Chapter 444: Battle Achievements

Jinding Ji was familiar with the reputation of the Changsheng Sect. This was a sacred land with an ancient heritage; during its peak, Divine Transformation True Monarchs presided over it for generations. He had long heard that part of the Five Elements Sect's legacy came from the Changsheng Sect and never expected that the Divine Wood Sect, which branched off, would possess such a significant opportunity.

“So that’s it… Can I ask you… for one thing…?” Jinding Ji felt his consciousness blurring, realizing that his spiritual sense was dissipating and he was about to face complete death. He gathered his last strength and spoke.

“Speak, but I might not agree to it.” At this point, Jinding Ji had no right to bargain with Chen Mobai.

“If possible… after the Shatterpeak Summit is destroyed, please… pass down the cultivation techniques of our lineage…”

In the Eastern Barrens, enemies were treated with extreme ruthlessness. Given the continuous battles between the Divine Wood Sect and Shatterpeak Summit, it was essentially a fight to the death. After Jinding Ji was cleaved in half by the Violet Lightning Sword, he understood that his sect's chances of victory were slim. Therefore, before his death, he wished to leave behind a legacy for his sect. Even if all the cultivators of Shatterpeak Summit were ultimately slain, he hoped that in the future, the Divine Wood Sect would preserve their lineage's cultivation techniques, allowing future generations to remember, through an alternative method, that the Shatterpeak Summit sect once existed in the Eastern Barrens.

“That should be possible.” Chen Mobai nodded. Although the Divine Wood Sect had many body-tempering techniques, only one, the “Changsheng Dao Body,” was top-tier. During his last encounter with Shatterpeak Summit, he had acquired the top-tier Earth-attribute “Nine-Ren Law Body” from Ji Daoyuan’s storage bag. This time, he obtained the “Vacuum Law Body” from Jinding Ji. These were two of Shatterpeak Summit’s three most powerful body-tempering techniques, which the Divine Wood Sect would certainly use to supplement its own cultivation legacy.

Upon hearing this, Jinding Ji’s eyes completely lost focus, and he drew his last breath. Chen Mobai stood before his body, which had been split in half by the Violet Lightning Sword, remained silent for a moment, then, holding the Flying Sparrow Hairpin between his fingers, made a light stroke.

Outside! The seemingly impenetrable black sphere completely disintegrated before the eyes of Yue Zutao and the others, revealing Jinding Ji’s mangled, headless corpse, and Chen Mobai, who had just decapitated his opponent with a single sword stroke.

“Bury him here,” Chen Mobai said calmly, observing the Divine Wood Sect members approaching with expressions of awe. He flicked the Flying Sparrow Hairpin from his fingertips, then purged the area with flames from the inside out.

“Yes!” Li Yixian nodded immediately, then took out his puppet from his storage bag. While directing the puppet to dig, he began to stitch Jinding Ji’s body together with needle and thread.

“How are things with Senior Brother Zhou’s pursuit?” As Chen Mobai spoke, he took the white handkerchief offered by Luo Yixuan, carefully wiped the Flying Sparrow Hairpin, and then inserted it into his high ponytail.

“Although the Shatterpeak Summit army scattered and fled in various directions, Junior Brother Zhou and his group still caught up to the flying boat carrying two hundred cultivators of the Jiao family,” Yue Zutao explained. “Unfortunately, the Jiao family cultivators abandoned their flying boat and landed in time. After they scattered, Junior Brother Zhou and his group were delayed for some time by Jiao Shukuang. Although we eliminated the Shatterpeak Summit’s Broken Sea Peak Lord, in the subsequent pursuit, only dozens of Jiao family cultivators were killed. The gains were not significant.” With the advent of mobile phones, communication was very convenient, so Yue Zutao quickly relayed the latest battle report from Zhou Wangshen.

“Distribute five spirit stones to each Qi Condensation cultivator. The entire army will set out the day after tomorrow, advancing into Yan Nation territory, striving to reach Shatterpeak Summit’s headquarters in the shortest possible time.” After listening, Chen Mobai issued this order. Yue Zutao nodded and went to carry it out.

After the Divine Wood Sect distributed an additional five spirit stones, the cultivators, who had previously been sitting on the ground with fatigued expressions, instantly became re-energized. This was especially true for the rogue cultivators. If the battle situation was disadvantageous, they would flee faster than anyone. But if there was an advantage, and a pursuit was imminent to acquire spoils, they would be more proactive than anyone else. They didn’t even need mobilization from the Divine Wood Sect. After receiving the additional spirit stone rewards, the rogue cultivators all took out the spirit recovery pills they had purchased before the war, striving to be in optimal condition when the pursuit began, so as not to miss out on the spoils of this war.

The next day, Zhou Wangshen reported more good news via mobile phone. They had pursued three large flying boats bearing Shatterpeak Summit’s insignia, which likely carried the sect’s elite disciples. Unfortunately, when Zhou Wangshen and his group intended to act, they discovered four Foundation Establishment cultivators on board, one of whom was Aitak, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator and one of Shatterpeak Summit’s nine Peak Lords. After a clash, if it weren’t for the fact that Zhou Wangshen and his group were all seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivators, while Shatterpeak Summit’s cultivators were fatigued and their battle formation full of flaws, coupled with the convenience of mobile phone communication which allowed them to promptly summon three other Divine Wood Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators who were pursuing Shatterpeak Summit cultivators nearby, they might not have been able to disengage easily.

“I’ll lead my subordinates there first. Senior Brother Yuan, come with me. Senior Brother Yue, I’ll leave things here to you.” Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai felt that this group of Shatterpeak Summit elites should not be allowed to escape, and he immediately made a decisive judgment. While Luo Yixuan and Li Yixian went outside to assemble their respective squads, Chen Mobai took out his mobile phone again to contact Zhou Wangshen and his group ahead, issuing the latest instructions.

“Yes, we will follow them closely, launching sporadic sneak attacks to ensure they must stick together to survive. If they decide to scatter and make a desperate escape, we guarantee to eliminate most of their elite Qi Condensation cultivators.” Zhou Wangshen also described his battle plan, and Chen Mobai nodded in agreement.

In mid-air, Aitak, standing on his flying boat, coldly watched the six figures vaguely visible in the distant sky. Beside him were three other Shatterpeak Summit Foundation Establishment cultivators; some looked grim, while others were filled with hatred.

“Senior Brother, do we really have to do this?” a Shatterpeak Summit elder beside Aitak asked hesitantly.

“This is an excellent opportunity. If we simply flee back, the Divine Wood Sect army will advance unopposed, and they might even besiege our sect headquarters. Although we can rely on the sect’s formation power to block the Divine Wood Sect army, doing so would expose our sect’s spirit vein area to the enemy’s attack range. If the Divine Wood Sect were to use pulse-breaking pearls without hesitation, our sect’s formations would become a cage trapping ourselves. This is also why the Vice Sect Master wanted to block the Divine Wood Sect army at the border. Since that’s no longer possible, we must at least delay their advance and buy time for our reinforcements to arrive. And the best way to do that is to seize this opportunity and eliminate all these Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Divine Wood Sect who are pushing too far.”

After Aitak finished outlining his plan with a cold expression, the three Shatterpeak Summit Foundation Establishment cultivators beside him also resolved themselves, all nodding in agreement to follow him.

“But these Divine Wood Sect cultivators are only following us from a distance, not pushing forward recklessly for credit. How can we lure them closer to kill them?” Someone raised a question. Aitak merely gave a cold smile, indicating that he had a plan.

As night fell, Zhou Wangshen suddenly noticed that the flying boat, which had been rapidly moving ahead, abruptly descended towards the ground. To his astonishment, three hundred Shatterpeak Summit Qi Condensation cultivators landed and began fleeing in all directions.

“This is bad. These guys know that if they delay any longer, they’ll be completely annihilated once our army arrives. So now they’re making a desperate move, trying to save as many as they can.” Chen Zhenwu, seeing this scene, couldn't help but look anxious and was about to rush off in pursuit.

“Wait, first report the situation here.” Zhou Wangshen felt the same urgency as Chen Zhenwu, but he believed there was still time to make a call. So, for caution, he used his mobile phone.

“I should arrive in about an hour. You just need to pursue the four Shatterpeak Summit Foundation Establishment cultivators. Eliminating them will yield greater rewards than the Qi Condensation cultivators. I will have Yuan Feihu and his group come to support you, aiming to take down this elite group of Shatterpeak Summit in one go.” After hearing Chen Mobai’s instructions, Zhou Wangshen, feeling reassured, led the five people with him in pursuit of Aitak and the other four Shatterpeak Summit cultivators who were flying at the forefront.

“Stop right there!” With a fierce shout, the ten Foundation Establishment cultivators began to fight fiercely. Aitak, with the highest cultivation and a body tempered to second-tier high-grade, single-handedly held back Zhou Wangshen and two others, fighting and retreating to cover the withdrawal of his sect's disciples.

Ten streaks of spiritual light continuously bloomed in the night sky. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth began to ripple, with occasional roars of thunder and whistling winds, accompanied by the clanging of metal, creating a booming rumble.

As time passed, Zhou Wangshen and his two companions began to lose face. They couldn’t even take down one opponent with three people. Zhou Wangshen, in particular, had always prided himself as a genius capable of challenging higher-level cultivators. This time, encountering Aitak, he was stifled, and his expression turned grim. He pushed his spiritual power to its limit, wielding a golden long spear. As he swung it, it was like a brilliant shooting star flashing across the night sky, and each thrust was like the blossoming of a golden star. Meanwhile, Liang Lingzhen stood on the back of a second-tier Azure Phoenix Bird, holding a green feather fan in her hand. Gusts of wind blades, combined with her spirit beast, seemed like a thousand flying knives, cooperating with Zhou Wangshen.

Aitak, wielding a large bronze hammer, directly clashed with Zhou Wangshen’s golden long spear. This caused the latter’s tiger's mouth (the web between thumb and forefinger) to crack and bleed, and his body to sharply retreat. However, under the mystical power of the Changsheng Dao Body, the blood flowed back, and the wound quickly healed. The thousand wind blades struck Aitak’s full armor, leaving numerous marks, but they could never completely breach his defense. Another streak of purple flame flew out, seizing the opportunity to directly strike towards Aitak’s glabella, his Purple Mansion, and Sea of Consciousness. Amidst the roar, incredibly brilliant purplish-red flames transformed into a massive fireball in mid-air, engulfing Aitak. Zhou Wangshen, grasping his long spear, charged forward again. As expected, Aitak, covered in smoke, burst out of the fireball, and the two resumed their battle. As the golden spear clashed with the bronze hammer, sparks flew like stardust, illuminating the night sky.

Under the encirclement of the three, Aitak finally began to falter and started to flee. The other Foundation Establishment cultivators from both sects, who were also fighting, moved along with the four. Soon, they descended into the empty space above a desolate mountain imbued with spiritual energy. Zhou Wangshen, having already unleashed his true power, paid no heed, but Aitak’s face lit up with joy. With a burst of laughter, he once again unleashed powerful spiritual energy, sweeping the three away.

“Junior Brothers, activate the formation!” Following Aitak’s loud shout, Zhou Wangshen felt a bad premonition, stopped, and wanted to retreat. But it was already too late. Below, yellow sand swirled up from the desolate mountain, revealing a concealed formation that had been opened. It unveiled two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and two hundred elite Shatterpeak Summit disciples who had long been waiting there, arrayed in formation.

“Oh no, it’s the other two of Shatterpeak Summit’s Nine Peak Lords!” Upon seeing the two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators below, Zhou Wangshen’s expression drastically changed. He immediately called Liang Lingzhen and the others back to his side. Then, under the command of Zuo Hongqiu from the Formation Department, the six of them formed the simplest Six Harmonies position, retreating while carefully defending themselves.

However, the Shatterpeak Summit masters who had been waiting there had long anticipated this move. The sky-filling yellow sand rose, instantly spreading out to envelop Zhou Wangshen and the six others. Then, the Mountain Stabilizing Battle Formation was deployed, trapping them inside as they tried to break out.

“If we can eliminate all six of you today, this battle will not be considered a failure,” Aitak sneered as he descended into the Mountain Stabilizing Battle Formation below. He had conceived this plan during his retreat: if he could exploit the enemy’s aggressive advance to eliminate some of the Divine Wood Sect’s high-level cultivators, it would at least delay their progress. Especially Zhou Wangshen; this person was a direct blood descendant of Zhou Shengqing and was hailed as a genius with hopes of forming a Core. Being able to eliminate him would also be a massive morale boost for Shatterpeak Summit.

“Junior Brothers, make your move. I’ll recover my spiritual energy first. If we can eliminate Zhou Wangshen, it will be a great merit before the Ancestor.” Aitak, having lured the enemy deep into their territory and fought three against one, had put his life on the line and depleted seventy to eighty percent of his spiritual energy. Now that victory was assured, he sought stability, fearing that Zhou Wangshen and the others might try to take him down before dying.

“Don’t worry, Senior Brother. Junior Brother Ji and I, with the power of the battle formation, will soon be able to eliminate them. Perhaps you won’t even need to make a move, hahaha!” The two Peak Lords of Shatterpeak Summit, who had led their disciples in ambush here, laughed heartily as they, along with the other Foundation Establishment elders and Qi Condensation disciples, activated the Dragon Transformation variant of the battle formation. Although due to the insufficient number of cultivators, they could only conjure two yellow sand pythons, these still possessed the power of a Foundation Establishment Consummation cultivator.

“I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes. Yuan Feihu and Hong Lingqin are nearby and will reach you soon. Hold on for a bit.” At the same time, Zhou Wangshen had already informed Chen Mobai of their situation via mobile phone. The latter, after decisively notifying nearby Divine Wood Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators, also personally left the main army ahead of time, using the Fiery Light Earth Evasion technique to rush towards the desolate mountain.

In the dark night sky, two massive yellow sand pythons coiled towards Zhou Wangshen and the six others who had formed a defensive array. A second-tier tree seed rooted and rose. Zhou Wangshen and the six others activated their Domain Expansion, injecting their spiritual energy into the Azure Yang Spirit Tree. Combining the strength of six individuals, they painstakingly condensed half a streak of “Heavenly Wood Divine Light.” A brilliant, clear beam of light shot into the sky, slicing one yellow sand python in two. However, the other yellow sand python had already seized the opportunity to strike directly at Zhou Wangshen and his group. A massive, transparent azure spirit leaf appeared in mid-air. Amidst a violent roar, the spirit leaf cracked but managed to block the attack. However, at that very moment, the yellow sand python that had been severed by the Heavenly Wood Divine Light had re-formed. Although significantly smaller, it still unleashed spiritual energy fluctuations that sent shivers down their spines. Bearing chilling killing intent, the two yellow sand pythons once again coiled and struck at Zhou Wangshen and the six others.

*Twang!* Like a bowstring being drawn or a zither being played, a long, resplendent golden arrow lit up from the distant horizon. Carrying an incomparably dazzling golden light, it streaked across the sky like a comet, striking the head of one of the yellow sand pythons. A wisp of golden flame began to burn on the yellow sand python's head, forcing the Shatterpeak Summit Foundation Establishment cultivators to transform their battle formation into the Mountain Stabilizing variant, adopting a mountain-like form, just barely managing to suppress the golden arrow that was wreaking havoc within the formation. Even so, six or seven Shatterpeak Summit disciples within the formation had already been pierced by the arrow, turning into corpses.

“It’s Yuan Feihu’s Golden Sun Arrow!” Zhou Wangshen, witnessing this scene, was overjoyed. Yuan Feihu’s ultimate secret technique from the Artifact Forging Department was a bow and arrows crafted from Golden Sun Wood. When empowered by the Talisman Crafting Department, a single arrow could unleash a terrifying power almost equivalent to the third tier. Coincidentally, he was nearby this time. After being notified by Chen Mobai, he immediately, without hesitation, expended a significant amount of vital energy to shoot this arrow from a distance and relieve the siege.

At the same time, Hong Lingqin also arrived. After a moment of hesitation, she charged into the Heavenly Wood Divine Light Formation. With one more person, the Azure Yang Spirit Tree, which had been tottering under the impact of the other yellow sand python, immediately lit up with a burst of spiritual light, once again condensing half a streak of Heavenly Wood Divine Light. Unfortunately, the power of this half-streak of Heavenly Wood Divine Light was significantly inferior to the previous one, only managing to repel the yellow sand python.

“Junior Brothers, hold on. I’ve taken a Recovery Pill; I’ll finish regulating my spiritual energy in another fifteen minutes.” Upon seeing this, Aitak, though puzzled as to why the other two Divine Wood Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators had arrived so coincidentally, had no time to ponder it further. However, to prevent further complications, he still consumed a golden-red pill without hesitation, determined to eliminate Zhou Wangshen and the others in the shortest possible time, even if it meant being weakened for two years afterward.

After receiving Aitak’s reminder, the other two Shatterpeak Summit Foundation Establishment cultivators no longer sought to gain more credit. Instead, they unleashed the trapping variant of the battle formation. The two yellow sand pythons dispersed and converged into a yellow mountain, encapsulating and suppressing Zhou Wangshen and the others beneath the Azure Yang Spirit Tree. However, their actions, paradoxically, brought expressions of joy to the faces of the Divine Wood Sect’s Foundation Establishment cultivators. In the distance, Yuan Feihu, his face pale, took out a Golden Sun Arrow and an Azure Yang Arrow. With his current cultivation, firing another Golden Sun Arrow would deplete his spiritual energy and might even cause him to lose control and damage his essence. However, an Azure Yang Arrow would be no problem. He had already prepared himself mentally; if he truly needed to use the Golden Sun Arrow again, he would do so without hesitation. Now, he only hoped to buy enough time for Chen Mobai to arrive.

As time passed, minute by minute, the joy on both sides’ faces grew increasingly intense. Soon, the fifteen minutes were up. Aitak, who had been meditating with his eyes closed on the desolate mountain, opened them. With a burst of hearty laughter, he took a step, treading on the void, and descended into the battle formation formed by the Shatterpeak Summit cultivators. With him as the central pillar, the power of the Mountain-to-Dragon Transformation was concentrated within him. A yellow sand python, even thicker than before, emerged in the night sky, looking down upon the seven tiny figures beneath the Azure Yang Spirit Tree.

“Your deaths are just the beginning. I believe that in this war, victory will ultimately be ours.” Aitak, controlling the formidable power of the battle formation, his eyes cold but his voice fervent, delivered his final declaration to Zhou Wangshen and the others. However, to his surprise, not a single Divine Wood Sect cultivator showed fear or hesitation in the face of death. Everyone’s expression was normal, even brimming with confidence!

What was going on? Were the Divine Wood Sect cultivators truly not afraid of death? Or had they, for the sake of their sect, become indifferent to death? Although Aitak couldn't comprehend it, it didn't prevent him from controlling the mighty power of the yellow sand python and spewing a dark yellow lightning beam towards the Azure Yang Spirit Tree. It was the Wutu Divine Thunder! Once this third-tier power descended, the Azure Yang Spirit Tree and the seven people below, including Zhou Wangshen, would all be reduced to dust. Even if Yuan Feihu fired another Golden Sun Arrow, it wouldn't be able to stop it.

Die, all of you! Aitak hardened his heart, unleashing the battle formation's power once more, causing the Wutu Divine Thunder's spiritual light to intensify!

*Crackle, crackle, crackle!* However, at that moment, a familiar tremor of thunder echoed in the nearby sky, reaching Aitak’s ears in an instant. This bird-like thunder evoked the terrifying memory he had just experienced not long ago. Immediately, the fearful memory became reality: a dazzling azure thunder long spear, like a sharp arrow, was hurled from the right hand of a refined young man, striking with beam-like precision the very front of the Wutu Divine Thunder unleashed by the yellow sand python. With a bang, the dark yellow lightning beam suddenly disintegrated. The dazzling azure thunder long spear, however, continued its momentum, piercing directly into the yellow sand python's head. Amidst the tremendous roar of thunder, the Shatterpeak Summit battle formation was almost completely shattered.

This is impossible! In the midst of the agonizing numbness as if struck by lightning, Aitak’s eyes widened. He stared in disbelief at the refined young man who, treading on flames, was walking step by step from the distant horizon, yet instantly appeared before the Azure Yang Spirit Tree.

“How could you have arrived so quickly?!” Aitak had considered that the Divine Wood Sect’s Foundation Establishment cultivators might detect his plan. Precisely for this reason, he had recovered his spiritual energy at the fastest possible speed, aiming for a quick victory. But the other party seemed to have already seen through his scheme, as if Zhou Wangshen and the others were merely bait, waiting for him to lead this last group of Shatterpeak Summit's elite cultivators into the trap.

“I came over as soon as I was notified. The distance wasn’t far,” Chen Mobai said nonchalantly, then unstoppered the yellow gourd at his waist. An orange-red beam of light shot out, instantly piercing through the Shatterpeak Summit’s battle formation's spiritual shield, which was already only a thin layer, then slashed across Aitak’s neck.

“I have failed the sect!” Before his death, Aitak’s face was filled with regret. The people gathered here could be considered half of Shatterpeak Summit’s foundation. If all of them were lost here, the sect would likely fall out of the ranks of major powers in the Eastern Barrens, even without further action from the Divine Wood Sect. But at this point, it was too late for regret. A line of blood appeared on his neck, and his regretful head fell to the ground, blood splattering everywhere.

After severing one person, the orange-red divine light, under Chen Mobai’s spiritual sense control, again swept across the necks of the remaining five Shatterpeak Summit Foundation Establishment cultivators. Whether late-stage or mid-stage Foundation Establishment, all of them met their end with gurgling sounds, spurting blood, and heads falling to the ground.

“Everyone… run… quickly…” After being decapitated, Aitak still had a last breath. His head, rolling on the ground, shouted to the two hundred despairing Shatterpeak Summit Qi Condensation cultivators. However, these cultivators had not fully recovered their spiritual energy, which had been depleted when Jinding Ji unleashed the Dragon Transformation. This time, they had used a battle formation that was directly shattered by Chen Mobai, leaving almost all of them completely exhausted of spiritual energy. Even if they ran, where could they go under the pursuit of so many Foundation Establishment cultivators? Nevertheless, some still possessed a strong will to survive. They consumed pills, gritted their teeth, and employed lightness techniques, fleeing in all directions into the desolate night. As long as they scattered widely enough, some among their two hundred people were bound to escape. With this thought, the Qi Condensation cultivators struggled to get up, chose a direction without looking back, and plunged into the dark wilderness.

“Kill as many as you can,” Chen Mobai instructed, withdrawing the Primordial Yang Sword-Fiend into his yellow gourd. Zhou Wangshen and the others, who had narrowly escaped death, respectfully thanked him. After glancing at the storage bags on the corpses of the deceased Shatterpeak Summit Foundation Establishment cultivators, they, with a hint of reluctance, began to pursue the fleeing Qi Condensation cultivators. Soon, only Chen Mobai remained there. According to the rules of the Eastern Barrens, whoever killed, kept the spoils. Clearly, the storage bags of Aitak and the others were now his.

“Aitak, the Sky-Shattering Peak Lord of Shatterpeak Summit, organized a counter-ambush with his cultivators on the way. Although they trapped Junior Brother Zhou and his group, due to timely communication, Junior Brother Yuan and others nearby provided support. Additionally, the opponents were exhausted, allowing them to hold out until Junior Brother Chen’s arrival. All Shatterpeak Summit’s Foundation Establishment cultivators were slain by Junior Brother Chen. Subsequently, our sect’s main army caught up. Under Junior Brother Chen’s leadership, while annihilating the fleeing Shatterpeak Summit cultivators, we also systematically dismantled all immortal cultivation families and market towns in Yan Nation that were loyal to them. Now, a three-thousand strong army of cultivators, led by Junior Brother Chen, is on its way here.”

On a large boulder not far from Shatterpeak Summit’s headquarters, Xie Yuntian respectfully reported the latest battle situation to Fu Zongjue’s puppet body.

“Excellent, excellent. This young man certainly hasn’t disappointed me.” Fu Zongjue’s tone was highly satisfied after listening. Then, he looked at Shatterpeak Summit with sharp eyes. “Ji Zhensheng’s death is also at hand.”