160: Chapter 160 Unleashing Full Power! Sword Slices Through a Fifth-Order Sea of ​​Fire, Night Raid on the Demon Camp!

[November 3rd, Xu hour.]

[As Immortal Master Chiyang's words fell, you put away the token, turned around, and left the Immortal Cave.]

[Night wind poured into your robes; you did not stop your pace, heading straight for Fenglei Hall.]

[Gao Lingfeng's residence was on the cliffside to the east of Fenglei Hall. When you arrived, he was sitting cross-legged, regulating his breath.]

[You knocked on the stone door.]

[The stone door opened. Gao Lingfeng was draped in an outer robe, his hair disheveled.]

["Protector Shen?"]

["We depart at Mao hour tomorrow. You will traverse the three lines: Beishun City, Ningbian City, and Yunzhong City."]

[You handed over a Jade Slip.]

["The route is marked inside. Focus on sources of Demonic Qi fluctuations above the fourth tier. Record everything: quantity, position, and marching speed."]

[Gao Lingfeng took the Jade Slip, and his Divine Sense swept inside.]

["Run all three cities?"]

["Your wind-attribute movement technique is the fastest. Is half a day enough?"]

[Gao Lingfeng tucked the Jade Slip into his sleeve.]

["Enough."]

["Go. Come back alive."]

[Gao Lingfeng cupped his fists, and the stone door closed.]

[November 4th, 1:45 PM.]

[You were in your Immortal Cave at Fire Cloud Hall, studying the Incomplete Manual of fire-attribute area-of-effect attacks.]

[The communication Jade Slip lit up.]

[Gao Lingfeng's voice came through, speaking extremely fast.]

["Protector Shen. Thirty miles outside Beishun City, there is a cluster of fourth-tier Yao Beasts, numbering over two hundred. They are assembling but have not moved yet."]

["In the direction of Ningbian City, Yao Race scouts were discovered a hundred miles away, led by about fifty third-tier Yao Beasts. Behind them, the Demonic Qi is thick; I cannot probe deep into it."]

["Yunzhong City."]

[Gao Lingfeng lowered his voice.]

["Fifty miles to the north, a large-scale Yao Race army is advancing rapidly. The vanguard has already set up camp. I counted for a quarter of an hour, and the camp tents are still extending backward; there is no end in sight."]

["There are over thirty fourth-tier Yao Beasts. Fifth-tier aura... two of them."]

[The Incomplete Manual in your hand closed.]

["Two fifth-tier? Are you sure?"]

["Confirmed. The Demonic Qi is extremely heavy, one fire and one ice, intertwined together."]

[One fire, one ice.]

[The dead ends from the previous few simulation rounds flashed before your eyes.]

[Lieyan. Han Ji. Great Yao with the same origin of ice and fire.]

["Come back."]

["Yes."]

[The Jade Slip went dark.]

[You stood up, pushed open the stone door, and headed straight for the Main Peak.]

[Main Peak Council Hall.]

[Daoist Qingxuan sat in the main seat. Immortal Master Chiyang stood on the left. When you stepped into the hall, both of them looked over.]

["Three cities under simultaneous attack," you stated.]

[Daoist Qingxuan set down his teacup.]

["Confirmed intelligence?"]

["Obtained from Gao Lingfeng's on-site reconnaissance half an hour ago. Over two hundred fourth-tier Yao Beasts outside Beishun City. Scouts have already appeared in the direction of Ningbian City. Fifty miles north of Yunzhong City, the main Yao Race force is setting up camp, with over thirty fourth-tier and two fifth-tier beasts."]

[Immortal Master Chiyang slammed his palm onto the table.]

["Fifth-tier? Two of them?"]

["One ice, one fire. Ice and fire of the same origin."]

[Immortal Master Chiyang pressed his hand on his sword hilt, veins bulging on the back of his hand.]

[Daoist Qingxuan stood up.]

["Ice and fire of the same origin... That pair of twin Great Yao under Demon Emperor Lietian?"]

["No need to guess, it definitely is."]

[There was silence in the hall.]

[Daoist Qingxuan spoke first.]

["Our Tianxuan Sect's Nascent Soul combat power, besides myself, is only Junior Brother Chiyang. The Sect Leader is in seclusion and hasn't emerged. Relying solely on the sect's strength, we can defend one city, but with all three under attack, we cannot hold them."]

["Send word to Central Province," you said.]

[Daoist Qingxuan looked at you.]

["Xuantian Holy Sect, Tianyan Sword Sect, Lingxiao Sect, and Tianxing Sect. All four have an alliance treaty for mutual defense. Once the war starts, they are obligated to send troops."]

[You took four blank communication Jade Slips from your storage ring.]

["I will write them. The Deputy Sect Leader just needs to sign and stamp them."]

[Daoist Qingxuan did not hesitate.]

["Write."]

[You sat before the table, injecting spiritual power into the Jade Slips.]

[Four Jade Slips, four battle reports, with rigorous wording and detailed data.]

[The Yao Race's troop strength, distribution, advancement speed, and predicted main attack direction were all clearly stated.]

[At the end, you added a sentence: The Spiritual Vein of Yunzhong City is the hub of the three cities; if lost, the eastern gateway will be wide open, and the western border of Central Province will also be exposed to the Yao Race's blade.]

[After Daoist Qingxuan reviewed them, he stamped each one with the Deputy Sect Leader's seal.]

[The four Jade Slips turned into streams of light, shooting toward the four corners of the horizon.]

["How long until they arrive at the earliest?" Immortal Master Chiyang asked.]

["Xuantian Holy Sect is closest; at full flying speed, a day and a half. The other three, two to three days."]

["The Yao Race won't wait three days," Immortal Master Chiyang said.]

["That is why Yunzhong City must hold out first." You stood up.]

["The Demon-Slaying Squad departs immediately. I will lead the team to garrison Yunzhong City."]

[Immortal Master Chiyang stared at you.]

["Thirteen people. Against two fifth-tier Great Yao and over thirty fourth-tier ones. What are you going to use to hold them?"]

["We won't just hold."]

[You looked at the sky outside the hall.]

["Take the initiative. Raid them at night before the Yao Race's camp is stable."]

[Immortal Master Chiyang opened his mouth.]

[Daoist Qingxuan raised his hand to stop him.]

["Are you certain?"]

["The fifth-tier Great Yao won't personally garrison the forward camp. The forward camp consists of fourth-tier Yao Beasts and third-tier cannon fodder. My goal is to burn their supplies, disrupt their assembly rhythm, and buy time for reinforcements."]

[Daoist Qingxuan looked at you for five breaths.]

["Go."]

[November 4th, 3:00 PM.]

[Martial Arts Arena.]

[All twelve members were present. You stood on the platform, scanning every face.]

["The assessment for ninety percent power is canceled."]

[Huo Quji looked up.]

["Real combat is here."]

[You briefed them on the battle situation. Three cities under attack. Yunzhong City is the main battlefield. Two fifth-tier Great Yao.]

[Chu Feng's fingers twitched slightly.]

[Ling Qingmeng gripped her lightning whip tightly.]

[Huo Quji clenched his fists.]

[Gu Yunxi lowered her eyes, water-attribute spiritual power quietly flowing at her fingertips.]

[Gao Lingfeng stood at the end of the line, the dust of travel not yet washed away, his breathing already steady.]

["Tonight at the Zi hour, we raid the Yao Race forward camp. Objective: Burn supplies, inflict casualties, and retreat."]

["Do not get entangled in battle. Do not pursue. When I call to retreat, run."]

["Did you hear clearly?"]

[The twelve responded in unison.]

["Depart."]

[4:00 PM.]

[The third-grade Cloud-Piercing Boat ascended.]

[The boat was three zhang long, ink-black throughout, with hidden spiritual patterns.]

[Speed maxed out, cutting two white trails through the clouds.]

[You stood at the bow. Wind poured into your sleeves, and your robes fluttered violently.]

[Behind you, the twelve people sat in two rows. No one spoke.]

[Huo Quji was wiping his spirit shield. The cloth rubbed against the shield surface repeatedly, his movements mechanical.]

[Ling Qingmeng closed her eyes to rest, lightning light dancing on her fingertips.]

[Chu Feng sat cross-legged, hands forming seals, silently deducing the Formation.]

[Gu Yunxi leaned against the hull, arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the drifting clouds outside the cabin.]

[Gao Lingfeng squatted at the stern, chin resting on one hand, wind-attribute spiritual power circulating thinly on his body to recover his consumption.]

[The Cloud-Piercing Boat broke through the airflow, heading straight for Yunzhong City.]

[7:00 PM. Above Yunzhong City.]

[The Cloud-Piercing Boat landed in the backyard of the City Lord's Mansion.]

[You did not enter the mansion, instead climbing directly onto the northern city wall.]

[The guards on the wall were sparse. A Golden Core Stage garrison commander approached, his face haggard.]

["Protector Shen. The Yao Race forward camp is located forty-eight miles to the north. They have advanced another two miles since noon."]

["Scouts report that the camp scale is still expanding."]

[You stood at the crenellations of the wall, looking north.]

[The night was heavy. On the northern horizon, demonic fire connected the sky.]

[The communication Jade Slip lit up again. Gao Lingfeng's voice came through.]

["Protector Shen, I scouted again. The forward camp is finished setting up. Fourth-tier Yao Beasts are concentrated in the center of the camp. The perimeter is patrolled by third-tier Yao Beasts, spaced about twenty zhang apart, in groups of three."]

["There is a large amount of supplies piled up on the east side of the camp; spiritual materials, Yao cores, and beast bones are piled into small hills."]

["The fifth-tier auras are ten miles to the rear, not inside the forward camp."]

[You put away the Jade Slip.]

[The fifth-tier are not in the forward camp.]

[A window of opportunity.]

[You turned and walked down the city wall.]

[9:45 PM. Outside the north gate of Yunzhong City.]

[Thirteen people lined up. The night wind brought the pungent stench from the north.]

[You drew your sword.]

["Chu Feng."]

["Here."]

["After entering the camp, you initiate and set up the Space Folding Formation to seal the east exit of the camp. Trap the Yao Beasts in the supply area, and do not let them support the center."]

[Chu Feng nodded.]

["Ling Qingmeng, Lei Zheng."]

["Here."]

["You two are responsible for the first wave of long-range strikes. Cover the camp center with a lightning net. The bigger, the better."]

[Ling Qingmeng raised her right hand, lightning dancing between her five fingers.]

["Huo Quji, Xu Yanlie, Ma Chengen."]

["Here!"]

["You three are the assault team. After the lightning net falls, plunge straight into the center. Fire attribute full power, burn."]

[Huo Quji grinned. Flames rose from his fists.]

["Gu Yunxi, Su Wantang, Han Qingshuang."]

["Here."]

["Water-attribute suppression on the spreading direction of the fire, forcing the Yao Beasts to run to the east side. Run them into Chu Feng's Formation."]

[Gu Yunxi nodded slightly.]

["Gao Lingfeng."]

["Here."]

["You are the eyes. Roam the perimeter the whole time; if reinforcements above the fourth tier appear from any direction, report to me immediately."]

["Qin Mobai, Chen Du."]

["Here."]

["Assist Chu Feng in maintaining the Formation. If your spiritual power isn't enough, pop pills; don't be stingy."]

[You sheathed your sword.]

["I'll take the lead. Follow closely."]

[Thirteen figures vanished into the night.]

[11:00 PM. Perimeter of the Yao Race forward camp.]

[You crouched behind a mound. Three hundred zhang ahead, the campfires stretched on.]

[The low growls of Yao Beasts and the sound of bone friction mixed in the night wind.]

[A third-tier patrol group was passing from the left. Three gray-furred Yao wolves lowered their heads, sniffing.]

[Spiritual power condensed on your right index finger.]

[Lingxi Finger.]

[A hidden light shot out, piercing the skull of the lead Yao wolf.]

[The Yao wolf collapsed. Before the remaining two could react, two thin lightning bolts from Ling Qingmeng had pierced their throats.]

[The corpses fell to the ground without making a sound.]

[You stood up, gesturing forward.]

[Thirteen people crossed the mound, rapidly approaching the camp.]

[Two hundred zhang. One hundred zhang. Fifty zhang.]

[The Yao Beasts at the edge of the camp began to stir. A hyena-like Yao Beast raised its head, sniffing in your direction.]

[No more waiting.]

["Ling Qingmeng!"]

[Ling Qingmeng raised both hands.]

[Purple-white lightning erupted from her palms, weaving into a lightning net covering a thirty-zhang radius in the night sky.]

[Lei Zheng simultaneously channeled his lightning-attribute spiritual power, expanding the lightning net's area by another ten zhang.]

[The lightning net plummeted.]

[It smashed into the center of the camp.]

[Electric light surged everywhere. Dozens of third-tier Yao Beasts were covered by the lightning net, their fur charred black, limbs twitching.]

[Fourth-tier Yao Beasts erupted from the tents, Demonic Qi soaring to the sky.]

["Assault team!"]

[Huo Quji was the first to charge out.]

[Channeling his Fire Element Heavenly Spiritual Root to the max, his fists wrapped in crimson flames, he smashed a fist into the chest of the nearest fourth-tier Yao Beast.]

[The Yao Beast's breastbone collapsed, and it flew backward, knocking over three tents. The tent fabric ignited upon touching the fire.]

[Xu Yanlie followed closely, his fire blade slashing horizontally, cutting a lunging fourth-tier Yao python in half. Python blood sprayed, igniting on contact with the fire, rising in foul-smelling smoke.]

[Ma Chengen charged with his shield, his fire shield knocking aside two Yao Beasts, clearing a path for Huo Quji.]

["Chu Feng! East side!"]

[Chu Feng formed seals with both hands, and twelve Formation patterns flew out, pinning into the ground on the east side of the camp.]

[The Space Folding Formation took shape.]

[The Yao Beasts in the supply area on the east side tried to charge out, but upon taking a step, space folded, and they stepped in place.]

[Qin Mobai and Chen Du stood on either side of Chu Feng, continuously pouring spiritual power into the Formation foundation.]

[Gu Yunxi raised her hand, water-attribute spiritual power spreading out.]

[A large water curtain rose from the south, sealing off the direction the fire was spreading. The flames were forced by the water curtain toward the east, and the high-temperature heat wave pushed the Yao Beasts into Chu Feng's Formation.]

[Su Wantang and Han Qingshuang coordinated, ice blades and water whips attacking alternately, forcing the Yao Beasts attempting to flee south back into the fire.]

[Fire blazed to the sky inside the camp. The residual power of the lightning net had not yet dissipated, and new flames rose.]

[Third-tier Yao Beasts fell in swathes. Fourth-tier Yao Beasts were entangled by the assault team, unable to organize an effective counterattack.]

[You stood at the entrance of the camp, the Qiankun Yin-Yang Sword unsheathed.]

[A fourth-tier Yao bear lunged straight at you.]

[Burning Heaven Nine Sword Arts, second form.]

[Crimson-gold Sword Qi swept across. The Yao bear's protective Demonic Qi was cleaved apart by a single strike, and a deep, bone-visible burn wound appeared from its chest to its abdomen.]

[The Yao bear collapsed to the ground, twitched twice, and stopped breathing.]

[Another fourth-tier Yao hawk dived from the sky.]

[You raised your hand. Lingxi Finger.]

[A beam of light pierced the root of the Yao hawk's left wing. The wing bone snapped, the Yao hawk lost control and plummeted, and Huo Quji followed up with a punch that shattered its skull.]

[Gao Lingfeng's voice came from the communication Jade Slip.]

["No reinforcements on the west side. No reinforcements on the east side. North side—"]

[His voice stalled.]

["Ten miles to the north, two fifth-tier auras are moving. The direction is coming this way."]

["Speed?"]

["Extremely fast. They will arrive within thirty breaths."]

[You spoke, your voice overpowering the noise of the battlefield.]

["Everyone retreat! Go!"]

[Huo Quji was just smashing a fourth-tier Yao Beast away with a punch; hearing this, he withdrew his fist and retreated.]

[Ling Qingmeng retracted the remnants of the lightning net and turned to run.]

[Chu Feng pulled up the Formation foundation, and the Formation patterns dissipated.]

[Thirteen people retreated south.]

[You brought up the rear.]

[Twenty breaths.]

[On the northern horizon, two pillars of light tore through the night.]

[One red, one blue.]

[The red light was scorching, the blue light was frigid. The two pillars of light intertwined and spiraled, dyeing the sky within a hundred zhang into an eerie purple.]

[The pressure of the fifth tier descended.]

[They were here.]

[Ice and fire of the same origin. Lieyan. Han Ji.]

[In the red light, a figure stood in the air. Red hair disheveled, pupils scarlet, demonic fire rising around his body.]

[The pressure of the Nascent Soul Great Perfection sealed the Void Realm.]

[Lieyan lowered his head, scanning the charred corpses and burning tents on the ground.]

[He raised his right palm.]

["Burn."]

[Crimson demonic fire erupted from his palm, turning into a hundred-zhang wave of fire, pushing horizontally in the direction you were retreating.]

[The fire wave was extremely wide, extending fifty zhang to the left and right.]

["Scatter—!"]

[You drew your sword.]

[The Qiankun Yin-Yang Sword's light surged violently. Ten percent power.]

[Burning Heaven Nine Sword Arts, fourth form, Burning Heaven Cleaving Earth.]

[Highly compressed fire intent erupted from the tip of the sword, slashing head-on toward the hundred-zhang fire wave.]

[The Sword Qi cleaved open the fire curtain.]

[The hundred-zhang fire wave was forcibly split, opening a three-zhang wide gap.]

["Go through the gap!"]

[Ma Chengen was the first to react, his fire shield fully extended, protecting Chu Feng and Qin Mobai beside him, rushing out through the gap.]

[The aftermath of the fire wave swept the fire shield. Ma Chengen plowed two deep grooves into the ground with his feet, being pushed back five zhang. Cracks appeared on the surface of the fire shield.]

[Ling Qingmeng's lightning shield shattered under the high temperature of the fire wave. The heat wave blew her away, her back hitting a giant rock, blood spilling from her lips.]

[Huo Quji crossed his arms to protect his chest, resisting with all his fire-attribute spiritual power. The skin on his arms was still scorched with large red marks.]

[Gu Yunxi's water shield evaporated in the fire wave. The high-temperature heat wave knocked her back, the clothing on her left shoulder burned through, skin and flesh exposed.]

[Su Wantang, Han Qingshuang, Lei Zheng, and Gao Lingfeng escaped through the gap opened by the Sword Qi, all stumbling as they were grazed by the edge of the fire wave.]

[The web between your thumb and forefinger on your sword-wielding hand split open, fresh blood dripping down the hilt.]

[Lieyan, suspended in mid-air, lowered his gaze, looking at]