Chapter 64: Tactics Show Their Might
Chapter 64: Tactics Show Their Might
The cultivators in Sector 112 came from different sects. They knew very little about each other, so the chance of them honestly working together was originally very, very low.
The coming Beast Tide might reach an unprecedented number. All the cultivators were under great pressure. They all felt Death’s footsteps slowly approaching.
So when Lu Hangzhi suggested a rather unusual idea for tactical cooperation, and was willing to actively draw attacks to protect cultivators with weaker defense, he immediately got approval and response from all the less defensive cultivators.
When Nangong Jun, Zi Ying, and other True Disciples of the Xuanxin Sect stepped forward one by one, more cultivators quickly gathered. They formed many temporary mixed teams.
Each team had three people.
One person would actively approach the Monster Beasts when they descended, drawing their attacks to protect the other two teammates behind. This provided a safe environment for them to cast their Art Techniques.
Cheng Fei also quickly joined in.
Soon, over twenty teams were spread across the entire War Zone in an orderly formation, arranged in a triangular pattern.
Because Lu Hangzhi had two Defensive Magical Devices and also had a Spiritual Artifact protecting his body, he could last for a relatively long time. He actively requested to be stationed in an area farther from Revered Qin.
His other two teammates were Tong Zhan, who was at the early Eighth-grade, and Lei Qun, who was at the mid Eighth-grade. Their strength was considered medium to high in the War Zone.
“Let’s first get familiar with each other’s signature Art Techniques. It will help us coordinate later.”
The two nodded in agreement.
Lei Qun spoke first:
“Then, let me start. My Flying Sword’s quality is quite good. It’s more than enough to deal with Eighth-grade Monster Beasts. Also, I’m good at close combat. My best long-range Art Technique is ‘Ice Crystal Mist’. Its features are causing chaos, blocking visual sight, and creating an Ice Crystal Demonic Sound. It also has some obscuring effect on Spiritual Sense. My attack Art Technique is ‘Ice Crystal Dragon Spear’. It can easily pierce through the Qi and Blood bodies of Eighth-grade Bull Demons.”
Lu Hangzhi nodded.
“What about Talismans?”
“I’ve been at Two Realms Mountain for three months now. My Talismans are mostly used up. I only have a few ordinary ‘Ice Crystal Dragon Spear’ ones left…”
“Good, that’s enough.”
Lu Hangzhi showed a satisfied expression:
“Using the Flying Sword and Dragon Spear together can take out two Eighth-grade Monster Beasts. If you’re fast enough, before the Monster Beasts land, Brother Lei can handle at least three Monster Beasts… Save the Talismans. Use them when the Monster Beasts are about to land, depending on how many are still above our heads.”
“Handling three Monster Beasts is completely fine.” Lei Qun breathed a sigh of relief and added confidently, “As long as no Monster Beasts disturb me, I can handle five Eighth-grade Monster Beasts alone.”
“Excellent.”
Lu Hangzhi was very pleased and looked at Tong Zhan.
The latter looked very embarrassed and awkward. He hesitated for a while before answering:
“I… I’ve used up all my Talismans.”
“…”
“Using my Flying Sword along with casting Art Techniques, I can probably… deal with two Eighth-grade Monster Beasts.” After saying this, Tong Zhan almost didn’t dare to look at the others’ eyes.
Lei Qun frowned deeply.
Lu Hangzhi also felt heavy-hearted. Lei Qun’s strength was indeed good, which was a pleasant surprise, but he didn’t expect Tong Zhan to be the team’s weak link. He had no Talismans at all, and his strength seemed somewhat lacking.
But now was clearly not the time to complain about weak teammates.
Lu Hangzhi said:
“Since that’s the case, Brother Tong, just use your Flying Sword and spells to focus fire on the Eighth-grade Monster Beasts. Kill as many as you can.”
“I believe you know my strength. I have a set of Artifact Flying Swords, but because my cultivation isn’t high enough, I can kill at most five Eighth-grade Monster Beasts at once. As for spells… I don’t have any spells that can threaten Eighth-grade Monster Beasts, only the Flying Swords… As for the Defensive Magical Devices, they can withstand more than eight attacks of High Insight Stage level. At least enough to survive one round of concentrated Monster Beast attacks.”
“Being able to handle five Eighth-grade Monster Beasts at once is already very impressive. At least much more reliable than this guy.”
Lei Qun finally showed a satisfied smile, and also shot a sharp glare at Tong Zhan.
The latter guiltily quickly looked away.
Ahem!
Lu Hangzhi shifted their attention, saying:
“Everyone should have an idea of each other’s strength now. As long as the number of Eighth-grade Monster Beasts descending at the same time doesn’t exceed fifteen, you two cast your Art Techniques with full power then. Leave the rest to me.”
The two nodded to show they understood.
Other teams finished their exchanges one after another…
Looking up at the Firmament, in the huge crack-like Sky Passage, dark red light was exceptionally dazzling. Clusters of red flame balls continued to fall incessantly towards the depths of Two Realms Mountain.
Just in that short period of time, on Two Realms Mountain, at least over ten Matrix Towers glowed red and initiated self-destruction.
Roughly another short while passed. Revered Qin, who had been sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, recovering Magic Power at full speed, suddenly opened his eyes. A powerful aura was released without reservation:
“Prepare for battle!”
As soon as the words were spoken, the over sixty people in the War Zone began casting Art Techniques, deploying Defensive Barriers.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A large area of exceptionally gorgeous and dazzling flaming meteors suddenly appeared in the terrifying Firmament passage. Most avoided the randomly moving, deadly Spatial Rifts, gradually becoming more dazzling. In everyone’s eyes, they became larger, brighter, and clearer;
Eighth-grade Bull Demons!
Seventh-grade Saw-Toothed Swine Demons!
Ninth-grade Ghost-Faced Demon Wolves.
Breaking through the two realms, the powerful gravitational pull and the Flight Prohibition Array constantly pulled and rubbed against these Monster Beasts’ bodies. Amidst cries of pain, the Monster Beasts’ thick fur quickly ignited. Their whole bodies turned into fireballs, plummeting urgently towards the ground of Two Realms Mountain amidst rolling flames.
The Seventh-grade Saw-Toothed Swine Demons screamed miserably. The fiercely burning flames outside their bodies and the violent descent inertia made them smell death. But with only Seventh-grade cultivation, they were even a bit disoriented. They simply couldn’t take more measures to protect themselves within the Flight Prohibition Array. They watched helplessly as the ground of Two Realms Mountain became clearer and clearer in their sight.
The Eighth-grade Bull Demons were slightly better off.
Their tougher bodies protected them from the scorching flames, and they prepared for the landing.
As for the Ninth-grade Ghost-Faced Demon Wolves.
These slightly smaller Monster Beasts had almost no flames visible on their bodies. They all landed behind the Saw-Toothed Swine Demons, ready to step on the Swine Demons’ corpses to dissipate the descent inertia.
“Don’t bother with the Seventh-grade Monster Beasts!”
“Focus all attacks on the Eighth-grade Monster Beasts.”
“Each person is responsible for one direction.”
Cheng Fei walked around while loudly giving the final pre-battle mobilization.
Before his words faded, Revered Qin clenched his five fingers into a fist and struck fiercely at the void…
In a place hard to see with the naked eye, the heads of two Ghost-Faced Demon Wolves suddenly exploded. Their bodies quickly lost protection, rubbed into fierce flames, and burned to charcoal.
After eliminating two Ninth-grade Monster Beasts, no trace of relief could be seen on Revered Qin’s face. Ignoring the frantic consumption of his power, he continued to attack repeatedly.
At that moment.
The Monster Beasts finally approached the attack range of the others.
A collective intake of breath was heard.
Everyone’s expressions were very grim!
Dense clusters of flaming fireballs filled the sky. There were at least three hundred of them. The fiercely burning flames almost completely burned up the air above their heads, forming a layer of distorted heat waves. The scene was spectacular and extremely frightening.
If they hadn’t already decided on a plan, just seeing this dense meteor shower scene alone would probably have crushed the morale of the cultivators in the War Zone.
Attack!!
Cheng Fei was still the first to meet the Monster Beasts.
One strike was successful.
The golden giant Sword Qi transformed into three slightly smaller Sword Qi strands. Nine Sword Qi rose into the sky.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
Sword Qi crisscrossed, moving as fast as lightning!
Nine Bull Demons were beheaded in mid-air.
Others’ Flying Swords and Art Techniques followed closely…
Dozens of Flying Swords rose into the sky, accompanied by attacking spells;
but they appeared extremely feeble amidst the spectacular and awe-inspiring sight of hundreds of meteor-like fire rain.
However, after the Flying Swords and Art Techniques clashed with the Monster Beasts in the air, more than eighty Bull Demons were caught off guard and instantly killed, flung aside in haste.
Above Lu Hangzhi’s head, there were thirteen Bull Demons in total, but after the Flying Sword attack, only three remained…
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three Bull Demons, along with over twenty Saw-Toothed Swine Demons, crashed to the ground.
The earth shook;
shockwaves rolled!
The Saw-Toothed Swine Demons fell hard, their bodies torn open, flesh and blood mangled.
The Bull Demons fared slightly better; they rolled upon landing and charged toward the trio where Lu Hangzhi stood…
Lu Hangzhi saw a dark shadow dart out like a ghost from among the corpses of the Saw-Toothed Swine Demons.
“Well timed!”
Lu Hangzhi did not let Lei Qun and Tong Zhan down. With swift steps, he advanced instead of retreating, meeting the Ghost-Faced Demon Wolf head-on while his Flying Sword skimmed the ground rapidly.
The Ghost-Faced Demon Wolf was even faster.
Lu Hangzhi only felt a sharp claw gleam before his eyes. The Lotus Bracelet activated automatically, swiftly forming a blooming, sacred lotus around his body, shielding him entirely and barely blocking the Ghost-Faced Demon Wolf’s attack at the last moment.
Seizing the moment when the Ghost-Faced Demon Wolf was surprised and stunned, Lu Hangzhi activated the Ghost Vine Sealing Sword Formation, which happened to trap both the Ghost-Faced Demon Wolf and the three Bull Demons within the attack range of the ghost vines.
A large area of ghost vines instantly spread out, one layer after another, madly entangling anything within reach. Swift as lightning, they harshly bound the four Monster Beasts, along with the severely wounded, dying Saw-Toothed Swine Demons within thirty meters…
Lu Hangzhi’s face turned pale.
One thought, five moves!
Four other Flying Swords simultaneously attacked the remaining two Bull Demons;
Tong Zhan and Lei Qun’s eyes lit up, and without hesitation, they cast an Ice Crystal Mist into the group of Monster Beasts. The harsh sound of scraping ice crystals filled the air, a Demonic Sound assaulting their ears.
Flying Swords and Art Techniques blasted into the mist one after another.
With their bodies out of control, then losing sight, and their ears assaulted by Demonic Sound, the remaining three Bull Demons were isolated and swiftly struck by Flying Swords on their relatively vulnerable necks.
One strike!
Two strikes!
Three strikes!
Heads fell to the ground.
Gold-Cleaving Sword Formation, activate!
Lu Hangzhi felt a drain on his body; in his Spiritual Power Pool, the Magic Power level dropped sharply.
The cost was worth it.
With doubled power, the second Bull Demon was beheaded on the spot.
At that moment, Tong Zhan and Lei Qun also took down the last Bull Demon.
Only a lone Ninth Grade Ghost-Faced Demon Wolf remained in the area.
The effect of the Ghost Vine Sealing Sword Formation faded, and all the ghost vines returned to the sword body, freeing the Ghost-Faced Demon Wolf…
The Ice Crystal Mist dissipated.
Thud!
The Ghost-Faced Demon Wolf fell to the ground like a puppet whose strings were cut, blood flowing from its mouth and nose—it was already dead.
The greatest threat was casually handled by Revered Qin.
The trio was overjoyed!
“Quickly finish off the remaining Saw-Toothed Swine Demons and rush to aid the other teams,”
Lu Hangzhi’s confidence surged.