The second formation is the Seven-Star Demon-Slaying Sword Formation. This array requires the combined effort of seven cultivators at the Purple Mansion stage, forty-nine at the Foundation Establishment stage, and four thousand nine hundred Qi Refinement cultivators to activate.
Once activated, its power rivals a peak Golden Core cultivator's strike, not inferior to the Netherworld Celestial Sword Formation.
The third formation is the Crimson-Eyed Demon Eye. While its power does not compare to the first two, it only requires a thousand cultivators and one Purple Mansion cultivator to activate. Its strength can barely match a Golden Core cultivator's strike, but its advantage lies in its ability to be continuously unleashed.
Unfortunately, the Sky Python Demon King's most powerful technique, the Sky Python Devours Heaven Technique, has not been preserved. Otherwise, the power of this vessel would have been even greater.
The last formation is the Gathering Essence Formation, which serves as the core of this treasure ship and its energy source.
Additionally, there are various auxiliary formations like the Floating Formation and Flight Formation, though they are only of third-rank quality.
This large treasure ship truly lives up to its reputation as a weapon of war. It can carry tens of thousands of cultivators at once and travel thirty thousand miles in a day, making it a formidable asset on the battlefield.
However, such a large treasure ship is also a gold-devouring beast. Even when charged with the energy of a fourth-rank spiritual vein, it can barely sustain one full-scale battle.
When powered by spirit stones, each activation of the Seven-Star Demon-Slaying Sword Formation costs one hundred thousand spirit stones, equivalent to discarding a top-grade third-rank magical artifact after just two uses, showcasing its exorbitant cost.
To transport the cultivators of Yu County, Jiang Linglong steered the treasure ship to Qingyuan Mountain and landed it before the mountain.
"Board the treasure ship quickly," Elian ordered the Chen family cultivators behind him.
As soon as he finished speaking, he flew onto the treasure ship, standing shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Linglong as they watched the Chen family cultivators board the vessel.
"How are things going?" Elian asked.
"I've made five trips so far, and now everyone has been transported to Qingzhou Region. This is the final trip," Jiang Linglong replied with a smile. The Ethereal Vessel could transport tens of thousands of cultivators per trip, and in just five trips, fifty thousand people had been moved.
Combined with the cultivators of Qingzhou Region, the manpower for this battle was nearly assembled.
More than a thousand Chen family cultivators quickly boarded the treasure ship, activating its formations to set off for Qingzhou Region.
With the speed of a lower fourth-rank large treasure ship, the journey of over two hundred thousand miles to the Qingyang Sect's territory took only seven or eight days.
At the foot of Qingyang Mountain, Elian saw the encampment of the cultivator army.
Currently, the camp held seventy to eighty thousand cultivators, with over three hundred at the Foundation Establishment stage. It could be said that the combined forces of the three regions were all in.
To thoroughly eradicate the Qingyang Sect, many immortal clans had nearly emptied their forces, leaving behind only one Foundation Establishment cultivator to guard their families. Elian's group was the last batch of cultivators to arrive.
Upon reaching the camp, Jiang Linglong summoned the Purple Mansion cultivators aboard the treasure ship for a meeting.
After brief introductions, Jiang Linglong turned to the group and asked, "What is the current situation with the Qingyang Sect?"
A stern-faced Xu Qianyang responded, "The Qingyang Sect is now holed up in Qingyang Mountain. It seems they are preparing for a desperate last stand."
"Do they truly have such resolve?" Elian frowned, doubting that someone like Wei Chongyang would fight to the death for the sect.
Old Patriarch Qian shook his head. As a Purple Mansion cultivator from Qingzhou, he understood the Qingyang Sect well. He said, "Both Elder Mo and Elder Liu grew up in the Qingyang Sect. They might not be particularly loyal to Ancestor Xu."
"However, they have a bond of hundreds of years with the Qingyang Sect. With those two in charge, even if others have ulterior motives, they may not dare to flee."
Jiang Linglong frowned slightly before asking, "What about Origin Mountain and Dawn Valley?"
Elian's eyes flickered. Origin Mountain and Dawn Valley were both third-rank top-grade spiritual veins, each with a third-rank top-grade vein beneath them.
Because the formations protecting these veins were strong, the Qingyang Sect was reluctant to abandon them, hoping to use them to deplete the strength of the various families.
Old Patriarch Qian had prepared for this and said, "Wei Chongyang is stationed at Origin Mountain, while Lin Mohe is at Dawn Valley."
"Before attacking Qingyang Mountain, these two veins must be dealt with," Jiang Linglong said calmly.
"Otherwise, we risk being attacked from behind and losing the family Dao fields."
Elian frowned at this. Both Wei Chongyang and Lin Mohe had connections with the Chen family. Lin Mohe had once used his power to suppress others, and the Lin family had been destroyed by the Chen family.
However, Lin Mohe had not caused trouble for the Chen family afterward, indicating he understood his position.
Wei Chongyang, on the other hand, had not only killed the previous patriarch of the Chen family but also led to the deaths of a hundred family cultivators. Coupled with the enmity of killing his son, there had to be a resolution between them.
With this in mind, Elian decided to speak up. "I will lead the Purple Mansion and Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Bianzhou Region to Origin Mountain."
Jiang Linglong glanced at him and handed him a top-grade third-rank Forbidden Breaking Talisman.
"Be careful."
Elian nodded, putting the talisman away.
The formations at Origin Mountain were formidable, enough to repel most false Golden Core cultivators.
For this battle, Elian and Xu Qianyang led six Purple Mansion cultivators and dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Bianzhou Region, determined to conquer Origin Mountain.
Meanwhile, Old Patriarch Qian and Old Patriarch Fang headed to Dawn Valley to eliminate that threat.
Jiang Linglong stayed with the main force to encircle Qingyang Mountain, both to prevent the Purple Mansion cultivators of the Qingyang Sect from launching a counterattack and to guard against an unexpected move by Patriarch Xu.
When Elian and his group arrived at Origin Mountain, they found it deserted, with no sign of Wei Chongyang.
Elian frowned and found Qian Xingming, who was scavenging resources atop the mountain.
Qian Xingming, a late-stage Purple Mansion cultivator of the Qian family, had broken through with the help of the Purple Qi Cloud Pattern Pill a year ago.
Seeing Elian approach, Qian Xingming laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, come and see the treasures I've collected."
Elian frowned, and Xu Qianyang said sternly, "Fellow Daoist Qian, this is urgent military business."
Embarrassed, Qian Xingming quickly replied, "Wei Chongyang fled without a fight. His speed was so great that I couldn't catch him."
Elian's expression turned cold as he led the group to inspect the underground fire vein.
Moments later, Chen Nianchuan approached and whispered to the group.
"Wei Chongyang fled three hours ago."
"Qian Xingming didn't want to risk his life fighting Wei Chongyang. After a few exchanges, he let him go."
Hearing this, the group realized that Wei Chongyang, with his sixth-level Purple Mansion cultivation and top-grade third-rank magical artifact, had been spared due to Qian Xingming's reluctance to fight to the death.
Allowing Wei Chongyang to escape left everyone furious. Letting a tiger return to the mountain could lead to future trouble, while Qian's family earned Wei Chongyang's favor.
Elian looked up at the mountain peak and said calmly, "Does anyone have a way to track Wei Chongyang's whereabouts?"
...
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I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D