Panic was infectious, but Ling Tian's cold certainty imposed order. Hu Lie and the mercenaries, galvanized by the power of Ling Tian's Tier-6 pills and the promise of escaping the Jade Lake Palace's inevitable retribution, moved with frantic efficiency.
Within twelve hours, Jade Peak Town was largely evacuated. The mercenaries, now calling themselves the Bladefang Corps under Ling Tian's unspoken command, followed Lin Yue, who expertly navigated the treacherous, winding paths toward the Hidden Peak Citadel.
Securing the Citadel
The Citadel was indeed a magnificent, albeit decaying, structure. It was perched high on a plateau, protected by sheer cliffs and a dense, natural fog formation that discouraged casual visitors.
The moment they arrived, Lin Yue, utilizing her vast knowledge of Immortal Formation principles and the potent Tier-8 Formation Repair Pill Ling Tian provided, went to work.
"The core formation is the Nine-Cloud Defense Array," Lin Yue reported to Ling Tian, who was already surveying the Mid-Grade Immortal Vein within the central courtyard. "It relies on channeling Qi from the ground vein through nine pillars. It's severely damaged, Master, but with this Pill, I can stabilize the main power nexus within a day."
"One day is all we have," Ling Tian stated, his focus entirely on the Immortal Vein.
The Breakthrough Preparation
Ling Tian knew that facing a Spirit Severing Realm expert was exponentially more dangerous than facing a Nascent Soul expert.
The Spirit Severing Realm involved splitting the Nascent Soul to forge a spiritual Avatar, granting the user control over small fragments of the world's natural laws.
Ling Tian, currently only Mid-Golden Core, needed a massive injection of high-purity Immortal Qi.
He placed his Violet Thunder Cauldron directly over the Mid-Grade Immortal Vein. Unlike the earlier raid where he was hurried, here he was methodical. He initiated the Primordial Chaos Energy Consumption technique, forcing the Immortal Vein to pump its energy into his Dantian at a dangerous, rapid rate.
The Citadel's courtyard glowed with a fierce, violet-gold light as Ling Tian cultivated. His Perfect Golden Chaos Core churned violently, purifying the dense Immortal Qi and converting it to the superior Primordial Chaos essence.
I need to break through to Late Golden Core, or at least stand on the edge of the Nascent Soul Realm, Ling Tian calculated coldly. The Spirit Severing expert must be weakened by the Array, or my single Primordial Chaos Palm won't be enough to cripple him.
Elder Gao Feng's Fury
Meanwhile, back at Jade Peak Town, Elder Gao Feng of the Jade Lake Palace arrived with his punitive expedition.
He found only an empty, dust-filled town. His rage was a palpable force that shattered the remaining windows of the headquarters.
"Fled! The miserable insects dared to flee!"
Gao Feng roared, his voice carrying the terrifying authority of the Spirit Severing Realm.
He immediately dispatched a team of Late Nascent Soul trackers. Within hours, the trackers returned, their faces pale.
"Elder Gao Feng, we located their tracks. They are heading toward the Hidden Peak Citadel," the tracker reported, trembling. "But... they moved too fast. And we found this."
The tracker presented a small, dried, crystalline rock—the remnant of the Tier-8 Formation Repair Pill that Lin Yue had spilled near the old headquarters.
Gao Feng instantly recognized the residue. "Tier-8 Alchemy! Someone of incredible skill is leading them! They are repairing the Citadel's ancient Nine-Cloud Defense Array!"
Gao Feng's rage solidified into lethal intent. He realized the 'mercenaries' were actually backed by an extremely dangerous alchemist and strategist.
"Send word back to the Palace: I will level the Citadel and bring back the heads of every last mercenary. They will not escape the retribution of the Jade Lake Palace!"
Elder Gao Feng, eager to redeem the Palace's honor, abandoned his main force and flew toward the Hidden Peak Citadel alone, propelled by the destructive power of his Spirit Severing Realm cultivation.