Free Web NovelChapter 366: Chapter 206: Company in Hardship, But No Share in Glory
The Observatory Master appeared before everyone, along with the Grand Celestial Masters and Celestial Masters of Guyang Temple.
The Grand Celestial Masters from the various Daoist Temples who had just been fighting were panting heavily. Some were bent over with their hands on their knees, completely exhausted.
They had already lost five or six Celestial Masters.
The newly arrived Grand Celestial Masters and Celestial Masters from Guyang Temple relieved the Celestial Masters from the other Daoist Temples.
Lu Yuan glanced over and made a rough count: eleven or twelve Grand Celestial Masters and just under fifty Celestial Masters.
Not counting the Grand Celestial Masters and Celestial Masters who were away traveling, this lineup alone was enough to prove Guyang Temple had the strength to be the number one Daoist Temple in Qilu Province.
"Form the Double Five Elements Sword Array!" the Observatory Master commanded, completely devoid of the greedy look he’d had the day before.
The so-called Double Five Elements Sword Array was composed of the Grand Five Elements Sword Array and the Anti-Five Elements Sword Array. The two arrays complemented and counteracted one another.
A single Sword Array on its own ran the risk of having its core broken.
The Double Five Elements Sword Array, however, could conceal each other’s cores. Anyone who entered it, even if they weren’t immediately shredded to pieces, would be worn down until they died.
The Grand Five Elements Sword Array was formed by twenty-five Daoists. Their positions resembled a plum blossom, trapping anyone inside a tight, inescapable encirclement.
The Grand Five Elements Sword Array required at least five powerful individuals to guard the five cardinal positions—corresponding to Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—while twenty others filled the remaining gaps.
The Grand Five Elements Sword Array was rather similar to that farmer’s Martial Arts formation—the Earth and Moisture Twenty-four Array.
As for this Anti-Five Elements Sword Array... how to describe it?
Ever heard of the Tai Chi Array from the Kunlun Sect and Huashan Sect? The True Tai Chi Swordsmanship and the Reversed Tai Chi Saber Technique would intertwine and merge into a system of endless variations, its complexity arguably unmatched by any other Sword Array in the world.
That’s right!
Well, this Anti-Five Elements Sword Array has absolutely nothing to do with that Tai Chi Array. The so-called "Anti-Five Elements Sword Array" is exactly what it sounds like: it’s just the Grand Five Elements Sword Array performed backward.
At the Observatory Master’s command, ten Grand Celestial Masters leaped out to their respective positions, while another forty Celestial Masters formed the perimeter.
The few remaining Grand Celestial Masters and Celestial Masters gathered around the Observatory Master, ready to serve as substitutes at a moment’s notice.
Lu Yuan didn’t understand any of these formations. ’The main problem is I don’t have any Secret Manuals to learn from!’
’Of the Secret Manuals the system gave me, the only one even remotely related is "Military God".’
’Military God: Volume 1 covers tactics and strategy, while Military God: Volume 2 deals with large-scale army formations and confrontations.’
Standing in the crowd, Lu Yuan took it all in, and he couldn’t help but admire the discipline of the Grand Celestial Masters and Celestial Masters.
With a single command, the Observatory Master had committed what was essentially the entire temple’s top fighting force.
Lu Yuan now understood why the Observatory Master had ordered everyone to fall back. ’So Guyang Temple needs a clear battlefield to set up its Sword Array.’
Lu Yuan instructed his confidants, "Watch carefully and learn this Double Five Elements Sword Array for us."
His confidants could only agree. If they had photographic memories and extraordinary comprehension, they would have started cultivating Techniques to become Celestial Masters long ago. Why would they still be mere Travelers?
It was like in certain places; if you were quick on the uptake, had a good memory, and knew how to get along with people, your family would’ve long ago pushed you to take the exams for a government post. Would they ever let you pursue an "improper" career?
After steadying their ranks, the army of Travelers launched a charge under the command of their squad leader.
The Daoists of Guyang Temple intentionally opened a gap, letting the Travelers pour into the Sword Array before closing the trap to slaughter them.
In just a few moments, the first wave of Travelers that entered the array was cut down and dissipated into nothing.
Operating under the principle of "if salvation fails, then annihilation is necessary," the Daoists of Guyang Temple worked furiously to obliterate the Travelers.
Seeing that the first charging wave had been dissipated, the squad leader among the Travelers’ army commanded the second wave to attack.
The second wave was three times the size of the first. These Travelers split into two groups: one charged into the array to absorb the brunt of the attack, while the other remained outside to harass the Daoists on the perimeter.
This was where the Anti-Five Elements Sword Array came into play. Five Grand Celestial Masters held their positions in the core of the formation, while the other five moved to the absolute perimeter.
Seeing this, the Observatory Master of Guyang Temple felt a surge of pride. ’After this battle,’ he thought, ’Guyang Temple’s fame will soar! Securing our position as the number one Daoist Temple in Qilu Province for the next hundred years will be no problem.’
’Fifty of our people fighting several hundred Travelers... that’s a ratio far greater than one against ten.’
’At this rate, even the Celestial Dynasty Palace and the Music Priests will have to take notice. Who knows, maybe the provincial Governor himself will even bestow a commendation!’
Just as the Observatory Master was lost in his pleasant daydream, the situation changed in a flash. A Thunderball plummeted straight down.
"Brothers, look out!" one of the reserve Grand Celestial Masters shouted a warning, but it was already too late to do anything!
A bolt from the blue. If that Thunderball exploded directly on the battlefield, the Grand Celestial Masters, Celestial Masters, and Travelers alike would be blown to pieces.
Lu Yuan, watching from the crowd, reacted with incredible speed. He instantly threw out a two-by-two-meter sheet of Long Snake Skin to block the Thunderball.
’In this emergency, I don’t have any suitable protective gear on hand.’ Lu Yuan quickly reviewed his defensive items. ’There’s the Golden Silk Armor from the system, the Armor I made from Long Snake Skin, and the leftover scraps of skin.’
’The Golden Silk Armor is definitely out. Gold’s electrical conductivity is second only to silver and copper. While this Soft Armor isn’t pure gold but an alloy, it still can’t stop a lightning attack.’
The Thunderball, which was nearly a meter in diameter, slammed into the Long Snake Skin. With a deafening BOOM, the large sphere shattered into five or six smaller thunderballs that ricocheted onto the ground.
Although the Long Snake Skin absorbed most of the blast’s power, some energy still overflowed and scattered into smaller thunderballs.
The five or six small thunderballs exploded upon impact with the ground, kicking up thick clouds of dust that obscured the vision of everyone outside the battlefield.
Standing in the distance, Lu Yuan’s confidants watched what had just happened and couldn’t help but swallow hard. ’That blast was as powerful as a Mortar shell!’
Under the cover of dust, the Grand Celestial Masters, Celestial Masters, and Travelers were all blasted apart by the explosions of the smaller thunderballs!
Through the dust, Lu Yuan could still clearly see the situation on the battlefield.
Lu Yuan shook his head and sighed. ’Alas, Guyang Temple has suffered heavy losses. They’re probably going to be defeated now. Still, Thunder Power is incredibly effective against these Travelers. It’s a good thing I prepared a bunch of Basic Thunder Talismans for myself.’
Seven or eight seconds later, the dust began to settle, and the Observatory Master and the others could finally see clearly. The flesh on his face twitched, his heart aching with the loss.
One Grand Celestial Master and seven or eight Celestial Masters were killed instantly.
Six Grand Celestial Masters and more than twenty Celestial Masters suffered injuries of varying degrees.
Thanks to lightning’s bonus damage against Travelers, not a single one from the second charging wave survived; they were all reduced to dust.
If Lu Yuan hadn’t acted and blocked that meter-wide Thunderball with the Long Snake Skin...
...the number of dead Celestial Masters would likely not have been in the single digits. In fact, they would have been lucky to have any survivors at all.
Su Liyan said, "Brother, the Da Xingzi has arrived!"
Lu Yuan had already sensed the Da Xingzi’s arrival. The massive Thunderball from moments ago was its handiwork.
The Observatory Master of Guyang Temple had no time to thank Lu Yuan for saving their lives, nor to grieve for his fallen Daoist brothers.
He saw a Da Xingzi float down from the sky, hovering ten centimeters above the ground as it positioned itself before the ranks of Travelers.
The Travelers shouted in unison, "General Zheng!"
This Da Xingzi wore his hair coiled up and was adorned with a Golden Crown. He was dressed in a loose blue robe embroidered with various patterns and decorative feathers, complete with a pair of Arm Guards.
It was, without a doubt, the uniform of a Divine Ling Empire General.
’This Da Xingzi must have been a General in the Divine Ling Empire when he was alive,’ Lu Yuan thought. ’That embroidery on his robe looks like a Qilin. His rank must have been quite high.’
’Even in death, this Traveler is still dressed so magnificently.’
’Clothes really do make the man, just as a saddle makes the horse.’
’This Da Xingzi is actually pretty handsome.’
The Observatory Master of Guyang Temple froze for a fleeting moment, then spoke slowly, "General Zheng, after all these years, can you still not let it go? Why must you disturb this age of peace and prosperity?"
Standing in the crowd and watching the drama unfold, Lu Yuan realized, ’So the old Daoist knows this Da Xingzi.’
A hoarse voice echoed across the entire field: "Heh heh... Always company for the bitter times, but never a share of the glory!"
