Within the Seven-Colored Danxia, I Alone Am Ever-Victorious!

A century ago, the master of Danxia was not yet the Luotian Association, but the Min family, an array-cultivation clan. Back then, they made far too many enemies and provoked formidable foes, ultimately falling under siege from all sides. Bereft of reinforcements, they endured a siege for an entire year until their provisions and supplies were completely severed. In the end, their mountain fell and their clan was destroyed, leaving only Min Longyu's mortal lineage to survive. Though the Min family had been renowned at the time, they were ultimately nothing more than a cultivation clan. Their strongest members amounted to merely six or seven Foundation Establishment True Cultivators. Compared to them, the present Luotian Association was far stronger than the Min family had ever been. However, the enemies they had to face were not even in the same league. Back then, the Min family had managed to hold out for a year because their enemies were not overwhelmingly superior to them. Now, however, the Anti-Luotian Alliance led by the Gunlong Ridge Zheng family boasted more than three times the strength of the Luotian Association! Its experts were all the more terrifying. Just late Foundation Establishment great cultivators alone numbered a full eight! There was even a figure of Foundation Establishment Great Perfection like Zheng Xian! Moreover, Zheng Xian was no ordinary rogue cultivator. Those in the know were well aware that in his early years, he had been a true disciple of the Yan Alliance, cast out only because he committed a transgression. One could say his abilities were in no way inferior to the true disciples of the Seven Jade Cauldron Sects. Even compared to the Dao Children of each sect, he hardly paled in comparison. After all, his realm of Foundation Establishment Great Perfection stood unquestionable! He alone was someone ordinary second-rate forces would never dare provoke. Now, under his lead, eight great cultivators struck together. Their overwhelming might was horrifying! Just as they struck in unison, a barrier shimmering with seven-colored radiance rose from the ground on Danxia Peak, enveloping the entire mountain in an instant. Boom! Boom! Boom! The eight attacks landed almost simultaneously upon the barrier. Violent tremors erupted with deafening blasts. An assault of this magnitude could not be taken lightly even by a Golden Core Master. Yet when the eight recalled their magical treasures and focused their gaze, ripples of light glinted across the grand array as multi-colored mist drifted. Vaguely visible within the mountain were the tense expressions of countless cultivators clutching their weapons. The array seemed to have thinned slightly, but as the radiant mist billowed, the thinned areas thickened once more. In a mere instant, the aftershocks completely dissipated, leaving only the Seven-Colored Danxia Grand Array piercing the heavens and earth, standing resolute! When this scene appeared before them, everyone was stunned. Songfengzi, who hailed from beyond the region, sucked in a breath of cold air. "A rank-three defensive grand array?" How could a mere second-rate force possibly set up a rank-three defensive grand array? Xiahou Kun was equally shocked. A century ago, during the battle that destroyed the Min family, his Silver Gorge Xiahou family had taken part. Back then, the Min family had been utterly incapable of deploying an array of this caliber. For a moment, all eyes turned to their leader, Zheng Xian. Under their gazes, Zheng Xian's aged face remained somber in silence. A moment later, he said in a deep voice, "This is by no means a complete rank-three defensive grand array. Otherwise, it would not have revealed a fleeting point of weakness under the combined assault of the eight of us." The others nodded instinctively upon hearing this. They had also seen clearly just now that the grand array had indeed shown signs of instability when struck. If it were an authentic rank-three defensive grand array, let alone eight late Foundation Establishment cultivators, even with eight more, it would stand as immovable as a mountain! After all, a rank-three defensive grand array was calibrated to counter Golden Core Masters; the finest among them were even said to hold their own against Nascent Soul Perfected Persons. Arrays were never the power of a single individual, but the collective might channeled from an entire mountain or territory, countless array instruments, and countless cultivators working in unison! Tuoba Lingfei spoke up. "So we continue?" He and Xiang Zhonghe were not Tianlan locals. The sooner this matter was resolved, the better! Xiahou Kun, however, held a different view. "I have some understanding of arrays. Rather than a brute-force assault, wouldn't it be better to proceed step by step? Once we observe its flaws, we can shatter it in a single stroke!" When he said that, Tuoba Lingfei and Xiang Zhonghe could not help but frown. But as Xiahou Kun caught their eyes, they understood his intention. There were simply too many onlookers gathered here! If the array were broken too early, the watching cultivators would inevitably swarm forward to claim a share of the spoils. Cultivators, after all, were not idle vagrants who wandered about just to watch a spectacle. That they were so eager to watch meant they certainly intended to fish in troubled waters or even steal the fruits of victory. The two of them were outsiders and would not be able to seize too many resources, but Xiahou Kun was a local who had brought a large contingent of his clan's cultivators. If they waited until some of the onlookers dispersed, the Xiahou clan would surely be able to reap far more spoils. As for whether they could break the array? In their eyes, it was not that difficult. As long as it was not a true rank-three defensive grand array, even if eight great cultivators could not bring it down, the Anti-Luotian Alliance gathered here had more than thirty Foundation Establishment True Cultivators. If all of them struck together, the array would surely shatter! For a time, the two sides reached a stalemate. Xiahou Kun said with an unfriendly look, "Fellow Daoist Songfengzi, what say you?" In this battle, the Iron Sword Hall was one of the primary pillars. Counting Songfengzi, they had mobilized three great cultivators in total, plus ten Foundation Establishment True Cultivators. His stance carried great weight. Yet Songfengzi merely smiled and shook his head. "I defer to Fellow Daoist Zheng Xian." In name, this battle was a joint effort among various factions; in truth, it was orchestrated by the Yan Alliance, with Zheng Xian at the helm. With Songfengzi saying this, even if Xiahou Kun felt dissatisfied, he could only await Zheng Xian's command. Under everyone's gaze, Zheng Xian looked upward, as if meeting someone's eyes. Moments later, he lowered his head and drew back his gaze. For this battle, the key was not resources, not business, and not even the Zheng family's private grudge. It was the face of the Yan Alliance! The longer this dragged on, the more displeased the Yan Alliance would become. Furthermore, to him personally, the vendetta of the Gunlong Ridge Zheng family meant nothing at all. What he cared about was returning to his sect and making an attempt at the Golden Core realm. Therefore, this matter had to be handled cleanly and brilliantly! A thunderous strike, breaking through and annihilating them, was the only right path! Taking a deep breath, he raised his right hand high. "All Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, strike with us and breach the array with full force!" At those words, Tuoba Lingfei and Xiang Zhonghe wore expressions of satisfaction; the sooner this was settled, the sooner they could pull out and return, which suited them best. Xiahou Kun's face stiffened; thinking of how he wouldn't gain much advantage once the Luotian Association was destroyed, his mood plummeted. Songfengzi exchanged glances with his two companions, nodding in mutual understanding. To them, winning swiftly or taking their time made little difference. The former allowed them to obtain the Core Formation Secret Technique as quickly as possible, while the latter offered more cultivation resources, albeit with greater risks of unforeseen complications. Thus, however Zheng Xian decided, they were unconcerned. In a brief span, the eight great cultivators were bound tightly together under Zheng Xian's firm hand. As for the thirty ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators? Their opinions and desires no longer mattered. Soon, thirty-eight Foundation Establishment True Cultivators lined up, gathering spiritual power and driving their dharma artifacts and magical treasures. Under the watchful eyes of countless Tianlan rogue cultivators, the spiritual energy fluctuations in the area turned chaotic once more. Mighty attacks, one after another, hung primed to unleash. Seeing that everyone's attacks were nearly charged to their peak, Zheng Xian barked, "Strike!" In the next instant, attack after attack—some ahead, some behind, some above, some below—bombarded the towering seven-colored light barrier. Boom! Boom! Boom... Earth-shattering roars erupted once again. Powerful sonic waves rolled backward in surges. Some Qi Refinement cultivators of lower cultivation realms even bled from their noses and mouths, forced to retreat repeatedly in flight. One could well imagine the sheer power of this barrage. Under an assault of such intensity, the grand array began to violently tremble. Inside Danxia Peak, which anchored the grand array, the mountain itself shook as massive boulders tore loose and rumbled downward. Before long, as the smoke and dust dispersed, gaping holes appeared in the barrier. Seeing those gaping holes, Zheng Xian's eyes brightened. "The array is broken! All forces, charge and slaughter!" He waved his hand, issuing the command to advance. The Foundation Establishment cultivators who had just unleashed everything were regulating their breath and recovering spiritual energy, but the Qi Refinement cultivators under them, prompted by their elders and masters, surged toward Danxia Peak en masse. In an instant, over a thousand Qi Refinement cultivators became a surging torrent rushing toward Danxia Peak. In response, battle cries exploded across Danxia Peak as well. Thousands of cultivators, brandishing dharma artifacts and talismans, held their ground along the mountain, determined not to let the enemy breach their perimeter. Among them were no small number of low-tier cultivators who were merely at early or mid Qi Refinement. Zheng Xian's eyesight was sharp, and he saw the scene with utter clarity. "It seems the Luotian Association is fighting with their backs against the wall, deploying even their low-tier disciples unsuited for battle!" As he spoke, Zheng Kejian moved close. "Cousin-uncle, should we Foundation Establishment cultivators make our move as well?" Zheng Xian frowned. His gaze swept over the eager Foundation Establishment cultivators, and he sent a quiet transmission: "Do not rush. The Foundation Establishment True Cultivators of the Luotian Association are no easy prey. The rafters that jut out rot first. If you do not want the Gunlong Ridge Zheng family to decline, you had best rein in your eagerness to avenge your father." Zheng Kejian was taken aback, then nodded repeatedly. Though his cousin-uncle was not close to them, at a moment like this, he was still looking out for the Zheng family. Right at that moment, someone in the crowd could no longer hold back and stepped forward out of the ranks. "Fellow Daoists, I shall lead the way!" Following his move, other Foundation Establishment cultivators could not restrain themselves either. "The Luotian Association has oppressed my Mount Xuchen for far too long! Years ago, Danchenzi claimed he would raze Mount Xuchen to the ground. Now the tables have turned, and it is my turn to raze Danxia Peak!" Wei Bofan laughed wildly, riding his flying sword as he plunged into the torn seven-colored light barrier. Seeing him rush ahead, Shen Gongyi, who shared his plight, hastily followed. "I go with you, I go with you! The humiliation Wang Yuan inflicted upon me back then shall also be repaid today! Old Yu, if not now, when do you strike?" "Fellow Daoist Shen, do not rush. This old man is right behind you!" As they hailed their companions, Foundation Establishment True Cultivators mounted flying swords one after another and surged toward Danxia Peak. In mere moments, over a dozen Foundation Establishment True Cultivators had entered within a hundred zhang of Danxia Peak. It was not that the remaining dozen or so did not wish to move; rather, they had been restrained by transmissions from the eight late Foundation Establishment great cultivators. "Let them go first to test the Luotian Association's waters." "No rush, no rush! See how things unfold first!" "Keep calm and wait a moment. When we charge in, the good things won't run away." Though they said so, watching those dozen-odd people charge into Danxia Peak, Xiahou Kun and the others still began to lose their patience. It was true that the Luotian Association was powerful, but at the end of the day, their only late Foundation Establishment great cultivator on the surface was Chu Kui. If that motley rabble ahead ended up seizing the choice resources, they would end up drawing water with a sieve—empty-handed. Xiahou Kun glanced at Zheng Xian and Songfengzi. Being the first to lose patience, a fierce glint flashed across his face. "Move out!" With a wave of his hand, the five Foundation Establishment True Cultivators of the Xiahou family flew toward Danxia Peak together. Yet before they could draw near Danxia Peak, Xiahou Kun's shrill roar rang out from behind: "Get back!" "Huh?" The five Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Xiahou family faltered in surprise. Then, looks of terror surfaced on their faces as they gazed upon the scene within the breaches of the array. Above the light barrier! A seven-colored Daoist wearing a tall crown materialized out of the barrier. Holding a longsword, he strode toward a second-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator. He did not walk fast, yet that cultivator's flight speed was even slower! When the seven-colored Daoist swung his sword, that cultivator stared in horror and had his head severed without the slightest power to resist. As the head tumbled to the ground, the seven-colored Daoist smiled faintly, his form dissipating back into the grand array. If that had been all, it might not have been so shocking. But in the next instant, the barrier trembled, and the seven-colored Daoist reappeared in the mortal realm! Still holding the longsword, still striding forward. This time, his opponent was none other than a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator—Wei Bofan! Once, Wei Bofan had been merely at the third layer of Foundation Establishment; under Luo Chen's overwhelming pressure, he had been forced to face his enemy with a smiling face and even apologize with gifts. Now, more than a decade had passed, and he had advanced to mid Foundation Establishment. He had intended to avenge his grievance and make his mark, yet at this moment, the souls flew from his brow, his heart gripped by sheer horror. "What kind of sorcery is this—" *Slash!* Sword light flashed, and a head tumbled down. The seven-colored Daoist smiled faintly, and the seven-colored light enveloping his body faded away. He returned once more into the grand array. When he reappeared, he stood directly before an old man clad in black. "Don't kill me!" Shen Gongyi's face drained of color as he scrambled backward in panic. Yet an inexplicable suppressing force drastically reduced his flight speed to less than a hundredth of what it was. The seven-colored Daoist swept his sword, and another head tumbled to the ground. Such a scene unfolded again and again. In just a brief moment, a full seven people had fallen. The remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators were scared out of their wits, no longer caring about claiming the prime credit for conquering Danxia Peak, and beat a frantic retreat. They retreated quickly, but the seven-colored Daoist appeared even faster! *Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!* With three flashes of light from the grand array, the seven-colored Daoist appeared three times, and those three appearances meant three Foundation Establishment True Cultivators perished without offering the slightest resistance. The four Foundation Establishment True Cultivators who escaped fled madly as if they had seen ghosts. Only after reaching their own side did they stop, their limbs trembling and weak as they supported one another, gasping violently for breath. Having survived by the skin of their teeth, terror was written all over their faces. Meanwhile, the eight great cultivators led by Zheng Xian also wore somber expressions. Everyone stared at the seven-colored light barrier enveloping Danxia Peak. A Daoist's face slowly surfaced upon it. The hundred-zhang face looked down upon the earth, bearing a majesty so immense that it was like beholding a deity. "Within the Seven-Colored Danxia, I, Min Longyu, alone am ever-victorious!" "Gentlemen, why not step inside and enlighten me?"