217: The power of a third-tier grand formation!

He composed his mind, his gaze crossing the surging beast horde to fixate on the slowly moving giant shadow in the distance.

It was a giant ape, towering like a mountain.

The Mountain-Shaking Demonic Ape!

Its entire body was covered in pitch-black fur, shining with an obsidian-like luster under the setting sun.

Its knotted muscles, like the coiled roots of a thousand-year-old tree, rippled and pulsed beneath its fur, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.

Amidst this dark, overwhelming tide of Yao Beasts, its presence was like a moving mountain, inspiring awe and fear.

"It is actually a Third-Rank Yao Beast, the Mountain-Shaking Demonic Ape! How is this possible!"

Lu Ming's pupils shrank, his heart shaken violently.

Wasn't it said that time was too tight for such things to be bred?

Could it be that Yuan Hong's previous judgment was entirely wrong?

Was this truly just a natural disaster, and not a man-made catastrophe?

He forcibly suppressed his churning thoughts, staring fixedly at that mountain-like figure.

Never mind a Foundation Establishment Cultivator; even a Golden Core True Person would likely find it difficult to contend with such an existence.

He even began to doubt whether the walls of this Immortal City, which had stood for hundreds of years, could truly withstand the impact of this vicious beast.

At this moment, he had to consider a realistic and cruel question.

If the Immortal City were breached and the beast horde swept through the entire city, his only choice would likely be to flee as quickly as possible.

After all, staying alive was more important than anything else!

Everything else could be abandoned!

Lu Ming looked up toward the top of the city wall, where a figure stood in mid-air.

It was a middle-aged Cultivator dressed in a starry Dao robe, his head bound with a green jade crown, and his body surrounded by a faint, shimmering spiritual light that made it impossible to ignore him.

This was the person who, by his own strength, had established this Holy Land for Loose Cultivators in this wild land, the true Dominator of Heavenly Star Immortal City—True Person Tianxing!

This was also the first time Lu Ming had seen the true face of this legendary figure after cultivating here for over ten years.

As the rumors said, his bearing was extraordinary, his demeanor peerless!

Facing the overwhelming beast horde, his expression remained calm, and the majestic Aura radiating from his body was faintly contending against the momentum gathered by the entire beast horde!

"A Golden Core True Person is actually this terrifying!"

Soon, the surging beast horde below approached instantly, like waves crashing against the shore.

Countless Yao Beasts either climbed up the city walls or swooped down from the air, letting out sharp howls.

And that mountain-like Mountain-Shaking Demonic Ape finally moved at this moment.

It took huge strides, uncaring of how many of its own kind it crushed, and charged straight toward the Immortal City.

Every step it took shook the earth, sending flesh and blood splattering.

"Boom, boom, boom—"

The city wall erupted with brilliant five-colored light, and the complex Restrictions carved into the walls were instantly activated.

Countless Magical Artifact cannons roared in unison; scorching fireballs, sharp wind blades, and bone-chilling ice spikes wove into a net of death, tearing the Yao Beasts at the forefront into shreds.

Severed limbs and broken arms splattered everywhere, and fresh blood stained the entire city wall red.

It was also at this moment that the defensive Formation of Heavenly Star Immortal City, the 'Tianxing Restriction Domain Formation', operated at full power.

Starlight from across the sky gathered into a destructive beam of light, piercing through the Void Realm and bombarding the Mountain-Shaking Demonic Ape with precision.

"Boom—"

The giant ape was blasted backward by this terrifying strike, its massive body crashing into the midst of the beast horde, plowing a crimson trench paved with flesh and blood.

"Roar!"

The Mountain-Shaking Demonic Ape struggled to stand up, a charred wound deep enough to see bone appearing on its chest.

But at this moment, the giant ape was shrouded in black mist, and the wound, under the infiltration of this eerie black mist, was healing at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The Mountain-Shaking Demonic Ape roared at the sky, pounding its chest with its fists, producing a dull, thunderous rumbling sound.

However, this giant ape clearly possessed intelligence; it did not rashly advance again, but instead stood in the distance, driving the tide-like Yao Beasts to launch a suicidal assault.

"Is this the might of a Third-Rank Grand Array? It is simply terrifying!"

On the city wall, Lu Ming looked at the beam of light that was gradually dissipating, his heart filled with shock while he let out an exclamation.

This kind of power far exceeded the strength of any Spell or even Magic Treasure he had ever seen; just the residual power alone was enough to make his hair stand on end and his mind tremble.

"But how many times can the Immortal City unleash such an attack?"

Lu Ming, who had a slight understanding of Formations, knew clearly that to drive a Third-Rank Grand Array to unleash such an attack, it didn't just consume massive amounts of Spirit Stones every single moment.

It would also place a huge burden on the core of the Formation, and if it went on for too long, it would likely cause problems.

Otherwise, this Third-Rank Formation alone would have been enough to quell this beast horde riot; why go to such lengths and exert so much effort to set up such a grand battle array?

Sure enough, that destructive beam of light never appeared again; in its place were the constantly flickering spiritual patterns and Restrictions on the city wall.

Thunder and fire intertwined, wind blades danced, blasting the Yao Beasts attempting to scale the wall into minced meat.

By now, small mountains of flesh and blood made of Yao Beast corpses had already piled up under the city wall.

Yet the Mountain-Shaking Demonic Ape remained unmoved, letting out low roars in the distance, calmly directing the beast horde to consume the energy of the Grand Array wave after wave.

Although the city defense Formation had switched to its most energy-efficient mode, and every attack was as precise as possible, not wasting a single bit of energy.

But the number of Yao Beasts seemed endless; the mountain of corpses gradually piled up into a new slope, and the subsequent Yao Beasts stepped on the remains of their own kind to charge upward.

Watching this offensive, which was frantic yet orderly, many Cultivators changed their expressions.

Facing such a flesh-grinding battlefield, the most terrifying thing was not the frantic Yao Beasts, but the rational and restrained Yao King!

Time passed slowly in this eerie balance.

The spiritual light of the Restrictions on the city wall began to flicker unsteadily, and the humming of the Formation carried a faint wail.

Lu Ming's hands beneath his robes were tightly clenched, his knuckles turning slightly white.

Suddenly! He saw the spiritual patterns at a certain part of the city wall dim for an instant, and although they quickly recovered, this omen made his heart sink.

"If this consumption continues, it will be a slow death sooner or later!"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

A dull drum sound rang out, and the sound waves swept in all directions like ripples.

Every Cultivator who heard the drum beats felt their spirits lifted, their Battle Intent beginning to surge and rise, and the spiritual power in their bodies flowed uncontrollably.

Just then, a figure rose into the air; it was True Person Tianxing's chief Disciple, Kang Hongci!

He held a glowing decree in his hand, his voice resounding like a bell across the area!

"By the decree of the Immortal Master!"

"Now that the beast horde is pressing upon the borders and the Immortal City is at a moment of life and death, all Cultivators of our Immortal City, whether Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment, must work together with one heart! Fight the enemy together!"

He unfolded the decree, and golden light immediately shone everywhere.

"From today on, all Yao Beast Materials obtained are to be kept by the Cultivators themselves!"

"Wartime contribution points will also be calculated at double rate, and resources can be exchanged daily with battle merits—Spirit Stones, Magical Artifacts, Cultivation Techniques, take your pick!"

Kang Hongci's gaze swept over the thousands of Cultivators on the city wall, his voice suddenly rising.

"To assist everyone in their cultivation, the Immortal Master has specially bestowed a Foundation Establishment Pill! Only those with the greatest battle merits can obtain it!"

"Gentlemen! Today is not only a battle for the city, but also an Opportunity for your Dao! May you all seize this good Opportunity, slay demons and eliminate monsters, and prove your Dao to longevity!"