Chapter 168: Siege

"Character: Liyang Zhenren's enemies are actually this many?"

Xiao Zhangqing sensed the surging attacks outside the Immortal City; waves of Foundation Establishment True Person‑level strong magical power, even hundreds of li away, were crystal clear.

"Two Foundation Establishment mid‑stage, six Foundation Establishment early‑stage… seventeen Fake Core True Persons!"

"This is only the obvious ones; who knows if there are hidden ones that haven't acted yet."

Ruthless…

It's true that when a wall falls, everyone pushes! With such a powerful lineup, the entire Da Yu Cultivation World, apart from the Seven Star Sword Sect and Xingyue Palace, likely has no other sects that can be taken lightly!

At least, in the current Character: Liyang Zhenren City, if the city lord Character: Liyang Zhenren is seriously wounded, only the strength displayed that day when dueling Wei Wufeng is available; thus the high‑end combat power of Character: Liyang Zhenren City is inferior to these avengers.

If the formation is breached, Character: Liyang Zhenren City could truly be overturned! "The protective city array can't hold; it will probably last only two or three hours before being broken. Character: Liyang Zhenren's line will ultimately have to retreat to Character: Liyang's main peak."

Xiao Zhangqing sensed the battle in the sky and made a judgment.

The protective city array of Character: Liyang Zhenren City is only for sudden emergencies, not suited for a protracted war.

Although the overall formation rank is high enough, it is too massive; operating it consumes too much manpower and resources. It works for a short time, but over a longer period errors are inevitable.

As long as the enemy finds the right moment, breaking a single point is far too easy.

"Perhaps these True Persons besieging Character: Liyang Zhenren City aren't all enemies of Character: Liyang Zhenren?"

Xiao Zhangqing weaved through the streets and markets, seeing many people's eyes filled with ferocity and anticipation as they watched the sky battle, their gazes shining as if they had finally seen a long‑awaited treasure emerge.

One can imagine that once the city is breached and the protective array loses all effect, the city lord's mansion and Character: Liyang Guard will collapse, leaving no time for anything else.

What these people will do.

They will inevitably take the chance to cause chaos.

The scene feels familiar; Xiao Zhangqing is somewhat acquainted with it.

Back then, in the tiny Nanshan Fang, before the Demon Sect Evil Cultivator had even breached the market, many people began burning, killing, looting, turning into marauding cultivators.

Character: Liyang Zhenren City is far larger than Nanshan Fang by more than a hundredfold; those willing to risk everything for the Immortal Path will surely be even more numerous.

"If the protective city array is breached, faced with such a prosperous Character: Liyang Zhenren City, will these True Persons leave after exacting revenge?"

Xiao Zhangqing shook his head.

Obviously not.

Such a big piece of juicy meat will clearly be contested and gnawed at by all sides.

Only it's unknown who will be the biggest beneficiary.

Wei Wufeng? Or the two major Nascent Soul sects?

It is still impossible to know.

Immediately, Xiao Zhangqing did not linger, rushed to the Jiang family, and left the second‑tier premium puppet to Hong Jiantao.

"The protective city array can't hold for long; it will likely be breached soon, and these True Persons will definitely storm the Immortal City. However, as long as the protective mountain array on Character: Liyang's main peak remains intact, the city lord and the ancient commanders and others are unharmed; even if turmoil erupts inside the Immortal City, it won't threaten the Ten Great Families."

"But once the main‑peak array of Character: Liyang is destroyed, the city lord and the ancient commanders are defeated, and thereafter the forces led by the Ten Great Families inside the Immortal City may face a purge. Shopkeeper Hong must prepare early."

Xiao Zhangqing warned.

If Character: Liyang Zhenren does not die and the protective city array is broken, even if those True Persons break in, they will not rush to seize and divide spoils; their primary task is to ensure the killing of Character: Liyang Zhenren and several disciples such as the 'Character: Liyang Seven Heroes'.

Only after the dust settles will the cake be divided.

As for before that, at most it's just some petty ruffians causing trouble; the Jiang family, relying on its own strength and this second‑tier premium puppet stationed, is sufficient to resist.

"I'll make the worst‑case preparations," Hong Jiantao nodded seriously.

The Jiang family's vast enterprise and massive network of relationships and interests make it impossible to withdraw easily.

Wei Wufeng and others acted suddenly, giving no time for any preparation.

However, Hong Jiantao also thought it through clearly: if the worst case occurs, the Jiang family must be decisive, discarding everything that should be discarded, avoiding futile struggles.

Although the Jiang family's holdings are large and now rank among the top of the Ten Great Families, unlike other major families with deep roots and countless clan members, the Jiang family's core disciples are few.

If Character: Liyang Zhenren City changes hands, the Jiang family would hand over its interests, and there would be no particular danger.

After all, these besieging True Persons are not Demon Sect Evil Cultivators; they wouldn't launch senseless slaughter after taking the Immortal City.

These people mostly still wish Character: Liyang Zhenren City to maintain its former prosperity and order, so that profits can continue to flow.

Almost exactly as Xiao Zhangqing anticipated.

About two hours later.

The protective city array suddenly shuddered violently; the entire Character: Liyang Zhenren City's heavenly and earthly spiritual energy went berserk, and with a loud, fierce explosion, the massive array that had shrouded the city for decades burst like a popped bubble.

It signified that the order that had restrained the city's cultivators for centuries was shattered at that moment.

"Withdraw from the main peak!"

Continuously, core members of the city lord's mansion and senior Character: Liyang Guard turned into streaks of rainbow light, darting through the sky, abandoning their positions and fleeing to the most potent ley line region of the Character: Liyang Mountains.

"All of you, follow me to flatten Character: Liyang's main peak and take Character: Liyang's old dog's life!"

Wei Wufeng and Bamboo Sword True Person, two Foundation Establishment mid‑stage cultivators, led at the front; behind them, six Foundation Establishment early‑stage True Persons including Lu Daoming followed closely, dispersing nearly twenty Fake Core True Persons toward the encirclement of Character: Liyang Mountain's main peak.

What follows is a war of attrition.

More than twenty Fake Core combatants formed three‑to‑five squads, launching round‑the‑clock attacks on the protective mountain array.

Among these True Persons are also formation masters skilled in arrays, some even reaching third‑tier attainment.

Yet even so, with their coordination, the protective mountain array on Character: Liyang's main peak remains extremely solid, showing no cracks.

Wei Wufeng and others also frequently took turns leading the charge; various insulting remarks and sow‑in‑discord tactics were repeatedly employed, but yielded little.

Character: Liyang Zhenren does not engage in battle, nor does he allow his disciples or core officials to fight, remaining completely withdrawn. Both sides have fallen into a stalemate.

And the stalemate lasts half a month.

During this half‑month, Xiao Zhangqing each day would find a seat at the highest‑grade tavern in Character: Liyang Zhenren City, order a pot of spirit wine and some food, and from dozens of li away, remotely sense the two sides' combat while gathering war intelligence.

Entering the stalemate phase, Character: Liyang Zhenren City indeed fell into chaos; without the city lord's mansion and Character: Liyang Guard's control, many uprisings erupted at the lower levels, yet the upper echelons still relatively maintained stability, with no major upheavals.

Even such a high‑end tavern sees daily business not much worse than before.

"Now, this situation seems to favor Character: Liyang's side."

"If the Mountain Guard Array keeps being unbreakable, the side that eventually can't hold out will surely be Wei Wufeng's."

Xiao Zhangqing made a judgment.

The Mountain Guard Array is built on the highest‑grade spiritual vein of Character: Liyang Zhenren City, relying on this Third‑Grade Superior Spiritual Vein; the array can almost operate forever—no need to say ten days or half a month, even ten or twenty years it could be held.

But the alliance formed by Wei Wufeng and others is not a solid group; they cannot stay stationed in Character: Liyang Zhenren City indefinitely.

After a long time, some people leave for various reasons, the number of real persons dwindles; if Character: Liyang's injuries improve a bit more, a counterattack should be launched.

……

……

Outside the main peak of Character: Liyang Mountain.

At this moment, four real persons are still fiercely attacking the Mountain Guard Array; Wei Wufeng, Zhu Jian and the other real persons are resting not far away.

Besides Wei Wufeng and Zhu Jian, the other real persons, including Lu Daoming who most advocated the attack, are now restless and agitated.

"For half a month, this Mountain Guard Array remains as steady as a rock. If this continues, we may never break it! Must we keep guarding here forever?"

"Indeed! Dao Companion Wei, when you first persuaded us to launch the attack, you promised you had a way to deal with the Mountain Guard Array! Where is your method?"

"Hmph! I think it was a lie that deceived us! This Mountain Guard Array can only be broken by a Fourth‑Grade Array Master, or by a Nascent Soul True Lord intervening personally; otherwise, who can break it?"

"Dao Companion Wei, Dao Companion Zhu Jian, if you are merely deceiving us to make us act, just say so. Withdraw early, no need to waste effort here."

Facing the crowd's doubtful questioning, Wei Wufeng and Zhu Jian exchanged glances, then Wei Wufeng announced: "Everyone, stay calm. When I said I could break the Mountain Guard Array, I wasn't deceiving you; it was simply a matter of timing."

"Now the timing is nearly right; today, everyone, recuperate and rest, and prepare to begin the final decisive battle tomorrow!"

The real persons stared at each other.

Seeing Wei Wufeng's composed demeanor, it didn't seem like a deception; he truly had a way to break the Mountain Guard Array.

But if he really had a method, why not use it earlier instead of wasting half a month here on futile effort?

After half a month, they were exhausted, while Character: Liyang only needed to curl up inside the array, relying on the spiritual vein to run it, which was far easier.

"Fine, then we'll watch your extraordinary means tomorrow, Dao Companion Wei!"

Someone spoke.

Whether Wei Wufeng is bluffing or truly confident, waiting another day won't matter.

In the blink of an eye, the second day arrived.

Wei Wufeng and Zhu Jian, two mid‑stage Core Formation cultivators, flew into the sky, freely unleashing overwhelming mana; under the command of a Third‑Grade Array Master, attacks surged toward the relatively weak nodes of the Mountain Guard Array.

Especially Zhu Jian, whose magical sword was razor‑sharp; each swing sent down tens of thousands of rainbow‑like sword lights that struck hard, causing the Mountain Guard Array to shake.

"Character: Liyang old dog, I advise you to come out quickly and meet death! You were once the renowned top Scattered Cultivator of Da Yu in the Cultivation World, yet now you hide in the array like a turtle, ashamed to show your face?"

"If you come out obediently to duel us and settle the feud, we might consider sparing your disciples."

"If you remain obstinate, when we break your turtle formation, don't blame us for wiping out your disciples!"

Swish! Inside the array, Character: Liyang, clad in a flaming red robe, rose into the air, gazing at Wei Wufeng through the formation, and coldly said: "Wei family brat, have you forgotten how you once knelt before me, begging for mercy? If I hadn't been soft‑hearted back then, you wouldn't be alive now. I should have been decisive and sent you and your inhuman father off together!"

"Silence! The Wei family's reputation in Da Yu's Cultivation World was known to all; we performed countless deeds of punishing evil and promoting good. You can't just slander us. Back then, it was clearly you coveting our treasures and seizing them! Today, you will pay for the years of your crimes!"

Wei Wufeng's murderous aura was fierce, his eyes filled with deep hatred, and he shouted again: "Everyone inside the array, listen! Character: Liyang old dog is a heinous criminal, but that doesn't concern you. If you awaken now and defect, we will not only spare you but give you better treatment than before! If you remain obstinate now, there will be no future chance!"

"Dao Companion Zhu Jian, you and I, let's act together!"

After speaking, Wei Wufeng presented an earth‑colored large seal Magic Treasure, pouring his massive mid‑stage Core Formation mana into it. The seal unfurled in the wind, instantly becoming a floating mini‑mountain, its intense earth elemental power spreading outward, briefly hinting at a struggle for control of the spiritual vein against the Mountain Guard Array below! This is a powerful Third‑Grade top‑quality Magic Treasure, seemingly especially effective at breaking arrays.

Behind them, Lu Daoming and the other Core Formation real persons saw this and showed surprise in their eyes.

Wei Wufeng actually possessed such an array‑breaking Magic Treasure, keeping it hidden until now! Zhu Jian is no slouch either; her mana surged at full force, and the sunrise‑like sword aura surged by fifty percent. The pseudo Core Formation and early‑stage Core Formation real persons present felt a chill of dread from afar. If such sword light struck them, they would likely be unable to withstand it and risk death.

This mysterious mid‑stage Core Formation female cultivator, unleashing her full power, indeed possessed strength comparable to a late‑stage Core Formation real person! However…

Even though Wei Wufeng and Zhu Jian both resorted to their trump cards, they might still not truly break the Mountain Guard Array! The array is nearly at the Third‑Grade limit and is controlled by many real persons.

It is rumored that during Character: Liyang's peak, even a full‑force assault could not break the defended Mountain Guard Array.

Everyone stared unblinkingly at the sky.

The earth‑colored large seal and the sunrise‑like sword light, after a moment of buildup, slammed fiercely toward a node of the Mountain Guard Array below.

Buzz! The Mountain Guard Array triggered unprecedented tremors; the stones and trees on the main peak within the array seemed to shake, and the aerial array's light curtain flickered, as if on the brink of collapse.

However, after a brief stalemate, the endless spiritual vein power kept being drawn into the Mountain Guard Array, which still held, gradually stabilizing…

"Still can't?"

The real persons outside the array couldn't help but watch this scene in disappointment.

But the next instant…

Inside the Mountain Guard Array, a piercing light flared, and a massive disturbance radiated…

(End of Chapter)