"…This Thousand Island Water City I, this humble Daoist, will protect it!"
The words of the Blackwater Giant echoed across the city, drawing startled gasps from every corner.
The chaotic movements within the city ground to a halt as the shattered defensive array began to reassemble and regain some of its power. Forces from both Thousand Island Water City and the opposing Jiuding Valley stopped in their tracks, now on edge and observing cautiously.
No one on either side recognized this sudden intruder cloaked in black water. But from his words and actions, it was clear he stood on Thousand Island Water City's side.
At first, Jiudingzi's expression showed clear wariness, but upon hearing these words, he was instantly filled with rage.
And yet, he had no choice but to temper that fury when he saw that this "Blackwater Giant" truly possessed solid Golden Core-level power having absorbed the remnants of the city's third-tier defensive formation directly into his being, despite not appearing human.
He had prepared for the Black Flood Dragon with careful planning and targeted tools. But this unknown figure? He had nothing prepared to counter him.
Suppressing his anger, Jiudingzi narrowed his eyes and asked darkly:
"In all the lands of the Four Nations, I've never seen you before. What connection do you have to Thousand Island Water City, that you would meddle in this matter?"
"Connection?"
Li Ye shook his head calmly. His gaze drifted to the weakened Black Flood Dragon, whose struggles had slowed to a feeble twitch. With a thought, he directed the formation's void power to gently envelop and teleport the beast away to safety.
Jiudingzi wanted to intervene, but with no understanding of void manipulation through formation arts, he could only watch helplessly as it slipped from his grasp.
He seethed.
The Dragon-Subduing Wood a rare spiritual timber with a natural suppressive effect on dragon bloodlines was a precious and deadly material. If one could endure its torment and refine it, there might be some benefit. But once refined into a Dragon-Subduing Spike, it became a weapon of pure destruction. It stripped away even the chance of refining benefit, dealing catastrophic damage to creatures of dragon lineage.
This was why it had struck the Black Flood Dragon with such vicious efficiency crippling it in one blow.
Jiudingzi's boldness in attacking the city had come from this very secret weapon.
Thoughts racing, Li Ye spoke again with detached calm:
"I indeed owe the late senior Bihu a few favors… but that's not the main reason I'm intervening."
"My true purpose for being here is the Frost Condensate Water your city has stored away."
"Of course, I'm also here to stop Jiudingzi from becoming another false core cultivator."
"If he succeeds today, and your Jiuding Valley ends up with two false core cultivators working together then the fall of Thousand Island Water City would only be the beginning. The whole Four Nations would eventually bow to your rule."
As he spoke, Li Ye continued refining the synchronization between his puppet formation and the city's defensive array. Unseen by most, his core puppet was rapidly growing stronger its power more condensed, more formidable by the second.
His voice echoed with clarity across the battlefield, carrying no deception.
Everyone knew Jiudingzi's ambitions by now he had all but made them public through his actions.
But Frost Condensate Water? That was a shock. Such a rare and powerful Golden Core material hidden within Thousand Island Water City?
Instantly, the eyes of countless Foundation Establishment cultivators flashed with greed but upon seeing the Blackwater Giant, their desire vanished as quickly as it came. With two Golden Core-tier fighters present, how could they possibly compete?
Meanwhile, the disciples of Bihu Sanren were stunned.
This was a tightly held secret known only among Golden Core cultivators. How had it become public knowledge?
And this stranger… how was he controlling their city's core formation so freely?
"He knows about the Frost Condensate Water?!"
"He can control the Mystic Water Tidal Formation?!"
The two disciples who had been on the verge of fleeing Ou Cha and Song Hongguang were visibly shaken. They exchanged uneasy glances.
"Just who is this person?!"
Could it be that their master had another hidden disciple out there?
But before they could dwell on it further, the powerful currents of the formation surged again. In an instant, they were enveloped by the force and transported directly beside the Blackwater Giant with an authority even higher than Song Hongguang's over the array.
Then came Li Ye's calm voice:
"Daoist Ou, I came for the Frost Condensate Water. If you're willing to offer it as payment, then I vow to see this crisis resolved for Thousand Island Water City. What say you?"
Ou Cha's expression shifted between hesitation and resolve.
In truth, after centuries of accumulation, just before the passing of their master Bihu Sanren due to the limits of his lifespan, they had already gathered enough Frost Condensate Water for one full portion and even had some extra to spare.
If luck was on their side, they could perhaps collect another full share shortly.
But without the occurrence of rare and extreme weather phenomena, it was impossible to say when such a chance might come again…
Despite possessing such a rare treasure, no one in the city had yet reached the peak of Foundation Establishment with enough confidence to attempt Golden Core.
Ou Cha himself, being in the late Foundation stage, was the most likely candidate to do so
which was why, even while fleeing earlier, he had confidently vowed revenge.
What he hadn't expected was to find himself now trapped in such a desperate situation…
Must he truly give up his shot at Golden Cove just to defend Thousand Island Water City?
He only hesitated for a moment and then came to a decision.
He gave Li Ye a deep, solemn bow and declared,
"As long as senior is willing to drive off our enemies and ensure the safety of Thousand Island Water City, I, Ou Cha, am willing to offer up the Frost Condensate Water!"
As he spoke, he raised his hands, revealing a small, pristine vial forged from cold jade.
Even through multiple layers of sealing, it exuded an unmistakable chill.
The moment it appeared, everyone who saw it revealed unconcealed greed and desire.
Jiudingzi was both excited and bitter.
Had he possessed such a treasure back then, he might never have needed to take the flawed path of the false core just to protect his sect's legacy he might have achieved a true Golden Core!
"Senior Brother!" Song Hongguang instinctively tried to stop him, but Ou Cha stood firm.
Their master had guided him on the path of cultivation and taught him everything he knew.
He had no choice but to flee earlier, but now that a sliver of hope had appeared
he could not let it go to waste!
At this moment, Li Ye, connected with the Mystic Water Tidal Formation through his Blackwater Pearl and core puppet, was especially attuned to water-type spiritual items.
With one look, he knew this was Frost Condensate Water without a doubt.
Just getting this treasure made the entire risky venture worth it!
"You two… are you truly acting as if I don't exist?!"
Jiudingzi had already been furious over the Blackwater Giant's interference, and seeing the Frost Condensate Water stirred his greed anew.
With a furious roar, he struck. His vast spiritual energy surged as his Golden Cauldron rapidly expanded in size.
As he summoned it, a powerful suction force erupted, aiming to snatch away Ou Cha, Song Hongguang, and the Frost Condensate Water.
At the same time, the Eight Phantom Cauldrons flew into the air, forming a suppression array meant to seal and lock down the Blackwater Giant.
"If you had simply backed down and left, perhaps we could have avoided this battle…"
Li Ye remained calm and unhurried.
He had already gauged Jiudingzi's true strength
and now, bolstered by the city's grand formation, Li Ye was confident the man was no match for him.
"But since you insist on fighting then stay!"
As the words fell, the Blackwater Giant reached out, summoning a surge of water that shielded Ou Cha and Song Hongguang.
Above his head, the Blackwater Pearl emitted a deep black-blue glow
and at the same moment, nine water-formed flood dragons erupted from his body with deafening roars, each one instantly expanding in size.
They darted toward the Blackwater Pearl like dragons chasing a divine jewel, intertwining in mid-air to form a formation resembling surging tides and crashing waves.
In a single impact, they shattered the Eight Phantom Cauldrons
and charged straight at Jiudingzi himself!
Faced with such terrifying force, the old cultivator's face shifted from greedy rage to sheer panic.
He quickly summoned his Golden Cauldron for protection.
Clang!
The phantom cauldrons were already broken and would take time to reform.
Now with only one cauldron left, its power was halved and there was no way it could block this strike.
For all his earlier arrogance and might, Jiudingzi was still only a false core cultivator in the end!
Now that the Blackwater Giant was channeling the full might of the formation his power rivaling a true Golden Core how could Jiudingzi hope to compete?
"No!"
Sensing danger, Jiudingzi turned to flee.
But the Blackwater Giant swiftly formed hand seals, calling down the void power of the grand array to lock him in place.
ROAR!
The nine dragons howled as the Blackwater Pearl condensed a vast, crushing tidal force.
CRASH! The Golden Cauldron's protective light shattered, swallowed by the overwhelming wave.
"Please, don't! Let's talk I swear never to set foot in Jing Nation again! Spare me!"
Jiudingzi screamed in desperation, pleading for his life.
CRACK!
The Blackwater Pearl descended. The nine dragons transformed into a roaring emerald tide
and in the blink of an eye, both Jiudingzi's voice and his body vanished without a trace.
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