Chapter 1376: The Truth Unfolds
"The problem with the second method is the high demand on those controlling the array. Like me, I do not understand array techniques well. So it is impossible for me to activate the array formation." Weather Leaf said, "Furthermore, three of the five array experts in the past are no longer around. Hence, we might not be able to unleash the Five-Phase Life and Death Array either. Perhaps we might have to alter it."
"No matter what, let us try our best."
"Who would have guessed that the Sea of Abyss Master has reached this level of strength. Killing him is still so difficult even with Monarch Flying Snow around." Those present lamented.
Wu Xiao solemnly added: "We must not delay any further. Let us contact the cultivators from other cities and research on whether using the combat array is viable. When the cultivators from all five cities are here, we can immediately execute it! Because... I believe that once all cultivators have gathered, that Sea of Abyss Master would choose to escape."
"Mn."
"He knows that he can't kill us yet he remains. I highly suspect he is waiting for an opportunity to kill the cultivators from the other four cities. If all of us have converged, it'll be nile impossible for him to kill any of us. Naturally, he would choose to flee."
Xue Ying and the other cultivators understood this logic.
Right now, the cultivators from the other four cities were rushing over. With the technique that the Sea of Abyss Master had that allows him to sense any aura of living being across the entire Cultivation Sacred World, he would naturally be clear where the cultivators were! Yet his speed was slower than that of the combat formations, making it impossible for him to chase after and kill the cultivators. Hence, the best method... would be to wait for the cultivators from other cities to arrive right outside Scarlet Cloud City.
Because currently, there was an inescapable net surrounding Scarlet Cloud City!
All Chaotic Origin Lifeforms in the Cultivation Sacred World were currently rushing here. And now, the gathered amount had far surpassed the number of Chaotic Origin Lifeforms that once trapped 'Sky Noon City'! If there were this many Chaotic Origin Lifeforms in the Sky Noon City previously, then the cultivators from Sky Noon City would not have escaped successfully!
Similarly.
There were simply too many Chaotic Origin Lifeforms that were trapping Scarlet Cloud City. Furthermore, this number was increasing. As the cultivators from other cities rushed over, their biggest difficulty would be to cross through the countless Chaotic Origin Lifeforms!
And it was possible for the Sea of Abyss Master to succeed in his job of killing the cultivators.
"We must do our best to protect the cultivators from other cities." Everyone understood this point.
...
Very soon.
The cultivators from Scarlet Cloud City contacted cultivators from the other four cities via their communication treasure. They interacted and agreed with the suggestion by Scarlet Cloud City's City Master 'Weather Leaf'.
Two methods.
One was the old method. When there were more teams, they would naturally try and attempt to kill the Sea of Abyss Master. Perhaps they might succeed! This would naturally have to rely on luck.
And the other would be to immediately research on a new large-scale combined combat formation.
"In the past era, the five of us coincidentally cultivated one of the five elemental Daos—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Furthermore, we were all Grand Perfection God Emperors. Even Old Man Sky Pure and another person are not good at array techniques. But the Daos are all linked. By spending sufficient time and effort, Old Man Sky Pure and another cultivator finally comprehended the array technique... The five of us gathered at a city before discussing Dao together. We pondered over a way to combine all five Daos and try to have a breakthrough to the Chaotic Origin Level. Nonetheless, breaking by force to the Chaotic Origin Level is simply too difficult. Instead, we have come out with the Five-Phase Life and Death Array. Ai, currently, two of my Dao Friends have fallen and one has left the Cultivation Sacred World. Only I and Sky Pure are the remaining two alive in this world." Great Emperor Qian Qu transmitted.
"It is impossible for us to construct the Five-Phase Life and Death Array now! But we do not need to use that complex Five-Phase Life and Death Array. At that time, the reason we needed this array is because we have to deal with the countless Chaotic Origin Lifeforms simultaneously as we deal with the Sea of Abyss Master then! Furthermore, the Chaotic Origin Lifeforms were more of a greater threat in the past. But now, with Monarch Flying Snow around, we can disregard those Chaotic Origin Lifeforms! We can simplify the combat formation of the past." The other 'Monarch Sky Pure' added.
"Right, we can definitely simplify it." Great Emperor Qian Qu agreed, "We can simply neglect the threat from all other Chaotic Origin Lifeforms. The demand on having profound knowledge towards array techniques is reduced too."
"We must make use of this time... to alter the large-scale combat formation right before the team from Frost Moon City arrives." Wu Xiao transmitted, "Otherwise, the Sea of Abyss Master would choose to leave once he sees no hope of killing us! Furthermore, with the cultivators from all four cities rushing over, it is impossible for us to delay for far too long. The Sea of Abyss Master is incredibly intelligent! He'll definitely realize that things are amiss and would choose to escape. Ten days! We have to succeed within ten days!"
"Mn."
"Alright, we need more cultivators that specialize in array techniques to come and deduce the altered technique."
At that moment, cultivators across all five cities that specialized in array techniques began conversing via their communication treasures to simplify and deduce a new technique out.
Fortunately, they could simplify it.
Otherwise, re-creating a similar technique like the 'Five-Phase Life and Death Array' was simply too difficult. At that time, it was because there were five apex cultivators that coincidentally specialized in one of the five elements each. And all of them were good at array techniques too. That was how they could control the five core nodes of the large-scale array technique.
But now with Monarch Flying Snow around, the original threat from the 'countless Chaotic Origin Lifeforms' could be neglected. This was a rare opportunity for them.
******
The Sea of Abyss Master would occasionally attack the Scarlet Cloud City. And the moment half of the layers of arrays protecting Scarlet Cloud City were destroyed, a team would choose to go out and protect the city, protecting it until the barrier was replenished. After that, the team would return immediately.
Everyone was delaying for more time.
Three days later.
The six teams of cultivators from Sky Noon City and Ice Star City had arrived together at Scarlet Cloud City. Actually, if the three teams from Sky Noon City chose to travel at their fastest speed, they would arrive at most half a day later than the Sea of Abyss Master at Scarlet Cloud City. However, with only three teams, they were not confident of congregating with the cultivators in Scarlet Cloud City. That was why they were delaying for more time!
The Sea of Abyss Master had also dispatched large numbers of Chaotic Origin Lifeforms to attack them. In the end, the cultivators from the two cities did not dare to delay further. They immediately set off once they met!
"We are about to reach."
"City Master Weather, we'll have to rely on you. It is impossible for us to kill our way in."
"Monarch Flying Snow, we need you to save us."
The cultivators from Sky Noon City and Ice Star City watched as a tremendous number of Chaotic Origin Lifeforms gathered afar. They even felt their hearts trembling.
There were simply too many of them!
Every moment, there would be a large number of Chaotic Origin Lifeforms pouring in from all directions. They were similarly intelligent. Under the orders by the Sea of Abyss Master, they were coordinating with one another. Without taking other factors into consideration, just the numbers of Chaotic Origin Lifeforms could form a 'wall' that sufficed in obstructing the cultivators from entering.
"They are here! Monarch Flying Snow and the other cultivators have arrived."
"The team from Scarlet Cloud City."
The six teams from Sky Noon City and Ice Star City watched as two Flood Dragon-like teams came like hot knife slicing through butter! Even though there were many Chaotic Origin Lifeforms, those two teams were simply too powerful.
"Stop them! Stop them!" The Sea of Abyss Master dashed over at a high speed. At the same time, he roared out his orders.
He and the other Chaotic Origin Lifeforms were rushing over in the direction of the six teams.
"We can't stop them."
The two teams from Scarlet Cloud City were also doing their best to charge forward!
All Chaotic Origin Lifeforms in the region half a million kilometers around them had their strength drop by one level! Because of this significant decrease, the threat from their obstruction was negligible. If they all had the strength of Grand Perfection God Emperors... with their numbers, Xue Ying and the other cultivators would definitely be slowed. But now, they were all at the strength of Late Stage God Emperors. Hence, they could barely slow down the cultivators by 10%! It was also due to the fearless attitude of the Chaotic Origin Lifeforms that they used their bodies to stop the cultivators from proceeding forward.
"Hu."
This slight influence of their speed did not change the outcome as they were still faster than the Sea of Abyss Master.
In the distance, the six teams had already begun fighting with some Chaotic Origin Lifeforms. As they fought, they were moving towards Scarlet Cloud City too. They were trying to reduce the number of Chaotic Origin Lifeforms surrounding them! They were also delaying time so that they could gather with the teams from Scarlet Cloud City.
"Hold on further!"
"We are here!"
The two teams from Scarlet Cloud City killed their way over. Finally, they charged through the obstacles and met up with the six teams from Sky Noon City and Ice Star City.
"Hahaha..." The cultivators from Sky Noon City and Ice Star City guffawed. Because after entering the region where Xue Ying was, they felt the surrounding Chaotic Origin Lifeforms becoming significantly weaker. They could no longer threaten their team.
"Monarch Flying Snow, it is all thanks to you all."
"City Master Weather, it has been a long time since we met. This time, we are going to deal with the Sea of Abyss Master once again."
The group of cultivators were clearly in a good mood.
As the eight teams gathered, they killed their way back ostentatiously. Those Chaotic Origin Lifeforms could hardly stop them as they easily reached the Scarlet Cloud City and met up with the other team! The reason why a team was left back at the city is to prevent the Sea of Abyss Master from sieging Scarlet Cloud City successfully.
The nine teams had gathered!
And they immediately began their offense against the Sea of Abyss Master. Yet another huge battle started.
...
Nonetheless.
Just like what everyone expected, even though the nine teams had a powerful offense against the Sea of Abyss Master! The Sea of Abyss Master was simply using his body to defend against most attacks. Even if Weather Leaf, Wu Xiao, Xun Yi, and other City Master Level experts relied on the formation to attack, giving rise to a certain degree of threat against the Sea of Abyss Master, that slight injury was something the Sea of Abyss Master could still recover from.
Hence, the nine teams could not kill the Sea of Abyss Master.
Their offensive strength... was something that the Sea of Abyss Master could recover from. It was clear that a continued battle would be futile.
Hence, the nine teams could only temporarily return to Scarlet Cloud City.
"We still can't do it."
"The combined strength from three cities might be much stronger, forcing the Sea of Abyss Master into stranded circumstances. However, his survival techniques are too powerful."
"Mn, let us wait a little longer. A few more days and all cultivators from the five cities would gather here! By then, once we succeed in forming the large-scale combat formation, we'll use it. Otherwise, perhaps we might still win when all 15 teams worked together against the Sea of Abyss Master."
Currently, there were more than 10,000 cultivators gathered in Scarlet Cloud City. It was truly bustling with activity.
Of which those that specialized in array techniques were researching together. Discussing face to face was much more convenient and easier than relying on the 'communication treasure'.
Time passed.
In the blink of an eye, seven days passed. The six teams from Rising Light City and Frost Moon City had already gathered and were heading towards Scarlet Cloud City.
'They are here.'
Outside the city.
The towering figure of the Sea of Abyss Master sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. Clearly, knowing that his siege against the city was futile, he had stopped for a rest. Even as he sat there, his body was still several hundred kilometers tall, and his head was close to the clouds.
He suddenly opened his eyes.
As he could feel the final six teams from the other two cities reaching.
'They are here. They are finally here. The cultivators from the remaining two cities have finally arrived. I have concealed my strength for so long, and it should be time.' Killing intent began rising in the heart of the Sea of Abyss Master, 'Overlords that are so high above have imprisoned me here, forcing me to be tortured and making me a grinding stone for these weak little ants. But you will soon know what regret is.'
'All cultivators from the five cities are going to die! None will remain alive.'
'I, Cheng Hao! Am destined to be famous across the endless Chaotic Origin Dimension.' A strand of frigid and murderous intent flitted through the eyes of the Sea of Abyss Master.