The clash lasted only an instant.
In one encounter, Bai Ye gravely wounded three, forcing the others of the Canglong Association to halt their assault.
Wang Ling, clearly the commander, made an immediate decision and shouted, "Fall back towards me!"
They had kicked an iron plate!
Wang Ling looked at Bai Ye, a hint of dread now in his eyes.
The Evil Spirit Group?
The Canglong Association never truly took them seriously.
The Evil Spirit Group had indeed developed rapidly, their member count even rivaling the Canglong Association, but what did that matter?
They were just a mob.
Though the Evil Spirit Group had many members, their turnover was also extremely high.
This represented instability, with frequent joiners and leavers. Furthermore, their strength was imbalanced, preventing them from forming a cohesive force. While they could control the forbidden zones, they suffered too many casualties.
Consequently, most members of the Canglong Association believed the Evil Spirit Group posed no real threat.
Wang Ling was one of them.
After entering the virtual game's forbidden zone, Wang Ling's disdain for the Evil Spirit Group became even more pronounced. These fellows, easily scattered and defeated with little effort, were hardly a match for the Canglong Association.
But now, Wang Ling felt he needed to reconsider his assessment.
The Evil Spirit Group did have experts, and these experts were terrifyingly strong, on the scale of several stories high.
Meanwhile, Bai Ye had no immediate intention of pursuing. He paused briefly because...
The Goro Goro no Mi had leveled up!
Goro Goro no Mi (Devil Fruit) (Item) (Gold): Upon consumption, this ultimate Logia-type fruit allows the user's body to become elemental, transforming into lightning...
Weakness: Cannot touch saltwater or Seastone.
Current Proficiency: 0/38000
Abilities Unlocked: 7/12
Effects: Teleportation...
Lightning...
Thunder Bolt...
Raikou...
Raijin...
Rai Ryu...
Raijin: Unleashes terrifying lightning power, surrounding the user's body. Combined with elemental transformation and filled with thunder, it continuously expands, forming an ethereal Raijin form. Its might is as if the god of thunder himself has descended upon the mortal world, and it is the ultimate form for a Goro Goro no Mi user.
The proficiency of the Goro Goro no Mi increased quite rapidly, as its abilities were Bai Ye's primary combat means. Continuous use naturally led to quick improvement.
After the three elemental forms of Raikou, Raijin, and Rai Ryu, Bai Ye hadn't expected another ability to manifest as a form.
However, this time, it was applied to himself.
And...
It was the Goro Goro no Mi's ultimate ability, formed through lightning.
Based on Bai Ye's experience, the Goro Goro no Mi's abilities were progressive, with each move building upon the last. Beyond simply increasing the raw power of lightning, they also complemented each other.
Movement, attack, defense, followed by the three forms, respectively for ground, air, and a combination of both.
The Raijin form had appeared now, but with five more abilities yet to be unlocked, Bai Ye speculated that the subsequent techniques would likely be based on the Raijin form.
On the other side, seeing Bai Ye's inaction, Wang Ling hesitated, contemplating whether to retreat or press the attack.
Ultimately, Wang Ling decided to grit his teeth and go for broke.
"Form up, the Spirit Severing Army Breaking Formation!"
As Wang Ling commanded, two members of the Canglong Association retreated, while the remaining six immediately darted in different directions. Once in position, they placed items on the ground.
Instantly, the winds surged, and the clouds churned.
A palpable sense of murderous intent suddenly filled the surroundings.
A gust of wind blew, carrying a hint of desolation, kicking up dust from the ground and swirling it in the air.
Suddenly, the sounds of clashing weapons and martial combat erupted, making everyone feel as if they were on a battlefield, with shouts and the beating of war drums all around.
Looking forward, everyone felt as if they were hallucinating. Before them stood a colossal war banner, swaying in the wind.
The next moment, tall figures appeared where the six members of the Canglong Association stood. They rode imposing steeds, donned in armor, wielding long spears, and charged directly towards Bai Ye.
Gao Ming's combat strength might not have been impressive, but his eyesight was sharp. He stated solemnly, "It's an immortal soldier formation!"
At the same time...
Bai Ye snapped back to reality. Seeing the approaching cavalry, he couldn't help but grin. "The Canglong Association truly has some good things in their possession. However..."
Crackling!
Electricity suddenly enveloped Bai Ye's entire body.
"How can mortals contend with gods?"
The current surrounding Bai Ye grew more intense, more dense, and more violent.
In the next instant, Bai Ye's body entered an elemental state, completely merging with the lightning, and then his body began to expand continuously.
In a short while, Bai Ye's body swelled to over three meters tall, his entire form composed of lightning. Five thunder drums floated around him, and two ethereal lightning ribbons hung from his shoulders.
Raijin descends!
Bai Ye looked at the charging cavalry and, without a word, stepped forward and raised his hand.
Bang!
Bai Ye swept his palm horizontally, striking one cavalryman and sending him flying over ten meters away.
This was not the end. The moment Bai Ye sent the cavalryman flying, a massive area of lightning exploded outwards, scattering in all directions and blasting away the surrounding cavalry.
The next moment, the murderous intent within the soldier formation grew even more potent.
This time, twelve cavalrymen appeared, charging at Bai Ye with long sabers.
Bai Ye had no intention of retreating. He simply lifted his leg and swept it forward.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
Following Bai Ye's attack, a colossal bolt of lightning appeared, moving forward, continuously expanding and growing, transforming into a pillar of lightning.
Then...
The moment it struck the cavalry formation, the lightning instantly detonated, blasting all twelve cavalrymen away.
The people of the Canglong Association were stunned.
The members of the Evil Spirit Group were equally dumbfounded.
Gao Ming stammered, "Wife, oh, I don't have a wife? Brothers, come out and witness this cheater!"
Meanwhile, the Canglong Association was preparing to further activate the Spirit Severing Army Breaking Formation.
Theoretically, the Spirit Severing Army Breaking Formation was an infinitely powerful immortal soldier formation that could continuously summon cavalry to attack, with their numbers doubling: six, twelve, twenty-four, and so on, without limit.
However...
Bai Ye did not give them the chance to continue!
Bang!
Bai Ye suddenly exerted force, leaping upwards and shattering the ground beneath him. He then ascended into the air, plummeting downwards.
The spot where Bai Ye descended was naturally the location of the Spirit Severing Army Breaking Formation.
Blue and white lightning continuously flashed around Bai Ye, and countless currents surged, enveloping his body, making Bai Ye appear like a colossal ball of lightning.
Boom!
The ball of lightning that Bai Ye had transformed into hit the ground, causing the earth to instantly collapse. The ground itself caved in at a visible rate.
...