Chapter 227: Clash Of Great Powers
The sky had darkened, with clouds racing and winds blowing fiercely.
It was a good night for killing.
The inner city wall of Qiu Zhou Prefecture City stood fifteen zhang high, built from massive thousand-jin blocks of blue-patterned iron stone. Upon it, the rampart walkway was four zhang wide, with battlements every three zhang and towers every five li.
Under Zuo Qiu Ting’s lead, the four ascended the steps to the three-story-high city tower and, amid the urgent evening winds, took in the view of both the inner and outer cities.
……
Lei Xiao Sect’s outpost, Lei Chi Zhai, was located atop a low hill in the outer East City.
Taoist temple-style buildings covered the mountain body, occupying dozens of mu.
At the top of the low hill sat a nine-story purple formation tower, with lightning shuttling through it and electric birds circling around, making it extremely conspicuous.
“ Splash!”
A young great mind master of the Imperial Court had spiritual light blooming at his brow, using beast taming technique to control a several-meter-long black feathered exotic beast carrying Thunder Law Profound Ice on its back, attacking from mid-air to destroy the formation.
A zhang-long golden feathered arrow shot out from a plaza inside Lei Chi Zhai, killing the black feathered exotic beast in the void, turning it into blood mist and scattered feathers.
“ Rumble!”
The Thunder Law Profound Ice fell, smashing onto the ground.
An area dozens of zhang in radius was leveled to the ground.
Lu Cangsheng, dressed in a black robe, stood atop the tallest building below the nine-story formation tower, observing the situation below the mountain, issuing commands from his mouth.
Immediately after, that Hundred Character Scripture magic tool heavy crossbow on the plaza turned direction and shot out another zhang-long golden feathered arrow. The feathered arrow streaked like a golden meteor through the night sky, striking a Calamity Fire Realm great mind master of the Imperial Court five li away.
That great mind master’s body exploded instantly, not leaving a single intact piece of flesh and blood.
One attack and one defense, the battle was deadlocked.
The Imperial Court’s next wave of offense was even more ferocious.
Eight magic tool war chariots advanced from the sky and ground, from eight different directions, charging in majestically.
The war chariots sped forward, air shockwaves rippling, the entire city area trembling.
“ Splash!”
Inside Lei Chi Zhai, the nine-story formation tower expanded violently, its height increasing tenfold, transforming into a thousand-meter-tall purple mountain peak that enveloped several li of land, destroying all eight war chariots completely.
The Thunder Law Profound Ice inside the chariots was all triggered, turning into eight stretches of thunder seas released outward.
Lightning flashed continuously in the East City, some shooting straight to the clouds, others streaking across the void.
This large-scale martial cultivator clash was comparable to a battlefield confrontation, the destructive power unleashed surpassing the Five Seas Realm level.
……
Atop the third-layer city tower on the inner city wall, Qi Xiao surveyed the surroundings, then looked at the third class invitation in his hand: “Sixty percent of the Imperial Court’s top martial cultivators have arrived, with many first rank, second rank, and third class figures already present, but after half a shichen of fighting, they still can’t break Lei Chi Zhai’s defense.”
Shi Shishi said: “Lu Cangsheng’s turtle shell divine skill can truly be called number one under heaven!”
Zuo Qiu Ting placed one hand behind his back, his demeanor elegant, and smiled: “In terms of defense, no one in the young generation can compare to Lu Cangsheng. Moreover, Lei Xiao Sect understands Thunder Law Profound Ice better than any force, naturally knowing how to resist it and how to detonate it in advance.”
Li Weiyi wore a black cloth Daoist robe, his hair bound with a wooden hairpin, exuding a sense of mystery and relaxation amid his heroic bearing: “That formation tower is no simple thing. The energy it unleashed earlier felt like even Ge Xian Tong personally striking would be repelled. Was it set up by a formation master below spirit mind master level?”
Zuo Qiu Ting said: “Lei Xiao Sect dispatched ten young generation Calamity Fire Realm great mind masters to Qiu Zhou Prefecture City, using a fourth rank Hundred Character Scripture magic tool Thunderclap Tower as the formation base, and spent three months to deploy this nine-story formation tower. Its defensive strength far surpasses ordinary formations set up by spirit mind masters in a short time.”
Hundred Character Scripture magic tools vary in power based on the number of inscribed scriptures inside, divided into nine ranks.
From one hundred to two hundred characters, called “first rank Hundred Character Scripture magic tool.”
Two hundred to three hundred characters, called “second rank.”
Three hundred to four hundred characters, called “third rank.”
……
On the Lei Chi Zhai plaza, that heavy crossbow wrapped inside a magic energy cloud, with over a hundred scriptures flashing on its surface, was a first rank Hundred Character Scripture magic tool.
Li Weiyi knew little about this world’s magic tools and warfare offense and defense, and asked: “Lei Xiao Sect can employ a fourth rank Hundred Character Scripture magic tool, so why doesn’t the Imperial Court use fifth rank or sixth rank Hundred Character Scripture magic tools? Even Thousand Character Scripture magic tools?”
Qi Xiao laughed heartily: “Brother Weiyi, we are Five Seas Realm martial cultivators. With the tier and quantity of magic energy in our bodies, it’s hard to effectively activate Hundred Character Scripture magic tools.”
“Only top martial cultivators who have cultivated sixth tier qi can fully unleash the power of a first rank Hundred Character Scripture magic tool.”
“With my cultivation, I can only activate part of a second rank Hundred Character Scripture magic tool’s power, probably sixty to seventy percent.”
“The higher the rank, the harder to activate, and while the power is indeed stronger, it’s only stronger to a limited extent.”
“For example, if I wield a fourth rank Hundred Character Scripture magic tool war sword, I can only bring out ten or twenty percent of its power. It can boost combat power a little, giving a chance to challenge a successor.”
“Give me a Thousand Character Scripture magic tool, and I’d dare to vie with a successor.”
“But what if it’s snatched away?”
“My Qi Family, a million-strong clan and a prestigious house of Li Prefecture, has only three Thousand Character Scripture magic tools, each a clan-guarding treasure.”
“To gain this bit of combat power boost, turn yourself into a fat sheep—is it worth it?”
“Moreover, with our Five Seas Realm cultivation, using high-rank magic tools requires considerable time to activate. You might not have activated the magic tool before someone has already severed your head with a sword, just like Hua Yuzi.”
“In personal combat, it’s still best to use magic tools you’re accustomed to.”
“Clashes between great powers require heavy artifacts and grand formations.”
“Lei Xiao Sect’s fourth rank Thunderclap Tower and nine grand formations were activated together by ten Calamity Fire Realm great mind masters and a large number of Earth Fire Realm and Heavenly Fire Realm great mind masters to unleash peak power, transforming into a thousand-meter-tall formation mountain peak. The mind power consumption is absolutely not small.”
Zuo Qiu Ting said: “The Imperial Court’s Thunder Law Profound Ice is nearly depleted. They should be about to activate high-rank Hundred Character Scripture magic tools soon. Look, the Imperial Court’s Five Seas Realm martial cultivators are assembling on a large scale.”
Qi Xiao asked: “Young Master Ting, for our assault on the Governor’s Mansion and the Far West Ash Region headquarters outpost, what level of magic tool are we preparing to activate?”
“Keep it confidential for now,” Zuo Qiu Ting said.
Li Weiyi pondered inwardly about the ranks of the several trump card magic tools on his body.
The “corpse clothes soft armor” he wore close to his skin should be the lowest rank, not reaching Thousand Character Scripture magic tool level. Because at Spring Gushing Realm, he could already activate the faint blood-colored scriptures, unleashing part of its power.
The “ghost flag,” he still couldn’t detect the internal scriptures for now, evidently a higher rank.
The ghost flag’s most important attack method was ice power and the internally sealed ghost general.
The “evil camel bell” involved the taboo figure Yu Tuo Nan in its first layer, something he absolutely dared not expose.
The “black iron seal,” Coffin Master had mentioned before, was Lei Xiao Sect’s treasure, usable at life and death moments.
Li Weiyi felt he was just the fat sheep Qi Xiao described. Taking out the black iron seal to use would absolutely boost his combat power tremendously, making even successors no match. But after the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, the trouble would certainly not be small.
The Yellow Dragon Sword, on the other hand, was his most handy magic tool, growing with him, its power growing ever stronger, perfectly tailored, allowing him to fully unleash his own strength.
Li Weiyi pondered in his heart whether to find a few more martial way masters to jointly activate the black iron seal, and at the critical moment, deliver a ruthless blow to Luan Sheng Lin You.
“ Splash!”
A wave of magic tool arrow rain rose in the night sky, like a bright starry river flying toward Lei Chi Zhai.
At the same time.
The Imperial Court’s Five Seas Realm martial cultivators had assembled on the streets.
Led by nine Seventh Sea martial cultivators, nearly a hundred Five Seas Realm martial cultivators jointly struck out magic energy, injecting it into a cauldron-shaped Hundred Character Scripture magic tool.
The surface of the cauldron-shaped magic tool erupted with crimson-red radiance, spinning while rising off the ground.
It grew larger and brighter.
After rising ten zhang into the air, the cauldron body became the size of a house, flames burning, five hundred thirty-five scriptures flashing on its body, the radiance illuminating the entire East City.
The dark clouds in the sky dome were dyed crimson-red by the cauldron’s light.
“ Whoosh!”
From Lei Chi Zhai, a zhang-long golden crossbow bolt flew out.
The piercing sound was as loud as thunder.
The cauldron-shaped magic tool merely swayed lightly, air surging, countless scriptures scattering outward, energy exploding, shattering that crossbow bolt into several segments.
The cauldron-shaped magic tool soared into the air, releasing vast might, blazing like a fierce sun.
“Fully activate the formation tower,” Lu Cangsheng shouted.
“ Rumble!”
The nine-story formation tower once again transformed into a thousand-meter-tall purple lightning mountain peak, clashing against the cauldron-shaped magic tool.
The hill where Lei Chi Zhai stood shook violently, with buildings collapsing and rifts appearing in the mountain body.
Fortunately, it withstood this strike, the formation unbroken.
Qi Xiao said: “The Imperial Court is going all out! In war, it’s ultimately about people. The more martial cultivators, the stronger the magic tools they activate, the deeper the foundation. With such a disparity in strength between the two sides, Lei Chi Zhai’s formation will inevitably be breached sooner or later. Once the formation breaks, the battle will likely be one-sided!”
“Lei Xiao Sect is no weakling; after all, it was once the overlord of this land in Lingxiao Life Realm. For the Imperial Court to take them down, the price paid will absolutely not be small,” Shi Shishi said.
Zuo Qiu Ting nodded: “Knowing that the Imperial Court forces led by Ge Xian Tong were coming to East City, Lu Cangsheng didn’t flee the city immediately or abandon the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival. Clearly, he has something to rely on.”
Li Weiyi smiled: “Perhaps Lu Cangsheng guessed that Zuo Qiu Gatehouse would definitely lend a hand.”
“I think he’s just reluctant to give up that Longevity Pill Voucher in his hand!” Qi Xiao said.
Shi Shishi said: “That’s a Longevity Pill—who would be willing to give it up?”
“ Splash!”
Another nearly hundred Imperial Court Five Seas Realm martial cultivators activated a hammer-shaped fifth rank Hundred Character Scripture magic tool, rising from another urban area, attacking toward Lei Chi Zhai.
……
…………
From the inner city direction came a terrifying aura that made hearts palpitate.
A silver shuttle-shaped magic tool descended straight from the clouds, countless scriptures rotating around it.
It pierced through like a hot knife through butter, breaking the Dragon Gate outpost’s defense formation, smashing into the ground and kicking up thick dust.
“ Rumble!”
The powerful shockwave spread across more than ten li to the city tower.
Zuo Qiu Ting, Li Weiyi, and the other two immediately looked over.
The Dragon Gate outpost was the residence of an ancient Longevity Realm giant, vast in area with formidable defensive power. But suppressed by seal-breaking symbols, under the silver shuttle’s attack, all defense formations collapsed, buildings in the residence toppling in swathes.
The force attacking Dragon Gate was from the Far West Ash Region.
That silver shuttle-shaped magic tool just now had been activated by over two hundred Five Seas Realm martial cultivators.
They were numerous and powerful, advancing majestically, from different forces, each a dragon or phoenix among men.
Luan Sheng Lin You stood at the top of a tall building hundreds of meters from the Dragon Gate outpost, long hair swaying in the wind, elegantly reaching into the void to retrieve the silver shuttle-shaped magic tool, suspending it in their palm.
“ Splash!”
The silver shuttle-shaped magic tool melted, turning into a liquid flowing silver mask that they donned on their face, then ordering the encirclement of Dragon Gate, leaving none alive.
