“Yes, Elder!” A nearby golden guard who had been standing by immediately responded to the command without hesitation, transforming into a long rainbow as he rushed downward to relay the orders.
“The two-headed lizard—is that the low-tier demonic beast capable of dual wind and fire attacks, ranked among the Ten Great Demonic Beasts of the Demon Realm?” Golden Zen Master mused aloud.
“Indeed, that’s the one. Though the two-headed demonic lizard is only equivalent to a Qi Refining cultivator in rank, their sheer numbers are staggering. I’ve heard they number in the tens of millions in the Demon Realm. Even if the demons couldn’t bring all of them when they breached the boundary, a small fraction would still pose a significant threat. As for the venomous demonic insects, they’re equally troublesome. Their poison is lethal to low-tier cultivators and can even corrode city walls,” Elder Gu replied gravely.
“Still, since they’re low-tier demonic beasts, our subordinates should know how to handle them. There’s no need for excessive concern, Brother Gu,” Golden Zen Master said calmly with a nod.
“I hope so,” Elder Gu sighed softly before turning his gaze back to the distant battlefield.
Surrounding one side of Tianyuan City were thousands of massive fortresses, each over a hundred zhang tall and garrisoned by hundreds of human cultivators, forming an impenetrable shield for the city.
Between these fortresses, faint ripples of restrictive spells flickered, hinting at hidden intricacies.
Unless these heavily fortified defenses were dismantled, the demons couldn’t directly assault Tianyuan City’s walls.
This was precisely why the demonic forces had brought so many demonic beasts as cannon fodder—after countless incursions into human territory, they had learned effective strategies against human strongholds.
In the distance, the combined horde of beasts numbered thirty to forty thousand, with the two-headed lizards—each the size of a small calf—making up over two-thirds.
The venomous demonic insects, resembling enormous emerald-green silkworms, were twice the size of the lizards yet kept pace effortlessly within the swarm.
Behind the beast tide, over a hundred high-tier demons clad in black armor had appeared at some point, following leisurely as if overseeing the battle.
In the blink of an eye, the demonic horde closed within ten li of the human fortresses.
Suddenly, a mighty roar erupted from the beast tide. The two-headed lizards, previously trotting, now had blood-red eyes as they let out answering growls, and the entire horde surged forward in a frenzied charge.
Meanwhile, the venomous insects shimmered with green light as transparent wings sprouted from their backs. With a flutter, they took to the air, matching the lizards’ speed effortlessly.
From afar, the stampede of tens of thousands of demonic beasts resembled a thundering cavalry charge—ten li was but a fleeting distance for them.
Simultaneously, high-tier demons in the sky channeled their magic, unleashing a rolling wave of black demonic qi that descended like a coiling black dragon, exploding amidst the horde and shrouding the beasts in a murky haze.
Moments later, as the demonic tide closed within a li of the fortresses, a barrage of fireballs and wind blades erupted from the black mist, raining down upon the defenses with overwhelming force.
Even with their reinforced barriers, the fortresses couldn’t possibly withstand such an onslaught unscathed. Many human cultivators inside paled at the sight.
But just then, a clear, melodic chime rang out from the white jade palace above Tianyuan City. The golden mirror atop its highest structure trembled before shooting forth a radiant beam, dispersing into a shimmering golden curtain that shielded the fortresses.
Instantly, the storm of fire and wind crashed against the golden barrier, detonating in a deafening cacophony. Red and white flares erupted across the curtain, their combined force shaking the surrounding spiritual energy as if heaven and earth were splitting apart.
High-tier beings from both sides watched intently.
When the light faded, the golden curtain remained intact—its seemingly fragile defense unscathed.
Many high-tier demons in the sky were visibly startled, while Golden Zen Master and the Tianyuan cultivators showed little surprise. Silverlight Fairy even chuckled, remarking to Elder Gu, “Your Golden Dawn Mirror grows ever more profound, Elder Gu. Though it draws power from the Heavenly Treasure Hall, to block such an assault with a mere projection speaks volumes of your millennia of refinement.”
“This mirror was already a top-tier treasure on the Primal Chaos Spirit Ranking. Even without my efforts, it could have withstood this attack. I’m more curious how the demons plan to breach it,” Elder Gu replied modestly.
Han Li, overhearing, glanced back at the massive mirror, now glowing brilliantly as it maintained the golden barrier.
As his attention wavered, the demonic tide closed within a li of the fortresses. Despite the obscuring mist, the cultivators could now discern the beasts’ savage visages, their hearts tightening.
“Attack!”
A cold male voice echoed simultaneously across all fortresses.
Almost reflexively, the cultivators formed hand seals, summoning their magical instruments.
In an instant, thousands of artifacts soared from the nearest fortresses like meteors, hurtling toward the demonic tide.
From the black mist came another wave of fire and wind, forming a surging wall that halted the artifacts mid-air.
Under the demons’ control, the beasts fought with eerie coordination.
Unwilling to relent, the cultivators redoubled their efforts, chanting spells and channeling energy into their artifacts. The instruments blazed with renewed power, merging into a dazzling aurora that pressed down relentlessly.
The wind-fire barrier faltered, on the verge of collapse—until thousands of green streaks shot from the mist, striking the aurora and exploding into noxious fumes.
A pungent stench filled the air as the green mist enveloped the artifacts.
To everyone’s shock, most artifacts instantly turned emerald before dimming and plummeting from the sky. Only a few hundred resisted the corrosion.
“Something’s wrong—those aren’t ordinary venomous insects. Their poison shouldn’t taint artifacts,” Elder Gu muttered, puzzled.
The others remained composed; such a minor setback couldn’t unsettle these elite cultivators.
Meanwhile, inside a massive demonic chariot high above, a purple-armored demon clapped his hands in delight. “They took the bait, Elder Green! Those fools mistook our mutated insects for common ones.”
“A pity we couldn’t save them for later. Their venom only works on mid-tier artifacts at best,” the green-robed elder replied, though with a trace of regret.
“Mutated beasts are rare enough as is. We’re lucky to have these. Besides, these cannon fodder are expendable—the real battle for the city rests with us,” the purple-armored demon scoffed.
“Still, these mutants may yet surprise us against their formations,” the elder mused.
“True enough,” the demon agreed, eyeing the fortresses with anticipation.
Back in the fortresses, the cultivators—now bereft of their artifacts—hesitated to deploy more. Instead, under a Core Formation cultivator’s command, they took positions atop pre-etched array diagrams.
Holding array disks, they channeled their spiritual power, chanting incantations as the formations beneath them glowed and hummed. A swirling five-colored sphere took shape at the center.
Outside, unimpeded, the two-headed lizards’ wind-fire assault crashed against the golden barrier once more, accompanied by thousands of stealthy green streaks.
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