Chapter 9: The Battle of Hanxiu Peak (Part 2)

Fierce ghost heads charged towards the Four Symbols Heavenly Origin Array, enveloped in a chilling wind and malevolent aura, one after another, in an endless stream, causing the array to waver almost immediately.

A flash of red light appeared, and in the center of the array, a vermilion bird several zhang in size spread its wings and flew up. As soon as it appeared, the air temperature rose sharply, and the fire elemental spirit energy around it surged towards it.

Following the commands of the array manipulator, the vermilion bird circled in the air, took a deep breath, and its body expanded even more as it absorbed a large amount of fire elemental spirit energy. It then charged towards the densest cluster of ghost heads.

The weaker and more ethereal ghost heads were instantly dissipated into wisps of smoke by the vermilion bird's charge, but the number of ghost heads was too great. As soon as one batch was destroyed, another immediately surrounded it.

Each time the vermilion bird flapped its wings, countless sparks flew out, igniting the ghost heads like pouring oil on a fire. However, after a few times, the vermilion bird's form visibly dimmed. At this rate, the fire elemental spirit energy would be exhausted before the ghost heads were all burned away.

This spell, the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, was a simplified version of the Dan Formation spell, the Wailing of Ten Thousand Ghosts, performed by two Foundation Establishment cultivators and dozens of Qi Condensation disciples using array flags. The number of ghost heads summoned far exceeded a hundred.

A flash of white light appeared, and a white tiger suddenly pounced out, exuding a killing aura.

With a roar, sharp white light radiated from the white tiger's body, piercing countless ghost heads. At the same time, an unfortunate masked black-robed cultivator was also hit, letting out a scream as a bowl-sized hole appeared in his abdomen, leaving him with little chance of survival.

"Actually a complete Four Symbols Heavenly Origin Array, this Bai family is truly wealthy!"

The older of the two Foundation Establishment cultivators sneered, "A second-grade superior protective mountain array, enough to serve as the face of a small sect. Junior Brother Chen, the information provided by the sect didn't mention anything special about this Bai family, right?"

"Ordinary, not among the few we need to avoid. These cultivator families are the most concerned about their lives, so it's not surprising they spent their spirit stones on the array."

This Junior Brother Chen was shorter and spoke in a hoarse voice, "Senior Brother Shen, it's a good thing I acted quickly, or I wouldn't have had time to come and support you after exterminating the neighboring family. Otherwise, you alone wouldn't have been able to break this Four Symbols Heavenly Origin Array, and you would have been punished by the sect leader upon return."

"Stop talking, use the Yin Cold Malevolent Qi bestowed by the sect leader before we set out. Break the array, and I'll share half of the souls of the cultivators here with you!"

"Alright, as Senior Brother commands, I will comply!"

This Junior Brother Chen had already collected the souls of over a dozen cultivators during the extermination of another cultivator family. If he could gather more here, he could return and form a new Hundred Ghost Banner.

Cultivators of the demonic path often cultivate spells and treasures that accompany slaughter. Once they enter this path, their progress is rapid.

However, perhaps this method is not favored by the heavens, and the bottleneck for cultivators of the demonic path is much harder to break than for those of the righteous path. They are also prone to developing heart demons, making it difficult for them to walk the true path.

Due to these restrictions, the righteous path has always been dominant in the Liang Kingdom's cultivation world, suppressing the demonic path.

Although the Four Symbols Heavenly Origin Array was difficult to deal with, the two Ghost Spirit Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators did not take it seriously. If there were another cultivator of the same rank controlling the array, they would have turned and fled without a second thought. But a group of Qi Condensation cultivators were like clay pigeons.

If not for the fear of prolonged battles, there were at least five or six methods to easily break the array.

Each of them took out a jade bottle, cast a spell, and pointed. Two streams of black, refined malevolent qi spewed out, enveloping the array flags. All the ghost heads seemed to have taken a full course of tonics, becoming more energetic.

The leading ghost heads had already developed clear facial features, their forms rapidly becoming more substantial, and even weapons of various styles condensed in their hands.

These two streams of Yin Cold Malevolent Qi were condensed by a Dan Formation demonic cultivator using a special demonic technique, equivalent to the essence of a Dan Formation True Human's magical power, greatly enhancing several demonic spells of the Ghost Spirit Sect.

The Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, supplemented by the two streams of Yin Cold Malevolent Qi, became several times more powerful.

Under the leadership of the leading ghost heads, the vermilion bird and the white tiger were completely overpowered, their forms shrinking.

Fortunately, the Four Symbols Heavenly Origin Array flickered, and a black tortoise appeared in the northern corner, slowly crawling. A dragon's roar echoed, and the azure dragon appeared, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder.

With all four symbols manifesting, the array had been pushed to its limits.

At the core of the array on the peak of Hanxiu Peak, the Second Elder, with bloodshot eyes, replaced the twelve dim mid-grade spirit stones with new ones. In just a short time, the Four Symbols Heavenly Origin Array had consumed over fifty mid-grade spirit stones, equivalent to over five thousand low-grade spirit stones.

The Second Elder's heart was bleeding, both for the casualties and for the family's centuries-old spirit stone reserves being depleted in an instant.

"Only twenty mid-grade spirit stones remain. Low-grade spirit stones can't sustain the array's consumption... Everyone, listen up! Once the spirit stones are exhausted, use your own magical power to inject into the core of the array. Every second counts!"

"Yes, Elder!"

Bai Zichen's palms were sweating as he held the ironwood crossbow, witnessing the magnificent yet dangerous battle between cultivators for the first time.

Whether the protective mountain array could defend Hanxiu Peak was a roller coaster of emotions for him, rising and falling with the situation.

"It seems... it held?"

The vermilion bird exploded, the white tiger dissipated into starlight, the black tortoise crashed to the ground, and only the azure dragon emitted a blinding light, breaking through the hundred ghosts and toppling several array flags before slowly disappearing.

With the destruction of the array flags, the remaining ghost heads lost their power source and instantly became faint, dissipating into wisps of smoke as sunlight filtered through the clouds, melting like snow.

Before Bai Zichen could celebrate the effectiveness of their array, he saw the ghost heads reappear, this time under the cover of several sky-blocking banners. The Four Symbols Heavenly Origin Array only held for a few breaths, then, like a fragile eggshell, it cracked, and more cracks appeared until it finally disintegrated with a loud boom.

"The array... has been broken..." Bai Zichen said with difficulty, the feeling of falling from heaven to hell was overwhelming.

Without the Four Symbols Heavenly Origin Array to block them, the stench of blood and decay immediately rushed in, pulling the last piece of clean land in the Bai family's territory into hell.

"Hundred Ghost Banners!" The First Elder stood up, gritting his teeth, not losing hope or waiting to die. "Everyone, follow the plan!"

Looking at the charging masked black-robed cultivators, Bai Zichen bit his tongue hard and shouted, "Everyone, shoot the crossbows!"

From the high platform, a few crossbow bolts were fired, but soon hundreds of bolts were launched, forming a continuous rain of arrows that sealed off a small area.

The two fastest masked cultivators were riddled with arrows, falling dead without a sound.

The second row of masked cultivators had time to react, and only one was hit by two arrows, spurting blood and rolling to the side, losing his combat ability, while the others were unharmed.

"Change crossbows!"

The used ironwood crossbows were discarded, and new ones with loaded bolts were picked up, aimed, and fired again.

But one of the robust masked cultivators summoned a shield as large as a door, holding it in front of him. The countless arrows hitting the shield only made a clanging sound, leaving no mark.

"Ordinary descendants, retreat to the back mountain; all cultivators, enter the storage room!"

Bai Zichen threw away his ironwood crossbow and ran towards the storage room, following the final plan arranged by the First Elder.

In a short time, Hanxiu Peak was filled with casualties. The Bai family cultivators, lacking the combat experience, techniques, and magical treasures of the sect disciples, often needed three or four to deal with one. The ordinary clan members were even worse, with a single fireball spell burning over a dozen to ashes.

A breeze swept across Hanxiu Peak, the smell of blood permeating the entire peak. The sounds of magical treasures clashing, shouts, and curses mixed together, with people falling every moment.

Limbs and severed arms were scattered everywhere, mostly belonging to the Bai family members, with fewer from the masked black-robed cultivators.

Perhaps because of his young age, Bai Zichen managed to successfully rush into the storage room deep in the bamboo forest. Inside, over a dozen clan members were already there, and on the ground lay the Second Elder and others who had fainted from exhaustion after injecting their magical power into the array.

"Is my life to be protected by this small stone door..."

(End of Chapter)