Chapter 586: Surround and Kill

Boom, boom, boom...

Loud explosions continuously erupted, accompanied by surging spiritual power. Blasting formations were triggered one after another, disorienting the rampaging giant ape.

Seizing this opportunity, the cultivators resumed their assault, unleashing numerous artifacts and spells from all directions towards the giant ape.

Mid-air, Lu Ye and Xie Yunhan periodically waved their formation flags, activating the power of the formations, but no trace of joy was visible on their faces.

Even now, there was no sign of the berserk giant ape's protective demonic essence being shaken. Without breaking through this barrier, it was impossible to inflict even the slightest injury upon it.

Crack... A loud sound echoed as a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, hitting the rampaging giant ape directly on its crown. This was a lightning-attracting formation previously set up by Lu Ye.

The lightning serpents coursed over the ape's body before dissipating, leaving no discernible effect.

The cultivators' attacks and the formations' explosions undoubtedly infuriated the rampaging giant ape. It roared, charging wildly within a vast area, leaving a trail of blood and gore in its wake.

Screams frequently pierced the air. Within just a short time of the battle beginning, over a dozen cultivators had met a tragic end. None of those targeted by the rampaging giant ape survived; all were torn to shreds.

The stench of blood hung heavy in the air, and mangled remains splattered the ground.

Under normal circumstances, faced with such a situation, the cultivators' most rational response would undoubtedly be to scatter and flee, saving as many as possible.

However, the cultivators of Fox Immortal Valley had all been subjected to a soul-binding secret art by the Fox Demon. Thus, despite suffering heavy losses, not a single one fled when the Fox Demon gave the order. All desperately channeled their spiritual power, continuing their assault on the rampaging giant ape.

This was a battle where retreat was impossible, a fight to the death with the hope of survival.

The rampaging giant ape's massive form repeatedly rose and fell across the battlefield. Its attack methods were incredibly simple and brutal—merely a grab, a slap, or a squeeze. Yet, these crude attacks made it nearly impossible for the cultivators of Fox Immortal Valley to contend with.

The trapping formations and illusion arrays previously set up by Lu Ye played a significant role. When some cultivators were targeted, they remembered his instructions and swiftly rushed towards the locations of these formations. As the arrays activated, the rampaging giant ape was ensnared, allowing the cultivators to narrowly escape.

However, even with Lu Ye and Xie Yunhan managing the formations, they could only trap the rampaging giant ape for a mere two or three breaths. This overlord-level demon beast truly showed Lu Ye the meaning of 'a single powerful force can overcome ten skills'.

Whether it was a trapping formation or an illusion array, before it, they could be shattered with a mere flick of its hand.

As time passed, casualties continued to mount.

The Fox Demon, observing the battle from the very edge of the battlefield, had a face as cold as ice. She was indifferent to the deaths of the cultivators; her beautiful eyes, like abysses, reflected the rampaging giant ape's colossal form, and in their depths lay an ingrained, venomous hatred.

Back then, she was merely an ordinary fox demon, accompanying her master to Mount Taimang for training. However, they strayed into the rampaging giant ape's territory, and she watched helplessly as her master was flattened into a bloody pulp by that towering figure.

From that day forward, only hatred remained in her heart.

As if favored by the heavens, or perhaps the seed of hatred sprouting within her, her bloodline suddenly began to awaken, granting her abilities beyond what was typical for someone at the Cloud River Realm. This gave her grand revenge plan a glimmer of hope.

Over the years, she had used her unique abilities to continuously gather cultivators who ventured deep into Mount Taimang, expanding her forces. She repeatedly sought revenge against the rampaging giant ape, only to return disappointed each time.

This time, her forces were at their strongest, and she also had the assistance of a formation master with exceptional proficiency in array arts. Therefore, this was also her greatest chance of success.

If she missed this opportunity, there might never be another.

Xie Yunhan had told Lu Ye that the Fox Demon also wished to accumulate sufficient power before seeking revenge against the rampaging giant ape, but due to the difficulty of recruiting new members, Fox Immortal Valley's strength had never truly grown.

However, this was not entirely true.

The Fox Demon did possess the ability to control people's minds, but this ability had its limits. The eighty-plus cultivators in Fox Immortal Valley were almost at her maximum capacity; she could no longer enslave more.

So, it wasn't that she didn't want to accumulate enough power, but that she couldn't.

Furthermore, with each additional cultivator she enslaved, an invisible sense of dread grew within her. After all these years, that feeling of dread had almost materialized.

She knew in her heart that this was the Heavenly Dao's attention focused on her, because she possessed powers that should not belong to the Cloud River Realm, and she used them to enslave human cultivators.

For the Heavenly Dao, which was always fair and just, this was intolerable.

Once that sense of dread accumulated to a certain degree, she would inevitably face punishment from the Heavenly Dao.

And this was her last chance. If she failed this time, she would have no further opportunities.

Therefore, failure was not an option!

What brought her some peace of mind was that the new formation master's proficiency in array arts was indeed extraordinary. Formations erupted one after another, continuously weakening the rampaging giant ape's power, and many cultivators in the valley had escaped danger with the help of the formations he had set up. It was safe to say that without Lu Ye's formations, Fox Immortal Valley would have been utterly defeated long ago.

Boom, boom, boom...

Successive loud sounds echoed, and Lu Ye's expression grew solemn.

He and Xie Yunhan had spent three days arranging over a hundred formations within this area, but the battle had only just begun an incense stick's worth of time ago, and half of all formations were already depleted. Observing the rampaging giant ape, it remained completely unharmed, its protective demonic essence solid. In contrast, Fox Immortal Valley had already lost over twenty people, and while the remaining cultivators hadn't retreated and were still fighting fiercely, their efforts yielded minimal results.

Could this battle... truly be won?

A hint of doubt arose in Lu Ye's heart. At least for now, he saw no glimmer of hope for victory.

Stealing a moment from the chaos, he glanced towards the Fox Demon.

Only one person stood beside the Fox Demon: Li Baxian!

Lu Ye was unsure why the Fox Demon kept Li Baxian by her side. He surmised it was because Zhou Yuntian had highly praised Li Baxian during his introduction, leading the Fox Demon to value him more.

If this operation failed, Li Baxian would undoubtedly become the Fox Demon's most promising pawn. It was likely for this reason that the Fox Demon allowed Li Baxian to remain safely by her side, not participating in the battle.

However, this was something Lu Ye welcomed.

His Fourth Senior Brother was only at the fifth-level cultivation realm. Although he had a profound foundation and his strength was comparable to an ordinary seventh-level cultivator, on a battlefield like this, let alone a seventh-level cultivator, even an eighth or ninth-level cultivator could perish at any moment.

Of the fifteen ninth-level cultivators in the valley, three had already died, including one body refiner known for his formidable physique!

Lu Ye personally witnessed that body refiner shatter like a bubble before the rampaging giant ape's palm.

In the face of an absolute disparity in strength, there was no difference between body refiners and weapon cultivators; all were just a single slap away from annihilation.

The number of active formations continued to dwindle, and the casualties among the valley's cultivators steadily increased. Yet, under the Fox Demon's command, all cultivators maintained their relentless assault on the rampaging giant ape. Their continuous and unbroken barrage of attacks had not ceased since the battle began, making the ape's body rumble with each impact.

Another cultivator was crushed by the giant ape with a scream. The remaining survivors were all covered in dust and grime. Barely half an hour into the battle, out of eighty-plus people, only fifty remained alive, and fewer than ten of the formations Lu Ye had set up were still active.

Just as Lu Ye's heart grew heavy, the rampaging giant ape suddenly roared, leaped high into the air from its spot, and lunged directly towards the periphery of the battlefield.

This sight made Lu Ye's eyes light up!

Earlier in the battle, the rampaging giant ape had also leaped around, but each time it had jumped into the most densely populated areas. This time, however, was different. Judging by the ape's posture... it seemed to be trying to leave the battlefield?

For it to make such a strange move precisely when it was unleashing its might couldn't help but make Lu Ye draw some conclusions.

This fellow... was also nearing its limit!

Among nearly a hundred formations, a full eighty percent were killing arrays. One or two formations posed little threat to it, but over an extended period, even if they didn't injure it, they must have caused immense consumption.

Not to mention the continuous siege by the valley's cultivators from the very beginning.

So, even though this overlord-level demon beast still appeared imposing at this moment, it was likely at the end of its tether.

Lu Ye could think of this, so how could the Fox Demon, who had been constantly observing the giant ape, not? Seeing the ape's attempt to leave the battlefield, she immediately let out a sharp cry: "Stop it! Don't let it escape!"

Over the years, they had assaulted the giant ape countless times, each time suffering a crushing defeat, but never before had the ape actively tried to disengage from the battle.

This was the first time!

And the closest they had ever come to success!

Therefore, no matter what, they could not let it escape, or all their previous efforts would be in vain.

And with the Fox Demon's command, several cultivators fearlessly soared into the sky, confronting the giant ape. Each launched an attack, hoping to force it down.

However, with just a wave of its hand, the nearest cultivator exploded into a cloud of blood mist. The attacks from the others landed on the ape with no effect, like ants trying to shake a tree.

The Fox Demon watched, growing inwardly anxious.

Just then, as the giant ape reached the apex of its leap, a formation flag in Lu Ye's hand suddenly swept downwards.

On the ground, intricate patterns lit up with dazzling light, followed immediately by an invisible pressure descending from the sky.

The few cultivators flying in mid-air, preparing to intercept the giant ape, suddenly felt as if a great mountain was pressing down on their heads. They cried out in alarm and tumbled from the sky.

The giant ape experienced the same, and its descent was even faster than the cultivators'. As it fell, a bewildered, almost human expression appeared on its face, clearly unaware of what had happened.

Anti-flight!

Back in the spirit land, Lu Ye had activated a large anti-flight array, causing Xia Liang and others to suffer a hidden loss. Now, dealing with an overlord-level demon beast, it was only natural that a large anti-flight array would be deployed.

He hadn't known if this overlord-level demon beast could fly; he had set up this formation merely as a precaution. Yet, unexpectedly, it had produced a miraculous effect at this very moment.