Chapter 677 : Convergence of Three Armies

What the Flame Demon Race [a race of demons with an affinity for fire] never anticipated was that Eldrin Chen had already discerned the anomaly from a few battle reports. He analyzed that the enemy on the Heaven's Profound Sect [a major orthodox cultivation sect] battlefield was extraordinary and, without even pausing for rest, led his forces to reinforce them with astonishing speed.

The Human Race arrived far more swiftly than he had imagined. This fatal miscalculation, born from a moment of greed for glory, exacted a deadly price from the Lord of Flame Demons [the ruler of the Flame Demon forces].

Merely three days later, the three great forces of Eldrin Chen, the Mysterious Void Path Master [a Daoist master renowned for his profound and elusive techniques], and the Featherflight Pavilion [a powerful human cultivation faction] converged. They assembled five Star Constellation Formation Eye [the core nodes of a powerful astral defensive formation] and mobilized over half the strength of the Three Veins Ancient Domain [a vast and ancient region] to completely encircle the Ghost Mansion [a region of haunted islands] area.

A full hundred War Treasure Ship [massive, enchanted vessels used for warfare and transport], nearly three hundred True Lord [a high-level cultivation realm, equivalent to Nascent Soul stage] cultivators gathered. Among them were twenty great powers at the Infant Soul Late Stage [the peak of the Nascent Soul realm], and two Patriarch [venerable leaders of great clans or sects] at the Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a quasi-legendary realm just below the Primordial Spirit stage]. The remaining lower-ranked cultivators numbered in the hundreds of millions, sealing the Ghost Mansion archipelago in an impenetrable blockade.

Upon receiving the news, the Lord of Flame Demons was momentarily stunned. In this dire crisis, he could only grit his teeth and declare, "The Human Race military might is overwhelming. We are already severely depleted from prolonged battle. At this point, attempting a breakout is likely impossible."

"Our only hope is to storm Ghost Mansion Island [the central island of the Ghost Mansion region]. By relying on this Spirit Island [an island rich in spiritual energy] to deploy a defensive Formation [a structured arrangement of energy channels and symbols used for defense, attack, or cultivation], we might hold out until reinforcements arrive."

With that, the Lord of Flame Demons ordered a frenzied assault on Ghost Mansion Island.

However, the hearts and minds of the several Infant Soul experts among the Flame Demon Race were already wavering. The Flame Demon Race Grand Elder [the senior-most elder of the clan] secretly transmitted his voice to the other Demon Monarch [powerful demon lords]. "Our Clan Patriarch seeks to use us to breach the Star Constellation Formation Eye. He aims to claim a great merit, which he can exchange for an opportunity to break through to the Primordial Spirit [a legendary cultivation realm representing the unification of one's spiritual essence]."

"Indeed," another voice agreed. "With his cultivation at the Half-Step Primordial Spirit, his chances of escaping alive are at least fifty or sixty percent. But for us, mere cultivators of the True Lord Realm, as the encirclement tightens, our hope of survival grows ever more slender."

"To trade our lives for his chance at the Primordial Spirit realm... what a beautiful dream he's having." This chapter is part of a larger work available at audio—novel.com.

Several Infant Soul [the stage of cultivation where the nascent soul is formed] Fiend Race [a general term for demonic cultivators and beings] cultivators sneered coldly. The Fiend Race were largely selfish and ruthless; they fought fiercely when the tide of battle was in their favor, but when faced with enemies several times their own strength, who among them would care about the so-called Righteous-Demonic Great War [the grand, cyclical conflict between the forces of righteousness and demonic evil].

Immediately, quite a few of the Flame Demon True Lord [a high-ranking cultivator title within the Flame Demon lineage] began conserving their strength, preparing to seize the chance to flee the moment the great battle commenced.

By now, the spiritual energy [the vital energy that flows through all living things and the world] of Ghost Metal Island was nearly depleted. Yet, these Flame Demon True Lord dared not unleash their full power, while the defenders from Heaven's Profound Sect held their ground at any cost.

Consequently, even after a full day of relentless assault, the Fiend Race forces were utterly unable to breach that final, paper-thin line of defense.

By early dawn the next day, when the Human Race army had completely surrounded them from all directions, the Flame Demon Race [a specific demonic race associated with fire and chaos] forces descended into utter chaos.

In the very first clash, over a dozen Fiend Race True Lord [a high cultivation realm, equivalent to Nascent Soul stage] immediately turned tail and fled for their lives. Seeing this, the remaining Flame Demon made the decisive choice to scatter and follow suit.

"Damn you all! Come back! Return to your posts!"

The Lord of Flame Demons roared in furious rage, but his commands now fell on deaf ears. Mysterious Void Path Master [a Daoist title meaning 'Master of the Mysterious Void'] and the Master of Featherflight Pavilion [the leader of the Featherflight Pavilion sect] joined forces, directly encircling the Lord of Flame Demons.

Not only that, seeing the Flame Demon army in full rout, Eldrin Chen immediately deployed the Myriad Immortals Demon-Subduing Grand Formation [a powerful defensive and offensive array formation] to ensnare the Lord of Flame Demons.

This Myriad Immortals Demon-Subduing Grand Formation had originally been prepared to counter the entire Fiend Race Army. Unexpectedly, the Flame Demon Race forces had collapsed so completely. Thus, it was now repurposed to deal with this single, formidable enemy who stood at the Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a stage just below the full Primordial Spirit realm] realm.

After trapping the Lord of Flame Demons, the group began to pursue and slay the Fiend Race Army.

The combined strength of the group was nearly three times that of the Fiend Race, granting them an utterly overwhelming advantage in the hunt.

Even the formidable Flame Demon True Lord, when surrounded and attacked by the group, found themselves outmatched and overwhelmed.

The great battle raged for a full day and night. Aside from a handful of Infant Soul Demonic Cultivator who managed to escape with their lives at great cost, the remaining Flame Demon Race forces were virtually annihilated.

However, even after the Flame Demon army was vanquished, the battle between the several Half-Step Primordial Spirit Patriarch high above in the Heavenly Vault had yet to conclude.

That Lord of Flame Demons possessed extraordinary power. He simultaneously unleashed three Quasi-Pure Lunar Demonic Treasure [demonic artifacts of near-pure lunar energy], and even under the combined assault of the Mysterious Void Path Master and the Master of Featherflight Pavilion, he stubbornly refused to fall. He even came perilously close to breaking through the Myriad Immortals Demon-Subduing Grand Formation on several occasions.

Seeing that the struggle could potentially drag on for several more days, Eldrin Chen spoke up, "Let us, the combatants at the Infant Soul Late Stage level, join the fray together and lend our strength to Elder Brother Featherflight and the others."

"Agreed."

More than twenty great power True Lord [powerful cultivators at the True Lord realm] joined the assault, each possessing combat strength at the Infant Soul Late Stage level. They continuously unleashed their Immortal Sword and Spiritual Treasure [enchanted artifacts], their attacks converging upon the Lord of Flame Demons.

Pitiful was that Lord of Flame Demons, a peerless demonic overlord of his generation who held significant hope of breaking through to the Primordial Spirit realm [the spiritual core of a cultivator]. Yet now, he had reached the end of his road.

Besieged by two formidable foes, already grievously wounded, and now assaulted by the combined might of many, he was ultimately hacked to pieces amidst the void by a flurry of blades.

Upon careful consideration, such a demise for a Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a cultivator whose spirit has begun its final transformation towards the Primordial Spirit realm] is indeed exceedingly rare.

After all, a great power at the Infant Soul Late Stage [the final stage of the Infant Soul realm, just before the Primordial Spirit transformation] is itself an extreme rarity. To be simultaneously besieged by several dozen such great powers, including two Half-Step Primordial Spirit Patriarch [a venerable leader of a major clan or sect] figures, borders on the impossible.

"My deepest gratitude for your lifesaving grace."

After the Flame Demon Race [a race of demons attuned to fire and destruction] was vanquished, the final Infant Soul Late Stage great power of the Heaven's Profound Sect emerged, his body covered in wounds, and offered his choked thanks.

Eldrin Chen surveyed the surroundings. The once top-ranked great sect of the Eastern Region Great Wasteland [a vast, perilous wilderness in the eastern part of the continent] now had only eleven Infant Soul True Lord [a title for a powerful cultivator at the Infant Soul stage] remaining alive. Continue your cultivation journey at http://www . audio-novel.com.

Having lost two successive sect masters, the strength of the Heaven's Profound Sect had plummeted repeatedly. It was likely they could no longer even maintain a position within the top ten powers of the Eastern Barrens.

"Alas."

Eldrin Chen sighed, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "You must accept this grief."

Once the battlefield was cleared, Eldrin Chen did not immediately lead his forces to reinforce Chariot Water Island. Instead, he addressed the assembly, "Esteemed allies, after these successive battles, our cultivators are utterly spent."

"Let us rest and reorganize here at Ghost Metal Island for seven days, before advancing our forces to Chariot Water Island."

After this battle, everyone's trust in Eldrin Chen grew even deeper. Even Master of Featherflight Pavilion spoke with great courtesy, "We shall follow Fellow Daoist Chen's plan."

Through this period of successive battles, although the forces under Eldrin Chen's command had not suffered catastrophic losses, a great number of cultivators had been wounded.

Many had rushed from one battlefield to the next before their injuries had fully healed, leaving them both physically and mentally exhausted from the relentless fighting.

Even those who were not wounded had severely depleted their spiritual energy [the vital force used for cultivation and magic] and mental faculties, requiring a not-insignificant period of recuperation to recover.

Furthermore, the reserves of spiritual energy within the Treasure Ship had been largely consumed through the successive engagements and needed to be replenished before large-scale warfare could resume.

However, due to the urgency of the war, Eldrin Chen dared not delay for too long. After only seven days of reorganization, refilling the Treasure Ship's spiritual energy, and leaving behind those with more serious injuries, he led the forces towards Chariot Water Island.

Before setting out for Chariot Water Island, Eldrin Chen received a spirit talisman [a magical slip of paper used for communication] from Vast Righteousness True Lord. He promptly gathered everyone for a council.

At the council, Eldrin Chen passed the spirit talisman around and spoke with grave seriousness, "Esteemed colleagues, the enemy at Chariot Water Island is even more formidable than anticipated. We must proceed with utmost caution in this coming battle." Discover more cultivation stories at audio—novel.com.