Although the spirit stones were being consumed at an astronomical rate every minute and second, the effect was truly remarkable!

The result of this extravagant, money-burning expenditure was that after shrinking their defensive perimeter, the Wei people had transformed the main palace complex into an impenetrable fortress, using merely dozens of people to forcibly withstand the Yao army’s assault!

Though it was only temporary, it was enough to make everyone present lose face.

Zhao Ru Shan shouted: “Quick, charge in!” The opportunity would vanish in an instant, never to return!

At the southwestern corner of the main palace complex, the Yao army poured through the damaged wall like locusts.

The defensive capabilities of the buildings here could not be compared to the walls of Yinzi City, as they relied entirely on arrays to keep people out. The Yao army’s ability to attack from this point indicated that a fatal gap had been torn in the entire southwestern defensive structure.

Even under the bright daylight, the glow of supernatural powers seemed faint. As the situation grew increasingly perilous, Lu Ming directed the Wei cultivators to fight and retreat simultaneously, sweat pouring down his forehead.

The combined power of these dozens of cultivators was immense, especially with the battle formation taught by the great State Preceptor Yun. For the time being, the Yao army simply could not break through.

However, the problem was that they were still flesh and blood; their spiritual energy would be depleted, and their bodies would tire, while the Yao forces opposite them were using great cannons without restraint. These were special weapons unique to the Yao army, powered by spirit stones, and were said to rival various divine cannons from ancient times. The previously deployed Aluoyue Array around the main palace complex had been forcibly breached by dozens of consecutive blasts from these cannons. Now, with everyone using their spiritual energy as the foundation for the grand array, Lu Ming had no confidence in their ability to hold out.

Moreover, a large number of Yao Kingdom cultivators were also pouring in with the army, attacking relentlessly with deep-seated hatred.

These Wei Kingdom cultivators, who outside would command wind and rain at will, had instead become fish trapped in a jar.

Lu Ming and the others had now retreated to the Qingya Palace.

The corridors here were built along the water, with elegant curves, half-hidden among green trees, presenting a picturesque beauty from a distance. However, now the fish in the water, disturbed by the endless cannon fire, darted about in panic, no longer showing their usual leisurely demeanor.

Zuo Qiu Yuan ran in from outside with large strides, holding his sword with the blade down, also somewhat out of breath: “Luoyin Palace has fallen. We lost three people.”

Luoyin Palace was not far from here. Each cultivator was a precious asset to the country; under normal circumstances, if three died at once, even the ruler would be enraged. By now, they had lost seven people. Lu Ming gritted his teeth and said: “Hold on a little longer. The State Preceptor will arrive soon!”

He had said the same thing two-quarters of an hour ago.

But even though everyone knew this, they did not pick at his words. At this moment, anything said was useless.

Zuo Qiu Yuan stepped closer and said in a voice so low that only Lu Ming could hear: “Why not change clothes and leave? Many Yao people are rushing in now; we might have a chance to slip out in the chaos.”

“Then what about all these people?” Changing clothes and disguising oneself would allow only a few to escape. The remaining cultivators would either surrender or be stabbed to death on the spot. Lu Ming’s baby face, rarely seen so grim, darkened: “Since the State Preceptor has entrusted me with this task, I absolutely cannot run away halfway.”

Zuo Qiu Yuan sighed: “Very well then.”

Lu Ming turned his head to look at him: “Dying with us, can you be content with that?”

“Content, why wouldn’t I be content?” Zuo Qiu Yuan indeed laughed cheerfully. “After all, my great revenge has been achieved. Giving up my life to conclude this, what’s not good about that?”

Lu Ming tugged at the corner of his mouth: “Your haste for revenge…”

Before he could finish speaking, a tremendous “boom” rang out as a stray projectile hit the barrier and exploded in a shower of sparks. That layer of the barrier burst like a soap bubble, and the impact wave affected the area, shattering pavilions nearby and trees in the distance.

Two people were injured by this blast, but fortunately, cultivators all had protective energy shields, so they weren’t immediately killed. Lu Ming shook his head and realized there was liquid flowing down his cheek. He wiped it with his hand and found that blood was flowing from his ear.

Damn it, were the Yao people’s cannonballs free? Just as he was about to curse, a flash of light appeared on the open ground in front of the corridor, and a figure slowly materialized.

The other Wei cultivators guarding this place gripped their magical tools, startled at first, then began to cheer: “State Preceptor, you’ve returned!”

This man stood like a green pine, with elegant and distinguished features—who else could it be but Yun Ya?

At the last moment, he had managed to return.

The presence of the State Preceptor was a reassurance to everyone. Despite the raging battle outside and their exhausted bodies and minds, the Wei cultivators suddenly felt reinvigorated.

Lu Ming and Zuo Qiu Yuan were also about to step forward to pay their respects, but Yun Ya waved his hand: “No need. Time is urgent. Is the array still intact?”

Lu Ming hurriedly answered “Yes,” and only then noticed that the State Preceptor had protective boards strapped to his body and was not moving as nimbly as usual.

“Follow me into Qingya Palace.” The small Mountain-Moving Array that Yun Ya had drawn in advance was inside Qingya Palace. He took out a set of eighteen copper plate devices from his small bottle and instructed his subordinates to bury the plates around Qingya Palace, arranged in specific positions.

When the last plate was set in place, it began to glow together with its companions, establishing a golden barrier.

Both supernatural powers and artillery fire struck against this barrier, and except for the close combat at the front, everyone felt the pressure on them suddenly decrease.

Of course, this was just a temporary measure. The enemy forces were strong, and this battle formation would not be able to hold them off for too long. In just over ten breaths of time, the color of the barrier had already begun to fade.

While walking toward the interior of Qingya Palace, Yun Ya asked: “How did Siao Jing die?”

Siao Jing was the old King of Yao. If he hadn’t smashed his head against a stone pillar in the Red Horn Tower, the Wei Kingdom cultivators would still be holding the emperor hostage to command the court officials and the Crown Prince, safely guarding the Imperial Garden. How could they have ended up in such a desperate situation?

Originally, Yun Ya had several backup plans for this raid. The best expectation was that Siao Feng Xian, constrained by filial piety, would quietly surrender the country. In other countries, this would be an absurd fantasy, but in the Kingdom of Yao, it could very well become a reality.

Of course, with such significant plans, errors were inevitable, so Yun Ya had two more schemes: disguising himself as Mo Tizhun and having an assassin impersonate Princess Han Yue.

However, the premise of these plans was that the old King of Yao would still be alive—this truly wasn’t his fault. Who could have predicted that an ordinary old man under the heavy guard of Wei cultivators could still seek benevolence and achieve it, dying so resolutely?

If Yun Ya hadn’t adapted quickly, the Wei Kingdom’s raid would have ended in failure, and he would have died without even a burial place.

Zuo Qiu Yuan smiled bitterly: “It’s all my fault. After he was captured, he continued to curse me vehemently, showing no signs of suicidal intentions. I was negligent.”

Yun Ya gave a slight smile but said no more.

Now was not the time to investigate these matters.

Entering Qingya Palace, Lu Ming rushed ahead a step to lift the carpet on the floor, revealing the array beneath.

Yun Ya lowered his head, carefully examining it to confirm it was undamaged, then showed a satisfied expression: “Where’s the brush?”