884 God’s ArrivalYan State, Old China Town.
Countless Chinese Soldiers stood behind the tall walls. They wore armors emblazoned with Taoist inscriptions and held Dharma weapons. A few of those soldiers working together might have been able to stop one Blood Thrall. However, outside of that wall was a sea of Blood Thralls.
Cultivators from all over the Beihan Region had gathered inside the Old China Town. In the beginning of the battle, the Dharma Array of the Old China Town had been activated. On top of that, the city had also been protected by Dharma Arrays from many other sects. They had layered them, forming a hundred layer protection. However, by then, most of the protections were gone and only a dozen layers remained.
“We can last half a month at most. Without any reinforcements, Old China Town will be conquered. We are running out of time.”
Perfected Cultivator Heiming looked up, his face awash with concern and weariness.
Beside him were the Sect Masters of the five major Grotto-heavens and Ancestral Patriarchs. They all looked troubled.
The Blood Sea had surrounded the city at ground level and in the air. Upon close inspection, one would find out that it wasn’t blood; instead, it was vile Qi of Bloody Malice. The source of that corruption were the three Grand Arrays a few kilometers away from the city.
Each Grand Array was being operated by over a hundred thousand Blood Fiends. They hovered steadily in the air, each wielding a demonic blade. They had woven their energy together to form the Qi of Bloody Malice, to constantly gnaw at the Dharma Array above the city.
“We can no longer wait. If we let our defense keep deteriorating, they could pour through the city gate with ease. We will be butchered!”
Lord of the Tianmang Grotto-heaven said, “We beg Elder Xie and Elder Yin to use the Sky-severing Sword and drive our enemies away.”
Qin Hao looked troubled.
“The Grand Elders used the Sky-severing Sword five times in the last six months. They are exhausted. Plus, the Sky-severing Sword is still recharging.”
Disappointment and despair surfaced on everyone’s faces.
Everyone thought that the Old China Town would be the last bastion of humanity because it was under the Sky-severing Sword’s protection. When the Blood Fiend Sect first arrived, Xie Changying was the only one who could ward off their aggression using such a treasure blade. Old China Town was their last hope.
“Sigh… I wish Perfected Cultivator Chen were here.”
Mu Hongti heaved a sigh.
“He wouldn’t have been able to defeat three Blood Fiend Legions. They haven’t dispatched any warriors to battle against us yet, and have only relied on Dharma Powers and Blood Thralls since the beginning of the battle. But look what they have done to us already. Our defense is almost gone… If they knew that we couldn’t use the Sky-severing Sword, they would attack us with abandon and wipe us out.”
By then, five of the six major Grotto-heavens had arrived in Old China Town to aid the Chinese. Fighting alongside them were nearly two hundred Golden Core Cultivators from over fifty different sects.
However, none of them knew what to do to save the city from the three Blood Fiend Legions.
Without an expert tactician among their ranks, they would be easily dealt with by their enemy.
Mu Hongti’s face darkened while tears welled in Yun Yier’s eyes. Lin Wuhua leaned against the city wall. Even the frosty expression couldn’t hide her exquisite features. The other talented warriors of the Beihan Region looked down at the sea of Blood Thralls, shaking their heads from time to time.
Blood Thralls were undying slaves of the Blood Fiends. Enhanced by secret arts, they were indestructible and incredibly strong. Their power was on par with an internal force user.
There and then, over two billion Blood Thralls surrounded the Old China Town. They came from the Yan State population and three other states around it. The Blood Fiends had turned innocent people into mindless zombies.
Suddenly— “Boom!”
Many Chinese soldiers defended their battle stations with tears in their eyes.
The fact that their families and friends had been turned into those mindless and vicious monsters and that they had to kill them was too much.
“Kill!”
Qin Hao brandished his blade and charged into the enemy’s ranks. With one swinging of the blade, he brought down a few thousand Blood Thralls. However, their place was quickly taken by the Blood Thralls behind them.
It was an endless fool’s errand. Even a Connate Cultivator would get tired at some point.
Xuan Mingzi, the Lord of the Tianji Grotto-heaven shook his head and said, “It’s no use. We can’t kill all of them as long as there are still people living in the Beihan Region. It costs them nothing to create these Blood Thralls, and we need to hit them where they hurt. We need to demolish the three Blood Fiend Grand Arrays in order to end this plague once for all.”
Many Perfected Cultivators agreed with him. Those Blood Thralls were mindless creatures of minor threat and could be dealt with by one Perfected Cultivator.
However, the Blood Fiend legions were another story.
Each legion consisted of a hundred thousand Blood Fiend cultivators. While it wasn’t an enormous headcount, they were mighty nonetheless.
“The Blood Fiend Sect is too powerful. Four of their legions could take over the entire Beihan Region. Neither the Six Major Grotto-heavens nor the thirty-six states’ governments could do anything to stop them. So far, only Heavenly Treasures have been able to slow them down. But what about the Lord Blood God? He hasn’t showed up yet. The moment he does will be the moment we die.”
The Sect Master of Yin Yang Grotto-heaven shook his head.
“The Blood Fiend Sect is one of the Fiend Sects in the Barren Region. They can rival the major sects in the Heavenly Region, we simply couldn’t compare. They have left us alone mostly because they fear the ire of the sects from the Heavenly Region.”
“I wager that only the Lin Family from the Tianlan Region is able to keep them in check. But I’ve also heard that the Tianlan Region was also in trouble. They must be the prime target the seven Fiend Sects’ alliance. I bet that Lord Blood God and the other six Demon Lords are invading the Tianlan Region as we speak,” Xuan Mingzi said.
“What should we do then? Should we give up the city and run away, or should we send a message to the Heavenly Region?” Everyone looked to Xuan Mingzi, waiting for an answer.
“I would choose to give up the city. If we run toward different directions, we will split their strength. We don’t have a chance as long as the legions stay together. Of course, they must have thought of that as well, and that is why I’m certain that they wouldn’t chase after us. That being said, our disciples might not be able to get away, and by doing so, we will be handing over the Beihan Region to our enemy. That’s a shameful act.”
“But, are we going to just sit around and accept our deaths?”
Xuan Mingzi hesitated and was not sure what else to say.
Many sect masters also dithered about their next move.
Qin Hao and many other Chinese elders heaved a sigh in their minds. They had already started to falter before the real battle had even started.
However, without them, they would be fighting alone. Even the Sky-severing Sword wouldn’t last long in that case.
“Bah! What’s the worst that will happen anyways? Senior Chen saved my family, I can’t turn my back on him.”
Mu Hongti bit her lip and made up her mind.
Even as everyone contemplated their options, the Blood Thralls suddenly stopped moving and then backed away. The soldiers defending the wall let out a momentary cheer.
However, the appearance of three crimson clouds silenced the soldiers.
“That’s the Blood Fiend legion. Report to the Grand Elders and ready for battle!”
Xuan Mingzi and many other lords were seized by fear after they heard the news. Qin Hao hurried to fly to the Ancestral Temple.
“They will come sooner or later. Heck, I will go out and meet them now. Let’s find out if the Blood Fiend Legion is really invincible.”
Perfected Cultivator Heiming had nothing to lose at the moment, so he flew out of the city and appeared in front of the Blood Fiend Legion. He proceeded to reveal his domain dharma form, summoning powerful waves of dark torrents around him. Above the water, the True God of Dark Water appeared.
“I will help!”
Two elders from the Tianmang Hall flew to the sky and joined the fray.
They were followed by many reluctant Ancestral Patriarchs. The sect masters of five major sects stood at the head of the formation, and behind them were the Dharma Forms of over a hundred Golden Core Cultivators.
Azure Wood, Dark Water, Storm, Divine Demon, Heavenly Venerate… Apparitions of unimaginable beings filled up the sky above Old China Town. They joined their forces and expelled the sea of blood.
Over a hundred Perfected Cultivators gathered together and their powerful presence could be felt miles away.
Billions of residents of the Old China Town kowtowed to those powerful Perfected Cultivators. Meanwhile, a belligerent Sword Qi was lanced out from inside the Ancestral Temple and soared into the sky.
Xie Changying held the Sky-severing Sword in one hand as he flew toward the enemies.
That was the last ditch effort to save the Beihan Region, and what a fearful sight it was. The combined might of hundreds of Perfected Cultivators and a Quasi-Heavenly Treasure would deter any invader.
However, the three legions of Blood Fiends were unfazed; they pressed on with an unswerving determination to kill.
“Xuan Mingzi, Old Xie, you finally got out of hiding?” A sharp voice came up from one of the legions.
“Tsk, tsk… I think they realized that their protection was about to break, and coming out is their only choice.” Another voice was heard. That one sounded cold and vicious.
A wizened voice refuted, “Enough talking, I need actions. NOW. I don’t care about anyone else, but Xie Changying must die. Our lord wants his sword as well. Kill him or face our lord’s ire.”
Suddenly, over a hundred thousand Blood Fiend cultivators shook their bodies as their power increased. The three legions transformed into three gigantic blood dragons that charged toward Old China Town from three different directions.
During this moment of life and death, everyone held their breaths, waiting for whatever would come next.
Yun Yier squeezed Mu Hongti’s hand while Lin Wuhua gritted her teeth and looked into the distance. Many Ancestral Patriarchs readied their arts, preparing to fight until they exhausted the last shred of energy.
Suddenly… “Boom!”
A golden light was seen in the distant sky.
The blinding light shone so intensely that it penetrated the Blood Sea, making the dark torrents look translucent.
Everyone looked up toward the source of light.
They saw a glowing halo hanging in the air and within the halo was a dark-haired young man with a godlike appearance. His hands were linked behind his back and his eyes glowed like two spheres of golden flames.
“Chen Beixuan?”
Everyone was shocked when they recognized the young man.