201: Chapter 201 So Close!

Chief Disciple Han Yue turned his head, his face ashen.

"Pursue!"

Disregarding his own depletion, he activated his movement technique and prepared to give chase.

Behind him, Sun Chengzhu blocked his path, twelve Flying Swords returning to their positions as the sword formation unfolded, sealing off Chief Disciple Han Yue's route.

The flesh on his injured arm reorganized and grew, revealing fresh, pink, tender skin.

"Your opponent is me."

"Get lost!"

Chief Disciple Han Yue struck out with a palm, the Ziyang True Fire transforming into a palm imprint that slammed into the sword formation.

The sword formation trembled violently, and blood spilled from the corner of Sun Chengzhu's mouth, but the formation did not break.

He gritted his teeth, determined to hold on even if he fell!

At the core of the giant island, a brilliant light flared.

Sun Yao rushed to the front of the Qi pillar. Before her eyes, that milky-white pillar of light was about three feet thick, and within it, a wisp of flowing cloud patterns was vaguely visible.

Cloud Dao heaven and earth qi: Rain Cloud Flower True Qi!

Yet, it could not be absorbed at this moment. This wisp of heaven and earth qi was tightly connected to this place; it was impossible to penetrate this layer of light to extract it.

Seeing this, Sun Yao felt a sense of urgency in her heart.

With no time to think, she had no choice but to lay her long sword across her knees, form hand seals, circulate her Cloud Dao Cultivation Technique, and condense a cloud hand to reach toward the heaven and earth qi within the pillar of light...

This process was extremely slow, requiring at least the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

The time of one incense stick.

In the midst of such chaotic battle, that time was the distance between life and death.

"Protect Lady Yao!"

"Buy time! Let Lady Yao retrieve the treasure!"

Sun Chengzhu's roar came from afar.

Immediately following it were the sounds of clashing steel, spiritual power explosions, screams, and wails...

Various sounds mixed together; seizing treasure in such chaotic times was truly a life-or-death struggle!

Above the giant island, the pillar of light of the heaven and earth qi shot into the sky, nine-colored clouds churning endlessly.

This phenomenon could be seen throughout the entire Marshlands.

Cultivators who were fighting everywhere raised their heads, their gazes locking onto the direction of the giant island in the distance.

Someone is extracting the heaven and earth qi!

At this, the reaction from all factions was even more intense than poking a hornet's nest.

The Haoran Sect Disciples who were entangled with the Qingguang Sect immediately split their forces.

Seven Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Haoran Sect immediately left the battlefield and came treading over the waves.

The Xuanqing Sect was even more straightforward; they stopped fighting in the middle of the battle, reached a temporary tacit understanding with the remaining forces of the Taiqing Sect, and each dispatched a team of elites to dash toward the giant island simultaneously.

The already chaotic battle situation suddenly became even more uncontrollable.

"Damn it!"

Sun Chengzhu's sword formation was torn apart by a heavy blow from Chief Disciple Han Yue; three Flying Swords shattered on the spot, and he retreated step by step, spitting blood.

Chief Disciple Han Yue no longer entangled himself, his figure flickering as he bypassed Sun Chengzhu's blockade and sped toward the core of the giant island...

"Stop him!"

Lu Xun gritted his teeth and gave chase, his thunder-patterned short blade hacking out an arc of light.

The thunder arc caught up to Chief Disciple Han Yue's back, but flames rolled around him, deflecting the thunder arc, and he didn't even look back...

Bi Luo flashed out from the shadows, her five fingers forming claws, and a green vine wrapped around Chief Disciple Han Yue's ankle like lightning.

The vine was tough, infused with wood spiritual power, and instantly took root in the stone surface.

Chief Disciple Han Yue's figure stalled; he looked down, his brows knitting into a knot.

He spat out purple flames from his palm, burning the vine apart, but in that one breath of delay, Sun Chengzhu had reassembled the sword formation, and Flying Swords fell like rain.

Chief Disciple Han Yue had no choice but to turn and defend.

He was strong, but fighting off a siege by several people alone was too much for him to handle.

East side of the giant island.

The seven Foundation Establishment Cultivator of the Haoran Sect had already arrived first.

The leader wore a gray Daoist robe, had a gentle appearance, and held a green bamboo flute in his hand.

This person's name was Fang Zeyuan, a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator, and the seed Disciple of this generation of the Haoran Sect.

After Fang Zeyuan landed, his gaze swept over the chaotic situation on the giant island, and he quickly made a judgment.

"That female Cultivator is extracting the heaven and earth qi... Everyone, go seize it!"

Immediately, he placed the green bamboo flute to his lips, and a melodious flute sound rang out.

Amidst the flute sound, the marsh water churned, and more than ten water columns rose from the ground, transforming into water arrows that shot simultaneously toward Sun Yao's location.

Sun Lin also arrived at this moment, blocking in front of Sun Yao.

He, Sun Lin, was merely a person with a pseudo-Spiritual Root; his Aptitude was not outstanding, and his cultivation was not the highest, but he was a member of the Sun Family!

He was Sun Yao's cousin, and now that the hope of the Family was right before them, he absolutely could not retreat, and absolutely must not retreat...

This time, for the sake of the Family, he was willing to sacrifice everything!

Pushing his wood spiritual power to the limit, Sun Lin extended his arms forward, the ground shattered with a boom, and dozens of thick wooden walls surged out from the stone cracks, interweaving to form a shield wall in front of Sun Yao.

The water arrows smashed into the wooden wall, causing it to shake violently and crack significantly, but it did not collapse.

"Hold on!"

Sun Lin gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.

The speed at which the wooden walls repaired and grew, however, was far behind the onslaught of the water arrows.

Fang Zeyuan's flute music became increasingly urgent, and the number of water columns increased from over ten to over thirty, continuous and unending.

What was even more fatal was that the Xuanqing Sect's team had also arrived.

There were five Cultivators, led by a short, fat man, a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator, holding a black water flag. He said nothing; as he unfurled the black water flag, a chilling stream of water, carrying crushed ice, came flanking from the side.

Attacked from front and back.

"Kuang Dou! Lei Nu!"

Elder Rat sent a voice transmission to coordinate.

The two great demons, Kuang Dou and Lei Nu, followed by charging into the battlefield from the edge of the island.

Kuang Dou dove headlong into the Xuanqing Sect's formation, spewing lava from his mouth. The short, fat man's black water flag drew out a chilling stream of water to extinguish the fire, and as water and fire clashed, white smoke shot into the sky.

Lei Nu met two Disciples of the Haoran Sect, pale thunder arcs coursing through his fur, hacking out bolts of thunder snakes that forced the opponents back.

But—

There were too many people!

More and more Cultivators were arriving from all directions, and the situation was becoming increasingly chaotic. Some were Sect forces traveling in groups, while others were Alliances of Loose Cultivators in groups of three or five.

There were also some lone wolves trying to fish in troubled waters.

The temptation of the heaven and earth qi was enough to make everyone's eyes turn red with greed!

Sun Yao sat cross-legged and motionless, her face pale, fine beads of sweat seeping from her forehead.

The heaven and earth qi was about to be retrieved; it was just a little bit more!

If she stopped now, all her previous efforts would be abandoned.

The path to Golden Core would be impossible in this lifetime!

She could not stop, and she was unwilling to stop here; it was clearly right before her eyes!