Chapter 820: Great Battle Begins

Mingjing Mountain, Dongyi.

Patriarch Jinfeng sat in his seat. Before him, four Core Formation cultivators stood on either side, all bearing troubled expressions.

"Patriarch, must we truly abandon our ancestral land?" Daoist Xuanguang, the Sect Master of Xuanxiao Dao Palace, seeing that the other three remained silent, could only brace himself and step forward.

"If Kuchu truly returns after passing the trial on Qianyuan Island, I will offer him my life then, to resolve the grievances between us and leave a path of survival for you." Patriarch Jinfeng spoke with a calm expression, deeply moving Xuanguang and the other three.

"My lifespan is not long. Before I die, let's settle the accumulated enmities." Hearing this, Xuanguang and the other three immediately recalled the greatest humiliation Xuanxiao Dao Palace had suffered over the years.

In the Eastern Barrens, five of their Core Formation cultivators had fallen, and even Xuanshu, who was expected to form a Nascent Soul, had died there. If they hadn't been occupied with Kongsang Valley, they would have long since led their army to the Eastern Barrens to destroy the Five Elements Sect.

Now that matters with Kongsang Valley were concluded, it was time for revenge.

"The Eastern Barrens also possesses a Grade 4 high-grade spirit vein. The Five Elements Sect has already cleared out all other major local sects. After we destroy it, we can perfectly take its place. Then, the four of you will remain there to carry on the Xuanxiao lineage, while I return to await Kuchu's outcome." After Patriarch Jinfeng finished explaining his plan, Xuanguang and the others no longer had any doubts.

Although it was difficult to part with Mingjing Mountain, which they had managed for over three millennia, it was indeed the only option given the current circumstances.

In the Tianhe Realm, sects and clans rise and fall like this. Even sacred lands had disappeared and been annihilated many times throughout tens of thousands of years of history.

Xuanxiao Dao Palace had steadily risen from an ordinary small sect to its current status as a major Nascent Soul sect over three millennia, ever since acquiring the cultivation jade scrolls from the underwater cave.

Now, without a second Nascent Soul cultivator, it was finally beginning to decline.

"Xuanguang, you should know that this Mingjing Mountain was also seized by my masters and martial uncles from the Mingjing Sword Sect." Suddenly, Patriarch Jinfeng spoke to Xuanguang, the Sect Master. The Mingjing Sword Sect was the previous major Nascent Soul sect in Dongyi before Xuanxiao Dao Palace. Unfortunately, after its last Nascent Soul sword cultivator passed away, there were no successors. The sect eventually weakened to the point where it couldn't even defend Mingjing Mountain, which was then conquered by the powerfully rising Xuanxiao Dao Palace, its grand formation breached and its members annihilated. After taking control of Mingjing Mountain's spirit vein, Xuanxiao Dao Palace began its rapid ascent, and Patriarch Jinfeng even formed his Nascent Soul and survived his heavenly tribulation here.

"Patriarch, I understand your meaning," Xuanguang said, nodding solemnly to Patriarch Jinfeng. "One day, we will fight our way back from the Eastern Barrens. At that time, not only Mingjing Mountain, but also Kongsang Valley and Golden Crow Immortal City will be ours."

"A teachable child!" Hearing this, Patriarch Jinfeng's lips curved into a slight smile. He then took out a daoist scripture and a jade scroll, handing them to him. "These were obtained by our Ancestor from the underwater cave back then, and they are the most precious inheritance of our lineage. I am now passing them on to you."

Hearing this, Xuanguang raised his hands above his head and formally received the daoist scripture and jade scroll.

Xuanguang knew that he was chosen because Xuanshu had died. Yet, even so, he was still very happy.

The other three Core Formation cultivators standing nearby showed expressions of envy, but soon, they realized that Patriarch Jinfeng seemed to be making his final arrangements. It appeared that the Nascent Soul battle with Muqin Kuchu had drained Patriarch Jinfeng's last remaining vital energy.

They needed to seize the Patriarch's last moments to thoroughly sweep through the Eastern Barrens. Xuanguang and the other three quickly reached a consensus.

Although the Five Elements Sect had no Nascent Soul cultivators, it had many Core Formation cultivators, and also the formidable Chen Guixian. Relying on just the four of them would certainly not be enough.

Realizing this, Xuanguang even slowed down the harvesting of the various high-grade medicinal herbs cultivated in Mingjing Mountain's medicine fields. He first mobilized all available disciples and sect members, preparing for war. After conquering the Eastern Barrens, they would then slowly transplant Xuanxiao Dao Palace's high-grade medicinal herbs there.

With speed being of the essence, the recently disbanded army of Xuanxiao Dao Palace cultivators reassembled within half a month. Soon after, the disciples Xuanguang sent to scout the Eastern Barrens returned. They brought back much useful information. What concerned Xuanguang most was that Luo Yixuan and Yin Qingmei were simultaneously holding their Core Formation ceremonies in Beiyuan City, where prominent cultivators from all five lineages of the Five Elements Sect would gather. "This is a good opportunity to catch them all in one fell swoop!" Upon seeing this, Xuanguang's mind immediately seized upon the idea, and he promptly reported the news to Patriarch Jinfeng.

"You can make the arrangements," Patriarch Jinfeng replied.

Soon, the Xuanxiao Dao Palace's cultivator army, led by the confident Xuanguang, boarded a hundred flying ships and majestically set off towards the Eastern Barrens.

Patriarch Jinfeng stood on the highest peak of Mingjing Mountain, feeling the biting cold wind. His own Profound Gold Dharma Body had been tempered to its peak using the mountain's wind, which felt like a thousand cuts. After a final glance at every plant and tree, Patriarch Jinfeng sighed. He then controlled a large golden banner, transforming into a streak of golden light, instantly soaring past the hundred flying ships that had departed earlier and landing on the foremost one. Xuanguang and the other four were already there, and seeing Patriarch Jinfeng arrive, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhou Shengqing concealed all his aura, standing in a forest like a decaying old tree. Through the dappled leaves, he watched the flying ships pass overhead. "Has this moment finally arrived!" Seeing that Patriarch Jinfeng had indeed led the Xuanxiao Dao Palace army as predicted, Zhou Shengqing felt a sense of relief that his efforts had not been in vain.

"You stay here. This Mingjing Mountain will also be our Five Elements Sect's territory in the future," Zhou Shengqing told Zhou Wangshen and the others beside him. They each held a concealment talisman personally drawn by him, their auras identical to the ancient trees around them. "Yes, Patriarch!" Zhou Wangshen was the first to reply, nodding.

As the foremost alchemy sect in Dongyi, Xuanxiao Dao Palace cultivated the most Grade 4 spirit plants in the surrounding three regions, reportedly hundreds of varieties, representing their efforts over three millennia. Occasionally, even the Daoist Virtue Sect had to purchase ingredients from Xuanxiao Dao Palace to refine certain pills. The mature Grade 4 spirit plants had already been harvested and preserved by Xuanguang's people and taken to the Eastern Barrens. However, a large portion was still in the growth stage, and if prematurely picked by those unaware, their medicinal efficacy would be greatly diminished. If news of Patriarch Jinfeng's demise in the Eastern Barrens spread, Zhou Shengqing believed many within Xuanxiao Dao Palace would be unable to resist tampering with these unripened precious spirit plants, attempting to make a quick profit before abandoning the sect and disappearing. Furthermore, nearby sects and cultivation families would certainly ally to attack the now-empty Mingjing Mountain, looking for easy gains. Zhou Shengqing, who already considered Mingjing Mountain his own territory, did not want these things to happen.

Moreover, on the main battlefield, his return alone would suffice. Although Patriarch Jinfeng was a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, Zhou Shengqing believed that with him and Chen Mobai working together, and the Five Elements Dao Soldiers well-rested and prepared, killing him would be relatively easy. To avoid his aura being detected by Patriarch Jinfeng, Zhou Shengqing had to take a long detour after entering the Barren Ruins, avoiding their path. However, because Xuanxiao Dao Palace's hundred flying ships created a grand spectacle and attracted the attention of many demonic beasts in the Barren Ruins, their progress was slowed. Coupled with Zhou Shengqing traveling alone, he still arrived in the Eastern Barrens faster than Patriarch Jinfeng.

"Senior Brother, you've worked hard for over a year," Chen Mobai said upon seeing Zhou Shengqing.

"Not at all. Are all of you Junior Brothers and Sisters ready?" Zhou Shengqing replied with a smile, then looked at Mo Douguang, Zhou Ye, Nujiang, Sheng Zhaoxi, Fu Zongjue, Luo Yixuan, Yin Qingmei, and Luo Xue'er who were flying up from below.

Although Chen Mobai was 99% confident in this battle, it was crucial for the future rise of the Five Elements Sect and marked their official declaration as a major Nascent Soul sect to the Eastern Continent. Therefore, upon learning that Xuanxiao Dao Palace had deployed all its forces, Chen Mobai immediately mobilized all the Five Elements Sect's living strength, intending to achieve a decisive victory in one fell swoop.

With the exception of Yue Zutao, who was far away in the Eastern Lands, all of the Five Elements Sect's top-tier combatants were present. However, Chen Mobai still instructed Luo Yixuan and Yin Qingmei not to act impulsively when the war began, lest they become too conspicuous and draw Patriarch Jinfeng's attention.

As the Five Elements Sect stood ready, Xuanxiao Dao Palace's hundred flying ships gradually appeared in the distant sky.

At this moment, Patriarch Jinfeng clearly detected the grand formation of ten thousand cultivators just before the Barren Ruins, near the Eastern Barrens' border. Xuanguang and the other four Core Formation cultivators beside him were not surprised, as Xuanxiao Dao Palace's army was formidable and had made no attempt to conceal its movements.

Five-colored lights shimmered as five massive Dao Soldiers emerged between heaven and earth, like mountain-moving, peak-leveling celestials. They held up a five-colored barrier that enveloped ten thousand cultivators, their gazes fixed menacingly on the hundred flying ships.

Without Patriarch Jinfeng needing to speak, Xuanguang immediately commanded the ten thousand disciples within the hundred flying ships to form the Golden Bridge Battle Formation! Soon, a long, golden bridge was erected from their side, seemingly spanning heaven and earth, descending directly onto the heads of the Five Elements Dao Soldiers. The five-colored barrier flared brightly, but under the Golden Bridge, a breach was torn open. Xuanxiao Dao Palace's Golden Bridge Battle Formation excelled at tearing open defensive formations, forcing enemies into direct confrontation.

A golden light flashed, and Patriarch Jinfeng, his expression calm, had already stepped into the Five Elements Dao Soldiers' formation.