Chapter 743: Discussion (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)
Tianjue City.
"What. . . exactly happened before?"
Liang Rulong streaked away on a beam of light, desperately fleeing towards the Human Race territories.
Even now, his mind was still a blur.
His last memory was the scene of the Mahayana senior, Che Xuanyuan, battling the True Spirit Phoenix of the Monster Race.
And then. . . an endless barrage of Celestial Thunder crashed down!
Had it not been for the protection of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper North Star Grand Array, that quasi-immortal array, perhaps all the cultivators in Tianjue City would have perished then and there!
Even so, that quasi-immortal array was ultimately shattered under the continuous bombardment of Celestial Thunder.
A large number of high-level cultivators, desperate to seize the super teleportation array to escape, didn't hesitate to betray each other and turn weapons against each other. . .
As a Nascent Soul cultivator, Liang Rulong knew he didn't have the ability to contend for the teleportation array, so he gave up directly and chose to flee into the wilderness.
It was his good fortune, and perhaps because he was only at the Nascent Soul stage and attracted little attention, coupled with the sheer number of people fleeing, that he actually managed to escape that bloody battlefield.
Next, he desperately fled deep into the Human Race hinterlands.
"Tianjue City has fallen, which means the 'Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper North Star Grand Array' has been completely broken. . . the Human Race territories are now wide open to the Monster Race army. . . Next, the several major domains near the Three Realms Mountain battlefield are surely doomed. . . And the Demon Race. . . who knows if they'll take advantage of the chaos."
Although Liang Rulong hadn't known before, after reaching the Nascent Soul stage, he had read quite a few ancient texts.
He knew that such events had occurred several times in Human Race history.
Each time resulted in utter devastation and suffering, and the Human Race had to pay a heavy price to push the enemy back and re-establish the front line near the Three Realms Mountain.
"Alas. . . are the common people destined to suffer another calamity?"
Gu Qi rose around Liang Rulong, like a grey-white long snake.
Suddenly, his figure stiffened as he saw a streak of monster light flashing in the sky, seemingly pursuing a small group of cultivators.
Among that group, a Divine Transformation cultivator was caught off guard and cleaved in half at the waist by a scaled monster.
A Nascent Soul flew out from the ruined corpse, immediately forming hand seals and tearing through the void to escape.
The monster pursued closely.
However, the Gu snake lurking on the ground stirred and snatched up the two pieces of the corpse.
"A Divine Transformation cultivator's storage pouch!"
Liang Rulong's eyes lit up.
Only in such chaotic times could he possibly stumble upon such a major windfall.
...
Three Realms Mountain.
Fang Xi's avatar, a white-haired elder bearing a black sword on his back, walked into a public market town.
He planned to anonymously deliver a message, considering it a contribution to the Human Race.
Unexpectedly.
He had just located the residing cultivator responsible for communications.
Boom!
A teleportation array roared, and then a crimson light flashed above the market town.
"This is. . ."
He looked up, narrowing his eyes, recalling some things he had learned in the Celestial Brahma Army: "The Human Race's highest alert signal. . . Three Realms Mountain battlefield. . . it seems I'm still a little late."
At this thought, Fang Xi couldn't help but feel a touch of melancholy.
Ever since Xiao Qing's tribulation, he had intended to come and warn them.
Yet, he hadn't expected to still be too late.
Boom!
Countless communication talismans flew about chaotically, and flying sword messages rose and fell like flocks of sparrows.
In this chaos, a Return to Void cultivator flew into the air, saying with surging killing intent: "The Monster Race has broken through the Three Realms Mountain battlefield's defense line! Now, the market town's grand arrays are fully activated, and the teleportation arrays are sealed. . . All cultivators are to be immediately conscripted for collective defense!"
"Those who dare to flee will be killed without mercy!"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Streaks of sword light, mixed with the radiance of array formations, instantly slew several trouble-making bandit cultivators, serving to deter the gathered cultivators.
Fang Xi naturally knew that the market towns, military camps, and even the Divine Charm Sect's mountain gate and other factions on Three Realms Mountain were, in fact, like nails.
While they had enjoyed convenience in the past, now they had to activate their sect's protective grand arrays and desperately block the edge of the monster army's advance, buying time for the surrounding domains to react and evacuate.
"If the Monster Race is like this, I fear the Demon Race will also stir. . ."
"This means it will immediately devolve into the tragic situation of several Human Race invasions throughout history. . ."
Fang Xi shook his head, yet had no intention of remaining.
A silver light flashed in his hand, revealing a 'Lesser Void Teleportation Talisman,' and then he vanished with a flicker of his figure.
This 'Lesser Void Teleportation Talisman' might not necessarily be able to counter the market town's arrays on its own, but with the 'All-Heavens Precious Mirror' added into the mix, everything naturally became different.
Fang Xi first returned to the Human World, and then to his spatial coordinates in the Celestial Brahma Domain.
"According to custom, once a great war is imminent, each domain automatically becomes a war zone, with the strongest local faction taking the lead. . . all super teleportation arrays cease private use. . ."
"Tsk, tsk. . . now, my personal super teleportation array is becoming more and more valuable."
After a slight sigh, Fang Xi flew into Celestial Brahma City.
"To think. . . Shen Suanzi had prophesied that opening up the Celestial Brahma Domain would be greatly beneficial; now it seems more and more prescient. . ."
...
Moonlight Immortal City.
Fang Xi's main body, in the guise of the Wang Family Ancestor, twirled Buddhist beads in his hand, clad in a hemp robe, with his little black turtle by his side.
He stepped out of his cave abode and casually called over a member of the Wang Family: "Go inform Wang Lingying. . . tell him. . ."
Before he could finish speaking, he saw a crimson streak of light snaking its way over, landing in the island in the center of the lake.
"Fellow Daoist Wang. . ."
Chi Songzi's face bore an expression of gravity Fang Xi had never seen before: "A gathering of high-level cultivators has been convened in this city; all cultivators above the Return to Void stage are requested to proceed to 'Moonlight Hall' for discussion. . ."
"Understood."
Fang Xi twirled his Buddhist beads and said to the surrounding Wang family members, "Then, we shall discuss it when I return. . ."
He steered a golden light, accompanying Chi Songzi to the most central area of Moonlight Immortal City.
A grand hall stood silently by the lakeside, with strands of Taiyin light coiling around its walls.
"This Moonlight Hall was forcibly moved here from an Immortal Abode Secret Realm by the Moonlight Immortal City's founding cultivator, using supreme magical power. . ."
Chi Songzi introduced to Fang Xi.
Moonlight Immortal City's attitude towards the Wang Family Ancestor, who was suspected to be a high-level formation master, was now much better than before.
The two walked into Moonlight Hall, where several cultivators were already seated on crystal-like chairs.
Fang Xi swept his gaze around and found quite a few familiar faces.
For example, Fairy Nangong Li after her body possession, Fairy Shi Xie, and Grandmaster Dongqiu Zi, among others. . .
A gentle smile appeared on his face as he greeted each cultivator.
"Fairy Nangong Li, long time no see. . . are you well?"
Fang Xi asked with a slight smile, twirling his Buddhist beads.
For some reason, Fairy Nangong Li always felt that this Wang Family Ancestor was unhurried in his actions, possessing a remarkable composure as if he could remain unflustered even when Mount Tai collapses before one's eyes.
She couldn't help but feel a touch of goodwill, replying, "Thank you for your concern, Fellow Daoist, this concubine is well. . ."
For cultivators above the Nascent Soul stage, as long as their Nascent Soul remained unharmed, body possession followed by re-cultivation was a very simple matter.
Furthermore, it did not affect their future cultivation or breakthroughs on their Dao path.
In fact, it might even offer hope for higher realms if they possessed a physical body with greater potential and spiritual root aptitude!
Before long, several more Return to Void cultivators arrived.
Fang Xi counted them one by one, finding that even those reclusive ascetics who had been in seclusion were invited out.
In total, there were thirteen Return to Void cultivators.
'These are Moonlight Immortal City's high-level cultivators, then? '
'Significantly fewer than before. . . '
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
In recent years, Moonlight Immortal City had also borne the brunt of the Starry Sky Sect's conscription, and figures like Guang Qianjian had perished during exploration.
Yet, not a single cultivator had advanced to the Return to Void stage.
Thus, a decrease in the number of Return to Void cultivators was only natural.
A moment later, a golden-robed cultivator looked around and sighed: "Fellow Daoist Gong and Fellow Daoist Xia's soul lamps have been extinguished. . . they won't be able to make it this time."
This person, possessing late-stage Return to Void magical power, was the Grand Elder of Moonlight Immortal City's Elder Council.
"What? Wasn't Fellow Daoist Gong on the Three Realms Mountain battlefield? Could it be that he and Fellow Daoist Xia met with some misfortune?"
The cultivators present discussed animatedly.
High-level cultivators were extremely astute and immediately grasped something, their expressions becoming incomparably solemn: "Could it be. . . a major defeat on the front lines?"
"Precisely. . ."
The Grand Elder sighed with a heavy heart: "According to the latest news from the Starry Sky Sect, the Three Realms Mountain battlefield suffered a major defeat, and our Human Race's 'Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper North Star Grand Array' has been completely lost. . . Now the Monster Race has driven straight in, attacking our Human Race's various strongholds on Three Realms Mountain. . . Even if those strongholds fight to the death, they can only buy us less than a month's time. . ."
This grim news weighed like a massive stone on the hearts of all the cultivators present.
For a time, no one spoke.
"To my knowledge, according to wartime conventions, we should now invite that Void Amalgamation Patriarch from the Starry Sky Sect to preside over the overall situation. . ."
Fang Xi coughed and asked, "How should we cultivators of Moonlight Immortal City respond?"
"Fellow Daoist Wang's words hit the nail on the head."
The Grand Elder said: "Currently, matters are complex. Without a summons from the Five Children, our Starry Sky Domain cultivators will not launch expeditions to other domains. . . What we need to do, first, is to repair the grand arrays; second, to organize the army and prepare for war; and third, to seize the opportunity to wipe out hostile forces such as the Heavenly Demon Society!"
As he spoke the last part, his tone became bristling with killing intent: "Fellow Daoist Wang. . . you are proficient in array formations. The task of repairing the various array formations will be entrusted to you and Fairy Shi Xie."
Fang Xi looked at Fairy Shi Xie with a hint of surprise, finding that she also looked at him and offered a kind smile.
"So Fairy Shi Xie is also proficient in array formations; I am willing to serve as your assistant!"
Fang Xi pondered for a moment before agreeing.
"Excellent, I entrust this matter to the two of you. Feel free to request any necessary materials from Fellow Daoist Chi Songzi. After the task is complete, Immortal Jade will certainly not be lacking for either of you. . ."
The Grand Elder nodded, then began to discuss other issues: "Also, we need to conscript nearby subordinate factions, assemble a cultivator army, and practice battle formations. . ."
The way of battle formations in the Earthly Immortal World was far more advanced than in the lower realms.
Moonlight Immortal City also possessed a legacy obtained from the Taiyin Secret Realm in this regard. It was said that the city secretly maintained a force of 'Taiyin Dao Soldiers. '
During a true battle, with a Return to Void cultivator at its core, Taiyin Dao Soldiers as its wings, and tens or hundreds of thousands of low-level cultivators providing magical power, its destructive force was rumored to be no less than that of a Void Amalgamation cultivator!
Of course, such battle formations were cumbersome to move and easily broken from within, making them still greatly inferior to true Void Amalgamation cultivators, but they were the strongest wartime measure available to such Return to Void factions.
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