Chương 1219: Chapter 10: The Ambush and the Shattered Array

The guardian bulwark of the Qingyan Sect was known as the Nine-Nine Soul-Extinguishing Array, a formidable defensive matrix anchored by nine Foundation Establishment elders and bolstered by ninety-nine Qi Condensation disciples stationed at key nodes. A shimmering, silver-azure barrier enveloped the entire mountain gate, pulsating with ancient power.

Occasionally, a titanic arc of sword-qi would erupt from the dome, intercepting and obliterating the incoming barrages from the Xuanxiao Sect cultivators with blinding efficiency. This grand array was designed with a specific tactical asymmetry: it barred entry but allowed exit. Safe behind the translucent walls, the Qingyan Sect's defenders could unleash their own lethal incantations without the burden of self-preservation. For a time, the battlefield hung in a precarious stalemate.

However, seasoned observers could see the cracks in the facade. The Xuanxiao Sect's offensive required a staggering expenditure of spiritual essence and divine sense; if the deadlock wasn't broken soon, the momentum would inevitably shift toward the defenders.

"The Nine-Nine Soul-Extinguishing Array is truly a masterpiece of the craft," a spectator whispered from the safety of the distance.

"Legend says it was forged by their founding patriarch, Perfected Master Lieyan. Its potency scales directly with the strength of its controllers. At this rate, it could likely withstand the full-force assault of a Golden Core expert for a considerable duration."

"The Xuanxiao Sect looks imposing now," another added, shaking his head, "but their battle formations are draining their reserves far faster than the Qingyan Sect's. If they can't breach that wall, they'll be forced into a humiliating retreat."

"Look at Tiandaozi!" a third cultivator exclaimed.

"Holding his own at the peak of the Mid-stage Golden Core against two opponents of the same rank. His prowess is terrifying."

"Don't forget," a more cautious voice chimed in, "Ancestor Ming Diao of the Qingyan Sect hasn't even shown his face yet. A hidden Golden Core master is a viper in the grass. Qingxiaozi and Dan Chenzi are likely holding back their trump cards, dreading a sudden ambush from the shadows."

"If this continues, we're looking at a war of attrition. Neither side can land a killing blow quickly. North Yue State is about to descend into total chaos." Hundreds of yards away, a throng of rogue cultivators and onlookers watched with rapt, morbid fascination. In the relatively backwater cultivation world of North Yue State, a clash involving hundreds of high-level practitioners was a spectacle not seen in centuries.

Suddenly, Qingxiaozi unleashed a surge of power, his magic treasure forcing Tiandaozi back several paces. Seizing the momentary gap, he retreated and let out a thunderous roar that shook the very foundations of the earth: "Break the array! NOW!" His voice, infused with potent spiritual energy, rolled across the landscape like a tidal wave, audible for a hundred miles. Tiandaozi's expression shifted instantly to one of dawning horror.

He spun toward the Nine-Nine Soul-Extinguishing Array just as the silver-azure glow flickered and died. To the shock of the Qingyan disciples, the barrier shattered like falling glass. From the heart of the formation hub, several enraged bellows erupted: "A spy! He's a Xuanxiao plant! Stop him!" Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. A sallow-skinned, diminutive old man burst from the ruins of the hub, his escape streak of light cutting through the chaos.

Several Qingyan disciples, their faces twisted in fury, intercepted him with their spirit tools.

"Ignorant fools! Out of my way!" the old man snarled. The oppressive aura of a Late Foundation Establishment cultivator exploded from his frame. He struck his forehead, summoning a Ghost-Head Greatsword that descended with the weight of a mountain. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The disciples' spirit tools were instantly snuffed of their radiance, clattering to the ground as broken husks. The young men were sent flying, blood spraying from their mouths as they collapsed into unconsciousness.

Within breaths, the old man had bypassed the perimeter and landed safely among the Xuanxiao Sect ranks.

"Elder Liu," Tiandaozi said, his voice eerily calm despite the murderous intent burning in his eyes.

"I believed I had treated you with nothing but respect and generosity. Can you offer me a single reason why I shouldn't tear your soul apart?" Elder Liu's face twitched, a fleeting shadow of guilt crossing his features before he bowed stiffly.

"For a century, Sect Leader, you have indeed been kind. But long before I ever set foot in the Qingyan Sect, I was a disciple of the previous Xuanxiao Sect Leader, Perfected Master Baihuan. Today, I simply fulfill my original oath."

"I see," Tiandaozi nodded slowly, a grim respect in his voice.

"Baihuan was a visionary, planting a seed a hundred years in advance. But do not think the day is won. Today, we see who truly holds the mandate of heaven!" He turned to his remaining forces, his voice rising to a fever pitch.

"Elders! Guardians! Lead the disciples into the fray! Even if we must bleed until the last man falls, the Qingyan Sect shall never kneel!"

"To the death! No surrender!" the Qingyan cultivators roared in unison, their collective killing intent coalescing into a palpable, suffocating pressure. Qingxiaozi's lip curled into a cold sneer.

"Our sects have been at each other's throats for a millennium. Today, we finish it. Did you think I would show mercy? Xuanxiao disciples, listen! Leave no root for the grass to grow back. Today, the Qingyan Sect is struck from the records!"

"Exterminate them! Strike them from the records!" the Xuanxiao cultivators bellowed back, their eyes bloodshot with battle-lust. Hundreds of cultivators charged. The collision of two massive waves of killing intent caused the very heavens to darken, as if the sun itself feared to witness the coming slaughter.

"KILL!!" The air ignited with the fury of the three Golden Core masters. Their movements were so swift and their techniques so devastating that the Foundation Establishment cultivators could barely track their silhouettes. The real carnage, however, unfolded on the ground and in the lower altitudes. A Xuanxiao disciple was locked in a desperate duel with a Qingyan rival, both at the 7th level of Qi Condensation.

The Qingyan cultivator held a slight advantage, wielding a crimson spirit tool that radiated intense heat. As the Xuanxiao disciple's defense began to crumble, panic set in.

"Heh, a pathetic Xuanxiao brat thinks he can trample our halls? I'll send you to the underworld! Die!" The Qingyan cultivator laughed maniacally, launching his spirit tool for a finishing blow.

"My life is over!" the Xuanxiao disciple thought, closing his eyes in despair. But the blow never came. Instead, a middle-aged man appeared like a ghost behind the Qingyan cultivator. With a flick of his wrist, a cone-shaped treasure whistled through the air, piercing the man's chest before he could even register a threat. He slumped over, dead before he hit the ground.

"This..." The saved disciple gasped, staring at the stranger. The man didn't wear the robes of the Xuanxiao Sect, but he offered a silent shake of his head before vanishing into the melee to stalk his next Qingyan target. Elsewhere, Wang Kewen, a True Inheritance Disciple of the Xuanxiao Sect, was faring better. Favored by his master, he wielded an upper-grade spirit tool that had allowed him to suppress his opponent with ease.

But just as he prepared to deliver the coup de grace, a second Qingyan cultivator joined the fight. Forced to defend against two opponents at once, Wang Kewen felt his advantage slipping away, his heart hammering against his ribs as the tide began to turn against him.