176 Mongol Invasion (2/2)
Panicked shouts echoed as the cultivator armies hurriedly gathered into their formations. However, their forces were disjointed and unorganized. This was because they were really separate armies of individual sects uniting temporarily. Additionally, many of their officers had died during the earlier battle, and the deaths of other cultivators created many holes in their formations. If this was all they had to bring to the table, then the coming fight would likely be a deadly one.
Suddenly, the Purple Origin Sect's barrier lit up brightly once again. Thousands of elemental giants began to spawn and walk towards the cultivator army.
”The Purple Origin Sect's ancient formation will help us!” A cultivator excitedly shouted.
Similar shouts of joy rang out everywhere as the cultivators gained their reinforcements. With the elemental giants taking the brunt of the damage, they would win the war far more easily. It was the equivalent of receiving coal in the winter, and even the cultivators that had just lost their previous war were celebrating.
Soon, the Mongol Army reached Mount Dongling. Just as the cultivators prepared to attack, a series of agonized screams rang out. Shocked, the various cultivators all turned their heads in numerous directions.
”TRAITORS!” Someone yelled in horror.
”NO! STOP!” Another cultivator screamed as they watched an ice sword penetrate their chest.
The elemental giants had betrayed the cultivator army! Their ranks were devastated as the various types of elemental giants cut through their numbers with lightning, fire, and more.
The Mongol Army didn't let this opportunity go to waste as they fired their first barrage. One-thousand mana bullets tore through the front line of the cultivator army, creating an elemental explosion identical to the one that had been used on the sect leaders earlier. Very few of the cultivators hit by the explosion survived. After all, most of them simply weren't comparable to their sect leaders in strength. It'd be strange if many of them did survive such a horrifying attack.
Ed watched in pure shock as this happened. For once, everything had truly gone far beyond the scope of his expectations. First, he had wrongly expected the Mongol Army to be weak. Then he had expected the cultivator army to hold their own with the help of the elemental giants, but they had been betrayed instead.
”It's Bai Fang...” Haru whispered under his breath.
”Mm.” Ed nodded in agreement, a grim look on his face. He was silent for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. ”China is as good as finished. Even if they win, their forces will be nonexistent.” He turned towards the Purple Origin Sect's barrier, a grin covering his face. 'Well, at least I have an excuse to kill Bai Fang now. Sect Leader Fang can't blame me for helping him out. I'm just a good person like that.' He chuckled to himself as he walked towards the barrier.
The sounds of elemental explosions continued resounding throughout the battlefield. The cultivator army was being demolished from both inside and outside. The sect leaders would likely save them soon, but by then it would be too late. The damage would have already been done.
Ed ignored all of this as he placed his honorary elder medallion against the Purple Origin Sect's barrier. Fortunately, it still worked for creating an opening in the barrier. It seemed that the medallions served as a key, and the combination could not easily be changed. Otherwise, Sect Leader Fang would likely have locked him out before the war, and Bai Fang definitely would have locked everyone out while carrying out his current betrayal.
Now back within the empty sect, Ed headed straight for the castle atop the mountain. He felt confident that Bai would be in the throne room he and Dupe had left just a short while ago. As he climbed the mountain, he became absorbed in his own thoughts. 'The Earth Dust Sect still hasn't appeared... The cultivator army is already being destroyed by just the Mongol army. Factoring in Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and maybe India, things are only going to get worse. Will Nexus make an actual appearance as well?'
Ed pushed open the castle gates. 'Maybe I should flee the country after killing Bai? I need to head to India anyways, and there really isn't anything else for me to gain here.' He frowned. 'But where's Yuki? And where's Tai? I need to know their whereabouts before leaving.'
Pushing open another door, Ed entered the main castle building. He walked past the elegant decorations and headed straight for the throne room. Looking down the gilded purple carpet, he saw two thrones. The Fake Yuki, now unveiled, sat in one. Bai sat in the other with his eyes closed while chanting in an odd language. Even with his previous soul experiences, Ed had never heard such a language before. He couldn't make heads or tails of what any of it meant.
Suddenly, Bai's eyes flicked open, and he stopped chanting. A smile covered his face as he stood from the throne. ”I knew you would come.” His smile turned into a grin. ”It's your fault Sect Leader Fang didn't allow me to marry Yuki. He only has himself to blame for today's destruction of the Purple Origin Sect.” A blood sword formed in his hand and pointed it forward. ”And you only have yourself to blame for your death today!”