Moonlight on Blood After the Mysterious Yellow Shatters

Another day has passed, and the rosy glow of the setting sun still flows along the mountain ridge, but the light screen of the Yangming Mountain protective array has been stained purplish-black.

Ye Zhengwen could only see the runes on the Mirage Qi Screen crashing like waves against the shore, each line trembling with the monk's chanting, as if they were about to collapse at any moment.

Holding a pen and a knife, he diligently recorded whether those on the front lines were brave or cowardly, meritorious or deserving of reward.

Gradually, the shouts of battle outside grew louder and louder, and the bloody wind blowing in his face made him furrow his brows, and even his one remaining eye narrowed slightly. The Blood Qi in the wind was so strong that it seemed to dye his black hair with a reddish hue.

Ye Zhengwen glanced at the Mirage Qi Screen again and knew that the great formation had not been broken and that the wind was coming from inside the formation. So he put down his pen and sword and turned his gaze to the top of the mountain.

On the mountaintop stood a main battle flag, about ten feet square. The flag was woven from millennia-old thunder silkworm silk and embroidered with the characters "Xuanhuang". The runes seemed to move like living things, landing directly on the thickest vein node of Yangming Mountain.

As the flag fluttered, the Spirit Vein of the entire Yangming Mountain seemed to pulsate and tremble in response, truly a wondrous sight.

This Mysterious Yellow Encircling Veins Formation is a Swordless High Cultivator found after traversing three states. It relies on the mountain's Spirit Vein and the seventy-two array flags working together to defend against enemies.

While this old cultivator's skills may not be considered exceptionally high, the Third-Tier Lower-Grade formation he completed is quite Higher Vehicle, demonstrating his dedication.

To be fair, if that old swordsman hadn't been so arrogant and reckless, carelessly taking three halberds and being killed by Sect Leader Kang Da, then simply by fortifying the defenses and holding the position, Kang Dabao might not have been able to easily lead the cultivators under his jurisdiction to conquer Yangming Mountain in one battle.

How lamentable it is that one person's moral failings have brought ruin to the entire tradition!

Besides the main flag, which was black and yellow, there were seventy-two secondary flags hidden in various places in the mountains, roughly divided into three categories.

The flags are embroidered with "Kan" in the deep pools of the water veins; the flags are embroidered with "Xun" at the pass where the wind is whistling; the flags with "Gen" are embroidered with the flags leaning against the tough cliffs, which respectively have the effects of diverting water into thorns, turning wind into blades, and urging soil into helium.

The flag-guarding disciples were all elites drawn from various families, all of whom had been Foundation Establishment for years and had some knowledge of array True Cultivator. Each of them was also paired with a Foundation Establishment disciple as an assistant, just in case.

Ice spikes, wind blades, and earthen clubs quickly suppressed the arrogant aura of the warrior monks and shaman soldiers who had formed their ranks. The neat and solemn formation was stripped away in the blink of an eye. Not only were the disciples on the front lines terrified, but even Preceptor Huang Mi, who had personally said "You may die but you must not retreat," showed a more serious expression upon seeing this scene.

These elite troops were hard-won, and seeing that the situation of the shaman soldiers and warrior monks remained unchanged, he was so anxious that he personally took action. The sky was filled with Brahma fire as he covered it with his hand seals, clearing away the magic in front of the disciples. Then he recalled the shaman soldiers and warrior monks, and urged the newly recruited vassals from various families to come forward to wear them down.

At this moment, the spiritual power of the many disciples guarding the flag was also exhausted. Duan Anle and the Second-Tier Middle-Grade Golden-Feathered Owl Spirit Eyes were on the same screen. Seeing this scene, the command flags around the banner moved, and the flags of each formation began to rotate again.

The distinction between the primary and secondary factions was quite clear. The disciples from various families who had rushed to fight from the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall's side felt that the Daoist magic above their heads was not only much sparser, but its power had also diminished by more than half.

Just as they were celebrating, they crashed into a suddenly rising barrier, getting their heads bruised and bleeding.

Preceptor Huang Mi and the two hall masters, who were at the rear, could see clearly that the protective mountain formation had changed. The second hall master, Xia Ming was somewhat skilled in formations, murmured, "The deputy flag is in charge of the attack, the main flag is in charge of the defense."

As he murmured this, the disciples guarding the formation of the Double Brightness Alliance saw the words "Xuanhuang" on the main flag light up, and the seventy-two secondary flags responded in unison. The earth veins of Yangming Mountain immediately rumbled incessantly, and Spiritual Qi flowed along the runes on the flags, condensing into three barriers outside the mountain.

One of them is called "Wind and Thunder Barrier," which borrows the power of wind and thunder for assistance. The mountain gales and the purple lightning in the clouds all generously come to the rescue.

Many disciples from smaller sects, urged on by the warrior monks and shaman soldiers to charge into battle, rushed forward with bloodshot eyes, only to be blocked by the wind and injured by the thunder, fleeing in terror. In the end, they still could not save their lives and perished at the hands of the disciples of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall who were overseeing the battle.

This barrier was quite agile; with each flutter of the main flag, the wind and thunder's power changed, making it difficult for many officials of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall to predict, resulting in wasted lives.

Its second name is "Dark Ocean Wall", which is formed by the gathering of the essence of water and soil. The water condenses into a misty water curtain, which can cleanse the blood mist of Buddhist practitioners and the black grime of witch soldiers; the soil gathers into a vast stone wall, which can withstand the Golden Light of spirit crossbows and the heavy blows of Zen staffs. The water curtain wraps around the stone wall, and the soft can transform into the hard, and the hard can withstand the soft, just like the image of the harmony between heaven and earth.

The third one is called "Flint Spirit Armor," which draws on the fiery energy from the earth to condense into a crimson fire armor. The flames flow like a living thing, capable of burning even the indestructible body of a warrior monk, and can also scorch the soil and the shaman soldiers who try to dig into the ground, turning them into charcoal. The intense heat can even bake the roots of Spirit Plant until they are crispy.

When the three barriers work together, the Xuanhuang main flag flutters on the mountaintop, and the water curtain of the Dark Ocean Wall reflects the firelight of the Flint Spirit Armor, refracting a seven-colored halo that intertwines with the purple lightning of the Wind and Thunder Barrier, seemingly enveloping the entire Yangming Mountain in flowing light and shielding it from the blood vapor, which is quite a sight.

The brilliance of this Mysterious Yellow Encircling Veins Formation lies in its ability to utilize the principles of mutual generation and restraint of earth veins. The warrior monk's Buddhist light belongs to the metal element, so the main flag draws upon the fiery energy of the Flint Spirit Armor to counter it. The moment the Buddhist light strikes the crimson fire armor, it melts away like ice and snow.

The sorcerer's poison belongs to the wood element, so the Xuanhuang Banner mobilizes the earth veins of the Dark Ocean Wall to suppress it. The poisonous mist seeps into the Cangmang Stone Enclosure and is pulverized by the earth vein's Spiritual Qi.

With Si Prefecture not yet recovered and Xian Prefecture lost, even the gateways to Huo Prefecture have been largely taken over by Sect Leader Kang Da. As a result, the number of people who can be summoned by the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall is already much smaller than before. Even if these vassal disciples are worthless, Preceptor Huang Mi cannot sit idly by and watch them perish before his eyes.

With a wave of his hand and a Buddhist chant, the warrior monks who were licking their wounds immediately began to move.

The lotus mudra was formed with both hands, accompanied by the chanting of Buddhist mantras. The sound waves rippled outwards, like the roar of a white lion, causing the two characters "Xuanhuang" on the main banner to tremble slightly.

At the same time, Wei Gu, who was standing at the head of the main flag, waved his finger and scattered several Third Tier spiritual essences onto the flag as if they were free. The runes immediately trembled, and sparks suddenly appeared in the gale of the Wind and Thunder Barrier, burning the sound waves generated by the Buddhist chants and causing them to retreat step by step.

Wei Gu let out a long sigh. It was difficult for him, a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator and a Second-Tier Upper-Grade array master, to invite a group of array masters to preside over this array. If his sect leader had not specially allocated a lot of Third Tier array materials, he would not have been able to cope until this time.

Even with Preceptor Huang Mi personally leading the battle monks, the formation's core was not damaged. Consequently, the cultivators of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall abandoned the idea of surrendering in one battle and brought up the crossbows from the rear.

Wei Gu, seeing this scene, showed no surprise. He sprinkled some spiritual essence onto the Xuanhuang Banner, watched the runes flow across the banner, and listened to the earth veins rumbling in the mountainside.

The beams of mysterious light shot from the crossbow strings landed on the three barriers, emitting a series of buzzing sounds. Preceptor Huang Mi had finally been willing to spend Spirit Stone, which were far more valuable than human lives, and it had worked.

The array masters invited by Wei Gu had varying levels of cultivation, including some who were pseudo-elixir masters, some who were true Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even some minor Qi Refining cultivators. As long as their array skills were classified as second-tier, they were also included.

However, the dozen or so people scattered under the main flag were all deathly pale, regardless of their cultivation level. They could barely hold onto the array tokens in their hands, and it was only thanks to Wei Gu's haphazard sprinkling of spiritual energy that they managed to keep the two characters "Xuanhuang" on the flag steady.

The Essential Compendium of the Formation Canon * states, "The formation is the means to trace the principles of Taiji's generation and transformation, the vital points of the Big Dipper and the earth's veins; it is also said to be the shadow of heaven and earth, following its course brings efficacy, while going against it leads to collapse."

His current mastery of array formations far surpasses what his master Zhang Qingran could teach him. However, human strength is limited, and his cultivation is still shallow. He has only recently comprehended the Mysterious Yellow Encircling Veins Formation, so it is naturally difficult for him to operate it perfectly.

Preceptor Huang Mi was willing to sacrifice his old resources, not even sparing a penny of the Third Tier spiritual tools he had acquired at great expense before the battle. If all of that proved ineffective, then he had underestimated this seasoned cultivator.

Another cup of tea's time passed, and even Wei Gu lost count of how much Xuan light the great array barrier had taken. But then a scream rang in his ears, which terrified Wei Gu so much that he hurriedly scattered his spiritual essence.

His reaction was quick enough, but unfortunately, he was still a step too late.

When the main flagpole suddenly exploded and cracked, the only Qi Refinement chosen by Wei Gu also fainted on the spot. The flag's array masters were all seasoned warriors, and without even a close look, they knew that his heart meridian had been shattered, and even a god couldn't save him.

At this moment of solemnity, the seventy-two deputy flags also showed varying degrees of damage. The True Cultivator cultivators who took turns carrying the flags suffered heavy casualties. The earth veins connected by the flags suddenly stagnated, revealing a momentary flaw, which was seized by the Pill Master who had been summoned by Preceptor Huang Mi to operate the crossbows.

The Third Tier crossbow hummed as it charged forward, the black iron runes on its body lighting up one after another, swirling the surrounding Spiritual Qi into a visible white vortex.

The three-zhang-long crossbow bolt was enveloped in crimson flames, with a cluster of purple-gold lightning condensed at the arrowhead. This was a formation-breaking arrow forged from the inner core of a Third Tier demon Demon Beast, the Crimson-Eyed Thunder Leopard, and the shaft was engraved with "Spirit Rift" runes.

"Put!"

The trembling of the giant string overwhelmed the mountain wind, and the crossbow bolts tore through the clouds, streaking towards the Mysterious Yellow Encircling Veins Formation with fiery tails.

The water curtain outside the Ocean Wall suddenly boiled, and countless water droplets turned into ice shards to meet the attack, only to be blasted into mist by the lightning. Immediately afterward, the fire wall of Flint Armor rose up, and the crimson flames collided with the flames of the crossbow bolts, exploding into a sky full of flowing fire.

The Xuanhuang banner in front of Wei Gu urged the earth's veins, and when it landed on the golden earth, it pulsated incessantly like bulging blood vessels.

The moment the crossbow bolt struck the light barrier, the entire Yangming Mountain seemed to tremble. The flames shattered into sparks, but the lightning relentlessly drilled into the gaps in the runes, forcing ripples to spread across the three sides of the great formation's barrier. The earth's Spiritual Qi was drawn in by the array flags, replenishing the leaks like a tidal wave.

With a loud clang, many cultivators in the formation felt their scalps tingle. The crossbow bolts were eventually trapped by the Xuanhuang Qi Wall, and the spirit-splitting talismans on the arrow shafts lit up inch by inch. However, Wei Gu, with blood spilling from the corners of his mouth, urged the formation master to change the formation technique several times. The Xuanhuang main flag immediately shone brightly, channeling the power of thunder and fire into the earth's veins, transforming into a pillar of light shooting into the sky in the mountain valley.

The cultivators inside the formation stared at the crossbow bolt hanging in mid-air, gradually dimming, when they suddenly felt a slight tremor beneath their feet.

The Mysterious Yellow Encircling Veins Formation, drawing upon the earth's veins for nourishment, completely neutralized the power of the Third Tier crossbow, leaving only the remnants of the crossbow bolts slowly crushed into iron filings by the air wall.

The Double Brightness Alliance disciples, unaware of the situation, were feeling fortunate when Preceptor Huang Mi, outside the formation, chuckled softly.

Wei Gu's face was ashen, devoid of any joy. Just as he was about to wrap the Xuanhuang main banner with his spiritual power, the ten-foot-tall banner suddenly exploded, and the shockwave from the explosion knocked over all the array masters.

As Wei Gu was sent flying backward, he didn't forget to shout, "Senior Brother Duan!!"

Without him having to shout, Duan Anle had already noticed the changes through Golden-Feathered Owl.

But after the main flag fell, the deputy flags were pulverized one after another. Fortunately, most of the flag bearers had recovered from their years of True Cultivator, which prevented the tragedy from happening.

Without all the array flags and with Wei Gu's best efforts in presiding, the Mysterious Yellow Encircling Veins Formation became like a tree without roots.

The three barriers were completely obliterated, and beams of light brushed past the faces of the sorcerers and warrior monks who came up again, their voices embodying the motto "No retreat allowed," making them appear even more cruel.

Seeing that the opposing formation had been completely destroyed, Preceptor Huang Mi showed no mercy this time. He sent out all his close disciples to patrol within the formation. Whether they were his own disciples or his subordinates, anyone who dared to retreat even half a step would only meet a fate of being beheaded.

As expected of a long-established sect, the sheer scale of their formation caused many of the Pill Master beneath the banner to slightly change color. The chief clerk 'Buse expression was somewhat subtle, as if he were secretly planning his retreat.

The collapse of the great formation was something Sect Leader Kang Da had anticipated; Wei Gu's ability to hold out for so long was already a pleasant surprise. He didn't say much, only softly calling out, "Anle."

Upon hearing the sound, Duan Anle sprang into action, his retinue of followers waving command flags incessantly.

The Crimson Zhang Guard at the front formed a triple spear formation, the crimson Sha Qi at the spear tips intertwining with the azure light of the Azure Jue Guard' lotus platform formation, weaving an impenetrable thick wall inside the light barrier.

"The lotus protects me!"

The monk's staff, with its disheveled hair, suddenly emitted a golden light from the blood-soaked ground, and countless warrior monks charged forward, stepping on illusory lotus platforms.

Their robes were already soaked in blood, their prayer beads spun like spinning wheels, and with each recitation of a sutra, a wisp of blood mist seeped from their palms, merging into the giant shield of Buddha's light in front of them.

The giant shield slammed into the thick wall, causing the light barrier to dent violently, and the runes to light up inch by inch, like the belly of a fish struggling for its life.

"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" Xiu Ming slashed down from the high platform, and more than a hundred beams of mysterious light suddenly flew out.

Chongming Sect lacks the foundation of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall, Xiu Ming, the Foundation Establishment Leader, is not capable of wielding Third Tier spiritual tools. The hundred or so Second Tier crossbows represent all the Ingenious Craftsman Fort that Qiaogong Fort has accumulated over the years with Sect Leader Kang Da.

One could see crossbow bolts, each as thick as a log, striking the giant shield of Buddha's light. The exploding golden flames and Buddha's light swirled together, burning honeycomb-like holes into the shield.

But the warrior monks showed no fear. The Buddhist cultivators in the front row suddenly lunged at the light barrier, their bodies exploding the instant they hit the shield. Blood mist seeped in through the holes, scalding the flesh of the cultivators inside the formation.

These crossbows didn't last long. With a flick of Preceptor Huang Mi's finger, the remaining dozen or so Third Tier crossbows flashed with spiritual light, and over a hundred Second Tier spiritual weapons, along with most of the elite Ingenious Craftsman Fort, were instantly reduced to a pile of rubble.

The warrior monks were already close. Kang Rongquan, who was standing in front of the Crimson Zhang Guard, summoned the Wood Demon, which emerged from the ground in time. At the same time, the giant palm shattered the blood mist, and the vine-like arms wrapped around three witch soldiers who were climbing over the light barrier.

The tattoos on these sorcerers suddenly lit up, and patterns of flowers, birds, fish, and beasts crawled along the vines toward the wood demon, actually corroding the Spirit Plant's body and leaving black marks. Kang Rongquan roared and scattered a handful of Spirit Plant seeds. As the green leaves unfurled, white smoke rose from the black marks, finally forcing back the witch's poison.

The main force of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall's shaman soldiers had already rushed to the front lines.

The shirtless men in the front row bit their tongues, spraying black blood onto Wen's body, instantly causing his skin to split open and turn him into a bloody mess.

The bone blades in their hands gleamed with an eerie light, and they surged forth like a tide through the gap created by the self-destructing warrior monks.

The leading shaman, False Core, roared, and the tiger pattern on his tattoo broke free from his skin, transforming into a ten-foot-tall phantom that pounced on the Crimson Zhang Guard's spear formation.

"Impermanence of Withering and Flourishing!"

The "Profound Clear Withering and Flourishing Secret Manual" helped Kang Rongquan's wooden puppet instantly grow several times its original size. With a flick of his hand, it landed squarely on the tiger phantom's brow. The phantom let out a mournful roar, and the moment it vanished, blood burst from the chest of the sorcerer's False Core.

In his shock and rage, the leader of the sorcerers brazenly tore off the festering flesh on his chest, pressed a blood-red talisman into the wound, and his body swelled by half a foot, his bone blade slashing towards the nearest Crimson Zhang Guard with a black wind.

"Clang!" Yang Xun's square seal slammed into the bone blade just in time, causing his tiger's mouth to split open.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Dai Fuzhi swung his sword and severed the necks of two sorcerer soldiers. However, he saw the blood mist from the Buddhist monk creeping up his wrist along the sword wound. He hurriedly swung his sword at his own forearm, and black blood splattered on the ground with a sizzling sound.

"Star-Shooting Crossbow, fire!!"

Xiu Ming's voice was hoarse, and it was unclear whether it was from anger or sorrow. Another group of Ingenious Craftsman Fort disciples who had just arrived moved without stopping. Silver arrows flew like locusts through the spear formation, pinning the shaman soldiers who were trying to break out to the ground.

It's unclear how much time passed, but the blood that had flowed into streams had soaked the spiritual soil beneath their feet into a sticky state. Taking advantage of this, three pseudo-Dan masters from among the warrior monks emerged, smashing down more than ten Qingjue Guard Foundation Establishment cultivators with a swing of their staffs.

Kang Rongquan was immediately enraged. He ordered his servant, Mu Xiao, to grab him, but Mu Xiao's arm was easily blown off by the blood talisman in the Buddhist monk's palm. The emerald green liquid mixed with black blood splattered on Kang Rongquan's face, which only fueled his anger.

Ming Hun had just achieved False Core, stepped forward to help and finally rescued the brave and Wuwei grandson of the sect leader.

"Crimson Zhang Guard, fill the gap!"

Yang Xun roared and hurled the seal, its light slightly dimming the Buddha's aura of a Pill Master. Dai Fuzhi, leading his sword-and-shield entourage, rushed forward, his magic sword striking the Zen staff and sparks flying. However, the Pill Master struck him in the chest with a backhand palm strike, and the spurting blood mist mixed with shattered internal organs—how could he possibly survive?!

Seeing that the battle was deadlocked, Preceptor Huang Mi was furious outside the formation. He suddenly shook his head, and six pairs of golden rings rang out in unison, and Buddhist chants rolled through the crowd like thunder.

The subsequent warrior monks suddenly formed a circular formation, their bodies enveloped in a golden light like a glass dome, and began to temper their physical bodies with spiritual power, their skin gleaming with a metallic sheen.

"Is this a way to overdraw on our fundamental resources?!"

Duan Anle's heart tightened, and he waved his command flag hastily, "Azure Jue Guard, reverse the lotus platform!"

The lotus platform formation suddenly reversed, and the reverse side of the lotus leaves was engraved with cleansing runes. The azure light collided with the crimson Sha Qi inside the light barrier, and actually condensed into a huge Tai Chi diagram in front of the formation.

The Golden Light from the spirit crossbow cannons shone on the Taiji diagram, refracting into countless light blades that slashed towards the warrior monk's glass shield.

The Buddhist cultivators' defenses cracked instantly, Crimson Zhang Guard seized the opportunity to thrust their spears in unison. The crimson Sha Qi pierced through the cracks and exploded within the Buddhist cultivators' bodies.

The shaman soldiers were now completely mad.

One of the Pill Master, disregarding all dignity, dragged his broken leg and crashed into the light barrier. The snake-shaped pattern on his tattoo burrowed into the earth's veins and spread along the gaps in the formation, instantly filling the Crimson Zhang Guard with black snake shadows.

Just as Kang Rongquan's peach pit burst open, and the moment the Jade Armor Puppet entangled the snake shadow, Yang Xun's square seal seized the opportunity and smashed A Guman's spine on the spot.

After dealing with his opponents and sending Kang Changzhao and Kang Changyan into the rear, Yuan Buwen rushed over. Just before the Wuzu Pill Master breathed his last, he still inserted the bone blade into the crack in the light barrier. Black blood seeped into the blade, and the runes were completely extinguished.

They had already taken another Pill Master's head, but they still couldn't rest. They had to join the other Pill Master who had arrived and fight them in a chaotic battle!

The Crimson Zhang Guard, Azure Jue Guard, and Witch Soldiers and War Monks were engaged in a fierce battle, while the vassals of the Chongming Sect and the vassals of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall were also fighting on the same side.

At this moment, neither Duan Anle nor Preceptor Huang Mi could clearly discern the current battle situation. They could only see various forces mixed together, fighting fiercely and indistinguishably.

As the sun set, the corpses in front of the battle lines had already piled up into a small mountain.

The Buddhist light emanating from the warrior monks dimmed like a flickering candle, while the shamans generously showered down their bodies, which then converged into a red river.

Occasionally, a few Buddhist monks chanted scriptures, while the severed limbs of shaman soldiers twitched on the ground. The spear tips of the Crimson Zhang Guard still pointed at the enemy formation, and the lotus platform of the Azure Jue Guard slowly rotated, washing away the last wisp of blood mist into a faint fragrance.

Duan Anle's eyes. He leaned on the railing of the high platform, gazing at the Crimson Zhang stuck in the pile of corpses in front of him. The crimson Sha Qi at the tips of the spears was still pulsating slightly.

He suddenly saw that the long-silent Sect Leader Kang Da was standing beside him, the Jade Palace Impurity Breaker Halberd leaning against his shoulder, the clear light of the halberd tip blending with the moonlight, casting a long shadow on the ground.

"How?"

Hearing Kang Dabao's question, Duan Anle felt a warmth in his heart. He wiped the blood from his face and suddenly smiled, "If Second Uncle were here, these lewd monks and barbarians would suffer a great loss."

Outside the formation, Preceptor Huang Mi stared at the broken yet still standing light barrier, his bone ring cracking as he clenched it.

Most of the warrior monks behind him had fallen, and the tattoos on the shaman soldiers had mostly faded, yet the front line hadn't advanced much. Even the other two temple masters muttered to themselves, "How many more disciples will have to die?! If we had known this would happen, we would have focused all our efforts on taking over Si Prefecture."

"Withdraw, we'll figure something out later!"

Huang Mi's roar was filled with resentment. As he turned around, he caught sight of a burly figure wielding a halberd in the formation, and his expression turned solemn.

He suddenly realized who the true barrier of Yangming Mountain was.

As night deepened, large swaths of moonlight shone down, illuminating the wounded soldiers Chongming Sect's side.

Yang Xun leaned against the broken spear, watching Kang Rongquan, whose fate was unknown, being carried to the wounded soldiers' camp. Suddenly, he discovered that a fragment of a warrior monk's rosary was stuck to his seal, which had almost cost him his life.

"At least we survived," he wasn't the only one who felt this way. As night fell, the moonlight generously illuminated the bloodied faces.

The cultivators of the Crimson Zhang Guard used the tips of their spears to prop up a pot and cooked spirit rice mixed with the Grain Avoidance Pill over the remaining embers. Duan Anle did not seek leisure, but instead led the disciples of the Azure Jue Guard to make up for their evening lessons under the moonlight.

The chanting, hoarse with the lingering pain of someone who had survived a calamity, brought a sense of peace to the surrounding cultivators. Even the wails in the clinic seemed to subside considerably.

The Sect Leader Kang Da, held his short halberd in his hand, staring straight ahead, seemingly lost in thought.

Not far away, Preceptor Huang Mi's chanting of the Buddha's name was intermittent, lacking any trace of its former freedom.

He hasn't lost today, but for the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall, not winning is tantamount to defeat. "Kang Dabao is someone special. I can't take you in; let's wait for someone who can."

As soon as the words were spoken, a letter floated into a quiet, secluded chamber within Rosy Lake Mountain. Inside, an indescribable creature was panting heavily.

(Some readers commented that I haven't been as proactive in correcting typos Lao Bai. Actually, it's because I know my writing hasn't been very good, so I haven't had the courage to read the comments.)

I seem to be stuck in a vicious cycle right now. I don't know whether to focus on the ensemble cast or Kang Dabao's individual character. I also don't know which way to unravel the plot lines I planted earlier. So writing 4,000 words a day is a real struggle. I'll definitely update more when I'm in better shape. (The words in parentheses don't count as money.)