The great battle raged on. Within the Wanxiang Sect, the grounds were a scene of utter devastation—pocked with craters, with not a single spot left unscathed.
The mountain forests were destroyed, and the Five Peaks had collapsed. When Purple Mansion True Monarchs fought without restraint, shattering mountains and boiling seas was a simple matter. With several of them attacking simultaneously, the power they unleashed was nothing short of apocalyptic.
Elder Wei’s expression remained unchanged. He glanced in Yu Changsheng’s direction for a moment before refocusing his mind and concentrating fully on the enemies before him.
The sword strike Yu Changsheng had unleashed had truly shocked him. He had been momentarily stunned, but it was clear he couldn’t afford to dwell on it now.
Fortunately, Yu Changsheng had drawn away the strongest of them, Illusion Dragon True Monarch, greatly reducing the pressure on Elder Wei. While the remaining two, Tian Long and Sea Dragon, were still formidable, with the help of his Beast Taming, he was handling the fight with relative ease.
In fact, he was beginning to overpower them. The scales of victory had begun to tip.
...
"Go into the Cloud Mist Valley, find the Cloud Platform at its very center, and lead him there."
The voice of the Profound Turtle, Chen Hou, echoed in Yu Changsheng’s mind. Yu Changsheng nodded to himself, and after getting his bearings, his body flickered, and his speed increased.
Meanwhile, the Purple Mansion True Monarch behind him was in relentless pursuit, killing intent gathering in his eyes, ready to strike.
Although he had severely wounded Illusion Dragon True Monarch with a single sword strike, its power was only so immense because it had caught the True Monarch completely off guard. That one strike had also nearly drained Yu Changsheng dry. He knew with certainty that if he stopped to turn and fight, he stood no chance of victory.
As for Illusion Dragon True Monarch, he chased him all the way. Seeing Yu Changsheng escape into the Cloud Mist Valley, his gaze turned cold, and he plunged in right after him, all while trying to stabilize his grievous injuries and prevent them from worsening.
’This brat... It’s only been a few days, and he has this kind of power right after reaching the Golden Core realm. He’s truly a disciple of that old bastard—each one is more of a monster than the last.’
’But this time, I absolutely will not let your luck continue. If I miss this chance, it will be much harder to kill him in the future. This boy must die, lest he cause more trouble down the road.’
Illusion Dragon True Monarch’s mind raced. After his initial burst of fury, he had regained a good deal of his composure. Though his face was still a mask of unforgivable rage, his inner caution hadn’t diminished in the slightest.
Yu Changsheng’s sword strike, in particular, had made him far more wary. As killing intent surged within him, he took a deep breath, scanned his surroundings, and slowed his pace slightly.
Mist churned all around them. Perhaps due to the unique nature of the Cloud Mist Mountain Range and the Array buried deep beneath it, the Cloud Mist Valley was still relatively intact, despite suffering some damage.
The mist billowed in and out, a vast expanse of white that shrouded the surrounding forests. This mist was unique, possessing the ability to obscure one’s Divine Sense. For cultivators of their caliber, however, this effect was negligible.
"And where do you think you can hide?"
Illusion Dragon True Monarch sneered as he unleashed his Divine Sense. Instantly, a clear picture of the entire Cloud Mist Valley appeared in his mind, leaving nothing hidden.
After carefully probing the area again and confirming there was nothing out of the ordinary, Illusion Dragon True Monarch resumed his pursuit, his gaze turning frigid as he flew toward Yu Changsheng.
WHOOSH—
The wind howled past as Yu Changsheng moved like a bolt of lightning. Feeling the oppressive presence behind him drawing ever closer, his gaze turned icy. He began swallowing one elixir after another without a second thought, and his Magical Power began to recover.
’Almost there...’
Yu Changsheng muttered to himself. With a flicker of his body, he shot forward. Ahead lay the largest canyon in the Cloud Mist Valley, about a mile wide and stretching for over thirty miles. It was like a great scar carved into the earth, standing out prominently. The mist within it was thick and turbulent, and somewhere inside lay the largest of the valley’s Cloud Platforms.
"This is the place. This is the core of the Cloud Mist Valley’s Array, and it’s where the Seal is weakest—the closest point to me. Lure him over. We’ll finish him here."
The Profound Turtle said in a deep voice. Yu Changsheng nodded, glanced back at the relentlessly pursuing Illusion Dragon True Monarch, then accelerated and plunged straight into the canyon.
The canyon was not particularly deep, only about three hundred meters. The Spiritual Qi was dense, and beneath the shroud of mist, a turbulent river surged. At its center, a corner of a circular Cloud Platform, one hundred meters in diameter, was faintly visible.
The Cloud Platform was pure white and covered in carved patterns. It stood like a bastion in the middle of the raging current, unyielding. Yu Changsheng landed on it without any resistance. He immediately sat down cross-legged, turned to face the approaching Illusion Dragon True Monarch, and activated the platform’s protective shield.
"Not running anymore, boy? What new tricks have you got up your sleeve this time?"
Illusion Dragon True Monarch narrowed his eyes and halted. He stared at Yu Changsheng, who sat serenely on the Cloud Platform. The True Monarch’s gaze flickered with uncertainty, and he couldn’t quite grasp the situation. He glanced at the Cloud Platform again, his expression turning grim. He hesitated, not daring to act rashly.
"No more running. In fact, I think the feng shui here is excellent. It would make a fine burial ground for you."
Yu Changsheng smiled faintly, his eyes holding a trace of contempt as he looked at Illusion Dragon True Monarch. Inwardly, however, he was on edge as he conferred with the Profound Turtle, a lack of confidence creeping into his thoughts.
’Senior, are you absolutely sure you can kill him in one strike? If not... I can’t handle a Purple Mansion True Monarch on my own.’
"I will do what I can," the Profound Turtle replied, its tone level. After a pause, it continued, "In a moment, I will channel some of my true body’s power through the Cloud Platform’s Seal. I will only have one chance to strike, but it should be enough to deal with a heavily wounded Purple Mansion True Monarch."