The raging winds swept through, and towering waves rose up.
The fire caught the wind's momentum, and immediately fierce flames ignited on the troop transport ships.
Suddenly attacked, the horn's mournful sound echoed from the ships, and some Daoists seized the opportunity to fly out.
They began casting spells to blockade the river surface.
Meanwhile, the soldiers on the transport ships raised armor-piercing shields, but amidst the overwhelming waves, many struggled to even stand, making effective defense nearly impossible.
From the shore, the second sect leader of the Xuan Du Sect saw a Daoist take flight, and with a surge of magical power in his hand, he instantly transformed them into dazzling green sword energy. The giant sword descended, slaughtering the flying Daoists.
A thick surge of Daoist magical power emanated from him, and the spells he casually summoned seemed to follow the laws of divine power.
He was a venerated yin deity.
For ordinary cultivators, encountering such a presence meant certain death in just a glance.
Seeing the wind and waves surge again, his voice turned icy with a cold sneer.
"So what if reinforcements have arrived!"
"Today, I shall bury you all in the Canal, turning you into water ghosts in the river!"
He let out a long howl, and a series of magnificent winds formed a whirlwind of winds that fiercely restored across the river surface, combining water and wind to create giant water whirlwinds.
Immediately, the huge ships capsized, collapsing and sinking in the waves; the soldiers on board struggled and fell into the water, only to be consumed by the waves shortly after.
Even those who miraculously survived would be covered by the rain of arrows from the shore.
At this moment, many military generals on the battleships finally reacted to the chaos of the attack!
"Dragon Banner Breaking Technique!"
Amidst a large Daqian battleship at the center, a military general erupted with vital energy, shouting angrily, and a vast Dragon and Tiger Qi suddenly took form on the river surface, as if it transformed into a black dragon, breaking through all manners of spells with its roar.
The endless winds were thrown into disorder.
The second sect leader's eyes slightly narrowed at this sight.
That dragon banner contained the power of the tripod condensed by the Daqian Court, making it unstoppable in breaking spells.
However, beyond this, the banner had little other use.
He, as a cultivator, wasn't only adept at some long-range spells.
With a glint of indifference in his eyes, he casually took a gourd from the table, opened it, and dripped a few drops of peculiar essence blood. Many icy blue flying ants swarmed out, heading toward the river.
Soon, the river surface seemed covered by a layer of icy blue flying ants.
It was as if an ocean of icy blue had formed!
Dragon and Tiger Qi could dispel spells formed from spiritual mechanisms, but it couldn't counter physical attacks!
This venerated yin deity was most proud not of the various yin spirit techniques, but of the yin spirit poison technique and the undying true body of the Gu God.
His eyes glinted coldly now as he transformed into a river of countless dark poisonous insects, directly rushing towards the river surface.
The next moment, the river surface echoed with countless shrill and terrified cries!
...
Deep under the water, Zhang Jian held the water-repelling pearl, moving swiftly.
Although he hadn't practiced water-based magic, possessing this pearl compensated for that deficiency.
"It's a pity I lack a water spirit root, making water attribute technique cultivation much harder. I wonder if I can find any water-based treasures in the ancestral shrine in the future?"
Zhang Jian pondered silently.
But he quickly pushed this thought aside, as lacking a water attribute spirit root only meant slower water technique cultivation, not an inability to practice these techniques.
Thanks to the convenience of his Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart, cultivating water-based techniques wasn't very difficult for him.
Rumble!!
At this moment, Zhang Jian's expression changed as he saw a massive undercurrent surge from the depths below, containing a layer of overwhelming divine power.
"No, I can't approach!"
The thought flashed in Zhang Jian's mind.
The rank of this Canal Dragon Monarch likely surpassed that of the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch, and the one targeting him was probably just as formidable.
In a clash between such titans, it would be difficult for him to do anything meaningful.
Zhang Jian contemplated for a moment, sensing a great risk ahead. He decided to find a place to wait and watch. If an opportunity arose, so be it; if not, he would withdraw.
Though he intended to aid the Canal Dragon Monarch, he clearly wouldn't act if it meant too great a risk.
...
Meanwhile, deep within the Canal Dragon Palace, a deity surrounded by intense water spiritual mechanism was enraged.
Beside him were many soldiers and generals of the Water Mansion.
On the other side stood two deities shrouded in the intense aroma of incense, one with a slender and graceful figure, surrounded by firelight and red clouds.
The other was enveloped in boundless darkness, as if the darkest pitch of the heavens and earth had descended.
They were the twin deities formed from the incense of the Xuan Du Sect, the Ming Guang Saint Mother and the Profound Celestial Demon Gods.
In the teachings of the Xuan Du Sect, this pair of deities represented the forces of light, wisdom, perseverance, and humility, while the Profound Celestial Demon Gods represented pure darkness and retribution.
Sustained by countless years of incense from the Xuan Du Sect, these deities, though not true gods, possessed a divine power that was extraordinarily strong, amassing countless incense to form black and white divine offices, and in their innate harmony, they resembled the yin-yang of creation, obliterating all spells.
Each held a special divine dao treasure in their hands.
The Ming Guang Saint Mother wielded a Bright Demon Subduing Pestle, while behind the Profound Celestial Demon Gods, countless paths of darkness coalesced, forming a divine wheel when observed closely!
It was a Mysterious Heaven Treasure Wheel.
This was part of a set with the Bright Light Treasure Wheel among the Nine Treasures of Xuan Du.
Together, they formed a small yin-yang cosmos, trapping the Canal Dragon Monarch and many shrimp soldiers and crab generals within.
No matter how furious the Canal Dragon Monarch became, he remained isolated, the various divine powers, and even divine dao treasures, unable to be utilized.
At this moment, the Canal Dragon Monarch's face was darkened, as layers of incense fire divine power erupted fiercely around him, roaring like a dragon under the empowerment of the Dragon Race's sublime technique.
This was a unique sound attack technique, containing the divine power as if originating from the creation of the universe, and the cosmos.
However, as the spell struck, the black and white yin-yang cosmos remained unmoved. On the contrary, it rotated, continuously eroding the heavenly dragon's roar; from within, a deep, unfathomable voice echoed.
"Old Dragon King, it's useless. You simply cannot break open the mysterious yin-yang refining spirit dharma realm we, as the two deities, have crafted. Just stay put here. Rest assured, we have no intention to take your life; after all, you are still a Dragon God of the Dragon Race. But if you struggle, you'll suffer!"
In the depths of darkness, the Profound Celestial Demon Gods donned armor, resembling a towering celestial god, surrounded by intense black flames.
The Ming Guang Saint Mother stood in the depths of light like a celestial maiden; her presence elegant, yet her voice was colder and more arrogant than the Profound Celestial Demon Gods.
"Canal Dragon Monarch, no one can save you!"
Her sights turned toward the Canal Dragon Palace, where divine lights broke free, attempting to break open the dharma realm from the periphery. But the divine maiden within the light gathered divine power, and with a casual swipe, sent the divine entities in the streams of light scattering like meteors.
...
Meanwhile, on a reef in the outer perimeter of the Canal, Zhang Jian was still waiting for movement. At this moment, an inexplicable voice resonated within him.
"Go up!"