Chapter 727: Picking Up Bargains

On a battlefield spanning dozens of miles, cultivators from both races fought desperately, blood flowing freely and lives dissipating. No cultivator in the Dragon Rising Realm had ever experienced such a grand spectacle.

Conflicts between cultivators rarely involved large numbers of people. The largest-scale conflict ever seen in the Dragon Rising cultivation world was merely a confrontation between a few sects, and even those disputes never reached a fight-to-the-death intensity. The number of cultivators involved in this battle, from both sides, was incomparable to a conflict between a few sects; over a hundred thousand cultivators from the Dragon Rising Realm alone had gathered. Although the Blood Clan's numbers were not as high as the Dragon Rising side, they were not far off, numbering seventy to eighty thousand. This was no longer a mere conflict; this was a true war!

On the battlefield, lives extinguished almost every moment. The situation was tense, and it was impossible to tell which side held the upper hand.

Lu Ye was amidst the Dragon Rising cultivators, cooperating with those around him to eliminate enemies. While the Dragon Rising cultivators had never experienced such a grand scene, neither had Lu Ye. The largest scale he had encountered was facing two million demon ridge cultivators alone in the mine previously, but even that scene could not compare to the present moment. One side was an invading enemy, the other was fighting for self-preservation. The clash between the two groups of cultivators was like two colossal waves colliding. Caught within it, individuals were mere splashes, swept along by the current, utterly unable to control themselves.

Lu Ye was trying to minimize his own consumption. He didn't know how long this battle would last, but a war of this scale certainly wouldn't be decided quickly. Therefore, it was crucial to conserve his spiritual power while effectively eliminating enemies. Moreover, compared to the native cultivators of the Dragon Rising Realm, he could also earn combat merits while killing enemies. Therefore, he changed his usual warrior-cultivator combat style, seeking opportunities on the battlefield, moving and dodging. He absolutely avoided direct confrontation with the Blood Clan, focusing on just one thing: exploiting weaknesses.

Each swing of the Pan Mountain Blade yielded results. While earning combat merits by killing enemies, he also helped alleviate pressure on the Dragon Rising cultivators, truly killing two birds with one stone. Adhering to this principle, he continuously gained combat merits. Amber crouched on his shoulder, her essence merging with his, allowing him to continuously draw on her strength. Yiyi moved underground, closely following his steps, never revealing herself easily. Only when Lu Ye encountered danger would she suddenly appear, striking like lightning to assist him in eliminating enemies.

Time passed. Lu Ye moved across various parts of the battlefield, having no idea how many Blood Clan members he had killed. He was completely stained red with blood. The continuous sounds of battle still echoed in his ears, and everywhere he went, there were severed limbs and scattered flesh from cultivators of both races.

While killing enemies, he also constantly monitored the movements around the summoning altar. To win this battle, annihilating the Blood Clan was one way; destroying the summoning altar was another. Whether the Blood Clan could be completely wiped out was not something Lu Ye could control. In such a large-scale war, the impact one person could have was too insignificant. However, he had an opportunity to play a crucial role in destroying the summoning altar. The summoning altar was protected by a defensive formation set up by the Blood Clan, which was why the Dragon Rising Realm's spirit boats' attacks had been ineffective. But if he could break that defensive formation, the spirit boats' attacks could directly hit the altar. In this way, even if the Blood Clan couldn't be completely annihilated, the Dragon Rising Realm could still win this battle.

As soon as the formation outside the altar was activated, he began observing its nodes and weaknesses. For him, breaking this formation wasn't too difficult. The real challenge lay in how to break through the Blood Clan's layers of defense and reach the altar's location. If he could just reach the vicinity of the altar and be given about ten breaths of time, he would have a chance to break the formation! But until now, he hadn't found a good opportunity. On this chaotic battlefield, the Blood Clan guarded the altar with extreme vigilance. If he dared to approach rashly, he would surely be targeted by powerful Blood Clan members, and even ten lives wouldn't be enough to survive. He still needed time! Lu Ye suppressed his thoughts and continued to move around the battlefield, eliminating enemies.

As time passed, the situation gradually became clearer. Surprisingly, on the battlefield, the Dragon Rising cultivators began to gain the upper hand. Before the great battle, Dragon Rising cultivators had heard much about the Blood Clan from various sources and feared them like tigers. However, once they engaged in combat, they discovered that although these Blood Clan members looked different from humans and mastered many strange blood-path secret arts, they were also flesh and blood. They felt pain when injured and died when decapitated. Instantly, most of their fear dissipated. Furthermore, over the past few days, the three paramount sects had continuously propagated the crisis facing the Dragon Rising Realm and the Blood Clan's true intentions, making every cultivator participating in the battle understand the dire consequences of defeat. The Blood Clan was indeed brave and skilled in battle, fearless of death. But how could Dragon Rising cultivators, with no retreat, be afraid of death? Behind them lay a bottomless abyss. When cultivators of an entire realm were pushed to desperation, the cohesion they displayed was terrifying. Moreover, in terms of sheer numbers, Dragon Rising cultivators significantly outnumbered the Blood Clan. If not for the losses in the Battle of Medicine Valley, it would be hard to say who would win this war. However, in that battle, the Blood Clan suffered huge losses, while the Dragon Rising cultivators, who should have been at their wits' end, received assistance. This shift in power gave Dragon Rising the capital to resist the Blood Clan.

Below the Heavenly Chasm, Bloodfiend floated in the air, calmly observing the chaotic and brutal battlefield. He lightly snorted, "A rather good group of ants." The Blood Clan's invasions of various realms usually involved overwhelming force, but in very few instances, they encountered fierce resistance from native cultivators. And those who could gain the upper hand in such direct confrontations were rare. But it had happened before. Bloodfiend's tone was calm, yet there was a hint of annoyance in his expression, as if the bravery of the Dragon Rising cultivators had shamed him. As the leader of the Blood Clan's invasion of this realm, his efforts and gains in Dragon Rising would become his capital for vying for status in the Blood Realm. If the cost was too great, it would naturally be disadvantageous for him. Although such situations were uncommon, how could the Blood Clan not have a countermeasure?

"Ultimately, it's meaningless!" Bloodfiend's calm voice, amplified by spiritual power, spread to every corner of the battlefield. No matter how loud the clamor of battle, it could not mask his disdain. As his voice fell, a sudden change occurred across the vast battlefield.

Somewhere on the battlefield, near Lu Ye, Yiyi frantically burst out from underground, urgently saying, "Lu Ye, the Blood Clan has set up some kind of formation here." Before Lu Ye could react, he saw thick, bloody mist rising from underground, spreading in all directions. The source of the crimson mist was clearly the blood spilled by the cultivators who had died earlier in the battle. He even saw, not far from him, blood mist emerging from the corpse of a deceased Blood Clan member. As the mist surged out, the body, which he had beheaded not long ago, quickly withered, appearing as if it had been dried for countless years.

Previously, Heavenly Sage could use the power of the Great Blood River Formation to withstand the combined assault of Huang Liang and two others without moving. He could also completely activate the Great Blood River Formation and summon the Blood Clan by using the un-dried blood of fallen Heavenly Chasm Sect cultivators and Dragon Rising cultivators. These methods were all taught remotely by the Blood Clan. What Heavenly Sage could unleash was merely superficial. The power of the mysterious grand formation the Blood Clan was activating now was the true essence. Even deceased corpses, as long as there was blood within them, could be utilized by the Blood Clan!

In just ten-odd breaths of time, the entire battlefield was enveloped in blood mist. The thick, bloody stench almost materialized, making one nauseous. The enveloping blood mist was merely a prelude. As the blood mist permeated the entire battlefield, all Blood Clan members became agitated. They breathed greedily, and the blood mist surged into their bodies through their mouths, noses, and pores, making the crimson in their eyes even denser. Dragon Rising cultivators were horrified to discover that after absorbing the blood mist, these Blood Clan members seemed to have collectively received a boost, their strength greatly increasing. If it were only that, it might have been acceptable. Being immersed in the blood mist, many Dragon Rising cultivators experienced proliferating illusions and became restless. This blood mist not only enhanced the Blood Clan's power but also had a very strong disruptive effect on the minds of the Dragon Rising cultivators! Yiyi, who had been hiding underground, had rushed out precisely because of this. Ordinary forces truly had no way to deal with her while she was hidden, but blood mist was omnipresent. Even a spirit body like Yiyi would be affected. Realizing something was wrong, she quickly retreated back into Amber's body. As their strength waned and the enemy's grew, countless Dragon Rising cultivators died unexpectedly in an instant. The blood from their deceased bodies was also extracted by a certain force in a very short time, enriching the blood mist. The Dragon Rising cultivators' initial advantage was rapidly diminishing. If nothing unforeseen happened, they would likely be completely defeated within the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

At this critical moment, the three paramount sects stepped forward. When the resonant Buddhist chants sounded, when the inspiring righteous qi permeated the air, and when the profound secret arts of the Imperial Heaven Sect were unleashed, the minds of all Dragon Rising cultivators felt as if they had been gently cleansed by a tranquil force, sweeping away all disadvantages. Their minds instantly became peaceful, and the proliferating illusions vanished. In peacetime, countless sects were unwilling to acknowledge the status of the three paramount sects, because in terms of individual cultivator strength, almost every reputable sect had a Cloud River Ninth Realm expert presiding, with the only difference between them being sheer numbers. In the Dragon Rising Realm, there were also several sects whose strength was comparable to the Heavenly Chasm Sect. These sects had always wished to replace the three paramount sects. "If others can hold the paramount position, why can't I?" But only at this moment, as the war dictating the future of Dragon Rising unfolded, did the Dragon Rising cultivation world clearly understand what a paramount sect was, and what a thousand years of heritage truly meant!