"So, they've finally come knocking?"
Li Ye stepped out of the alchemy room, his eyes turning serious as he looked up at the surging formation overhead. Vague enemy silhouettes flickered in and out of view behind the glowing barrier.
"The Flying Feather Sect coalition is attacking! All disciples, report to your assigned positions and prepare for battle!"
"Rogue cultivators participating in the defense of the market: all contributions will be rewarded based on kills!"
"The enemy is upon us. Everyone in the market must stand together to overcome this crisis! Once the enemy is repelled, the Purple Profound Sect will properly reward all meritorious service!"
Elder Yu and another unfamiliar elder appeared in midair, their voices carrying clearly in all directions, amplified by spiritual power.
At the same time, silhouettes shot into the sky, stepping onto various magical artifacts and rushing to their assigned defensive positions.
More than half the cultivators in the market had been mobilized for combat.
Yu Xiaoshan arrived at Li Ye's side, a ribbon-like artifact swirling protectively around her. Her expression was slightly tense.
"Senior Brother Li, the enemy is at our gates we'll need to take the field ourselves!"
"Of course."
Li Ye nodded, stepped onto a leaf-shaped flying vessel, and soared directly toward a designated area within the city.
Yu Xiaoshan had been about to board the same vessel, but her movement froze momentarily before she hurried to control her ribbon to catch up with him.
Though the enemy had come on fiercely, Li Ye felt more anticipation than fear. A bit of urgency, yes but he was also looking forward to the coming battle.
He had already refined and submitted the batch of high-grade Zimo Powder.
And as an alchemist, he had access to more information than most.
Based on the distribution of medicinal tasks and movements he'd observed over the past few days, he'd long had a suspicion: once the Zimo Powder began to take effect, the frontlines had subtly shifted their focus redirecting the enemy's attention toward the Zimo Forest market.
Yet despite this, Zimo Forest had been quietly stockpiling its supply of high-grade Zimo Powder. Except for a few batches sent to assist other nodes, very little had been distributed.
Perhaps the true plan was to center the enemy's forces here and then deliver a devastating blow.
"Junior Brother Li!"
"Alchemist Li!"
"Senior Brother Li, the battlefield is chaotic please be careful!"
"Junior Brother Li, it's already remarkable that you've come to fight. Don't take unnecessary risks..."
"Oh no, Alchemist Li! You shouldn't be here! We were counting on you to hold the rear and make sure we never ran out of pills!"
On the way to his assigned post, Li Ye was repeatedly hailed and greeted. One after another, cultivators offered words of caution and pledged to help him if he found himself in danger.
Li Ye responded with smiles and gratitude, inwardly sighing at how convenient it was to hold the title of an alchemist.
But that was only while the market's protective array still held strong. People still had the time and energy to try and curry favor with him.
If the tide turned and the market fell, someone like him might instantly become a target for certain opportunists.
He couldn't afford to get carried away.
When he finally arrived at his assigned defense area and spotted the group of fellow disciples who had come to reinforce it, they paused in surprise and then broke into smiles.
"Junior Brother Li!"
"Senior Brother Li!"
"Looks like we'll be fighting side by side again!"
Qu Zi-jian smiled at him and said, "With you here, we've got a lot more confidence in holding the line!"
"Senior Brother, don't flatter me I'll probably be the one asking for help if things get ugly."
Li Ye gave a wry smile and shook his head.
The easy banter left Yu Xiaoshan, who had arrived with him, a little stunned.
Wasn't Senior Brother Li only at the sixth stage of Qi Refining like herself?
Why were even late-stage cultivators like Senior Brother Qu treating his strength so seriously?
BOOM!
Just then, the barrier flared violently again with a thunderous blast, the defensive formation rippling wildly on the verge of collapse.
Everyone's expressions immediately hardened as they fell into combat readiness.
.....
"Listen well, all of you! This so-called Tier-Two formation is barely functional, relying solely on the environment of Zimo Forest to hold it together. A single Break-Seal Talisman is enough to shatter it this formation cannot protect your lives!"
"Once the formation collapses, even if our army does nothing, the backlash from the miasma will be enough to kill you all!"
Outside the barrier, within the ranks of the Flying Feather Sect coalition, one of the four Foundation Establishment cultivators a stern, cold-faced elder shouted in a loud voice.
"If you rogue cultivators and clan disciples still wish to live, surrender to us and hand over this place!"
"But if you insist on resisting, once the formation breaks, our coalition will sweep through like a storm none of you will be spared!"
Whatever technique he used, his words echoed clearly through the protective formation, reaching the ears of every cultivator within the market.
Immediately, the expressions of many cultivators shifted, and the way they looked at those beside them became tinged with suspicion. The united front that had been holding steady began to crack.
Even disciples of the Purple Profound Sect weren't immune. While remaining alert, concern flickered in their eyes.
If what that elder said was true…
If the Flying Feather coalition truly possessed a Tier-Two Break-Seal Talisman, then once the formation was shattered, the miasma would lose its suppression and go berserk they wouldn't even have a chance to escape.
Above the Elder Pavilion
"Hmph! Just a Tier-Two formation, and he talks as if he's already won."
Next to Elder Yu stood an unassuming man with an utterly forgettable appearance so average-looking that one might lose him in a crowd. He snorted coldly.
"Junior Sister, just as you predicted, the Flying Feather Sect couldn't handle the effects of the Zimo Powder and decided to strike here first..."
"Even their plan to use a Break-Seal Talisman to turn our formation against us that, too, unfolded just as you said it would!"
His gaze swept across the vast enemy forces outside the barrier, lingering momentarily on the four Foundation Establishment cultivators at their heads. His eyes gleamed with killing intent, yet not a trace of tension showed on his face.
His expression and tone made it clear this had all been foreseen.
"And to think, we owe this opportunity to a certain little fellow…"
Elder Yu smiled faintly, but her tone remained serious.
"Still, we must act accordingly. This is indeed our chance to strike a heavy blow against the Flying Feather coalition!"
"You're right, Junior Sister."
Elder Tang nodded in agreement. A crimson longsword suddenly appeared in his hand.
"Everything is in place. Since they're so confident, let's give them a surprise. Junior Sister, activate the formation."
Elder Yu didn't waste any words. She grasped a command token and swiftly formed several hand seals.
Whoosh
The barrier enveloping the market suddenly pulsed to life.
The light screen, which had been shuddering under the coalition's bombardment, abruptly vanished replaced by massive phantom trees with dark purple bark. These trees transformed into a dense forest illusion, from which thick miasma surged forth, rapidly expanding to engulf all enemy cultivators who didn't retreat in time.
In the blink of an eye, the Misty Miasma Formation was fully activated, returning the area to the state it had once been a deadly, fog-filled jungle that no one could enter safely.
The dense mist covered the field, shimmering with fine particles. Just breathing it in brought dizziness, sluggish spiritual power, and a wave of exhaustion.
At the same time
The earth rumbled as enormous roots burst forth from the ground, whipping and lashing in every direction.
Above, colossal tree trunks seemed to crash down from the sky.
Sweeping through the miasma, these attacks surged directly at the Flying Feather army.
"Foolish resistance!"
As the formation revealed its true power, the cold-faced elder from the Flying Feather coalition only sneered within the swirling mist.
A silver talisman, etched with intricate runes, suddenly appeared in his hand. With a flick, he released it into the air.
Swish
The talisman blazed with radiant light. Its silver runes glowed like tadpoles, and as its power activated, the surrounding formation trembled chaotically. The various attacks from the array weakened drastically some fading entirely.
Then, starting from the talisman's location, the very foundation of the formation began to collapse. The forest illusion faded rapidly.
But the miasma now no longer suppressed began to surge wildly back toward the market, flooding inward like an uncontrollable tide.
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