The strength of these individuals is quite high, but with the Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation under my control, I need not fear them.
Ye Yunfei observed the actions of those blade and sword cultivators with perfect clarity, muttering to himself.
Then, with a single thought, Ye Yunfei set over a dozen thick earth veins in motion, swiftly navigating the underground world before blocking the paths of the blade and sword cultivators.
"Everyone, move out!"
A Divine Sword Sect Elder surveyed the dense mass of Earth Dragons blocking their way and the vast, smoke-like ocean of earthen-yellow Earth Qi Energy before declaring sternly.
He unsheathed his sword and with a single slash, cleaved through dozens of Earth Dragons, causing them to explode.
But the number of Earth Dragons was simply staggering, advancing toward them in a rolling tide from all directions.
Next, massive stone fists condensed from earth and rock materialized, whistling through the air to attack these blade and sword cultivators.
"Oh no! The Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation is actually attacking us! Has Shoudi Laoren truly regained control of this Earth Formation?"
A Divine Sword Sect Elder, witnessing the overwhelming scale of the attacks around them, sensed something was amiss and cried out in alarm.
Chihu Daozun snorted coldly. Taking a step forward, he unleashed a sweeping slash from his blade, instantly shattering several hundred stone fists.
However, in the next instant, thousands more enormous stone fists appeared before him, bombarding his position.
These fists were condensed from the mud and stone of the subterranean world, endless and regenerating immediately after destruction.
"Everyone, we must quickly regroup with Elder Mo and assist him in reasserting control over Shoudi Laoren. Only then might we regain command of this Earth Formation!"
A Divine Sword Sect Elder shouted loudly.
Following his command, all sword and blade cultivators attacked in unison, charging forward aggressively.
Meanwhile, at the Heavenly Sword Sect Headquarters, half of the dark iron chains binding Shoudi Laoren had already been severed.
"Excellent! I can finally escape Mo Chenzi's control!"
At this moment, Shoudi Laoren felt the dark chains on his body being destroyed one after another. The heart that had been suspended in worry finally began to settle.
Before these chains were cut, he couldn't be truly certain of his escape from Mo Chenzi's grasp.
For all these years, these dark chains had bound his physical body and Soul Body. Over the long, slow years, they had clung to him like maggots feeding on bone, inflicting wounds and agony too profound to forget.
Thus, he hadn't dared to believe that he could ever truly be free of these dark chains within his lifetime. But now, as chain after chain was destroyed, he finally understood that this time, he would be genuinely, truly liberated.
"Not good! It seems those binding chains are being broken!"
Mo Chenzi, still searching underground for Shoudi Laoren's whereabouts, suddenly sensed traces of the chains' aura.
To his shock, it appeared half of them had already been destroyed.
"Shoudi Laoren... seems to be at the Heavenly Sword Sect Headquarters now."
Mo Chenzi's gaze abruptly shifted toward the direction of the Heavenly Sword Sect Headquarters.
The destroyed dark chains could no longer harm Shoudi Laoren, so Sword Elder and the other sect Elders paid them no further mind. They didn't employ further methods to suppress or seal the severed chains. Consequently, Mo Chenzi was immediately able to sense their auras once more.
"It was Sword Elder's doing, after all!
He possesses such methods? To rescue Shoudi Laoren right from under my nose and even help him destroy the binding chains?"
Mo Chenzi was both shocked and furious.
"Worse! Another chain has been destroyed!"
Just as Mo Chenzi was grinding his teeth in anger, his expression drastically changed—he sensed yet another chain being severed.
"No! I must assemble our forces and attack the Heavenly Sword Sect Headquarters immediately. If all the dark binding chains are destroyed, even if I find Shoudi Laoren, it may be impossible to control him again."
Mo Chenzi grew truly frantic.
"Mobilize all forces immediately and assault the Heavenly Sword Sect Headquarters!"
Mo Chenzi promptly sent a message to the other Divine Sword Sect Elders.
"Attack the Heavenly Sword Sect now?
Are we truly going to do this?"
Upon receiving Mo Chenzi's message, the other Divine Sword Sect higher-ups were somewhat stunned.
Up until now, Mo Chenzi had emphasized concentrating all efforts on breaching the barrier at the continent's heart, temporarily ignoring the other sword dao sects on the Sword Realm Continent.
But now he suddenly issued an order to assault the Heavenly Sword Sect Headquarters—it felt abrupt.
"Do not wait any longer! Gather every ounce of force with the utmost speed and attack the Heavenly Sword Sect Headquarters at once.
Shoudi Laoren is hiding there. We must find him with all haste and regain control over him."
Mo Chenzi sent another urgent message to the other Divine Sword Sect Elders.
"So that's it."
The other Elders finally understood why Mo Chenzi was so desperate to attack the Heavenly Sword Sect.
"Since that's the case, let's move!
We shall do as Elder Mo says. Assemble all our strength, form a great army, and strike the Heavenly Sword Sect. Let's use this chance to wipe them out as well."
The Divine Sword Sect's Sect Master, having also received Mo Chenzi's message, issued the same command.
"Let us surface first."
Currently, Mo Chenzi was being forced into constant retreat by the varied attacks within the subterranean world, appearing utterly disheveled.
But discovering Shoudi Laoren's location at the Heavenly Sword Sect Headquarters made him desperate to leave the underground world, return to the surface, and organize the assault.
Receiving Mo Chenzi's message, the other blade and sword cultivators underground also began charging upwards toward the surface.
Ye Yunfei was manipulating the Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation, launching all manner of terrifying attacks against them.
Some of the weaker sword and blade cultivators were already struggling, a few having sustained injuries.
"You've just begun manipulating this formation for offense and may not be fully accustomed to it yet. Thus, you cannot unleash the true might of the Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation.
But you should adapt quickly. The power you can wield through this Earth Formation will only grow."
Hun Lao remarked to Ye Yunfei.
"Indeed, I am still a little unaccustomed, as this is my first time controlling such a massive Earth Formation."
Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Next, let them truly witness the power of this formation!"
Ye Yunfei sneered.
The next moment, a scream rang out in the underground world as a blade cultivator was struck by dozens of giant stone fists, his body blasted apart.
Not just his flesh, but his Soul Body was also shattered into fragments.
"Everyone, be careful!"
A Divine Sword Sect Elder witnessed this, his face a mix of shock and fury.
Yet before his words even faded, three or four more screams erupted in succession. Several sword and blade cultivators were simultaneously pulverized by the swarming stone fists.
"Aah!
Elder Chihu, save me!"
Another blade cultivator screamed, only to be swarmed and torn to shreds by hundreds of Earth Dragons.
"Hmph!"
The other sword and blade cultivators were both horrified and enraged by the sight.
"Everyone, gather close to me!"
Seeing several blade cultivators reduced to pulp one after another, Chihu Daozun shouted in a mix of alarm and fury.
All the blade cultivators immediately moved to gather near him.
But it was useless. The Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation possessed power equivalent to a Chaos God-level. Its onslaught was overwhelming; even Chihu Daozun himself was somewhat flustered by the relentless, varied attacks.
"Aah... aah..."
Scream after scream rang out incessantly as blade cultivator after blade cultivator had their bodies blasted apart.
Simultaneously, many sword cultivators also met the same fate.
"It seems that Earth Formation has indeed fallen back under Shoudi Laoren's control. We must leave the underground world immediately!"
A Divine Sword Sect Elder declared grimly, his expression dark.
By now, the remaining blade and sword cultivators had clustered together. Under the leadership of Chihu Daozun and several Divine Sword Sect Elders, they pooled their strength to fight their way upward toward the surface.
"The power of this Realm-Stabilizing Dragon Vein Formation is truly remarkable! It possesses combat strength fully at the Chaos God-level, even surpassing Chihu Daozun himself. This is exhilarating!"
Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm cried out excitedly upon seeing Ye Yunfei use the Earth Formation to kill over a dozen sword and blade cultivators in succession.
Just then, several more screams echoed continuously as more sword and blade cultivators were pulverized.
In the end, under the leadership of Chihu Daozun and two or three Divine Sword Sect Elders, the remaining sword and blade cultivators made a sorry escape from the subterranean world, returning to the surface above.
Simultaneously, Mo Chenzi broke through to the surface from another location. He had been relentlessly pursued underground, emerging in a thoroughly disheveled state.
His robes were torn and tattered, marked with several fresh bloodstains.
"Shoudi Laoren has truly regained control of the formation."
Mo Chenzi stared down into the depths, his expression turning extremely grim.
He knew full well—given his actions against Shoudi Laoren over the years—that the old master would never let matters rest easily. He would surely come seeking bitter vengeance.
"Shoudi Laoren, I absolutely will not allow you to escape my grasp!"
Mo Chenzi ground his teeth, speaking through them. Once he finished, he took a single step and instantly returned to the Divine Sword Sect Headquarters.
"Elder Mo, the army has assembled and is ready to depart."
An ordinary Elder, seeing Mo Chenzi return, immediately stepped forward to report.
"Elder Mo, what exactly is going on? How could you have suddenly lost control of that Earth Formation?
Without that formation, breaking through that barrier will become exceedingly difficult."
At that very moment, Chihu Daozun also returned to the Divine Sword Sect Headquarters. Striding over as soon as he saw Mo Chenzi, he spoke in a tone full of blame.
"It's those Heavenly Sword Sect scoundrels!
Sword Elder must have used some method to rescue Shoudi Laoren. The old master is now within the Heavenly Sword Sect's headquarters. Therefore, we must spare no effort and assault their headquarters with the utmost speed, find Shoudi Laoren, and regain control over him. Only then might we hope to reassert control over that Earth Formation."
Mo Chenzi explained, his face grim.
"Elder Chihu, speaking of this now is useless. Let us act swiftly.
We invade the Heavenly Sword Sect Headquarters, find Shoudi Laoren, and regain control. Only then do we have a chance to reclaim control over that formation."
Mo Chenzi added.
"Fine. No more talk, let's move.
The Heavenly Sword Sect is now merely a bunch of wandering ghosts. I refuse to believe they can stir up any real waves."
Chihu Daozun frowned slightly upon hearing Mo Chenzi's words, then declared.