Chapter 683: War Begins, Part 3

Chapter 683: Chapter 459: War Begins, Part 3

The grand Array structured within the White Mountain Sword Sect’s military formation was their foundational Sword Array, known as the “Myriad Manifestations Returning to the Sword Array.” At its center was a sword that anchored the formation, named “Myriad Manifestations,” which served as the Array’s core. It gathered the power of all sword artifacts, acting as the Sword Array’s very heart. This anchoring sword was also the former personal weapon of a White Mountain Nascent Soul Ancestor, a Fourth-rank Middle-grade Sword that had already birthed a Sword Spirit.

Furthermore, the Sword Array featured Five Elements Sword Pillars. These were established at five key points surrounding the Array’s heart, corresponding to the five elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Each pillar was anchored by a sword of its respective element and controlled by a Golden Core Cultivator, creating a cycle of mutual generation and suppression that maintained the Array’s balance.

The outer perimeter was arranged according to the Eight Trigrams Positions, with a corresponding Sword Array placed in each direction: Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui. This formed an unbroken network of Sword Qi.

From the outside, the White Mountain Sword Sect’s Sword Array was a breathtaking sight. Five colossal sword pillars, each borne on the back of a giant turtle over a hundred feet long, shimmered with the multicolored radiance of Spiritual Qi. Ethereal streams of Sword Qi crisscrossed above the military formation, soaring into the heavens.

And at the very center of the military formation, a young Golden Core Cultivator with disheveled hair hovered in mid-air, cradling a sword with his eyes lightly closed.

Faced with the two great military formations of the Illusion Sword Alliance and the White Mountain Sword Sect, the opposing Thick Earth and Sharp Metal alliances uncharacteristically began to assemble their own forces.

‘Strange. Why are they gathering their forces too? Are they planning on a final, decisive battle?’

‘They’re finally coming out of their shells. After we finish this, I’m going to drink myself into a stupor.’

A torrent of different thoughts from the surrounding Cultivators flowed into Fang Qingyuan’s mind. This was the effect of his Divine Technique, the Voice of All Things, which allowed him to forcibly perceive the thoughts of any Cultivator a full major realm beneath his own.

The strongest Cultivators around Fang Qingyuan were only at the Foundation Establishment Perfection realm, so he had an unobstructed view of their every thought.

Seeing the enemy’s unusual reaction, Fang Qingyuan understood. ‘This must be the real reason Cui Dong City brought Bear Wind and me here.’ In past encounters, when faced with that impenetrable “turtle shell” defense, even someone like Bear Wind would have been of little use.

‘But is Cui Dong City’s target really just their military formation?’

After all, killing hundreds or even thousands of Low-tier Cultivators wouldn’t inflict nearly as much damage as taking down two of their Golden Core Cultivators.

Before Fang Qingyuan could think it through, his Squad Commander’s order rang in his ears:

“Clear your minds! Release your Magical Power and charge your Command Flags to the third mark!”

As the order was given, the distracting thoughts among the surrounding Cultivators immediately subsided. They knew what was at stake and what they had to do. Each of them gripped their Command Flag tightly and began pouring their Magical Power into it.

The “third mark” was a standard on the Command Flag, which had ten marks in total. Reaching it meant lighting up the first three pearls on the flag.

This small amount of Magical Power was, of course, a drop in the ocean for Fang Qingyuan. Still, he pretended it took a great deal of effort to charge the flag and meet the Squad Commander’s requirement.

Fang Qingyuan could sense that as soon as his Command Flag was charged to the third mark, the Mirage Dragon Banner at the very center of their military formation seemed to come alive.

ROAR!

With the sound of a dragon’s cry, a colossal Mirage Dragon flew forth from the banner, coiling in the sky above the entire military formation. At that very moment, one of the three lit pearls on the Command Flags held by the six thousand Cultivators in the formation simultaneously went dark.

“Those of you low on Magical Power, use Spirit Stones to replenish it now! Don’t take your Qi Recovery Elixirs yet, and save the Blood Burst Pills for the very end…”

Fang Qingyuan heard the Squad Commander’s instructions but remained silent for a few moments. A Token tucked away in his robes was vibrating—it was the signal from Cui Dong City.