Battle
Battle . . .
Qin Wentian remained unfazed by his opponent's thoughts and continued to observe the ongoing battles. Among their group, apart from Jun Mengchen, two other disciples hailed from the Heavenly Talisman Realm. It was evident that the selection of the nine participants had been carefully orchestrated, despite appearing random on the surface.
The two Heavenly Talisman Realm disciples seemed poised for victory, holding distinct advantages. Qin Wentian and Jun Mengchen, too, faced no immediate threats. Consequently, they needed just one more victory out of the remaining five battles to secure the challenge.
However, the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect's meticulous preparation was mirrored by the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect. The nine elites they had chosen displayed exceptional prowess. With three strong prospects for victory among the five ongoing battles, the outcomes of the other two remained uncertain.
"I'll keep you company if you want to observe the other battles," Qin Wentian's opponent offered.
Jun Mengchen, equally unhurried to engage, knew he could dispatch a first-level immortal with a single punch. There was no rush.
Suddenly, a resounding cheer rocked the battlefield as one of the participants emerged victorious, securing a win for the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect. It was none other than a disciple from the Heavenly Talisman Realm.
Yet, almost immediately, another round of exuberant cheering emanated from the Eastern Sage Immortal Army, marking their triumph as well.
In swift succession, the score tilted in favor of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect, now standing at four wins to two. Their triumphant cheers reverberated, shaking the very heavens. One more victory would clinch the challenge for them. Besides Qin Wentian and Jun Mengchen, two others from their side remained embroiled in battle.
"We must win this one," the experts from the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect silently willed. Another loss would determine the outcome, rendering even a potential win by Qin Wentian and Jun Mengchen futile.
The golden sand billowed from the force of the impact as a disciple from the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect coughed up blood. He summoned a blood talisman into his hand, the price of allowing his opponent to land devastating blows. He shattered the blood talisman upon his adversary, casting a blood-red radiance across the sky. His opponent screamed in agony as every drop of blood in his body was drained away.
"Yes!" The Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect's members erupted in jubilation, rekindling their hopes of victory.
Ye Qing and her companions anxiously observed the unfolding battle. With only Qin Wentian and Jun Mengchen remaining, tension ran high.
"We can only hope these two fellows pull through," Xiao Yehan remarked.
"The odds are extremely slim," Hao Yang interjected with a grim tone. "They volunteered without even knowing the gravity of what they were getting into. Their audacity may cost our army dearly. Even in death, their sins may never be forgiven."
"Hao Yang!" Ye Qing admonished sternly, silencing him.
The morale of the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect's experts plummeted as they glanced toward the battle, feeling the weight of impending defeat. The battlefield was an unforgiving crucible where the shadow of loss cast an oppressive pall. They teetered on the precipice of defeat, with just one more loss to seal their fate.
Jun Mengchen's opponent materialized his immortal foundation, the heavens themselves trembling as his fists bore down with overwhelming might.
"Hmph," Jun Mengchen scoffed, raising his fist to meet the oncoming onslaught. Immortal foundation energies surged within him, transforming him into an indomitable king reigning over the battlefield. His punch resonated with raw power, violently shattering all the incoming fist imprints. The counterattack was so devastating that it cracked his opponent's immortal foundation.
"DIE!" Jun Mengchen's roar pierced the battlefield as he thrust a single finger forward, a harbinger of annihilation. With a resounding boom, his opponent's agonized scream filled the air as his immortal foundation shattered, instantaneously ending his life.
This astounding display left everyone from the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect momentarily stunned. Soon after, they erupted in jubilation, their cheers resounding like a thunderclap. In just a single second, this young man had obliterated his opponent. Morale soared, and an aura of palpable tension enveloped those from the Eastern Sage Army.
The fate of this pivotal challenge now hinged on the last battle.
"Remarkable," Xiao Yehan praised, a wide grin on his face. "Who would've imagined that our spirited friend possessed such astonishing power? With Tianwen's victory, we've secured our triumph."
All two hundred thousand experts from both armies remained riveted by this decisive bout.
Jun Mengchen turned to glance at Qin Wentian, a grin playing on his lips. In this nine-round battle, they had already secured victory.
"BOOM!" Qin Wentian's adversary strode forward, his immortal foundation manifesting into a golden immortal ape of terrifying strength. The ground trembled beneath its might, leaving a deep '凹' shape in its wake.
"What incredible strength," murmured the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect members, their anxiety mounting. This Eastern Sage Immortal Army expert exhibited remarkable prowess, casting doubt on whether their own representative could emerge victorious.
"It's fortunate that we are the concluding battle, capturing the attention of all present. Here, I'll end your life, sealing our victory!" Qin Wentian's opponent bellowed. He stomped the ground, creating menacing fissures, while the golden immortal ape unleashed a thunderous palm strike, seemingly capable of shattering the heavens.
"He's a disciple of the Ape King from the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect. It appears the outcome is no longer in question," Eastern Sage Army members speculated in hushed tones. The brutal force behind the palm strike enveloped Qin Wentian entirely. Yet, to their astonishment, Qin Wentian chose not to evade. He stood motionless, as though paralyzed by his opponent's strength.
"Trash!" Hao Yang cursed under his breath. The Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect members watched in frozen silence as they anticipated the shattering of Qin Wentian's body under the overwhelming palm strike.
"BOOM!" The palm strike landed, and the Eastern Sage Army erupted in triumphant cheers, their morale soaring high. In stark contrast, the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect members remained eerily silent.
However, in that critical moment, Qin Wentian's armor suddenly emanated a resplendent, ethereal light. His aura swelled, commanding admiration from onlookers. Bathed in this brilliance, Qin Wentian's body seemed indestructible, defying the tremendous force of the palm strike that should have sent him hurtling through the air.
"How is this possible?" The exuberant cheers from the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect fell into a stunned silence. How could one's defense be so impregnable? Even if Qin Wentian had a divine armor to absorb the force, the sheer impact should have propelled him away. Yet, there he stood, untouched by the attack that had struck him directly.
"Are you truly so feeble?" Qin Wentian's voice resonated, a hint of mockery in his words. He stretched out his hand and unleashed a palm imprint infused with the ominous blackish light of the law of destruction, aiming it squarely at his opponent's chest. Qin Wentian possessed an impeccable physique, making it preposterous to think that the disciple of a mere immortal king could breach his formidable defense.
Qin Wentian's opponent bore the brunt of his devastating palm strike. Instantly, an ashen pallor overcame the man's visage as he sensed his immortal foundation shattering. Helpless, he was flung through the air, crashing violently into the unforgiving ground, his life extinguished in an instant.
Much like Jun Mengchen's earlier battle, Qin Wentian achieved an instant kill.
"TO BATTLE!" The Thousand Transformations Army roared in unison, their voices shaking the very foundations of the earth. So thunderous was their clamor that it sent shivers down Qin Wentian's spine. The combined weight of their jubilation and determination was nothing short of terrifying, two swift insta-kills reversing their fortunes. The morale of the Thousand Transformations Army now stood at its zenith, effortlessly eclipsing that of the Eastern Sage Army.
"Let's fall back," Qin Wentian and Jun Mengchen withdrew amid the warm cacophony of cheers. Ye Qing beamed at them. "Incredible!"
"Exquisitely executed," chimed in Xiao Yehan, heaping praise upon them. The battle team members offered their commendations, raising their thumbs in admiration. In this moment, both Qin Wentian and Jun Mengchen had truly integrated into the team and won their comrades' respect.
"I apologize for my earlier words and attitude," Hao Yang said, extending an apology. Qin Wentian nodded, harboring no grudges. He knew there was no need to be petty.
"It was just a minor nine-man battle. A defeat like this means nothing. Many of you are the elite disciples of our Eastern Sage Immortal Sect, while the rest are promising young talents from our thirteen prefectures. Our opponents were a mere flock of crows, gathering battle merit to exchange for cultivation resources. Dispatching them was as effortless as crushing an insect," the voice of the immortal king governor from the Eastern Sage Army resounded, attempting to rekindle their morale. Soon after, the Eastern Sage Army's experts joined in, roaring in agreement.
"The general of a defeated army can only bluster. If you wish to fight, my hundred-thousand-strong Thousand Transformations Army fears you not. THEN BRING IT!" The military governor of the Thousand Transformations Army bellowed in response. In an instant, both armies exuded a formidable aura, and they drew closer to each other.
"Form the formations!"
"Form the formations!" The generals of both armies issued commands, refraining from direct participation but orchestrating the battle.
The Eastern Sage Army's experts organized various battle formations, conjuring flame dragons, dream demons, crazed pythons, and more. In stark contrast, the Thousand Transformations Army employed a single battle formation - the Divine Ox Battle Formation, powered by the strength of ten thousand. This formation summoned a formidable divine ox, its might capable of annihilating all in its path.
Chaos engulfed the scene, as turbulent qi swirled and destruction loomed large. Golden sand hung suspended in the air, and the aftermath spawned a tempest of fearsome proportions. The combined aura of two hundred thousand experts was overwhelming. In the midst of the chaos, Qin Wentian couldn't help but feel his own insignificance. Despite his peak-level immortal foundation cultivation, he was but a tiny cog in this colossal machine of battle. The two hundred thousand-strong armies were an awe-inspiring force, and standing within their midst, Qin Wentian grasped the true scale of the pressure that enveloped them all.
The two armies clashed in a wild frenzy, their energies surging and merging with their respective battle formations. The responsibility of controlling these formations fell upon their most formidable experts. With a thunderous detonation, Qin Wentian's entire being quivered as the enemy's formation struck, as though the heavens and earth themselves were on the brink of collapse. The impact rent the ground asunder, carving out massive craters.
Qin Wentian's team found themselves locked in combat against a malevolent devil formation. With each successive collision, their immortal energy rapidly dwindled. Many within their formation had already sustained injuries from the relentless clashes. Once more, the formations collided, hurling warriors into each other's ranks by chance, plunging the battlefield into further chaos.
"The main formation has crumbled! Everyone, assemble into minor battle formations with your respective hundred-man teams. Stay focused!" The immortal king in the air issued his command. The power of these minor formations far exceeded the combined strength of a hundred individuals.
"Come together and form the minor formation," Ye Qing instructed. Instantly, Qin Wentian and his comrades complied, recalling their training. They coalesced into a demon ox battle formation, with Ye Qing at its core, manipulating the energies they infused into her. This allowed her to steer the formation as she saw fit.
In the midst of the tumultuous battlefield, a barrage of attacks assailed them, yet the formation stood firm, thwarting them all. This was the inherent advantage of employing a battle formation. However, at that very moment, a formidable opposing formation materialized before Ye Qing and her companions. It summoned a colossal devil, controlled by a peak-level immortal foundation expert from the enemy's side, and it posed a grave threat.
An immense palm imprint surged forth, carrying the malevolent power of the corrosive law. Ye Qing commanded their formation to intercept it. The demon ox formation gleamed with radiant light, but the manifestation of the demon ox slowly succumbed to corrosion under the relentless assault of the gigantic devil.