Sect Master’s Immortal Journey

Chapter 586: The enemies' siege

The Fire Cloud Sect's army, led by Daoist Master Scarlet Flame, received support from the East River Branch, making their strength only slightly weaker than the cultivator army of Taiyi Sect. Daoist Master Scarlet Flame, an experienced Gold Core Daoist Master, was not content with merely blocking Taiyi Sect's cultivator army. He had ambitious plans to defeat the enemy head-on. Leading his army, he took the initiative to confront the enemy, and on the vast sea of sand, fierce battles unfolded between his forces and Taiyi Sect's army.

Daoist Master Scarlet Flame entrusted the command of his cultivator army to others and personally stepped forward to challenge Meng Zhang. In the battles of the Cultivation World, there were both group fights between cultivators and one-on-one challenges. Engaging in one-on-one combat was not just an act of heroism but also crucial for the morale of both armies. If the strong were not restrained, they could ruthlessly target ordinary cultivators.

Meng Zhang handed over the command of his army to Wen Qiansun and flew into the sky to personally respond to Daoist Master Scarlet Flame's challenge. Both of them were mid-stage Gold Core cultivators, but Daoist Master Scarlet Flame was over twice as old as Meng Zhang, having become a renowned Gold Core cultivator when Meng Zhang was still in his mother's womb.

Daoist Master Scarlet Flame, who had been through countless battles, acknowledged Meng Zhang as a formidable opponent but did not believe he was weaker. He considered Fei Shi Daoist Master from the Flying Swan Sect to be his true rival; Meng Zhang still lacked the necessary experience.

Years of bloodshed and injuries among their fellow disciples had fostered deep animosity between the two sides. Once the war started, it was an all-out confrontation without mercy. Soon after the battle began, significant casualties occurred on both sides.

In the sky, aside from Meng Zhang and Daoist Master Scarlet Flame, several other Gold Core Daoist Masters fought against each other in pairs. Among the various battlefields, Meng Zhang and Daoist Master Scarlet Flame were the first to determine the winner.

Meng Zhang first used the "Strange and Upright Sword Art" to attract Daoist Master Scarlet Flame's attention, then employed the "Sun and Moon Divine Light" to immobilize him, and finally wounded him with the "Spiritsnake Spear." Although Daoist Master Scarlet Flame was injured and forced to retreat, he still fought desperately, and Meng Zhang couldn't finish him off.

The battle between Gold Core Daoist Masters of similar cultivation bases was easy to determine the outcome but difficult to decide life and death. After his defeat and injuries, the cunning Daoist Master Scarlet Flame remained calm and gradually stabilized his position, fighting while retreating.

With the other Gold Core Daoist Masters of Fire Cloud Sect, along with the assistance of the cultivators from the East River Branch, they fought and retreated, making Taiyi Sect's army unable to make a bold advance.

While Daoist Master Scarlet Flame led the army to block Taiyi Sect's army, the East River Branch concentrated its forces and launched a full-scale attack on the Flying Swan Sect. Due to the vast disparity in strength, the cultivator army of Flying Swan Sect nearly collapsed, and they had to fall back to Yellow Sand Ridge and rely on the Third Rank mountain protection great formation to hold their ground.

Originally, according to Wu Mingwei Daoist Master's plan, with the aid of the Third Rank mountain protection great formation, Yellow Sand Ridge could withstand the Taiyi Sect's reinforcements for a considerable period. However, at the Gold Core Daoist Master level, Flying Swan Sect was too far behind. Even with the assistance of Deep Earth Spirit General and Delicate Water Spirit General, they could not reverse the situation.

Yellow Lotus Sect's East River Branch was powerful and had many hidden cards. Confronted with the Third Rank mountain protection great formation, the cultivators of East River Branch immediately took out a stack of Third Rank Formation Breaking Talismans. Leading the charge was Daoist Master Smiling Lotus, a late-stage Gold Core cultivator, who led the cultivator army to fiercely attack Yellow Sand Ridge.

The Third Rank mountain protection great formation could only hold on for less than ten days before being completely broken through. Prior to this, Deep Earth Spirit General and Delicate Water Spirit General had received instructions from Meng Zhang and, realizing the situation was unfavorable, immediately abandoned the cultivators of Flying Swan Sect and made a desperate breakout.

The East River Branch cultivators were in a hurry to take Yellow Sand Ridge, and they didn't try to intercept the fleeing spirits.

After capturing Yellow Sand Ridge, East River Branch showed no mercy and executed all the captured and injured cultivators. Apart from a small number of cultivators left to chase the remnants, East River Branch cleared the surrounding area and, with Daoist Master Smiling Lotus leading the main forces, urgently rushed to another battlefield.

Following these events, Flying Swan Sect was nearly annihilated. They only had a few disciples stationed at Dustfall Mound, and they were left to see if there were any last-ditch efforts from Flying Swan Sect.

While Meng Zhang encountered Deep Earth Spirit General and Delicate Water Spirit General, the Taiyi Sect's cultivator army was relentlessly pursuing and attacking Fire Cloud Sect. Despite anticipating a certain outcome, hearing the news of Yellow Sand Ridge's fall still left Meng Zhang with mixed emotions.

Given the critical situation, it was not the time for grief or hesitation. Meng Zhang put aside other thoughts and began considering the next course of action. The most prudent approach would be to immediately lead the Taiyi Sect cultivators and flee as quickly as possible, but Meng Zhang couldn't bring himself to abandon everything before him.

Taiyi Sect's achievements had not come easily. All the territories had been hard-won. Meng Zhang was unaware of the changes at Deadly Sea of Sand, so he clung to the hope that True Monarch Mountain Peak and True Monarch Profound Wind might not have succeeded in finding True Monarch Tian Zhu.

After much deliberation, Meng Zhang made what he considered a compromise. On one hand, he called several trusted individuals to discreetly leave Demon Wind Gobi with some outstanding young disciples and seek refuge within Jiuqu League's territory. On the other hand, he ordered the army to cease pursuit and initiate a strategic retreat.

With Taiyi Sect's army no longer pressing them, the enemy, who had been on the defensive, didn't immediately catch up, allowing Meng Zhang time to adjust his deployment.

Meng Zhang swiftly led the Taiyi Sect cultivator army, retreating and falling back directly to Hundred Grass Slope. He then began to concentrate all their forces, having Taiyi Sect disciples abandon all peripheral strongholds, including Grand Lion Ridge, and retreat into Hundred Grass Slope.

The main cultivators of the members of the Hanhai Alliance were also summoned to follow suit and take refuge in Hundred Grass Slope. The place now held the main force of Taiyi Sect, even the entire Hanhai Alliance, with over six thousand cultivators.

Although in the Cultivation World, a large number of low-level cultivators could hardly pose a threat to high-level cultivators, having a larger number of cultivators had its significance, especially when backed by the Third Rank mountain protection great formation.

Since being selected as Taiyi Sect's mountain gate, the high-level leadership had invested considerable efforts into developing Hundred Grass Slope. The defense facilities here were the result of many years of labor and resources.

After Wen Qiansun became the core Formation Master, he quickly gained the ability to independently deploy the Third Rank great formation. As long as he had enough materials, he could even refine new Third Rank great formations.

Once Deep Earth Spirit General's cultivation base recovered to the Gold Core stage, he could finally unleash the full power of the Geomancer's various Divine Abilities, fully showcasing his abilities. He communicated with the underground veins of Hundred Grass Slope, channeling the power of the spirit veins, changing the surrounding terrain while greatly reinforcing the defense, and coordinating with Wen Qiansun to set up protective great formations.

Wen Qiansun acquired two Third Rank mountain protection great formations from Great Wind City, personally dismantled them, and, along with some prepared formation flags and plates, constructed a brand new Third Rank mountain protection great formation - the "Five Elements Reversal" great formation.

The mountain protection great formation relied on the underground veins and fully absorbed the spiritual energy of the spirit veins. Once deployed, it was nearly impenetrable.

Meng Zhang nearly concentrated all available forces at hand and relied on this mountain protection great formation to hold off the joint forces of Fire Cloud Sect and East River Branch. Taiyi Sect knew that this battle was a matter of survival for the sect, so everyone was on high alert, awaiting the enemy's arrival.

Without making Taiyi Sect cultivators wait for too long, Daoist Master Smiling Lotus personally led the joint forces of the two sects and quickly advanced towards Hundred Grass Slope. He easily ascertained Taiyi Sect's latest movements and understood that only by breaking through the current mountain gate and completely eliminating the defending cultivator army could they determine the final outcome of this battle.

Daoist Master Smiling Lotus concentrated all available forces, not even bothering to send troops to sweep nearby Taiyi Sect strongholds to avoid dividing his forces. He even disregarded Grand Lion Ridge, which had already been abandoned by Taiyi Sect. As for other members of the Hanhai Alliance, he paid them no attention.

Once the joint forces of the two sects were in position, Daoist Master Smiling Lotus wasted no time and commanded the army to launch a fierce attack. At this stage of the war, it was a life or death situation, and actions like trying to persuade surrender had no meaning.

As soon as the joint forces of the two sects began their attack, they encountered strong resistance and suffered significant casualties. However, Daoist Master Smiling Lotus continued to press on without any hesitation, ordering the army to keep attacking.

Among the joint forces of the two sects were military supervisors from the Mountain Branch, who didn't care about East River Branch's casualties but only whether East River Branch obeyed True Monarch Mountain Peak's orders and fought to end the battle as soon as possible.

Although Zhu Liangyu had returned to True Monarch Profound Wind's side, there was still Daoist Master Smiling Lotus, a late-stage Gold Core cultivator, among the forces. East River Branch had dispatched two mid-stage Gold Core cultivators as reinforcements. Together with Daoist Master Scarlet Flame, who suppressed his injuries, there were three mid-stage Gold Core cultivators in their ranks. In terms of Gold Core cultivators, the joint forces of the two sects far outnumbered Taiyi Sect.

If Taiyi Sect had not relied on the Third Rank mountain protection great formation to hold their ground, they would have been completely overwhelmed by the joint forces of the two sects.

Next, the attacking side used various means without regard for casualties to attack Hundred Grass Slope's mountain protection great formation relentlessly. On the other hand, Taiyi Sect defended their mountain gate, responding to attacks while fully defending it.

Once this fierce attack and defense battle started, it quickly escalated into a white-hot stage. Yellow Lotus Sect, as a Primordial Spirit major sect, still possessed many trump cards, even with East River Branch only being a branch. In the eyes of ordinary cultivators, the seemingly indestructible Third Rank mountain protection great formation had various countermeasures in the hands of East River Branch.

The continuous attacks greatly depleted the power of the mountain protection great formation and weakened its defense. The Third Rank Formation Breaking Talisman could stall the great formation's operation and create vulnerabilities.

During these brief moments, the daring cultivators from the two sects tried their best to break into the great formation from the inside and completely destroy it. At this point, it was time for Taiyi Sect cultivators to resist face-to-face.

After several intense battles, Taiyi Sect always managed to drive back the cultivators who managed to break into the great formation, albeit at a great cost. This was because the vulnerabilities exposed by the great formation were not significant, and only a limited number of cultivators could enter it at once. Moreover, the power of the Formation Breaking Talisman was limited and could only temporarily stall the great formation's operation. As soon as the great formation resumed normal operation, it quickly closed the gaps and restored its defense.

Several times, Daoist Master Smiling Lotus risked his life to personally enter the great formation, relying on the power of the Third Rank Formation Breaking Talisman. However, under the leadership of Meng Zhang, the Gold Core cultivators of Taiyi Sect fought with all their might and drove Daoist Master Smiling Lotus out.

This Third Rank mountain protection great formation could enhance the fighting power of Taiyi Sect cultivators and suppress the enemy's fighting power. Even Extreme Sword Spirit General and Shocking Thunder Spirit General, with the help of the great formation, could even suppress the enemy's Gold Core Daoist Masters. Even Zheng Chao, the Hall Master of War Hall, who was much weaker, could temporarily hold off the enemy's Gold Core Daoist Masters with the power of the formation.

Daoist Master Smiling Lotus knew that the war couldn't be ended in a short time. He led the joint forces of the two sects to surround Hundred Grass Slope from all directions and launched a desperate attack.

The siege continued for over three months, but they still couldn't overcome Hundred Grass Slope's mountain protection great formation. It seemed impossible to break through this place.

Though heavily besieged, Meng Zhang found a way to maintain communication with the outside world at this point. It was then that he finally learned of his mistake from Jiuqu League.

After True Monarch Mountain Peak and True Monarch Profound Wind left Deadly Sea of Sand, news soon spread that True Monarch Tian Zhu and Fifth Rank Earth Spirit had perished together. Without True Monarch Tian Zhu's deterrent, True Monarch Profound Wind and True Monarch Mountain Peak could directly attack Taiyi Sect.

Taiyi Sect's current defense had lost its meaning. Even if they could hold off the current enemy and block Fire Cloud Sect and East River Branch, Mountain Branch and Crane Song Sect could still continue their attack here.

Worst case scenario, even if Taiyi Sect performed exceptionally and held Hundred Grass Slope against numerous strong enemies, everything would be in vain once a Primordial Spirit True Monarch made a move.

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