Chapter 109: The Jie Sect Strikes

With the aid of the Dragon Clan, Xuanyuan’s forces greatly increased in strength. After regaining their momentum, they directly dispelled the dense fog conjured by the demons and spirits, dealing a crushing defeat to the demon army. However, just as they were preparing to expand the battlefield, Chiyou appeared, leading the Eighty-One Great Witches to block their path.

After a fierce clash, Xuanyuan’s side had no choice but to temporarily retreat and carefully reconsider their strategy.

“Do you have any way to break the Ninety-Nine Heavens Divine Curse Formation?”

Back in the military camp, Xuanyuan sat on the elevated main seat, casting a sweeping glance at the numerous esteemed ministers below before asking.

This was always the case. By now, Xuanyuan had developed a psychological shadow regarding the Ninety-Nine Heavens Divine Curse Formation.

“Your Majesty, as a direct disciple of the Celestial Saint of the Jie Sect, you could send envoys to request reinforcements from the Jie Sect. If the Celestial Saint intervenes, breaking that formation would be straightforward. Even if he does not personally act, calling upon some of the Jie Sect disciples should increase our chances of victory,” a human minister stepped forward, bowing respectfully.

“Hm, that is the only option,” Xuanyuan said after some thought, nodding slightly. Though he was reluctant to trouble his teacher, the cost of human lives to break that formation was simply too great. This was the reason he had hesitated so long.

“Your Majesty, urgent news!”

At that moment, a soldier clad in armor burst into the command tent, clearly flustered.

“What is the cause of this panic?” Xuanyuan knitted his brows slightly.

“Your Majesty,” the soldier quickly kneeled on one knee and cupped his hands respectfully. “Chiyou has breached the Jishui River, which flows through the battlefield. The floodwaters are now rushing toward our camp!”

“Chiyou, how dare you?”

The human ministers were outraged upon hearing this. Until now, the humans had only engaged in direct combat, so such underhanded water attacks were utterly despised.

“Come with me to see for ourselves.” Xuanyuan’s brow furrowed deeply.

…

At this moment, the camp of Xuanyuan’s forces was completely engulfed by endless floodwaters. Some of the dragons who had come to support had transformed into their true forms, wielding divine powers to hold the waters at bay, preventing the flood from entering the camp. Other human warriors, lacking formidable innate talents, still exerted their magic to form a human shield, blocking much of the water.

Yet despite their efforts, small streams of floodwaters still surged into the camp, collapsing countless tents.

“Trouble! Chiyou is leading his troops in an assault!”

A human minister spotted a dark mass slowly advancing across the water and cried out in alarm. Most of the human warriors were still occupied with holding back the flood, unable to focus on the incoming enemy.

After all, they could not simply allow the flood to wash in, abandoning the rank-and-file soldiers to their fate.

“Hahaha! After this battle, all of humanity will belong to my Jiuli Tribe!”

Chiyou stood atop a massive black wooden raft, gazing at Xuanyuan’s camp from afar and laughing heartily.

“Jiuli! Jiuli!” The numerous witch soldiers echoed with excitement, raising their arms in unison.

“Chiyou!”

Suddenly, a sharp shout rang out from the sky. A figure slowly descended from the clouds, glaring fiercely at Chiyou and accusing him, “Shame on you, the reincarnation of the Great Witch! To win, you resort to such despicable tactics!”

Chiyou flushed slightly but was mostly filled with rage.

“Who are you?”

“I am Zhao Gongming, a disciple of the Celestial Saint of the Jie Sect!” Zhao Gongming declared, waving his hand to summon twenty-four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, connecting them in a line to form a massive barrier that halted the floodwaters’ advance, greatly alleviating the pressure on the human forces.

(Previously, thirty-six Sea-Calming Divine Pearls had been crafted into the Heavenly-Sealing Seal. Remembering the utility of the pearls, they were reimagined as Chaos Divine Stones. Apologies for the inconsistency.)

“Cursed!”

Furious at the sight, Chiyou immediately wielded his demonic blade and charged at Zhao Gongming.

At this moment, Zhao Gongming’s three younger sisters, the Three Dawn Maidens, arrived swiftly. Seeing Chiyou’s attack, they let out sharp cries and each summoned their treasures to counterattack.

“Ninety-Nine Heavens Divine Curse Formation, activate!”

The other great witches immediately deployed the formation, enveloping Zhao Gongming and his siblings.

…

Meanwhile, Duobao and others slowly descended into Xuanyuan’s camp.

“We come by the order of our teacher, to assist junior brother Xuanyuan in defeating the enemy.”

“With senior brothers and sisters here, victory over Jiuli is within reach!” Xuanyuan’s heart leapt with joy upon seeing Duobao and the others.

Surrounded by floodwaters and under assault by Chiyou’s troops, he was anxious.

“Junior brother Zhao Gongming seems to have engaged Chiyou. Let us go meet them,” Duobao said with a smile to Xuanyuan. Then, sensing movement nearby, he frowned slightly and led many Jie Sect disciples forward.

“Come, let us assist our immortal elders!”

Seeing this, Xuanyuan waved his hand, leaving the dragons and a few strong humans to hold back the flood, while leading most of his forces to join the battle.

…

At that moment, Zhao Gongming and the Three Dawn Maidens were locked in fierce combat with Chiyou and the great witches.

Though Zhao Gongming and the three maintained an unbeaten stance with their near-Saint cultivation, the Ninety-Nine Heavens Divine Curse Formation was powerful, tightly suppressing them.

“Junior brother, I am here,”

Duobao arrived on a cloud above the battlefield, frowning at the overwhelming killing aura of the formation but quickly resolved himself, waving his hand to summon his treasure and join the fray.

The Jie Sect disciples followed closely. Upon seeing them engaged with Chiyou’s forces, Xuanyuan wasted no time and led many human warriors into battle.

This shift turned the tide, as Chiyou’s side, once dominant, quickly found themselves on the defensive.

Most of the great witches were no longer at their peak strength; aside from a few prodigies, most hovered at the pinnacle of the Great Dao Golden Immortal stage. With the Jie Sect’s near-Saints intervening, they were naturally outmatched.

Yet thanks to their formation and the seamless cooperation of the Eighty-One Great Witches, Xuanyuan’s forces, though holding the upper hand, could not break the formation. Both sides fought with great difficulty.

The battle raged for days and nights without a clear victor.

One day, suddenly a powerful heat wave burst forth from Xuanyuan’s camp, instantly evaporating the remaining floodwater and turning the muddy earth bright red.

Seeing this, Chiyou’s forces were greatly alarmed, suspecting reinforcements had arrived. They began to contemplate retreat.

After all, they were struggling immensely. If more allies joined Xuanyuan’s side, the Ninety-Nine Heavens Divine Curse Formation could be broken. Any losses among the Eighty-One Great Witches would be nearly impossible to replenish.

“We shall retreat as well!”

Seeing this, Xuanyuan’s forces also ceased pursuit. With the formation unbroken, continuing the fight was futile.

“What happened?”

Returning to camp with many human warriors and Jie Sect disciples, Xuanyuan frowned at the devastation before him and asked.

“Y-Your Majesty… the female leader… the fangs…”

A trembling human soldier stood up, stammering fragmented words.