ebonymovies Chapter 1142 The Retreat
Chapter 1142 The Retreat
The dark place on Turtle Island seems to be forever shrouded in clouds and storms, but there are exceptions.
Beneath the dark red sky, the heavy clouds were dispersed, the fierce winds were suppressed by the supreme power, and the thunder that shook the heavens and the earth completely disappeared.
Only the spatial rifts continued to flash across the sky, like ancient gods blinking their eyes, coldly looking down upon the tiny creatures below.
The massive array, covering an area of hundreds of miles, occupied most of the dark land, resembling a primordial beast that constantly emanated pure and vast spiritual energy.
The five-colored spiritual light flickered slowly, each change concealing a deadly intent, enough to reduce a Void Refinement cultivator to ashes.
Not long ago, this place was just an ordinary, dark place on Tyrant Turtle Island. In just three months, it has been completely transformed into an impregnable fortress by cultivators from Tai Xuan Sect, Lie Xiao City, and Ba Chu City.
Following the map left by Elder Bai, Chen Yuan, Elder Yuan, and Wei Wushang flew all the way to the location of the spatial rift, where they were greeted by a majestic and magnificent scene.
The pale white array stood majestically like a mountain, making one suspect that a large spiritual vein was buried deep underground.
However, Chen Yuan and the other two knew that there were no spiritual veins in the dimly lit ground. This great formation was entirely supplied with spiritual energy by spirit stones, consuming a massive amount of spirit stones every moment. In just a few days, it would be enough to bankrupt a medium-sized sect.
Outside the great formation, the ground had sunk several feet, leaving behind countless deep pits and ravines.
Dark green swampy water, charred marks from a sea of fire, barren deserts still bearing the chilling aura of swords, dark red soil still exuding the stench of blood... The land was ravaged by supernatural powers and magical artifacts, leaving almost no intact place, and everywhere bore the marks of a great battle.
The sky was filled with countless cultivators patrolling, each with an extremely serious expression.
Dressed in uniform robes of various colors, they dispersed in groups, led by high-ranking cultivators, to a distance of a hundred miles from the great formation, carefully examining all the movements around them and keeping an eye out for traces of the demon race.
When the airship piloted by Chen Yuan and his two companions was still hundreds of miles away from the great formation, a group of cultivators came up to check. Elder Yuan showed his Tai Xuan Token, and the group of cultivators bowed respectfully, but did not leave. Instead, they asked the airship to wait there for the time being.
Elder Yuan did not make things difficult for them. The three knew the rules and ordered someone to replace the Xu surnamed Void Refining Protector of the Cleansing Heart Hall who was conveying Master Fu's order. Each of the three sent one person to accompany him into the great formation. Chen Yuan naturally sent Zhang Yanwei.
The airship hovered in the air, and the cultivators patrolling around it continued to do their own thing, but they were subtly forming an encirclement, showing no signs of letting their guard down because of the Tai Xuan Token in Elder Yuan's hand.
About half an hour later, Protector Xu and Zhang Yanwei returned, accompanied by another Void Refinement Protector from the Cleansing Heart Hall, who had come on Bai Cangzhou's orders to guide them.
The protector apologized to Chen Yuan and the other two, took out Bai Zangzhou's edict, and waved away the patrolling cultivators, allowing the airship to continue its journey. Following the designated path, it slowly flew to the front of the great formation.
The guardian took out a golden token, raised his hand and made a hand seal. A mysterious fluctuation emanated from the token, and the great formation opened up a passage, allowing the airship to fly into it.
The area inside the formation was much more chaotic. This was a temporary camp that had been set up over three months. There were no grand halls or exquisite pavilions, only countless large tents made of demon beast hides, extending in all directions.
The most eye-catching sights were the two enormous ships, each over fifty miles long, silently suspended in the sky.
Although they did not exude any aura, like two sleeping giant whales, they still possessed a terrifying power that made people hold their breath upon seeing them.
A series of exclamations rang out on the Sky-Crossing Ship. As it approached the great formation, many cultivators, dragonmen, and green mantises went up to the deck. Now, seeing the two giant ships, they could no longer suppress their shock.
They had seen the magnificent Tongtian Island and the majestic Bachu City, but compared to these two giant ships, which were only about thirty miles long, they lacked a certain murderous aura.
This is the pinnacle of spiritual cultivation skills, a weapon crafted by a Mahayana sect specifically for conquering other worlds, and a mobile megacity capable of traversing countless realms.
Only the World-Destroying Warship could truly awe these knowledgeable cultivators, dragon people, and alien races.
Even the indifferent Green Mantis Clan had their two large compound eyes blinking incessantly as they stared blankly at the two giant ships in the distance, their mouthparts opening and closing erratically.
Surrounded by green mantises, Fuluohai stared intently at the two giant ships with his compound eyes, falling into silence.
The Dharma Protector of the Cleansing Heart Hall guided the Flying Boat to an open space where it landed. Tens of thousands of large tents had already been set up around it, but they were all empty.
The protector said that Elder Bai had long ago ordered people to mark out this place and set up a large tent, just waiting for the arrival of Huayu Peak, Lingyun Peak, the Wei family and the dragon-man Green Mantis.
Elder Yuan expressed his gratitude, then ordered the cultivator army to disembark and settle down.
Led by this protector, Chen Yuan and his two companions went to visit Bai Zangzhou.
Bai Zangzhou's cave dwelling was a three-story building. He used spatial magic to create it. From the outside, it looked only a few dozen feet in size, but the inside was extremely spacious.
Those large tents were made by various sects in the spirit realm from the hides of different demonic beasts, for the temporary encampment of the cultivator army.
The treatment of cultivators at the Integration Realm is naturally different; they live in such "refined dwellings".
The abode is crafted from dozens of rare spiritual materials, engraved with restrictive formations, and imbued with spatial supernatural powers. Not only is it vast in area, but it can also block divine sense from prying into it, making it extremely sturdy. When traveling, there is no need to temporarily open up a cave dwelling.
Bai Zangzhou remained extremely busy. Although his cultivation level was low, he was a personal disciple of Master Fu and was in charge of the rules and regulations of the Tai Xuan Sect's army. He held a high position and great power, and there was a constant stream of Void Refinement Protectors coming to consult him.
However, upon seeing that Chen Yuan and the other two had come together, he immediately dismissed the protectors and invited them inside. After exchanging greetings, they took their seats as host and guest.
It was from Bai Zangzhou's words that Chen Yuan and the other two learned the extent of the fierce battle that had erupted in the struggle for the spatial rift.
Upon discovering the spatial rift, the Nascent Soul cultivator from Xiaocheng immediately sealed off the news, ordered his array masters to set up a grand array, and secretly dispatched a Void Refinement cultivator to report back.
Upon receiving the report, the four Mahayana cultivators also tried to suppress the news, only dispatching all the Nascent Soul cultivators in the camp to come and provide support. However, the news still leaked out.
The demon race launched a fierce attack regardless of the cost. Twenty-three demon saints launched a massive attack, and hundreds of thousands of demon soldiers set off from Luo Du Holy City in replica giant ships, heading towards this place.
The fierce battle between dozens of demon saints and Nascent Soul cultivators shattered the leaden clouds and fierce winds that shrouded this dark land.
In this battle, three Nascent Soul cultivators and four Demon Saints perished, eight Grade One spiritual treasures and divine weapons were destroyed, and more than a dozen people were injured.
The Spirit Realm ultimately gained the upper hand, relying on the great formation to fight the Demon Saint and firmly maintaining control over the spatial rift. The Demon Saint could only launch a direct attack, and inevitably suffered greater losses.
Just after the great battle between the Nascent Soul cultivators and the Demon Saint broke out, the four Mahayana cultivators received the news and finally stopped concealing their intentions. They issued an order to mobilize their entire army of cultivators, abandon their camps, and send messengers to summon the cultivators who were already on the expedition to come and provide support. Although the dimly lit place could block divine sense, the Mahayana cultivators were still able to transmit messages across millions of miles using their abilities.
However, the treasures used in this secret communication method are extraordinary, and the price is also considerable, so it is not easily used under normal circumstances.
But the demon army arrived even faster, and this dark place was closer to Luo Du Holy City.
Facing the siege of the Demon Saint and the first tens of thousands of demon army, the cultivators who had reached the Integration Realm were at a disadvantage, but they still managed to hold out until the cultivator army came to their aid. The two sides finally reached a stalemate and then ceased fighting to await reinforcements.
During this period, another Nascent Soul cultivator and a Demon Saint lost their lives, including the cultivator from Liexiao City who discovered the spatial rift.
This person was the head of a medium-sized sect. He was stuck in the early stage of the Integration Realm for tens of thousands of years. He discovered the spatial rift, made great contributions, and his path to enlightenment took a turn for the better. However, he unfortunately died at the hands of the Demon Saint, and everything came to nothing. It is hard not to sigh with regret.
Among the other three Nascent Soul cultivators who died, one of them came from the Xuanling Domain. Chen Yuan had even dealt with him before. He was Luo Xiao, the leader of the Chonghua Sect.
Among the five demon saints who perished, there was a name that Chen Yuan was quite familiar with: the Flame Cloud Demon Saint.
In addition, countless cultivators and demons died in the battle, numbering in the tens of thousands, including dozens of Void Refinement cultivators, hundreds of Nascent Soul cultivators, and over a thousand Nascent Soul cultivators.
In such a fierce battle, even cultivators at the Integration Stage and Demon Saints dared not say they could definitely save their lives, and low-level cultivators had an even greater chance of dying.
However, the demon race's relentless attacks could not continue indefinitely. They wanted to take advantage of the Spirit Realm cultivators' unstable foothold to reclaim the spatial rift, but they were blocked by the Spirit Realm cultivators. Continuing to fight would only be a waste of the lives of the low-level demon race.
Human cultivators could all escape by flying in airships, but the number of giant ships made by the demon race was limited, so the hundreds of thousands of demon soldiers could only arrive slowly.
The demon race appears to be stronger, but they cannot unleash their full potential immediately.
After the arrival of the two world-destroying warships, the demon army finally abandoned this unrealistic attempt and waited for the million-strong army to gather before launching the final all-out attack.
The cultivator army will not take the initiative to attack. The spatial rift is under the control of the spirit realm. Once it is fully formed and cannot be repaired, the demon army will retreat.
The array masters reinforced the great array without stopping, and one after another, Nascent Soul cultivators led their armies to arrive.
When Chen Yuan and his two companions arrived, the great formation was already impregnable, and almost all the cultivators who had been searching for spatial fragments had gathered here.
At the same time, human scouts also discovered that the demon army was growing larger every day, thousands of miles away.
Countless ferocious beasts abandoned their usual battles and struggles in the Burning Demon Realm, forming a boundless sea of beasts that could transform into a cataclysmic wave at any moment and sweep in.
As Elder Yuan and Wei Wushang listened to Elder Bai's somewhat indifferent account, the scene of that earth-shattering battle flashed through their minds, their expressions constantly changing, their faces growing increasingly solemn.
That chaotic battle was just the beginning; the final battle that followed would determine the ownership of the spatial rift and would be even more devastating than that chaotic battle.
Chen Yuan, however, remained calm, nodded thoughtfully, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.
Elder Bai recounted the events of the great battle and then instructed the three to prepare well, as the decisive battle was scheduled for thirteen days from now.
Wei Wushang couldn't help but ask, "Fellow Daoist Bai, do you know how this battle will proceed? What are your chances of winning?"
Bai Zangzhou said calmly, "The sect leader and the three seniors will be in charge of this battle. We only need to obey their orders, and victory will be assured."
A hint of disappointment flashed in Wei Wushang's eyes. He forced a smile but did not ask any further questions.
Bai Zangzhou then taught the three the incantation to enter and exit the great formation, assigned them patrol missions, and said that he would return the Wei family cultivators, dragon people, and green mantises who had been transferred to Chen Yuan and Wei Wushang.
The three bid farewell and returned to their camp. Their respective cultivators had already settled down, and two guardians of the Cleansing Heart Hall had led the Wei family cultivators, dragon people, and green mantises who had been transferred to this place.
Chen Yuan summoned Chu Weicai and Fu Luohai, ordering them to settle their clansmen. Wei Wushang also summoned a Void Refinement cultivator from the Wei family and gave him instructions.
The three of them each took out a fine house. Like the Sky-Crossing Boat, this item was bestowed by the sect before the expedition. Although Wei Wushang was not an elder of the Tai Xuan Sect, he also received one because he went to war with the Tai Xuan Sect.
The three gathered in Elder Yuan's residence. Elder Yuan looked through the window at the chaotic returning cultivators in the distance and frowned, saying, "The sect sent back the cultivators who were transferred away, so why are there no disciples from Huayu Peak and Lingyun Peak?"
Chen Yuan's eyes flashed, and he said, "They must have other important tasks. The sect leader is a man of great talent and vision, and we have no need to worry. We should just follow the sect's arrangements."
Elder Yuan nodded slightly, the doubt in his eyes gradually disappearing: "Junior Brother Chen is right, I was just overthinking it."
A hint of worry flashed in Wei Wushang's eyes: "The war between the two realms is so fierce. Even with a large formation as a support, four of the dozen or so Nascent Soul cultivators still lost their lives."
"It seems we underestimated the strength of the demon race. The demon races of the five holy domains have gathered together, determined to obtain the spatial rift."
"Even with two world-destroying warships stationed in my spirit realm, we are still outnumbered and outgunned, so the odds of winning are probably not very high."
Elder Yuan's expression was also quite solemn: "We have never participated in a battle of this scale before. We were eager to make contributions in the battle, but we underestimated the demon race."
"The Demon Burning Realm is not like the minor worlds that our sect has conquered in the past. We have already made two great contributions, so we should prioritize our survival."
Chen Yuan had no objection and nodded in agreement. The three of them discussed for a while how to join forces and help each other in the great formation to fight against the powerful enemy before they dispersed.
Chen Yuan walked out of Elder Yuan's residence, soared into the air, and arrived a hundred feet away. He landed in front of his own residence, stepped inside, and went straight up to the third floor.
The interior of the retreat was spacious. Chen Yuan came to a room with an open window and looked out at the two world-destroying warships bathed in the setting sun, which looked like raging flames.
Suddenly, Chen Yuan flicked his sleeve, and the window closed. A flash of spiritual light appeared, and the array separated the inside from the outside.
He sat cross-legged, eyes slightly closed, and began circulating the "Nine Revolutions of True Spirit," silently regulating his breathing to conserve his energy for the great battle thirteen days later. (End of Chapter)