Countless Talismans and Magical Artifacts of every color danced across the sky.

The main force in the battle was, of course, the series of Battle Arrays, which condensed immensely powerful Magic and blasted it toward the horde of monkeys.

The mountainside swarmed with monkeys, and every moment, a large number of the Demon Beasts fell.

Some were burned to charred corpses, while others were blasted into piles of mangled flesh.

This was the purpose of a Battle Array.

It didn’t matter what kind of Magical Artifacts you had, whether you were skilled in Combat, or if you possessed the courage for a bloody battle. As long as you followed the lead Steward’s commands and poured your Magical Power into the Battle Array, it could unleash power comparable to that of an Early-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

However, this "Foundation Establishment Cultivator" was stiff, unresponsive, and moved slowly.

As Tier Two Apes leaped out from the mountain forest one after another, the pioneering army’s advance was halted, and they were drawn into a bitter struggle.

The Foundation Establishment Cultivators quickly formed small teams to engage these Tier Two Demon Beasts; otherwise, the numerous Loose Cultivators outside the Battle Arrays would not have been able to withstand the assault.

A complete Battle Array required not only long-term coordinated practice but also an Array Plate, Array Banners, and an Array Map. Not a single one could be missing for it to be truly effective.

No matter how deep the Qingfeng Sect’s pockets were, they couldn’t possibly have refined dozens of complete Battle Array sets.

Therefore, aside from their own Sect’s Cultivators, a few elite Cultivation Family members, and some capable Loose Cultivators who were equipped with the "Three Treasures" of a Battle Array, most Cultivators were only issued a single Array Banner, the cheapest component to refine.

Under the Array Banner, a Cultivator’s Magical Power recovery speed was accelerated, and it also came with three charges of a Healing and Blood Stopping Technique.

The defensive light shield it generated, even with Cultivators continuously pouring Magical Power into it, was at best equivalent to an oversized Top-Grade Magical Artifact.

There was absolutely no possibility of it blocking the charge of a Tier Two Demon Beast.

Under a Profound Yellow Array Banner in the northeasternmost corner of the pioneering army, dozens of Cultivators were gathered, their faces filled with terror as their formation shrank smaller and smaller.

This group was among the unluckiest. They were all ordinary Loose Cultivators, with only a handful of Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators. There were even some old, weak, and young at the Qi Refining Third Layer mixed in; no one knew how they had gotten here.

The Qingfeng Sect hadn’t expected this group of Loose Cultivators to be of much use anyway, treating them as little more than a cheering squad.

They had been given a Profound Yellow Array Banner, assigned a Qi Refining Seventh Layer Sect Steward to lead them, and placed in the outermost corner.

They were unlikely to face the main Demon Beast Group and were only responsible for cleaning up the stray Tier One Monkey Demons that escaped.

This was a task that nearly a hundred Loose Cultivators could have easily handled.

When the great battle began, things had been going smoothly. But who could have known that a snow-white Tier Two Ape would suddenly leap out and, with a single slap, send the banner-wielding Steward flying?

The Steward flew several dozen yards but wasn’t quite dead. He grabbed his Copper Brick Magical Artifact and smashed it down hard on the White Ape’s head.

Although it didn’t cause much damage, it enraged the White Ape, which closed the distance in a few quick bounds. It rained down a flurry of punches, blasting a deep crater several yards wide, the bottom of which was stained crimson.

"What do we do? That White Ape is looking at us again... How about we ditch the Array Banner and run for it!"

A few Late-Stage Qi Refining Loose Cultivators picked up the fallen Profound Yellow Array Banner and activated it with all their might, which gave them a pitiful sense of security.

"Abandon the banner and flee? If the Qingfeng Sect catches us, it’s death all the same, and it’ll bring ruin to our families... You might be all alone in the world, kid, but I’ve got a family of three at home!"

"Then what do we do? How many punches from a Tier Two White Ape can this shoddy banner take? Staying here is just waiting to die!"

"Did you send the distress signal? Use the highest level!"

"I already did! The only ones nearby are a few Loose Cultivator teams just like us... Without a Foundation Establishment Ancestor, who’s going to save us!"

The only three Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators left in the team huddled together, realizing that no matter what they did, it was a dead end.

"Shu’er, this time, Grandfather has doomed you... doomed our entire family!"

One of them, an old Daoist at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, spoke to his granddaughter with a face full of sorrow and despair.

The entire Jiangg Family, all seven of its Cultivators, led by him, their Qi Refining Seventh Layer Patriarch, were all trapped here.

Even if other Cultivators died in battle, the Qingfeng Sect would still issue their pioneering merits after the war.

The immediate family of the deceased could claim them as long as they provided proof.

But with the entire Jiangg Clan about to be wiped out, they wouldn’t even have the chance to start over.

"Grandfather, this isn’t your fault... It’s fate. If the Xuu Family hadn’t latched onto a powerful backer and stolen our Talisman Paper business, our Jiangg Family wouldn’t have had to throw our entire clan into this pioneering war, betting our lives for a single chance."

Jiangg Shu’s bright, clear face had lost its childish innocence, making her appear even more exquisitely beautiful, like the soft halo of a new moon or a flowering tree piled with snow.

Her petite figure, which already had delicate curves a few years ago, had now fully blossomed, exuding a stunning charm.

With her Qi Refining Fourth Layer Cultivation, in a pioneering war of this scale, she was like a lone leaf on a vast ocean, liable to be sunk by the slightest wave.

The last time they attacked Monkey Mountain, her second uncle had his throat torn out by a Monkey Demon from the shadows during the retreat.

Her uncle had clutched at his throat as blood gushed out, his eyes filled with resentment, reluctance to die, and a desperate will to live. The sight of him collapsing helplessly remained fresh in her mind even a month later.

’It seems today is my turn...’

Ever since their clan’s livelihood, the Talisman Paper business, was snatched away by another Loose Cultivator Clan, their circumstances had plummeted.

Back then, hoping to compete with the other clan by seizing control of the raw materials, they had borrowed a large sum of Spirit Stones.

When the business failed, they couldn’t repay the Spirit Stones and even had to mortgage their ancestral home.

The White Ape had already reached the yellow light shield created by the Array Banner. With a single punch, it shattered the shield. The three Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators all spat up blood, and the Array Banner fell from their hands.

All the Loose Cultivators were exposed before the White Ape, having lost their final layer of protection.

The nearly twenty-foot-tall White Ape threw its head back and roared, beating its chest. It slammed its furry fists downward, which were followed by massive phantom images that crashed toward the ground.

Jiangg Shu closed her eyes, clear tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t believe she was going to die here before she even had a chance to see the wonders of the Cultivation Realm.

The Loose Cultivators beside her were already crying for their parents, wishing they’d been born with extra legs as they scrambled and crawled, trying to escape the White Ape’s attack range.

CLANG!

A tremendous noise sent sonic waves spreading in all directions. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Jiangg Shu waited for a long time, but the attack never landed. She opened her eyes to find a massive Bronze Light Bell hovering above her head.

It was this Spiritual Artifact that had blocked the White Ape’s fists, saving her and the other Loose Cultivators.

But the Bronze Light Bell didn’t look very sturdy. The White Ape slapped it again, and the bell shook violently, turning much more transparent and drawing gasps of alarm from the Loose Cultivators.

"We’re saved! We’re saved..."

The Jiangg Family Patriarch wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and struggled to his feet. He watched as a brilliant Sword Light shot in, and the rollercoaster of emotions from his brush with death was beyond words.

"I hope this Foundation Establishment Elder from the Upper Sect is strong. At the very least, he needs to hold off the White Ape long enough for the other Foundation Establishment Ancestors to free themselves up and kill it together."

...

Bai Zichen, high in the air, couldn’t sense the thoughts of the Loose Cultivators below.

If he had known that one of them was merely hoping he could stall the White Ape and not be quickly defeated, he wouldn’t have known whether to be amused or dismayed.

’This White Ape... other than its thick hide, tough flesh, and immense strength, it doesn’t seem to have any special abilities...’

Bai Zichen probed for a couple of passes. Once he confirmed the Demon Beast had no hidden tricks, he prepared to end the fight quickly.

In his eyes, every Tier Two Demon Beast was a glittering pile of Sect Contribution.

The white Sword Light transformed into a brilliant streak of silk, moving with the force of a Thunderbolt as it shot toward the White Ape’s eyes.

The White Ape raised its arms to cover its face. In an instant, two sword holes appeared in its arms, dyeing its snow-white fur red.

The Sword Light spun around and shot toward the back of the White Ape’s head, but the beast twisted its body, and the attack exploded in a spray of blood on its shoulder instead.

This physically powerful Demon Beast took a full thirteen of Bai Zichen’s sword strikes without once managing to land a blow with its wildly swinging palms. It finally died from blood loss and exhaustion.

It crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"You all stay here. Dismantle this White Ape for me and sort the Demon Beast Materials into piles!"

At that moment, Bai Zichen was glad he had accepted Senior Brother Zhang’s gift. Otherwise, his two Low-Grade Storage Bags wouldn’t have been enough to hold this entire White Ape.

He had dealt with the White Ape entirely on his own; the Array Banner it had encountered had only taken hits without striking back.

According to the rules, all Demon Beast Materials belonged to the one who killed it.

He issued his command to the dumbstruck Loose Cultivators on the ground, confident that none would dare to covet his Demon Beast.

Bai Zichen then used his Sword Control to fly toward the next battlefield. A Monkey Demon, completely red and spewing sparks from its mouth and nose, had actually broken through in the middle of the fight.

It had advanced from a Tier Two Low Grade to a Tier Two Mid Grade Demon Beast.

The Battle Array there, caught off guard, was being overwhelmed by this Monkey Demon. Even with two Foundation Establishment Cultivators joining the fray, they hadn’t been able to turn the tide.

...

"It’s him! It’s actually Brother Bai! How is that possible..."

When Bai Zichen killed the White Ape and shouted down, he revealed his face.

Jiangg Shu could finally confirm that the Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the sky, who was like a Divine Being and had saved her entire family, was the same Brother Bai from in front of the Qingfeng Sect mountain all those years ago.

The calm and graceful Brother Bai, Brother Lu who had worried he couldn’t enter the Sect, Elder Tong with his masterly planting skills...

The scenes from that year replayed one by one. It was the first time Jiangg Shu had left her clan to venture into the Cultivation Realm alone, and it had left an extremely deep impression on her.

But back then, Brother Bai had the same Cultivation as she did now. How could he have become a high-and-mighty Foundation Establishment Elder in just a few years?

To a Loose Cultivator Clan, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was far too remote. A simple Steward from the Qingfeng Sect was enough to decide their clan’s life or death.

Hadn’t the Xuu Family driven their Jiangg Family to near ruin just by latching onto a Steward with real power?

’Could it just be a resemblance? Or maybe he’s Brother Bai’s elder?’

Jiangg Shu’s mind was in turmoil. She simply couldn’t connect the awe-inspiring Qingfeng Sect Elder from moments ago with the handsome young man from all those years ago.

"Shu’er, what are you muttering about?"

The Jiangg Family Patriarch heard his granddaughter’s mumbling and asked with concern.

Hearing Jiangg Shu’s confusion, Elder Jiangg’s spirits lifted. He looked his granddaughter over and nodded in satisfaction.

His granddaughter’s looks and figure were, of course, first-rate. Countless Cultivators had come to their door with marriage proposals over the years, but he had refused them all.

First, he doted on his granddaughter and was unwilling to force her into a marriage against her will. Second, he also felt that those Loose Cultivators or members of small clans were not worthy of her.

"Since it’s possible you’re an old acquaintance of this Elder Bai, Shu’er, we will pay him a visit after the battle... In any case, he saved our lives, so we must express our gratitude."

To be able to kill a Tier Two White Ape in such a short time, Elder Jiangg judged, this Elder Bai had to be among the most powerful combatants in the Qingfeng Sect.

If they could establish a connection with such an individual, rebuilding the Jiangg Family would be as simple as him saying a single word.

At this thought, Elder Jiangg immediately began shouting orders, directing the Loose Cultivators lying on the ground to start dismantling the Demon Beast Materials for Bai Zichen.

Even though the Tier Two Demon Beast was dead, only the three Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators in the group could barely cut into it with their Magical Artifacts.

They had to rely on those three to expend all their effort skinning the beast and breaking it down, while the other Loose Cultivators assisted.

This place was already on the edge of the battlefield. After the Tier Two White Ape died, not a single other Demon Beast ran in their direction, creating a rare safe zone on the field.