Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor-Chapter 1233: Lishui City
"Pass down the orders, rest for three days. After three days, all cultivators will march out of the city with me to attack Lishui City!"
Yun Xiao had seemingly already made up his mind, and after he spoke, the excitement on the faces of Duan Gen and others grew even more intense, as if they understood this lord's intention.
Lishui City, which isn't far from Gushan City, is another city where the situation resembles that of Gushan City, both being precariously under the attack of strange spirits, with the city gates at risk of being breached at any moment for a massacre.
In previous human cities, under the scourge of strange spirits, the only choice was passive defense. Yun Xiao's current decision undoubtedly marks the beginning of the human side taking the initiative.
Understanding this, Duan Gen, Qi Shanhe, and others were ecstatic, as if witnessing the horn of counterattack sounded by humans, all beginning from Gushan City.
"Hmph, I'd like to see how long those strange spirits can remain arrogant!"
Yun Xiao let out a cold voice, then waved his hand. Duan Gen and others went to convey the orders, and with today's great victory, the orders were met with cheers from everyone.
As Yun Xiao had just said, the victory of the city of Guanshan would not change the situation on the Slaughter Spirit Battlefield. Only by killing all strange spirits, at least expelling them from human territories, could true victory be achieved.
In the past, many human cultivators wouldn't have had such courage, but now, under the leadership of Yun Xiao, they had won a great victory, and their confidence had multiplied.
The real reason the human side was at a disadvantage before was the overwhelming number and quality of strange spirits, especially the advanced Ninth Rank alien spirit leaders that no one could kill.
Even the strongest at the peak of Earth Concealing Realm could only fight to a standstill against an advanced Ninth Rank strange spirit, each siege force outside every city had two or three such spirits.
But the lord named Yun Xiao slaughtered these advanced Ninth Rank strange spirits as easily as killing chickens. The events of that day allowed them to witness the birth of a miracle, raising their confidence to unprecedented heights.
...
Three days later.
At the South Gate of Gushan City, a youth in coarse clothing stepped through, followed by a red-skirted girl, then Duan Gen, Qi Shanhe, and others marched decisively forward, followed closely by a group of Seeking Origin Realm cultivators, all leaving Gushan City in a grand procession.
This time, Yun Xiao's target was Lishui City, a large city to the south of Gushan City and the nearest city to it. He had resolved first to completely annihilate the strange spirits attacking human cities and then directly strike the Yellow Dragon.
Although Yun Xiao might not hold the advantage when facing Heavenly Spirit level strange spirits, he intended to use this method to force out the true intentions, or rather the essence, of the strange spirits, thus allowing the humans to seize the initiative.
As many cultivators exited through the South Gate of Gushan City, they occasionally encountered scattered strange spirit soldiers, but with Yun Xiao leading, these spirits could not stir any waves, not even requiring him to act, as they were dispatched by the high-spirited cultivators.
The further south they went, the more branched river tributaries they encountered. From this, Yun Xiao could imagine why the city was called Lishui City, and about ten days later, when the city came into view, it appeared shrouded in mist, as if set amidst a lush landscape.
"Lord, ahead lies Lishui City!"
Duan Gen approached, pointing to the distant city atop the water. In truth, Lishui City is not surrounded by the sea like Impermanence Island but merely located where several rivers converge.
Gushan City is to the north of Lishui City, so Yun Xiao and his group faced Lishui City's North Gate. In the distance, outside the North Gate, there seemed to be no strange spirits, but far to the left, a peculiar, intense aura rose to the sky.
"The strange spirits must be attacking the East Gate!"
Yun Xiao looked into the distance. Though still quite far, with his power of soul, he naturally sensed the presence of strange spirits outside Lishui City's East Gate, an aura mixed with a dense smell of blood.
"Everyone, do you dare to fight another battle with the strange spirits with me?"
A heroic expression appeared on Yun Xiao's face. Upon hearing this, Duan Gen and the others trembled slightly but responded excitedly. Then, under the leadership of this youth in coarse clothing, they bypassed the northern city wall of Lishui City and headed toward the East Gate.
...
Lishui City!
This large city, surrounded by rivers on all sides, currently faces an unprecedentedly grave crisis, with various strange spirits constantly climbing the walls of the East Gate.
Among these strange spirits, the water-attribute spirits stand out the most, using the water attribute energy from the rivers to climb the walls, leaving the human defenders on top of the walls in dire straits.
Bang!
On the city wall, a young man backhanded a strike, sending an Eighth Rank Advanced Strange Spirit climbing up the wall flying backwards, yet his own aura appeared somewhat turbulent.
If Yun Xiao were here, he would recognize this young man as Jun Tieshu, the leading talent of one of the Three Valleys, Firewood Valley. Beside him were the Elder Wu Tong and the young disciple Song Jianzi, whom Yun Xiao had seen before.
This great battle against the Strange Spirits involved almost all human sects and forces, not only informal squads like the Hawk Squad but also organized teams by sects, forming the backbone of the defense for major cities.
Firewood Valley is one of the Thirteen Major Forces, with its Valley Master reaching the Heavenly Rank Third Realm level, thus not appearing on the Slaughter Spirit Battlefield. The leading Elder of Firewood Valley in Lishui City was Wu Tong.
It is worth mentioning that over the past year, Wu Tong's Meridian Qi cultivation had broken through to the Late Stage of the Earth Bending Realm, while the young prodigy Jun Tieshu had also reached the Early Stage of the Earth Bending Realm.
In previous fierce battles, many in Firewood Valley had died. If it weren't for Wu Tong's desperate protection, these two valley geniuses might have also faced great peril.
This is the great war against Strange Spirits, where sect power or talent doesn't matter, only the distinction between humans and alien races.
Previously, Firewood Valley was undoubtedly the power holder in Lishui City, but with all its elders in battle and nearly breaching the East Gate by Strange Spirits, more powerful sect experts had to appear.
On the day when Wu Tong was distraught, the Sixth Elder of Wuyan Palace, Leng Buyan, suddenly led a team to attack, barely stabilizing the situation and finally securing a few days of peace for Lishui City.
The Sixth Elder of Wuyan Palace, the one who once escaped from Yun Xiao at Yanji Lake, also broke through within a year to reach the Peak of the Earth Bending Realm.
In the Slaughter Spirit Battlefield, the Peak of the Earth Bending Realm was already considered a top combat force, unmatched except by those nearing the Half-step Heavenly Rank.
Having just arrived in Lishui City, Leng Buyan was once highly spirited, holding the same ambition as Yun Xiao in Gushan City, leading many strongmen to fight outside the city, hoping to achieve a major victory.
However, although Leng Buyan matched Yun Xiao in reaching the Peak of the Earth Bending Realm, he lacked Yun Xiao's combat power and trump card means, leading to his beheading operation failing in the end.
Eventually, Leng Buyan was defeated by a Ninth Rank Advanced Strange Spirit, and with the commander defeated, human morale plummeted, resulting in heavy losses, forcing Leng Buyan to retreat back to Lishui City with the remaining forces, greatly weakened.
After several days of recuperation, Leng Buyan healed his wounds, but the Strange Spirits' attacks followed one after another. After three days of bitter defense, today they were finally on the verge of collapse.
"Elder Wu, I'm afraid Lishui City can't hold on!"
On the city wall, Jun Tieshu was pushed back by a Ninth Rank low-level Strange Spirit climbing the city head, fortunately, Wu Tong arrived in time to kill the Strange Spirit. Catching his breath, he spoke dejectedly.
At the same time, dozens of Strange Spirits had climbed the East Gate City Wall of Lishui City, and these Strange Spirits were at least Eighth Rank Advanced, with even some being Ninth Rank low-level.
Due to Leng Buyan's previous mistake, Lishui City lost many Earth Bending Realm experts. Now, with so many Strange Spirits on the wall, the situation undoubtedly favored the Strange Spirits.
"Unless there's an expert to help, Lishui City's fall is certain!"
Song Jianzi also panted, a trace of despair on his face. He knew how brutal these Strange Spirits were. Once the city is breached, no human cultivator inside would likely survive.
"Now the major cities on the Slaughter Spirit Battlefield are too busy to spare help for Lishui City. Alas, if the situation becomes irreversible, don't fight to the death — escape first!"
Wu Tong wasn't a stubborn person. Seeing more and more Strange Spirits climbing the wall, a flash of wisdom appeared in his eyes. Preserving the two geniuses' fire of Firewood Valley was the priority.
Bang! 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
One palm sent a Ninth Rank low-level Strange Spirit flying, and when Wu Tong looked to the side, he saw the Sixth Elder of Wuyan Palace, Leng Buyan, leaping off the city head, startling him slightly.
"That old guy, actually deserting in battle?!"
Yet in the next moment, extreme anger surfaced on Wu Tong's face, because the direction Leng Buyan fled down the wall was not to fight the Strange Spirits outside, but into the city.
Leng Buyan, who reached the Peak of the Earth Bending Realm, was human's strongest force in Lishui City, supposed to be the rear guard if the city were to be abandoned.
Moreover, Leng Buyan was the publicly recognized power holder of Lishui City. Who would have thought he'd be the first to flee at such a critical moment?
