Chapter 2922: Soldiers Besieging the City

It turned out that Lu Ye's decision was correct.

Just a few days after Ni Chi Lian abandoned Scarlet City, a group of unfamiliar powerful cultivators arrived at its gates, led by Míng Fēng. Undeniably, the second group of Half-Saints from the Origin World had already rendezvoused with Míng Fēng and, presumably at Míng Fēng's suggestion, had set their sights on Scarlet City's Dao Integration Orbs. Unfortunately, by then Scarlet City was deserted, a vast empty shell. With no other option, the powerful cultivators had come with high hopes only to leave disappointed.

Upon hearing this news, Ni Chi Lian, who had already relocated to Dragon City, felt a surge of apprehension. She secretly congratulated herself for heeding Lu Ye's advice at the time. Otherwise, Scarlet City would undoubtedly have been lost. Although she had lost the foundation she had built over many years, thanks to Lu Ye's methods, her Dao Integration Orb had been relocated and secured in the Phoenix Nest. This was a silver lining amidst misfortune.

Currently, the Phoenix Nest housed not only the Dao Integration Orbs of Xuè Jiù, Sī Shēng Yá, and Ni Chi Lian, but Lu Ye had also re-condensed the Dao Integration Orbs from Hundred Battles City and Eternal City, entrusting them to the control of the Dragon Clan's Third Ancestor Yang Lie and Fifth Ancestor Zhu Pang. With five Cosmic-grade Dao Integration Orbs gathered in the vast Phoenix Nest, the sight was truly magnificent, an unprecedented event throughout history.

Within Dragon City, all the Saints had convened. Since the Half-Saints from the Origin World failed to capture Scarlet City, their next target would undoubtedly be Dragon City. Therefore, everyone was preparing for the impending major battle.

It's worth noting that the number of Half-Saints in the Dragon Clan had increased once more. Lu Ye had done nothing else during this period. Ever since his return from Scarlet City, he had remained in a meditative state, fully dedicating his power to maintaining the efficacy of the Tower of Time, which consumed an immense amount of energy. After Yang Lie and Zhu Pang, over a dozen more Dragon Clan Half-Saints had emerged successively. However, compared to the intelligence gathered from various sources recently, this number was far from reassuring.

Lu Ye naturally hoped the enemy would arrive more slowly, because the longer the delay, the stronger their own Half-Saint lineup would become. Although the Dragon Clan's Half-Saints were all newly advanced, every past Dragon Venerable possessed a supreme treasure, and those without one now had the opportunity to choose. The batch of supreme treasures originally brought by the Ghost Sedan had all been collected by Lu Ye into his Inner Heaven and Earth. Some of them had already chosen their partners and emerged from the Inner Heaven and Earth, while others remained inside. Moreover, in recent times, three to five more supreme treasures had arrived and pledged their allegiance. Although the number wasn't large, it was a positive sign, indicating that the news had spread and more supreme treasures would surely come in the future.

Ultimately, the war broke out. Less than ten days after Lu Ye returned from Scarlet City, Dragon City went on full alert.

In Lu Ye's meditative chamber, the door was pushed open, and a figure rushed in agitatedly. He slightly opened his eyes and immediately saw a bald figure, whose face was filled with anxiety.

"Senior Brother, the enemy is attacking!" Fù Wěi exclaimed urgently.

During the previous crisis at Scarlet City, Yuan Xi City had rushed to assist and had remained in the vicinity afterward. Thus, after Ni Chi Lian abandoned Scarlet City, Yuan Xi City also withdrew. Leaving aside the others from those cities, figures like You Die and Huan Qing were merely ordinary Dao Integrators. Even Su Yan and Zhu Yin, though slightly stronger, would be of no significant help in the coming war. Fù Wěi, however, was someone Lu Ye brought to Dragon City. In the current situation, every additional combatant was beneficial. Fù Wěi's strength, in particular, was directly linked to his own. He certainly possessed the power of an ordinary Half-Saint, and with the protective supreme treasure passed down through generations of the Divination Clan, his safety would be assured once battle commenced, provided he wasn't too reckless.

"What's meant to come, always will," Lu Ye sighed. Although he wished the enemy would arrive as late as possible, it was impossible for them to wait indefinitely. He had anticipated this situation.

"The number of enemies this time is quite large," Fù Wěi said, his expression grave.

"How many?" Lu Ye asked.

Fù Wěi gulped. "I'm not entirely sure of the exact number, but it's at least several dozens!"

Lu Ye's expression tightened. The second group of Half-Saints from the Origin World only consisted of nine, and Míng Fēng had escaped earlier with seven Half-Saints. Even combined, that wasn't twenty. Yet, this time, several dozens had arrived all at once. He estimated that the Puppet Half-Saints had also joined Míng Fēng. This was likely the strongest lineup the enemy could muster at present. What about their own side? They previously had nine Half-Saints, now with Fù Wěi and Ni Chi Lian added, and over a dozen more from the Dragon Clan, totaling just over twenty. In terms of numbers alone, they couldn't compare. Not to mention, the incoming enemies included Xuè Wēi, Fēi, and the powerhouse suspected to be Xīng Zhòu. Although the identities of the remaining six Origin World Half-Saints were unknown, they certainly couldn't be weak.

"What did the Dragon Venerable say?" Lu Ye asked.

Fù Wěi wiped his face. "The disparity in strength between us and the enemy is vast. There's no option but to defend. The Dragon Venerable asked me to tell you that the progress here needs to accelerate!"

In this upcoming battle, their only advantage was that the enemy was unaware of the numerous additional Half-Saints among the Dragon Clan. As long as the Dragon Clan powerhouses within Lu Ye's Inner Heaven and Earth could all advance to Half-Saint, then they would have a fighting chance.

"I understand," Lu Ye nodded slightly.

Fù Wěi turned and departed. Lu Ye was left with a sigh. His spiritual sense entered his small world, observing the numerous Dragon Clan powerhouses still cultivating in seclusion there. Feeling the fluctuations of their vital energy, he truly felt helpless. He had already reached his limit; there was simply no way to make the Tower of Time more powerful.

"Tower Spirit," Lu Ye called out softly.

The Tower Spirit appeared and, without waiting for him to ask, said, "Go to the River of Time. Within the River of Time, my power will be much greater, and since the Dragon Clan cultivates the power of time itself, their cultivation breakthroughs will be easier there."

Lu Ye was astonished. "If that's possible, why didn't you say so earlier?"

The Tower Spirit gazed at him wistfully. "I have been there since the universe's inception!" That place was virtually a prison for the Tower of Time. If it had any other choice, why would it willingly return? It wouldn't have made this suggestion if there were any other way.

Lu Ye said no more and asked directly, "How do we do it?"

"Just release me!" the Tower Spirit replied.

Lu Ye readily complied, releasing the Tower of Time from his Inner Heaven and Earth. The next moment, the tower vibrated incessantly, mystic aura flowing from it. Faintly, the sound of a vast, rushing river could be heard. Within sight, a kaleidoscopic, vibrant river flowed from an unknown place, passing through Lu Ye's location and continuing into an inexplicable distance.

On the square in front of Dragon City, numerous Half-Saints, led by Sī Shēng Yá, gathered, their gazes fixed intently on the void ahead. As far as they could see, a large multitude of shimmering lights were rapidly approaching. The enemy was about to attack!

Just then, over a dozen Dragon Clan Half-Saints suddenly seemed to sense something. They turned their heads and saw a vast, illusory and ethereal river spanning across a certain location within Dragon City, its source unseen, its end unknown. From that illusory river, the Dragon Clan Half-Saints felt an extremely familiar aura.

"The River of Time!" the Dragon Venerable exclaimed, raising an eyebrow.

"It must be something Young Ye brought forth," Yang Lie revealed, hitting the nail on the head. They were already aware that Lu Ye had absorbed the Tower of Time into his Inner Heaven and Earth. Summoning the River of Time was an extremely troublesome feat for the Dragon Clan, but for Lu Ye, who could wield the power of the Tower of Time, it should be quite easy. With a formidable enemy at hand, the appearance of the River of Time at this critical juncture caused Yang Lie and the others to faintly surmise that Lu Ye had made it appear to help the Dragon Clan powerhouses advance and break through more quickly. Their anxiety immediately lessened.

"Is that Dragon City?"

Less than a hundred thousand miles from Dragon City, dozens of figures swiftly approached. Leading them was a tall figure with long, blood-red hair, wearing extremely simple clothes that barely covered her vital areas, her graceful figure fully exposed. It was none other than Xuè Wēi of the Blood Clan. The beauty of this Blood Clan Half-Saint was undeniable, but beneath her striking appearance lay boundless malevolence and discontent. After they rendezvoused with Míng Fēng a few days prior, she learned from him that three of the five Half-Saints who had arrived first from the Origin World had died in battle, and Xuè Yuān had been the first to be killed. She could hardly believe it. In her opinion, and that of many other Origin World Half-Saints, Xuè Yuān and the other four should have been able to run rampant and be unstoppable upon their arrival in the Star Abyss. Yet, in reality, they not only failed to control the Star Abyss but couldn't even preserve their own lives. Xuè Yuān was, after all, a Blood Clan Half-Saint of extremely high status within the clan, and Míng Fēng and the others had followed his lead. For Xuè Yuān to die so haphazardly, with no one even witnessing how, left her both pained and frustrated. Her pain stemmed from her clan losing a powerful Half-Saint, and her frustration from Xuè Yuān's incompetence, which had brought immense shame to the Blood Clan.

"That is Dragon City, also known as the foremost of the Ten Great Dao Integration Cities in the Star Abyss!" Míng Fēng replied cautiously.

"It looks quite magnificent, but can such a dilapidated city truly withstand the siege of so many of your Half-Saints from before?" Fēi asked coldly, his voice hoarse, as if his throat had been burned. As fellow members of the Insect Clan, Fēi's attitude towards Míng Fēng was rather impolite, as he also found the previous events quite disgraceful.

"This city is said to have existed for many years and possesses very strong defenses," Míng Fēng offered a slight defense.

"Then I'd like to see just how strong it is, and whether it can withstand the combined assault of so many of us Half-Saints!" Fēi scoffed.

"Fellow Daoist Míng Fēng," a gentle voice came from a Half-Saint with golden eyes, "What is that?" As he spoke, he pointed towards the interior of Dragon City, in the direction where the River of Time flowed.

Míng Fēng also noticed the River of Time, but he hadn't seen it at all during his previous visit. How could he possibly know what it was now? He could only shake his head and say, "Fellow Daoist Xīng Zhòu, I haven't seen this before either, but the aura it emanates is somewhat similar to what the Dragon Clan produces when they activate their powers. It should be related to time."

The Half-Saint with golden eyes was indeed Xīng Zhòu, rumored to be the Origin World's foremost Half-Saint.

"Time... Could this be the River of Time?" Xīng Zhòu's expression shifted.