Chapter 1515: Thousand Star Grand Formation
More than half of the powerful figures from the Seven Realms of Shatuo and the Rakshasa Clan had gathered in the region of the ninety-nine sacred mountains, locked in unceasing battle. With a single glance, it was clear that the Rakshasa Clan held an absolute advantage.
The saints of the Seven Realms of Shatuo could only form defensive formations, passively holding their ground. Only a few top-tier experts managed to launch counterattacks against the Rakshasa Clan, but in the end, they were all suppressed.
The Ancestral Spirit Realm had originally gathered a large number of Rakshasa Marquises. Later, the Rakshasa Princess dispatched three million troops, giving the Rakshasa Clan a numerical superiority far beyond the Seven Realms of Shatuo.
Even though Ling Yan Demon Consort, Wu Hao, Fang Yi, Wan Zhaoyi, and others had made preparations in advance and launched a surprise attack on the Rakshasa camp, they only held the upper hand in the early stages of the battle. Once the Rakshasa Marquis army stabilized, they completely turned the tide.
On the battlefield, saints from the Seven Realms of Shatuo continued to fall into pools of blood.
The Guanghan Realm had once sent a full one hundred thousand saints into the Merit Battlefield. How grand and imposing their momentum had been that day! But now, as Zhang Ruochen surveyed the land and made a rough estimate, the surviving saints of the Guanghan Realm numbered only about thirty thousand.
Even counting those who had not entered the ninety-nine sacred mountains, the total was likely less than fifty thousand.
More than half of the saints from a major world had been slain. One could imagine how brutal this battle was. If it continued, there was a real possibility of total annihilation.
The other six major worlds had also suffered heavy losses. Beneath their feet lay countless corpses. Familiar friends and fellow disciples were constantly being obliterated, their divine forms destroyed.
Ling Yan Demon Consort rode a demon dragon tens of miles long, leading over a dozen Saint Kings from the Great Demon Ten Directions Realm in a charge. They cut down Rakshasa warriors like grass, leaving hundreds of marquis corpses in their wake in an instant.
It was worth noting that the Great Demon Ten Directions Realm had sent five hundred thousand saints into the Ancestral Spirit Realm. Within three months, it was perfectly normal for over a dozen saints to break through to the Saint King realm.
"On the outskirts of the ninety-nine sacred mountains, a Rakshasa formation saint master has set up the Thousand Star Grand Formation. With your cultivation levels, you won't be able to break out."
Yang Qi emerged from the Rakshasa army, holding a long flame halberd. His pair of black wings gently fluttered behind him as he stared at Ling Yan Demon Consort with a smile on his face.
Yang Qi possessed a supreme perfect physique, and his combat power could overwhelm a One-Step Saint King. He was considered the second most important figure in the Rakshasa Clan, second only to the Rakshasa Princess.
Unlike Ling Qu Shaojun, Yang Qi was calm and exceptionally intelligent. When the Rakshasa Princess was absent, he took command of the Rakshasa Marquis army.
Thus, even though the Rakshasa camp was ambushed and besieged by saints from the seven worlds, they quickly fought back.
"Yesterday's sneak attack caused heavy casualties to our clan. Therefore, all the saints of the Seven Realms of Shatuo must stay here to be buried with them."
One by one, Rakshasa Saint Kings flew into the air, gathering around Yang Qi.
The number of Saint Kings was actually double that of the Great Demon Ten Directions Realm.
That battlefield, where dozens of Saint Kings had gathered, became a forbidden zone. Saints and Rakshasa Marquises who had not reached the Saint King realm quickly retreated far away. Once Saint King-level figures erupted in fierce combat, even the residual shockwaves could shake them to death.
"If you want us to be buried with you, you'll have to see if you have the skill."
Ling Yan Demon Consort exuded a heroic aura. She slowly raised her jade-like arms, and two balls of Nuanling Dragon Flame surged from her palms. Just as she was about to unleash the dragon flame—
In the distance, a dark red cloud of demonic mist surged over. In an instant, the entire world turned dark red. From within the mist came ear-splitting roars.
In front of the demonic mist, the Nine Nether Sword Saint was fleeing at top speed, riding nine swords, cursing as he went: "Is there no end to this? You're too fixated on me, old man. If you have the guts, fight me one-on-one!"
"Who would fight you one-on-one? If you don't want to die too horribly, you'd better slit your throat right now in front of this marquis."
"You can't escape. Injuring the princess means only death awaits you."
"Hand it over, you old bastard. You must have stolen the princess's treasure."
...
The Nine Nether Sword Saint was on the verge of tears. He felt there was a huge misunderstanding between him and the Rakshasa Clan, but unfortunately, he had no chance to explain. Besides, even if he did explain, it probably wouldn't help.
Seeing the area where dozens of Saint Kings had gathered, the Nine Nether Sword Saint charged toward it with all his might.
"Damn it."
Ling Yan Demon Consort saw the overwhelming demonic mist pressing down and her expression turned grim. It was too late to retreat, so she could only force herself to stay calm and hurl the two balls of Nuanling Dragon Flame.
"Boom, rumble."
In an instant, that area erupted with violent sacred path energy. Lightning, flames, wind and snow, and sacred artifacts clashed, causing several nearby sacred mountains to shake violently.
At the top of Qifeng Sacred Mountain, Zhang Ruochen remained very calm. The heavenly eye on his forehead flickered as he carefully observed the Thousand Star Grand Formation surrounding the ninety-nine sacred mountains.
Mo Yin tilted her snow-white chin, gazing upward, and said, "It seems there are many mountains suspended in the sky, enveloping the heaven and earth of the ninety-nine sacred mountains."
"Not mountains—they are asteroids summoned from the nearby starry sky of the Ancestral Spirit Realm. There are over a thousand of them, each tens of miles long. If all those asteroids fall, every living being within ten thousand miles will likely die. Hmph, worthy of being called the Thousand Star Grand Formation." Zhang Ruochen said.
Mo Yin was astonished, "Such a terrifying formation—how powerful must one's spiritual power be to set it up?"
"I don't know."
Zhang Ruochen shook his head, "At least a fifty-fifth level spiritual power Saint King definitely couldn't set it up. There must be a Rakshasa formation saint master hiding in the Ancestral Spirit Realm. Only by finding him and killing him can the Thousand Star Grand Formation be broken. If we don't break it, the saints of the Seven Realms of Shatuo are doomed. They definitely won't last through the final half-day of the Saint Merit War."
Mo Yin asked, "Does master intend to do this?"
Zhang Ruochen did not answer her, falling into silence.
Watching the saints of the Seven Realms of Shatuo fall one by one into pools of blood, like trapped beasts being hunted by the Rakshasa Clan, Zhang Ruochen naturally wanted to do something to break the deadlock for everyone.
But he was very clear that his purpose in coming to the Ancestral Spirit Realm was to fight for first place in the Saint Merit War for the Guanghan Realm.
Only half a day remained until the end of the Saint Merit War.
When midnight came tonight, it would all be over.
If he could safely get through this half-day, he would have completed his mission.
"Half a day... Can the saints of the Seven Realms of Shatuo hold out for half a day?" Zhang Ruochen murmured to himself.
In the Heavenly Court Realm, Shatuo Heaven Domain.
Cultivators from the seven worlds were all gazing at the battlefield scene in the sky. As they watched saint after saint fall, even the Great Saints had reddened eyes, wishing they could rush to the Ancestral Spirit Realm and slaughter the Rakshasa Marquis army cleanly.
But they could not go to the Ancestral Spirit Realm.
This Merit War was very unfair. The number of powerful figures on the Hell Realm side far exceeded that of the Heavenly Court side, reaching double, or even nearly triple.
"The saints of the Seven Realms of Shatuo have all become abandoned pawns. Are we supposed to just watch them be slaughtered?"
"Clearly, only a formation saint master could set up the Thousand Star Grand Formation. Such a powerful Rakshasa appears in the Ancestral Spirit Realm, and the gods of the Merit Divine Temple are blind? Why don't they end this Merit War?"
A Great Saint from the Guanghan Realm was furious to the extreme and couldn't help cursing the gods.
Just moments ago, he had watched his four personal disciples and twelve clan members all killed by Rakshasa experts, including his most beloved daughter. Naturally, his heart was filled with unbearable frustration and resentment.
The three giants of the Guanghan Realm—Nine Spirits Great Saint, Silent Extinction Great Emperor, and Wu Zu—sensed something was wrong and shouted in unison: "How dare you! Do not blaspheme the gods..."
But it was too late. Above the Moon God Mountain, a vast divine cloud appeared. Lightning intertwined within the cloud, giving birth to a terrifying divine might.
Any cultivator who dared to insult a god would be immediately known to the god, who would then deliver divine punishment.
Although the Heavenly Court Realm placed great restrictions on gods, preventing them from interfering in conflicts among cultivators, if a cultivator actively provoked a god, the god could naturally deliver divine punishment and obliterate them.
From within the divine cloud, a majestic and sacred voice rang out: "Guanghan Realm's Yu Kong Great Saint, guilty of blaspheming the gods. Death sentence."
Yu Kong Great Saint stood on the Moon God Mountain, showing not a trace of fear. He looked up at the sky and roared: "If the gods are unjust, can they not be cursed? I am cursing you! Not only do you interfere in the Merit War, but you also stand by and do nothing. How many saints of the Seven Realms of Shatuo have died on that land? Do you not feel guilt in your heart? Or perhaps, in the eyes of the gods, saints are merely ants, insignificant pawns."
The god did not answer.
But the divine might erupting from the divine cloud grew even stronger. Bolts of lightning, like dozens of divine dragons in flight, struck down toward Yu Kong Great Saint below.
On the Moon God Mountain, the Great Saints were all furious but dared not speak out.
The opponent was a god. If they angered him, the entire Moon God Mountain might be wiped from existence.
Just as Yu Kong Great Saint was about to die under divine punishment—
"Swoosh—"
A bright, pure moon flew in from beyond the heavens, appearing above the Moon God Mountain. A stunningly beautiful woman in a moon-white divine robe stood at the center of the moon. She extended a snow-white finger and pointed at the divine cloud above.
"Boom."
All the power of divine punishment shattered and dissipated like smoke.
Seeing the woman standing in the moon, the Great Saints on the Moon God Mountain were overjoyed, as if a savior had appeared. They rushed out of the hall and bowed: "We pay homage to the Moon God. We welcome the Moon God's return to the Heavenly Court."
The Moon God's face was cold and aloof, with an ethereal, otherworldly aura. The divine light radiating from her body was as pure as the moonlight. She said, "Did I agree to let you kill a Great Saint of the Guanghan Realm?"
Her divine voice spread across heaven and earth.