Yunzhou. Hidden Dragon City was located deep in the mountains. Above the rolling sea of clouds, a huge ship slowly lowered its body.
Boom!
The ship suddenly shook as if it had hit a rock.
In the sky above Hidden Dragon City, a 'shell' appeared, blocking the uninvited guest who was descending from the sky.
The moment the Wind Boat was intercepted by the Defense Formation, a hooded figure in white flew out of the boat and looked down at the whole Hidden Dragon City.
"This formation is made up of 76 Earth Terminating Formations. Even a Fourth Stage Warrior can't break it.
It's a bit troublesome, "Yang Qianhuan said lightly.
On the edge of the Wind Boat, Nangong Qianrou frowned and said,
"Can you do it?"
Yang Qianhuan stood with his hands behind his back and said in an invincible tone,
"Easy!"
Just because a Fourth Stage Warrior couldn't break it, it didn't mean a Fourth Stage Warlock couldn't. He deliberately emphasized it to show that he was different from the others.
As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Qianhuan's feet landed lightly on the Defense Formation, and circles of formations lit up under his feet.
In the eyes of outsiders, there was no difference between these circles. They were all based on the Eight Trigrams, with crisscrossing lines and twisted mysterious symbols.
However, when the circles that Yang Qianhuan spread out merged with the Defense Formation, the Defense Formation that enveloped Hidden Dragon City began to shake violently. The structure of the formation seemed to have a problem, and the 76 small formations that formed the whole formation quickly disintegrated.
In the field of formations, this kind of solidified formation was the easiest to break because its structure was fixed. One just had to find the weakness and break it.
This had nothing to do with the rank of the person who set up the formation. A fire formation was a fire formation, and a water formation was a water formation. Even a high-ranked warlock couldn't turn a fire formation into a water formation.
At most, the structure would be a bit more complicated.
Every formation had a corresponding method to break it.
Just like Xu Pingfeng could break the formation left by the Supervisor, Yang Qianhuan could also break the formation he set up.
Chen Ying, who was standing beside Nangong Qianrou, heaved a sigh of relief. If Yang Qianhuan didn't come along, this Defense Formation alone would be a headache for them.
Duke Wei's blitzkrieg strategy wouldn't work.
However, Chen Ying soon realized that he was wrong. There would be no accidents in a blitzkrieg, and Yang Qianhuan had been specifically requested by the Duke of Wei to accompany the army in a surprise attack on Cloud State.
This meant that Duke Wei had expected the existence of the Defense Formation.
"Heh, if Duke Wei came back earlier, Qingzhou wouldn't have fallen," Chen Ying muttered.
As he spoke, the defensive formation below shattered with a loud bang.
Inside the Hidden Dragon City, the drums were beating loudly. After a short moment of panic, the guards who were guarding the city quickly regained their order. They used the drums as a warning to gather in the city.
The soldiers on the city wall adjusted the cannons and pointed them to the sky.
"A group!"
Chen Ying sneered. Just as he was about to give the order to land, he suddenly saw a figure in white appear outside the Wind-Riding Boat.
The man in white was wearing an iron mask. His featureless face stared at them silently. He stretched out his palm and pushed outwards!
The circular formation instantly expanded and crashed into the Wind-Riding Boat.
Within the circular formation, the earth, wind, water, and fire lit up one by one, emitting a terrifying aura.
Chen Ying, Nangong Qianrou, and the other Rank-4 martial artists received a warning of danger at the same time. Their expressions changed slightly, and their hearts sank.
It wasn't the formation's attack power that could threaten them, but the Wind-Riding Boat beneath their feet couldn't withstand an attack of this level.
Once the Wind-Riding Ship was destroyed, the soldiers on the ship would fall to their deaths.
At this time, Wu Fu's weakness was revealed. They weren't afraid of the destructive power of the formation, but they didn't have the means to break the formation. They also couldn't use spells to protect the Wind Riding Boat.
In the nick of time, the man who picked up the stars every day descended.
The Teleportation Formation under Yang Qianhuan's feet lit up. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of the Puppet in white. Then, he stretched out his palm and grabbed the Puppet's head.
The teleportation formation beneath Yang Qianhuan's feet lit up and he appeared in front of the white-robed puppet in the blink of an eye. Then, he reached out and grabbed the puppet's head.
The puppet tried to teleport away, but Yang Qianhuan's hand gripped its face, and all of its formations were rendered useless.
Yang Qianhuan's deep voice came from under the hood.
Yang Qianhuan's deep voice came from under the veil hat.
A Defense Formation appeared in his palm. Flames gushed out and formed a ten-meter-long tongue of flame.
When the flame was extinguished, the Metal Puppet in his hand was burned red. Its head had melted into molten iron.
When the flame was extinguished, the Metal Puppet in his hand was burned red. Its head had melted into molten iron.
This puppet had only just entered the Rank-4 realm. The array formations that it could use were the ones that had just been refined. The number and power of the array formations that Xu Pingfeng had engraved in it were not great.
Yang Qianhuan was an experienced sorcerer who could break through to the Third Stage Celestial Mystery Master.
Nangong Qianrou immediately gave the order to land. The four thousand soldiers on the ship were ready to go. The cavalry had the advantage in the city. In urban warfare, they could just abandon their horses.
Without their horses, they were also invulnerable heavy armored infantry.
At the top of the mountain, a middle-aged man in purple climbed up a pavilion. Under the protection of the Shadow Guards, he looked at the huge ship that was slowly landing in the sky.
"Send a message to the surrounding villages. Ask them to return to Hidden Dragon City."
The middle-aged man in purple said in a deep voice with a serious face.
He didn't panic. Yesterday, the frontline had sent back news. The Yunzhou Army had taken Yongzhou City without bloodshed and completely occupied Yongzhou City.
The army would soon be able to push into the capital and settle the score with the Great Feng, ending this battle for Zhulu.
Although Hidden Dragon City was invaded by the enemy, it could also be the last struggle of Daibun.
In the past year, Daibun had experienced the battle of Jingshan City during the autumn harvest. A hundred thousand elites died in the north. Before they could recover, the cold disaster came. Then, he proclaimed himself the Emperor of Yunzhou and sent his army to the north to attack the imperial court.
To this day, how many strong soldiers and fierce generals did the Great Feng Empire still have?
There were five thousand elites in Hidden Dragon City. Together with those in the surrounding villages, there were more than ten thousand soldiers.
It was enough to defend against the enemy.
"Madam, Madam …"
In a quiet courtyard, a maidservant hurried in and pushed open the door of a quiet room.
There was only a beautiful woman meditating in the room. She was graceful, fair, and beautiful.
"Madam, follow me to the basement to hide. The enemy has broken in."
The maidservant shouted in panic.
The beautiful woman was stunned. Then, her expression became complicated. It was hard to tell whether she was happy or sad.
She had lived in her boudoir for a long time and was forbidden to go out. She could only receive news through the maidservant beside her. So, she knew about the war in the Central Plains.
When the news came yesterday, everyone in Hidden Dragon City was excited. From the top officials to the common people, they all drank and drank until dawn. They were looking forward to leaving Hidden Dragon City and entering the capital.
The Hidden Dragon City Lord had promised the people in the city that after he conquered the world, all the people in Hidden Dragon City could move to the capital and become nobles under the feet of the Emperor.
"Do you know who the leader is?" the beautiful woman asked anxiously.
"Is it Xu Qi'an?"
The maidservant looked anxious.
"How would I know? Hurry up and hide. Otherwise, those soldiers will rush in and kill you. They won't care what your identity is. "
As she spoke, she pulled her mistress towards the direction of the basement.
…
The various strongholds outside Hidden Dragon City were currently embroiled in a fierce battle.
Groups of heavily armored infantrymen climbed up against the arrows and muskets. Bullets and arrows hit their bodies, creating sparks. It was impossible to deal with this group of armored soldiers who had almost no weaknesses after putting on the armor.
After Yang Qianhuan had observed the position of the Hidden Dragon City, she drew a simple map based on the feedback from the Aura Observation Technique. She marked out the position of the Hidden Dragon City and the surrounding villages.
Nangong Qianrou and a few other generals discussed and divided the heavy cavalry into two groups. One group would be quietly deployed outside the city and then hide. When the war started, they would immediately attack the villages around Hidden Dragon City.
The other group would go with the Wind-Riding Boat and land directly in Hidden Dragon City.
This was also because the Wind-Riding Boat had a limited capacity. It could not carry a heavy cavalry soldier and his horse to Hidden Dragon City. In fact, even the vanguard army that landed in Hidden Dragon City was divided into two groups.
…
In the Northern Region.
The Tribulation Cloud formed magnificent burning clouds. The Fire Spirit in the air condensed at a shocking speed. The temperature quickly warmed up. It entered the scorching summer and continued to rise, turning this part of the world into a huge furnace.
The most violent and terrifying Thunder and Fire Tribulation was coming.
The puddles on the ground quickly evaporated. The ground was covered with mud a moment ago, but the next moment, it was dry and cracked.
The White Emperor squinted and stepped back a little. The high temperature made him uncomfortable.
The Water Spirit in the air was almost dispersed. It could not use its Water Spirit Spell in such an environment. Fortunately, it could still control thunder and lightning.
Between its horns, a collapsing ball of lightning took shape, accumulating power and waiting to be unleashed.
Luo Yuheng looked up. The red clouds were reflected in her black pearl-like eyes. A trace of disappointment and sadness flashed in her eyes.
The previous Taoist chief of Renzong, her father, died in the last Thunder and Fire Tribulation.
Among the Four Symbols, the Thunder and Fire Tribulation was the most powerful and terrifying. It was not like the Golden Core Tribulation, which had 81 strikes. It was also not like the other three Tribulations, which were weak at first and then strong.
It only had one strike.
If he could survive it, he would be an Earth Immortal. If he couldn't, his cultivation would be destroyed and his soul would be destroyed.
"It hurts …"
The ash on Xu Qi 'an's body fell off, revealing his fair skin.
Bai Di's waterspout and lightning strike almost caused him to die on the spot and ascend.
Fortunately, the Warrior's endurance was not just for show. The dead cells were replaced by new ones, so his injuries recovered quickly.
However, this kind of recovery consumed his energy and energy, so his breath was weak.
The Spiritual Essence that he collected was still in his body, and it had not been fully activated.
His power had reached the peak of the second level, and if he went any further, he would reach the first level. This was obviously not something the Spiritual Essence of the Flower God could do.
Xu Qi 'an wiped the ash on Luo Yuheng's robe, then he held her hands and smiled.
"Don't be afraid. After the Tribulation, we will be an immortal couple in the world."
Feeling the warmth coming from his palms and seeing his brilliant smile, Luo Yuheng didn't pursue the matter of him dirtying his robe. He said softly,
She asked softly, "What if I fail?"
She was a little traumatized by the Thunder and Fire Tribulation. She had seen her father turn into ashes in the Tribulation Fire.
"Then we will be cultivation partners in the next life." Xu Qi 'an smiled.
If one of them died and the other was injured, then he would be the Undead Knight … At this critical moment, he was very calm.
They looked at each other.
Luo Yuheng's flawless face was no longer cold, and there was a touch of tenderness.
At this moment, a pillar of fire as thick as a water tank fell from the sky in the layers of Tribulation Clouds.
It was so powerful that it distorted the air around it. The heat wave it created set the clothes and hair of the Transcendents on fire.
It instantly engulfed Luo Yuheng and Xu Qi 'an, the pair of "infatuated man and resentful woman", and turned the ground under their feet into boiling lava.
Now was the time … The thunderball between White Emperor's horns, ready to be unleashed, suddenly shot out.
Lightning flashed, and the bright ball of lightning shot out, leaving arcs of electricity in its path.
Boom!
The ball of lightning dispersed the pillar of fire, and tongues of fire shot out in all directions. When the pillar of fire was dispersed, the White Emperor didn't see Xu Qi 'an and Luo Yuheng. The two of them were gone.
The next moment, the pillar of fire returned to its original state, and roasted the ground.
At this moment, a loud dragon roar came from the sky. The Transcendents on the scene looked up, and they could vaguely see a huge golden dragon in the pillar of fire, going against the heavenly fire and rising up.
Up there?
What was he trying to do?
The White Emperor and Galo Tree frowned. The latter stopped, and temporarily let go of Azuro, who was beaten up so badly that even his own mother wouldn't be able to recognize him.
In the flames, Xu Qi 'an hugged Luo Yuheng, going against the pillar of fire, and rushed higher and higher.
Luo Yuheng already had an indestructible body, and although her body was perfectly preserved in the pillar of fire, it didn't mean that she was unscathed. In fact, she was suffering from indescribable pain, and her body was on the verge of collapse.
Once she couldn't take it anymore, she would turn into ashes.
So unbearable, so unbearable … Luo Yuheng's fair skin became even paler. No, not paler, but transparent. She looked like a statue made of Glaze.
If this went on, she would completely burn out her life force, and then turn into ashes, just like her father.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here!"
Xu Qi 'an's low voice came into her ears.
Luo Yuheng's heart instantly calmed down, like a small boat in a raging sea that had entered a safe harbor.
She tilted her head and saw a charred human figure.
Xu Qi 'an's skin was quickly charred, and the outer layer of ashes was peeled off, revealing his red and bloody flesh. The tender flesh was charred again, and then turned into ashes and peeled off. After this repeated a few times, Luo Yuheng saw his red-hot skull.
The next step was to burn his Primordial Spirit … She was about to summon her Dharma Form to help him block the tribulation fire when she suddenly felt a vigorous life force rising from his body.
This huge and pure life force was like a clear spring, flowing into Luo Yuheng and Xu Qi 'an's withered body.
Xu Qi 'an closed his eyes and began to focus on refining his body, blood, and spirit.
His flesh and blood kept burning and regenerating. During this process, his essence, Qi, and spirit were refined over and over again, quickly fusing together. In just a few breaths, he had completed the journey that others would take decades to complete.
This Divine Tribulation Battle was a death sentence, no, a death sentence. The Transcendents of Yunzhou and Daibun thought the same, and the facts proved that it was true.
If there was no backup plan, the Lightning Fire Tribulation would be the end of Xu Qi 'an's life. If Luo Yuheng did not bring him into the range of the Divine Tribulation, Xu Qi' an would have died in the hands of the White Emperor.
Luo Yuheng did not have the chance to solidify her cultivation. After passing the Golden Core Tribulation, she could either help Xu Qi 'an defend against the enemy and wait for the next round of Divine Tribulation, or she would fail the Divine Tribulation due to excessive mana consumption.
Or she could ignore the life and death of Xu Qi 'an and the others and hide to solidify her cultivation. The price would be the death of Xu Qi' an and the destruction of Daibun.
Luo Yuheng herself, on the other hand, might be able to survive.
Luo Yuheng chose the former, but the former was still a dead end.
So she had to face death and live.
But how?
Xu Qi 'an suggested that he should use the Divine Tribulation to advance to First Rank.
He was the one who advanced to First Rank.
When Azuro, Jinlian and Zhao Shou heard his suggestion, they almost thought that he had lost his mind.
He had only advanced to Second Rank for half a month and he wanted to become a First Rank Warrior?
This was disrespect to cultivation, disrespect to all the Transcendents in the world, disrespect to the people of Kouyang Province.
But Xu Qi 'an's next words convinced them, making them decide to stake it all on one throw and gamble with Xu Qi' an.
The inspiration for Xu Qi 'an's decision to advance to First Rank came from Luo Yuheng's detailed description of the Divine Tribulation on the night of the Transcendents' discussion. When she mentioned the Lightning Fire Tribulation, Xu Qi 'an had a bold idea.
Before the Divine Tribulation, he went to Nanjiang to ask Shen Shu how to advance to First Rank and got the answer.
Normally, using the body as a furnace and combining the three into one to achieve a First Rank Physique was a long process. This path was bound to be fraught with danger and limited by talent. Not every First Rank Warrior could become a half-step Martial God.
As a person blessed by the fate of the country, Xu Qi 'an definitely did not lack talent, he only lacked time.
Whether it was advancing from Beginner to Peak Second Rank, or refining the three, they all required time.
But he, who worked hard to arrange the flowers, received a gift from the Flower God, his body was filled with spiritual energy, and he understood the "Dao" that made up for his lack of cultivation.
Although Peak Second Rank was not normal and would fall back to normal sooner or later.
He planned to make use of this short period of time and use the Lightning Fire Tribulation to refine his body, combining the three to successfully advance to First Rank.
This was equivalent to completing the slow process of tempering in one go, it was basically suicide.
At this time, the benefits of working hard to arrange the flowers showed itself. As long as he conserved the consumption of spiritual energy and left some in his body, the Flower God's spiritual energy would be his greatest support when he tempered his body with the Lightning Fire Tribulation.
This was the spiritual energy of the Immortal Tree.
Other than that, he also had the Dragon Breath, all the Dragon Breath he had obtained from his travels in Jianghu.
With the Dragon Breath in his body, he was blessed!
Adding on the half of the country's fate that he already had, Xu Qi 'an felt that he could take a gamble!
The reason why Azuro and the other two agreed was because they felt that it was worth the gamble.
As the Lightning Fire burned over and over again, the solid golden dragon rushed into Xu Qi 'an's body. He gradually carbonized, his weak body regained its vitality and continued to endure the tempering of the Lightning Fire.
Luo Yuheng held Xu Qi 'an's hand tightly, not letting go even at the most painful moment.
After a dozen breaths, the terrifying Lightning Fire began to weaken. The fire pillar that was as thick as a water tank slowly shrank to the size of a bowl, then to the size of a fist, then to the size of a chopstick, and finally, it completely disappeared.
High up in the sky, Luo Yuheng was wearing a feather robe that was formed by magic. Her hair and robe fluttered in the wind, and she was holding a charcoal-like human figure that had no signs of life.
"I have become an Earth Deity," she whispered to herself.
Crack! The charcoal cracked and peeled off, revealing a jade-white, spotless body in front of everyone.
Xu Qi 'an looked down at the Galo Tree, Xu Pingfeng's puppet, and the White Emperor. He smirked and his eyes were cold.
"I have become a First Rank!"
