Chapter 417: Suppressing Shambhala (1)

"Trouble's coming," Wu Yuan pensively furrowed his brow.

With his keen eyesight, he could clearly discern that the hundreds of immortal cultivators approaching were subtly assembling an array. From their formation, they seemed ready to deploy the array at any moment.

In a flash, Wu Yuan transformed into a streak of light, his speed skyrocketing to 150 li per second.

A power boost often enhanced all aspects of a cultivator, such as combat awareness and speed, and not just offensive capabilities.

A ninth-stage Golden Core cultivator (ninth-degree immortal root) had a flight speed of roughly a hundred li per second. The average first-stage Amethyst Cradle cultivator had a flight speed of around three hundred li per second.

150 li per second was far from Wu Yuan’s top speed, but he believed it was enough to intimidate the opposition.

Since it was unclear whether they were friend or foe, concealing some power and only revealing it at crucial moments was a wise move.

War? If possible, Wu Yuan hoped to avoid one.

I'll find out whether Daoist Long was telling the truth or not soon.

Wu Yuan thought to himself.

Why didn't he leave the Middle Land to ambush the invaders on their way there? It was because he was uncertain about Daoist Long's words.

What if they were trying to lure him away from the Middle Land?

So, Wu Yuan chose to wait and see. However he wanted to minimize the impact of the battle on the Middle Land, thus he chose to delegate the air space above the ocean near the Middle Land as the battleground.

...

Over the vast ocean, ominous clouds gathered.

Hundreds of figures were speeding over, moving at a speed of ten li per second. Such a pace was challenging even for mid-stage Qi Sea cultivators.

It was none other than the army of the Huoyan Sect.

The group seemed scattered, yet they were linked together by a massive array. The array guided and protected them, surveying their surroundings. Thus, their journey of several days was not a difficult one.

As for the twenty-seven Golden Core cultivators leading the group, they looked completely relaxed.

"With the disappearance of the forbidden regions, we’re able to witness the true size of our Summerpeak World," a young man in black armor remarked.

"Indeed, it is vast. Summerpeak spans millions of li. With this, we can expand our territory more than tenfold, and the resources we can gather will also increase," a woman in purple robes replied.

In the past, the range of activity of the Summerpeak mainland’s inhabitants was limited to a radius of three million li. This only accounted for one-tenth of the Summerpeak World's territory.

"Xiang Gao, we’ve almost reached the Middle Land. Remain vigilant, this is a civilization capable of producing Golden Core cultivators," a black-robed elder reminded them.

"Rest assured, Elder Mo," the black-armored young man named Xiang Gao smiled. "Our Huoyan Sect has come out in full force. With more than twenty of us elders joining hands, along with the sect’s guardian treasure, we can hold our own even against Reverend Jing Shan or the Old Loach."

"Exactly! Together, we can easily flatten a tiny Middle Land."

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"A tiny island dares to call itself Middle Land?"

"Let's march straight to the so-called Cloud Capital." The Golden Core elders chatted among themselves, without a trace of nervousness or fear.

One couldn’t blame them. From their understanding, someone born on an island simply couldn’t possibly be strong enough to threaten them. Moreover, as elders of the Huoyan Sect for many years, they were accustomed to their lofty statuses.

The elderly man in silver robes flying at the front of the group remained silent. His mind was filled with thoughts.

I must kill Wu Yuan once and for all.

Ying Quan, the elderly man clad in silver robes and the sect leader of the Huoyan Sect, mused inwardly.

If he succeeded, the rewards would be immense. He had dreamed of getting an opportunity to visit the higher world for ages.

Hm?

The elderly man's pupils constricted. A moment later, he roared, "Assemble the array!"

"The array?"

"What?" The previously relaxed Golden Core elders were taken aback. However, numerous drills as well as the quick reaction speed of Golden Core cultivators enabled them to respond in an instant.

There was a thunderous rumble as a massive array disk appeared beneath the silver-robed elder. Twenty-seven Golden Core cultivators were cloaked in a layer of hazy black flames. Countless flowing light threads materialized.

Boom!

In an instant, a colossal figure took shape, standing a kilometer tall and stretching five li long, radiating an overwhelming aura.

It had eight talons, each resembling a massive claw, striding through the air with imposing might. Each of its four arms were several kilometers long and brimmed with strength. Most strikingly, its entire body was engulfed in black flames, causing the ocean within a hundred-li radius to boil instantly and sending steam surging skyward.

Rumble~

A massive flying boat appeared out of thin air, and the hundreds of Qi Sea cultivators quickly gathered aboard.

It only took a second for the Huoyan Sect's massive army to switch from 'marching mode' to 'combat readiness'.

An imposing beast of flame emerged from the array. A flying boat, immense beyond belief, also appeared.

Whoosh~

The water and water vapor parted to either side by an unseen force.

A figure in white robes stepped through the gap, his clothes billowing behind him. With every step, one could feel an overwhelming weight.

The white-robed figure halted, facing the beast of flame a hundred li away calmly. "Are you Daoists from the Huoyan Sect?" he asked.

His voice echoed through heaven and earth.

...

Inside the Conference Hall of the Middle Land Immortal Hall.

Figures materialized, all avatars of immortal cultivators from various regions of the Middle Land. They had received the message and quickly arrived at the Middle Land Immortal Hall.

At this moment, a massive light screen appeared in the Conference Hall. It displayed a projection of the scene from Wu Yuan's perspective.

Above the boundless ocean, the white-robed figure was in a standoff with the gigantic beast shrouded in flame.

Fang Xia, Arctic, Hai Feizhang, Mountain Devil and over a hundred Middle Land immortal cultivators watched the scene in the projection. The tension in the air was palpable. They all knew that the destination of the battleground was not far away. It was right above the South Ocean.

"Is that the army of the Huoyan Sect? Their battle array is terrifying!" Fang Xia and Hai Feizhang, Arctic and Mountain Devil exchanged glances.

They were either Golden Core cultivators or Spiritual Body cultivators, and each of them was highly knowledgeable. Through the projection, they could feel the terrifying power of the fiery beast. It was dozens, hundreds of times greater than their own array.

"His Majesty!"

"Has His Majesty gone to confront the enemy?"

"Can we win?" Many immortal cultivators of the Middle Land watched anxiously.

Ever since the Middle Land Conference a few days ago, they had been in a state of constant worry. However, they did not erupt into a panic thanks to their firm belief in Wu Yuan.

But at this moment, compared to the fiery beast that caused the seawater to boil, the white-robed figure seemed so small.

"Big Brother." In the Conference Hall, an unassuming woman in green stared at the projection. She was not particularly good-looking, but she had a sense of toughness about her. She seemed extremely nervous at the moment.

She was Wu Yijun, and had just become a qi refiner not long ago. She wasn’t too talented, but her character was excellent. She had been cultivating and adventuring in the Middle Land, never getting complacent just because of her brother's status.

"Wu Yuan." Bu Yu and Huan Jian both watched the light screen anxiously. Both of them had already stepped into the mid-stage Qi Sea phase, and due to their statuses, their positions in the Middle Land Guard were second only to a few Golden Core/Spiritual Body powerhouses.

...

In the sky above the ocean, nearly ten thousand li from the Min Continent, a huge black jiaolong leisurely coiled in the air, looking on from far away.

They’re here. This Wu Yuan really is bold.

Daoist Long muttered to himself.

Swaggering straight into the enemy’s army?

As a Shambhala powerhouse, his physique was strong. With his vision, as long as there were no obstacles, he could easily see objects tens of thousands of li away.

Watching a battle ten thousand li away wasn’t an issue for him.

This was the difference between a qi refiner and a body refiner. Qi refiners had a stronger soul, and the range and clarity of their Soul Force were greater.

Body refiners had better vision, and could even attain the ability to peer through distorted space by learning Deity Eye at higher cultivation phases.

Each had their strengths.

But, Wu Yuan's flight speed is impressive.

Daoist Long noted.

He’s this fast even without employing ether arts. If he does, he might rival the weakest first-stage Amethyst Cradle cultivator.

That was his judgment. He wasn’t belittling Wu Yuan. In fact, the ability to fight an enemy at a higher cultivation phase was a feat reserved for top-tier geniuses, something rarely witnessed.

I just hope he survives.

Daoist Long sighed, seriously doubting Wu Yuan's chances of victory.

There was barely any chance of winning. The entire Huoyan Sect had shown up, ready to strike a decisive blow, leaving Wu Yuan no room to retaliate.

In Daoist Long's view, Wu Yuan's only hope for survival was to flee with him at the first chance.

Confront them in battle? The likelihood of dying exceeded ninety percent.

Daoist Long chose to remain here just in case Wu Yuan actually survived. If he lived, it proved Wu Yuan's potential and power, showing that he was more than worth the investment.

Having lived for thousands of years, Daoist Long had sufficient patience. He wouldn’t miss any chance to topple Reverend Huo Yan from his position.

However, knowing it's impractical yet still going ahead with it is such foolish behavior.

Daoist Long sighed.

Though, it is also commendable.

He watched the battle from afar.

...

Above the sea, the Huoyan Sect formed a killing array with twenty-seven Golden Core cultivators within moments. They had already spotted Wu Yuan.

"Such a powerful vital aura."

"Stronger than the usual ninth-stage Spiritual Body cultivator, it seems. He has a strong immortal root."

"He knows about us? How did he find out?"

"Such a powerhouse exists in the small Middle Land? Is it Wu Yuan?"

"Wu Yuan? Could he really have cultivated to the ninth-stage Spiritual Body phase at fifty years old?" The numerous Golden Core cultivators of the Huoyan Sect communicated with each other.

They were somewhat shocked, their minds filled with confusion. However, they showed no fear.

The ninth-stage Spiritual Body phase? Even if it were a Shambhala cultivator, they had little to fear once they assembled their array.

"Are you a powerhouse of the Middle Land? Why are you blocking the path of the Huoyan Sect's army?" The voice of the massive fiery beast echoed, resounding through heaven and earth.

It was the silver-robed elderly man, Ying Quan, who spoke. In an array, there was typically only one lead controller. Although he had doubts about the identity of the white-robed figure before his eyes, he still decided to observe a little longer.

"My name is Wu Yuan, I am the ruler of the Middle Land." Wu Yuan's voice was calm. "I have heard of the Huoyan Sect, the number one immortal sect of the Summerpeak mainland, but I do not know why you have come to the Middle Land. What business do you have here?"

Wu Yuan knew there was no point hiding his identity, thus he admitted it directly. If the Huoyan Sect really came to kill him, a battle was inevitable. If it would happen sooner or later anyway, there was no use delaying it.