Huang Tingyu looked towards Niu Zhi's direction, sighed, and then rose. The moment he stood up, a ten-thousand-zhang heavenly dog Dharma image appeared behind him. In the next instant, Huang Tingyu soared into the air and appeared at the core of the formation. His sword, Amber, unleashed a sky-shattering sword light, colliding with the demon king Chen Feng's sword.
"Huang Tingyu, with just you!?"
Chen Feng's eyes were filled with ferocity.
"Yes, with me."
Huang Tingyu grinned. In terms of cultivation and demonic energy reserves, Huang Tingyu was no match for Chen Feng. Yet, he looked at Chen Feng as if he were a dog – no, comparing this person to a dog would be an insult to dogs.
While Chen Feng was momentarily stunned, Huang Tingyu, with his left hand behind his back, subtly formed a sword seal. A wisp of gentle breeze swept through, carrying Niu Zhi's blood-soaked, mangled body towards the south.
Actually, Huang Tingyu wasn't unwilling to save Xiao Jiu'er and Tang Guangjun.
It was just that he couldn't.
Xiao Jiu'er was trapped by the Vast Expanse Map in an instant; Huang Tingyu was powerless. As for Tang Guangjun, his will to die was resolute, and he had already broken free from the control of the Ten Directions Great Formation during the sect's self-destruction. He seemed determined to charge into the enemy's lair alone. Perhaps this was Tang Guangjun's Dao; he sought death wholeheartedly, and Huang Tingyu could not stop him.
But Niu Zhi was different. Niu Zhi was the most trusted general under Lin Zhao, his true right-hand man. Niu Zhi's virtue was her obedience; she was meticulous and never overstepped her bounds. Every order Lin Zhao gave, Niu Zhi executed perfectly. Therefore, even though Niu Zhi also sought death, she never forgot Lin Zhao's previous instructions and did not retreat a single step from the Ten Directions Great Formation. This was precisely why Huang Tingyu had a chance to save her.
She lived only because she was sufficiently cautious.
...
Looking up, Huang Tingyu gazed at the Ten Directions Great Formation, its spiritual energy sparse. He couldn't help but sigh. Su Qingjiu and Tang Guangjun had died in sect self-destruction, Niu Zhi was on the verge of death, and only he, a thirteen-realm sword cultivator, remained to guard the Ten Directions Great Formation. This formation had exerted immense power, holding the demon race at bay outside the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond for a full day and night. That was enough.
"Dean Gu."
Huang Tingyu thought, "There's no need to die here. Take a few steps back and abandon the Ten Directions Great Formation. This formation has already been battered and is beyond repair."
"Indeed."
Gu Lingyu gently waved his sleeve and said, "Old Huang, Lingyu can only help the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond this far. I will return to Hefeng Academy. No matter what, I cannot let the scholars of Hefeng Academy die in vain. We must preserve more seeds of scholarship for the world."
"Good."
Huang Tingyu nodded. "The rest will be left to us soldiers."
Gu Lingyu drifted away.
Under the onslaught of a group of powerful demons and countless heart demons holding umbrellas, the Ten Directions Great Formation began to collapse in an instant. The moment the Ten Directions Great Formation crumbled, another umbrella-shaped mountain-protecting formation rose – the Juque Umbrella formation left by Xu Shuo.
Originally, the Juque Umbrella formation was controlled by Niu Zhi. However, Niu Zhi had lost her combat power. All ten demon soul swords and four life-bound flying swords were gone, and her realm had dropped to the Nascent Soul realm. It was impossible for her to control the Juque Umbrella anymore.
"Do our best!"
Huang Tingyu drifted back, holding the Juque Sword, and stood above White City. He said solemnly, "From now on, it's up to us, the soldiers defending the city. Marshal Lin's order to us is to hold White City to the death. Brothers, fight the demons! Make them pay a bloody price for every step they take into White City!"
"Fight!"
Countless Snow Domain cavalry roared from atop the city walls.
Inside and outside the city, a dense mass of players, seeing Niu Zhi nearly perish, also became indignant. Everyone exerted their full strength, attacking the outside of the city with unprecedented unity.
...
However, the disparity in troop strength and combat power had always been a reality.
The demon ancestor Qing Kui and the great demon Lian Ban, though injured, were still lurking in the thick clouds. Meanwhile, the demon kings Chen Feng and Liu Bai led numerous great demons in a fierce assault. Ning Yuan Sheng, Long Zheng, and other great demons continued to wreak havoc, their attacks falling upon the Juque Umbrella formation, causing its radiance to flicker erratically. It wouldn't hold for long.
Within a pitch-black cage.
Lin Zhao watched Niu Zhi, protected by a wisp of Huang Tingyu's sword intent, drift south in the wind. His heart ached. Niu Zhi had dropped four realms in one battle; she had truly fought with her life. Without Old Huang's intervention, Niu Zhi would have certainly died. This was all a consequence of his own actions.
"Lin Zhao."
Leng Yan continuously unleashed flying swords to attack the demons outside the city, parrying those attempting to scale the walls. She frowned, "It seems the Juque Umbrella won't last much longer."
"Mmm."
Lin Zhao said, "Among immortal formations, the Juque Umbrella is far inferior to the Ten Directions Great Formation, and its function is also different. With so many great demons attacking the mountain, it would be good if the Juque Umbrella could hold for the time it takes an incense stick to burn."
"And then?"
Leng Yan pursed her red lips and frowned. "Then the demons will break into the city, and it will become street fighting?"
"Yes."
Lin Zhao took a deep breath and said, "A Yan, White City is definitely not going to hold. The significance of defending White City lies in inflicting as much damage as possible on the demon and fiend forces, in gradually eroding their sharpness, and laying the foundation for the battles at Shanhai Pass, Yun Prefecture, and Yan Prefecture. Otherwise, humanity will have no chance of winning."
"Mmm..."
Leng Yan wholeheartedly agreed. "Xingchen said you haven't slept for a long time. Do you want to go to sleep? Since you're locked in this little black room and can't get out, maybe after sleeping, your account will be free. Also, you can't just passively wait; you should take the initiative and call customer service to inquire about your account issues."
"Alright."
Lin Zhao said, "I'm not in a hurry to sleep. I want to sleep after the battle at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond is over. I'll sleep once I confirm that Old Huang, Tong Yu, Zhang Luobai, and the others are safe."
"Mmm, okay..."
...
Carried by a gentle breeze, Niu Zhi's broken body was sent to Ziyun Mountain in the south.
On Ziyun Mountain, the mountain lord Zhang Xicheng appeared as a golden light, unleashing a gentle aura of mountains and rivers to receive Niu Zhi. The peach demon Han Yurou also appeared by his side, conjuring soft peach blossoms that enveloped Niu Zhi's body. Seeing Niu Zhi on the verge of death, both looked sorrowful.
In the past, Lin Zhao had brought this female sword immortal to Tongjing Lake, and Han Yurou had met her several times. Although this female sword immortal was a sword immortal, she was quite gentle, and Han Yurou had liked her very much.
But now, Lin Zhao had died in sect self-destruction, his remains buried beneath that mountain of Wu Wang. His subordinates had fallen into such a state.
"Xicheng."
Han Yurou looked at the unconscious Niu Zhi and couldn't help but kneel beside her, using the life force of a peach demon to nourish Niu Zhi's body.
"Yurou!"
Zhang Xicheng quickly grabbed Han Yurou's hand, his golden eyes looking at his beloved. "Sword Immortal Niu Zhi is a thirteen-realm great sword immortal. Now that she has fallen in realm and is severely injured, her body is like a dry well, a bottomless dry well. If your meager cultivation injects spiritual energy into her, it will be instantly drained."
He looked at Niu Zhi. "Sword Immortal Niu Zhi still has a faint breath of life; her destiny is not to die. With her current Nascent Soul sword cultivator foundation, she can be nurtured back to health. So, please don't interfere. It's not that I am heartless, but this is for the best."
Han Yurou looked north, tears streaming down her face. "Young Master Lin Zhao worked tirelessly for us back then. Now, he is no longer alive for this world, and Sword Immortal Niu Zhi is so severely injured for the human realm. Yet, Yurou cannot help in the slightest. Xicheng, in this situation, are we any different from the ungrateful?"
Zhang Xicheng's heart was filled with guilt, and he was rendered speechless by Han Yurou's words.
Just then, a wisp of spiritual energy bloomed in the wind. It was a spiritual body of Huang Tingyu. His true body was supporting the Juque Umbrella in White City, so his spiritual body was extremely faint and ethereal.
"Ah!?"
Zhang Xicheng and Han Yurou recognized Huang Tingyu and immediately knelt. "Greetings, Old Sword Immortal Huang!"
"You don't need to be so formal."
Huang Tingyu frowned. "Niu Zhi is injured, and the north is no longer safe. I trouble you both to escort her to White Emperor City and deliver Niu Zhi to Princess Zhao Shutong. Only there will she be safe."
"Yes!"
Zhang Xicheng cupped his fists. "Zhang Xicheng will certainly accomplish this."
"Mmm, I'm leaving."
Huang Tingyu nodded slightly, and his body dissipated with the wind.
...
Snow Domain Heavenly Pond.
With a deafening roar, the Juque Umbrella formation was broken. Dust and debris rained down from the wind. Huang Tingyu, who was in charge of the formation, retreated several steps. The Juque Sword in his hand began to disintegrate, eventually turning into a pile of useless scrap metal. Under the assault of the great demons, the formation was completely destroyed.
He sighed and ordered the activation of the Golden Dragon, Silver Dragon, and Iron Dragon formations within the city, using a grid-like defense to resist the invasion of demons and fiends. This was also part of Lin Zhao's plan before his death.
On the northern city wall of White City, without the protection of the mountain-protecting formation, dense demon soldiers and fiend cavalry charged the mountain. At first, the Snow Domain cavalry and players could hold their ground, but when the great demons Ji An, Chen Feng, Liu Bai, Long Zheng, Ning Yuan Sheng, and others launched their attacks, the situation completely changed.
Demon attacks accompanied by thunder descended from the sky. Players' heads were met with instant kill numbers. Battle formations of major guilds were almost wiped out en masse. Except for top-tier players like Su Xinghe, Chen Xue, and Shen Xingchen, ordinary players could barely withstand a single blow from a thirteen-realm great demon. This version event had devolved into a massacre.
In the air, the Flood Dragon Boat of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond continued its bombardment, showering the ground with the light of its spirit crystal cannons. However, after a short while, a group of men and women holding oil-paper umbrellas rose into the sky, transforming into wisps of fireflies that attacked the Flood Dragon Boat. In less than a quarter of an hour, the Flood Dragon Boat was destroyed. The hundreds of warriors on the boat rushed out and plunged into the demon horde, their fists striking fiercely.
White City's north had already descended into close-quarters combat.