Using the Blazing Fire Divine Formation and the second-tier high-grade defensive artifact, the old patriarch single-handedly held off nearly half the Thunderbirds, exerting an influence on par with that of a Purple Mansion cultivator.
This stabilized the battlefield, allowing the cultivators of Tianxu Mountain to regain their footing and temporarily avert the risk of collapse.
While operating the formation against the demonic beasts, Elian scanned the battlefield. Although the situation had reached a temporary stalemate, he knew it could not last.
"How can we break this deadlock?"
Surveying the battlefield, his eyes reflected a grave determination as he contemplated a solution.
"The patriarch, relying on the Blazing Fire Divine Formation and the Bronze Tower, is holding off dozens of second-tier demonic beasts, but his spiritual energy is limited. He can't sustain this for long."
"And with so many second-tier demonic beasts, even if I use all my means to slay a few, it won't be enough to turn the tide quickly."
Thinking this, his gaze turned skyward to Jiang Linglong.
The unparalleled beauty wielded her Tianxu Immortal-Slaying Sword, dominating the skies as she battled four Purple Mansion demonic beasts. Her opponents were all at least mid-Purple Mansion in strength, yet she remained completely unshaken.
"No, mid-to-late Purple Mansion demonic beasts... even if I exhaust all my strength, I won't be able to harm them."
"If we want to break the stalemate, there's only one option..."
A flash of insight crossed his mind, and his gaze locked onto another part of the battlefield.
Lin Qianshu, wielding several Purple Mansion-grade artifacts, was locked in combat with two Purple Mansion demonic beasts. Although she was holding her ground, it was clear she wouldn't be able to defeat her opponents quickly.
"It's you."
Elian's eyes settled on the Purple Mansion wolf demon, a sharp glint of murderous intent flashing within them.
Ordinarily, facing a Purple Mansion demon would leave him no chance of escape. However, this wolf demon had already lost its core and sustained heavy injuries, presenting a rare opportunity for intervention.
Deciding swiftly, he retrieved a talisman, pouring his spiritual energy into it. This talisman was one of the Chen family's most prized assets—the Fiery Sword Talisman.
The Fiery Sword Talisman was left behind sixty years ago by the previous patriarch, a Dao generation elder who had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment and was only a half-step away from Purple Mansion.
At his peak, the elder had imbued the talisman with his divine ability, producing a power on par with his full-strength strike—enough to threaten a Purple Mansion demon.
Most importantly, Elian's robust spiritual energy and razor-sharp true energy were perfectly compatible with this talisman, allowing him to unleash its full power.
"Clang!"
A radiant golden sword light, as brilliant as the sun, pierced through the void with peerless sharpness.
Elian's sudden activation of the Fiery Sword Talisman took the Purple Mansion wolf demon completely by surprise. In a desperate bid to evade, it mustered its spiritual energy, but Lin Qianshu seized the opportunity with her keen instincts. She cast the Frozen Jade Radiance Curse, freezing the wolf demon momentarily.
In life-and-death combat, even a momentary lapse could decide the outcome. Being immobilized by such a divine ability sealed the wolf demon's fate.
In an instant, the fiery sword's golden light streaked across the sky, carving a massive wound along the wolf demon's waist.
The wolf demon let out a pained howl as the excruciating injury rendered it temporarily immobile.
Without hesitation, Lin Qianshu unleashed her Ice Soul Frost Sword, sending its frosty blade straight toward the wolf demon's head.
A nearby Purple Mansion Thunderbird, however, intervened to save its ally. It first launched its third-tier artifact, Golden Roc Blade, at Lin Qianshu, then spat out its core to intercept the Ice Soul Frost Sword.
Lin Qianshu, undeterred, acted decisively. Though her most potent artifact, the golden bracelet, was occupied locking the wolf demon's core, as Jiang Linglong's disciple, she had no shortage of third-tier artifacts at her disposal.
She activated her defensive artifact, the Ice Soul Orb, which cast a shimmering barrier to block the Golden Roc Blade. Simultaneously, she deployed the Weak Water Long Ribbon to entangle the Thunderbird's core, neutralizing its dual attacks.
This fleeting opportunity allowed the Ice Soul Frost Sword to strike down the wolf demon, pinning it in mid-air and killing it outright.
"Excellent!"
Their coordinated sneak attack eliminated a Purple Mansion wolf demon, breaking the deadlock in one decisive move.
The remaining Purple Mansion Thunderbird, already slightly weaker than Lin Qianshu, was now thoroughly outmatched.
Lin Qianshu relentlessly pressured the Thunderbird with her Weak Water Long Ribbon and Ice Soul Frost Sword, driving it back repeatedly.
Sensing imminent defeat, the Thunderbird spat out its core once more to tangle with Lin Qianshu, attempting to delay her until the second-tier Thunderbirds could breach the Blazing Fire Divine Formation and come to its aid.
Seeing this, Lin Qianshu sneered coldly.
"Trying to duel me and still daring to expose your core?"
"Whoosh!"
She smiled faintly, activating the Frozen Jade Radiance Curse. This versatile divine ability, reliable as ever, sent a beam of white light streaking across the battlefield, freezing the Thunderbird's core in place.
With a wave of her sleeve, she unleashed a golden glow—the previously occupied golden bracelet, now free after the wolf demon's death.
As Lin Qianshu's sole third-tier mid-grade artifact, the golden bracelet once again proved its worth, locking onto the Thunderbird's core.
The Thunderbird, realizing its dire situation, panicked. Losing its core would severely damage its cultivation, and recovering it in the future would be nearly impossible.
Despite its fear, the Thunderbird poured its remaining spiritual energy into resisting. The core, imbued with over half of its power, momentarily broke free of the golden bracelet's hold, leading to a stalemate.
From a distance, Elian observed this and swiftly retrieved the second-tier high-grade artifact, the Purple Radiance Mirror.
With the Fiery Sword Talisman spent, the Purple Radiance Mirror became his only means of influencing the battle between Purple Mansion combatants.
Thanks to his unusually robust and sharp true energy, Elian could unleash seventy percent of the mirror's power.
As he activated it, a beam of violet light shot forth, enveloping the Thunderbird's core.
The mirror's light, capable of disrupting artifacts and hindering spiritual energy flow, caused the Thunderbird's core to falter slightly.
Under normal circumstances, the Thunderbird could have easily shaken off the mirror's effects with a flick of its core and a surge of power. But with the golden bracelet and the Frozen Jade Radiance Curse already restraining it, the mirror became the final blow.
"Clang—"
With a crisp sound, the golden bracelet fully secured the Thunderbird's core, which Lin Qianshu promptly stowed away.
Seeing its core captured, the Thunderbird lost all will to fight. It turned and attempted to flee, wings beating furiously.
But escape was no longer an option. Lin Qianshu unleashed her Weak Water Long Ribbon and Ice Soul Frost Sword in rapid succession, pressing the Thunderbird relentlessly.
...
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