"Mountain Master, speak, how shall we fight?"
Chi Zhongyu's hand rested on his sword hilt, barely able to contain his impatience. Since returning to the Peak Villa, opportunities to draw his sword had been few. Now, they were finally counter-attacking the Demon Race's Ancestral Mountain. Although their objective this time was only to retrieve the Xun Lu Sword and the Deng Tian Sword, not to level the Ancestral Mountain, it was enough. He was eager to make a contribution.
Lin Zhao smiled and said, "A feint to the east, attack to the west is still the best plan. I invite Auntie, Lord Shang Hu, and Old Sword Immortal Han, the three Mountain and Water Deities, to stir up the water transport and mountain weather, attacking Wu Wang Mountain. Ling Yu will provide support, ensuring no one suffers casualties. Once those great demons of the upper five realms are drawn to reinforce Wu Wang Mountain, our group can head directly to the Demon Race's Ancestral Mountain."
"Mm."
Lin Xingchu and Shang Xuli smiled and nodded.
Lin Zhao looked at Lin Zhujie and said, "Lin Zhujie, you don't need to draw your sword. Just use your innate divine ability to escort us to approach the Ancestral Mountain silently. After an incense stick's time of attacking Wu Wang Mountain, after Jian Chen, Nan Qingfeng, and the others have left, we will begin our assault on the Ancestral Mountain. No need to linger in battle; just seize the Xun Lu Sword and the Deng Tian Sword. Lin Zhujie, you also need to keep an eye on Long Zheng's movements. The Xun Lu Sword is in her hands; we must reclaim it in this battle!"
"Yes!"
Lin Zhujie cupped his fists. "Lin Zhujie will never disappoint the Mountain Master!"
Lin Zhao looked into the distance and said, "Old Huang, Nu Zhi, Yu Wan Ning, Tang Guang Jun, Tong Yu, Chi Zhongyu, the six of you, along with Lin Zhujie, seven people will accompany me to challenge the Ancestral Mountain. We'll strike and then flee. The goal of this battle is the Deng Tian Sword, Long Zheng, and the Xun Lu Sword. It would be best to kill Long Zheng. Everyone else will remain at the Peak Villa."
"Yes!"
The group rose and cupped their fists.
"Mountain Master."
Chi Zhongyu frowned and said, "If I may be so bold, with our current lineup… even if we were to breach the Ancestral Mountain, destroying it would not be an issue. There's no particular need for a feint."
"Hmph!"
Lin Zhao glanced at him and smiled. "Chi Zhongyu, don't just know how to practice swordplay; you need to learn to think sometimes. Nu Zhi, explain to him why I've arranged it this way."
"Yes."
Nu Zhi sat gracefully and demurely beside Lin Zhao and smiled. "The reason for the Master's arrangement, I surmise, is to gradually weaken the demon race and make them helpless. Although our fortunes have turned and we now have a clear combat advantage over the demon race, the Master seeks a situation where we will not lose a single person. In other words, the so-called feint has become an open stratagem. No matter how the demon race responds, they can only passively deplete their combat power. Ultimately, whether it is the Ancestral Mountain or Wu Wang Mountain, they will turn to ash."
Lin Zhao smiled and nodded.
Chi Zhongyu suddenly understood, nodded, and cupped his fists at Lin Zhao. "As expected of the Mountain Master, hahaha~~~"
Lin Zhao smiled. "Alright, let's have one more drink, and then we depart!"
"Yes!"
Everyone raised their cups in unison. After a gulp of wine, Huang Tingyu and Nu Zhi drew their swords, and the seven who followed Lin Zhao leaped into the sword light. Immediately, Lin Zhujie activated his innate bamboo segment, completely concealing their figures and auras, transforming into a wisp of bamboo leaf that fluttered towards the direction of the Northern Region's Ancestral Mountain.
...
An incense stick later.
"Hummm~~~"
Tian Chi Mountain vibrated. Han Buyu, who had just become the Lord of Tian Chi Mountain, manipulated the mountain weather, and mountain ranges materialized in the air. In an instant, two majestic water transports from the south rushed over. They were Lin Xingchu and Shang Xuli, who had mobilized the water transport of Xi Jian River and Dong Ting Lake, creating a harmonious scene of mountains and water that rolled towards Wu Wang Mountain.
This was indeed an open stratagem. If the demon race ignored it, the formations, barriers, and other defenses of Wu Wang Mountain would be crushed by the mountain and water forces. The demon race armies and cultivators stationed at Wu Wang Mountain would inevitably be unable to hold on. Within Wu Wang Mountain, the strongest of the remaining great demons of the upper five realms were only a few at the eleventh realm, utterly unable to resist Lin Xingchu, Shang Xuli, and Han Buyu, the three human deities in charge of their respective regions of mountains and water.
In an instant, the Demon Race's Ancestral Mountain trembled.
In the discussion pavilion, Nan Qingfeng, the human demon race's overlord, frowned and looked towards Wu Wang Mountain. "This is not good. They are about to attack Wu Wang Mountain. Within Wu Wang Mountain… lies much of the upper realm demon race's foundation and treasures!"
"Damn it!"
Jian Chen, a great demon of the fourteenth realm, placed a light palm on the stone table and frowned. "Lin Baiyi is truly despicable and shameless. Attacking Wu Wang Mountain at this time is undoubtedly another feint. As soon as we all rush to reinforce Wu Wang Mountain, they will attack the Ancestral Mountain. What can we do?"
"It's all an open stratagem."
Nan Qingfeng sighed. "Lin Baiyi has laid out his trump cards clearly for us to see. No matter what choice we make, our remaining strength will be depleted."
Feng Quan frowned. "If we stand by and watch Wu Wang Mountain be leveled, I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain to Patriarch Kun Peng, won't it?"
"Divide our forces!"
The great demon Jian Chen took a deep breath and looked at the twelve-realm Nine-Tailed Fox seated not far away. "Lord Nine-Tails, what do you think?"
The Nine-Tails Fox was the true backbone of the lower realm demon race, her strategy far surpassing Nan Qingfeng's. She frowned and said, "No matter what choice we make, Lin Zhao has the upper hand. However, Lord Feng Quan is right; if Wu Wang Mountain is leveled, we cannot explain it to Patriarch Kun Peng. In the end… the true foundation of our demon race lies in the upper realm, not the lower realm, so Wu Wang Mountain must be protected."
"What do you suggest?"
Long Zheng raised an eyebrow.
"Split into two paths," the Nine-Tails Fox narrowed her eyes and smiled. "One path will be the real attack, and the other a diversion. Lord Jian Chen, along with Feng Quan, Bai Xi, Qing Jian, and other twelve-realm experts, and I, a half-thirteenth realm, will go to Wu Wang Mountain. If they attack Wu Wang Mountain, we will directly attack the Snow Region's Tian Chi. As for the Ancestral Mountain, only Nan Qingfeng and Long Zheng will remain. Nan Qingfeng will control the Ancestral Mountain's protective formation. As long as we can hold out until we flatten the Snow Region's Tian Chi, we will have won."
"Good!"
The demon race members nodded in agreement.
"No time to delay, let's depart!"
The next moment, the Nine-Tails Fox's body soared into the sky, her form blooming into a fiery red cloud sea. She then led a large group of the Demon Race's upper five realms towards Wu Wang Mountain to provide reinforcements.
...
Ancestral Mountain.
After watching Nine-Tails and the others depart, Lin Zhao waited for a long time. When the great demons like Nine-Tails were nearing the Snow Region's Tian Chi, he raised his hand and said, "Everyone, attack the mountain with all your might. We must break through the Ancestral Mountain's barrier and restrictions immediately!"
"Yes!"
The next moment, Lin Zhujie retracted his innate concealment, and the figures of eight people appeared in the air outside the Ancestral Mountain's gate. Huang Tingyu and Nu Zhi drew their swords, Yu Wan Ning unleashed her fists, and bursts of blazing sword light descended from the sky. Coupled with the tremor of Yu Wan Ning's vast fist intent, the entire Ancestral Mountain's restrictions buzzed and trembled.
"Scoundrel!"
On the mountainside, a figure in snow-white soared into the air. It was Nan Qingfeng. She held a blood-red formation talisman stone and was using her cultivation and foundation to support the Ancestral Mountain's great formation. Her face was filled with rage. "Lin Baiyi, if you have the guts, come at the Ancestral Mountain! Don't you dare touch your Snow Region's Tian Chi!"
Lin Zhao frowned, completely unfazed. The Snow Region's Tian Chi was guarded by the thirteenth-realm Gu Lingyu and Lin Xingchu, as well as Han Buyu, who had established a thirteenth-realm presence on the Snow Region's Tian Chi, plus Shang Xuli. To put it bluntly, even if the entire demon race force attacked the Snow Region's Tian Chi, they could hold out for a while.
However, the Ancestral Mountain formation before them, controlled by Nan Qingfeng, was indeed troublesome. Under everyone's bombardment, it remained unyielding, not even showing many cracks.
"Speed up the progress!"
He frowned and looked behind Nan Qingfeng. There stood a female sword cultivator, holding the Xun Lu Sword. A flicker of joy appeared in Lin Zhao's heart. "Everyone, detonate one or two mid-grade artifacts, and smash open this Ancestral Mountain gate!"
"Got it!"
Since Lin Zhao had given the order, how could Huang Tingyu, Nu Zhi, Tang Guang Jun, Chi Zhongyu, and the others not go all out? Instantly, mid-grade flying swords were detonated in the air, transforming into dense and fiery sword intent, which, under their masters' guidance, fiercely struck the Ancestral Mountain gate. Even Yu Wan Ning burned a drop of her martial warrior's blood essence, unleashing an incredibly fierce punch.
"Boom boom boom~~~"
The Ancestral Mountain gate continuously twisted and deformed. Under a round of bombardment, it finally witnessed the might of the current Peak Villa. It was directly blasted open. Following that, Lin Zhao rode the wind, detonated a stage of transformation, and his Zhan Lu sword flashed, delivering a fierce horizontal slash to Nan Qingfeng and Long Zheng. The next moment, Huang Tingyu, Nu Zhi, Tang Guang Jun, and the others swept past, brushing past Nan Qingfeng.
"Not good!"
Nan Qingfeng exclaimed in shock. "Long Zheng, be careful, their target is you!"
"Ah?!"
Long Zheng was shocked. Even while dizzy, she repeatedly unleashed sword qi to protect herself. However, the next moment, the swords of Huang Tingyu, Nu Zhi, and Tang Guang Jun descended together. Especially Tang Guang Jun; the blood-red immortal sword in his hand was once the weapon of the Ancestral Soldier, carrying an immense killing intent, even heavier than the Xun Lu Sword!
In an instant, the sword qi Long Zheng had condensed shattered into pieces. Following that, her physical body was swept by dozens of sword lights, leaving her flesh and blood a bloody mess. She could no longer maintain her appearance as a beautiful female sword immortal in green robes and transformed into her true dragon form. Her scales were torn open, revealing horrifying scenes of bloody flesh.
In the air, Yu Wan Ning's fist descended with surging power, hitting Long Zheng's abdomen heavily. Immediately after, Lin Zhao, igniting a speed talisman, unleashed another Ascending Dragon Slash, launching Long Zheng's body into mid-air. The pitiable Long Zheng was reduced to a near-death state before she could even unleash a single sword strike.
After all, she was at the twelfth realm; how could she withstand the indiscriminate slashing of so many thirteenth-realm great sword immortals?
...
"Crack!"
Lin Zhao flew by and snatched the Xun Lu Sword from Long Zheng's almost slipping grasp. He looked up and frowned. "Kill them. Leave no survivors. And Nan Qingfeng, kill them all, without exception!"
"..."
Only despair could be seen in Long Zheng's eyes.
"Ah?!"
Nan Qingfeng gritted her teeth. This was unbearable! As a large group of demon race cultivators of the middle five realms charged down the mountain, Nan Qingfeng hastily retreated, avoiding direct confrontation. She transformed into a white peacock dharma image and fled.