Chapter 146: Battle at Star Fragment Isle, Imperial Dynasty Reinforcements

Lin Xuan’s figure, like a gray meteor tearing through the filthy blood-curtain, sped back from the direction of the Return-to-Ruins Sea Eye and landed steadily on the core plaza of the crumbling Star Fragment Isle. His face was slightly pale, his breathing somewhat uneven, and the layer of gray "Chaos Tribulation Robe" around him appeared dim; clearly, that risky probing and "grafting guidance" on the edge of the tiger's den had consumed a great deal. Yet, the chaotic light in his deep eyes was brighter and more refined than when he had left, as if his Tribulation Dao Dharma Body had been newly tempered after a close-quarters encounter with extreme chaos and evil.

Almost the moment he landed, Beichen, Ling Shuang, and Yan Gang gathered around him, their faces a mix of worry, urgency, and a trace of unbelievable shock.

"Fellow Daoist Lin! You... you actually went deep into that kind of place? And came back?!" Beichen’s voice carried clear lingering fear and shock. Although they had remained on Star Fragment Isle to stabilize the grand formation with all their might, their spiritual sense had been constantly monitoring the direction of the Sea Eye. They had clearly perceived the terrifying roar and energy turbulence that erupted from the Blood Skeleton Star God, as well as the violent fluctuations of the two powerful demonic auras of Gluttonous Devourer and Filthy Soul, and had assumed Lin Xuan had met with misfortune. They never expected that not only would he retreat unscathed, but he also seemed to have... stirred up the situation?

Lin Xuan nodded slightly, having no time to explain in detail, and went straight to the core: "The rhythm of the Blood Skeleton Star God’s remains has been temporarily disrupted, and the internal power conflict has intensified. The two demons, 'Gluttonous Devourer' and 'Filthy Soul', have also suffered its backlash, making it difficult for them to fully drive the evil object in the short term. But this is only a stopgap measure; the evil object has too deep a foundation and is supported by the power of the Demonic Abyss, so it may stabilize again soon, and it might become even more violent after the backlash. We must seize this gap to reinforce our defenses, wait for reinforcements, and seek a way to resolve this completely."

He spoke very quickly, his logic clear: "Fellow Daoist Beichen, how is the grand formation?"

Beichen hurriedly collected his thoughts and said urgently: "Thanks to Fellow Daoist Lin’s use of tribulation power to stabilize it just now, the core formation base is temporarily safe. But thirty-six auxiliary formation eyes on the periphery have been severely eroded by 'Blood Fiend Resentment Power', hindering the transmission of spiritual power; the overall defensive strength has dropped to less than forty percent of its peak! Moreover, the aura emitted by that evil object is continuously impacting and assimilating the star power of the grand formation, and the consumption rate far exceeds the replenishment!"

Lin Xuan’s gaze swept over the formation’s light curtain on the island’s periphery, which was flickering and covered in dark red, vein-like patterns, and he understood. Although the All-Heaven Starry Sky Formation was ingenious, its foundation lay in drawing and transforming the power of the stars. Now that the stars were covered in dust and obscured by blood light, and further polluted and suppressed by the evil object’s aura, a significant reduction in power was inevitable. Relying solely on repairing the formation base would likely not last long.

"Elder Yan Gang, how is the outer defensive line?" Lin Xuan turned to the bald giant.

Yan Gang’s expression was grim: "Damn it! After that blood and filth erupted from the Sea Eye, the beasts in the sea went crazy! More and more demonized, even half-fleshed monsters are attacking the island, and our manpower is a bit stretched! Plus, the blood and gore splattered when these things die are highly corrosive, and they still move, damn it! Ordinary spells aren't very effective; we have to rely on brute force or blood-energy to shatter them, it's infuriating!"

Ling Shuang’s cold voice sounded: "The 'Mystic Ice World-Purifying Formation' has been initially set up and can cover the thirty-mile sea area around the island. It can effectively freeze and delay demonized sea beasts and filthy energy flows, easing the pressure on the front. But maintaining the formation consumes a huge amount of spiritual power, and the purification effect of the freezing power on that 'Blood Fiend Resentment Power' is far inferior to Fellow Daoist Lin’s Chaos Tribulation Power."

The situation was worse than expected. Although the evil object had been temporarily disturbed, the catastrophic chain reaction it triggered had already begun to fully impact the fragile defensive line of Star Fragment Isle. The island was like a lone boat rocking in the raging waves of a sea of blood, ready to capsize at any moment.

Lin Xuan pondered for a moment and made a quick decision: "Fellow Daoist Beichen, immediately adjust the grand formation strategy. Abandon some redundant outer formation eyes and shrink the defensive range to thirty miles around the island's core, concentrating power to protect the core formation base and important facilities. At the same time, try to shift the formation’s operating mode from 'primarily drawing star power' to 'primarily purification and defense'. Use star power as the foundation, combined with Elder Ling Shuang’s Mystic Ice power, to build a 'Star-Ice Purification Barrier'. We don't seek to block it completely, but to weaken and purify the filthy energy that seeps in to the greatest extent."

"Elder Yan Gang, mix the body cultivators of the Giant Spirit Sect with the island guards. Fight on the inner lines relying on the shrunken 'Star-Ice Purification Barrier', using the barrier to weaken the enemy, and then use physical strength and masculine blood-energy to kill them at close range. Avoid prolonged contact with the sources of pollution."

"Elder Ling Shuang, have half of the Mystic Ice Pavilion cultivators assist in maintaining the 'Star-Ice Purification Barrier', and keep the other half on standby, ready to deal with emergencies or replace exhausted personnel."

"I will sit at the core formation eye, using Chaos Tribulation Power to assist in purifying the barrier, and be ready at any time to deal with direct impacts from the two demons or the evil object. At the same time... I will try to communicate with heaven and earth to see if I can draw a trace of 'Heavenly Tribulation' or 'Law' power to perform a deeper level of 'cleansing' on this filthy land."

Lin Xuan’s final idea shocked the three of them. Invoking Heavenly Tribulation or the power of Laws? That was a realm only Soul Transformation peak or even Void Refinement cultivators dared to touch, and it was extremely dangerous; a slight carelessness could lead to self-immolation or even implicate the entire island! But seeing the unquestionable determination and unfathomable calmness in Lin Xuan’s eyes, the three swallowed their words of dissuasion. In this desperate situation, perhaps only such extraordinary means could offer a glimmer of hope.

The orders were quickly issued, and the massive war machine that was Star Fragment Isle began to laboriously adjust its posture, shrinking its defensive lines and concentrating limited troops and resources on the most critical nodes.

Just as the island’s defensive system completed its initial adjustments, even more violent impacts followed!

It seemed to be sensing the "shrinking" and "resistance" of Star Fragment Isle, or perhaps the Blood Skeleton Star God’s remains had recovered slightly from its brief chaos, for from the direction of the Return-to-Ruins Sea Eye came even duller and more frequent "thumping" sounds! It was as if the giant object was accelerating its "heartbeat" in some way, pumping out more filthy power!

"Boom! Boom, boom, boom!"

Countless "filthy blood pillars," each over ten zhang in diameter and composed of viscous blood, broken bone fragments, twisted demonic energy, and decaying starlight, shot out crazily from the Sea Eye vortex like tentacles reaching out from the depths of hell. They crossed dozens of miles and slammed heavily into the newly constructed "Star-Ice Purification Barrier" of Star Fragment Isle!

The barrier shook violently. The ice-blue purification light and the dark red filthy blood light crazily intertwined and annihilated each other, emitting a harsh "hissing" sound. Large swaths of ice crystals were polluted and melted, and the purification talismans condensed from star power flickered unsteadily. Although the barrier successfully blocked most of the direct impact, the infiltration of that pure, malicious, filthy energy still made the cultivators maintaining the formation turn pale, their spiritual power consuming rapidly.

At the same time, beneath the sea surface, countless demonized sea beasts with even more hideous forms, their bodies covered in viscous blood scabs and bone spurs, surged toward the island like a school of sharks smelling blood. They slammed into the barrier without fear of death, using sharp claws, bone spurs, and even spitting filthy blood arrows to continuously consume the barrier’s energy. Some smaller, agile "Blood-Filth Demon Insects" could even squeeze through the weaker gaps in the barrier’s energy and pounce on the cultivators on the island; once they touched a person, they would crazily burrow into the body, devouring flesh and spiritual power, making them extremely difficult to deal with.

The defensive line led by Yan Gang bore immense pressure. The Giant Spirit Sect body cultivators roared, their blood-energy rising like wolf smoke to the sky. Wherever their fists and hammer shadows landed, they blasted demonized sea beasts into fragments, but the splattered blood and filth were like maggots on bones, constantly eroding their protective blood-energy. If not for the barrier’s weakening and the auxiliary freezing power of the Mystic Ice, the casualties would have already been heavy.

Beichen, Ling Shuang, and other high-level cultivators were fully maintaining the operation of the core formation, their expressions becoming increasingly grave. The consumption rate of spirit stones reached an astonishing level, and the inventory was decreasing at a visible speed. Meanwhile, the sense of oppression from the direction of the Sea Eye continued to intensify.

Lin Xuan sat cross-legged at the core formation eye, his eyes slightly closed, his hands pressing into the formation disk. Strands of pure Chaos Tribulation Power, like the most skillful craftsmen, constantly repaired and reinforced the weak points of the formation, purifying the filthy energy that seeped in. However, most of his attention seemed to be immersed in a deeper level of "sensing" and "communication."

His Chaos Tribulation Dao Dharma Body was currently resonating in a mysterious way with the earth veins of Star Fragment Isle beneath his feet, the starry sky above obscured by filth, and the violent, chaotic "tribulation" environment around him. He was attempting, using himself as a medium and Chaos Tribulation Power as a guide, to pry open a trace of the heaven and earth laws of this realm to bring down "Heavenly Punishment" or perform "correction" on this severely polluted area.

This process was extremely dangerous, like walking a tightrope over a ten-thousand-foot cliff. He needed to precisely grasp the degree of "tribulation" and "punishment," needing to draw in sufficiently powerful purification force without exceeding his own control, and even more so, not letting the "tribulation punishment" misjudge and include Star Fragment Isle in its strike range.

Time passed bit by bit, and the defenses of Star Fragment Isle held on stubbornly, but the situation was sliding toward the edge of despair. The light of the barrier grew dimmer, and exhaustion and a trace of imperceptible panic began to appear on the faces of the cultivators.

Just at a critical moment where a certain part of the barrier, hit by several consecutive "filthy blood pillars," was about to rupture—

"Hum—!"

From the eastern horizon, in the direction that had been completely sealed off by filthy blood clouds, there suddenly came a clear, impassioned, and mighty dragon roar that seemed capable of cleansing all evil!

Immediately following, a brilliant golden pillar of light, like a divine sword splitting the heavens and earth, fiercely tore through the thick blood clouds, casting a patch of pure sunlight and majestic Imperial Dragon Qi over Star Fragment Isle!

Within the pillar of light, a fluttering Imperial Dragon Flag appeared first, followed by ten massive, hideous-looking "Sea-Suppressing" class main warships, their hulls covered in heavy rune armor and exuding a biting aura of war! Above the warships, battle flags were like a forest, soldiers like clouds, and a murderous aura soared to the sky; it was none other than the Imperial Dynasty’s "Demon-Slaying Army’s" most elite Second and Third Legions!

At the bow of the flagship, Wei Gongshen stood in a dark red python robe, his hair and beard bristling, his Soul Transformation stage pressure released without reservation, like an immovable mountain. Beside him, Huangfu Hao was in golden armor; although he had not come in person (was this a Dharma image projection or a special avatar?), that majestic Dragon Qi of the Emperor and the dignity of ruling all directions were clearly added to the entire fleet through some secret method, greatly boosting morale!

"The Imperial reinforcements have arrived! Slaying demons and defending the Dao starts today!" Wei Gongshen’s voice, like a great bell, resounded across the sea, "Form the 'Imperial Sea-Suppressing Grand Formation', target—the Return-to-Ruins filth, fire, you old man!"

The ten main warships instantly adjusted their positions, countless formation runes on their hulls lit up, and a massive torrent of spiritual power gathered on the hideous main cannons at the bows!

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Ten incomparably thick pillars of light, containing pure Dragon Qi, thunder, and various evil-breaking purification runes, lashed out like ten whips of the gods, fiercely striking the "filthy blood pillars" that were bombarding the Star Fragment Isle barrier, instantly annihilating most of them! A portion of the light pillars even blasted directly into the demonized beast swarm beneath the sea, exploding into countless purification halos and clearing a large area of the sea!

At the same time, behind the fleet, more medium-sized warships and troop carriers began to spread out, and countless Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators flew up from the ships, forming small battle formations like a flexible pack of wolves, beginning to mop up the scattered demons on the periphery and rapidly closing in on Star Fragment Isle to replace the exhausted defenders.

"It’s His Majesty! It’s Wei Gongshen! The Imperial army is here!" On Star Fragment Isle, countless cultivators who had been struggling erupted into sky-shaking cheers, their morale greatly boosted!

Beichen, Ling Shuang, Yan Gang, and others also felt their spirits lift, hope rekindled in their eyes.

Lin Xuan remained seated, but the corners of his mouth curled slightly. The reinforcements had arrived at just the right time. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the golden pillar of light tearing through the blood clouds and the Imperial fleet, chaotic light swirling in his eyes.

Imperial Dragon Qi, being extremely yang and righteous, ruling all directions, indeed had a strong restraining and suppressing effect on such filthy and evil things. Although Huangfu Hao had not come in person, using Dragon Qi to bolster the fleet, combined with Wei Gongshen, a Soul Transformation commander, and the elite Demon-Slaying Army, was indeed a powerful force capable of turning the local battle situation.

However, his gaze then shifted to the depths of the Return-to-Ruins Sea Eye. He could feel that the moment the Imperial reinforcements appeared, the "restlessness" of the Blood Skeleton Star God’s remains seemed to pause slightly, and then... in that chaotic will, a more excited and greedy intent emerged! It was as if it had seen even more "delicious" prey! And the auras of "Gluttonous Devourer" and "Filthy Soul" also became active again, no longer just catalyzing the evil object, but beginning to consciously guide its power, preparing to launch a new, more violent attack!

"The real test is only just beginning." Lin Xuan whispered to himself and slowly stood up. His Chaos Tribulation Dao Dharma Body flickered behind him, resonating in a wonderful way with the heavenly light shining through the torn blood clouds above and the majestic Dragon Qi of the Imperial fleet in the distance.

He could feel that his attempt to communicate with heaven and earth and invoke "tribulation punishment" had also become... clearer and more dangerous due to the intervention of the Imperial Dragon Qi and the violent clash of "righteous" and "evil" forces in this area.

Almost at the same time the Imperial fleet joined the battlefield and temporarily stabilized the Star Fragment Isle defensive line.

Deep in the Return-to-Ruins Sea Eye, the massive remains of the Blood Skeleton Star God shuddered violently! Countless star bones rubbed and collided, emitting a teeth-grinding, thunderous sound. In its "head" area, countless hollow eye sockets simultaneously lit up with bottomless, dark red blood light that seemed capable of devouring souls!

A dark red blood-fiend pillar of light, more refined and larger than any before, mixed with three sources of filth and over a thousand zhang in diameter, rose like the "breath of destruction" exhaled by the ancient evil object with all its might. From the center of the Sea Eye vortex, it slowly raised its "muzzle," locking onto... Star Fragment Isle and the golden-glowing Imperial fleet behind it!

And the figures of "Gluttonous Devourer" and "Filthy Soul" hovered on either side of this terrifying pillar of light, their demonic energy surging, clearly preparing to inject the final "guidance" and "amplification" power into it!

On Star Fragment Isle, the cheers that had just risen came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone, including Wei Gongshen, Beichen, and others, felt a suffocating shadow of death descend upon them.

The chaotic light in Lin Xuan’s eyes suddenly flared. He looked up sharply at the world-destroying pillar of light about to erupt, as if piercing through it to look at the deeper darkness and madness behind it.

He slowly raised his hands, forming an even more complex seal in front of his chest that seemed to want to encompass the entire Chaos Tribulation Sea in his palms, and spat out ancient and obscure syllables. His voice was not loud, but it seemed to resound directly at the level of the laws of heaven and earth:

"Chaos as the guide, Tribulation Power as the proof, Dragon Qi as the contract, ten thousand filth as the fuel... I respectfully invite... the Heaven and Earth Return-to-Ruins Tribulation!"