Chapter 379 : A Desperate Stand at the Portal

"The Human Race [the collective term for humanity in the cultivation world]?"

The Demon King [a powerful ruler among demonic beasts] roared, striking out in rapid, bewildered succession.

In truth, not only were the trio of Eldrin Chen, Lyra Jiang, and Yvonne the Violet Consort startled; the Demonic Tribe [a collective term for tribes of sentient demonic beasts] was equally terrified, their scalps tingling at the sudden emergence of three supreme Golden Core [the third major stage of cultivation, where one forms a solidified golden core of power] experts.

How could a perfectly normal Teleportation Formation [a magical array used for instantaneous travel across vast distances] suddenly produce three Human Race cultivators? Many Demon King suspected they had fallen into a Human Race trap.

"Destroy the Teleportation Formation now!"

A Demon King bellowed the command, fearing a pincer attack from within and without, with more Human Race reinforcements soon to follow. In a panic, they desperately channeled their Divine Ability [powerful innate or learned supernatural techniques] and unleashed their Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators, often with unique powers].

"BOOM!"

Amidst the relentless clashes, Yvonne the Violet Consort's expression shifted sharply. She summoned another Magical Treasure to block an incoming assault from a Demon King and asked urgently, "How do we break free?"

"Our only path now is to shatter this local Formation [a structured arrangement of magical energy for defense, attack, or other purposes] and rendezvous with our fellow Daoists from Ji Continent outside,"

Lyra Jiang declared, her face grave as she produced the Six Heavens Black Prison Pagoda [a formidable pagoda-shaped treasure]. "Hold them off for a moment. I will activate this treasure to break the Formation." Your portal to cultivation novels: audio~novel.com.

"Very well."

Yvonne the Violet Consort [a powerful female cultivator] spoke, understanding that this was the only viable course of action left to them.

This Void Gemstone Vein [a mine containing rare gems attuned to spatial energies] was of paramount importance. The Demonic Tribe [a faction of monstrous beings] had deployed seven interlinked Fourth Rank Formation [powerful magical arrays] around it, their combined might reaching the level of a Quasi-Fifth Rank [approaching the power of a fifth-rank formation].

Aside from the Six Heavens Black Prison Pagoda [a formidable, unique treasure], none among them possessed a method to breach such defenses swiftly.

The Six Heavens Black Prison Pagoda was a special, anomalous treasure. Though its power was immense, capable of shattering any single Fourth Rank Formation in one blow, it required a period of energy accumulation to unleash its full destructive potential.

Grasping the critical nature of the situation, both began to channel their Defensive Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts designed for protection] to withstand the onslaught from the numerous Demon King [powerful, sentient demonic beasts].

Yet these Demon King were no weaklings. Among them were formidable beings like the Black Eagle Demon King, a Golden Core, Late Stage [a cultivator in the late stages of the Golden Core realm] powerhouse. The pressure they exerted was immense, and for a moment, both defenders felt the strain.

"We cannot afford to be bogged down like this."

In this moment of crisis, Eldrin Chen's gaze turned icy.

He summoned forth the Purple-Gold Glazed Armor [a suit of armor forged from purple-gold and possessing a glazed, crystalline sheen] to bolster his defenses, then activated the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void [a mystical mirror that manipulates the forces of yin, yang, and space]. Instantly, a dazzling surge of Yin-Yang Magnetic Power [a force born from the interplay of opposing cosmic energies] flooded the void, effectively disrupting and interfering with the over ten Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts] being wielded by the Demon King.

These Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators], disrupted by the magnetic forces, were momentarily sent flying and striking chaotically. Most of their power slammed into the Spirit Mountain [a mountain imbued with concentrated spiritual energy], instantly shattering cliffs and filling the air with thunderous roars.

After this maneuver, they finally felt the pressure drop sharply and allowed themselves a slight sigh of relief.

While channeling the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void, Eldrin Chen swept his gaze around. He noticed that many of the Demon King [powerful demonic rulers], finding their Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts] countered, were now charging forward directly, relying on their formidable physical bodies.

"Hmph."

Witnessing the Demon King's [powerful demonic rulers'] audacity, Eldrin Chen's gaze turned icy. He spoke to Yvonne the Violet Consort: "Please, shield us."

"Understood."

As she spoke, Yvonne the Violet Consort invoked her Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural power] and Magical Treasure [enchanted artifact] to envelop the three of them in its protective aura.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen withdrew the Purple-Gold Glazed Armor and the Heavenly Separated Twin Swords, then began frantically drawing mana from the Flood Water Azure Lotus Platform.

After several breaths, he forcefully channeled his mana and unleashed the Phantom-Splitting Sword Art [a sword technique that creates illusory duplicates].

"*Clang!*"

In that instant, billions of sword rays erupted like a torrential downpour, surging forth to blanket the heavens and earth with an unstoppable, frenzied tide that swept across all directions, forcing one Demon King after another to explode backward in retreat.

In that brief moment, countless Demonic Tribe members below the Golden Core realm were slain, and even the Golden Core Demon King suffered grievous wounds, coughing up blood as they were forced to fall back.

"Come support us quickly, do not get entangled!"

Witnessing Eldrin Chen's ferocious display, a Demon King roared in fury. However, the Human Race Golden Core cultivators battling on the periphery, seeing this fleeting opportunity, naturally unleashed their full arsenal of techniques, pressing the Demon King so hard they could scarcely offer any aid.

Seeing that a mere dozen or so Golden Core Demon King could not subdue the trio, a powerful Demon King bellowed in rage.

"Activate the Formation! The Formation!" Join our community of readers at audio–novel.com.

If they activated the Formation to attack the three within the Spirit Mountain, the Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy] would be placed in grave danger.

But at this critical juncture, they could no longer afford such concerns. The Demon King presiding over the Formation reacted, preparing to channel the formation's power against the trio.

Alas, it was already too late. After a moment's focused preparation, Lyra Jiang finally unleashed the Six Heavens Black Prison Pagoda.

In a flash, a stream of radiant light descended to suppress the very void, tearing apart countless formation runes. The entire Mountain Guardian Grand Formation protecting the Spirit Stone Mine vein collapsed into ruin.

"Well done, Fellow Daoist Chen."

Witnessing the Spirit Mountain's Formation [a structured arrangement of energy for defense or attack] being breached, Ancestor Mo charged forward at the forefront, unleashing his Ink Snow Twin Swords to cut a path inward.

Powerful figures descended upon the scene one after another: Wei Magnus, whose cultivation had reached the False Nascent Soul Realm [a state just shy of true Nascent Soul ascension]; Kunxuzi, renowned as the foremost Rogue Cultivator [an unaffiliated practitioner] across the Ji Continent; Lin Yangkong, the undisputed leader among the Qi Nation Golden Core Cultivators. A host of elite cultivators at the Golden Core, Late Stage and even Golden Core Great Perfection [the pinnacle of the Golden Core realm] made their formidable presence known.

The Demonic Tribe [a collective of sentient demonic beasts] also fielded their champions. There were eight or nine Demon King [a ruler among demonic beasts] of Golden Core, Late Stage strength, such as the Black Eagle Demon King and the Azure Sparrow Demon King. Towering above them was a massive azure flood dragon, its power having ascended to the False Nascent Soul realm.

Yet, the fighting spirit of the Demonic Tribe had begun to wane. The sudden, devastating assault by Eldrin Chen and his two companions had shaken the demons' morale. They now feared that reinforcements for the Human Race might continue to pour through the Teleportation Formation [a magical array for instantaneous travel over vast distances].

"We withdraw."

The Azure Flood Dragon Demon King cast one last, icy glare at the trio before leading the Demonic Tribe in a retreat into the distance.

With the Human Race now in control of the Teleportation Formation, the extent and strength of potential reinforcements remained an unknown variable. To continue a battle where one knew oneself but not the enemy was the height of folly.

The Azure Flood Dragon Demon King stood but half a step from the Nascent Soul [the realm where a cultivator's spirit forms an independent entity] realm; it was not a risk he was willing to take.

"After them!"

A group of Golden Core Cultivator [cultivators who have formed a Golden Core, the third major stage of cultivation] gave chase, pursuing the most powerful Golden Core Demon King [a demonic beast king possessing power equivalent to a Golden Core cultivator]. Instead, they poured their full effort into intercepting and slaying several Golden Core Early to Mid Stage Demon Kings.

Atop the Spirit Mountain [a mountain imbued with concentrated spiritual energy], Eldrin Chen felt his mana utterly drained. The three of them swallowed several Pills [refined medicinal elixirs used for cultivation and recovery] before finally drawing a deep, steadying breath.

Their successive assaults on the Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy within the earth] had already consumed a significant portion of their mana. The final battle, facing over a dozen Golden Core Demon Kings, had pushed them to their absolute limit. Had their combat prowess not rivaled that of Golden Core Great Perfection [the peak stage just below the Nascent Soul realm], even three Golden Core, Late Stage [cultivators at the advanced stage of the Golden Core realm] would likely have perished there.

If the Demonic Tribe [a tribe or faction of demonic beasts] had not been caught off guard and unnerved by their sudden appearance, that clash would have undoubtedly been a far more brutal and protracted struggle.

In truth, it was no wonder the Demonic Tribe's morale shattered, forcing their retreat. The sudden emergence of three Golden Core cultivators from their own rear lines was shocking enough, but the sheer, overwhelming power these three displayed was utterly beyond reason.

They had stood firm against the onslaught of over a dozen Demon Kings, showing not a shred of fear. They had unleashed a Great Divine Ability [a supreme and powerful supernatural technique] that grievously wounded countless members of the Demonic Tribe and shattered the meticulously laid Mountain Guardian Grand Formation [a powerful defensive array protecting a mountain].

Even if it had been Human Race Golden Core Cultivators witnessing such a scene, their resolve would have likely crumbled. The only sensible course was to preserve their strength, retreat to gather intelligence, and plan a counterattack.

After recovering a sliver of their mana, the trio also joined the pursuit for a time. They chased the fleeing demons for the span of One Shichen [a traditional unit of time equal to two hours] before the group finally returned to the Void Gemstone Vein.

Within the mine, several dozen Golden Core cultivators gathered, their faces alight with satisfaction as they tallied the spoils of the battle.

After completing the tally, Wei Magnus spoke with evident joy, "In this battle, we have slain five Golden Core Demon Kings and destroyed the physical bodies of four others."

"Excellent."

Everyone was overjoyed. This single battle had resulted in the slaying of five Demon Kings. Combined with the two felled by Eldrin Chen and his companions during the struggle for a Teleportation Formation, the total number of Demon Kings slain in this engagement reached seven.

Furthermore, with four other Demon Kings having their physical forms destroyed, the losses suffered by the Qi Kingdom had been largely recouped from the spoils of this very conflict.

Moreover, the destruction of eleven Demonic Tribe Teleportation Formations shattered their entire logistical network, a decisive blow that turned the tide of this Beast Tide Calamity from defeat to victory. Access the full story on audio-novel .c om.