: All Forces Attack

Gao Cuo needed the Funeral Veil Silk to cultivate a special mask, one designed to perfectly mimic inanimate objects, achieving an incredibly realistic effect.

However, under normal circumstances, Qiu Teng Peak was heavily fortified, a self-contained system with no apparent weaknesses.

Thus, Gao Cuo could only endure and bide his time, waiting for an opportunity.

This major battle provided his chance. Having escaped early, he planned to seize the moment for gain. Upon learning the latest battle report that Bi Tengyi's physical body had been destroyed by Shuang Ling, Gao Cuo quickly discussed with Sword Elder, altered their original plan, and hurried to the vicinity of Qiu Teng Peak.

After all, such an opportunity was exceedingly rare.

"Hmm?" Sword Elder let out a soft sound of surprise.

Gao Cuo noticed nothing at first, but soon he saw Qiu Teng Peak activate its defensive formation, revealing its strongest defensive posture.

A thought struck Gao Cuo, and he immediately understood: "Ah, it must be that Bi Tengyi's Nascent Soul has traversed the void and returned to her stronghold."

Bi Tengyi was one of the high-ranking leaders of the Ancient Vine Tribe. For years, she had wielded power tyrannically, and her personal strength was formidable.

But this battle had presented her with an unprecedented challenge. Her physical body was destroyed, and only her Nascent Soul barely escaped with its life.

This sudden change threw the usually privileged Bi Tengyi into a state of high alert. Fearing any further mishap, she activated all defensive formations upon her return, turning Qiu Teng Peak into an impenetrable fortress.

"However, this also reveals crucial information," Sword Elder said with a deep sigh. "Gao Cuo, you know much about Bi Tengyi's intelligence and her cultivation history."

"She was born into a high-ranking tribal family, noble by birth. Although she inherited the belligerent nature of the barbarian tribes, she primarily relied on her background, innate talent, and cultivation base to bully others and act arrogantly."

"On the surface, this seems unremarkable. But when faced with major setbacks or life's tests, her flaws become immediately apparent."

"So, don't be fooled by the usual high status and power of many Nascent Soul cultivators. Many are outwardly strong but inwardly weak, their temperaments hardly praiseworthy."

"The correct course for Bi Tengyi would have been to maintain secrecy, appear relaxed externally but stay vigilant internally, keeping a low profile. But now, anyone within hundreds of miles seeing Qiu Teng Peak's drastic actions would know something major is happening. Combined with the latest battle reports, it's easy to deduce Bi Tengyi's current predicament."

"If she truly has enemies, they would certainly strike now!"

"Remember, a Nascent Soul is far weaker than a Spirit Soul."

Enlightened by Sword Elder's guidance, Gao Cuo said, "Sword Elder, I understand."

"On one hand, you mean that most Nascent Soul cultivators, while powerful, have temperaments that are hard to judge, perhaps even inferior to mine. This provides me a potential path to deal with them in the future."

"On the other hand, the path of cultivation isn't just about increasing one's power; it also involves tempering one's character. Especially during weaker periods, external pressures are often immense, fostering growth in one's mental fortitude."

"Once past that stage, upon reaching a certain level of cultivation like the Nascent Soul stage, it becomes difficult to feel external pressure ordinarily. This反而 is detrimental to a cultivator's overall path!"

Sword Elder laughed heartily: "Exactly. That's why there are often those who achieve greatness later in life."

"Cultivators who are always privileged and never face setbacks or failures cannot travel far on their cultivation path."

"So, were your previous two failures truly just failures?"

"They are also a form of success."

Gao Cuo had experienced two failures.

The first was the Evil God Bone at Bi Kong Mountain. The second was the Wooden Flame within the Ten-Mile Burning Forest.

Both left Gao Cuo empty-handed.

This was the third time.

He planned to steal the Funeral Veil Silk from Qiu Teng Peak.

Compared to the previous attempts, he was noticeably more composed: "Sword Elder, your words are very reasonable. However... I still genuinely hope for success this time."

As he spoke, the many green vines on Qiu Teng Peak began to retract. The lush green color rapidly faded, forming a surging wave of emerald light that gathered into the mountain's interior.

Sword Elder murmured, "It begins."

Gao Cuo nodded slightly, knowing that Bi Tengyi's body reconstruction would consume a massive amount of vitality.

This would severely impact Qiu Teng Peak's defenses, creating vulnerabilities.

And these vulnerabilities would be his opportunity.

Sword Elder reminded him: "Prepare yourself."

Gao Cuo nodded again and began circulating his energy.

This time, he exerted his full power, the entire process silent without the slightest leak of aura.

After the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, he transformed into a stone sphere – the Stone Centenarian!

If Bi Tengyi's Nascent Soul hadn't returned, Gao Cuo wouldn't have needed to use his full power and disguise himself as the Stone Centenarian.

But since her Nascent Soul was back, stationed at Qiu Teng Peak, obtaining the Funeral Veil Silk would likely lead to a direct confrontation.

In this situation, only the Spirit Severing-level identity of the Stone Centenarian would make Bi Tengyi hesitate.

More crucially, with this disguise, even the Dragon King Temple side wouldn't want to investigate further. Doing so might provoke internal conflict between the two Spirit Severing-level entities within Thousand Peaks Forest: Whisker Dragon King and the Stone Centenarian.

Facing formidable enemies, Whisker Dragon King would likely have to hesitate and hold back.

This played right into the hands of Gao Cuo and Sword Elder.

"The Stone Centenarian?!" Bi Tengyi's Nascent Soul cried out in shock.

Sure enough, when Gao Cuo made his move, he startled Bi Tengyi, making her dare not act rashly. She could only immediately call for help.

The plea for aid reached the Dragon King Temple and Lord Long with extreme speed.

"The Stone Centenarian's main body has been spotted!"

"He's finally shown himself!"

"Is it real?"

"Bi Tengyi is absolutely certain!"

"Then proceed according to the pre-arranged plan!!"

The Dragon King Temple reacted with extreme speed.

They had long anticipated the Stone Centenarian's involvement and prepared numerous contingency plans. Some had even been rehearsed.

They had no choice but to take it seriously.

In their eyes, the Stone Centenarian was a Spirit Severing-level expert, a key figure affecting the overall situation in Thousand Peaks Forest.

During the Stone Centenarian's disappearance, they had searched frantically but found nothing.

Now, the Stone Centenarian had finally appeared!

In all their plans, the Dragon King Temple's first action was consistent – offer incense and report to Whisker Dragon King.

The Dragon King statue received the message, its eyes immediately gleaming with light, coming to life from inertness!

Moments later, Lord Long received the latest instruction.

"The Stone Centenarian?!" He shot up from his seat.

Upon learning of the Stone Centenarian's appearance, Whisker Dragon King immediately set out!

Lord Long also received a new command – launch a full-scale attack on the Liang Zhu Kingdom camp without a moment's delay.

"All units, hear my order! Full army attack!!" Lord Long bellowed, his voice echoing across the entire battlefield.

Zhao Xi: ?!!

Liang Zhu Kingdom Army: ???

The champion duels were raging, and the Thousand Peaks Forest side was even gaining the upper hand. Why suddenly launch a full-scale attack now?

This was very strange!

Not only did the Liang Zhu Kingdom side think so, the Thousand Peaks Forest alliance forces were also stunned for a moment, all looking at Lord Long, unsure what he was doing.

Lord Long swept his stern gaze around, responding to the numerous doubts: "Full army attack, no mistakes allowed!"

He gave the order again.

"Hahaha! That's more like it!" The first to react wasn't anyone else, but the contemporary Elephant King, Xiang Yue.

Xiang Yue ceased his loud laughter, abandoned Shuang Ling, and charged fiercely towards the Liang Zhu Kingdom's city and camp.

His momentum was immense, tearing through the air, displaying an extremely ferocious posture, like a cannonball charging forward relentlessly!

Zhao Xi sprang to his feet and immediately activated the formation.

Cang Yue Fei Dun Formation (Pale Moon Flying Shield Formation)!

Seven hundred silver shields flew into the air, moonlight flowing on their surfaces. The Geng Metal energy on the shields condensed into solid blades of light, combining offense and defense!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Xiang Yue charged headlong, shattering shield after shield.

"This kind of fight is what I like. Hehehehe..."

Elsewhere, Li Jiu Qu abandoned Mo Yechen, flying higher.

He grinned sinisterly, his lips stretching to his ears. As he tipped the Rotten Immortal Poison Basket, three hundred thousand Rotten Immortal Maggots poured out like a torrent of pitch, covering the sky and descending upon the camp and city!

Zhao Xi and the others' faces changed drastically.

Zhao Xi urged the Cang Yue Fei Dun Formation again. Over a thousand silver shields emerged, interlocking and combining to form a full moon disc above the city.

Geng Metal energy transformed into a whirlwind of countless blades.

The first wave of poisonous insects collided with the light blades, disintegrating en masse. The sound of their carapaces shattering was like hail striking a jade plate, continuous and unending.

Crack, crack.

Within the camp city, cracks appeared on the formation disc of the Cang Yue Fei Dun Formation. The cracks rapidly grew and spread, covering the entire disc within a few breaths.

"I see it!" From within the Thousand Peaks Forest alliance, the Poison Scorpion Cave Master suddenly shot a Scorpion Tail Poison Needle.

The poison needle was silent, first mixing within the insect swarm to get close, then suddenly erupting. It pierced through the void in an instant, reappearing to accurately strike the formation disc.

The formation disc shattered with a bang.

The Cang Yue Fei Dun Formation immediately fell into disarray. The受阻 Xiang Yue and the intercepted insect swarm broke through the obstacles, resuming their charge.

The shattered shield fragments turned into myriad stardust, scattering across the battlefield. The dozen or so formation masters主持 the formation died on the spot from the backlash.

The Geng Metal energy dissipated like wind.

Lei Wang Suo Kong Da Zhen (Thunder Net Locking Sky Formation)!

The next moment, thousands of lightning snakes shot out from the city wall crevices, purple and white electric light weaving into a hexagonal grid.

The wolf claw patterns on Gu Ya's face glowed with blue light. His muscular right arm suddenly swelled to three times its size.

"Wolf Fang Break!"

He roared, his wolf-toothed club wrapped in a blue sharp aura, smashing hard into the thunder net.

Boom!

The next moment, exploding smoke swallowed Gu Ya and the surrounding area.

The Poison Scorpion Cave Master's purple veil fluttered lightly as she flew over the battlefield.

Her tail needle slowly traced a scorpion-shaped talisman in mid-air.

The next moment, the five formation masters responsible for the Thunder Net Locking Sky Formation suddenly bled black blood from their seven orifices. The formation tool, the Red Copper Blue Dragon Pillar of the Thunder Net Locking Formation, tilted accordingly. The chains of lightning twitched like dying pythons.

Xiang Yue, charging forward, simply tore the electric net apart with his hands, continuing his charge like a primordial beast!

Li Jiu Qu's insect swarm was a step slower. Just as the electric net was about to recover, it was covered by the insects, the two engaging in intense mutual consumption.

"Bi Hai Bing Chao Zhen, activate!" Zhao Xi's hair crown burst apart, his long hair flying in the wind.

His face was covered in cold sweat as he frantically urged the formation.

Nine streams of water gathered like dragons, rising from the moat into the sky. The dragon roars stirred up hundred-zhang high raging waves.

The river waves surged skyward, quickly forming a watery barrier.

Just as the barrier was about to close completely, Xiang Yue arrived with a bang, entering the water screen first.

Martial Technique – Po Jun Shi (Army Breaking Momentum)!

Xiang Yue continued his headlong charge. The martial technique he used countered military formations. The nine water dragons tried to block him successively, but their military cohesion scattered, allowing Xiang Yue to crash through them one by one without dodging or avoiding!

The following insect swarm then latched onto the water screen, beginning to devour it voraciously.

"Fire arrows! Fire arrows!" a commander urgently directed.

Ten thousand arrows were immediately loosed from the city walls.

Utilizing military tactics, the arrow rain was extremely dense, almost all aimed at Xiang Yue.

Divine Ability – Jin Gang Bu Huai (Diamond Indestructibility)!

Xiang Yue's whole body erupted with golden light, his defense skyrocketing to its limit. He endured the arrow rain head-on, continuing his fierce charge.

"He still isn't stopped?!"

On the city wall, the commanders paled, feeling horror.

Xiang Yue's ferocity exceeded their imaginations.

Just as they were anxiously awaiting the inevitable collision between Xiang Yue and the city wall, a mechanical puppet suddenly appeared before Xiang Yue.

Boom!

The two collided. The mechanical puppet was sent flying backwards.

But soon, it adjusted its posture and landed steadily.

The puppet's face vaguely resembled Shuang Ling's, but its body was soft like a snake, draped in a gauze robe sprinkled with starlight. Mist filled the inside of the robe.

Nascent Soul level!

Xiang Yue snorted coldly, expelling a puff of hot turbid air from his nostrils, and charged again.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

His feet stomped the ground, leaving deep footprints with each step.

The mechanical puppet moved towards him, like an infant throwing itself into an adult's embrace.

Martial Technique – Gang Quan (Steel Fist).

Xiang Yue's fists took on a silver-black steel hue, their hardness skyrocketing as he struck hard and smashed fiercely.

The mechanical puppet raised its pair of palms, meeting Xiang Yue's steel fists head-on.

In that instant, thousands of suspension threads sprayed from the palms of the mechanical hands.

The threads enveloped the steel fists, combined with the martial technique Mian Zhang (Soft Palm), forming the Mechanism Art – Chan Yun Shou · Qian Si Fu (Cloud Entangling Hand · Thousand Threads Binding)!

Xiang Yue felt his steel fists strike a ball of cotton. His immense, rigid force was rapidly dissipated.

For the first time since entering the battlefield, a trace of surprise flashed across his face as he scrutinized the mechanical puppet before him.

"Using softness to overcome hardness! This is the Flexible Bone Enchantress, likely Shuang Ling's trump card."

"Three thousand six hundred ring-shaped joints, each inlaid with 'Force Dispersion Runes,' capable of freely deflecting according to the impact direction."

"Internally equipped with 'Nine Bends Corridor' liquid spiritual mercury, able to divert seventy percent of the force received elsewhere."

"The outer gauze robe seems ordinary but is actually woven from Star Silkworm silk, naturally possessing a force-dispersing net structure that can alter the direction and trajectory of external forces."

"Thus, the core of this mechanical puppet should be Mermaid's Tear."

Ning Zhuo's eyes gleamed with excitement.

Although the Flexible Bone Enchantress temporarily blocked Xiang Yue, it also consumed a great deal of Shuang Ling's energy and spiritual sense.

To achieve softness overcoming hardness, she had to employ more exquisite combat techniques.

As a result, the situation Shuang Ling had painstakingly maintained through hard fighting collapsed completely.

The Nascent Soul cultivators, previously locked in a stalemate with Shuang Ling, now gained freedom and quickly distanced themselves.

Shuang Ling was clearly a tough nut to crack. It was more practical to first inflict casualties on others and secure merits and battle achievements.

(End of )