Chapter 2025: Mermaid War Drums

Even though Lu Ye had just been promoted to the Sun-Gazing realm, his profound foundations meant his true strength far surpassed that of an ordinary cultivator at this level. With Amber integrating six attached Soul Clan spirits, his power had increased by 20%. In this state, Lu Ye was confident he could contend even with a late-stage Sun-Gazing opponent.

Yet, the largest Purple Profound warship managed to block such an attack, indicating its defensive power was comparable to that of a late-stage Sun-Gazing cultivator.

And this was not its limit.

It still had enough power to unleash an offensive. Almost as Lu Ye's massive blade struck, the largest warship hummed, and a thick beam of light suddenly erupted from its front. Instantly, it transcended distance and shot toward the far-off location.

That direction was precisely where the allied Jade Snail cultivators were located!

Lu Ye abruptly turned his head, his heart pounding with alarm.

Being so close to the warship, he clearly felt the terrifying power contained within the light beam. It was undeniably beyond the capacity of anyone below the Sun-Gazing realm to withstand.

If such an attack were to hit the Jade Snail cultivators, it would instantly cause countless casualties.

Fortunately, at this critical moment, a tall figure emerged from the bustling crowd: Luan Xiao'e.

A significant number of their own Sun-Gazing cultivators had gathered, but the Soul Clan cultivators had already bonded with those of the Little Human Clan, engaging in fierce battles with the Demon Sovereigns. This left only the three who had returned from Three Realms Island.

Lu Ye's task was to deal with the Purple Profound warships, while Yan Miao had another crucial mission and would not directly participate in the current conflict.

Luan Xiao'e remained, hidden among the thousands of advancing cultivators. Given that the number and overall strength of cultivators on both sides were roughly equal, having a Sun-Gazing cultivator like her present would naturally grant them a decisive advantage in the ensuing confrontation.

She had not intended to reveal herself so quickly, but at this moment, she had no choice but to step forward.

Under the fierce activation of her Sun-Gazing power, Luan Xiao'e's entire body radiated brilliant light. She raised her hand, summoning a protective artifact resembling a small bell. It spun rapidly above her head, and as her spiritual power surged, the bell transformed into an expansive illusion, enveloping her and covering a wide area.

It perfectly blocked the bright beam of light's attack!

In the next instant, the warship's attack slammed into the bell's illusion. The thick white light, like a streaking bolt of lightning, contained destructive power. In a mere two breaths, the illusion shattered, and Luan Xiao'e was sent flying backward, continuously spitting blood in mid-air.

Even with the protective artifact activated, she was inevitably injured after taking that direct hit, but she had managed to block the attack.

Lu Ye witnessed this scene from afar and was enraged.

It was fortunate they had enough Sun-Gazing cultivators and had strategically placed Luan Xiao'e among the ranks; otherwise, that single strike would have caused immense misfortune.

Indeed, in a confrontation of this magnitude, no one could foresee every variable and ensure complete safety; unexpected incidents were always bound to occur during battle.

Luan Xiao'e was not in mortal danger; Lu Ye perceived that she was merely a bit weakened.

Seeing the warship beside him begin to gather power for another attack, he no longer hesitated. He reached out and snatched something from the void, summoning his Sword Gourd!

With his current strength, he had a chance to destroy the warship, but it would take time.

Time was precisely what they lacked, and it was uncertain if such an attack could be blocked a second time.

He could only unleash the Sword Gourd, his ultimate weapon!

Spiritual power activated and divine consciousness surged. From the mouth of the Sword Gourd, a sword light darted out, guided by Lu Ye's divine consciousness, and pierced towards the warship beside him.

Compared to the warship's immense size, the sword light was no more than an embroidery needle.

Yet, the warship's defenses, which had withstood his massive blade strike, were as fragile as paper before this needle-like sword energy. The not-so-bright sword light effortlessly pierced through the warship's outer defense, penetrated deep inside, and then emerged from the other side.

The light shattered, and the warship's dazzling surface defenses transformed into shimmering phosphorescence. In an instant, the starry sky seemed to fill with fireflies.

Lu Ye raised his Mountain-Shattering Saber again, spiritual power surging wildly. A blade even larger than before rapidly condensed and descended with a fierce chop.

Without a sound, the undefended warship could no longer resist this strike. It followed the fate of the first warship, splitting into two halves. Simultaneously, as the saber light swept through, countless lives were extinguished.

More demon cultivators fled in terror, their faces ashen.

"Kill!" The allied Jade Snail cultivators in the starry sky ahead roared. Countless cultivators formed various formations, gathering boundless murderous intent, sweeping towards them like a fierce tide.

The demon cultivators immediately fell into disarray.

The fleet of five warships could no longer be relied upon. Furthermore, the battle had begun too suddenly; even the Demon Sovereigns were entirely unprepared, let alone their lesser cultivators.

Adding to their woes, Lu Ye moved swiftly, his saber light sweeping through, engaging in wanton slaughter.

It could be said that this segment of the battlefield had not truly begun, yet the demon cultivators were already in an utterly disadvantaged position.

On the other side, within the battle zone where the Sun-Gazing powerhouses fought, each Demon Sovereign felt utterly frustrated.

In all ten battle zones, none of them held the upper hand; every one was suppressed!

This was unimaginable.

These were Sun-Gazing cultivators from the Purple Profound Demon Star; at the same cultivation realm, their inherent foundations were stronger than ordinary Sun-Gazing cultivators. They had always been the ones to suppress others. When had it become their turn to be suppressed?

Especially Demon Sovereign Mo Xuan, whose opponent was none other than Su Yuqing.

He could sense that his opponent was also at the peak of the Sun-Gazing realm, but she was a Little Human Clan member. How could she possibly suppress him?

It was well known that due to their unique physique and reliance on the Spirit Talisman path, the Little Human Clan's direct combat ability was often slightly weaker than other races. While they possessed numerous tactics in battle, their capacity for direct confrontation was generally not strong, as they relied more on the spirit talismans they crafted.

This was especially true when compared to a major race like the Demon Clan.

Under normal circumstances, a battle between Mo Xuan and Su Yuqing would undoubtedly see the latter at a disadvantage. However, at this moment, the situation was completely reversed.

This was unacceptable to Mo Xuan.

The confrontation had only just begun, yet the situation was already this dire. If it continued, wouldn't all the Demon Sovereigns be defeated?

"Little Human Clan... mere Little Human Clan!" Mo Xuan raged. The disadvantage in the fight filled him with a profound sense of humiliation. Losing to Sun-Gazing cultivators from other major races skilled in combat would have been one thing, but being defeated by the Little Human Clan was something he absolutely could not accept.

His murderous intent was chilling, and he secretly swore that no matter the cost, he would utterly exterminate the Little Human Clan today.

However, just then, a "dong" sound suddenly reverberated from somewhere in the nearby starry sky.

Sound cannot travel in space; cultivators primarily communicate through spiritual transmissions or by manipulating spiritual power. Yet, this sound was incredibly clear, reaching the ears of all Sun-Gazing cultivators, as well as both allied and enemy cultivators below that realm who were engaged in offense and defense.

Moreover, everyone instantly recognized it as the sound of a drum.

Mo Xuan didn't know where the sound came from and paid it no mind. His focus was entirely on Su Yuqing; he only wanted to tear the reckless Little Human Clan woman to shreds and ensure she understood the tragic consequences of daring to oppose him.

Not only Mo Xuan but all other Demon Clan Sun-Gazing cultivators were similarly preoccupied.

Only the Little Human Clan Sun-Gazing cultivators felt a stir in their hearts, secretly thinking, "They're here."

Near the bisected warship, Lu Ye, his murderous intent still potent, stole a glance towards Square Inch Mountain. There, a central warship was positioned just outside, ready to retreat into the mountain at any moment.

This central warship was the very one Lu Ye had brought back from the Myriad Phenomena Sea. Its size was almost identical to the four smaller warships deployed by Purple Profound, placing them in the same class.

At this very moment, figures stood upright on the warship's deck.

There were fewer than two hundred individuals, all female. Some appeared no different from humans, while others possessed human torsos with fish tails.

These were unmistakably female cultivators of the Merfolk Clan.

Leading them was none other than Grand Elder Yan Miao!

Today, she wore a form-fitting outfit that accentuated her graceful figure. Her long hair, tied high, gave her a heroic, decisive, and neat appearance. A large drum lay horizontally before her.

The large drum was about ten meters in diameter, entirely jade-colored, with only its drumhead appearing a light red. The drum's body featured intricate, ancient patterns, crisscrossing and evoking a profound sense of age and grandeur.

She held two drumsticks; one had already struck the drumhead, while the other was held high. The previous drum sound had clearly been produced by her.

Behind her, four more Merfolk cultivators stood in a line: the three Merfolk elders, along with Bailu, the Merfolk princess.

Among the high-ranking Merfolk, excluding their naive queen, only one elder remained to guard their territory; all the others were present here.

The three elders and Bailu also had large drums horizontally before them. While significantly smaller than the one before Yan Miao, these drums were still comparable to tabletops.

One large and four smaller drums—all five were extremely ancient artifacts.

These five drums were extraordinary. Lu Ye had some prior knowledge, knowing they were exceptionally precious clan artifacts passed down by the Merfolk from ancient times.

Yan Miao hadn't elaborated on the specific effects of these five drums, only telling Lu Ye that he would be pleasantly surprised when the time came.

Behind the five drums were the Merfolk female cultivators, arranged in a semicircle on the deck. Each had her hands clasped tightly, fingers interlocked, resting quietly on her chest, head slightly bowed, with a solemn expression.

"Dong!" The drumstick held high in Yan Miao's hand descended, and the second sound reverberated.

Then came the third, the fourth...

The drumbeats were sparse at first but gradually became denser. After the tenth beat, a bizarre phenomenon occurred: the light red drumhead suddenly deepened in color, as if soaked in fresh blood. Each time a drumstick fell, it seemed to strike a pool of blood.

Visible ripples radiated outwards from the five drums, spreading in all directions like sweeping waves and surging tides. Even the empty starry sky shimmered with light as these ripples expanded.