Outside East Third Guard Island, the barrier of the Island-Guarding Formation protecting the entire island gradually began to show signs of decline during the hour of the tiger on the third day;
Its spiritual radiance had grown somewhat dim, like old brocade soaked through by days of relentless drizzle, losing the resilience it had possessed a few days earlier.
Xin Bairen stood atop the lookout tower of a Condensed Jade Treasure Ship ahead of the central army.
His eyes were slightly closed as his Divine Sense surged out, sweeping through the boundless mist straight toward the tottering barrier of the Island-Guarding Formation opposite him.
Crack!
With a sharp snap, another fissure opened in the formation barrier ahead.
Golden Sanskrit characters struggled fiercely within the fissure, their light flickering uncertainly;
Yet they could no longer repair the crack in an instant as they once had.
Xin Bairen opened his eyes, a keen light flashing through them. His Divine Sense, spanning more than a dozen li, pierced the layers of mist, taking in the damaged state of certain Formation Flags on the island:
In the northeastern corner, among dozens of Formation Bases, the poles of several Lotus Blossom Sub-Flags had snapped, their banners hanging limply.
At the western Formation Base, a Rebirth Formation Plate belonging to an auxiliary formation had been blasted apart by Spirit Cannon fire, leaving only the greater part of its base;
Several Formation Masters were scrambling to repair it, but the Spiritual Power flowed in as slowly as a crawling snail.
"Hall Vice Lord Xin, reports have arrived from the left and right wings."
Elder Xuan Zhen's voice was hoarse and weary. He had just returned from inspecting the formations on both wings.
"On the left wing, True Person Sun Wudi led the Demon Lotus Sect contingent in