Chapter 382: The Last Thing They Wanted To See (1/2)

Human demon.

Scarlet Ape, an entity from the Primeval Era, elicited considerable bafflement when it suddenly spoke that term. Its other declaration of the ‘resting place of the human emperor’ caused further confusion in the crowd.

Was Dusk Province a place where an immortal emperor of old had fallen? But then, why had the ape spoken specifically of a human emperor?

However, this question was but a mere fleeting thought.

Countless North Sea soldiers had ridden the waves and made landfall in Dusk Province. The seaside fortress supposed to stop them was now fully in enemy hands, its weapon of war now the enemy’s spear that fired a constant barrage that helped Scarlet Ape contend with the giant clad in crimson armor.

The armored giant wasn’t the same Dusk Province restriction that Lu Yun had once met in the Sword Barrow. At the very least, this one’s strength was greater. But against a Scarlet Ape gone berserk, he seemed as vulnerable as before, inexorably falling back step after step beneath the giant iron staff’s blows.

While the human demon, or the province restriction in other words, was kept busy by the giant ape, the monster spirit invaders were free to unleash all of their strength and blitz through the land.

Even then, Lu Yun didn’t rashly show his hand. He remained atop a section of city wall that yet remained intact, the Yin and Yang Formation Orbs hovering over his head as he guarded the capital city that’d lost its fortifications.

One hundred and eight dazzling stars abruptly appeared and positioned themselves in a marvelous formation that stopped the rampaging army’s advance. These were the hundred and eight peerless immortals Lu Yun had instructed in the Great Formation of Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends. Though some of them hailed from factions hostile to him, they’d nevertheless come when Dusk Province found itself in peril.

The Star Demon Sect’s disciples also came. Shouldering a large, black cannon, Situ Zong immediately charged into the massive horde of monster immortals and laid waste around him. They were followed closely by a contingent from the Panorama Pavilion. Immortal sword in hand, a young woman sporting a pregnant belly hacked her way through the monster spirits—the Pavilion Lord’s disciple Qing Ruyan was leading her men in person.

But even with these reinforcements, the enemy’s numbers seemed endless. It was simply impossible to kill them all.

Shortly thereafter, the immortals rescued by Lu Yun in the North Sea also made their entrance, adding their numbers to Dusk’s defense. Xiangliu Ting, Canghai Xi—yet to return to the Dark North Sword Sect—and the rest also came.

However, even more chose to watch the show from the sidelines.

Nephrite Major amassed troops in Outré Province, but made no move to enter the fray. Powerhouses from various factions also gathered around the borders of the province, adopting a wait and see attitude. Some entered Dusk to protect the disciples of their organizations, but refrained from taking part in the battle.

…...

“If that’s how it’s going to be, I won’t feel the slightest bit guilty when I destroy your foundations in the future.” Lu Yun’s lips curved into a cold smirk.

He hadn’t made a move yet because he wanted to see what the vultures waiting on the sidelines, or those salivating over his formation, would choose to do. They didn’t join the attack, but weren’t willing to help either. They merely looked on in cold-hearted indifference.

“Are you sure you don’t need me to fight?” Qing Han looked at Lu Yun a little tensely. With the help of Su Xiaoxiao and Xing Zi, he’d gradually begun to rein in the poison curse in his body.

“It’s fine. That’s nothing but a monkey, it won’t be able to stir up too many waves.” Lu Yun smiled and subconsciously reached out to stroke the disguised girl’s hair. “I just wanted to see how the world would react to this. They’ve shown me everything I wanted to see, so I’m going to show them something they don’t want to see.”

Qing Han gently ducked his head and tried to avoid Lu Yun’s hand.

“Awooo—” An earthshaking roar sounded from the southern direction of the province. Walking on air, two giant divine Black Tortoises appeared on the horizon.

One was a genuine Black Tortoise, turtle and snake bodies intertwined as it rode the waves. The other was an image condensed from the Formation of the Black Tortoise. Valiant and heroic, a silver-haired girl stood on the incarnation’s head and surveyed the crowd of immortals from high above: Yuchi Hanxing and the Dusk Phalanx under her command!

As divine beasts of the cardinal north, the tortoises’ presence immediately disrupted the momentum of the North Sea monster immortals, distracting their minds with pressure and confusion.

Shortly after, the giant image of a water god also emerged. A human face paired with a snake’s body and framed by scarlet hair, it was no other than Gonggong’s avatar.

Even the Scaled-Dragon King emerged with his Scaled-Dragon army, followed shortly by Beigong Yu and his newly reorganized Kunpeng army. Covering the sky with its immense wingspan, the kunpeng’s image was even more formidable than Gonggong’s own!

After all, Kunpeng King Beigong Yu was the true number one monster spirit king of the North Sea.

Then the elite monster soldiers Lu Yun had looted from the North Sea, as well as the various monster kings, dao immortal monster spirits, and the like all showed themselves.

However, the appearance of Bing Xuan and Bing Ling was what truly rocked the invaders to the core and sent countless monster spirits plunging into the depths of despair. Bing Xuan had once been an arcane dao immortal of the North Sea, the monster emperor’s right hand man! He, too, had surrendered to Lu Yun and was helping the human kill his own kind?!

“Just what did Lu Yun do in the North Sea? I thought he only took away the palace? How did he bring back these monster spirit soldiers and immortals as well?” Hidden in the void and constantly looking out for Beigong Xuan’s arrival, the Pavilion Lord gaped with incredulity.

To many, it seemed this was no longer the North Sea attacking Dusk Province, but somehow a civil war between denizens of the North Sea that just so happened to be taking place inside the province?

Particularly of note were the number one and number two monster kings of the North Sea, Beigong Yu and the Scaled-Dragon King, respectively, slicing through monster immortals like hot knives through butter with nary an eyeblink.

“If I don’t get rid of Lu Yun, he’ll become a mortal threat to me sooner or later!” Zhao Changkong whispered to himself in alarm. He’d also reached Dusk Province’s shores and was witnessing the strength at Lu Yun’s disposal.

“Quite a few formation grandmasters have already obtained a copy of his formation, which means that even without Lu Yun, other formation masters of the world can also perfect it….” Of course, he’d also sent the Nephrite court formation masters court to Dusk Province.