"Shao Zhi..."
Lin Zhao suddenly raised his eyebrows and said, "Take a closer look, is there any movement from the demon army's camp?"
"Ah?"
Shao Zhi was stunned. Using the power of the Five Realms Water Moon Observation of Heaven, she indeed detected that a large number of demon troops were descending from Mount Panyun. The vanguard was even approaching Jiuzhangyuan. She couldn't help but shiver and said, "Seventy million demons have poured out and are heading towards us?"
"Mmm."
Lin Zhao frowned and said, "My premonition was correct. Shi Jun Gang is not willing to accept defeat and has come back! Immediately issue an order for Snow Domain Heavenly Pool to enter a state of alert and meet the enemy with full force! Also, order the Flood Dragon Boat to prepare for aerial combat!"
"Yes!"
Not long after, the sound of horns echoed across Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, causing Leng Yan and Shen Xingchen, who were leveling up outside, to look back. They then grabbed their weapons and flew towards Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. At the foot of the mountain, they encountered a group of people from the Canglong Guild. Yi Shi Cang Liang, riding a warhorse and holding a sword, looked bewildered and said, "What's going on? This horn sound from Snow Domain Heavenly Pool... is a battle about to start?"
"Mmm."
Shen Xingchen said, "Most likely, the demons are about to attack the mountain."
"Damn..."
A Berserker captain from the Canglong Guild clenched his fist and chuckled, "To encounter a demon attack as soon as we arrive, this is interesting... Boss, let's not go up the mountain. This is the front line of defense, and we can get a lot of spoils here!"
"Mmm!"
Yi Shi Cang Liang smiled and nodded. "Shen Xingchen, Leng Yan, you two don't need to go up the mountain either. Just level up at the foot of the mountain. If Lin Zhao needs to command the defense later, he might come here. I happen to need some ranged output. How about... forming a team?"
"Okay."
Leng Yan smiled and nodded.
Not long after, dense demon armies appeared in sight. A sword dao restrictive enchantment rose above Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, protecting the mountains. It was the Great Que Umbrella formation set up by Shao Zhi. Mu Gua, Chen Ben, and others had already led the Snow Domain cavalry down the mountain and arrayed themselves behind the formation at the foot of the mountain to meet the enemy. Rows of crossbows and long spears were pointed north, creating a scene filled with the aura of slaughter.
...
Washing Sword River, moonlight spilled onto the great river, its silver radiance shimmering. Deep at the bottom of the river, in the palace of the River God's Consort, a streak of golden light rippled. Soon after, Lin Xingchu, clad in golden armor and trailing a long golden cloak, appeared on the river's surface. She held a golden River God Sword upside down in her right hand, her beautiful eyes gazing towards the northwest, where a golden light was approaching.
The Thirteen Realms Great Demon, Ning Yuansheng!
"Buzz!"
The qi of the entire sky was instantly compressed to the point of distortion. The stars in the sky seemed to disappear. The next moment, Ning Yuansheng struck sideways, a Celestial Grade Blood-Weeping Fan in his hand, carrying boundless demonic energy, heavily smashed towards the Washing Sword River. Lin Xingchu rose to her feet, instantly manifesting a golden dharma body dozens of feet tall. Sword light was sent forth, its tip clashing against the ribs of the Blood-Weeping Fan.
In an instant, the entire Washing Sword River almost stopped flowing. A magnificent golden stream of energy surged outwards from Lin Xingchu's dharma body. Ning Yuansheng's attack was entirely borne by the Washing Sword River. Lin Xingchu's sword strike sent Ning Yuansheng flying backward, his blood-red robe unfurling as he continuously dissolved and deflected the dense sword energy.
"..."
Ning Yuansheng's brows were tightly knit. Throughout the entire Ancestral Mountain of the Demons, Ning Yuansheng, as a peak Thirteen Realm cultivator, was almost unrivaled except for other demons. Even Nan Qingfeng's strength was inferior. Yet, Ning Yuansheng's strike, imbued with the Dao fortune of the Ancestral Mountain of the Demons, was actually blocked by Lin Xingchu, and he even suffered a slight disadvantage.
This was enough to prove that the legend of Lin Xingchu reaching the Fourteenth Realm at the Washing Sword River was true!
No Thirteen Realm demon could defeat Lin Xingchu on the Washing Sword River; this was almost a certainty.
However, Ning Yuansheng had no intention of killing Lin Xingchu, merely to stall her. Thus, he flicked the Blood-Weeping Fan, letting out a thunderous roar. He once again charged with boundless demonic energy. With his left hand, he opened his five fingers, and a lion's claw descended from the sky, carrying dense demonic energy. It instantly compressed the river water beneath Lin Xingchu into a giant vortex. The power of this move was to force Lin Xingchu's dharma body away from the river water, severing its connection to the Dao fortune.
Lin Xingchu narrowed her beautiful eyes and couldn't help but smile slightly. She had long heard that the true form of Ning Yuansheng, the foremost of the Four Great Guardians of the Ancestral Mountain of the Demons, was a nine-headed lion. He comprehended the desolate Heavenly Dao of the demons, could perceive the mysteries of life and death, and could even hasten the arrival of a person's destiny or tribulation. Thus, many human cultivators in the upper Five Realms who fought against Ning Yuansheng in the past died mysteriously, their fated demise having been hastened by Ning Yuansheng's methods.
Now, Ning Yuansheng's lion claw dharma image undoubtedly carried the profound mysteries of the desolate Heavenly Dao. While seemingly a probing attack, it had in fact quietly accelerated the arrival of Lin Xingchu's tribulation.
Unfortunately, he had underestimated things. The cloak behind Lin Xingchu dragged the Dao fortune of the entire Washing Sword River. Even without touching the water, it made no difference being on the Washing Sword River. With a single sword strike, she stirred up a massive wave, and the sword light, carrying countless water fortunes, forcefully shattered the opponent's lion claw dharma image, simultaneously delivering an extra blow to Ning Yuansheng!
"Huh?!"
Ning Yuansheng was slightly startled. His innate divine ability seemed to have no effect on Lin Xingchu, this deity of mountains and rivers. He immediately swung the Blood-Weeping Fan, scattering Lin Xingchu's sword energy. At the same time, he twisted his body and manifested a golden nine-headed lion dharma image, standing on both banks of the Washing Sword River, roaring repeatedly and stirring up immense waves!
Lin Xingchu met each move with a counter. Dragging the water fortune of the entire great river, she launched over a dozen consecutive sword strikes, forcing Ning Yuansheng's innate dharma image to retreat steadily, even showing cracks on its body.
"Hiss!"
In the sky, a fierce flame suddenly broke through the clouds and shot directly towards Lin Xingchu's back.
Lin Xingchu didn't even look. She directly manifested a water fortune barrier, which immediately blocked the flame's piercing attack. At the same time, a figure descended from the sky. It was an old Daoist priest dressed in a fiery red Daoist robe, holding a Celestial Grade whisk. He was the Twelve Realms Great Demon cultivator of the Jingmei tribe, True Monarch Beixuan, whose true form was a flame maple tree that had achieved cultivation.
"As the saying goes, Yin and Yang give rise to each other, and water and fire blend."
True Monarch Beixuan stood in the wind and laughed heartily, "Today, this humble Daoist wants to see if my fire can extinguish the River God's Consort's water!"
Saying this, he cupped his fists towards Ning Yuansheng in the distance and smiled, "Fellow Daoist Jiu Ling, it has been a long time."
Ning Yuansheng sneered, "Why so many words? Attack, shatter her golden body!"
"Exactly what I intend!"
In an instant, the sky above the Washing Sword River changed. A peak Thirteen Realm demon and a Twelve Realm Jingmei cultivator jointly attacked Lin Xingchu!
...
Fusheng Great Wall.
A stunning woman, dressed in white as snow, sat on the city wall, picking up pieces of spiced beef from a plate held by Qin Ran and popping them into her mouth. Accompanying it with a gulp of strong wine, it was truly a delightful experience. But in an instant, she suddenly stood up, sensing the powerful demonic qi surging from both Snow Domain Heavenly Pool and Washing Sword River.
Who to save first? Lin Zhao or Lin Xingchu?
She hesitated for half a second. Of course, she would save Lin Zhao first!
"Aunt is going!"
Lin Wanhua drew her sword and left, her stunning figure transforming into a streak of sword light, shooting directly towards Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. In a few breaths, she had already flown hundreds of miles. But just as she was almost seeing Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, a blazing sword light descended from the sky, slitting from east to west for dozens of miles, blocking Lin Wanhua's path to Snow Domain Heavenly Pool.
A figure stepped out from the clouds, holding a sword. Her posture was graceful, clad in a blue long dress, with a pretty face and a smile. She said, "City Lord Lin, we haven't settled our last match yet. Don't be in such a hurry to save someone. How about a duel to the death?"
Lin Wanhua gripped her long sword, narrowed her beautiful eyes, and smiled, "You, are you worthy?"
At this moment, Lin Wanhua truly wished she could step into the Thirteen Realms. Her foundation in sword dao, her sword intent, and her swordsmanship were all sufficient to support her breakthrough. Once she reached the Thirteen Realms, killing this Long Zheng would be too easy. She would surely send her head flying within twenty moves. However, Lin Wanhua had to consider the overall situation. After all, she was the ruler of Fusheng Great Wall, not a young girl wandering the martial world with a sword. If only it were that simple.
"She is not worthy?"
In the wind, another person descended. Clad in a green robe, holding a long spear forged from the spine of a true dragon, it was the Great Demon Lu Hai, who had returned to the Twelve Realms. He narrowed his eyes, a fierce killing intent burning within them, and said with a smile, "Adding me, Lu Hai, are we worthy of being your opponent, Lin Wanhua?"
"Barely."
Lin Wanhua smiled slightly and, without a word, drew her sword and attacked. There was really nothing more to say. Fusheng Great Wall and the demon race were mortal enemies. Whatever needed to be said could be said after the fight. Moreover, Lin Wanhua had recently reached a bottleneck in her sword cultivation. She really needed two powerful Twelve Realm cultivators to help her hone her sword dao. These two peak Twelve Realm Great Demons had arrived at the perfect time!
Long Zheng was a peak Twelve Realm sword cultivator, and Lu Hai had once been a Thirteen Realm cultivator. After all, he was a Great Demon cultivator who had hovered in the Ascending Realm for a hundred years. His Twelve Realm cultivation must be stronger than that of other Twelve Realm demons. Therefore, these two were Lin Wanhua's best whetstones. After they appeared, Lin Wanhua was not only fearless but even felt a hint of joy.
"Hiss!"
A sword light split into two, one strike for Long Zheng, one strike for Lu Hai.
Her sword dao, Lin Wanhua's sword dao, grew stronger when faced with stronger opponents!
...
Snow Domain Heavenly Pool.
Lin Zhao, Shao Zhi, and Chu Yu stood on the north mountain cliff, overlooking the battlefield. At the foot of the mountain, both sides had already engaged in fierce combat. The crossbow volleys of Snow Domain Heavenly Pool continuously ravaged the enemy, shooting down swarms of demons. Shen Xingchen, Leng Yan, Yi Shi Cang Liang, and other players had also joined the battle. Although their impact on the overall battlefield was minimal due to their small numbers, every bit counted.
However, the threat far exceeded the 70 million+ demon troops in the camp.
Lin Zhao looked up, his expression unable to help but stiffen. He saw a familiar figure, the Thirteen Realm Great Demon Fu Sheng!