Chapter 1489: Conflict

Winds Rise Across the Nine Provinces

Formations, while capable of self-maintenance until their stored energy is depleted, ultimately require cultivators to operate them to unleash their full power.

Simply put, Wushuang Island's protective formation currently holds stored energy. However, this energy is continuously consumed while defending against enemy attacks. Once depleted, the protective formation can no longer be sustained.

To make it last longer, there is only one method: manually control the formation by injecting cultivators' spiritual energy into its core, or find a way to activate spirit jades to replenish the formation's energy.

However, any of these methods requires manpower!

Wushuang Island's biggest challenge right now is a lack of personnel!

Therefore, Chu Shen didn't even consider defense; in the current situation, defense alone would be futile. A counter-attack was necessary to even have a glimmer of hope.

A proper grand formation must possess not only defensive capabilities but also offensive power!

Of the four million spirit jades Chu Shen spent, half was for setting up the formation's defenses, and the other half was for deploying offensive spirit treasures.

Each of these spirit treasures was a powerful siege weapon, completely different from the spirit treasures cultivators typically use. Such treasures were expensive and difficult to control; a single cultivator, even one at the late Star Constellation stage, would find them hard to activate. In space, these items were typically mounted on starships.

However, at this moment, the numerous early Star Constellation cultivators on Wushuang Island, leveraging the power of the formation plates, had their energy flows connected. This allowed them to freely borrow power from each other, easily merging the strength of several individuals into one.

In this way, the siege weapons placed in various formation nodes could have their power activated.

Including Chu Shen, fourteen early Star Constellation cultivators divided into three teams and positioned themselves at the formation nodes of three offensive arrays.

Upon seeing this, Nan Xingzhen immediately transmitted a warning to all directions: "Be careful, everyone!"

He himself wasn't afraid of Wushuang Island's counter-attack, as his strength was evident. However, the hundred-plus Star Constellation cultivators he brought might not be able to withstand it; if they couldn't evade in time, there was a high chance of unnecessary casualties.

His Koi Island wasn't a particularly powerful force. This time, to conquer Wushuang Island, they had almost completely mobilized. Should casualties occur, it would be an irreversible loss.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a humming sound emanated from Wushuang Island. Immediately after, a pillar of light erupted from a certain point on the island, blasting directly towards the densest part of the crowd.

Nan Xingzhen's expression tightened, as he realized the attack launched by the opponent was incredibly fierce, far exceeding his expectations!

The protective grand formation defended against external attacks but not internal ones. While they attacked from the outside, all their attacks were blocked by the formation's light barrier. However, attacks launched from within the island were completely unaffected, passing directly through the formation's light barrier.

The speed was lightning-fast. Although some cultivators reacted and swiftly dodged, a portion of them still couldn't react in time.

Nan Xingzhen's figure flickered, appearing in front of these individuals. With a raise of his hand, he grabbed the violently surging pillar of light in his palm.

This power, strong enough to shake a Moon Shadow cultivator, only caused his body to tremble slightly, leaving him unharmed.

Before he could even catch his breath, another fierce burst of power erupted from another formation node on Wushuang Island. A dark ray of light pierced through the protective formation's barrier, suddenly twisting and transforming into a ferocious tiger that roared menacingly as it pounced towards another direction.

Nan Xingzhen was too late to intercept it. Fortunately, there was another Moon Shadow female cultivator; she conjured a defensive magic treasure and blocked the attack.

Next came the third attack!

Chu Shen and the others were divided into three small teams, and could only activate the power of the spirit treasures placed within the three offensive arrays.

This third attack was different from the previous two. Although the attack had been launched, no one could see it. There was only a loud boom, followed by someone feeling dizzy and plummeting downwards, clearly about to fall headfirst into the Myriad Manifestation Sea. If that happened, they would surely perish.

Fortunately, many people from Koi Island had come this time, and nearby comrades noticed in time. They rushed forward to rescue the person, thus saving them from disaster.

"A sound attack!" Nan Xingzhen's expression changed again. He stared at the source of the third attack, which was precisely where Chu Shen's team was located.

He really couldn't understand how Wushuang Island, which didn't seem strong, could possess such an unusual treasure. Such a spirit treasure was worth at least over a hundred thousand spirit jades and couldn't be bought just with money.

Little did he know, Chu Shen possessed many treasures. While not all of them were suitable to serve as formation nodes, there were always one or two that were. The treasure capable of launching sound attacks was one of them, primarily characterized by its invisibility and intangibility, making it impossible to guard against!

Wushuang Island's three counter-attacks, launched almost simultaneously, made the Koi Island cultivators realize that this was no easy bone to chew.

On Wushuang Island, Tang Jun, with his hands clasped within his sleeves, suddenly turned his head, looking at Ban Ci not far away. "I don't care what your purpose is for being here, or why you haven't left," he stated, "but if you dare to act against this island, I will absolutely not let you off lightly!"

Recently, he had been cooperating with Ban Ci to oversee the deployment of the island's grand formation. The more he cooperated, the more he felt that this woman was extraordinary. Such a person was likely from an exceptional background. Tang Jun had also secretly and openly tried to inquire about Ban Ci's origins, but without much success.

Although Wushuang Island nominally honored Chu Shen as its leader, it actually concerned the future path of cultivators from the Azure Dawn Dao Realm. If they could someday find a way back home, people from the Azure Dawn Dao Realm could also come to the Myriad Manifestation Sea, establish themselves on Wushuang Island, and cultivate.

It could be said that although Tang Jun hadn't been here for long, he had fully embraced the place. Naturally, he didn't want any mishaps to befall Wushuang Island.

He could generally see through everyone else, except for Ban Ci. This was why he issued the warning, to prevent her from developing any improper intentions.

Ban Ci was slightly stunned, then pursed her lips into a smile: "Elder Tang, rest assured. Although it's difficult to explain to you, what I can guarantee is that even if something happens to me, I won't let anything happen to the Island Master!"

Tang Jun gazed deeply at her, as if trying to see into her innermost thoughts.

He had some knowledge of Chu Shen's origins. Now, hearing Ban Ci's words, he probably guessed her background.

"Then I'll leave it to you!" With a slight nod, his figure shot into the sky, heading directly towards Nan Xingzhen.

Almost simultaneously with his movement, on the other side of Wushuang Island, three figures also shot into the sky, heading directly towards the Moon Shadow female cultivator.

These three figures were naturally the trio led by Lu Ye.

Among the approaching enemies were two Moon Shadow cultivators. Tang Jun could hold back Nan Xingzhen. If the three of them, forming an array, could contend with the Moon Shadow female cultivator, then Wushuang Island's pressure would be greatly reduced.

At that point, Wushuang Island would only need to face a group of Star Constellation cultivators. Chu Shen and the others, controlling the three offensive arrays and activating the power of the spirit treasures within the nodes, could certainly make a significant impact.

In an instant, the two mid-stage Moon Shadow cultivators clashed, their spiritual power surging endlessly as they engaged in a fierce battle.

Before Lu Ye and the others even approached the Moon Shadow female cultivator, several invading Star Constellation cultivators confronted them directly. The one leading the charge was muscular, full of vigorous qi and blood, clearly a body cultivator.

Initially, seeing Lu Ye's trio's loose formation, he didn't pay much attention. Unexpectedly, as they rapidly closed in on each other, he saw brilliant spiritual light emanating from Lu Ye and his companions, their spiritual energies converging, merging, and tightly intertwining.

In an instant, the simplest Three Talents Formation was formed.

Yet, even the simplest formation caused Lu Ye's aura, as the leader, to surge dramatically.

The body cultivator was startled. It was too late to stop his momentum. The moment the Three Talents Formation was complete, Lu Ye's speed sharply increased, and he instantly lunged at the body cultivator.

The aura of death suddenly descended, chilling the body cultivator to the bone. He roared and threw a punch, a full-power burst delivered in haste. With the strike, the abundant qi and blood in his body withered instantly.

Such a punch possessed unparalleled fierce might!

With one punch, Lu Ye's figure shattered.

But from within the shattered figure, a flash of blade light flickered forth.

Pu Ke and You Ling, who were not far to Lu Ye's left and right, had extraordinary brilliance bloom in their eyes. They had never imagined Li Taibai's strength to be so formidable!

Especially Pu Ke; he had known Lu Ye for almost two years, practically since Lu Ye first arrived in the Myriad Manifestation Sea. Yet Pu Ke had never seen him fight, so he naturally didn't know his strength.

Only now did he realize that this fishing buddy, who had once sought his advice on the art of fishing, had been truly hiding his immense power!

What surprised Pu Ke and You Ling even more was that in the style of this saber strike, they vaguely saw familiar traces, which reminded them of the scene where the Skeleton General fought to the death in the tomb chamber.

Both turned their heads, exchanging glances. Everything was understood without words.

The body cultivator still maintained his punching posture. Lu Ye's figure had clearly shattered, but as that flash of blade light bloomed, his figure surprisingly appeared behind the body cultivator. Without even looking back, he continued to rush forward.

Behind him, under the turbulent surge of spiritual energy, the body cultivator's body suddenly split into four, turning into severed pieces of flesh that fell into the Myriad Manifestation Sea, with neat and clean cuts.

The several Star Constellation cultivators who had approached with the body cultivator hadn't even realized what had happened when they saw Lu Ye's trio fiercely charging in.

Like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, Lu Ye's saber light flashed, Pu Ke lightly swung his fishing rod, and You Ling formed claws with his five fingers. They utterly crushed the enemy's defense; even those at the late Star Constellation stage couldn't withstand a single strike from any of the trio.

There were also significant differences in strength among late Star Constellation cultivators. Not to mention Lu Ye, even Pu Ke and You Ling were far from simple. One was ranked over a hundred on the Contribution List, and the other nearly two hundred. It could be said that they were among the top existences in the Star Constellation realm. Only Star Constellation cultivators also on the Contribution List could contend with them; other Star Constellation cultivators were simply not in the same league.