Billowing miasma erupted throughout the market city.
Everything the Flying Feather Sect coalition had just endured was now being returned to them in full. The entire city seemed submerged in a sea of toxic fog.
However, the rogue cultivators and disciples of the Purple Profound Sect caught within it were caught off guard.
Even with the fog rolling in, they didn't immediately retreat. They remained in their battle-ready positions, still unleashing spells and artifacts from their strongholds.
Brilliant lights shone through the mist.
"Hahahahaha! Your formation is broken! You've only two Foundation Establishment cultivators left defending this place surrender now or die!"
The four Foundation Establishment elders of the coalition laughed heartily. Each summoned their magic tools and charged straight into Zimo Forest.
Whether it was for the glory of defeating opponents of equal rank or the immense wealth stored within Zimo Forest, both were priceless treasures for Foundation Establishment cultivators like them.
Now that the formation was broken and the enemy had seemingly lost their ability to resist, this place might as well have been a vast treasure vault waiting to be looted. If not now, then when?
Following their lead, the numerous Qi Refining cultivators under their command also recovered from the brief disarray caused by the failing formation.
Thanks to the timely activation of the Break-Seal Talisman, the formation hadn't had time to fully unleash its power. As a result, even these relatively weak cultivators hadn't suffered much except for the unlucky few too terrified to act.
Now, seeing the formation collapse and their Foundation Establishment leaders charging ahead, their morale surged. With loud shouts, they mounted their flying tools and followed in high spirits.
They clashed head-on with the many cultivators emerging from the mist-filled city!
However
Something was wrong.
The formation hadn't lasted long, and with the miasma reversing course, the negative effects should've dissipated quickly.
But instead of fading, the symptoms were growing worse.
Their minds were foggy, vision blurred so much so that they could barely tell friend from foe in the mist. Their spiritual power felt sluggish, spellcasting clumsy. Their strength was diminished by nearly twenty to thirty percent some even more than forty to fifty percent!
And just then the counterattack began!
Swish
A flying sword shot through the air, slicing past a delayed flying shuttle and cleanly beheading a Flying Feather Sect cultivator.
The strike was effortless as if the victim had no power to resist like they had thrown themselves onto the blade.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Magical tools and spells fireballs, wind blades, ice spikes erupted in every direction as the battle intensified in an instant.
Qi Refining cultivators from both sides clashed in a chaotic melee!
Yet, despite their numerical superiority, the Flying Feather Sect coalition was crumbling like a house of cards. Before the Purple Profound Sect's combined forces, they were utterly unable to hold their ground.
"Brothers and sisters, even touching mid-grade Zimo Powder can lead to absorption through the pores. Though the enemy has taken in most of it already, make sure to protect yourselves!"
Li Ye stood atop his flying vessel, working in tandem with Qu Zijian and others as they surrounded the enemy. He shouted a warning to his comrades.
In his hand was a glowing orb, casting a soft light around him that gently repelled the faint particulate matter in the air keeping it from making contact.
Meanwhile, his blackwood sword turned into a streak of black light ahead of him, cutting through a cultivator's defenses and piercing straight through their chest.
"Thanks for the heads-up, Junior Brother/Senior Brother Li!"
"Hahaha! To think that with just your efforts and the elders' planning, we've managed to trap so many of them. Fighting alongside you is truly our honor! These weaklings came here just to hand over war merits!"
Even though Li Ye didn't explain much, everyone present had used Zimo Powder before they knew full well what was going on.
The miasma was just a decoy, simulated by the formation. Even as it surged back toward them, it caused no harm.
What had truly crippled the enemy was the massive amount of Zimo Powder mixed into the fog, quietly spreading and fully enveloping them.
And that powder, no doubt, came from Li Ye himself.
The cultivators fought with vigor and coordination, cutting through enemy ranks like sharp blades. No one could stop them.
Not far behind Li Ye, Yu Xiaoshan fought with glee, no longer tense or fearful. Her eyes, which frequently glanced toward Li Ye, grew brighter and brighter.
There were many small teams of cultivators like Li Ye's group. Each one was like a dagger, piercing into the enemy lines, splitting them apart into isolated units, and beginning to encircle and eliminate them one by one.
......
"How could this be?!"
The cold-faced elder who had charged into the market suddenly noticed the chaotic situation below. His expression shifted drastically. Just as he tried to retreat and intervene, a fiery red flying sword radiating intense heat slashed toward him, blocking his path.
Clang!
He raised his wooden staff to block the strike but was still forced back a step by the blow.
"This was a trap all along?!"
Realizing the truth, the elder quickly looked toward the other three Foundation Establishment cultivators only to find that the swirling mist had completely swallowed their figures. They were nowhere to be seen.
"Otherwise, how could we have tricked you into mobilizing your army and even using a precious second-tier Break-Seal Talisman?"
Elder Tang sneered coldly.
"If even your Flying Feather Sect was aware of this formation's flaws, do you think my Purple Profound Sect would overlook them?"
"The miasma here has long been sealed and controlled by a secondary formation. Though you broke through the outer 'Mystic Wood Miasma Array' with the talisman, the core formation remained untouched. More importantly, it didn't stop you all from inhaling the Zimo Powder we carefully prepared."
The unremarkable-looking man spoke calmly as if venting his irritation at the elder's earlier arrogance outside the formation.
"To have such a vast reserve of Zimo Powder... Your Purple Profound Sect truly planned this well…"
The elder gnashed his teeth.
Only now did he realize that even as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his spiritual power had begun to show subtle signs of being affected.
He had initially thought it was the miasma or the lingering formation energy, but now it was clear he'd unknowingly inhaled a substantial amount of the toxic powder.
If even he was affected, it was no wonder the coalition forces below had crumbled so badly!
"Since you've heard all that now die!"
Elder Tang's gaze turned icy. The crimson longsword surged with roaring flames as it slashed down at the elder.
Facing such a fierce attack, the elder didn't utter a word. Instead, he quickly threw out a talisman that transformed into a whirlwind, wrapping around him and instantly boosting his speed as he turned to flee.
But just then a deep shout rang out as a burly figure shot forward like a cannonball.
His blood qi surged like the blazing sun!
With a single punch, he struck the elder squarely, slamming him into the ground and blasting a cloud of blood into the air leaving him on the verge of death.
"You were too slow. I nearly couldn't hold him back…"
Elder Tang landed beside the pit where the elder lay and spoke to the brawny man.
"Without the formation's support, even with the advantage of knowing their moves, it still takes effort to eliminate three Foundation Establishment enemies quickly when numbers are even... cough cough"
Ji Qing let out a few coughs, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with visible displeasure.
"Besides, I'm still recovering from injuries and can't fight at full strength!"
"What we've gained from this battle is enough to reverse our sect's disadvantage. I doubt you'll get much time to rest and recover..."
Elder Tang replied indifferently.
With the four Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Flying Feather coalition defeated and their Qi Refining disciples below being divided and wiped out, this battle was already a decisive victory!
Now, it was time for the Purple Profound Sect to start planning their counterattack.
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