Chapter 155 : The Fall of Scorched Sun

Such formidable strength, coupled with vast reserves of Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy], far surpassed what Bianzhou or Celestial Ruins Mountain could ever muster. By all logic, even besieged by two great Demon King [a ruler among demonic beasts], Scorched Sun Mountain should have been able to hold firm until the Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic, devastating invasion by demonic beasts] subsided.

However, the Green Sun Sect had utterly lost the hearts of the people. Cultivators from many clans had forsaken the Green Sun Covenant [a pact of mutual defense], refusing to join the battle. Those clans that did participate dared not commit their full strength.

As for the Rogue Cultivator [cultivators unaffiliated with any major clan or sect], they had either fled to Celestial Ruins Mountain or, more than a decade prior, scattered to the other provinces of the Chu Kingdom.

Amidst this atmosphere, internal discord festered within the Green Sun Sect itself. It was this confluence of failures that ultimately led to the present calamity.

"Now, the Demonic Tribe [a collective term for sentient demonic beings] have breached Scorched Sun Mountain. It is said the entire Scorching Sun County has fallen, its tens of millions of mortals devoured as bloody sustenance for the Demonic Beast [monstrous creatures infused with demonic energy]."

"They say in this single battle, the Green Sun Sect lost five of its Purple Mansion [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a spiritual mansion] elders. The great immortal clans of Yang Province also suffered grievous losses."

"Rumors claim the Scorching Sun County hegemon, the Pan Clan, was devastated. Of the Pan Immortal Clan's three Purple Mansion elders, two perished. Even Pan Daoyang, who had reached the Purple Palace, Late Stage [the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm], fell to a Demon King's hand."

"Only Percival Pan escaped, abandoning the clan's Spirit Vein [a geological formation that concentrates and emits spiritual energy] and leading a remnant of his people into Boyang County."

"Now, the spearhead of the Earth Lion Ridge forces points directly at Cloud Sun County and Boyang County."

After Lyra Jiang finished speaking, a palpable restlessness settled over the assembled group. Support the author by reading on audio-novel .c om.

When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. If the Demonic Tribe [a collective term for intelligent, often hostile, non-human creatures] were to conquer Boyang County, then Yu County would find itself sharing a direct border with Earth Lion Ridge.

Even if we managed to repel the Demonic Beast [a general term for monstrous beasts, often less intelligent than the Demonic Tribe] assault this time, when the next Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic, massive invasion of demonic beasts] arrives a century hence, Yu County would be caught in a pincer attack from both Celestial Python Lake and Earth Lion Ridge.

How could the combined forces of Bianzhou and Celestial Ruins Mountain possibly withstand the onslaught from two Demon King [a powerful ruler of a demonic territory] territories? Furthermore, without Scorching Sun Ridge to share the burden, Celestial Ruins Mountain alone, standing as a bulwark against the Demonic Tribe Territory, would face a drastically increased pressure.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen let out a sigh and declared, "No egg survives the fall of the nest. Though the Green Sun Sect is detestable, we have no choice but to lend them our aid."

"Aid we must provide," Xavier Xu nodded, then posed the question, "But with Xu the Ancient Ancestor of the Green Sun Sect now turtled up in his defenses, if we intervene, we risk facing two Demon King directly."

"This..."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone present shifted slightly.

A single Celestial Python Demon King already demanded their full, concerted effort. To confront two Demon King simultaneously was a challenge far beyond their current strength.

Lyra Jiang pondered for a moment before speaking, "Do not let your thoughts spiral into such dire complexity."

"Though gravely wounded, Xu the Ancient Ancestor is, after all, a Golden Core [a high-level cultivator whose spiritual power is condensed into a golden core] cultivator and still wields a fourth-rank high-grade Mirror of the Vast Heaven. The Earth Lion Demon King cannot afford to ignore such a threat."

"Furthermore, with our fellow cultivators from the Qing and Yang Provinces tying down their forces, the strength of Earth Lion Ridge will be greatly dispersed. We do not necessarily have to face two Demon King [powerful demonic rulers] directly."

"Moreover, we don't need to engage them in a head-on clash. We simply need to strike where they must defend, making them perceive the danger of being attacked from both front and rear. Earth Lion Ridge will naturally not dare to act rashly."

"When that time comes, this Beast Tide Calamity [a massive invasion by demonic beasts] will naturally come to an end."

She circled two locations on the map. Eldrin Chen looked and saw that both spots were marked with prominent symbols.

One was the fallen Scorching Sun Ridge, and the other was Earth Lion Ridge. Capturing the former would cut off the retreat route for the Earth Lion Ridge Demonic Tribe [a tribe or faction of demonic beings] army, while the latter was the lair of the Earth Lion Demon King.

Xavier Xu revealed a slight smile and nodded in agreement. "Now that both Golden Core Demon King [demonic rulers at the Golden Core Realm] are at the front lines, both Scorching Sun Ridge and Earth Lion Ridge are relatively undefended. This is indeed an excellent strategy."

"And that Earth Lion Ridge sits upon a Fourth Rank Spirit Vein [a high-grade source of spiritual energy], so it should harbor extremely precious spiritual treasures. This is the perfect opportunity."

"Hmm."

Lyra Jiang pondered for a moment before finally making her decision. "Earth Lion Ridge lies deep within Demonic Tribe territory; the danger there is likely immense. Leave it to me. As for the Scorched Sun Mountain area, that will be your responsibility."

"But..." Eldrin Chen felt a surge of worry and couldn't help but voice it. "Earth Lion Ridge is a Demon King's lair. Who knows what hidden reserves or defenses it might hold? For you to go alone seems far too perilous."

"Do not worry about me. With the speed of my Heaven's Ruin Immortal-Slaying Sword, even if those two Golden Core Demon King [powerful demonic beasts at the Golden Core cultivation stage] join forces, they cannot hold me back."

Lyra Jiang smiled as she glanced at Eldrin Chen, then her expression turned solemn. "Remember, this battle is not about a head-on clash."

"Strike once and retreat immediately. Make them feel attacked from both front and rear, so they abandon their assault on Boyang County."

To achieve a swift resolution, the several human Purple Mansion [a major cultivation stage above Foundation Establishment] combatants did not linger. That very night, they flew towards the direction of Scorching Sun Mountain Range, leaving only Su Mingwei, who had recently broken through to the Purple Mansion realm, behind at Heaven's Ruin Mountain to oversee the defensive formations.

This time, they did not bring any Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators at the stage above Qi Refinement]. Traveling thirty thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] in a single day, they reached the Scorching Sun Mountain Range in merely three days.

At this moment, the forces of Earth Lion Ridge were all concentrated at the front lines. The Scorching Sun Mountain Range was garrisoned by only two Purple Mansion Demonic Beast [demonic beasts at the Purple Mansion cultivation stage]: one Golden Lion Mastiff at the Purple Mansion Mid Stage and one Azure Wolf Mastiff at the Purple Mansion Early Stage. It could be said their defenses were exceedingly weak. Experience the full epic at *audio-novel.com*.

Facing the sudden assault by six human Purple Mansion combatants, the Golden Lion Mastiff and Azure Wolf Mastiff were caught completely off guard. The battle lasted less than one Ke-time [one Ke-time equals fifteen minutes] before they were surrounded and slain.

After securing their victory, Eldrin Chen and the others did not linger. They spent one Shichen-time [one Shichen-time equals two hours] ransacking the Spirit Medicine Garden [a garden for cultivating spiritually potent plants] and storerooms of the Scorching Sun Mountain Range before hastily flying back to Heaven's Ruin Mountain.

From start to finish, including the time spent traveling, this entire campaign took only six days.

When the Demon King [a title for a powerful demonic ruler] of Earth Lion Ridge received the news, it hurried back from the rear in a panic, only to find that Scorching Sun Ridge had been completely plundered.

Simultaneously, news arrived from within Earth Lion Ridge. Lyra Jiang had launched a surprise assault on Earth Lion Ridge, and with her own strength, had slain three Purple Mansion Demonic Beast [powerful demonic beasts at the Purple Mansion cultivation realm]. She seized the Fourth Rank Earth Spirit Pearl [a supreme treasure of earth essence, born from a Fourth Rank earth vein] that had been nurtured within the Fourth Rank Earth Vein there.

Enraged, the Demon King [a ruler among demonic beasts] of Earth Lion Ridge scoured the lands for them for over ten days, only to discover they had already departed long ago.

It was only by this time that the news of the Celestial Python Demon King's defeat finally reached them.

Realizing that continuing the fight would leave him vulnerable on two fronts, the Demon King of Earth Lion Ridge had no choice but to withdraw his Demonic Tribe [a collective term for demonic beast factions] armies from the front lines and consolidate the territories he currently occupied.

Thus, the Beast Tide Calamity [a massive invasion by demonic beasts] facing Bianzhou and Yang Province was effectively concluded.

Compared to the great victory in Bianzhou, Yang Province had suffered a devastating loss, forfeiting the crucial Scorched Sun Mountain and the entire Scorching Sun County.

The toll was staggering; the fallen Purple Mansion Cultivator alone numbered as many as nine, while losses among Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement Cultivators exceeded four in ten. It was a defeat unseen for centuries.

Just as Eldrin Chen and the others returned to Celestial Ruins Mountain, far on the other side of the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Wilderness, by the shores beyond Spirit Isle Lake, two figures stood in silent vigil.

After a moment of heavy silence, the eyes of one, an elder clad in black robes, flickered slightly as he finally spoke.

"Lin the Ancient Eccentric, it seems your method has proven ineffective."

"Hmph."

Another figure clad in white robes let out a cold snort, his gaze and expression turning frosty as he spoke. "I have already sent the distress signal from Yuyang Market to that Silas Chen. I never imagined that girl would still have the composure to hold her ground." Official source: *audio-novel.com*. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.