Chapter 232: Indelible Merits, Great Array Suppression
Black Demon Sect.
The atmosphere was incredibly fervent, with eyes fixated on the vanguard army entering the world channel.
The Black Demon Sect has already destroyed many small worlds, so they are very experienced in this.
The first step in an expedition to a world is to understand the situation of the small world. This is when it’s necessary to dispatch a relatively elite vanguard army. It can be said that those selected for the vanguard army are among the best in the expeditionary force.
Their mission is simple: to descend into the small world first, ascertain the suppression of strength within the small world, and more importantly, identify the peak combat power of the natives.
Sometimes, in weaker small worlds, even the vanguard army alone is enough to handle it.
After confirming there are no unexpected issues, the subsequent expeditionary army will descend together.
They will sweep away the natives capable of resistance in the small world with lightning speed.
Then, they will scour all valuable resources and treasures. Although small worlds are barren, they sometimes yield unexpected treasures.
Finally.
The most crucial objective of the expedition to the small world is to establish an altar and magic array within it, and offer it as a sacrifice to the Mountain Sea Realm Will to receive rewards.
With this entire process.
Almost no small world can resist.
At this moment.
Those disciples looked at the vanguard army with some envy, because if World Number Jiazi 1673 was too weak, the vanguard army alone might be enough to cripple it, leaving them only with some minor gains during the subsequent world mop-up.
However, some well-informed Black Demon Sect disciples had twinkling eyes.
They knew.
This small world was different from previous ones. It had once severely wounded the Golden Spirit Sect during its peak. It would not be so easily conquered, and the vanguard army might even encounter resistance and danger. Therefore, those disciples with strength and background had all, in unison, chosen not to join the vanguard army.
Black Flame True Lord and Purple Cloud True Lord were also waiting quietly outside the Sky-Touching Mirror’s channel.
The atmosphere gradually became solemn.
Purple Cloud True Lord’s eyes darted around, and she telepathically transmitted with a playful tone:
“Senior Brother Black Flame, we are now in the same boat. If you have any secrets, why not share them with your junior sister? After this is accomplished, perhaps you and I can join forces to change the world?”
Black Flame True Lord said indifferently:
“Junior Sister, please don’t let the Sect Leader Senior Brother hear such words, or there will be no end to the scolding. I have no secrets. I simply wish to go to the small world and strive for it. Otherwise, when will I ever have hope of stepping into the Void Dao Realm?”
Purple Cloud True Lord pouted slightly. The more Black Flame True Lord acted this way, the more convinced she became.
There was definitely something fishy going on.
She merely smiled faintly, but in her heart, she had decided to closely follow Black Flame True Lord after descending into the small world, to prevent him from hogging all the benefits.
As the two were lost in thought.
Suddenly.
The Sky-Touching Mirror blazed with light, and the unfathomably deep vortex emitted invisible streaks of light that merged into the void, like an octopus firmly gripping this space.
“The world channel is secure. The vanguard army will arrive in the small world shortly.”
Everyone waited with bated breath, their auras fully suppressed. They knew that the situation would soon become clear.
Before Black Demon True Lord, a Mirage Drum was placed. Another was carried by the vanguard army commander. The two Mirage Drums could resonate with each other, transmitting information across realms through this method.
…
Martial World.
The moment the Sky-Touching Mirror completely established the world channel, Ning Qi, who was meditating cross-legged on True Martial Mountain, immediately opened his eyes. His gaze was sharp, yet carried a sense of relief:
“They’re finally here!”
He could clearly feel.
The Life Poison within the Martial World was emitting consistent fluctuations, forming a large Dao Beacon along with the auras of the Martial Saints. Then, a wide world channel was forcibly constructed above the Martial World.
“As I predicted, this world channel is very stable. It would probably take some time to forcibly destroy it,” Ning Qi sensed carefully and decided to proceed according to the original plan.
He would let the invading enemy in first.
At this moment.
He detected over five thousand cultivators with powerful auras rapidly traversing the channel. After teleporting this batch of cultivators over, the originally stable world channel visibly vibrated, and the power within the Life Poison seemed to have been significantly consumed.
It was clear that teleporting Spirit Realm cultivators to a small world was not without cost.
If Ning Qi were to destroy the channel now, it would be futile. After all, the Life Poison Dao Beacon had not been consumed. They could simply spend some time rebuilding the channel, which would instead alert them.
Since that was the case.
It was better to observe for a while first.
Let all the enemies come in, then trap them like fish in a barrel.
In the ancient era, tens of thousands of cultivators above the Martial Saint Realm descended. This time, there would only be more, not fewer. This batch of cultivators might just be scouts.
Ning Qi stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing through layers of space.
His brow furrowed, and he discovered that the batch of cultivators who had just emerged from the world channel had disappeared. Clearly, they had used some secret technique or magic treasure for breath concealment. It made sense; when invading a world, everything was under the scope of the Realm Will. Without such means, wouldn’t they be restricted everywhere?
Of course, Ning Qi could find them if he spent some time.
However, he didn’t need to do so.
The next moment.
Ning Qi’s majestic voice sounded in the minds of all the Martial Saints stationed at the formation cores:
“The enemy is approaching. Guard the world!”
The Martial Saints, who were meditating and comprehending, all opened their eyes. A trace of shock flickered in their depths, followed by berserk battle intent.
From various formation cores, earth-shattering roars erupted:
“Battle!”
“Battle!”
“Battle!”
The many beings of the Martial World who were guarding were prepared to die.
Ning Qi watched.
He summoned the world’s boundless power, and his majestic voice resonated in the minds of every participating being:
“Those who fight for the Martial World shall be imbued with great power!”
Across the world, boundless spiritual power gathered from the Heaven and Earth Origin, forming invisible threads that connected to the bodies of every participating being.
Boom!
An invisible roaring sound erupted.
The auras of the beings began to surge. Those at the Core Elixir Realm suddenly discovered a much stronger connection with heaven and earth, allowing them to resonate with spiritual energy, making them no different from Heavenly Human Realm martial artists. While such strength was still insufficient against Martial Saints, with the advantage of numbers and formation support, they could still play some role.
And those beings who were already at the Heavenly Human Realm suddenly discovered that the spiritual energy they could previously only resonate with had, after being converted by those invisible threads, transformed into an extremely powerful force.
These past few days spent with the Martial Saints, they had come to know that this was… Spiritual Power!
The Martial Saints’ strength also greatly increased, almost to the point where they could mobilize supernatural powers.
These were temporary enhancements. The power came from the Martial World’s Origin and placed a considerable burden on the Martial World. In the ancient era, it was through this human wave tactic that victory was hard-won.
Numerous beings of the Martial World adapted to the powerful strength, their morale soaring.
Under the enhancement of the Eight-Nine Profound Light Celestial Array, the spiritual sense of those controlling the formation was infinitely amplified. Strands of starlight descended upon the ground, making everything within their designated areas appear vividly.
As long as Mountain Sea Realm cultivators dared to show themselves, they would be discovered.
…
A deep sea.
Streams of light condensed, and the Black Demon Sect vanguard army appeared.
Their demeanor was stern.
At the forefront was a small giant, about two zhang tall, with black dragon patterns on his face and body, exuding a terrifying aura. He was an outstanding descendant of a Nascent Soul True Monarch, with a cultivation of Purple Mansion Realm Perfection, and a physique that surpassed ordinary people – the Giant Spirit Body. He possessed exceptionally high talent in the Body Refining Path.
“Commander Yan Luo, what do we do now?” asked several powerful deputies around him.
Yan Luo carefully sensed everyone’s cultivation.
The five thousand inner disciples were fine; their strength was only suppressed a little, allowing them to exert eighty to ninety percent of their power. After all, although the small world repelled outsiders, their strength limit had not yet exceeded the small world’s limit.
However, the three hundred true disciples experienced a severe decline in strength, generally only able to exert ten to twenty percent of their power.
Those in the early to middle stages of the Purple Mansion Realm were mostly suppressed to the Mana Realm, while some powerful late-stage Purple Mansion Realm cultivators could barely exert Purple Mansion Realm combat power. Only those at Purple Mansion Realm Perfection could stably exert Purple Mansion Realm combat power.
Yan Luo frowned slightly:
“The strength suppression in this small world is quite significant.”
Immediately.
He took out another piece of an unknown black beast armor. Mana surged, and immediately, rings of unknown fluctuations emanated from it.
After a moment, joy appeared in his eyes:
“Excellent, this world does not suppress Nascent Soul power! Once the two True Lords descend, they will surely sweep through everything!”
This meant that if the situation turned unfavorable, they could summon the main army at any time to suppress everything.
With that in mind, their thoughts began to stir.
Yan Luo surveyed everyone, licked his lips slightly, his eyes full of fervor.
The vanguard army bore the risk and, to a certain extent, had autonomy. Since they perceived the danger to be within controllable limits, they naturally had to enjoy the benefits of being the vanguard!
He decided not to sound the Mirage Drum for now.
This was within the rules.
Moreover, he also wished to prove himself to his father. Only in this way could he obtain sufficient resources and support to step into the Nascent Soul Realm in the future.
“According to the intelligence, the peak combat power in this small world is what they call Martial Saints, which is equivalent to the Mana Realm. Perhaps with the Realm Will’s augmentation, a few Purple Mansion Realm experts will appear, but there won’t be too many.”
“The only thing worth paying attention to is this small world’s Realm Will. If it dares to appear, then have the two True Lords handle it.”
“We can advance or retreat!”
“Since that’s the case, everyone, prepare to welcome our carnival!”
He roared at the sky, his gaze seeming to pierce through the vastness of the Shan Hai world to see endless blood and fire.
The Black Demon Sect disciples all laughed excitedly.
“Kill!”
The next moment.
The vanguard army, cloaked by a black demon banner, traversed from the deep sea. This could avoid the Realm Will’s lock, although Yan Luo felt it was somewhat unnecessary.
There was no strategy.
There was only one word: Kill!
Rather than searching slowly, it was better to kill their way through and wait for these natives to come to them. Once all those who dared to resist were killed, they would naturally calm down.
What kind of terrifying combat power would five thousand cultivators, at least at the Martial Saint Realm, possess?
The vanguard army emerged from the deep sea. Even without deliberate destruction, the terrifying fluctuations instantly vaporized this sea area. All sorts of sea beasts and exotic beasts were torn to shreds, and seawater rolled back from extreme distances, creating a horrifying scene.
Rumble!
A sky-shattering sound spread for a thousand miles around this sea area.
The auras of the Black Demon Sect vanguard army cultivators converged, forming vast swathes of demonic clouds that blotted out the sun, oppressive and terrifying. Their potent power continuously corroded the void, and the entire sky turned into a thick, inky black.
But soon, Yan Luo discovered something was wrong.
Large swathes of starlight descended from the sky, piercing through the demonic clouds and creating small holes. His pupils contracted, and he sensed that something was amiss.
He looked into the infinite distance.
He discovered that this starlight was spread throughout the world, making him feel a sense of dread.
“What is this?”
But the other Black Demon Sect cultivators didn’t care. They had always been lawless, and now that they were in this small world, they were even more unrestrained.
“Hahahaha, it’s too conspicuous in the Shan Hai Realm. This time, my Black Demon Banner must absorb at least tens of millions of souls to elevate the power of my magic treasure!”
“Commander, there’s an archipelago about a thousand miles away. I can smell human life! Kill! Kill kill kill!”
“This small world is mostly inhabited by the Human Race. As long as we slaughter enough of them, they will collapse!”
They inherently looked down upon small worlds.
Compared to the Spirit Realm, small worlds were insignificant.
At this moment, they only wanted to vent their unreleased brutality.
While Yan Luo hesitated.
Some of the vanguard army had already raised their escape lights and prepared to charge towards the archipelago.
But they had only flown a few dozen miles.
Boom!!
A pillar of starlight, reaching into the sky, descended, instantly piercing a massive hole through the sun-obscuring demonic clouds. Screams echoed, and hundreds of Black Demon Sect cultivators instantly perished, with countless limbs and broken bodies falling onto the nearly dried-up seabed.
All the Black Demon Sect cultivators were stunned by this sudden turn of events.
Their hair stood on end.
Yan Luo’s pupils contracted, and he shouted urgently:
“Vanguard army, heed my order! Form the Demonic Cloud Great Formation! Maintain full alert!”
At this moment.
Even the most brainless person knew something was wrong.
In the distance.
Starlight wrapped around various beings of the Martial World as they descended, led by White Mountain Old Daoist. This deep sea was precisely within his patrol area. After the Black Demon Sect vanguard army appeared with such impunity, he immediately sensed them and swiftly summoned beings from three nearby formation cores.
Silently, they used Star Profound Light for breath concealment and then unleashed a stunning blow.
This result brought great joy to the beings of the Martial World, and they marveled in their hearts at the Realm Lord’s might. They were not fools; they could see the powerful strength of the foreign enemies from the Shan Hai Realm. If not for the augmentation of the world’s power and the great formation, perhaps even a few dozen of them could have annihilated them without leaving a trace.
But now.
They had instantly killed hundreds of such strong individuals.
Fierce battle intent rose in everyone’s eyes.
White Mountain Old Daoist and several Martial Saints, empowered by the world’s power and the formation cores, had an imposing aura.
He glared at the many Black Demon Sect cultivators and roared:
“You foreign demons, daring to set foot on the lands of the Martial World, die by this old Daoist’s hand!”
The many beings of the Martial World also roared in unison.
“Battle!”
Instantly.
Another stream of Star Profound Light condensed and descended. The massive pillar of light, like a Heavenly Sword, blasted towards the dense concentration of the Vanguard Army.
Yan Luo roared:
“You mere natives of the lower realm dare to be presumptuous!”
His entire body surged, and in an instant, he transformed into a black giant hundreds of feet tall. He unleashed a punch, and even the fragments of shattered void condensed on the giant fist, meeting the pillar of light. All the black dragon patterns came alive, their tails connecting to the giant’s body, and numerous dragon heads emerged, gnawing at the Star Profound Light.
Boom!!
The earth-shattering sound reverberated across the sky, and beings within thousands of miles were horrified as they looked towards this direction.
They realized that the external enemies had arrived.
The crisis of the Martial World had truly begun.
Boom!!
The giant swung its fist, shattering the pillar of light. Waves of residual energy scattered outwards, but this time, the Vanguard Army was prepared, and only a few dozen cultivators in the Mana Realm were killed by the aftermath.
The eyes of the Black Demon Sect disciples lit up with ferocity:
“So this is your trump card?”
Dark clouds that obscured the sky descended with strands of black rain, corroding the void. Occasionally, a drop would land on the body of a Martial World being, resulting in the complete annihilation of their physical form.
Those cultivators who still possessed combat power in the Purple Mansion Realm evolved supernatural powers and blasted towards everyone enveloped by the Star Profound Light.
The stars trembled.
Bai Shan Old Daoist and the various Martial Saints became the eyes of the formation, drawing upon the power of the stars from other formation eyes to resist. However, they could not withstand the sheer numbers of the enemy, and some Martial World beings were still killed by the shockwaves.
War is never child’s play.
In a war of this magnitude, there would inevitably be casualties on both sides. If not for the Eight-Nine Profound Light Celestial Array and the augmentation of World Power, the Martial World would have been like a lamb to the slaughter. But now, at least they had the foundation to resist.
Ning Qi tore through the void and stepped into the Inner World.
He surveyed the world, clearly observing every detail of the fierce battle.
But he could not intervene.
Soldiers fight soldiers, kings fight kings.
These were merely the Vanguard; there were still large armies to follow, and his opponent was at the World Channel, which was the key.
The battle for the survival of the Martial World was never his alone; it was a battle for every being in the Martial World.
However, Ning Qi did not wish for these beings who died for the Martial World to simply turn to dust.
Some merits deserved to be known by the world.
With a single thought.
Across the world, enormous celestial screens appeared in the void.
Instantly.
All the beings of the Martial World looked up at the celestial screens. On them, an incredibly fierce battle was erupting, with powerful beings falling every moment. Everyone was stirred, realizing that the enemies from beyond the world had arrived!
And the experts of the Martial World were resisting the external enemies in places they were unaware of, shedding their blood and laying down their lives, disregarding their own safety.
“That’s my son, my son has the bearing of a Martial Saint from the Mad Wind Sword Sect!”
“That’s Senior Tian Can Jiao! He’s usually not one for jokes, but he never retreats in crucial moments. Ah, he’s fallen!”
“Why! Why do these external enemies invade us! Damn them! They deserve to die! Kill them all!”
Countless beings shed tears, their hearts bleeding, watching familiar and unfamiliar figures in the images fight for their lives. They wished they too could become powerful enough to join the battle.
They remembered those figures who gave their lives without regard for their own safety.
In the images.
Bai Shan Old Daoist was resisting the black giant. He occasionally drew upon the starlight to protect the other Martial World beings, otherwise, the disparity in numbers would have led to far heavier casualties for the Martial World.
They could have waited for another wave of reinforcements, but the Black Demon Sect’s Vanguard Army had already set their sights on the islands a thousand miles away. If they were allowed to proceed, it would result in the demise of hundreds of millions.
Therefore, they had no choice but to face the enemy.
“Kill!”
“These sons of bitches were simply born into a higher world than us. If they were in the Martial World, they’d be inferior to me!”
The beings at these formation eyes fell one after another. They had already gone mad with killing.
Yan Luo unleashed a punch, and black dragons roared, devouring heaven and earth. He threw his head back and laughed maniacally:
“Mere natives, how can you comprehend the glory of the upper realm? Welcome your destruction!”
His pupils were bloodshot; he was enraged.
The Vanguard Army had lost at least twenty percent of its forces, a considerable portion of which was due to the initial sneak attack. However, the fearless resistance of the Martial World beings later took many of the Vanguard down with them. Of course, most were annihilated by the Star Profound Light.
But Yan Luo also felt a surge of excitement in his heart.
Upon arrival, they encountered such fierce resistance. He suspected these were the elites of this small world. He thought that if he could suppress them with his army, it would be a great merit, and perhaps the main force wouldn’t even need to descend!
At that point, he, Yan Luo, might even gain the favor of the Sect Leader and become a prominent figure in the Black Demon Sect.
Bai Shan Old Daoist’s eyes were filled with murderous intent. He summoned the True Xuan Seal, entwined with Star Profound Light, unleashing immense power. In the life-and-death struggle, he seemed to be beginning to comprehend his true supernatural powers. Although it wouldn’t help the current battle, if he could survive, the benefits later would be immeasurable.
“Natives? Then today, I’ll let you taste the rage of a native!” Bai Shan Old Daoist sneered.
Another pillar of starlight condensed.
But the black giant was now familiar with this combat pattern. Black dragons roared and charged forward, dark clouds billowing, blocking it.
But Bai Shan Old Daoist was unconcerned, merely sneering.
Yan Luo suddenly looked up and saw two more pillars of starlight descending from the sky. One was slightly weaker, but the other was even more terrifying than the one Bai Shan Old Daoist had condensed!
Boom!!
Caught off guard, large swathes of Black Demon Sect cultivators were blasted into dust, nearly a thousand in total, including dozens of Purple Mansion Realm true disciples.
This gruesome sight shocked everyone.
The Black Demon Sect’s Vanguard Army was in disbelief:
“How is this possible??”
They had initially believed Bai Shan Old Daoist and the others represented the peak of this world, but now two more terrifying powers had emerged.
In the distance.
Powerful Martial World beings arrived one after another to offer support.
One group was led by the sworn brothers of Mad Thunder Martial Saint, and the other by Tianshan Snow Woman with several Martial Saints, who were also among the only three Purple Mansion Realm experts with the true strength of the Martial World. After receiving augmentation, their power was extremely terrifying.
These were the Martial Saints who were closest.
They could teleport through the connections between formation eyes and were the first to arrive.
Bai Shan Old Daoist laughed heartily:
“Snow Woman, you’ve arrived just in time! Quickly help this old Daoist kill this black-skinned beast!”
Many Martial World beings had fallen at Yan Luo’s hands, and he wished he could skin and bone him!
Tianshan Snow Woman nodded impassively:
“Rest assured, not a single one of them will escape.”
Yan Luo’s heart pounded. He felt a terrifying sense of crisis from the silver-haired woman before him, who was like an iceberg. He felt he couldn’t withstand her and would likely be ganged up on.
At this moment.
He looked again at the starlight pervading the world and realized what a grave mistake he had made.
This might be an astonishing method beyond his imagination.
This small world was not simple!
He vaguely sensed as if a pair of majestic and indifferent eyes were watching him, sending a chill down his spine.
Streams of Star Profound Light suppressed the Vanguard Army cultivators; those in the Mana Realm had no resistance whatsoever.
Almost as soon as he was blown away by the pillar of starlight, he, without the slightest hesitation, struck the Mirage Drum and let out a mournful roar:
“Vanguard Army, requesting reinforcements!”
……
Black Demon Sect.
Silence.
The Vanguard Army had entered some time ago, but no information had been received. Everyone knew what that meant: if all went smoothly, the unspoken rule meant the Vanguard Army could hunt independently for a period.
Some disciples were anxious, fearing that all the benefits would be taken by the Vanguard Army. Those second-generation disciples with strength and background secretly regretted not obtaining a spot in the Vanguard Army.
Black Demon True Lord sat on his throne in the void, his eyes slightly closed.
He rhythmically tapped his fingers on the armrest of his throne. He allowed some unwritten rules to exist, but at the same time, he would never allow them to disrupt important matters. He had his own balance and was silently calculating the arrival time of the Vanguard Army.
Suddenly.
Fluctuations echoed in the void. The Mirage Drum, which had been silent, finally rang.
Messages were rapidly transmitted.
“Vanguard Army arrived at World Number Jiazi 1673. Mana Realm maintaining 90% combat power, Purple Mansion Realm maintaining 10% to 20% combat power!”
“According to Yuan Kui armor detection, this world has no suppressive effect on Primordial Spirit Power.”
“Vanguard Army preparing to explore the world.”
“Encountered native resistance…”
“Vanguard Army, requesting reinforcements!!!”
It was clearly visible.
The earlier messages were pre-stored in the Mirage Drum, while the last one was very urgent, clearly indicating that they had encountered a formidable enemy.
Black Demon True Lord slowly rose, his oppressive aura filling the demon mountain:
“Requesting reinforcements? Interesting, as expected of a small world capable of severely wounding the Golden Spirit Sect. Interesting!”
A hint of mockery appeared on his lips, as if he were mocking the Vanguard Army for their ignorance and overestimation of their abilities.
But more than that, there was anticipation.
Such a small world, when sacrificed to the Mountain Sea Realm, would yield greater rewards.
As for the fate of the Vanguard Army, he didn’t care. Those who dared to court death must be prepared to bear the consequences.
“Did you all hear?”
The many Expeditionary Army disciples roared:
“Requesting battle!”
Black Flame True Lord and Purple Cloud True Lord exchanged glances, both having heard that crucial piece of information: the small world had no suppression on Primordial Spirit Power!
Black Flame True Lord laughed heartily:
“Please wait, Sect Leader Senior Brother. My junior sister Purple Cloud and I will offer this small world to lay the foundation for Senior Brother’s Void Dao Realm!”
Black Demon True Lord waved his hand, and the Sky-Touching Mirror transformed into a deep vortex that surged.
A low voice echoed through the sky:
“Do not disappoint this Sect Leader!”
The next moment.
The remaining Expeditionary Army, led by the two Primordial Spirit True Lords, charged into the World Channel one after another.
Black Demon Cliff, which was densely packed with cultivators, became empty in an instant.
Black Demon True Lord’s gaze was distant, lost in thought.
……
Martial World.
Ning Qi sensed the powerful aura surging from the World Channel once more, his eyes gradually brightening.
“Including the previous reconnaissance party, a total of fifty thousand in the Mana Realm, three thousand in the Purple Mansion Realm, and two Primordial Spirit Realm True Lords? Truly a grand gesture!”
Ning Qi sighed softly.
If counted strictly, this strength was more than ten times greater than the invaders of the Ancient Era!
If not for Ning Qi, even with the schemes of the Martial World’s Saints, and even if Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint and the others had not defected, it would have been like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
“But this is good. One decisive blow, no need for drawn-out struggles.”
Ning Qi sensed that the World Channel’s strength and stability had been reduced by more than half, and he was already eager to act.
Next.
As long as the Martial World beings held on for a while longer, this battle would reach its most important turning point.
