Chapter 2359: Lin Tianlong Returns

Xuanling City was one of the human race's frontier cities, defending against foreign races.

Outside Xuanling City, within a radius of 200,000 *li*, countless bodies lay on the ground. There were cultivators, foreign races, and demonic beasts, their blood forming rivers.

Numerous treasures were scattered across the ground, and human cultivators were clearing the battlefield.

A magnificent golden palace, featuring soaring eaves, ornate bracket sets, and beautifully carved and painted beams, stood majestically.

True Monarch Thunder Serpent and over twenty other cultivators were conversing. Their robes were stained with brown blood, whether from allies or enemies, it was unclear.

True Monarch Thunder Serpent sat in the main seat, his gaze solemn.

"It's been many years, Fellow Daoist Long. Your divine abilities have greatly advanced; you've slain an Integration-stage Yaksha and severely wounded an Integration-stage Flame Spirit," a graceful old woman in golden robes complimented.

"Lady Li, you flatter me," True Monarch Thunder Serpent humbly replied. His gaze shifted to a burly old man in a red robe, and he said with a smile, "If Fellow Daoist Liu hadn't entangled Ye Li, the leader of the Yaksha, we wouldn't have achieved such a significant victory."

The red-robed old man had dignified features and sharp, bright eyes. He carried a sheathed treasure blade on his back, exuding a palpable aura of killing intent.

Liu Qingfeng, from the Zhenhai Palace, was at the late-Integration stage and belonged to the local faction.

"Fellow Daoist Liu's Dharma Idol is completely refined. Even Ye Li was no match for him. If not for his life-substituting treasure, he would have already perished by Fellow Daoist Liu's hand," the golden-robed old woman said with a hint of regret.

The Yaksha forces, initially led by three Integration-stage cultivators, later increased to seven, putting considerable pressure on them as they attacked Xuanling City.

They had slain one Integration-stage Yaksha and severely wounded two other Integration-stage cultivators. However, their own losses were not insignificant, with two Integration-stage cultivators critically injured and forced into secluded cultivation for recovery.

"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Liu's Dharma Idol was refined using Silver Adamantine Crystals. This material grants immense power to blade or sword-type Dharma Idols. Fellow Daoist Liu's fortune is indeed great to have acquired so many Silver Adamantine Crystals," True Monarch Thunder Serpent chuckled, his tone envious.

"Our disciples from Zhenhai Palace found them in the Barren Lands. If Fellow Daoist Long is interested, you can also send people to search there," Liu Qingfeng said with a light chuckle. With his late-Integration stage cultivation, activating his Dharma Idol to harm enemies wielded immense power. Even the physically robust Yaksha couldn't withstand it, having to rely on a life-substituting treasure to survive.

Just then, Liu Qingfeng seemed to sense something. He pulled out a blue-glowing Dharma Plate from his robes, cast a spell, and his expression drastically changed.

"What happened, Fellow Daoist Liu?" True Monarch Thunder Serpent asked, puzzled.

"Integration-stage foreign races are attacking our Zhenhai Palace headquarters. I must return immediately. Fellow Daoist Long, Lady Li, Xuanling City is now in your hands," Liu Qingfeng said, then hastily departed.

On Golden Toad Island, a significant portion of the island had been reduced to ruins, with countless bodies littering the ground. The sea surface was also covered with numerous floating corpses, both human cultivators and foreign races.

Human cultivators were clearing the battlefield, repairing formations, and treating the wounded.

In a sprawling estate, two men and one woman were conversing, their expressions grim.

"We've finally repelled the foreign races' attack, but it's a pity about Fellow Daoist Yang," a dignified young woman in a purple skirt sighed, her face full of regret.

"The news of Fellow Daoist Yang's death must be reported to Zhenhai Palace as soon as possible," a burly man in red solemnly stated.

Three foreign race leaders, commanding millions of demonic beasts, attacked Golden Toad Island. They had sought assistance from other sects, and Zhenhai Palace had sent an Integration-stage cultivator to reinforce them, but sadly, that cultivator died at the hands of the foreign races.

Two Integration-stage foreign cultivators were severely wounded, suffering a significant loss of vitality.

The young woman in the purple skirt suddenly pulled out a flashing green Dharma Plate from her robes, cast a spell, and her beautiful face changed.

"This is bad! Zhenhai Palace headquarters is under attack, led by twelve Integration-stage foreign cultivators!" the young woman in the purple skirt exclaimed, her face filled with shock.

At Zhenhai Palace headquarters, Jin Zhuan and seven others stood atop a colossal wave, over ten thousand *zhang* tall, their gazes grim.

A gigantic red-glowing tower floated high in the sky. Its body pulsed with runes, emitting astonishing spiritual energy fluctuations; it was clearly a top-grade Connecting Heaven Spirit Treasure.

The giant tower shook violently, as if someone inside was attacking it.

The sea within a ten-thousand-*li* radius was stained red with blood, resembling a sea of blood.

A light blue water curtain enveloped the entire Floating Cloud Island. Song Yiming's face was pale. He held a misty water formation plate in his hand, repeatedly casting spells.

The seawater churned violently, and colossal water-wave tornadoes, 100,000 *zhang* in diameter, soared into the sky, resisting the attacks of Jin Zhuan and the others.

Because Shi Haotian had leaked information, the foreign races knew their divine abilities and came prepared. They had slain Zhenhai Palace's guardian spirit beast, killed Li Jingjing, severely wounded Chen Yueying, and captured Yang Qinglong using a top-grade Connecting Heaven Spirit Treasure.

The foreign races' losses were also significant: Yang Qinglong and Li Jingjing, working together, had slain four Integration-stage foreign cultivators and severely wounded two others. It was a costly victory, taking 800 losses for every 1000 enemies killed.

A traitor had emerged within Zhenhai Palace: a Void Refinement stage cultivator named Chen Lang tried to destroy the sect's protective formation. Fortunately, Su Chen of the Enforcement Hall discovered him in time, preventing a major disaster.

Song Yiming was also injured. He was currently relying on the sect's protective formation to resist the enemies.

With his mid-Integration stage cultivation, even if eight Integration-stage cultivators attacked the protective formation, it wouldn't be easily breached.

If Chen Yueying hadn't recently endured a grand heavenly tribulation, losing a considerable amount of vital energy, and coupled with the traitor Shi Haotian informing the foreign races of their divine abilities, they wouldn't have been in such a predicament.

A gleaming, pointed cone, wreathed in seven-colored flames, struck the blue water curtain, causing bursts of white mist before being quickly repelled.

"Fellow Daoist Shi, didn't you say that fire-element treasures could breach Zhenhai Palace's protective formation? I've used the Seven Flames Formation-Breaking Cone, yet I can't even shake the protective formation!" Jin Zhuan frowned, her expression displeased.

"I only know some of the protective formation's restrictions; only the Sect Master knows all of them. Lady Jin, we haven't been able to take Zhenhai Palace headquarters after all this time, let's give up! Reinforcements are probably arriving soon, let's retreat quickly! It'll be troublesome if Senior Brother Liu and Senior Brother Lin return," Shi Haotian urged, his expression anxious.

From his words, it was clear he greatly feared Senior Brother Liu and Senior Brother Lin.

"Give up? Did our comrades die for nothing? Let's push harder! I refuse to believe Zhenhai Palace's protective formation can withstand us for much longer," an ape-headed, human-bodied beastman roared, his face filled with murderous intent.

"Zhenhai Palace's protective formation might not hold you for long, but how long can *you* withstand *me*?" a cold, emotionless male voice suddenly resounded.

No sooner had the words fallen than a deafening dragon roar echoed. A silver flood dragon, several hundred *zhang* long, flew from the distance, heading straight towards them.

Countless silver lightning arcs pulsed across the silver flood dragon's body, emitting a powerful spiritual pressure.

"A seventh-tier flood dragon!" Jin Zhuan's beautiful face drastically changed as she exclaimed in shock.

"Not a seventh-tier flood dragon, but a materialized artifact spirit. Senior Brother Lin has returned; he's the most formidable artifact refiner in Zhenhai Palace," Shi Haotian realized something, his expression growing tense.

A blue streak of light appeared in the distant sky. Before long, the blue light stopped, revealing an antique-looking, four-sided beast carriage, glowing entirely with blue light.

The beast carriage was over ten *zhang* long, its body crafted from a type of spirit jade. A colossal lion covered in blue scales pulled the carriage.

Inside the beast carriage sat a tall, thin old man in blue robes, with a prominent nose, a face full of wrinkles, and eyes like lightning. It was Lin Tianlong, the leader of Zhenhai Palace's local faction.