Attack on Wuji Mountain
Led by the Qingzhou Alliance, elite survivors from the Ghost Ox Sect and the Blue Sea Pavilion amassed. Their combined strength was formidable.
“Mountain Chief, all the disciples have been dispatched,” Lu De, clad in a robe adorned with five-colored flowers, informed, his fists cupped in respect.
Yu Zugui added, his voice low, “According to recent intelligence, approximately eight hundred people are heading towards Wuji Mountain. The weakest among them is at the fifth-level bone pattern realm. The exact count of visceral prefecture realm experts is unknown, but likely no fewer than fifty. It’s probable that the frontline is held by the giant Zhou Chuanyong. I fear this battle does not bode well.”
Shi Molin, the elder, tapped his hunched back and offered a smile. “We have to defeat Zhou Chuanyong this time. While the Sacred Heart Sect’s cannibalistic methods can generate visceral prefecture realm experts quickly, it cannot spawn a titan like Zhou Chuanyong. Their goal is likely more complex than merely nurturing one such as him.”
Kong Binghuang, gazing at the vast blood sea, felt a twinge of uncertainty. He speculated that the Sacred Heart Sect’s intention behind this monstrous array extended beyond just raising an army of soldiers.
These people, though powerful, were completely uncontrollable, akin to a dish of scattered sand. Yet, if they nurtured a king realm martial artist, the scenario would shift dramatically. He had long suspected the Sacred Heart Sect was secretly cultivating a monster.
The oppressive sensation he felt when he looked at the blood-filled sky intensified these suspicions. Strangely, this sensation had vanished over the past fortnight.
The absence of this familiar pressure puzzled him as he looked at the still-operating blood sea. Had the Qingzhou Alliance’s master successfully disrupted the blood sea array in his quest to seize the ancient array books? But if that was the case, why was the blood sea still operating steadily…
“Forget it. We’ll think about this when we’re underground,” Kong Binghuang chuckled.
He could run, but the white-robed king’s battle prowess had left him stunned. Rather than fleeing, he preferred to remove the king’s key supporters, thereby paving the way for the young generation. In other words, they were prepared to stake their lives on this new era.
“He’s here!” Lu De’s voice pulled Kong Binghuang back to reality.
From afar, an imposing army swept across the wasteland, their energy tangible. Leading the charge was a massive figure that shook the earth with each step.
“Kong Binghuang! You were lucky last time, but your luck won’t hold!” Zhou Chuanyong’s booming voice reached their ears even before his arrival.
“A defeated opponent dares to be arrogant?” Kong Binghuang sneered, his eyes scanning for Zhou Chuanyong’s allies. He knew Zhou Chuanyong wouldn’t be so bold if alone.
Spotting the figure trailing Zhou Chuanyong, his gaze sharpened. It was the lord of the Thousand Divination Tower, Yue Yang.
“Is this the source of your confidence?” Kong Binghuang shouted. As he finished speaking, the Wuji Mountain behind him erupted in radiant light.
Countless rays drew a spectacular, holy arc in the air before converging into Kong Binghuang’s body, causing his aura to surge visibly. An unseen titan seemed to expand around him.
Suddenly, a thunderous eagle’s cry echoed. In the sky, the wings of a great roc obscured the heavens as they swooped down.
“It’s the Kun Peng clan!”
Kong Binghuang’s heart sank at the sight of the sky filled with the long-lost race. With the added might of the Sacred Heart Sect, the Thousand Divination Tower, and now the Kun Peng clan, his crumbling Wuji Mountain stood little chance.
The three peak masters at Kong Binghuang’s side had a determined glint in their eyes.
“This battle seems to be a one-way ticket to death,” Lu De said with a hearty laugh. “Mountain Chief, allow me to lead the charge!”
Lu De roared, and twenty-seven enormous lotuses bloomed around him. They scattered, transforming into a vast lotus-shaped armor that enveloped him. With a fearless look in his eyes, he charged toward Zhou Chuanyong.
“Kun Peng clan?” Zhou Chuanyong glanced skywards at the demons and its leader, Tang Pi, confusion crossing his features. “How have they returned? Are they hoping to gain the king’s favor by involving themselves in Wuji Mountain affairs?”
Zhou Chuanyong inwardly smirked. The world now belonged to his Sacred Heart Sect, and the seventeen states beyond had their own rulers. The Kun Peng clan had little choice but to submit to the king and admit their transgressions.
“Lord Prefecture Overseer, you…” Before Zhou Chuanyong could finish, his pupils suddenly constricted.
Tang Pi’s wings trembled, the killing intent in his eyes surging forth like a monstrous wave, directed at Zhou Chuanyong.
Bang!
There was a deafening impact as forces clashed, sending a shockwave of energy over the barren landscape. Dust and blood were thrown into the air.
“Are you inviting the king to exterminate your Kun Peng race?” Zhou Chuanyong roared, his eyes bulging in disbelief.
Kong Binghuang seized the moment. The murderous intent radiating from Tang Pi was unmistakably genuine. Although unclear about the conflict between the two sides, Kong Binghuang knew not to squander this opportunity. Wuji Mountain quaked as he crossed the several hundred meters distance in an instant, arriving in front of Zhou Chuanyong.
Bang!
As Zhou Chuanyong threw another punch, Kong Binghuang countered with a fist of his own, blood gushing out. His giant fist, now bloody, seemed to transform into a lethal weapon.
With the windward charm technique, Kong Binghuang disrupted Zhou Chuanyong’s balance, sending his massive figure flying to the ground.
Boom!
Rocks scattered in all directions. Elsewhere, Tang Pi seemed to be perfectly synchronized with Kong Binghuang, as if they had practiced this move a thousand times over.
Tang Pi’s wings beat swiftly as an ancient and powerful aura surged from him. The pure-blooded Kun Peng struck so fast that Zhou Chuanyong had no time to react.
Caught in a pincer attack by two top-tier experts, Zhou Chuanyong found himself covered in wounds within moments.
“Do you think you can kill me like this?” Zhou Chuanyong roared. “Blood moon slash!” The blood in the sky seemed to freeze for a moment, then the stagnant blood exploded outwards like a blade, tearing through the air, and providing a brief respite.
Zhou Chuanyong panted heavily, his heart pounding. His meticulously planned attack had gone awry from the start. Humans and demons had been natural enemies for centuries, and Tang Pi and Kong Binghuang had been at odds for years. Yet, they had united without warning.
His gaze hardened on Yue Yang, who was lurking nearby. “This coward couldn’t have betrayed us, could he?” He took solace in the fact that there were only two opponents. While he might not defeat them, he could still make a safe retreat.
However, a sudden tightening of his heart and an uncontrollable freezing of his body interrupted his thoughts. His life force was draining at a noticeable rate.
“What? What happened?” He touched the stream of blood trickling from the corner of his eye and realized, with a jolt of horror, that a bloody hole had appeared on his head.