Chapter 880: Lonely Mountain City Siege

On the battlements of Lone Peak City, many figures stood, led by two individuals: a burly man, broad-shouldered and powerfully built like an iron tower, and a woman with picturesque features, a graceful figure, and a woman's bun.

These two were Wan Zhanggang and Tan Yaoniang, the two Divine Sea Realm cultivators garrisoning Lone Peak Pass. It was standard practice for both the Vast Heaven Alliance and the Myriad Demon Ridge to station two Divine Sea Realm grand cultivators at a single pass. Some more crucial passes might have more Divine Sea Realm cultivators, but rarely more than five.

While there were many Divine Sea Realm grand cultivators across the Nine Provinces, the two factions had numerous passes to defend. Consequently, it was naturally impossible for each pass to be heavily garrisoned by Divine Sea Realm cultivators. The situation at Crimson Flame Pass, where a single individual defended an entire pass, was unique to the two factions throughout history.

Nian Yuexian's exceptional strength was one reason. The other, more critical reason, was that she was a ghost cultivator—and not just any ghost cultivator. Indeed, she commanded no army or generals. Yet, for years, Lone Peak Pass, facing her, dared not make any incursions. This was because while there might be individuals capable of withstanding Nian Yuexian's assassination attempts without the protection of Lone Peak Pass, the two cultivators at Lone Peak Pass were certainly not among them.

At this moment, Wan Zhanggang and Tan Yaoniang gazed into the distance from Lone Peak City's walls. The vast torrent of fire, roaring into view, moved even them. "Issue orders to prepare for battle!" Wan Zhanggang's voice boomed like thunder, deafening even in ordinary speech. His eyes gleamed fiercely as he muttered, "Damn it, where did that kid Ying Wuji conjure up such a horde?"

"The reports say they emerged from an underground lava pool," Tan Yaoniang replied. "They were extracting geomantic fire, and it seems they disturbed something. Perhaps they are remnants from a previous era."

"Heh... Fire Spirits," Wan Zhanggang mused. "It's been a long time since we encountered them."

"You must be careful," Tan Yaoniang cautioned, her voice serious. "Beware of anyone trying to take advantage of the chaos." Wan Zhanggang, knowing what she was wary of, nodded and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!"

As the two spoke, Lu Ye and Ying Wuji had already flown to the front of Lone Peak Pass. The next moment, they entered together, landing on the city walls.

Ying Wuji let out a long breath. Only now did the immense sense of crisis in his heart gradually subside. Being chased by such a horde of Fire Spirits had been truly terrifying. He turned to look at Lu Ye, only to see that the fellow's breathing was steady, his gaze calm, without the slightest hint of fear or unease.

Ying Wuji was thoroughly impressed. A Vast Heaven Alliance cultivator, a True Lake Realm at that, brazenly entering a Myriad Demon Ridge pass and remaining so composed—it was likely he was the only one in history to do so. Such a thing was unheard of, let alone witnessed; no one would believe it if told.

However, he also knew that Myriad Demon Ridge here was somewhat 'dark under the lamp.' Lu Ye had arrived with him, and even though he wore a mask obscuring his true face, Lone Peak Pass wouldn't treat him as an enemy. They would instinctively assume he was one of their own acquaintances.

Compounding matters, he had previously sworn a Heavenly Secret Oath, preventing him from revealing any information about Lu Ye to anyone, in any form.

His heart felt incredibly awkward.

On the walls of Lone Peak Pass, figures bustled, the atmosphere was solemn, and battle was imminent. While the number of cultivators usually garrisoning Lone Peak Pass was considerable, it was nothing compared to the current crowd. However, due to developments in the Cloud River Battlefield, many Cloud River Realm cultivators had nowhere else to go and had flocked to the front lines of the two factions' confrontation, significantly increasing the available personnel here.

Along the city walls, at regular intervals, a spiritual array enveloped the area. At the core of each array lay a powerful and invaluable large-scale spiritual artifact. These arrays and spiritual artifacts together formed Lone Peak Pass's robust defensive line. Crimson Flame Pass originally had similar defenses, but most had fallen into disrepair over the years.

Although this was not Lu Ye's first time participating in such a large-scale battle, his experiences in various secret realms never presented a formation as formidable as those in the Nine Provinces. Even before the battle began, Lone Peak Pass exuded an aura of impenetrable strength.

The closest comparison to the Nine Provinces' defenses was perhaps the war in the Dragon Ascension Realm, where the Twin Cities defended against beast tides. However, that battlefield was limited to the Cloud River Realm tier, incomparable to the current situation. From another perspective, if the Vast Heaven Alliance wished to conquer such a pass, they would undoubtedly pay a tremendous price.

A deafening roar erupted from the front. The torrent of fire had already approached within ten miles of Lone Peak Pass. Flames surged around the many Fire Spirits, twisting the very air with their heat. The assembled army radiated a terrifying power, threatening to incinerate everything in their path.

"Kill!" A furious roar suddenly came from a section of the city wall.

The next moment, a massive and intricate hum filled the air.

On the city walls, cultivators operating the spiritual arrays channeled their spiritual power. Line after line of array patterns rapidly illuminated. The spiritual energy from the spirit stones embedded within the arrays was swiftly drained, turning them into dust. Beams of light shot skyward one after another from the arrays, connecting heaven and earth with astonishing might. As the arrays activated, the power of the large-scale spiritual artifacts and magical artifacts at their core was unleashed. Amidst a colossal humming tremor, they transformed into devastating attacks that swept over the approaching Fire Spirits.

Lu Ye looked up, seeing diverse attacks unleashed from the city walls, each displaying immense power. Some attacks were like colossal nets, enveloping vast areas, slicing every Fire Spirit caught within them into fragments. Others were straightforward beams of light that carved a vacuum through the Fire Spirit army wherever they passed, reducing every Fire Spirit struck by them to dust. Still others were like torrents of sword qi and blade gleams, sweeping across and tearing even space itself.

Lu Ye watched quietly, his mind far from as calm as his exterior suggested. With such might, even a Divine Sea Realm cultivator might not fare well. Naturally, the Fire Spirits, with their varying strengths, suffered immense casualties.

Spiritual arrays, when used in such wartime scenarios, were perfect for allowing cultivators to unleash power far exceeding their individual capabilities. The devastating attacks were the result of the combined power of the spiritual arrays and the core spiritual and magical artifacts. The core artifacts themselves could not be wielded by any single cultivator alone; they required the power of the arrays to be sufficiently activated. Furthermore, each use incurred an enormous cost; the spirit stones placed on the arrays had to be immediately replaced, or there wouldn't be enough power for the next activation. Not only that, but the arrays themselves, along with their core spiritual or magical artifacts, were highly susceptible to damage from such violent tremors. Specialized cultivators were needed nearby to inspect, maintain, and constantly repair or replace them. Such spiritual arrays, specifically designed to repel powerful enemies, often required a small team to coordinate precisely. And within that team, at least one True Lake Realm cultivator was necessary.

Lone Peak City's attacks were not a single surge but continuous waves, deployed in batches, ensuring no gaps in the assault. The coordinated efforts of cultivators at each array demonstrated the Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators' tacit understanding here.

The battle seemed to be proceeding smoothly. Under such dense and powerful assaults, no matter how many Fire Spirits arrived, they were only destined to be slaughtered and could not hope to approach within three miles of Lone Peak City. However, the situation quickly changed.

After suffering heavy casualties, a powerful aura erupted from within the Fire Spirit army. All cultivators who sensed this aura were visibly shaken. This was because the intensity of this aura had reached the Divine Sea Realm! While there had been True Lake Realm Fire Spirits previously, Myriad Demon Ridge hadn't paid them much heed. A Divine Sea Realm cultivator, however, was different; they were an undeniable presence.

Even Wan Zhanggang and Tan Yaoniang's expressions turned solemn as they strained their vision. Within the vast formation of Fire Spirits, they spotted a distinctive figure. Flames burned on the surface of this Fire Spirit, its entire body a dazzling burnt orange. Its eyes glowed like two small suns.

After it revealed its aura, all the Fire Spirits flocked towards it. Then, an incredible scene unfolded. The auras of many Fire Spirits rapidly converged and fused, forming a continuous expanse. This caused the Divine Sea Realm Fire Spirit's aura to grow even stronger. If that were all, it would be nothing remarkable. Crucially, as this transformation progressed, the auras of the other Fire Spirits also rapidly expanded and grew. It was as if, in an instant, these Fire Spirits all possessed strength far surpassing their original levels! While their actual power couldn't suddenly surge, their collective aura could indeed be amplified when united.

"This is..." Wan Zhanggang's expression shifted as he suddenly recalled a fragmented record he had once seen in an ancient text. "'United in Harmony!'" This was not a compliment or a description, but a secret art—a secret art exclusive to the Five Elements Spirit race.

The Five Elements Spirit race was naturally proficient in various profound secret arts. Many of the human race's current spirit patterns were derived by ancient sages who studied the secret arts of the Five Elements Spirit race. 'United in Harmony' was the most potent secret art of the Five Elements Spirit race; it had no direct offensive power itself, but it allowed the Five Elements Spirit race to tightly link their auras, as was happening before them. This way, they could unite their wills and unleash power far beyond their individual capabilities! Due to the unique nature of the Five Elements Spirit race's gestation, performing this secret art was effortless for them, without significant obstacles. However, it was not easy for humans to achieve the same. Each human was a distinct individual with differing auras, making the fusion of their auras incredibly difficult. Human cultivators could also form arrays, but to achieve a true formation, they required countless hours of long-term practice to cooperate seamlessly and understand each other intuitively in critical moments. Compared to the Five Elements Spirit race, the difference was significant.

"What animosity, what grievance!" Wan Zhanggang exclaimed with a helpless expression. "These guys must be insane."