Chapter 573: The Great Battle of Qinglong Peak, the Might of Taiji

Xiao Yuan was busy with another important matter—she and Huiming Fangzhang were intensifying their research into the "Buddha-Dao Convergence" cultivation system, hoping it could play a role at a critical moment.

"Benefactor Xiao Yuan, I feel our theory is now basically mature," Huiming Fangzhang said, "what is needed now is practical verification."

"The Abbot is right," Xiao Yuan nodded, "we can first test it on a small scale; if the effect is good, we can promote it to the entire Coalition."

Seven days passed in a flash, and soon the final deadline arrived.

On Qinglong Peak, the core members of the Reform Coalition gathered once again in the council hall. This time, everyone's expression was grave, for they knew a historic moment was about to arrive.

"Fellow Daoists," Lin Xuan stood at the front, his voice firm and powerful, "the seven-day deadline has arrived, and Ancestor Taixuan demands our final answer. I, representing the Reform Coalition, announce: we refuse to disband, we will fight for our ideals to the end!"

"Good!" Zhang Wuji was the first to stand up and respond, "We rogue cultivators follow the Coalition, through life and death!"

"Leiyin Temple is willing to advance and retreat with the Reform Coalition!" Huiming Fangzhang also solemnly declared.

"The Fenglei Sect and seven other sects swear to follow the Coalition to the death!" The Fenglei Sect Master spoke on behalf of the mid-sized sects.

Before dawn had even broken, the sounds of battle were already shaking the sky beneath Qinglong Peak. The five-sect Coalition Army led by Ancestor Taixuan surged in like a black cloud pressing down; banners fluttered, and the glint of blades and swords flashed in the morning light.

"Attack for me!" Ancestor Taixuan stood in the Void, his majestic voice spreading across the entire battlefield, "Today, we must level Qinglong Peak and completely eradicate these rebels!"

Following his command, hundreds of cultivators rushed up the mountain like a tidal wave. At the lead were the elite disciples of Wanjian Valley; their sword light was like a rainbow, and they charged toward the first line of defense with fierce momentum.

However, when they reached the mountainside, they discovered something was not quite right.

"What kind of Array is this?" An Elder of Wanjian Valley discovered with surprise that their attacks just now felt as if they had struck cotton; not only did they fail to cause damage to the enemy, but that force was inexplicably redirected.

"Taiji Array—Four Taels Deflect a Thousand Catties!" Lin Xuan stood on the second line of defense, watching the enemy's confusion, feeling secretly proud in his heart.

This was a defensive system he had designed based on the essence of the Taiji True Art. The entire Qinglong Peak was divided into several interconnected Taiji Array Eyes; whenever the enemy launched an attack, the Array would automatically activate, neutralizing the attack's force and transferring it to other directions.

"Attack the left flank!" The Wanjian Valley Elder thought it was a directional issue and immediately adjusted the attack target.

But the result remained the same; their sword Qi was pulled by an invisible force, and not only did it miss the target, it struck their own companions instead. For a time, chaos erupted in the Coalition Army's ranks, and the sounds of them killing each other rose one after another.

"This is impossible!" Ancestor Taixuan saw it clearly from the air, his face turning ashen, "How could a mere Array have such power?"

"Ancestor Taixuan, this is the wisdom of our Reform Coalition," Xiao Yuan's voice came from the highest point of Harmony Academy, clear and firm, "We do not win by brute force, but by philosophy and unity!"

Xiao Yuan was seen sitting cross-legged on the top of the academy tower, her body radiating a soft white light. Her spiritual power covered the entire battlefield like a spiderweb, coordinating the actions of each unit. Under her command, the Reform Coalition's defensive system operated with the precision of a machine.

"Harmony Dao—Ten Thousand Phenomena Return to One!"

Xiao Yuan's power not only coordinated her side's actions but also secretly interfered with the enemy's coordination. The originally well-trained Coalition Army began to experience various minor problems: attack timing was off, coordination errors occurred, and even simple pincer tactics were executed poorly.

"Namo Amitabha!" Huiming Fangzhang's voice rang out like a great bell, "Vajra Subduing Demon Array, rise!"

Dozens of monks from Leiyin Temple chanted in unison, and golden Buddha light condensed around them, forming a massive Vajra Dharma Image. This image held a Subduing Demon Pestle, majestic and solemn, blocking the front of the second line of defense.

"Hmph, tricks of the Buddha Sect!" Ancestor Guisha of the Soul Refining Sect sneered, "Watch me break this bald donkey's Array!"

"Soul Evil Thousand Miles—Ten Thousand Ghosts Devour the Heart!"

Countless ghost shadows surged from behind Ancestor Guisha, emitting shrill howls as they pounced toward the Vajra Dharma Image. These ghost shadows were evil spirits he had collected over many years, each filled with towering resentment and murderous intent.

"Amitabha, evil cannot triumph over righteousness!" Huiming Fangzhang pressed his palms together and recited the Great Compassion Mantra; the Vajra Dharma Image immediately emitted ten thousand zhang of Buddha light.

Wherever the Buddha light reached, those ghost shadows immediately let out painful howls and dissipated like ice and snow meeting fire. Even the fierce ghosts painstakingly cultivated by Ancestor Guisha appeared vulnerable before the pure Buddha light.

"Damn it!" Ancestor Guisha had not expected the Buddha Sect's restraining power to be so strong, and he hurriedly retracted the remaining ghost shadows.

Just as the main force of the traditional powers was being held back by the Array and the Buddha Sect's divine abilities, earth-shaking shouts of battle suddenly erupted on the flank of the battlefield.

"Brothers, charge! For our dignity!" Zhang Wuji brandished the Black Long Blade in his hand and led three thousand rogue cultivators to strike from the side.

Although these rogue cultivators were not strong individually, they all harbored a surge of anger in their hearts. The discrimination and oppression they had suffered for years caused them to erupt completely at this moment.

"We rogue cultivators have dignity too!"

"Today we will let those high-and-mighty fellows see our strength!"

The rogue cultivators rushed toward the enemy's flank like a tide; they did not seek to clash head-on with the enemy, but instead adopted guerrilla tactics. They struck and retreated, never lingering in battle, specifically attacking the enemy's logistics and stragglers.

"Abominable ants!" An Elder of Wanjian Valley was harassed by the rogue cultivators until he was utterly annoyed; he turned to pursue them, only to find these people were as slippery as loaches and impossible to catch.

What made him even more depressed was that just as he was distracted dealing with the rogue cultivators, the Reform Coalition's main force immediately launched a counterattack, catching him off guard.

"Senior Brother, the enemy's right flank has revealed a flaw!" Muerxiu's voice suddenly sounded in Lin Xuan's ear.

"Good! Immediately teleport reinforcements there!" Lin Xuan ordered without hesitation.

"Void Teleportation Array—rise!"

Muerxiu's figure flickered uncertainly on the battlefield, and every time he appeared, he would open a teleportation Array. The warriors of the Reform Coalition moved rapidly through these Arrays, appearing in the enemy's weakest spots like divine soldiers descending from heaven.

"This... what kind of sorcery is this?" The cultivators of the traditional powers were left dizzy by these elusive tactics. The enemy that was clearly on the left just a moment ago would appear on the right in the blink of an eye, impossible to defend against.

Ancestor Taixuan saw it clearly from the air, his face growing increasingly ugly.