169: Challenge Luo Qianjie

One week later, Wu Yuanpeng personally oversaw the coordination. Six black armor motherships, fully armed and armored, carried over ten thousand Core Formation Cultivators as they sailed majestically out of the Blood Mist Swamp, their target fixed directly on the Shadow Soul Crystal Mine, their Killing Intent soaring into the heavens.

Meanwhile, Nascent Soul Cultivators from three nearby resource points responded in unison. Each led their own forces, simultaneously approaching the corresponding resource points of the Qingming Faction, forming a coordinated pincer movement.

Since the start of the National War, the intelligence networks of the major factions had long been woven tightly. Such a large-scale troop mobilization by the Bitao Faction instantly aroused high alert at every resource point of the Qingming Faction.

Streams of transmission Talismans shot through the air. Each stronghold immediately closed its defenses, rallied its troops, and stood in strict readiness; the air was thick with the heavy tension of an impending storm.

"Wu Yuanpeng! You and I have stood in opposition here for over a decade, yet we have always been evenly matched…"

A clear, resounding shout suddenly pierced the sky. A middle-aged Sword Cultivator dressed in azure sword robes stepped into the air. With sword-like eyebrows and star-bright eyes, his Sword Intent was faintly visible around him. It was none other than Su Wangchen, a Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator of the Qingming Sword Sect. "Now that the war situation has stabilized, why stir up conflict again and pointlessly increase the number of Wandering Souls?"

Before the words had even faded, five powerful Nascent Soul auras soared into the sky, instantly gathering beside Su Wangchen. They were the four Sword Cultivators who had conspired to breach the Shadow Soul Crystal Mine years ago—Nangong Yan, Xie Guhong, Xiao Jinyu, and Jiang Wushe—along with the Loose Cultivator Qiu Xuetong, who excelled in soul control.

Back then, after they breached the ore vein, they had intended to capitalize on the momentum to expand their gains, but Su Ling's maneuvers had resulted in the slaughter of a large number of their faction's Cultivators, dampening their spirits.

They were then pinned down by Wu Yuanpeng, who had arrived in time to reinforce, and for over a decade, they had been trapped defending the Wuwang Bone Forest area, their grand ambitions slowly eroding. If not for Su Wangchen subsequently bringing heavy reinforcements, this core resource point would likely have changed hands long ago.

"Su Wangchen."

Wu Yuanpeng stood proudly at the head of the black armor mothership, his robes fluttering in the wind, his expression calm and unruffled. "I know that Luo Qianjie has already arrived here. There is no need to hide him; let him come out."

"Oh? You want to see Senior Brother Luo?"

Su Wangchen's eyes flickered, and a cold sneer curled the corner of his mouth. "With just you, Wu Yuanpeng, are you worthy of having Senior Brother Luo personally take action? Get past me first!"

Although he spoke tough, Su Wangchen was inwardly on high alert.

It was not strange for Wu Yuanpeng to know that Luo Qianjie was here; after all, such a massive mobilization could not be hidden.

Yet, knowing that Luo Qianjie was in command, Wu Yuanpeng still dared to lead his troops in a forceful attack...

There must be something else going on behind this.

"Han Yu, is this underground Formation... still impossible to break?"

Inside the main control cabin of the black armor mothership, Song Moting, whose aura was restrained like an abyss or a mountain, turned his gaze to Su Ling and asked in a deep voice.

"It's impossible."

Su Ling shook his head slightly, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "The underground is laid with a Formation specifically designed to suppress Yin Souls. I previously tried to control the remnant souls within the ten thousand souls banner to sneak in and test it, but they were destroyed the moment they got close. The old infiltration methods are completely useless."

If it weren't for Su Wangchen and the others being so cautious, even with Qiu Xuetong, who excelled in soul control, in charge, they still set up soul-suppressing Formations. They wouldn't have had to go to such great lengths to join Wu Yuanpeng's army and launch a frontal assault on the black armor mothership.

"Since that's the case, there's no need to waste words with them."

Lu Tao stood to the side, his face full of eagerness, showing no sign of gravity. "Anyway, I came here mainly to meet that Luo Qianjie!"

"Very well."

Su Ling thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. At this moment, on the black armor mothership, besides the five Nascent Soul Cultivators brought by Wu Yuanpeng, there were the eight of them. Especially Qi Yunling, who could control two demonic pets alone, with combat power comparable to three Nascent Soul Cultivators. Calculating this, the Bitao Faction had a full sixteen Nascent Soul-level combatants.

Even if the Qingming Faction had hidden Nascent Soul Cultivators, as long as Lu Tao could hold off the strongest, Luo Qianjie, their side would still possess an absolute advantage in numbers.

"Hehe, then I'll go first!"

Lu Tao grinned, his Sword Intent suddenly surging. He transformed into a streak of scorching white sword light, tearing through the air and shooting towards the defensive light barrier of the Qingming Faction.

"Luo Qianjie!"

"Come out and fight me, Lu Tao!"

The deafening shout accompanied the falling sword light, which struck heavily against the Formation's light barrier.

"Boom!"

A heaven-shaking roar echoed across the world. The light barrier trembled violently, countless ripples spread rapidly, and the energy fluctuations of the Formation became chaotic.

"Lu Tao?!"

"It's that Lu Tao, number one on the leaderboard! He actually appeared here?!"

"Oh no! If Lu Tao is here, then Qi Yunling and Song Moting must be here too!"

"They came prepared, wanting to forcefully break the Formation?!"

"Don't be afraid! With Senior Brother Luo in charge, no matter how strong Lu Tao is, what can he do?"

Inside the Great Formation, the Cultivators of the Qingming Faction were in an uproar, their expressions varied—some shocked, some panicked, and some forcing themselves to remain calm.

Nangong Yan, Xie Guhong, and the others looked at the master of that scorching white sword light, their expressions involuntarily freezing, a hint of dread flashing in their eyes.

For ten years, the name of Lu Tao had resonated throughout both factions; everyone knew it.

His illustrious reputation was not obtained through praise but was forged through real kills.

Nine out of ten Nascent Soul Cultivators who had crossed swords with him had fallen under his blade; he was truly a Nascent Soul killer.

Now that this god of death had arrived in person, how could the Cultivators of the Qingming Faction not be terrified?

"As you wish."

A gentle yet penetrating voice rang out, unhurried, yet clearly heard in every corner of the battlefield.

Before the words had faded, a cyan sword glow streaked across the sky like a meteor, instantly appearing outside the Formation's light barrier.

There were no earth-shattering phenomena, but it carried a sharp, awe-inspiring aura.

In front of the light barrier, a young man dressed in cyan and white sword robes stood with his hands behind his back. Between his sword-like eyebrows and star-bright eyes, there was a touch of otherworldly calm.

It was none other than Luo Qianjie, the Personal Disciple of the True Immortal of the Qingming Sword Sect, who had once held the number one spot on the leaderboard and was currently still ranked third.

His Sword Intent was restrained like a deep pool; although he stood there, he was like a peerless famous sword hidden in its scabbard, waiting only to be unsheathed to sever the heavens.

"Fight!"

Lu Tao's eyes gleamed intensely, his Battle Intent burning like a raging fire. Almost the instant Luo Qianjie appeared, he raised his hand and slashed out a Taibai Void-Breaking Sword Qi. The sword light was as scorching white as the midday sun, carrying an unstoppable sharpness, striking directly at the top of Luo Qianjie's head.

"This place is cramped, I fear harming the innocent. Let us ascend and fight!"

Luo Qianjie's expression did not change; he simply raised a finger and flicked it, and a cyan sword aura met the scorching white sword energy. The two swords collided without triggering a roar, leaving only a circle of faint spiritual energy ripples spreading outward.

Meanwhile, he transformed into a cyan rainbow and soared into the sky, a condensed Divine Soul transmission quietly falling into the ears of the Qingming Faction Cultivators below.

The next moment, several sharp, peerless Sword Intents suddenly rose from within the Great Formation, piercing through the clouds like unsheathed sharp swords.

When Luo Qianjie had sent the message to challenge Lu Tao, he had already anticipated that the other side would use the Wuwang Bone Forest as a Breakthrough point, and he had been waiting here with the Qingming Sword Cultivators for a month.

"Good!"

Lu Tao laughed loudly, his laughter full of satisfaction. Without a moment's hesitation, his sword light surged, and he chased directly after the trajectory of the cyan rainbow into the high sky, disappearing above the clouds in the blink of an eye.