Chapter 1730: 拉锯

However, if the enemy tried to target them, the golden orb was impervious to piercing from the outside. Its defensive capabilities far surpassed those of the other two divine generals. Dozens of Narakas furiously chased and stabbed at it, but failed to puncture the golden orb's shell, growing as frantic as dogs chasing a ball.

He Lingchuan would be green with envy if he saw these three divine generals. Just a month ago, he had spent massive resources to upgrade his own golden-armored bronze general to a divine general, a cost that still pained him given his current wealth. Yet, the Heavenly Palace team deployed three finished models immediately!

These constructs were true battlefield weapons, equally adept at leading a charge or handling transport duties.

Once the Heavenly Palace deployed the three golden-armored divine generals, the pressure on the front line significantly eased. They were like three armored fortresses, with astonishing defensive capabilities. One giant Naraka pounded a humanoid divine general for a long time, only managing to slightly dent its chest plate, but its own hand broke. The golden-armored divine general then seized the opening and pierced it through the heart with a spear.

The most remarkable aspect of the golden-armored divine generals was their ability to make autonomous decisions and fight independently, requiring little oversight from their masters. Their usual drawback – an incredibly high energy consumption – was not a concern at this moment.

Upon seeing the Narakas attacking from the sea, Bai Ziqi felt a sense of relief. “It’s not another instance of moving mountains and filling seas, thankfully. This indicates the Illusion Sect also has its limitations,” he mused.

His assessment was correct! If the Illusion Sect couldn't unleash its grand divine powers, he felt more confident in gradually wearing down his opponents. The current situation was intriguing. The Illusion Sect was attempting to decimate the Heavenly Palace forces and deplete the celestials' power, understanding that these were non-renewable resources. Bai Ziqi, conversely, was employing a strategy of ‘pulling the firewood from under the cauldron’ – draining all spiritual energy from this realm. It was akin to pulling a tiger’s teeth; a tiger stripped of its claws and fangs no longer seemed so fearsome.

Both sides were aggressively targeting each other’s weaknesses, and Bai Ziqi was well aware that if the combat intensity remained at this level, time would undoubtedly be on his side. But that was a big ‘if’.

Witnessing their own tide-like assault being stalled, a faint, ethereal bell sound drifted from an unknown source. Though not loud, it invigorated the giant Narakas, and one of them violently spewed white frost towards the golden orb. The soldiers inside the orb remained unharmed, but a thick layer of solid ice quickly formed on both the ground and the orb’s surface. The golden orb rolled progressively slower until it was completely frozen in place.

The orb possessed a divine ability to break free from such predicaments, but before it could activate it, another giant Naraka roared and charged. Gripping its spiky club with both hands, it whirled and delivered a devastating sweeping blow! This was the largest of the giant Narakas, standing five *zhang* tall, and possessing truly astonishing strength.

The golden orb was sent flying, soaring higher and higher, even tracing a perfect arc in mid-air before plummeting with a splash into the Inverted Lake! The spiky club in its hand, made of unknown material, had previously withstood a dozen powerful strikes from the humanoid divine general, only sustaining a small chip. Yet, with this single full-power swing, though the golden orb was launched, the club – thicker than a double-leaf door – snapped with a loud crack. The sheer force of the impact was palpable.

“Damn it!” exclaimed the war puppet master controlling the golden orb, sweat beading on his forehead in alarm. The golden orb could protect the soldiers inside from blades, spears, arrows, and halberds, and filter out many divine abilities, but it was not waterproof! When it was designed, who could have ever imagined it rolling into a lake? How long could those dozens of soldiers survive, trapped inside a metal shell with hundreds of leaking holes?

Receiving Bai Ziqi’s death glare, the war puppet master desperately attempted to command the golden orb to roll back to land. However, the lake bottom was shrouded in pitch darkness; nothing could be seen. After struggling for dozens of breaths, the war puppet master could only dejectedly report, “Lord Envoy, the golden orb has lost... lost contact with me.”

Those dozens of soldiers were lost, and with them, the golden orb, meticulously crafted by the Heavenly Palace at immense cost, was also gone. Crafting such an item consumed immense effort, funds, and time; it was certainly not something that could be replicated quickly.

Bai Ziqi had no time to mete out punishment. Pointing at a golden-armored divine general, he commanded, “Go assist them!” That large construct was currently under siege by several giant Narakas, and its war puppet master was under immense pressure. However, this was a highly specialized technical operation that ordinary cultivators could not assist him with. As if granted a great pardon, the war puppet master swiftly rushed to their aid.

Meanwhile, Narakas continued to surge from the lake in an unending stream, relentlessly attacking the Heavenly Palace camp. It appeared they would not cease their assault until they had utterly worn down the living. Aside from the golden-armored divine generals and a few other war puppets, the Heavenly Palace forces were entirely composed of flesh and blood. Engaging in direct combat with these water-encased fiends put them at a significant disadvantage. Furthermore, being relentlessly dragged and pulled by these creatures made it difficult for the Heavenly Palace team to retreat.

Bai Ziqi turned his gaze back to the Inverted Lake. The Illusion Sect had gone to such lengths to lure them here; was it merely to pit Narakas against them? He had to concede that these Narakas were causing his forces considerable trouble, but thus far, it was nothing fatal! If even a tsunami couldn’t subdue the Heavenly Palace forces, would the Illusion Sect naively believe these Narakas could grind them into dust? Were there perhaps other traps or hidden stratagems?

A thought stirred in Bai Ziqi’s mind, and he suddenly recalled He Xiao. That young man had already ascended Stone Dragon Peak; by now, he ought to be colluding with the Illusion Sect. The Heavenly Palace had gained a deep understanding of the temperaments of immortals and immortal sects over the years. However, with He Xiao introduced as a variable…

Bai Shiqi also happened to ask, “Lord Envoy, He Xiao rode a goat cart up Stone Dragon Peak; might he be up to no good?” Having been with Bai Ziqi for so long, it was the first time he had witnessed an enemy even Lord Envoy Bai found formidable. Aside from Qingyang, He Xiao’s Reversed Heavenly Net Array at Yongquan Villa remained fresh in everyone’s memory. Moreover, Bai Shiqi hadn’t forgotten that He Xiao had caused Bai Er’s death without even personally lifting a finger! Though unspoken, fear was already brewing in everyone’s hearts.

Bai Ziqi shook his head. “He has only just entered the Inverted Sea. Even if he reveals his identity as a Spiritual Mountain disciple to the Illusion Sect, how could these arrogant immortals possibly look favorably upon him? It’s even less likely they would take his orders.” He then added, “However, this individual is deeply cunning, and we still can’t discern his true purpose. He might not be allied with the Illusion Sect and could be operating independently.”

He Xiao was his secondary objective for this expedition to the Inverted Sea. The feud between them had persisted for too long; this time, it absolutely had to be settled within the Inverted Sea! Bai Ziqi secretly clenched his fist. “If an individual like He Xiao is not eliminated swiftly,” he mused, “he will undoubtedly cause endless future calamities!”

Just then, another bell-like sound seemed to emanate from the sea. The next wave of Naraka assault began anew. This time, the Narakas emerging from the lake were larger, more grotesque, and their movements were even more ruthless. They were endless; there was simply no way to defeat them all.

Bai Shiqi instinctively glanced back at the Celestial Capital Grand Formation, truly perplexed. “Where did the Illusion Sect manage to gather so many spirits?” he wondered aloud. They seemed inexhaustible.

“Who knows how many wronged spirits have perished in the North Sea over the years? Silver Pearl Island might have been carried along by storms, or it might have simply collected these spirits en route,” Bai Ziqi ordered casually. “Reinforce the northwest corner; do not let them breach the formation!”