Chapter 173 Life and Death

Numerous auras of light shot into the sky to meet the aerial invasion force. Some were projectiles of energies released by the magical formations that acted as traps. Still, the Elder of the East Chamber had needed only to parry them with a simple wave of his arm and dispelled everything into nothingness. The crowds on the ground could only watch quietly, breathing heavily with disbelief at the might that the corrupted Elder displayed.

Roars of battle-cries resounded suddenly. A horde of demonic minions, all former students and acolytes of the Skygale Sect, had begun their assault on the stronghold! Everyone from the Jade Qing Sect immediately rushed to man their battle stations, leaving the Elders to defend the great hall from the attacks by the aerial invasion led by the now-demonized Elders of the Skygale Sect.

There were marks on their foreheads, mementos of the corrupting enchantment that tainted them. Their eyes were completely devoid of any glimmers of life, proving that their minds were no more theirs to govern; they were no more than mindless lackeys of Patriarch Guanshan.

The four corrupted Elders traded swift looks, as if communicating telepathically, before they flew in the direction of the Coalesced Colors Hall. Realizing their plot, their counterparts of the Jade Qing Sect immediately took into the air to intercept them. But strengthened by the Patriarch's dark magic, the Elders of the Skygale Sect were too powerful for them. With a simple blow, all four Elders of the Jade Qing Sect were forced back to the ground by the sheer pressure of his stroke.

"Amitabha," Master Xuanji voice reverberated across the square suddenly. He raised his staff over his head in a striking motion before throwing it forward. The staff flew out of his grasp and dashed into the air, a golden comet that propelled straight towards the four infernal captains of Patriarch Guanshan's armies. The staff struck just when the four Elders were preparing to defend themselves and force them to land as well.

It was their chance. The rest of the defenders quickly unleash everything they could at the four corrupted Elders. The very pressure and intensity of their onslaught tossed up buffeting winds that lashed mercilessly at the buildings at the peak of Yuqing Mountain, pelting destruction upon the constructions that had endured ages of wear and tear. Even so, the defenders could never hope to match the might of the enemies. Only Master Xuaji possessed the strength to fight toe-to-toe with them.

Barely an hour into the first clash of the battle, the defenders suffered huge losses. People were lying everywhere in the square, either maimed or dead, with blood spatters drenching the flagstones on the ground. Blood flowed down the slopes of Yuqing Mountain like diminutive rivers while the battle continued waging on the steps leading up to the stronghold as crimson blood splashed and dripped on the jade-white tiers. The death toll numbered to at least hundreds of thousands, including the fall of the imperial armies in their vain quest to buy more time. Never has Yuqing Mountain experienced such carnage and destruction.

The square of the stronghold was already overrun by demonic minions with shrieks of pain and conquering battle-cries issued like the tolls of a death bell. Disciples, acolytes, even Elders and leaders from the various denominations of the Orthodox Path laid bloodied and cleaved on the ground. The Elders of the Jade Qing Sect too suffered terrible injuries, especially Elder Liu, who has had one of his arm severed in the battle, and was brought aside to be healed and protected by a group of ten disciples.

Blood sprinkles colored the faces of Elders Ding and Zhou. In a brief moment of respite, the latter cast a quick look at the Coalesced Colors Hall before another swarm of demons surged into the square. "Hold them away from the great hall!" He bellowed at the top of his voice. He channeled all of his True Energy and cast forth eighteen successive strokes, releasing projectiles that immediately decimated more than a baker's dozen of demons.

At the other side of the square, Master Xuanji was leading a troop of warriors of the Core Forming Realm against the Four Elders of the Skygale Sect. Xiaoyue fought with every shred of ferocity she could master even though the Autumn Winter has yet to show its gleam. Nevertheless, that did not hinder her from drawing blood everything she flailed her horsetail whisk.

Unable to watch blindly any longer, Yu Yifeng left instructions to his juniors to hold the entrance and leaped into the fray himself. He was under strict orders of his teacher, Perfected Immortal Qing Chen, to defend the Tongchen Hall with his life and prevent any disturbances to the Energy-gathering Formation. But he could not stand watching as his brethren were getting butchered alive, hence he ultimately decided to help them.

But there was no end to the bevy of demons streaming into the square like a dark tide of death. The relentless assault maintained, with more than half of the defenders incapacitated or dead, with the rest exhausted and spent. But no one gave up. To the last drop of blood and the final iota of their True Qi, the staunch defenders did their best to hold the defensive lines to prevent any disruption to the Coalesced Colors Hall.

Skilled in healing magic, Li Muxue and Luo Shangyan scurried around the battlefield to help heal as many defenders they could. They were also severely spent, with their faces pale with fatigue, but they went on, doing their best to help to keep the invasion at bay. But the tide of the battle was against them until a dragon's booming roars thundered from the horizons.

The battle came to a short halt as everyone looked up. From the eastern skyline, everyone could see a huge dragon, long and slithery with scales of green. But the defenders' hopes for reinforcements were dashed when they realized the dragon was bearing a towering man on its back; a man that radiated strong foul energies. Patriarch Guanshan has come! Within an instant, the defenders' already crippling morale took a plunge.

The flying serpent reached Yuqing Mountain within seconds, hovering over the peak with its gargantuan length of several hundreds of meters long. The spectacle of the huge leviathan unhinged many young defenders that their knees almost buckled. Was this the ancient dragon from the legends?

The vicious beast emitted a fearsome roar, sending a powerful shockwave that hit every heavily-wounded defender, rendering their injuries even worse. Master Xuanji's expression turned somber and white. He might be able to hold off Patriarch Guanshan, but the odds were badly against him with the addition of a dragon with powers of the Nascent Soul Realm! Common warriors of Core Forming Realm were nothing but mere specks of dirt before them!

Perched imperiously on his dragon, Patriarch Guanshan laughed triumphantly. "How dare you raise arms against me! For your transgressions, you should have all been dead. But I am merciful! Surrender now and I will spare you!"

His voice echoed across the entire stronghold of Yuqing Mountain; an indomitable tyrant that ruled supreme, wielding the life and death of every single defender at his fingertips. Many amongst the defenders crumbled, their confidence and resolve shattered like glass, as they began to show signs of yielding. But there were more who refused to give in. "Demon! How dare you wreak havoc upon this fair earth!" Some began yelling, "We'll fight you to the end!"

"Ah?" Patriarch Guanshan glared at the defiant person who spoke. Two shafts of death-rays shot from the Patriarch's eyes, instantly killing the poor man. The demonic founder of the Skygale Sect swung his sword again, sending another projectile of energy that immediately obliterated another contingent of more than twenty Core Forming Realm warriors.

Gasps of shock and horror escaped several mouths from the crowd while some began shivering with fear. Their final ounce of morale completely demolished. There was nothing left of their faith and conviction. Several defenders immediately collapsed to their knees, crying loudly, "We'll gladly surrender to you, great Patriarch!"

So began the plummet. Many more began following suit, plopping to their knees and prostrating themselves humbly to the tyrant in the sky. Patriarch Guanshan began roaring in laughter proudly, "Very good! Very good! All of you are now under the dominion of the Skygale Sect!"

One after another, the defenders surrendered to the superior might of Patriarch Guanshan. The defenders had lost. The Elders stood with contempt before the Coalesced Colors Hall, still unwilling to give up. The Four Elders of the Skygale Sect flew to the Patriarch and whispered into his ears.

Patriarch Guanshan listened intently to the reports of his captains and threw a gaze at the Coalesced Colors Hall before swinging his sword again, sending another projectile that curved in a slight arc at the great hall. With a yelp of fright, Elder Zhou threw himself into the way of the auric blade and tried to parry the blow. But the force was simply too powerful for him; it overwhelmed his strength and Elder Zhou began falling to the ground, internally injured.

"Old Man Zhou!" Elder Ding screamed. He flew up to catch his colleague although he instantly realized that Elder Zhou was already dying. His heart had been crushed by the impact and Elder Zhou breathed his last.

His disciples immediately rushed forward, tears streaming down their faces, crying, "Teacher!"

Elder Ding could not contain his rage. He turned into an aura of light that shot straight at Patriarch Guanshan, hoping to seek retribution for his fallen comrade. But the monstrous dragon needed only to whip its tail at him, and batted him off the sky, leaving the old man injured with cracked ribs as he spat a mouthful of blood.

With a hateful and scathing look, Patriarch Guanshan sent forth another auric blade to kill Elder Ding for good. Just then, the hulking edifice of the Coalesced Colors Hall shook with a sudden wave of strength! A white ray of light, radiant and bright, poured from the doors of the entrance and instantly nullified the Patriarch's attack.

The doors opened larger, groaning with suppressed rage as Xiao Chen stepped out, cloaked in a stunning radiance with all the glory and might of a God! Everyone beheld the sight of his advent with held breaths. This power, this aura! The Nascent Soul Realm!