Chapter 41

The thunderous crash of the city-protecting grand array shattering rang like a death knell in every Witch Clan member's heart.

The demon tide surged through the breach like a black flood of death, shrieking and roaring as it pounced toward the nearest living beings—the Houtu Tribe!

"Hold steady! Rely on the array!" The High Priest's aged yet resolute voice rang throughout the tribe.

Every Witch Clan warrior gripped their weapons tightly, their blood and qi boiling as they stared fixedly at the ever-approaching demon tide beyond the array's barrier.

Li Su sat at the array's core. Light flowed over his Eight-Zhang Ink Bamboo body as his divine sense connected with the entire "Houtu Star Bedrock Array."

He could clearly sense the overwhelming demon aura beyond the array, its violent killing intent, and the pained groans of the earth as it was corroded by Demon Energy.

Come on! he roared inwardly, driving the array with all his strength!

Rumble!

The first wave of demon soldiers slammed violently into the Star Rock Array's light barrier! Earth-yellow starlight flared, and a heavy Bedrock Dao Rhythm erupted, blasting dozens of low-ranking demon soldiers at the front into pieces!

At the same time, the starlight flowed, swiftly devouring and purifying the lingering souls and baleful energy scattered after the demon soldiers' deaths, converting them into energy to sustain the array—this was the result of Li Su incorporating the soul-devouring trait and the jade pendant's purification effect!

Yet the demon soldiers were endless. Those behind them trampled over their own kind's corpses and continued their mad assault! The barrier rippled violently, and the pressure surged!

"Draw upon the earth veins. Strengthen the foundation!" Li Su sent through divine sense to the Witch Clan priests assisting him.

Several priests immediately chanted ancient witch songs, pressing both hands to the ground as they guided deeper currents of earth power into the array.

The Totem Pillars at the array's foundation shone brilliantly, temporarily stabilizing the barrier.

But soon, several enormous demon generals with auras comparable to Heavenly Immortals charged out from the demon horde!

One was a giant wolf wreathed in ghostly blue flames, another a venomous python with three heads, and the last a rhinoceros demon clad in bone armor and wielding a bone hammer!

They attacked at once! Ghostly blue flames scorched the barrier, venom corroded it, and the bone hammer struck with crushing force!

Crack! Fine fissures actually appeared across the barrier!

"Stellar evil, backlash!" Li Su's gaze turned cold as he mobilized the Stellar Evil Energy accumulated within the array, condensing it into several massive black spikes glittering with starlight that suddenly stabbed out from inside the barrier!

Puff, puff, puff! The three demon generals were caught off guard and impaled by the Stellar Evil spikes! The ghostly blue flame wolf had its shoulder pierced through, one of the venomous python's heads exploded, and the rhinoceros demon's bone armor was ripped apart!

They let out agonized howls, their offensive faltering.

"Perfect chance! Kill!" Seeing this, the Witch Clan warriors inside the array, led by the great witches, charged out through the attack openings left in the formation. All kinds of witchcraft and combat techniques rained down upon the injured demon generals like a violent storm!

Strike while they're sick and finish them off! The Witch Clan had always fought with savage courage!

The instant the three demon generals were entangled and surrounded by the Witch Clan warriors, Li Su altered the array once more!

Starlight flowed across the barrier, forming a small illusionary starfield that temporarily trapped the large number of demon soldiers rushing in behind. They lost their bearings and trampled one another.

At the same time, he secretly released Soul-Devouring Dark Light, specifically picking off the commanders and spellcasters among the demon soldiers to create even greater chaos.

For a time, relying on this suddenly strengthened wondrous array, the Houtu Tribe actually withstood the demon tide's first assault. They even seized the opportunity to kill quite a few demons in return!

Naturally, this scene caught the attention of the demon higher-ups and the other Witch Clan sectors.

"Hm? Since when did the Houtu Tribe possess such a formidable array?" The Witch Clan powerhouses fighting bitterly in other sections of the city wall were both shocked and delighted.

"Trash! You can't even take down a Houtu Tribe!" An unhappy snort came from the demon clouds. A fierce demon wind descended from the sky like a giant blade, slashing straight at the Star Rock Array! Its power far surpassed that of a Heavenly Immortal—it was clearly a True Immortal demon making a move!

Li Su's expression changed. He gathered all the array's power at a single point and forcibly received the attack!

Boom! The entire Star Rock Array shook violently, its barrier dimming by more than half. Several Totem Pillars at the array's foundation even cracked! Li Su's bamboo body trembled fiercely, and a stabbing pain tore through his divine sense, nearly severing his connection to the array.

The might of a True Immortal was truly terrifying!

"Hmph! Let's see how many more attacks you can withstand!" The True Immortal demon seemed unwilling to lose face and prepared to attack again.

Just then, a vast surge of ancestral witch blood and qi soared from the center of Ten Thousand Witch City, transforming into a massive earth-yellow palm that slapped toward the source of the demon wind!

"Your opponent is me!" An aged, majestic voice rang out. It was a Witch Clan powerhouse stationed in the city's center making his move!

A battle between True Immortals unfolded in the skies, its energy aftershocks sweeping in every direction.

Li Su breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly repaired the array while swallowing pills to restore his divine sense.

Although it had been dangerous just now, clashing against True Immortal-level power—even with the array's aid—gave him a clearer understanding of both his own limits and the array's limits. He also gained a little more insight into the use of power.

The battle fell into a stalemate. The main force of the demon army was held near the breach in the city walls by the Witch Clan powerhouses, while the Houtu Tribe, thanks to the Star Rock Array's exceptional defense and counterattacks, drew in a portion of the demon soldiers. Yet they still could not break through for the time being.

Li Su continuously operated the array, defending at times, counterattacking at times, and confusing the enemy at times, fully displaying everything he had learned.

In actual combat, he constantly adjusted and refined the array's structure. His understanding of the fusion of the daos of stars, earth, bedrock, devouring, and protection grew ever deeper.

He even began trying to incorporate some of the transformative principles of the Eight Nine Mysterious Art into the array, making its operation more agile and elusive.

Amid the baptism of blood and fire, his attainments in arrays, combat awareness, and understanding of "battle" rose at an unprecedented pace.

[Operating the Star Rock Great Array in actual combat. Array Dao proficiency greatly increased; gained insight into combined array techniques.]

[Absorbed and refined battlefield baleful energy and lingering souls. Cultivation accumulation increased; Soul Devouring Origin slightly strengthened.]

[Observed a True Immortal-level confrontation. Understanding of power levels increased.]

[Comprehended the true meaning of "battle" through protection. Battle heart condensed.]

Who knew how much time passed? When Li Su repelled another wave of demon soldiers, he suddenly felt something and looked up at the sky, though it was obscured by demon clouds.

He sensed that his connection to this world had grown closer. The barrier at the peak of the Earth Immortal realm had finally completely loosened amid the continuous high-intensity depletion and replenishment!

The opportunity had arrived!