The two of them didn't continue chatting idly and quickly engaged in battle.

Xu Zhixuan summoned a fan-shaped Magical Artifact, vigorously waving it to send nearly a hundred fist-sized high-temperature fireballs hurling towards the beast tide.

The fireballs exploded within the beast tide, reducing over twenty Demon Beasts to ashes in an instant.

However, Xu Ping didn't use a Magical Artifact; instead, he employed the Palm Thunder technique, which he had perfected long ago.

"Chop!"

With a soft shout, Xu Ping unleashed a lightning bolt the size of a barrel from his palm, striking the beast tide!

Boom!

Accompanied by a deafening explosion, the Thunder Power erupted, turning all Demon Beasts within a dozen feet into dust.

A temporary gap appeared in the beast tide, but it was quickly filled by other Demon Beasts.

This powerful Thunder Element Magic attracted the attention of the Qi Cultivators on the city wall, even drawing the glances of other Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

"I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Xu to possess such a Thunder Element Magic skill." Xu Zhixuan was somewhat surprised.

"I specialize in thunder skills," Xu Ping explained.

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhixuan said nothing more. Although the Thunder Element Magic Xu Ping displayed was quite powerful, it wasn't something earth-shattering.

The battle continued.

Xu Ping persistently used Palm Thunder, all the while keeping an eye on Jiang Tian.

Fortunately, Jiang Tian remained honest, diligently slaying Demon Beasts without any other tricks.

As night fell and the beast tide's attacks slowed, Xu Ping was finally relieved by others.

"Hoo!"

Xu Ping exhaled deeply. He wasn't physically tired given his physique, but his Mana consumption was substantial.

"Let's go. We must continue tomorrow," Xu Zhixuan said, accustomed to this routine.

...

...

A month later.

Xu Ping had adapted to the life of hunting demons.

From morning until evening, he scarcely had time, relying on the Pill distribution from Qiu Xuan Immortal City to restore his Mana.

But the situation didn't ease with his participation; instead, it grew more tense as his power was insignificant compared to the entire beast tide.

The war has persisted till now, with two Foundation Establishment Cultivators already fallen in battle.

The group of Foundation Establishment Cultivators began to panic. Fortunately, Qiu Xuan Mountain promised that the descendants of any fallen Foundation Establishment Cultivators would receive a free Foundation Establishment Pill, thus stabilizing the military morale.

This day.

Xu Ping was routinely hunting demons on the city wall.

Suddenly!

Rumble!!

In a ground-shaking tremor, even the city wall swayed as if it would collapse at any moment, yet under the protection of the Third-rank Array, it remained unharmed.

But the Loose Cultivators on the wall, unprotected by the Array, stumbled and fell in the abrupt quake, many of them falling face-first.

"What's happening!?"

"Has the Array broken!?"

"I don't want to die!!"

...

Everyone was frightened by the sudden commotion, crying out in panic.

Xu Ping's expression turned grim; the commotion just now was caused by something shaking the Third-rank Array.

Could it be another Third-rank Demon King?

His heart tightened as he scanned around.

"Oh my, so many Earth-shaking Turtles!!" Xu Zhixuan exclaimed, pointing towards the beast tide.

Everyone followed his voice and saw, within the beast tide, seven or eight huge land turtles with earthy-yellow shells, their limbs propped on the ground, demonic power surging.

Crack, crack, crack...

The originally smooth surface began to ripple like water, crashing heavily against the Array and city wall, producing a thunderous boom.

Boom!!

In another earthquake-like tremor, the Third-rank Array's light flickered, but ultimately stabilized.

'It's not a Third-rank Demon King, it's the Earth-shaking Turtles!'

Xu Ping didn't feel much relieved, as Earth-shaking Turtles were equally difficult to deal with.

"All fellow cultivators, attack the Earth-shaking Turtles together!" A Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator shouted.

His name was Tan Shuyi, one of the few Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators from Qiu Xuan Mountain and the highest commander defending the southern wall.

The Earth-shaking Turtles posed a significant threat to the Array and city wall. Although protected by the Third-rank Array, they had to be slain or driven back.

Many Foundation Establishment Cultivators, including Xu Ping, actively prepared to strike.

However, at that moment, Xu Ping suddenly sensed a strange fluctuation of Spiritual Qi emanating from Jiang Tian.

This unusual fluctuation of Spiritual Qi was almost overshadowed by the fluctuation of Mana when he struck.

If it weren't for Xu Ping's Divine Sense being stronger than that of the average Foundation Establishment Cultivator, and his constant vigilance, it might have gone completely unnoticed.

"This fluctuation is..."

Xu Ping frowned deeply, a wave of unease rising in his heart for some unknown reason.

Rumble!!

Accompanied by a violent shake, a fierce explosion sounded from one side of the southern city's wall.

"Ah!!"

"The wall has breached!"

Accompanied by a heart-wrenching scream.

Only then did everyone realize that the southern part of the outer city's buildings had completely collapsed, and a large number of Demon Beasts were pouring in like a tide through the breach.

"Not only is the wall breached, but damage has appeared in the Third-rank Array!"

Xu Ping keenly sensed that the spiritual light of the Third-rank Array dimmed considerably, clearly showing the array was no longer intact and had been damaged.

"Damn it, it must be Jiang Tian who's behind this. Doesn't he fear that once the array breaks, he'll end up being devoured by the beasts too?" Xu Ping couldn't help but curse inwardly.

He couldn't understand Jiang Tian's motives at all; was it to mutually ensure destruction?

"We're doomed, the Third-rank Array is broken!!" Even the usually optimistic Xu Zhixuan was flustered, his face ashen pale.

"The Third-rank Array is not broken; hold the breach and wait for others to provide support!!" Tan Shuyi shouted angrily, his eyes wide open in fury.

He held an earthy yellow alms bowl, from which large swathes of yellow sand erupted. Each granule of sand expanded instantly into huge earthy yellow stones that fell from the sky, crushing the Demon Beasts beneath, breaking their bones and turning flesh into mush.

His angry roar brought everyone back to their senses. They gritted their teeth and continued to hurl various Magical Artifacts towards the Demon Beasts at the breach.

Xu Ping, wielding the Purple Sun Sword, continuously cleaved the Demon Beasts in two with brilliant arcs of Sword Qi.

He wasn't using all his strength, keeping most of his focus on Jiang Tian.

If conditions permitted, he would've wanted to cut Jiang Tian down.

Sizzle!!

At this moment, a strong bolt of lightning, a flash of white light in the sky.

Boom!

Tan Shuyi was struck by the lightning, forced to fly back dozens of meters.

"Fellow Daoist Tan!" everyone couldn't help but exclaim.

As the highest cultivator here, his survival directly affected the morale of the resistance.

"I'm... alright!" Tan Shuyi muttered deeply, his robe scorched black by the thunder.

Seeing that he was not seriously harmed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

However, during this gap, a multitude of Demon Beasts surged in, including many Second-stage Demon Beasts.

The beast that attacked Tan Shuyi now revealed itself as a Second-stage Upper Grade Demon Beast, the Purple Lightning Wolf.

"Fellow Daoists Lan, Xue... join me in encircling the Purple Lightning Wolf!" Tan Shuyi called out to several cultivators at the peak of Early-Stage Foundation Establishment.

"The rest of you, block the breach and eliminate the Second-stage Demon Beasts!"

Saying this, he summoned swathes of yellow sand with his Spiritual Artifact alms bowl and attacked the Purple Lightning Wolf.

At this critical moment of life and death, everyone had no other choice but to grit their teeth and follow orders, each bringing out their last-resort skills.

And Xu Ping now had to reveal part of his strength to respond.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, we..." Before Xu Zhixuan could finish, Xu Ping took his sword and charged towards a Second-stage Lower Grade Snake Demon.

"Wait for me, Fellow Daoist Xu, you are too impulsive!" Xu Zhixuan's expression changed, immediately chasing after him.

"You just broke through Foundation Establishment; you're not the opponent of this Second-stage Snake Demon. We need the two of us..."

Before he could finish, he saw Xu Ping holding a dull Magical Sword. As Mana surged, Sword Qi cleaved like thunder at the Second-stage Lower Grade Snake Demon.

"Hiss!!"

The Second-stage Lower Grade Snake Demon let out a sharp scream, its tough scales brittle as tofu under the Sword Qi, as blood-filled sword marks appeared on its body.

"This..." Xu Zhixuan was dumbstruck by the scene before him. Is this the Fellow Daoist Xu he knew?!

Since when did he possess such powerful Swordsmanship!!!

Or was this really a First Rank Demon Beast pretending to be a Second-stage?

Before Xu Zhixuan could react, Xu Ping's Mana surged, exuding a sharp aura that stung the skin.

"Slash!"

Xu Ping uttered softly, as a blazing Sword Qi erupted from the sword's tip, sweeping across the sky, and with one strike, decapitating the Second-stage Lower Grade Snake Demon.

Thud!

As blood spurted, the body of the Snake Demon fell to the ground.

"What!!"

Xu Zhixuan's eyes nearly bulged out; a Second-stage Snake Demon had been slain just like that!!

Slaid by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had only recently broken through??

And all the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators present were shocked.

This Swordsmanship... this combat strength, probably rivaled that of an ordinary Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator!!

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