wanted to become that kind of cultivator himself.
However, the situation he faced was somewhat unique. For some unknown reason, the high-level cultivators of this world did not like to pass down their methods. The ones they did pass down were dead-end paths—grotto-heaven Purple Palace methods that had you cultivate for hundreds of years, only to possibly end up as someone else's food in the end.
The most infuriating part was that they had even joined hands to establish so many top-tier factions, controlling the vast majority of territories capable of producing cultivation resources. They used countless rules to restrict anyone who wanted to attain the Dao after them.
Sometimes, Wang Yulou really wanted to curse them out—"You people really aren't human."
But if one wanted to change reality, the unavoidable first step was to accept a part of it.
No matter how much hatred or dissatisfaction he felt, Wang Yulou had ultimately reached a key position within this monstrous system, and he needed to keep moving forward.
"Husband, why did Lian Chengxian target me? Or rather, why did the people behind him set their sights on me?"
Lin Ying's inquiry interrupted Wang Yulou's reverie, and he replied somewhat uncertainly.
"There are three possibilities.
"The first is that Lian Chengxian making a move was just the fuse, and there are many follow-up moves waiting behind it. This is the most terrifying scenario, meaning a certain Immortal Venerable of Lotus Immortal City might have truly taken a stance."
Whether Lianpeng and Qingrui were the same person, Wang Yulou still wasn't sure. If they weren't, then Lian Chengxian had very likely been schemed against by Qingrui and sent to dig a pit for Immortal Venerable Lianpeng.
Lianpeng siding with Tianshe, and Qingrui siding with Mang Xiang—this possibility aligned with a part of the reality that Wang Yulou had witnessed: Qingrui and Mang Xiang joining hands in the West Sea to suppress Shen Guang. That was why he harbored such suspicions.
"The second is that Lian Chengxian wasn't pushed forward by anyone; he simply came to find trouble with me, and setting his sights on you was just a choice he made after weighing his options.
"This is the best-case scenario, but the likelihood is very low because Lian Chengxian shouldn't have known where you were."
Wang Yulou didn't believe there was no one behind Lian Chengxian. He had just appointed Lin Ying as the Inspector of the Northern Front, and Lian Chengxian had come after her immediately. No matter how he looked at it, this was beyond Lian Chengxian's level. The intelligence gathering alone was something Lian Chengxian couldn't achieve by himself.
"The third is that there is an expert behind him, and this is a bizarre move targeted directly at me.
"The fact that this expert was able to find Lian Chengxian and use him to capture you, thereby harming, provoking, and intimidating me—the twists and turns of this scheme fully illustrate just how massive of a grudge this expert holds against me.
"I'm afraid that in this expert's heart, they wish I would die immediately."
To know Lin Ying's movements and manipulate Lian Chengxian into capturing her, all to possibly frame Wang Yulou...
Following this logic, the mastermind had to be someone from within Hongdengzhao.
Yi Zouri, the Yan Family, or Pi Lingxiu; there were no other possibilities.
Therefore, Wang Yulou was anxious to take Lin Ying to Hongdengzhao to expedite the fallout as quickly as possible. He needed to seize the advantage in this internal conflict—which number it was by now, he had lost count—actively provoked by his enemies.
"Why are so many people targeting you, Husband? You only did what you were supposed to; it should be considered devotion to your duty," Senior Martial Sister Lin asked.
This question actually reflected Senior Martial Sister Lin's humble origins.
"Sigh. In this world, there are very few absolute truths, and they are obscured and blurred by countless falsehoods.
"For example, the devotion to duty you mentioned is just a narrative. Its value does not exist outside the system that recognizes it.
"The Immortal Alliance is huge, but when narrowed down to individual provinces, the ones ruling the local areas are often still the major sects. I devote myself to my duty for the sect, and the sect thanks me and rewards me; this means my devotion is recognized by the system that constructed this narrative value system.
"But within that framework, the interests of the individuals and the system as a whole are different yet again.
"Taking many of the so-called key positions within Hongdengzhao would mean ruining their own Dao paths for ambitious Core Disciples.
"True opportunities, like my current position as a Steward of the Special Merit Hall, must be fought for even if it means risking one's life, and they are worth it.
"There aren't that many resources to go around. Under the control of True Persons and Immortal Venerables, there aren't many opportunities to generate more resources either. So, I will likely face endless disputes."
"Endless disputes?"
"Yes, it will only stop when I've won.
"This time might just be the beginning.
"In the future, you will face more situations where you are caught in the crossfire because of me.
"Do you regret marrying me?"
"I don't regret it. I believe you can win, Yulou."
——
Whether Wang Yulou would win or not, True Person Gua didn't know and didn't care.
Its figure moved lightly through the air, its four feet shifting slightly as it crossed the distance of three hundred li from behind the battle lines to the very front, arriving at the confrontation between the two sects in an instant.
Retracting the divine ability used to shrink its body, True Person Gua's true form suddenly appeared more than forty li in front of the defense node where Wang Xianmao was stationed.
It was a giant frog demon, yellow and green in color, entirely enveloped in a majestic aura; its eyes alone were seven or eight zhang wide.
Its body spanned across the distant horizon, looking just like a massive mountain flying in mid-air.
Almost instantly, Wang Xianmao realized that the Immortal Alliance's internal war had begun.
He wanted to flee, but the Wang Clan's family records had documented this True Person Gua of the Sky Serpent Sect; it had once been the West Sea Dragon-Tiger True Man.
True Person Gua's divine ability was sound-based. Once executed, no living creatures would survive within a range of several hundred li.
The Wang Clan's millennium-old inheritance once again revealed its significance.
In that life-or-death instant, Wang Xianmao activated a special divine ability—Abandon Body, Transform to Tree.
In the center of Dumb Donkey Plain, there was a grove of large trees. They were all spiritual artifacts, and several of them were high-grade spiritual artifacts.
Back when Wang Rongjiang achieved Foundation Establishment, he had received a large tree spiritual artifact to use.
There was a reason behind this.
The Wang Clan's wood-elemental arts were profound, developed over many long years. There was once an ancestor who, based on the Wang Clan's bloodline and their accumulated experience in wood arts, researched and created a special divine ability: Abandon Body, Transform to Tree.
The word "special" here didn't mean it was extremely strong. Divine abilities naturally had their superiors and inferiors, and in a certain sense, Abandon Body, Transform to Tree was the worst divine ability of all.
Unlike the demon-transformation divine abilities cultivated by the Divine Ability Demon Transformation Purple Mansion Method, once Abandon Body, Transform to Tree was executed, the user would be trapped inside the body of the large tree, permanently unable to continue cultivating.
Moreover, because the Wang Clan's foundation was severely lacking when they created this divine ability, it could only be executed by their direct lineage. Strictly speaking, it relied heavily on bloodline.
Even if outsiders learned it, executing it would be extremely difficult.
That was what made it special.
Facing True Person Gua, who had suddenly appeared on the front lines, large trees possessed vigorous vitality. As plants, they did not belong to the same category as ordinary living beings. Thus, Abandon Body, Transform to Tree could evade the attacks of True Person Gua's sound-based divine ability.
Wang Xianmao wasn't the only one who spotted True Person Gua, but the others simply fled. Only Wang Xianmao gave up on running. Betting everything on the fact that the Immortal Alliance's internal war had already begun, he raced against time to execute the Abandon Body, Transform to Tree divine ability.
Upon appearing, True Person Gua skipped any preliminary buildup and immediately opened its terrifying, blood-sea-like massive maw.
"Ribbit~"
Divine ability: Great Annihilation Immortal Sound. This was the divine ability True Person Gua created after opening its Purple Palace.
Wherever the immortal sound reached, all living beings incapable of resisting would be entirely extinguished.
The normal propagation speed of sound was three hundred and forty meters per second, but the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound mobilized both the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and True Person Gua's own magical power.
Its speed reached forty li per breath.
However, from the moment Wang Xianmao spotted True Person Gua to the moment he decided to execute Abandon Body, Transform to Tree to save his life, a quarter of a breath had already passed. Therefore, his window for survival was less than a single breath.
Fortunately, Wang Xianmao primarily cultivated wood arts.
First, his torso transformed into pale green bark. Then, his legs and feet turned into a dense cluster of roots that extended deep into the earth. Finally, the transformation reached his arms and head.
As Wang Xianmao transformed, he let out agonizing screams.
His body twisted and grew, gradually shifting from human to tree.
In a single breath, a small tree one zhang tall occupied the spot where Wang Xianmao had just stood.
Rumble~ Rumble~
The ground trembled, shaking the small tree and causing it to sway wildly back and forth.
Under True Person Gua's Great Annihilation Immortal Sound, even the earthworms and insects deep underground were shattered into fine powder.
As for the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators who had fled first, they were as fragile as paper before a Purple Palace True Person's divine ability.
Insects and snakes shattered, cattle and sheep shattered, and mortals shattered even more thoroughly.
Centered on True Person Gua, a rapidly expanding semicircle spread out toward both flanks of the battle line and deep into Hongdengzhao's territory.
The edge of this semicircle was defined by the slaughter wrought by the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound. Wherever it passed, all spirits were extinguished!
As the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound advanced one hundred li, Yan Keyi, stationed inside the Middle Front Defense Pass, immediately activated a Divine Ability Treasure Talisman.
He had detected True Person Gua's appearance. The operational status of the frontline defense nodes was clearly visible to the town guard inside the Defense Pass.
The Sky Serpent Sect had come for the kill; what else could Yan Keyi do?
Run!
The Divine Ability Treasure Talisman Yan Keyi used had been bestowed upon the Yan clan by Xuanzhuan, and it was none other than Sky River Escape.
A silver-gray heavenly river materialized high above the front lines. Yan Keyi was swept up by its currents, fleeing rapidly toward Hongdengzhao's heartland.
A cultivator's divine sense had limits, but their physical eyesight extended much further. As long as one's vision was sharp enough, seeing things several hundred li away was perfectly normal—even mortals could do as much when looking at distant mountain ranges.
Seeing a figure fleeing from the Defense Pass toward Hongdengzhao's heartland, the areas outside the several-hundred-li stretch of the Middle Front that True Person Gua had targeted also began to destabilize.
It wasn't clear who ran first, but evidently, no one wished to become a casualty of war.
The suspected Middle Front town guard had already fled; what was the point of holding the front lines?
Run!
Two hundred li. The Great Annihilation Immortal Sound had already propagated two hundred li.
True Person Gua had merely roared once, yet five breaths later, Hongdengzhao's Middle Front was already beginning to collapse.
The most terrifying aspect of this rout was the chain reaction. Many cultivators who wouldn't have been targeted by True Person Gua joined the retreat upon seeing the defenders of nearby nodes flee.
The semicircle of death drawn by the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound continued to expand, and the collapse of the Middle Front mirrored its relentless spread.
Three hundred li. The Great Annihilation Immortal Sound had already propagated three hundred li.
"Stop!"
Wang Yulou uneasily ordered everyone to halt. He noticed that the situation in the distance was gravely wrong.
A heavenly river hung inverted, resembling a silver ribbon draped across the distant sky. The ribbon started from the direction of the Middle Front Defense Pass and extended deep into Hongdengzhao, with no end in sight.
How could such a sight not draw attention?
The numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators from Yuque Palace and Fragrant Bamboo Market who had followed Wang Yulou all the way also realized the problem.
"What happened over there?"
"Something huge has happened! Heavenly River Inversion! Heavenly River Inversion! Someone is using a divine ability to flee for their life!"
"The Sky Serpent Sect couldn't have sent a Purple Palace cultivator onto the field, could they?"
Silence. Everyone was shocked by this possibility.
A Purple Palace cultivator taking the field meant the conflict would escalate, taking the sheer brutality of the war to a whole new level.
Had the internal war of the Immortal Alliance truly begun?
"Go! Head east!"
Wang Yulou grabbed Lin Ying, mounted the Black Dragon Steed, and bolted straight toward the eastern depths of Hongdengzhao.
There was no need to remind them; the Foundation Establishment cultivators following him also knew they had to run.
Even though the Sky Serpent Sect's True Person was still at least five hundred li away, who knew the true range of a Purple Palace grand cultivator's divine ability?
Given the choice, no one was willing to become collateral damage.
In a rare instance, the Black Dragon Steed ran until foam formed at its mouth. It even considered throwing the two burdens off its back and fleeing on its own.
But the reality was that Wang Yulou was simply too terrifying. He even dared to threaten Purple Palace True Persons, and an Immortal Alliance Steward under the tutelage of an Immortal Venerable had all five limbs broken right off just for provoking him.
However, carrying two people restricted the Black Dragon Steed's speed to that of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. While the horse was still debating mutiny, Wang Yulou grabbed his Dao Companion and leapt off its back.
With various Escape Talismans plastered across his body, Wang Yulou flew at the speed of a high-tier Foundation Establishment cultivator, even while dragging Lin Ying along.
He considered whether he should also use a Sky River Escape. However, their current position was slightly further from the front lines, and even further from the Middle Front Defense Pass.
Since a True Person from the Sky Serpent Sect had struck, forcing Yan Keyi to flee, Hongdengzhao's True Persons would inevitably step in to intervene.
From Wang Yulou's current position, running just a bit further might buy enough time for Hongdengzhao's True Persons to block the Sky Serpent Sect's attacker.
Therefore, he ultimately decided to save his Sky River Escape treasure talisman.
Thus, beneath the sight of the inverted heavenly river, Hongdengzhao's Middle Front suffered a full-line collapse, creating a spectacle where every cultivator simultaneously fled toward Hongdengzhao's heartland.
Naturally, Hongdengzhao's True Persons were forced to make a move.
The first to act was Nan Yeke, who was closest to True Person Gua.
This founder of the Southern Leaf Kingdom possessed strength far inferior to True Person Gua's. Even unleashing his magic treasures and divine abilities in tandem failed to halt True Person Gua from channeling the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound.
Even while fending off the hastily arriving Nan Yeke, True Person Gua continued driving the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound forward.
Five hundred li. The Great Annihilation Immortal Sound crashed past the Middle Front Defense Pass.
Most of the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Defense Pass had already fled, making the defensive array impossible to sustain. The few cultivators who mistakenly believed the Defense Pass could shelter them were all reduced to dust by the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound.
However, this was just about the limit of the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound's range. As it charged forward, True Person Gua retracted the divine ability.
But it only retracted the divine ability to fire another round!
This time, True Person Gua didn't bother controlling its direction; it intended to indiscriminately slaughter everything within a several-hundred-li radius!
Standing atop the Defense Pass, it opened its gaping bloody maw and immediately unleashed a new wave of the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound.
Under continuous full-force activation, even someone of True Person Gua's strength suffered hidden injuries to its demonic body.
But to True Person Gua, these hidden injuries were harmless—a mere inconvenience.
The priority was killing as many of Hongdengzhao's effective forces as possible.
However, Hongdengzhao was not lacking in experts.
Counting from top to bottom: Zhuzhao, Mang Xiang, Fu Yan, and Jinxian. Every single one of them was no weaker than True Person Gua.
Naturally, it was impossible for them to sit back and watch this frog demon humiliate Hongdengzhao on their own turf.
"Old Gua, you are courting death."
A slightly teasing voice resounded through heaven and earth.
Fu Yan, who had just rushed to the front lines to clean up Mang Xiang's mess, halted their steps.
Mang Xiang had returned.
Since Mang Xiang had returned, he could clean up his own mess. Naturally, Fu Yan saw no reason to continue forward.
Compared to the formless and intangible Great Annihilation Immortal Sound executed by True Person Gua, Mang Xiang's Formless Art was far superior in concealment.
A vast streak of clear qi manifested between heaven and earth, and a cloud-white Dharma Body instantly appeared by True Person Gua's side.
The cloud-white giant pressed both hands downward, deploying the true Formless World.
The Great Annihilation Immortal Sound relied on the presence of the Great Heaven to exist. However, once squeezed by the Formless World, it lost that foundational support.
Yet, after Mang Xiang deployed his Formless World, the portion of the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound squeezed outside its boundaries unexpectedly surged outward along its edges at an even greater speed.
One of those directions led straight toward the fleeing Wang Yulou.
Death rapidly spread behind him. Wang Yulou could not see the physical form of the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound, but he could clearly see the trail of death it left in its wake.
He knew he had to use the Sky River Escape now.
However, right before Wang Yulou could activate the Sky River Escape...
A massive stone turtle, one-tenth the size of True Person Gua, burst out of Wang Yulou's spirit beast bag.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
It cursed furiously as it blocked the Great Annihilation Immortal Sound for Wang Yulou.
It was Stone Ancestor! The Great Demon from Dripdrop Cave and the master of Lao Cui, Cui Dingyi—Stone Ancestor!