Chapter 1040: War Disaster

In the sky, clouds swirled, Buddhist chants flowed, colorful lotuses bloomed, intertwined with radiant light. A massive, indistinct golden figure moved within the clouds, casting a colossal shadow.

A fierce gale swept through, and arcane winds stumbled in the air. A man in blue, impaled by a golden spear through his chest, rose and fell through the sky as spellcasters rapidly closed in behind him, their wild laughter echoing.

The man coughed up blood, his heart turning cold."It's not just the ferry crossings… the riverbanks are completely overrun with Buddhist cultivators…"

Chen Jinxi was ordered to guard the riverbank with Li Minggong, but the sheer number of spellcasters advancing from the south already made it a struggle to resist. Unexpectedly, a unit of Zhao soldiers suddenly broke through halfway!

These Zhao soldiers wore iron armor, exhibiting a desert-like demeanor. They were incredibly powerful, mostly at the Qi Condensation stage, led by Foundation Establishment cultivators. They had specifically bypassed the positions guarded by Li Minggong and Ding Weizeng, launching a breakthrough from the flank—even deploying a formation-breaking talisman!

The ferry crossings on both sides were lightly guarded, relying entirely on the support of Foundation Establishment cultivators. They quickly fell. Seeing all the crossings to their left and right breached, Li Minggong immediately sensed danger and ordered a retreat.

Chen Jinxi was not foolish; in fact, he was quite intelligent. He understood the unequal strength between the northern and southern forces and fled, maintaining vigilance at every turn. However, he had not anticipated that a golden figure would fall from the sky mid-retreat!

While this golden figure meant little to those with divine abilities, when it struck the ground, it was like a mountain, capable of crushing people. Chen Jinxi narrowly escaped being crushed, and his faint connection with the White Ape immediately severed. He lost sight of Li Minggong and was pursued all the way to the west!

Chen Jinxi had only recently broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Furthermore, within a mere few dozen miles, several golden artifacts had already struck him, and blood gushed uncontrollably from his mouth. He looked up in despair:"Where have all the cultivators retreated to… have they reached the lake, perhaps…?"

Below, the sounds of battle were countless, as golden soldiers and spirit iron clashed, scattering flesh and blood at their points of impact. Just as Chen Jinxi despaired, his eyes suddenly lit up. In the distance, a man clad in bronze armor stood in a pool of blood, wielding an axe in each hand. Their blades were stained with gore, and a dense, crackling lightning aura emanated from them.

"Li Zhouda!"Even though this hot-tempered direct descendant of the Li family, who handled matters in Qingdu, had offended countless outsiders and forced the Chen family to yield many times, Chen Jinxi couldn't help but burst into tears the moment he saw him."Finally, a person! He has many treasures on him! He can definitely save my life!"

"Boom!"The Blood Escape technique rapidly drained his vital energy. Chen Jinxi felt dizzy and lightheaded, struggling to even draw his last breath. As he slowly gained a clearer view of the situation, his heart skipped a beat.

On either side of Li Zhouda, golden hooks were embedded in his long axes, locking his weapons. These hooks were connected by thick chains held by spellcasters on both sides. Yet, the man paid them no mind. A bronze bell floated above his head, constantly resonating with lightning, as if in preparation for something. His muscles contracted, expelling the arrow shafts that had pierced his chest, and he glared fiercely forward.

Li Zhouda always served as the vanguard in battle, and such injuries were not uncommon for him, only further honing his exquisite combat techniques and formidable physique. He simply raised his long axes high, causing the spellcasters on either side to stumble, and brought them crashing down!

"Rumble!"A surge of lightning abruptly erupted, but Chen Jinxi had no time to feel relief. Sensing the creeping chill approaching from behind, he was terrified."My lord, save me!"

The sudden cry made Li Zhouda snap his head up. The hot-tempered man's expression instantly filled with shock and unease as he looked at Chen Jinxi.

Without a second thought, the man roared and leaped high into the air. The thunder bell above his head unhesitatingly shifted position, intending to shield the approaching Chen Jinxi.

"Om..."But he was ultimately a beat too slow. The moment Chen Jinxi's words faded, a figure appeared before him, clad in silver-white armor, holding a blood-red axe aloft, and staring at him with amusement.

"Peak Foundation Establishment…"The next instant, the blood-red axe landed on Chen Jinxi's face. His features, bearing a seventy percent resemblance to Chen Yang, were contorted with fear. His skull split open with a sickening crack, and his white brain matter, illuminated by intense radiance, burst forth. A grating screech and a gushing, watery sound instantly filled the air!

"Ugh!"Half of Chen Jinxi's tongue let out a horrifying shriek. His left hand frantically tried to pull at the right half of his body, but an intense pale-yellow light burst forth from the clean cut across his torso.

"Splash!"A torrent of dark blood rained down, drenching Li Zhouda's head and face. The man coughed twice, then was pressed back to the ground by a golden artifact on his other side. Suppressing the urge to collapse, he spat out congested blood and wiped his hand across his breastplate.

In his blood-soaked palm were two white, broken teeth, whose texture was slowly turning gray, clearly transforming rapidly into river stones with the passage of time.

Li Zhouda stared blankly for a moment. Even though he usually had little to no association with Chen Jinxi, his eyes were now bloodshot. Then, he heard a cold shout in his ear:"My lord, you should leave!"

A pillar of Kan Water light shot skyward, shattering ragged robes into scattered gray dust in the air. It suddenly flared, casting flickering light and shadow across Li Jiangxia's face nearby. This tall young master stood majestically among the cultivators, covered in blood, his expression grim, as he tossed away the head he held.He was clearly there to meet him.

The bald head rolled to the ground, its eyes still open, gazing at him greedily. Li Zhouda finally released his two axes, threw out a talisman, and ascended on the wind.

Li Jiangxia supported Li Zhouda and cast a cold glance. The Gongsun cultivator with the axe completely ignored the talisman in the air, instead looking at his companion and boastfully pointing at the brain matter on the ground.

Li Zhouda coughed up blood again, remaining silent. Li Jiangxia turned around, and a group of cultivators had already arrived to assist:"Uncle… quickly take your medicine!"

As the two returned to the formation, Li Jiangxia released the man's hand. A woman nearby immediately raised a cloak and draped it over Li Jiangxia.

Although Li Jiangxia had no sons and no woman he considered suitable as a wife, there were many female attendants in his residence. Those around him crowded closer, looking at him with concern. Li Jiangxia waved his hand, his gaze fixed on the high-platform spirit treasure in the sky.

By this point, the battle had turned into a river of blood. Countless Buddhist monks and spellcasters from the north had died here. Li Jiangxia alone had defeated three spellcasters, but the Buddhist cultivators fought fearlessly, and demonic cultivators seized every opportunity, gradually turning the tide of the battle.

As the golden figure in the sky cast its shadow, the jade ring in Li Jiangxia's sleeve flickered from dark to bright. His heart sank."Only the western ferry crossing, guarded by Guest Elder Ding, remains defended… The formations at the other five crossings have been shattered. We cannot allow Guest Elder Ding to hold it any longer… if the rear is encircled, he could very likely be trapped inside…"

The young master raised his sleeve and tapped the jade ring. The last remaining flicker of light on it dimmed. Soon, a commotion was seen in the west, and the ground trembled, clearly indicating Ding Weizeng fighting his way back.

The defensive forces on the lake had suffered significant losses, with several ferry crossings falling simultaneously. Demonic cultivators had penetrated deep into multiple points along the entire riverbank. Li Jiangxia estimated that the worst of the situation had already seen them breach more than half of the northern shore.

"Father is once again trapped by a spirit treasure… If this battle cannot end soon… we might be in trouble…"

His heart was heavy. The magic artifact in his hand emitted a brilliant sun-like light, forcing back a group of spellcasters. His golden eyes gleamed sharply, and a thought suddenly burst into his mind:"The wilderness is also in trouble… Song's forces might already be in Lixia…"

"Young Master!"As he pondered, a person rode the wind from the south, landing before him. With a serious expression, he lowered his gaze and said:"Nantan Chen greets Young Master…"

Nantan Chen bowed. Although Li Jiangxia was not very familiar with him, he at least knew he was guarding the east bank, so he raised an eyebrow and asked:"How is the dense forest?"

Nantan Chen hurriedly replied:"The Buddhist cultivators bypassed the wilderness and attacked Lixia, so there isn't much pressure on the east bank. Young Master inquired about the enemy's situation while also instructing us to first come and reinforce the river!"

Li Jiangxia's heart stirred secretly, knowing his guess was likely correct. He glanced at the people behind Nantan Chen and suddenly noticed a gazing young man. Frowning, he asked:"Suining… what are you doing here?"

Li Suining stepped forward, his expression solemn, and replied:"Demonic cultivators have repeatedly escaped to the lake. The elders know that the situation on the north bank is not good, so my younger brother, Suihuan, took orders and is preparing with the other disciples to enter the bank for defense. I came ahead to report to my lord on his behalf."

Li Jiangxia choked up for a moment, then shook his head:"It's not that bad… the crucial point is still King Wei. I heard the commotion in the sky; that Gongsun Bei has arrived!"

Li Suining's face was calm, but as he looked at the massive spirit artifact that obscured the sky, his eyes reflecting the surging Radiant Qi, his mind was already in turmoil."Radiant Qi, it's really him!""Gongsun Bei… During the founding war, this person was supposed to be stationed in Shanji. How did he end up on the lake? And when did I ever hear of a massive spirit treasure that suppresses the sky?"

As the colossal golden figure in the sky moved, its shadow once again enveloped them. A strong sense of foreboding rose in Li Suining's heart."In my previous life, there was no situation where demonic cultivators escaped to the lake. Although the riverbank was precarious, these Buddhist cultivators were never allowed to cross. This means… it was the Zhao army brought by Gongsun Bei that changed the situation by the lake.""How is that possible… Gongsun Bei acts on the orders of the Zhao court and Zhi Xuanxie… Why would it change overnight…?"

Li Suining had only altered the trivial matter of Ding Weizeng's death. No matter how he racked his brain, he still couldn't understand why a pivotal figure like Gongsun Bei, a Zhao court general possessing Violet Palace divine abilities, would suddenly appear on the lake!

His heart was cold and heavy, but Li Jiangxia was also pondering. After a long moment, he said:"Very well… you all go to the dense forest for me! Guest Elder Sun is currently treating Senior White Ape and cannot spare his hands. While you're there, also take Uncle back to recuperate!"

Li Jiangxia naturally knew Li Suining. In battle, situations change in an instant, and even Foundation Establishment cultivators can be lost to encirclement, let alone Qi Condensation cultivators. How could he bear to let Li Suining come to the front? He casually pulled him closer and said gravely:"The northern bank is densely forested with sparse fields, so even if it's ravaged by Buddhist cultivators a few times, the losses won't be significant. Once the situation deteriorates, Foundation Establishment cultivators might still escape, but the low-level cultivators defending the north bank will inevitably be wiped out. Whether it's the dense forest or the lake, we absolutely cannot send more troops here!"

The cultivators were stunned, not having realized the situation had deteriorated so severely. Li Jiangxia, however, remained unaffected and said sternly:"The defense of the dense forest is crucial, and he should hold his position. Just now, I observed the battle in the sky: a Maha retreated from Lixia. It's highly probable that Song's troops have reached Lixia. You explain clearly to Li Jianglong that if an opportunity arises, he can boldly lead troops from the east bank to cut off the Zhao forces' retreat!"

Li Suining's heart trembled. He hadn't expected Li Jiangxia to still possess such ambition in such a disadvantaged situation. He stared at him blankly, but Li Jiangxia scoffed and replied:"You only need to deliver the message. If Li Jianglong proves incompetent, you can hardly blame me."

Li Suining hastily bowed in return and helped Li Zhouda up. Only then did he notice that the man was covered in blood and wounds from head to toe, and fragments of glowing golden artifacts could still be seen on his torn clothes."...Uncle Zhouda!"

Li Zhouda shook his head, his face stern. Li Suining, his face covered in sweat, turned back. Carried by Nantan Chen's arcane wind, he headed south, his heart pounding. The Dense Forest Mountain was immediately visible. Nantan Chen quickly descended, and there, a young man in black was pacing among the mountains.

This person had handsome eyes and finely arched brows, bright golden pupils, and an elegant bearing. It was his fourth brother, Li Suihuan.

If Li Suining possessed a somewhat gloomy coolness, Li Suihuan fully embodied the graceful bearing of a direct descendant of the Violet Palace. His golden eyes were bright, his steps agile. Even with anxiety in his heart, he maintained a composed demeanor, not the typical overbearing nobility and self-importance of ordinary aristocratic families, but rather the ethereal aura of one with divine bloodline.

Although this fourth brother was the eldest son of second uncle Li Jianglong, his personality was more like that of third uncle Li Jiangxia. He strode over generously, and though he didn't speak, the grave expression in his lively eyes clearly conveyed his thoughts.

Before Li Suining could speak, he heard Li Suihuan hurriedly take Li Zhouda, and gasped, whispering:"Brother, you're too late! From the south, battle cries erupted everywhere, and our forces are retreating in defeat. Father has already led men out to fight!"

Li Suining's words immediately choked in his throat. He paced anxiously for a few steps in the mountains, only to realize his hands were wet; just from steadying Li Zhouda, his hands were completely covered in blood.

"The young masters are not ordinary individuals. As long as King Wei is safe, what's happening now is not a major issue."

Li Zhouda's voice was hoarse, his beard saturated with blood, but he paid no mind to it. Instead, he took a few steps forward and looked at the middle-aged man sitting in the pavilion.

This man, also clad in armor, with gray eyes and long brows, had a pale complexion, clearly indicating a significant injury. It was Chen Yang.

Seeing Li Zhouda look his way, Chen Yang could not pretend not to notice. He quickly stood up and respectfully said:"Greetings…""Don't force yourself!"

Li Zhouda coughed, his gaze complex, but his tone was cold and disdainful:"Guest Elder Chen has disliked me for a long time. To put it bluntly, you've called me more respectfully than anyone else, time and again. Isn't that a bit too hypocritical?!"

Chen Yang had never witnessed such a scene and was momentarily dumbfounded. The man, however, let out a distressed sigh, his tightly clenched fist finally loosening to reveal his blood-soaked palm to Chen Yang.

In his broad palm lay two shattered teeth.

"But your Jinxi… I couldn't save him. I failed you…"

Chen Yang frowned and squinted, his gaze briefly averting before returning. He moved his lips, wanting to ask something but no words came out. Instead, he took two steps back and sank onto the floor in the pavilion.

The Chen clan head, long known for his deep cunning, pondered for a moment. Finally, acting like a father, he frowned and asked, "Only this?"

Li Zhouda stood anxiously for a moment, beginning to regret not having placed them in a jade box. He stiffly stated, "Only this."