Chapter Eighty-Five: The Great Battle

Elderly man shook his head and sighed, “If that’s the case, then I must apologize to all of you, young friends!” With that, he beckoned to the group of cultivators in the True Trinity Realm, and those who had emerged from the Grand Abode Temple responded—some with loud laughter, others with cold chuckles or subtle sighs—each with a flash of radiant light, revealing a colorful little flag in their hands.

From a distance, Ye Hua and the others saw the banners, but before they could make sense of it, the flags were suddenly flung into the air, spreading wide without the slightest wind. Each bore a unique embroidered design—lions, tigers, leopards, wolves, elephants, and many other forms, numbering nearly a hundred kinds. No two flags were the same; each creature seemed so lifelike it might leap from the cloth at any moment.

At the sight, many disciples turned pale, a chill surging through their hearts. Quite a few cried out, “The Myriad Demon Confinement Array of the Southern Wilderness Sorcerer Tribe!” Those who had never witnessed such a formation were struck with dread at the name, recalling all manner of terrifying rumors, and their faces changed dramatically in unison.

The gaunt, dark-skinned elder burst into laughter, “You’d best retreat now, lest you suffer bitterly when the Myriad Demon Array is unleashed!” He glared at the young disciples in the front row. A young woman shouted angrily, “You villain! If you think you can force us to retreat, think again! Today, we’ll fight you to the bitter end, and bring the old traitors Xia Hong and Zi Xian to justice!”

The old man’s expression turned cold and fierce. “Heh, I offer you a way out, but you refuse. So stubborn! In that case, I’ll seize your leaders and deliver you to the Holy Emperor, so you can taste the torment of the dark prison! Attack!”

At once, the hundred banners in the sky gleamed with multicolored light, the beasts upon them seeming to come alive, unleashing roars and howls that shook the heavens. Before anyone could react, the phantom beasts solidified and lunged straight at those on the ground. Some spat fireballs or bolts of lightning, plunging the thousands present into chaos. Shouts and curses rose as everyone hastily summoned magical treasures to meet the attack.

Near Ye Hua, a monstrous creature—part dragon, part serpent, with skeletal wings—swooped down, spewing a cloud of black mist. Ma Fei, enraged, brandished his three-pronged spear, pointing it at the oncoming darkness. Three beams of light shot from the tip, colliding with the black mist in a flash.

But the black mist was strange; the beams of light merely stirred it, slowly dispersing it overhead. Ye Hua and his companions felt their spirits waver, their consciousness growing hazy as the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth around them began to dissipate.

Zhang Ke, sword in hand, called urgently, “That’s the Infernal Miasma of the Infernal Demon Dragon! Everyone, be careful! Destroy that banner!” Even before he finished, his sword had soared up, blazing red and hot as fire, slicing toward the drifting flag above.

A mocking voice echoed from the sky, “Foolishness! You think you can break my banner?” A man in his fifties appeared above, clad in tight garments with a sword on his back. He gestured, and the Infernal Demon Dragon flapped its wings, blocking the sword’s path. With a metallic clang, the flying blade struck the dragon’s bony wing but did not harm it in the least, rebounding to no effect.

Ye Hua, Zhang Lan, Shi Lei, and the rest had already summoned their treasures. Seeing Zhang Ke’s sword fail, they unleashed radiant light from their own weapons. Glancing over, Ye Hua saw Zhang Lan holding a jade mirror that shone like a full, luminous moon. She raised it skyward, and a ray like golden sunlight piercing post-storm clouds shot forth, causing the dark miasma to churn and disperse.

The sky transformed, as if the moon had risen over a tranquil sea. Silence fell. The bright moon, held aloft by a golden glow, spilled its light across rippling waters—a scene of mysterious beauty. Bamboo on the shore swayed in the breeze, gentle waves lapped quietly; it was a picture of otherworldly tranquility. Yet Ye Hua and the others had no mind to admire it, only growing more alert as they launched their treasures at the elder.

The old man, startled, exclaimed, “The Supreme Water Moon! Are you from one of the Three Purity Halls of Mount Lao?” But his hands did not hesitate. As the group’s treasures flew at the banner, he pointed at the Infernal Demon Dragon, sending it forth to shield the flag. Though battered by magical attacks, the beast’s black aura flared, and it withstood the onslaught, suffering only minor wounds.

Everyone was inwardly alarmed at the dragon’s formidable strength. They realized a prolonged fight would be to their disadvantage, and that they must break through quickly and escape. Ye Hua looked around: everywhere was fierce combat—groups of five or six, or a dozen, battling the various spectral beasts overhead. Despite their numbers, their opponents were mostly in the True Trinity Realm—far beyond their own cultivation—and with the enemy’s arrayed beasts, many young disciples were swiftly wounded.

Hearing the old man call out to her, Zhang Lan replied coldly, “You recognize my treasure, yet still ask?!” She sent the jade mirror whirling at the dragon like a bolt of lightning.

The elder paused, then recited with a sneer, “'A meeting in the Immortal Realm, tonight I lodge in the Supreme Pure Temple. The mountain moon is small in the clear night, the sea tides are calm. Cold rain at dawn, autumn’s first leaf falls. Alone I sit in silence, counting the chimes at daybreak.' Let’s see how much of the Supreme Water Moon you’ve mastered in your Purity Hall!”

With that, he drew his sword, which transformed into a beam of emerald light, slashing toward the flying mirror. Zhang Lan, seeing she could not dodge, formed a seal with her hands, and the mirror flared with light, shooting upward to meet the blade.

Ye Hua cried out, “Sister Zhang, don’t!” With a flash of black light, he produced a small, dark drum, beating it toward the oncoming sword. A deep, muffled sound reverberated—not in the ears but in the heart—making all stumble as if struck from within, their bodies wavering in shock at this unknown treasure.

The old man’s sword quivered and dimmed, its brilliance fading. Seeing Ye Hua’s black drum, and the effect on his sword, the elder cried in furious pain, “Wretch! Where did you get that Southern Wilderness Sorcerer’s Drum?”

His sword recoiled instantly. Staring at Ye Hua and company, his expression turned furious. “You think I won’t show you my true power? Do you know the Three-Eyed King’s wrath?”

He pressed his finger to his brow. A red light burst from his forehead. From afar, Shi Lei cried out, “It’s the Three-Eyed Radiance! Brother Ye, beware!”

Zhang Lan was momentarily stunned. Ye Hua felt a jolt of dread, his black drum flaring as he struck out at the elder, yanking Zhang Lan aside at the same moment. As they leapt away, a flash of red light grazed Ye Hua’s arm, searing it with heat. When the pair landed several yards away and looked back, they saw a gaping hole where they had just stood, carved silently by the red beam.

Both were shaken, and only after a while did Ye Hua recover, summoning his now dim black drum. Pain throbbed in his left arm; he yelped, clutching it, and as he did, his sleeve crumbled to ash, revealing burnt red skin beneath. Zhang Lan’s face turned pale. If Ye Hua hadn’t pulled her away, or if they’d been even a moment slower, they would surely have been gravely injured or killed.

Suddenly she felt the warmth of Ye Hua’s hand still holding her right hand. Her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue, shy and embarrassed. Yet concern for Ye Hua’s injury prevailed. “Brother Ye, are you… are you all right?”

Ye Hua noticed Zhang Lan’s sudden blush and, guessing her thoughts, slowly released her soft hand, stammering, “Um… Sister Zhang, it’s nothing serious.” The elder, seeing they had evaded his attack and noting their embarrassment, let out a cold laugh. “You dodged one strike—let’s see if you can handle another. If not, you’ll die as a pair, like birds sharing the same fate!”

Ye Hua and Zhang Lan blushed deeper at his words, but before they could respond, the elder let out a shout. His three eyes blazed with fire. In the distance, Shi Lei, Zhang Ke, Ma Fei, and Gu Yunqi were faring poorly against the Infernal Demon Dragon.

Shi Lei, recognizing the elder’s origins, shouted from afar, dodging the dragon’s claws, “Brother Ye, the three eyes represent the essence, the star, and the sun of fire! Be extremely careful!” No sooner had he spoken than the dragon’s tail swept at him, sending him flying backward with a cry of pain, unable to dodge in time.