A detachment of over a hundred and sixty men, at Li Qingshan’s command, immediately halted.
The hundred and fifty rebel soldiers rapidly formed several phalanxes, their vital energies intermingling, clearly a combined formation.
The more than ten cultivators, meanwhile, drew their respective magical artifacts with utmost speed.
Thanks to the rebellion and the leadership of the Rebirth Tower, many factions and sects had been annihilated, allowing the cultivators who defected to mostly possess at least one magical artifact.
Though these were the most common, low-grade artifacts with only one or two post-celestial restrictions.
Li Qingshan simultaneously surged his internal magic power, ascending into the air, a magical artifact poised within his sleeves.
This was no spoils of war, but an heirloom from his sect, nurtured by generations of cultivators for three to four hundred years. Despite possessing only four post-celestial restrictions, it was no weaker than artifacts with five or six.
As all preparations were complete, a streak of light rapidly appeared in Li Qingshan’s vision.
Opening his pháp nhãn (magic eyes), he saw a youth clad in divine robes, emanating a discernible divine power from afar.
Information immediately surfaced in his mind, identifying the newcomer as the Water God of Little Yuan Mountain, who also commanded the elemental force of the Linfu River.
However, this location was tens of miles away from Little Yuan Mountain or the Linfu River, so there was no need to worry about the opponent drawing upon celestial power for reinforcement.
Li Qingshan’s heart settled, his eyes blazing with fervor.
A deity in the early third realm, their golden body would surely bring great joy to the people of the Rebirth Tower. He would not only earn immense military merit but also receive considerable rewards!
His heart alight with anticipation, he immediately shot forward, directly meeting the streak of light tens of feet away.
This distance was but a dozen breaths for a third-realm cultivator, and even faster if a certain遁術 (escape technique) were employed.
Upon approaching the rapidly advancing streak of light, Li Qingshan unleashed the magical artifact that had long been prepared in his sleeves.
In an instant, a flying sword pierced the air, arriving before the streak of light in a flash, and then, without question, pierced through the youth’s chest.
A torrent of magic power erupted, sword qi rising in wisps, shredding the youth’s entire body into pieces, countless divine lights scattering across heaven and earth.
However, Li Qingshan’s face showed no hint of joy. Instead, he quickly halted his charge and retreated at top speed.
Yet, despite his swift reaction, it was still too late.
Amidst the divine lights filling the sky, six heavy water pearls shot out, instantly occupying multiple positions. The interwoven water light sealed a portion of space.
A mountain-like pressure descended from all directions, almost freezing Li Qingshan in mid-air.
With a thought, his previously launched flying sword turned back, striking fiercely against the dense water light.
But the unparalleled sharp sword qi was like a mud ox entering the sea, not even stirring a ripple. Even a flying sword of decent quality was trapped in mid-air by the endless water light and dao principles.
No matter how Li Qingshan urged it, the flying sword could not break free from its restraints, nor could it move an inch.
Seeing this, his heart sank. He wanted to call out, but found the pressure on him increasing.
Even the magic power within his body became sluggish, as viscous as mud.
Just then, a figure materialized from the void, none other than the youth in divine robes from before.
In a mere flick of his finger, Li Qingshan understood. What he had destroyed earlier was merely a clone formed from incense and wish power. The true being had been hidden in the void all along.
Watching the six heavy water pearls slowly close in, the pressure on him intensifying, he could already feel the aura of death enveloping him.
In the face of life and death, Li Qingshan abandoned all restraint, forcefully channeling the magic power within him, at the cost of severe self-injury, to perform a secret technique.
BOOM!!!
With a deafening roar, his body erupted in a brilliant sword light, torrents of magic power surging out, transforming into numerous sharp short swords.
Approximately a dozen short swords slashed outwards in all directions, tearing through the surrounding water light as much as possible, granting him a brief moment of respite.
Li Qingshan rapidly formed hand seals while seizing this opportunity to shout, "Attack!"
Before his voice even faded, the rebel soldiers, finally reacting, activated their battle formations with utmost speed. Their vital energies merged, forming fierce tigers several yards across.
A total of five fierce tigers of vital energy appeared above their respective phalanxes. They roared to the heavens, then charged through the void.
Ji Yuan couldn't help but glance sideways. This was the first time he had witnessed a military battle formation.
Though they were merely soldiers in the early stages of the flesh and blood realm, their intermingled vital energies were capable of unleashing an attack no weaker than that of the second realm!
Seeing the five fierce tigers charging towards him, he naturally did not dare to be careless. He reached for his waist and drew a long whip.
WHAP!!!
The next moment, the light blue whip body flowed with divine light, instantly lashing one fierce tiger into collapse. It then agilely shot forth, piercing through the remaining four fierce tigers in merely three or two breaths.
With a surge of divine power contained within the whip, the fierce tigers collapsed on the spot, but the vital energy they transformed into flowed back.
Before long, five more fierce tigers coalesced, roaring in unison.
Witnessing this, Ji Yuan couldn't help but frown slightly. After repelling these formation attacks several times, he found that the enemy seemed unaffected.
Although each collapse of a fierce tiger consumed some vital energy, it was insignificant when distributed among each soldier.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he saw over ten cultivators positioning themselves in the four directions, their magic powers surging, clearly forming a formation.
Li Qingshan, still trapped, saw this turn of events, and a look of joy appeared in his eyes. He took several deep breaths, more fiercely urging the magic power within him.
Over a dozen short swords crisscrossed in mid-air, channeling sword light to tear at the surrounding water.
Simultaneously, a sharp aura began to condense from the ground. Reaching its apex, it transformed into a sword light, two to three yards long, slashing towards the youth in divine robes above.
Gathering the power of over ten second-realm cultivators, coupled with the enhancement of the formation, this sword light was capable of threatening a third-realm existence.
However, Ji Yuan’s expression remained unchanged as he watched the approaching sword light.
In a flick of his finger, twelve palm-sized stone tablets materialized around him, their restrictions activated layer by layer, unleashing immense power.