After a quick glance at the situation within the city, Zhao Guangming led the group to the city wall.
The city wall was also crowded with cultivators, some sitting, some standing, and others conversing in hushed tones. Their sudden appearance, a group of Nascent Soul cultivators, caused a bit of a stir.
Zhang Ling and the others naturally ignored these city-guarding cultivators. Zhao Guangming, looking out at the city, said, "The group of alien demons is stationed hundreds of miles away."
A sweep of divine sense confirmed it; indeed, a cloud of demonic energy swirled in that direction.
Zhang Ling stood at a high point, his gaze sweeping across the outside of the city. He saw only a stretch of yellow earth devoid of vegetation, an unobstructed view.
It resembled a desolate wasteland, but the terrain sloped downwards, like a vast hillside.
Several miles away, the land leveled out, the ground swirling with a layer of dust that danced in the wind, and the sound of whistling wind could be heard.
This area had originally been a lush forest. Due to the great battle a few days prior, the few existing low mountains had been flattened.
Everywhere were pitted and scarred surfaces. Some of the pits were scorched, while others were filled with wisps of demonic energy. Many broken corpses could also be seen.
There were huge beast bones and the remains of human cultivators. The lingering aura of slaughter could still be sensed.
Blackwind City seemed isolated, appearing extremely desolate.
Some low-level cultivators were scavenging the battlefield, searching for spoils of war.
At this moment, more than a dozen teams of black-armored guards flew out of the city. Each team consisted of more than ten members, and their cultivation levels were not low, all being mid- to late-Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.
Each team was led by a Golden Core cultivator. These teams dispersed around the city walls, activating their spiritual power, seemingly to construct defensive fortifications.
Zhang Ling noticed that right below the city wall in front of him, there was a team of black-armored guards led by a burly, mid-Golden Core stage cultivator who began casting spells.
The burly cultivator dragged a long, black stone pillar and slammed it into the ground with a loud bang. He cast a ray of spiritual power onto it.
Immediately, the earth and rocks on the ground surged. Countless stones and soil were drawn to the stone pillar. The pillar grew taller and taller, reaching a hundred zhang in height in just a few breaths, nearly matching the height of the city wall.
The stone pillar also began to change, constantly expanding and transforming into tall watchtowers.
The black-armored guards took out small array disks of various shapes and embedded them on the towers, setting up formations.
"Fellow Daoist Zhao, if I'm not mistaken, these cultivators are building your sect's Black Cloud Towers," the Fire Spirit Old Man also noticed the actions of these teams of black-armored guards.
"Oh, Fellow Daoist Fire knows my Demon Cloud Sect's Black Cloud Towers." Although Zhao Wuming's tone was questioning, his expression did not seem surprised.
"Your sect's Black Cloud Towers are very famous. I've heard they have excellent defensive and offensive capabilities. They are essential large-scale spiritual devices for defending cities," Black Hawk Shangren said with a chuckle before the Fire Spirit Old Man could respond.
"Although the Black Cloud Towers have some use, their power is not that great. The alien demons are coming fiercely. At most, they can suppress low-level cultivators. It is difficult to pose a threat to high-level cultivators above the Golden Core stage," Zhao Guangming responded, and then continued, "When the time comes, we will still have to rely on the three fellow Daoists."
"Brother Zhao is too polite. The invasion of the alien demons is also a threat to our forces. Without the defense of the Immortal City, we would not be able to cultivate in peace. Naturally, we will do our best to defend the Immortal City," the Fire Cloud Old Man said, exchanging a glance with Zhang Ling.
"With the help of the three fellow Daoists, my Blackwind City will surely overcome this calamity," Zhao Guangming nodded and cupped his fist at Zhang Ling and the other two, very sincerely.
Then, the group returned to the inner city. They arrived in front of the City Lord's Mansion, on a quiet street. Zhao Guangming pointed to more than a dozen luxuriously decorated pavilions and said.
"These pavilions are all independent places. The three fellow Daoists can choose any one to rest in. You don't need to worry about other trivial matters," Zhao Guangming said, and suddenly three black storage bags appeared in his hand. "This is a small token of my appreciation. The three fellow Daoists can accept it."
"This… Brother Zhao, you are too kind," the Fire Cloud Old Man's eyes lit up. He hesitated for a moment and then took a black storage bag. After a quick glance, the smile on his face grew even wider.
Zhang Ling and Black Hawk Shangren also smiled and accepted the storage bags. After a brief probe with their divine senses, they found that they were filled with spirit stones. The quantity was considerable, at least six or seven hundred thousand.
"Then, we will have to trouble the three of you during the battle," Zhao Guangming smiled, cupped his fists at them, and left with the Elder Sun.
"Hehe, the Demon Cloud Sect is quite generous. This bag of spirit stones is exactly one million spirit stones." After watching Zhao Guangming and the other two leave, Black Hawk Shangren hefted the storage bag in his hand.
Zhang Ling also counted the spirit stones in the storage bag in his hand. It was indeed exactly one million. Although it was not comparable to their net worth for Nascent Soul cultivators, it was still a windfall.
The three of them chatted for a few more words, then each chose an independent pavilion and walked inside.
Zhang Ling chose a three-story pavilion on the left and entered it. He saw a girl in red standing in front of the door.
"Junior Xiaorui greets Senior Zhang. If Senior has any needs, please feel free to order me," the girl's pleasant voice entered his ears. She didn't look very old, but her cultivation had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
"I don't need you to serve me. You can leave," Zhang Ling glanced at the girl, and said expressionlessly.
Hearing this, the red-clothed girl trembled slightly. After hesitating for a moment, she bowed and saluted. "Then Junior will not disturb Senior. If Senior has any needs, please call me." As she spoke, the girl took out a rhombus-shaped black jade pendant. "This is the restriction token for this pavilion."
Zhang Ling responded with a light raise of his hand, and the black jade pendant was drawn into his hand.
The red-clothed girl saluted again and then took her leave.
Zhang Ling's divine sense swept over the jade pendant, and he immediately understood how to use it. With a flash of spiritual light in his hand, he cast a few hand seals onto it.
The black token trembled gently, releasing a black light that landed on a pillar in the middle of the pavilion. The entire pavilion was shrouded in a faint black mist.
Zhang Ling sensed it slightly and chuckled softly. This was just an ordinary restriction. He put away the jade pendant and then took out a few array flags and arranged them.
Although this was the inner city, it was still an unfamiliar place. He still had to be careful, especially with a group of alien demons lurking outside.
Then he went up to the second floor and randomly chose a room. After meditating for a while, he adjusted his state.
Zhang Ling opened his eyes and took out a fiery red pill furnace. At the same time, there were more than a dozen jade bottles and jade boxes placed at his feet.
He activated a hand seal, and he spat out a ball of Nascent Soul fire, enveloping the pill furnace. He began to refine pills.
At this moment, he was naturally not refining pills to enhance his cultivation or assist in cultivation, but pills to replenish qi and blood, and pills to quickly restore spiritual power.
Now that the two armies were at war, he did not expect to suddenly receive a transfer order. He did not carry this kind of restorative pill with him.
Of course, he had the Myriad Year Spiritual Liquid obtained from the Hall of Illusions in his hand, so he was not worried about the consumption of spiritual power.
But then again, the Myriad Year Spiritual Liquid was precious and naturally could not be consumed at will. Now that he had some time, he could refine a few furnaces to prepare for emergencies.
……
The next two days were calm, but on the morning of the third day, Zhao Guangming summoned them again.
This time it was in the main hall of the City Lord's Mansion. When Zhang Ling and the other two arrived, they found that in addition to Zhao Guangming, there was also Elder Xue Hao and the Elder Sun.
There was also a bald old man with a pale face and half of his palm missing.
Of course, there were also seven or eight Golden Core stage cultivators standing on both sides, all with solemn expressions.
"The three of you, let me introduce you. This is Elder Wang of my Demon Cloud Sect. He just returned, but Junior Brother Wang was seriously injured and is recovering." Zhao Guangming squeezed out a smile, his face looking very bad.
Seeing this situation, Zhang Ling and the other two naturally did not mind. They casually sat down on the tables and chairs on both sides.
Zhang Ling also noticed that this bald Elder Wang was covered in a layer of blood. The severed arm was sprouting roots of flesh, intertwined with each other, repairing the broken arm.
Elder Wang's aura was also somewhat weak, and he was indeed seriously injured.
"Elder Wang was so seriously injured, could it be that he encountered a master of the alien demon race?" The Fire Spirit Old Man glanced at Elder Wang and asked.
"Hmph, naturally it was that group of alien demons." Second Elder Xue Hao snorted with a gloomy face, and simply explained Elder Wang's experience.
"Junior Brother Wang, and Fellow Daoist Pan of the Small Rain Country, supported those few precarious small array eyes. They were also ambushed by the Nascent Soul old monsters of the alien demon race, fought a great battle, and were chased all the way. Not long ago, they just shook off the enemy and contacted me before returning to the city. As for Fellow Daoist Pan, I don't know the situation yet."
Hearing this, everyone present was speechless for a while, feeling very depressed.
After a moment, Elder Wang coughed lightly and restrained the spiritual power all over his body. The broken arm had also grown out, and it seemed that the injury had recovered almost.
However, everyone present could see that Elder Wang had not fully recovered from his injuries. The broken arm could only be regarded as a minor injury, and he must have suffered another serious injury.
Otherwise, the spiritual power on his body would not be three points weaker than that of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators. This was a manifestation of too much loss of true essence.
With such an injury, Zhang Ling estimated that it would take at least several months of recuperation to fully recover. It might even form a hidden injury, affecting his cultivation.
"Thank you, Senior Brother, and fellow Daoists for your concern. I have temporarily suppressed the injury, and it will be fine after a few days of recuperation. I, Wang, am ashamed. I didn't expect to fall into an ambush. I even implicated Junior Brother Si to fall." Elder Wang showed a bitter smile.
"Alas, Junior Brother, there is no need to be like this. The fall of Junior Brother Si is only to blame the cunning alien demons. I will definitely make these guys pay the price." Zhao Guangming said with a gloomy expression, and a layer of baleful aura floated all over his body.
Making the people present startled.
Just then, the rumbling sound of drums entered their ears. Zhao Guangming stood up immediately upon hearing this sound, his expression becoming even more solemn.
"This is the alien demons' Shocking Sky Drum. They have launched a general attack."
As Zhao Guangming spoke, his figure turned into a black light and rushed out.
Zhang Ling and the others exchanged glances and quickly followed.
A moment later, they arrived at the city wall. At this time, the city wall was crowded with more cultivators. Rows of black-armored guards were leading the loose cultivators, organizing them into teams, and standing in various places on the city wall.
There were also fifty or sixty Golden Core cultivators standing below the Black Cloud Towers, activating the Black Cloud Tower's defenses.
The Demon Cloud Sect's Black Cloud Towers lit up with black lights. They struck the sky, and the rumbling sound continued.
In the blink of an eye, a huge cloud of black clouds formed in the sky, covering the sunlight.
Zhang Ling noticed that compared to two days ago, the number of Black Cloud Towers had reached hundreds. Not only were they on the city walls, but there were also several rows of Black Cloud Towers below the city.
These summer Black Cloud Towers were quite different. Moving with the cyan spiritual light, they gathered together, forming pillars of wind that reached the sky.
The whistling sound of the wind continued, and it looked as if huge tornadoes had appeared outside the city.
Below the city walls, many cultivators were rushing towards the city gates. These cultivators were mostly low-level cultivators, and their number also reached thousands.
They were all patrol disciples who were patrolling outside the city.
Further away, purple mist lingered, and a strange purple mist was spreading rapidly.
Zhang Ling's divine sense swept over and realized that there were also many cultivators in the purple mist, also approaching quickly.
There were many shadows among them, as many as tens of thousands.
It seemed that the number of people was not large, but these were not ordinary people, but cultivators of the alien demon race. More than 30% of the cultivators were above the Foundation Establishment stage.
Moreover, there were twenty or thirty huge shadows in the purple mist.
Upon closer inspection, they were huge black-skinned rhinoceroses with red hair on their backs. The huge heads had three black and shiny rhinoceros horns, and the speed of their rampage was extremely fast, piercing the air with a popping sound.
"Demon Horn Rhinoceros." Zhang Ling recognized at a glance that this was a magical beast with amazing defense.
The purple mist spread quickly, and in the time it took to brew a cup of tea, it arrived at the foot of Flat Top Mountain, only ten miles away from Fengcheng.
"Uncle Master, it's time to give the order." At this time, a white-haired old man standing behind Zhao Guangming suddenly spoke.
Zhao Guangming glanced at the old man and threw out a black flag. "Nephew Yang, I will leave the command of defending the city to you."
"Uncle Master, rest assured." The white-haired old man took the flag, gently shook it, and entered a black bunker not far from the city wall with seven or eight Golden Core cultivators.
"My nephew Yang Fei has some military talent. With him guarding the city, the fellow Daoists can rest assured. We only need to stare at the Nascent Soul old monsters of the alien demon race, and don't let them destroy too many Black Cloud Towers. As long as we survive for a period of time, and more than half of these low-level cultivators of the alien demon race are killed or injured, they will retreat on their own."
Watching the Golden Core cultivators leave, Zhao Guangming also explained to Zhang Ling and the other two.
"Hehe, I didn't expect your sect to have such talents. In this way, we old guys can also relax a bit." Black Hawk Shangren stroked his chin and praised.
Zhao Guangming smiled and did not say anything, but looked at the situation outside the city again.
As the alien demon army hidden in the purple mist approached, a bell rang suddenly on the city wall. The Black Cloud Towers outside the city, which had turned into wind pillars, lit up with dazzling cyan light.
In the wind group, a large piece of wind blades shot out. Densely packed, they formed a cyan light and swept away.
This battle was officially launched.
