Chapter 181: Final Fight [PART 1]
"Distribute these to those who will participate in the fight," Xiang Yu instructed his martial aunt, handing over the spiritual weapons he had painstakingly crafted through the night.
Elder Huang accepted them with a knowing nod, her eyes reflecting appreciation for their quality. Xiang Yu reflected on their strategic decision not to involve the entire sect in battle—such broad participation would only result in needless casualties.
Instead, they had formulated a more focused approach: the five Soul Formation masters, Li Yao, and the five elemental spirits would directly confront the cult leader as their primary strike force. Meanwhile, the higher-level disciples and representatives each sect had contributed would handle the cult’s subordinates.
Their plan emphasized preemptive action—the moment they spotted enemy forces, they wouldn’t allow them to approach the sect. By taking the fight outward, they could maintain the protective "turtle shell" formation around their more vulnerable members. Elder Huang nodded in understanding and departed to distribute the weapons according to their agreed strategy.
Xiang Yu surveyed his surroundings, noting the palpable tension that had settled over the sect grounds. Reality was finally setting in—war was imminent, no longer a distant threat but an approaching storm.
Curiously, this anxiety seemed most prevalent among the regular disciples who would remain within the protective barrier. Those actually assigned to combat appeared energized, even eager for the coming conflict.
He wondered what kind of person would actively anticipate warfare. The cultivation world truly operated by different principles than the modern society he’d left behind. Would he have developed similar instincts had he been born into this realm rather than transmigrated here? The thought was unsettling.
His musings were abruptly interrupted by distant chanting.
"They’re here," Li Yao announced, suddenly materializing beside him. Her expression carried none of the anxiety afflicting others—only determination and a hint of anticipation. "Senior brother, stay here and don’t leave the barrier no matter what. Okay?" she instructed, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Xiang Yu nodded his agreement, he didn’t need the reminder anyway. Despite his recent advancements, he was still far from being able to participate in a battle of Soul Formation experts directly.
"Good," Li Yao affirmed. In the next instant, she vanished, reappearing atop a raised platform where she could address the assembled forces.
"Everyone!" her voice carried across the gathering without the need for amplification techniques. "Those demonic cult members have always obstructed our path and slaughtered our fellow disciples. This time, we will slaughter them! We won’t allow their bullying to continue. It’s time to kill the demons!" she proclaimed, her voice rising to a commanding crescendo.
"It’s time to kill the demons!" came the thunderous response as disciples raised their swords skyward, spiritual energy crackling around their weapons.
"Good. Let the war begin," she declared as the defensive formation parted like massive gates, creating an opening through which their forces could deploy. The five Soul Formation experts, Li Yao, and the five elemental spirits launched themselves skyward, leading the charge. The remaining combat forces followed in formation, streaming through the barrier opening.
When the last of the designated fighters had exited, the formation sealed itself once more. A small contingent remained outside the main barrier—these select individuals constituted their final defensive line and emergency support system.
Xiang Yu had received substantial resources from all the participating sect masters for this precise contingency. His role now was to craft recovery pills that would be distributed to their forces during battle, allowing them to sustain prolonged combat. This was their hidden advantage—they would systematically exhaust their opponents through superior resource management.
After casting one final glance at the distant battle lines forming in the sky, Xiang Yu retreated to the Mountain Heart Pavilion. Despite his official position as Grand Elder, he still felt safest within his spirit vein sanctuary.
"Time to get to work," he announced, placing his alchemy furnace on the ground and stretching his arms in preparation for the intensive crafting ahead. The war might be fought outside with swords and spiritual techniques, but his contribution would come from the quiet precision of pill refinement—perhaps less glorious, but no less essential to their ultimate victory.
...
The Wuming Cult members and the Alliance forces stood on opposite sides of the battlefield, sizing each other up with calculating eyes. When the Wuming Cult Leader spotted Li Yao among the crowd, his face contorted with rage, lines of fury etching themselves into his features.
"You little brat! You dare humiliate my soul clone?" he bellowed across the divide. "Apologize right now and kowtow a thousand times, and I might leave your corpse intact!" His voice carried an unmistakable killing intent that would have made ordinary cultivators tremble.
Li Yao, however, merely glanced to both sides, turning to her allies with an expression of feigned confusion. "Did someone hear a fly buzzing around?" she asked.
The other Core Formation experts couldn’t help but smile appreciatively. As expected of the Azure Cloud Sect’s leader—she truly dared to provoke the cult leader without the slightest hesitation.
"I heard it too," Wang Jian chimed in with a theatrical tone. "Could be that huge fly over there," he added, pointing deliberately toward the cult leader with a dismissive gesture.
The others burst into laughter. "That is indeed a huge fly," they agreed, their voices carrying across the battlefield.
"You—" The cult leader’s face darkened to a dangerous crimson, spiritual energy crackling visibly around his trembling form. "You dare to insult me?" he roared, only to be met with more laughter that spread contagiously, even reaching the lower-ranked disciples who normally wouldn’t dare provoke such a powerful enemy.
But behind the Azure Cloud Sect’s defensive formation, a far more sinister scene was unfolding. Two sect disciples lay motionless on the ground, their heads cleanly severed from their bodies. Standing above them with a satisfied smile was Gao Aotian—or rather, his soul clone—listening to the distant laughter of the Alliance members with cold amusement.
"Bunch of idiots," he muttered, wiping blood from his hands. "Do you think I can be defeated that easily?" Pride colored his voice as he contemplated his own cunning. "If I didn’t have a few tricks up my sleeve, how could I have become the cult leader?" He allowed himself a moment of self-congratulation, chuckling softly at his own brilliance.
With measured steps, he approached the sect’s protective barrier. His plan was quite simple, use his main body as a distraction for the Alliance forces, while his soul clone infiltrated the sect undetected. Then he would capture this "senior brother" that had provoked such fierce protection from Li Yao. The thought of torturing the boy before her eyes, watching her composure crumble into desperation, filled him with anticipation so sweet he could barely contain his malicious laughter.
As he placed his hand against the formation, however, his expression shifted to one of mild surprise. "Hmm? This formation is quite decent," he assessed. "If it were any other Nascent Soul realm expert, they might not have been able to break through it." He smiled coldly. "Too bad it’s me you’re facing."
He began the delicate work of compromising the formation. While he possessed the raw power to simply shatter it completely, such a brute approach would immediately alert them to his presence. Instead, he sought to create just enough of an opening to slip through, then allow the formation to repair itself as though he had never been there.
His concentration deepened as he worked through the intricate array of formation patterns. Despite his expertise, the task proved surprisingly challenging. After nearly an hour of meticulous effort, during which the sounds of fierce battle raged beyond the sect’s boundaries, he finally succeeded in creating his entry point.
"It seems they’re having fun over there," he remarked to himself as explosive energies lit up the distant sky. "I should also get moving." He thought as he slipped through the small breach he’d created.
Behind him, the formation immediately began self-repairing, sealing the vulnerability as if it had never existed. Gao Aotian smiled in satisfaction at the sight. His plan had been a success.
Turning away from the barrier, he expanded his divine sense outward, searching for his target. "Now, where could you be, dear senior brother?" he murmured. He paused, his head suddenly turning toward a specific direction as his senses locked onto something.
"Found you," he declared before disappearing in an instant.
...
Author’s Corner
I’m going to take a break so there won’t be the usual daily Chapter today. See y’all tomorrow. Or on discord