Chapter Forty: The Great Battle Begins

“Demon... demon cultivators?” Li Xiu Yue’s voice trembled slightly.

Demon cultivators!

Demon cultivators, unseen until now, had arrived? And not just a handful—a whole horde!

The surface of the sea suddenly began to churn, the waters surging in every direction.

A massive shadow, a hundred feet across, slowly surfaced. Someone whispered, “Turtle... turtle cultivators?”

Giant turtle shells, each more than ten feet wide, floated on the ocean. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into human shapes standing upon the water.

Xuan Wuji’s expression was dark and grim. He did not even glance at the giant turtles; his gaze remained fixed on the depths of the sea.

A turtle shell, more than thirty feet wide, slowly rose before vanishing in an instant.

Everyone’s vision swam, and suddenly a new figure stood before them.

It was an old man with a turtle shell on his back, his demeanor calm as he regarded them.

“Friend Turtle, what advice do you bring?” Xuan Wuji cupped his hands in greeting. “Surely this is still near the mainland, is it not?”

The old man’s voice was low. “Every sea domain falls within our territory. That was the agreement made between both sides thousands of years ago. Or do you intend to ignore that agreement now that you’ve discovered a vein of spirit stones?”

Xuan Wuji cursed his luck inwardly.

He had hoped to quietly mine some spirit stones, even if only for a few extra days.

“Friend Turtle, this place is less than a thousand miles from the mainland. By rights, it is neither sea nor land, but part of the buffer zone between us. Therefore, any spirit stone mine here should belong to whoever discovers it!”

Bai Zhankong spoke up, and Qu Tiangcheng nodded in agreement. “Exactly so. Friend Turtle, please return!”

The old man cackled. “Your reasoning is sound. But since we’re here, how could we leave empty-handed? Here’s my proposal: let my turtle clan mine for ten days or half a month, then we’ll depart. How’s that?”

Su Yizhao stared at the sea.

Each turtle-back demon cultivator’s eyes flashed with lightning, their strength all at the early Divine Spirit Realm.

The ocean churned—deep below, the demon cultivators were already excavating the spirit stones with all their might.

“If that’s the case, there’s nothing left but to decide this by force!” Bai Zhankong hefted his giant sword and slashed through the air at the old man.

Xuan Wuji and Qu Tiangcheng, as if by prior arrangement, attacked at the same time.

“Heavenly Sword Art!”

“Soul Pierce!”

“Kill!” Feng Bubai’s voice rang out. Ten thousand cultivators unleashed their flying swords, shooting toward the enemy below.

“Kill!”

“Kill!”

A giant sword fell from the sky, cleaving toward the demon cultivators on the sea.

Countless ripples surged forth.

Su Yizhao yanked Li Xiu Yue, retreating with her to the rear of the formation.

In the blink of an eye, an all-out battle erupted.

Assailed by three masters at once, the old man showed no panic. The turtle shell on his back expanded abruptly, shielding his entire body.

A dull thud echoed in the chaos.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Crash!

Bai Zhankong’s great sword, Xuan Wuji’s myriad flying swords, Qu Tiangcheng’s soul attack—all struck the turtle shell.

Yet the shell was unscathed.

The old man laughed heartily, vanishing in a blur.

Reappearing, he clenched his right fist and struck toward Bai Zhankong.

The giant sword swung to meet the blow—a deafening clang sounded, and Bai Zhankong was sent flying backward.

The old man did not chase him. Instead, he spun and threw a punch at Xuan Wuji.

Xuan Wuji cried out, “Heavenly Sword Art!”

Nine golden swords before him fused into a spinning umbrella of light.

A fist suddenly appeared, striking the golden umbrella.

With a crash, the golden light shattered, the swords wailed, and Xuan Wuji was hurled backward, spitting blood.

“Is that all? Again!”

The old man turned, sending another punch at Qu Tiangcheng.

Qu Tiangcheng barked, “Soul Shield!”

A ripple spread through the void. Qu Tiangcheng, too, spat blood and was sent flying.

Three breaths, three punches.

Three sect leaders—all injured.

Su Yizhao’s face darkened. He and Li Xiu Yue had retreated behind the Xuan Zhan Hall disciples, not daring to withdraw any further.

Meanwhile, the attacks of thirty thousand disciples had stirred colossal waves upon the sea.

But within those waves, every demon cultivator bent forward, their turtle shells facing the onslaught.

When the waves subsided, not a single demon cultivator was harmed.

Terrifying—demon cultivators were truly formidable!

Two figures shot through the air, and Xuan Wuji, Bai Zhankong, and Qu Tiangcheng stood together.

Against demon cultivators, no matter past grudges, they must unite.

This was the consensus all human cultivators had reached five thousand years ago, after the life-and-death battle against the Devourers from beyond.

The three exchanged glances and moved in unison, forming a triangle.

Xuan Wuji shouted, “Heavenly Sword—main attack!”

Bai Zhankong set his sword before him. “Great Sword—main defense!”

Qu Tiangcheng’s eyes gleamed. “Soul—interference!”

The three became as one, spinning rapidly. Instantly, sword light, giant sword, and soul attacks filled the air.

The old man gave a dry chuckle and unleashed three punches through the air.

Fists appeared in an instant, but this time, a great sword blocked them.

Clang, clang, clang—the three blows rang out. The trio, spinning, each placed a hand on the shoulder of the one before.

Rotating together, they withstood the three punches, but this time, none were injured.

Su Yizhao watched their seamless cooperation and was struck by a sudden thought.

Yet all around him, the chaos of battle left no room for distraction.

After weathering the wave of attacks, the demon cultivators on the sea rose into the air.

Bending low, they merged into a colossal turtle shell ten thousand feet wide, charging into the sky.

Feng Bubai shouted, “Body Sect—defend! Qi Sect—attack! Soul Sect—interfere!”

The other two sects offered no objection but instantly fell into formation.

In a flash, the three groups of ten thousand men each moved as one, spinning together in unity.

Su Yizhao and Li Xiu Yue stared in disbelief.

With their meager strength, they could do nothing. All they could do was retreat a hundred miles, watching the battle from afar.

Flying swords filled the sky, giant blades swept the horizon.

Deep beneath the hundred-foot waves, ravines were carved, reefs shattered.

Xuan Wuji, Bai Zhankong, Qu Tiangcheng, and the turtle elder fought faster and faster, soon vanishing into the clouds.

The colossal turtle shell soared skyward, entangling with the three sects. The casualties mounted ever higher!

With carnage on such a scale, not a single corpse remained whole.

Blood rained from the sky.

Severed limbs flew in every direction.

Both human and demon clans suffered.

The turtle cultivators’ coordination was impeccable. With the ten-thousand-foot shell, they rampaged unchecked.

Within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the stench of blood filled the air for fifty miles around.

“Send for reinforcements!” Feng Bubai roared. Message talismans scattered in all directions.

Su Yizhao clenched his fists, but there was nowhere to vent his strength.

His mind raced, torn between fleeing and helping, when suddenly he heard a lecherous laugh: “Heh heh, such a beautiful human woman—I’ve never seen the like. Care to play with me?”

Su Yizhao jerked his head down, just in time to see a red figure shooting up from below.

Looking closely, he saw a young man with narrow, triangular eyes, staring hungrily at Li Xiu Yue, drool trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Rage and disgust surged in Su Yizhao’s heart.

In a flash, he summoned his flying sword and vanished from where he stood.

Hundreds of silver streaks formed a line, darting straight for the youth’s throat. Su Yizhao reappeared behind him, sword poised, and plunged it toward the man’s back.

The young man seemed not to react, standing there in a daze...