Chapter 155 End of the Beast Riot

Such formidable strength, coupled with vast reserves of spirit stones, far surpassed what Border Province and Celestial Ruins Mountain could ever hope to match. By all reasoning, even when besieged by 2 great demon kings, Scorched Sun Mountain should have been able to hold out until the end of the beast tide.

However, the Azure Sun Sect had lost the allegiance of its people. Cultivators from many clans had forsaken the Azure Sun Covenant and refused to join the battle, while most of the participating clans dared not commit themselves wholeheartedly.

Rogue cultivators had either fled to the Celestial Ruins Mountain (Location) or dispersed to various other prefectures within the Chu Kingdom (Location) over a dozen or so years ago.

In such circumstances, the Qingyang Sect was not united internally, ultimately leading to this predicament.

"The demonic tribes have now crossed Scorched Sun Mountain (Location). It's said the entire Scorching Sun Province has fallen, with tens of millions of mortals becoming blood sustenance for the demonic beasts."

It is said that in this battle, the Azure Sun Sect lost 5 Eldrin realm experts, while the major immortal clans of Yang Province also suffered devastating casualties.

It is said that the Pan Clan, the overlord of Jiaoyang County, also suffered devastating losses. 2 of their 3 Purple Mansion experts fell in battle—even Pan Daoyang (Purple Palace, Late Stage) met his end at the hands of the Demon King.

Only that Percival (Person Name) had led a portion of their clansmen, abandoning the family’s spirit vein to flee into the Boyang Commandery.

The military might of Earth Lion Ridge now pointed directly at Yunyang County and Boyang County.

After Lyra (Person Name) finished speaking, everyone grew visibly restless.

When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. If the demonic tribes conquer Boyang County, Yu County will directly border the Lion Ridge.

By then, even if everyone managed to repel the beast tide, when the next beast rampage arrived a 100 years later, Yu County would be caught in a pincer attack between the Celestial Python Lake (Location) and the Earth Lion Ridge.

With only the strength of Border Province and Celestial Ruins Mountain (Location), how could they possibly withstand the assaults from 2 demon king territories? Moreover, with Scorching Sun Ridge no longer sharing the pressure, Celestial Ruins Mountain (Location) now stood alone as the bulwark against the demon realm, facing a dramatically intensified onslaught.

At this thought, Eldrin let out a sigh and said, "When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. Though the Verdant Sun Sect is detestable, we must lend them our aid."

"Support we shall provide," Xavier nodded, then inquired, "But with Patriarch Xu of the Azure Sun Sect now turtling up in seclusion, any move we make could force us to confront 2 Demon Kings directly."

"This..."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions shifted slightly.

A single Celestial Python Demon King (Demon Beast) already required their full strength to contend with. Faced with 2 such demonic monarchs simultaneously, they stood utterly powerless.

Lyra (Person Name) paused thoughtfully before saying, "Don't overcomplicate matters."

Although Elder Xu was severely wounded, he was still a Golden Core cultivator after all, and with the Mirror of the Vast Heaven (Magic Treasure)—a top-tier grade-4 treasure—in his possession, the Earth Lion Demon King could not afford to disregard him.

"Moreover, with fellow cultivators from Qing and Yang provinces keeping them occupied, the Earth Lion Ridge's forces will be significantly divided. We won't necessarily have to confront 2 Demon Kings directly."

"Besides, we don't need to confront them head-on. We only need to strike where they're most vulnerable—make them sense the peril of being caught between 2 fronts. The Earthlion Ridge won't dare act recklessly once they realize this."

"By then, this beast tide will naturally come to an end."

She circled 2 locations on the map. When Eldrin looked over, he noticed both spots were marked with prominent symbols.

1 was the fallen Scorching Sun Ridge, while the other was the Earth Lion Ridge. Capturing the former would cut off the retreat route of the demon forces at Earth Lion Ridge, while the latter served as the stronghold of the Earth Lion Demon King.

A faint smile graced Xavier’s lips as he nodded in agreement. "With both Golden Core demon kings currently deployed at the frontlines, the Scorching Sun Ridge and Earth Lion Ridge are relatively unguarded. This is indeed an excellent opportunity."

"And that Earth Lion Ridge is a fourth-tier spiritual vein, so there must be extremely precious spiritual objects. Right now is the best opportunity."

"Hmm."

Lyra (Person Name) contemplated for a moment before finally resolving, "The Earthlion Ridge (Location), situated deep within demon territory, likely holds considerable peril. Leave this to me. You shall proceed to Scorched Sun Mountain (Location)."

"But," Eldrin voiced his concern, unable to hold back, "the Earthlion Ridge is the demon king's lair. No 1 knows what hidden depths might lie within. Isn't it too perilous for you to go alone?"

"Do not worry about me. With the speed of my Heaven's Ruin Immortal-Slaying Sword, even if those 2 Golden Core demon kings join forces, they cannot hold me back."

Lyra smiled briefly at Eldrin before adopting a solemn expression. "Remember, this battle isn't about meeting force with force."

"Strike once and retreat, so they realize they’re caught between 2 fronts and cease their assault on Bo Yang County."

To swiftly conclude the battle, several Golden Core realm experts did not linger. That very night, they flew toward Scorched Sun Mountain (Location), leaving only Su Mingwei (Person Name)—who had recently broken through to the Golden Core realm—to maintain the formation at Celestial Ruins Mountain (Location).

This time they did not bring any Foundation Establishment cultivators. Covering 30 1000 miles in a single day, they reached Scorched Sun Mountain (Location) in merely 3 days.

At this moment, all of Earth Lion Ridge's forces were deployed at the front lines. Only 2 Purple Palace beasts remained stationed on Scorched Sun Mountain: a Purple Palace, Mid Stage Golden Lion Mastiff and a Purple Palace, Early Stage Azure Wolf Mastiff. It could be said the defenses were utterly depleted.

Faced with the sudden assault of the 6 Zifu-level combatants from the human race, the Golden Lion Mastiff and the Azure Wolf Mastiff were caught completely off guard. In less than a quarter of an hour, they were surrounded and slain by the group.

After securing their victory, Eldrin and his companions did not linger. They spent 1 shichen ransacking the spirit herb gardens and storage vaults of Scorched Sun Mountain before hastily flying back to Celestial Ruins Mountain.

And yet, from start to finish, this battle—including the time spent on the swift march—had taken a mere 6 days.

Upon receiving the news, the Demon King of Earth Lion Ridge hurriedly rushed back from the rear, only to find Scorching Sun Ridge had been completely plundered.

Meanwhile, news also arrived from the Earth Lion Ridge. Lyra (Person Name) launched a surprise attack on the ridge, single-handedly slaying 3 Zifu-level demonic beasts and seizing the fourth-grade Earth Spirit Pearl nurtured within the ridge's fourth-grade earthen vein.

Enraged, the Earth Lion Ridge Demon King scoured the lands for them. After a dozen or so days of searching, he discovered they had long since departed.

It was only at this moment that news of the Celestial Python Demon King's (Demon Beast) defeat finally arrived.

The Earthlion Ridge Demon King realized that continuing the battle would leave him besieged on both fronts. He had no choice but to withdraw the demon army from the frontlines and consolidate their currently occupied territories.

Thus, the beast tide plaguing Bianzhou and Yangzhou was finally quelled.

Compared to the great victory in Bianzhou, Yangzhou had lost the crucial Scorched Sun Mountain (Location) and the entire Jiaoyang Commandery.

The fallen Eldrin Realm cultivators alone numbered as many as 9, while over 40% of Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement disciples were lost—a defeat unparalleled in hundreds of years.

Just as Eldrin and the others had returned to Celestial Ruins Mountain, 2 figures stood silently by the shore of Spirit Isle Lake, far across the 100-1000-mile untamed wilderness.

After a moment of silence, 1 of the black-robed elders suddenly stirred, his eyes glinting as he spoke.

"Old Freak Lin, it seems your method isn't working."

"Hmph."

Another figure in white robes let out a cold snort, his gaze turning slightly frosty as he remarked, "I've already sent the distress signal from Yuyang Market to that Chen Silas (Person Name). Who would have thought that girl could still remain so composed."

Chapter 1 The Azure Cloud Sect's outer gate examination had just concluded. Lin Xuan clutched the newly acquired identity token, his knuckles whitening. After 3 full years of relentless cultivation, he had finally stepped through the threshold of immortality. "Next, head to the Transmission Hall to receive your beginner cultivation manual and spirit stones," announced the grey-robed elder overseeing the proceedings, his tone detached. The crowd surged toward the majestic hall nestled halfway up the mountain. Lin Xuan blended into the stream of disciples, his heart swelling with a mix of exhilaration and apprehension. "Disciple Lin Xuan, here to collect his resources," he declared, presenting his token to the hall attendant. The attendant retrieved a simple pouch and a jade slip. "10 low-grade spirit stones and the foundational 'Primordial Chaos Art' manual. Cultivate diligently—the Sect provides resources, but the path ahead depends on your own efforts." "Many thanks, Elder," Lin Xuan responded with a respectful bow, accepting the items. His spiritual sense probed the jade slip, and profound, esoteric characters instantly flooded his consciousness: *The Dao begets 1, 1 begets 2, 2 begets 3, 3 begets all things...* Just as he was about to delve deeper, a sharp, mocking voice cut through the air. "Well, if it isn't Lin Xuan? Took you a full 3 years to barely scrape through the entrance exam. With talent like that, you'd be better off resigning yourself to mediocrity." A youth clad in brocade robes approached, flanked by several followers. His gaze was filled with undisguised contempt. "Wang Tianhao," Lin Xuan uttered coldly, his grip tightening around the spirit stone pouch. This individual came from a prominent cultivation clan and had repeatedly mocked Lin Xuan's humble origins during the examination period. Wang Tianhao smirked, snatching the jade slip from Lin Xuan's hand. "The 'Primordial Chaos Art'? Even a top-tier technique is wasted in the hands of trash. How about this—I'll trade you 1 of my family's discarded manuals for it. Consider it an act of charity." The surrounding disciples burst into laughter. In the world of cultivation, the theft of a cultivation manual was tantamount to severing someone's path to immortality—a grave insult. A surge of fury rose within Lin Xuan, but he forcibly suppressed it. The sect strictly prohibited internal conflict. He took a deep breath and met Wang Tianhao's gaze squarely. "Return my manual. Now." "Oh? And what if I refuse?" Wang Tianhao sneered, tossing the jade slip to 1 of his lackeys. "Catch it if you can." Just as the jade slip was about to change hands, a clear, resonant voice echoed from the entrance of the hall. "What is the meaning of this commotion?" A woman in moon-white robes descended, her aura as serene and profound as the deep ocean. With a mere glance, an invisible pressure enveloped the entire hall. "Elder Sister Su!" The disciples, including Wang Tianhao, immediately bowed in respect, their faces paling. Su Lingxian, the direct disciple of the Transmission Hall Elder, was a renowned prodigy of the Azure Cloud Sect. At just over 20 years of age, she had already reached the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. She scanned the scene, her gaze finally settling on the jade slip in the lackey's hand. "The sect's foundational techniques are not playthings. If you have so much energy to spare, perhaps you should dedicate it to the Trial of the 100 Peaks next month." Wang Tianhao and his followers trembled, not daring to utter another word. The lackey hastily returned the jade slip to Lin Xuan. Su Lingxian then looked at Lin Xuan, her tone softening slightly. "Cultivation is a marathon, not a sprint. What matters most is a steadfast heart. Do not be swayed by minor setbacks." Lin Xuan bowed deeply once more. "This junior understands. Thank you for your guidance, Elder Sister." After Su Lingxian departed, Wang Tianhao shot Lin Xuan a venomous glare but dared not make another scene. He led his group away in a huff. Clutching the jade slip, Lin Xuan returned to his humble abode—a simple wooden hut on the outskirts of the outer sect. He arranged the 10 glimmering spirit stones before him and focused his mind on the cultivation method within the slip. *Channel the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, guiding it through the meridians...* Following the instructions, he began to absorb the spiritual energy from the spirit stones. Wisps of pure energy flowed into his body, circulating through his meridians before finally settling in his dantian. Time slipped away unnoticed. When Lin Xuan opened his eyes again, night had fallen. 1 of the spirit stones had dimmed, its energy depleted. "A single session consumed 1 spirit stone. With only 10, how long can I last?" Lin Xuan murmured to himself, a trace of bitterness in his smile. Cultivation truly demanded immense resources. Suddenly, a warm current surged from the jade slip in his bosom. It was an ordinary-looking pendant his parents had left him—his only memento. To his astonishment, the pendant began to glow with a soft, green light. The characters of the 'Primordial Chaos Art' in his mind began to transform, rearranging themselves into a completely new, profoundly mysterious scripture: *Chaos Purple Qi Art* Before he could fully process this, a vortex of spiritual energy erupted around him. The remaining 9 spirit stones shattered almost instantly, their energy madly pouring into his body. Boom! A muffled roar echoed from within him. The bottleneck at the first level of Qi Refining that had stubbornly resisted him for 3 years shattered in an instant. Lin Xuan trembled as he inspected his dantian. A wisp of purple spiritual power, as fine as a hair, was slowly circulating within. He had broken through! Not only had he broken through, but he had also directly reached the second level of Qi Refining! And this newly acquired 'Chaos Purple Qi Art' was, without a doubt, an ancient and unparalleled technique far surpassing the 'Primordial Chaos Art'! Lin Xuan gazed at the now-cracked pendant in his hand, his heart surging like the tide. It seemed his path of cultivation was destined to be anything but ordinary.