A colossal fireball eclipsed the sun, its sheer size blotting out the sky, while the ceaseless lightning strikes sent shivers of dread down the spine. Mingled with the unique chill and shriek of the Ice Roar, the entire world was instantly smothered in a suffocating pressure!
The astonishing magical intensity, combined with the myriad of different elemental spells, generated a massive, fused force field that stretched and compressed the very world until it seemed almost distorted!
Even I, bearing the Demon Devourer physique, was left dumbfounded by the horrifying spectacle before me! Not even the Blazing Heaven Incineration wrought by the proud mage legions at the Battle of Yuncheng twenty-seven years ago possessed such terrifying magical potency!
Smash! Rumble!
The first thing to strike us was a fireball angled with ruthless precision!
Immediately following came a relentless barrage: Ice Roars, Bursting Flames, and Lightning Spells, hammering us with almost no pause in between.
All my ears could register was a continuous series of dull, heavy concussions!
My whole being felt trapped in a terrifying world of mingling ice and fire, scorched by electricity! Although the magic itself couldn't harm me, the sheer impact force of the Ice Roars and the explosive shockwaves from the Bursting Flames left me dizzy, feeling as if my very frame was about to fall apart!
My body was wracked by sudden waves of heat and cold, interspersed with electric numbness and strange twitches.
While the Demon Devourer body grants immunity to magical attacks, the intensity of this onslaught was so immense that even I seemed to suffer some degree of injury!
Rumble! The bombardment raged on. Every fireball, every lightning bolt, every blast from the Ice Roar struck me with unbelievable accuracy! And so did every spot within ten meters around me!
The continuous magical assault was like an endless sequence of world-shattering thunderclaps, crashing, exploding, and releasing their fury ceaselessly!
My head throbbed, ringing fiercely! My body felt so battered it was near disintegration. The Ghost Moon, whom I had been holding tightly, was nowhere to be seen—blown off God knows where!
After what felt like an eternity, the ceaseless, earth-trembling roar finally ceased!
The entire world snapped into an uncanny silence simultaneously!
The endless barrage of magic had stopped.
Only after the swirling dust settled across the sky did I manage to survey the surroundings!
The combatants on both sides, friend and foe alike, were staring at me with expressions of utter, profound shock!
It was hard to believe that I hadn't been instantly blown to smithereens amidst such violent magical shelling.
But what shocked me even more was that Ghost Moon, standing not far beside me, was also not atomized! Though his condition was truly horrific; he looked as if he had been burned to a crisp, his entire body blackened charcoal, utterly devoid of recognizable human form.
This guy!
He must be dead!
At the very least, I couldn't sense any residual life force from him!
Damn it all!
But just then, I felt a strange energy fluctuation!
I couldn't describe the nature of this wave—it was neither Dou Qi nor pure magic, but a bizarre oscillation reminiscent of Daoist arts, yet its intensity was astonishingly high.
What shocked me further was the source of this fluctuation: it was emanating from Ghost Moon, who was already charred black!
What the hell!
What was going on here!
Everything unfolding before me was simply beyond belief.
A dazzling ball of silver light suddenly erupted from Ghost Moon’s form!
Then, a hazy silhouette materialized within the light sphere!
Almost instantaneously, a powerful surge of life essence flooded the area!
Ah! It was Ghost Moon’s aura!
How could this be? Wasn't he already dead!
Yet now he was alive again!
"My Lord, flee quickly."
"Ghost Moon has revived."
The anxious voices of Sui Yun and Sui Feng instantly cut through the air!
"Damn you for putting me through such humiliation." Ghost Moon’s voice, spitting venom, roared from the light sphere: "Die."
A sharp ray of golden light whistled toward me!
It was the Soul Fire Talisman, a staple weapon of Daoists!
Ah! I tried desperately to move my body, but it was completely unresponsive to my will; my entire being was numb, I could barely even sense that I had a body!
Though this Soul Fire Talisman wasn't particularly strong—normally, I wouldn't even bother dodging it!
However, for me, currently gravely wounded and immobilized, this seemingly insignificant Soul Fire Talisman was the most terrifying, fatal messenger of death!
It’s over, I’m truly done for this time!
To think all my meticulous planning would end in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, potentially costing me my very life!
No matter how unwilling I was, I could only watch helplessly as the Soul Fire Talisman rapidly magnified before my eyes!
Just as the Soul Fire Talisman was about to slam into my chest!
But at that precise moment, I suddenly perceived a light!
A streak of white light, like a phantom materializing from thin air, instantly materialized in front of me!
Clang! Boom!
The sharp Soul Fire Talisman was shattered into dust by the crescent-shaped barrier that suddenly appeared!
Yet, the dreadful shockwave from the explosion still slammed into me, forcing a mouthful of blood!
Simultaneously, I saw a blur—a hazy white afterimage—flash toward me like lightning.
It was Sui Yun!.......
"Sorry, I arrived late." Sui Yun apologized breathlessly.
"Kill him quickly," I roared, unable to contain my relief at escaping death, ignoring the lingering pain.
I didn't know why Ghost Moon had miraculously resurrected, but I could sense that he was also extremely fragile right now; the Soul Fire Talisman he just launched hadn't even utilized one-tenth of its true destructive power!
There was only one possible explanation for all this!
Though Ghost Moon had revived, his power had not fully returned!
"He won't get away." As she spoke, Sui Yun's ghost-swift form had already lunged toward Ghost Moon!
Sword energy flashed like lightning, aimed directly at Ghost Moon’s vital throat!
But she was fast.
Someone was faster!
Almost instantaneously!
A magnificent figure materialized out of nowhere next to Ghost Moon!
Clang!
A slash of blade light sliced through the air! Ghost Moon's sword energy was instantly obliterated!
Damn it!
It was Yue Che!
He finally caught up in the end!
Just a hair's breadth too late!
And only then did I clearly see who this sudden arrival was!
He wore armor of the same standardized silver War God set, but he towered over Ghost Moon by a full half a head, giving him an overwhelmingly powerful physique.
The silver mask revealed only a pair of silver pupils! They were like two massive black holes, vortexes that sent a shuddering sense of dread and heart-stopping fear straight down one's core!
Yue Che!
Who else could possess such an imposing aura other than Yue Che!
"What is the meaning of this," Yue Che stared intently at me with (gloomy/sinister) eyes: "So you brought reinforcements. No wonder."
"The sentiment is mutual," Sui Yun retorted, showing no weakness.
"You are the Nine Luminaries Divine Truth?" Yue Che ignored Sui Yun and focused on me.
"That’s right!" I forced down my rising anger, striving for calm!
"You are the one who killed Bing Jiang and Bing Chen, severing one of Bing Chi’s arms," Yue Che’s dark eyes flashed with intense killing intent.
"You're next, old man Yue Che," I ground out through clenched teeth.
The person before me was indeed Yue Che!
But I was utterly incapable of fighting; the thought of Yan Luo, still unconscious and hanging by a thread, stabbed my heart with agony, leaving me helpless!
"Young man, you are arrogant, and strong," Yue Che seemed dismissive: "But still no match for this old man."
"Old fogey, boasting is easy," I shot back: "If that charcoal-butt hadn't taken a blast for you, you’d be the one turned to charcoal."
"Hahahaha," Yue Che laughed: "One can only say luck was on my side."
"Luck doesn't fill the stomach," I said coldly: "Next time, you won't be so lucky."
"Next time," Yue Che finally ceased laughing and looked at me calmly: "This old man won't give you the chance."
"Go!" Sui Yun panicked instinctively and retreated to stand in front of me: "If you want to harm him, you'll have to get past me first."
"Hmph! This King will not let this rest," though utterly unwilling, I knew staying here would only distract Sui Yun: "Old man, wait for me."
Though I spoke harsh words, I didn't even have the strength to flee!
Fortunately, Big Guy had finally regained some stamina and quickly arrived beside me!
But how could Yue Che just watch me escape!
He lifted his long blade slightly and sent a blast of Fiery Sword Qi sweeping toward us!
Sui Yun dared not hesitate, stepping forward sharply!
Her snow-white long sword circled, weaving a clear, cool stream of light that met the whistling Fire Sword Qi!
Clash! Rumble!
The two sword energies collided mid-air!
They scattered simultaneously, resulting in a stalemate!
Perhaps wary of Sui Yun’s presence, Yue Che dared not expose any openings and had to abandon his pursuit of me, turning instead to face the fully prepared Sui Yun!
I took advantage of this opening to painfully climb onto Big Guy’s back!
Returning to the main army, Yin Shuang and Sui Xin rushed forward to meet me, clearly unable to wait any longer!
Heavens!
I managed to claw my way back from the brink of death! My body finally gave out completely, my eyes closed, and I lost consciousness!
When I next woke, it was already dark!
The first things that entered my vision were the soft glow of the Phoenix Bright Pearl and the anxious, worried faces of Yin Shuang and Long Xin!
"You’re awake!" Seeing my eyes open, Yin Shuang and Long Xin finally breathed a sigh of relief!
"What is the situation?" I still remembered that before I passed out, Sui Yun was fighting Yue Che, but I was severely wounded by Ghost Moon and couldn't join Sui Yun against Yue Che.
"Throne City still hasn't fallen," Yin Shuang said with a hint of helplessness: "Reinforcements this time included the Young Chief of the Hanling Tribe, along with two hundred elite warriors from the Hanling Tribe. It was they, combined with the Hanbing Tribe, who defended the walls, preventing us from ever breaching them!"
"Moreover, our army suffered considerable casualties during this siege operation," Sui Xin added, deeply concerned.
"What about Sui Yun? How did her battle against Yue Che end?"
"I'm fine!" The tent flap was thrown open, revealing Sui Yun, along with Seth, Sui Feng, Long Xiang, and other generals from the Snowfield Tribe: "My Lord, how do you feel?"
"Not dead yet," I managed a wry smile, though what preoccupied me more was the state of the battle between Sui Yun and Yue Che.
Seemingly reading my mind, Sui Yun smiled faintly: "Although Yue Che is much stronger than me, if he wasn't intent on fighting to the death, he couldn't have done anything decisive to me either!"
I see!
I finally understood!
Indeed, since both sides had mastered the Heaven and Earth Shift, their speeds were fundamentally on the same level. If one side deliberately held back, the other truly couldn't force a decisive outcome!
It was just like my duel with Ghost Moon!
If it hadn't been for Big Guy’s sonic wave ambush as a trump card, and if Ghost Moon hadn't been so protective of his mount that he refused to retreat, I wouldn't have found an opportunity to fight desperately!
One could only say that for masters who have reached our level of cultivation, unless the gap in strength between them is vast, no one can ever be absolutely certain of killing the other!
Although Yue Che's strength surpassed Sui Yun’s significantly, overall, both sides still occupied the same tier of power!
"But the current situation has left us in a predicament," Sui Feng worried.
"Man proposes, heaven disposes," Seth sighed miserably from the side: "No one expected the Hanling Tribe to suddenly intervene at this crucial moment!"
"Exactly!" Sui Feng lamented: "And even less expected was that Ghost Moon, who was certainly doomed, possessed a Resurrection Ring, allowing him to return from the dead."
Seth mused: "Long ago, I heard tales that the Hanling Tribe possessed a Resurrection Ring capable of bringing people back to life. We always thought it was just a legend."
"If it weren't for that ring, Ghost Moon would have surely perished, and the Hanling Tribe wouldn't be worth worrying about now," Long Xiang lamented in frustration.
"Resurrection Ring!" Yin Shuang and Long Xin were immensely curious: "What exactly is that thing?"
And I was utterly stunned!
The Resurrection Ring!
How could that be!
Did that mean Ghost Moon’s resurrection today was because he possessed a Resurrection Ring!
For a veteran, hardcore legend player like myself, there was no one who didn't know what a treasure the Resurrection Ring truly was!
It was just that I hadn't heard anything about the existence of a Resurrection Ring since arriving in the Marfa World, leading me to believe such an item didn't exist here!
The reactions of Long Xin and Yin Shuang clearly showed that they knew absolutely nothing about the Resurrection Ring!
However, I was intimately familiar with the function of the Resurrection Ring!
And I had almost been severely misled by it! That bizarre silver light, and that strange Daoist energy fluctuation, were still vividly imprinted in my mind!
"This thing actually exists."
"The Resurrection Ring," Seth explained: "As the name suggests, it is a special ring that allows one to die and live again. It is a marvelous artifact left over from the Ancient Era."
"It really exists," Yin Shuang exclaimed in shock: "It can actually bring people back from the dead."
"We also initially thought it was just a legend," Sui Yun stated seriously: "But you all saw it today; Ghost Moon, who was clearly killed, instantly revived."
"Then doesn't that mean someone with a Resurrection Ring possesses true immortality?" Long Xin gasped.
"Relax," I suppressed the shock and unease churning within me: "The Resurrection Ring can only restore vitality; it cannot restore one's total power, Dou Qi, or Daoist magic, or anything else."
"My Lord seems quite knowledgeable about the Resurrection Ring," Sui Yun noted with curiosity!
"I just analyzed it!" I stated firmly: "When Ghost Moon revived, his life force was fully restored, but his Dou Qi energy was not; otherwise, the attack Ghost Moon launched at me then would have been the strongest Heaven and Earth Shift, not that feeble Soul Fire Talisman."
"I see," Sui Yun nodded slightly: "So, possessing the Resurrection Ring does not grant true immortality."
"We just need to kill him a few more times next time," Long Xin gritted her teeth angrily: "I refuse to believe he can resurrect indefinitely."
"Kill him a few more times," I looked at the puffed-out cheeks of the furious Long Xin and said curtly: "Do you think Ghost Moon is some little chick or duck standing still waiting for you to kill him?"
"Furthermore, after this lesson, Ghost Moon will certainly be more cautious and vigilant. And our trump cards have been exposed; we have no more surprise tactics left," Sui Yun looked at me and Yin Shuang with an apologetic expression: "I apologize; our intelligence gathering beforehand was incomplete, which resulted in insufficient preparation for this operation, and even caused My Lord to be severely wounded."
"Great Leader, you need not blame yourself," I quickly interjected: "Victory and defeat are common in military affairs; no one can claim to be invincible."
"There is another crucial piece of news to tell everyone," Seth said solemnly: "We just received intelligence that the Hanling Tribe’s thirty thousand reinforcements are rushing here day and night."
"What!" Yin Shuang and I exclaimed simultaneously: "Thirty thousand reinforcements?"
"How could this be," Long Xin’s face instantly turned ashen.
"At their current speed, they should arrive within ten days at the latest," Seth said helplessly: "The time for considering how to attack Throne City is past; now we must consider how to withdraw our troops from here." Seth looked at me with some difficulty: "I hope My Lord can understand our predicament."
"Withdraw the troops?"
I felt a pang of bitterness!
Long Xin and Yin Shuang looked equally crestfallen.
Now, because of Ghost Moon and the two hundred elite warriors from the Hanling Tribe who suddenly appeared, the weakness in Throne City’s mage contingent had been filled, and in terms of sheer combat power, our side held no advantage!
The reason for the earlier defensive stance was simply to exhaust our living forces over a long period. If the siege dragged on until their reinforcements arrived, a pincer movement could annihilate our entire army!
One had to admit, Seth's reasoning was sound.
But the thought of Yan Luo’s condition, which brooked no delay, left me at a loss!
Should I really abandon the plan to take the Throne City now?
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