Dang—
The resounding toll of the bell was finally struck.
The divine bell of the Dark Night Ancient City had been rung. This bell toll was the highest warning, historically only sounded when facing the most fearsome battles. Each time it rang, it almost always signaled a Dark Night Siege Battle—a ten-thousand-year Samsara cycle, never interrupted.
And this year would be no exception.
The many bandits of the Plunder Heaven Plains all paled in shock. They had dominated the Plunder Heaven Plains, looked down upon the world, and reigned supreme in their domain. Never had they imagined someone could launch an assault and force them to sound the divine bell, summoning even stronger forces to block the advance.
After the divine bell tolled, the majestic main gate abruptly swung open. Countless bandits surged out from the gate, unleashing various weapons to intercept the attackers.
More warships appeared, and terrifying aerial ancient fortresses materialized, interweaving Dao marks as array patterns surfaced. Powerful figures stood within, driving the ancient fortresses forward in a charge.
One after another, ferocious beasts with blood-red eyes roared forth, their bellows shaking heaven and earth as they pulled thick, clanking divine chains.
As the central ancient city of the Plunder Heaven Plains and the core stronghold of the bandits, how could it possess only such meager strength after all these years since ancient times? It undoubtedly held an extraordinary heritage.
The overwhelming aura of Heavenly King old-timers seemed to flow from the main gate, tearing through the firmament.
In an instant, the side of the great bandits was densely packed with the figures of powerful bandits, standing tall between heaven and earth.
Upon the towering and vast city walls, numerous powerful figures stood, including many divine archers who unified their essence, energy, and spirit. They shot forth one terrifying divine arrow after another, piercing through the void and slaughtering the many experts hired with heavy gold by the prodigies one by one, all exploding into bloody mist in the void.
Moreover, the Dark Night Ancient City was awakening. The entire ancient city flowed with a mysterious, hazy radiance, swallowing the starry brilliance filling the sky, gathering all rivers into one mighty flow. A rainbow pierced the sun, shaking the eight directions, empowering the many powerful bandits and further enhancing the warships and aerial ancient fortresses, unleashing even more terrifying combat power.
The prodigy army, which should have crushed like rotten wood, immediately faced severe obstruction. Warships exploded one after another in the void.
That was because within the city, equally fearsome Saint realm divine archers were drawing their bows. Each Saint arrow was forged from the essence of Saint bones, containing a peerless killing intent, stretching dozens of li. After annihilating countless figures along their path, they pierced through and shattered warship after warship, obliterating them from the mortal world.
The sky was filled with exploding figures, bursts of bloody mist appearing tragically beautiful as flesh, blood, and bones shattered and scattered, a gruesome and eye-catching sight.
Even those prodigy elites could not escape misfortune, trapped on this life-and-death battlefield where life and death were beyond their control.
In an instant, the number of casualties was beyond count!
But the prodigy army naturally would not retreat. The Holy Sect divine archers hidden in the rear once again drew their bows. Each draw was like a full moon, the Saint arrows they shot forth resembling meteors falling from beyond the heavens, dozens of li long, trailing long and brilliant divine radiance. They collided with the Saint realm divine archers within the Dark Night Ancient City, all exploding in the sky, causing countless casualties on both sides.
Yet they fought on tirelessly.
Roar—
The nine-headed demonic flood dragon let out a great roar, shaking heaven and earth. The entire majestic city wall trembled as if on the verge of collapse.
Its nine massive, mountain-like flood dragon heads opened their mouths, spewing forth streams of multicolored light—dragon breath containing various terrifying divine might, capable of shattering heaven and earth, tearing the skies asunder. Vast numbers of bandits were instantly reduced to dust, leaving nothing behind.
This was a genuine ancient exotic beast, said to have lived for two thousand three hundred years, far exceeding the lifespan limit of the Saint Treasury Realm, yet not at the Heavenly King realm. Its lifespan was astonishingly long, but its combat power was excessively terrifying.
The many ancient fortresses and warships flying out from the ancient city directly exploded, countless figures turning to ash.
Had the Dark Night Ancient City not been extraordinary enough, the dragon breath spewed by the nine-headed demonic flood dragon would have long since collapsed the city walls.
“Awoo roar—”
A Crocodile Dragon, larger than a mountain range, appeared. It had eight claws and three tails, a ferocious beast variant flowing with dragon blood, immensely terrifying, its demonic might overwhelming the heavens, stronger than an ordinary Saint.
It carried a mysterious old man into battle. The old man seated upon it opened his eyes, which held not a trace of cloudiness but instead shone brilliantly, astonishing the world. He spread his large hand and struck, directly smashing down one fearsome ancient fortress after another, shattering the void.
Boom—
From another direction, a hundred-zhang-tall Golden Giant charged forth. In its hand, it held a terrifying spiked club, forged from the divine bone of some unknown creature, actually inscribed with the Dao patterns of all heavens.
With a single club strike, the mighty power of all heavens accompanied it, and terrifying phantoms of primordial beasts appeared—thousands upon thousands, charging toward the bandit army. It was excessively terrifying, shockingly so.
Naturally, the bandit army also had many fearsome figures charging out, along with terrifying war beasts flying forth. A golden-winged divine roc, as if cast from gold, soared through the skies, shrieking as it shot forth thousands of golden lightning bolts, annihilating the heavens.
But this could not hold them back, for the army crushed like rotten wood, successfully fighting its way to the foot of the Dark Night Ancient City, arriving at the city gates.
Twenty-six great bandits, along with twenty-two overlord-level figures, stood firm. Their blood energy was like a sea, erupting between heaven and earth; their mana exploded like mist and sea, flooding the world. They bore the brunt, holding back the vast army assembled by the prodigies.
Yet those supreme powerhouses stood tall in the sky—invincible True Kings, Battle Saint Kings, Saint realm Kings, and invited overlords. Their blood energy soared to the heavens, divine radiance enveloping their bodies as they engaged in fierce battles with the most powerful group of great bandits in the firmament.
The other young prodigies knew that the many great bandits were being held back by True Kings and the invited super-powerful experts, which was not a difficult matter. The next step was the siege of the city itself.
This was the true focal point.
“Kill! Take advantage of the city gates being open, charge inside, and seize the slots!”
Several Saint realm Kings saw the opportunity, raised their heads, and roared at the sky. They immediately prepared to abandon the overlord-level great bandits before them, turning to charge inside.
Their divine power surged, striking the heavens, instantly tearing through the sky. They slaughtered the dozens to hundreds of bandits blocking their path into bloody mist, making a long assault toward the city gates.
But how would the several overlord-level great bandits blocking them allow it? Their mana suddenly intensified many times over, surging like a vast, misty sea, directly forcing them back and clashing with them.
Moreover, the ancient city slammed shut its majestic main gate, with terrifying Dao mark runes flowing and overflowing, blocking everything.
“Damn it! We were only one step away!”
Several Saint realm Kings roared, hatred overflowing on their faces. This had been an excellent opportunity; they all believed that once they entered the ancient city, everything would be smooth sailing.
Yet the various True Kings all watched coldly and indifferently. Even when they saw this opportunity earlier, they had not truly taken action.
The Dark Night Ancient City was not so simple to breach and enter.
Let alone the fact that within the ancient city, a Heavenly King Invincible was watching intently, like a tiger eyeing its prey.