Chapter 624: The Strongest Battle Below Half-Saint
Zhang Ruochen, seeing that he had successfully intimidated the Cao siblings, let out a laugh. He then looked coldly at the four formation masters on the altar and said in a stern voice, "Four masters, why haven't you activated the formation yet?"
The four formation masters could not see Zhang Ruochen's figure, only knowing that this person was elusive and possessed unfathomable cultivation. With just a single thought, he could kill all four of them.
Therefore, they did not dare to disobey Zhang Ruochen's command and began to activate the formation.
The four formation masters' bodies trembled incessantly as they simultaneously struck out with a palm, activating the formation inscriptions in the underground space.
On the altar, one formation inscription after another lit up, spreading outward like human blood vessels, soon enveloping the entire underground space.
"Crackle!"
Purple lightning and crimson thunder-fire surged wildly from the formation, forming electric dragons and fire serpents that attacked Cao Xu and Cao Ling.
Although the formation in the underground space was not enough to kill experts like Cao Xu and Cao Ling, it could trap them there.
They were two of Di Yi's most capable battle generals. As long as they were held here, Di Yi's side would surely be left empty and unguarded.
In the underground space, the four formation masters and the Cao siblings had no idea that Zhang Ruochen had already left and returned to the surface.
...
...
In just a quarter of an hour, the power of the formation had blasted Red Willow Manor beyond recognition. Everywhere was ruins and broken walls, with flames reducing trees and buildings to ashes.
The surviving heretical cultivators began to flee outward.
As the sky gradually darkened, Red Willow Manor was ablaze with firelight, the sounds of weapons clashing and the cries of battle incessantly ringing out.
Seeing that the Cao siblings had not returned for a long time and that the manor's formation showed no signs of stopping, Purple Wind Star Envoy said, "Young Master, the situation is very unfavorable. Should we leave Red Willow Manor first?"
In fact, Di Yi had also sensed the unfavorable situation. Even though he was quite intelligent, he was now somewhat unable to see through the situation.
Who exactly was it that could infiltrate Red Willow Manor without anyone noticing? And who could take control of the manor's formation hub?
Where did Red Desire Star Envoy get the power to evade the siege of Azure Clothes Star Envoy and Ice Demon and others? And how could she forcefully return to Red Willow Manor to engage him in a decisive battle?
Too many doubts, too many unknowns, left Di Yi somewhat unable to recover.
Since he couldn't see through the situation, staying in Red Willow Manor was indeed very dangerous.
Di Yi's face darkened. "Alright, let's leave first."
"Want to leave? Where do you think you're going?" A clear voice rang out.
In the sky, a brilliant silver moon appeared, its outline growing larger and larger until it landed on the roof of a ruined hall.
Silver Moon Lingkong appeared at the center of the silver moon, standing on the golden glazed tiles. Every inch of her skin emitted a silver radiance. She looked down with sharp, cold eyes fixed on Di Yi and Purple Wind Star Envoy.
Immediately after, Red Desire Star Envoy also broke through the encirclement and arrived, appearing from another direction, forming a pincer position with Silver Moon Lingkong.
Red Desire Star Envoy shot a glance at Di Yi and chuckled, "Young Master, I never thought you would be in such a sorry state."
The dragon-headed long spear on Purple Wind Star Envoy's back trembled, flew up on its own, and with a *bang*, inserted itself into the ground before him, emitting a series of dragon roars.
He grabbed the spear shaft with one hand and snorted coldly, "Red Desire Star Envoy, you have quite the audacity, colluding with the traitors of the Black Market to deal with the Young Master. If the Elder Council finds out, do you know what your fate will be?"
Red Desire Star Envoy smiled disdainfully. "Silver Moon Lingkong came to seek revenge on Di Yi. What does that have to do with me? Purple Wind Star Envoy, are you trying to frame me by pinning such a charge on me?"
Di Yi gradually calmed down and snorted coldly, "Ye Honglei, do you think you have completely taken control of the situation? Are you underestimating me?"
Red Desire Star Envoy's smile faded, and she glanced coldly at Di Yi. "Di Yi, to tell you the truth, all the people you sent out have been killed by my men. Ice Demon, Azure Clothes Star Envoy, Zhao Hanhu, Hunter, Changsun Lan... Without them, how can you still contend with me?"
Then, Red Desire Star Envoy threw out the heads of Azure Clothes Star Envoy, Zhao Hanhu, and Changsun Lan.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Three bloody heads rolled like balls to Di Yi's feet.
They were all top-tier experts and Di Yi's fierce generals under his command. Yet, in just one day, they had all died tragically.
Seeing the three bloody heads on the ground, the anger in Di Yi's heart swelled to its peak. He roared, "You and Silver Moon Lingkong alone couldn't have killed all of them. Who is it? Who is behind this, plotting against me?"
In Di Yi's eyes, Red Desire Star Envoy had always been a minor figure, never taken seriously.
But when he saw the three heads on the ground, he could no longer remain calm. The fury inside him threatened to set his body ablaze.
Zhang Ruochen held a thunder pearl in his hand, stepping on the void as he walked over unhurriedly, landing beside Red Desire Star Envoy. He looked at Di Yi.
When Zhang Ruochen saw Di Yi's angry expression, for some reason, a sense of vengeful satisfaction arose in his heart. He said coldly, "Di Yi, now you should understand what it feels like to have the people around you killed, right?"
Di Yi's gaze sharpened, fixing on Zhang Ruochen. "Who are you?"
"I am the Great Protector of Red Willow Manor. I believe you must have heard of me," Zhang Ruochen said indifferently.
"But I feel... we have met before?"
Di Yi's five senses were extremely sharp. Just the first glance at Zhang Ruochen gave him a sense of familiarity.
"Whether we have met or not is not important. What matters is that the grievances between us must be settled today," Zhang Ruochen said.
Red Desire Star Envoy shot a glance at Zhang Ruochen. At Di Yi's words, she also felt that this Great Protector seemed familiar, as if she had known him long ago.
Today's Great Protector seemed different from before, his temperament having clearly changed.
Had he been deliberately concealing his temperament all along?
Purple Wind Star Envoy fully mobilized the sacred qi in his five sacred meridians, grabbed the dragon-headed long spear, and charged out first, thrusting the spear at Red Desire Star Envoy.
Among those present, Red Desire Star Envoy had the weakest cultivation. If he could kill her, he could turn the tables from passive to active.
Silver Moon Lingkong flew down, standing in front of Zhang Ruochen and Red Desire Star Envoy. Her slender jade fingers quickly grabbed at her waist, drawing a crescent-shaped silver ancient blade.
She swung her arm, slashing the silver ancient blade outward. A vast sacred power flew from the blade's edge, forming a massive crescent-shaped blade qi.
Purple Wind Star Envoy's expression changed slightly, and he immediately shook the dragon-headed long spear.
"Wind Dragon Devours Soul."
From inside the spear, a deafening dragon roar sounded. With the rapid vibration of the dragon-headed long spear, a purple dragon shadow over ten zhang long appeared on the spear's surface.
The dragon-headed long spear, also known as the "Dragon Soul Awakening Spear," was itself a high-grade hundred-pattern sacred artifact. Inside it was sealed the soul of a flood dragon.
The dragon soul was the artifact spirit of the Awakening Spear.
"Roar!"
The purple dragon shadow and the Dragon Soul Awakening Spear flew out together, causing most of Red Willow Manor to be swept up in flying sand and stones, forming a sharp, blade-like force.
The two powerful forces collided, producing a sound like a tsunami.
The opposing forces surged outward on both sides, pushing Zhang Ruochen, Red Desire Star Envoy, and Di Yi backward.
Zhang Ruochen was the first to steady himself, looking toward the center. He saw a bottomless pit between Silver Moon Lingkong and Purple Wind Star Envoy.
Around the pit were dense cracks like a spiderweb. Even the nearby rockeries and stone walls had been reduced to powder.
Silver Moon Lingkong stood proudly on the spot, exuding a heroic aura. She said coldly, "Last time we fought, we couldn't decide a winner. Want to try again?"
Without waiting for Purple Wind Star Envoy's reply, Silver Moon Lingkong struck with a domineering blade technique, attacking.
Both Silver Moon Lingkong and Purple Wind Star Envoy were at the pinnacle of the Fish-Dragon Realm, just one step away from the Half-Saint realm. They were evenly matched.
Their battle grew increasingly intense, until even they themselves found it hard to stop.
"Swish!"
"Swish!"
A silver and a purple figure shot up into the sky, flying above the clouds. Each released their martial soul, maximizing their ability to draw on the world's spiritual qi, and exchanged blows continuously.
The martial artists in Azure Cloud Commandery City all looked toward Red Willow Manor, seeing in the distance that most of the sky was covered with purple clouds. The vast mist looked like a purple sacred sea.
Only a silver moon hung in the sky, colliding fiercely with the purple sacred sea, producing earth-shattering sounds.
...
"What a terrifying fluctuation of power. Could it be two Half-Saints fighting?"
"If they fight their way to Azure Cloud Commandery City, the shockwaves from the battle could destroy half the city. We must activate the city-protecting formation immediately."
...
The martial artists in Azure Cloud Commandery City were all filled with fear. Some ordinary people who had not cultivated martial arts were even forced to kneel by the powerful sacred qi.
Silver Moon Lingkong's talent was slightly superior to Purple Wind Star Envoy's. However, after defecting from the Black Market, she had to struggle on her own, taking mercenary missions to earn spirit crystals and buy cultivation resources.
Purple Wind Star Envoy, on the other hand, had the full support of the Black Market First Class Hall. He not only had access to endless cultivation resources but could also study profound martial techniques and receive personal guidance from saints.
Thus, the two were now evenly matched, with no clear winner.
"The battle between Silver Moon Lingkong and Purple Wind Star Envoy won't be decided anytime soon. Let's make our move too," Zhang Ruochen said.
Red Desire Star Envoy struck first, raising her crystal sacred staff. The sacred stone embedded in the staff emitted a bright light.
She activated the staff's power to its fullest and shouted, "Colorless Illusory Realm."
From the staff, a faint pink light surged out, enveloping the entire Red Willow Manor.
Only Zhang Ruochen, whose spiritual power had reached the forty-fourth rank, could see the pink light. For other heretical martial artists whose spiritual power was lower than Red Desire Star Envoy's, they saw no light at all. An invisible, colorless illusion power acted upon them.
...
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