Dawn broke over Jade Sword Mountain with an almost surreal calm, the quiet before a storm. The crescent light of the fading Blood Moon gave way to the pale sun, illuminating the courtyard where the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect moved with intense focus.
Zhou Yu stood atop the Main Sect Hall, arms crossed, observing the horizon where faint dark shapes moved among the Moon-Shadow Forest's dense foliage. Ling, the Nether Shadow Wolf, crouched beside him, tail twitching in anticipation.
"Their main force is approaching faster than expected," Zhou Yu murmured, voice calm yet carrying the weight of impending battle. "They are confident… perhaps overconfident. That is their first mistake."
Liang Chen, standing beside Zhou Yu, tightened his grip on his sword. Bronze Sword Core pulsed faintly as Third Stance energy hummed around him. "Master… are we ready?"
Zhou Yu's piercing gaze swept across the courtyard. "We are as ready as we can be. The Third Stance is integrated. The arrays are active. Disciples are prepared. The only unknown is their strategy."
Feng Lian's frost swirled gently around her robes, her eyes sharp as icicles. "And the perimeter?"
Ling growled, ears twitching. "Patrols report movement—small units testing our defenses. Nothing major yet, but they are probing for weak points."
Zhou Yu's lips curved faintly. "Then let the first wave break upon us."
A distant horn echoed across the forest. The disciples froze momentarily, the sound vibrating through the ground. From the Moon-Shadow Forest's edge, figures emerged: Scarlet Moon scouts, larger and more numerous than the previous skirmish.
Zhou Yu raised a hand. "Disciples, positions! Formation nodes activated!"
Liang Chen stepped forward, Third Stance energy weaving around him like living threads of silver light. Sword Qi pulsed, extending outward to touch the nodes of the defensive arrays. The courtyard trembled faintly as energy rippled along the conduits.
The scouts approached cautiously, testing the boundary. A sudden pulse of Sword Qi erupted from the arrays, a silver lattice of energy slicing through the trees and striking the scouts. Several screamed, falling back as the formations amplified Liang Chen's Third Stance strikes.
Feng Lian moved like frost incarnate, ice trails leaving the ground frozen and deadly. Ling darted among the trees, striking isolated scouts with lethal precision. The courtyard was alive with energy, a symphony of coordinated defense.
Yet, Zhou Yu knew this was only a prelude. The Scarlet Moon's main force was still hidden in the dense forest, waiting for the right moment.
Zhou Yu summoned a small group of senior disciples, including Liang Chen, Han Xiang, and Feng Lian. He gestured toward the edge of the forest.
"They will probe, retreat, and regroup. They will not attack openly until they understand our defenses. We must force them to expend energy on failed assaults while our disciples remain efficient and coordinated."
Liang Chen's Bronze Sword Core pulsed as he nodded. "Master… the Third Stance is ready. I can coordinate with multiple formations simultaneously."
"Good," Zhou Yu said. "Do not overextend. Sword Qi, formations, and environment must act as one. Remember—discipline over force, control over power. The Scarlet Moon excels at chaos. We will not give them that advantage."
The disciples split into teams: perimeter defense, formation stabilization, and internal reinforcement. Each move was precise, orchestrated to maximize efficiency while minimizing risk.
By mid-morning, the Scarlet Moon scouts regrouped, numbering over fifty. They charged in coordinated waves, attacking the arrays, attempting to find gaps.
Liang Chen stepped forward, Third Stance energy flowing through three integrated arrays simultaneously. Silver arcs of Sword Qi intertwined with the defensive nodes, forming a lattice that intercepted incoming attacks with lethal precision.
Feng Lian's frost blades froze the ground, slowing advancing scouts and leaving them vulnerable. Ling moved like a shadow, striking from unexpected angles. Every movement of the disciples was guided subtly by Zhou Yu's presence, though he remained largely in the background.
The scouts' leader, a demonic cultivator with a Crimson Core, stepped forward, his sword glowing ominously. "You cannot hide behind your toys forever, Zhou Yu. The Scarlet Moon Demonic Sect will claim this mountain, one way or another."
Liang Chen felt a pulse of adrenaline. The Third Stance responded instinctively, arcs of Sword Qi weaving around him, intercepting and countering the Crimson Core cultivator's attacks. Sparks and energy collided violently, splintering trees and creating shockwaves that shook the courtyard.
Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed. "Focus. Do not fight rashly. Let the formation guide you."
Liang Chen gritted his teeth, arms trembling, and pushed his Third Stance to its limits. Energy surged, lattice nodes pulsed, and a massive wave of coordinated Sword Qi struck the leader, forcing him back. The scout's Crimson Core flared, and he hissed in frustration.
Ling darted through the battlefield, coordinating attacks with Liang Chen's sword arcs. He struck isolated scouts, severed formation nodes, and disrupted enemy coordination. His presence allowed the disciples to focus on controlled strikes, amplifying the effectiveness of the Third Stance.
One Scarlet Moon scout attempted to flank the courtyard's southern edge, planting demonic talismans meant to disrupt the arrays. Ling intercepted swiftly, jaws clamping down on the talisman and throwing the scout into a tree with lethal precision.
"Good," Zhou Yu said softly. "Use their overconfidence against them. They think speed and chaos can break us, but our discipline is sharper than any blade."
Despite the sect's coordination, the scouts' numbers began to wear on the defenders. Several junior disciples were injured by miscalculated attacks, and minor formation nodes were temporarily overloaded by concentrated assaults.
Feng Lian glided through the battlefield, her ice blade precise and deadly, reinforcing nodes and protecting injured disciples. Su Mei moved silently, her healing techniques mitigating the worst of the casualties.
Liang Chen's arms ached, his Bronze Sword Core glowing fiercely. He realized the true test was not just maintaining the Third Stance but adapting it dynamically under prolonged combat. Every fluctuation in enemy attacks threatened to destabilize the arrays.
Zhou Yu observed silently, noting every misstep, every hesitation. He knew the Scarlet Moon's main force would arrive within hours—this initial wave was only a test.
With a final coordinated strike, Liang Chen pushed his Third Stance to perfection. Sword Qi arcs erupted from the integrated arrays, forming a cascading lattice that struck the Scarlet Moon scouts with precision and force.
The scouts faltered, their formation collapsing under the combined might of Sword Qi, frost, and Ling's relentless attacks. Several fled into the forest, their morale shattered. Others lay incapacitated, their talismans shattered by the defensive lattice.
Zhou Yu's lips curved faintly. "Well done. This is only the first wave. They will regroup and return stronger. But the Heavenly Sword Sect has proven its readiness."
Liang Chen collapsed to one knee, exhaustion evident on his face. "Master… they will come again… stronger…"
"Yes," Zhou Yu replied, eyes narrowing toward the distant forest. "And when they do, we will be ready. Your Third Stance, integrated with the formations, is now our spear. Tomorrow… we will push even further. The Scarlet Moon cannot predict what they cannot measure."
Ling growled, ears twitching. Somewhere beyond the trees, dark figures stirred—the Crimson Core leader, retreating but unbroken, preparing for the next assault.
The siege had begun.