Chapter 131: Chaos Erupts

Three days later, Qin Ming arrived at the Tianhe Market to purchase supplies in preparation for the uncertain times ahead.

Over the past two days, the number of cultivators in the market had surged. Having learned through various channels that war was imminent in the Lingqi Archipelago, they had flocked there in droves to scramble for resources.

Just as Qin Ming stepped out of the Jingxue Pavilion after finishing his errands, he witnessed a staggering sight. Every cultivator in the Tianhe Market had emerged, all gazing up toward the sky.

Hundreds of Dharma ships, ranging in size, were streaking across the firmament of the Lingqi Archipelago, all heading toward Qianye Island, the stronghold of the Zhao family, one of the seven major powers. The masts of these ships were uniformly draped with the banners of the Seventy-Two Islands Loose Alliance. Leading the fleet were three massive, colossal warships, clearly the flagship vessels of the Alliance headquarters. Along the sides of these ships were rows of dark, ominous spiritual energy cannons, appearing as if they could swallow everything in their path and radiating a heart-stopping pressure.

The sky-darkening fleet followed the three flagships in perfect formation, teeming with countless cultivators. Seeing such a grand and imposing array, Qin Ming could not help but frown.

"I didn't expect the Seventy-Two Islands Loose Alliance to have such deep foundations; they have unleashed their entire force right from the start. It seems a great battle is unavoidable. Never mind, I had better return to Wangyue Island and lay low."

After bidding farewell to Aunt Long, he steered his spiritual light shuttle and flew back toward his own lair.

Qin Ming had only traveled halfway when he saw from a distance that the hundreds of Dharma ships of the Loose Alliance had already reached the vicinity of the Zhao family’s Qianye Island. Qianye Island was the largest island in the Lingqi Archipelago, rich in cultivation resources and produce. It possessed a Grade 3 low-tier spiritual meridian—the only one in the entire archipelago.

*Hum—*

A vast golden light curtain descended from the sky, like an inverted bowl, enveloping the entire island. Countless golden runes shimmered along the edges of the formation. This was the "Golden Flood Dragon Subduing the Sea Array," a Grade 3 low-tier defensive formation created by the Zhao family, using the Grade 3 spiritual meridian as its core and drawing upon the power of the heavens, earth, mountains, and rivers. It was said that once this formation was fully activated, even a Golden Core ancestor could not break through it.

The massive Dharma ships of the Alliance carried their army of cultivators and began a frenzied bombardment of the golden barrier. The combined firepower of various spells and the massive ship-mounted cannons hammered against the formation, frantically draining the Zhao family's spiritual stone reserves. Once a Grade 3 formation was fully activated, the consumption of spiritual stones was like a bottomless pit.

When the path of formations reaches the third grade, it merges with the world itself. Even with a Grade 3 spell-breaking talisman, the damage caused would be minimized because as long as the Grade 3 spiritual meridian remained, spiritual energy would continuously and automatically replenish the formation. Therefore, the Alliance did not choose to use their Grade 3 spell-breaking talisman right from the start.

Instead, they chose to first use the strength of their numerous cultivators and ships to weaken the formation. Although they could not break it immediately, they could steadily exhaust the supplies the Zhao family needed to maintain it. Eventually, a flaw would inevitably emerge. Under the guidance of their formation masters, the Alliance ships continuously adjusted their attack vectors, concentrating their firepower on the formation's weakest points.

Half a day later, the power of the Golden Flood Dragon Subduing the Sea Array had been weakened by fifty to sixty percent compared to its initial state, and more flaws began to manifest.

...

Just then, a spirited, clear voice rang out: "Target the direction of Yin, offset by three degrees toward Gen. Fire!"

Hearing this, Qin Ming suppressed his aura and concealed himself within the clouds, then released his divine sense to observe in secret. When he saw the situation a mile away, he could not help but be startled. The cultivator who had just issued the attack command was none other than Mo Lingwei of Qingxia Island. The fluctuations of her spiritual power had clearly reached the level of the early Foundation Establishment stage. It seemed she had successfully broken through after obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Yet, at this moment, she was leading the members of the Mo clan, and the target of their fleet's attack was none other than the ships of the Seventy-Two Islands Loose Alliance. Furthermore, many Zhao family ships had flown out to support her. Apart from Qingxia Island, more than a dozen other large and small spiritual islands had suddenly emerged from the shadows, pointing their blades at the Loose Alliance. It appeared these families had defected to the side of the Zhao family.

In a flash of realization, Qin Ming understood how Mo Lingwei had obtained those two three-hundred-year-old jade marrow mushrooms. It wasn't just her; it was likely that all these island families had reached some kind of exchange agreement with the Zhao family. Now that war had broken out, they were completely tied to the Zhao family with no room to maneuver.

For a time, the sky above the Lingqi Archipelago was filled with the collision and explosion of brilliant spells, resembling a dazzling fireworks display.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Huo Qianqiu, the leader of the Seventy-Two Islands Loose Alliance, who stood upon the main flagship, took out a silver-white talisman that radiated astonishing energy fluctuations.

"This Grade 3 spell-breaking talisman, obtained at such a great cost, is finally going to be put to use," Huo Qianqiu muttered, gently stroking the silver charm, looking as if his heart ached at the expense. The next moment, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He tapped the silver talisman with his finger and released it toward the Grade 3 defensive formation, which had already been drained of much of its spiritual power.

Mo Lingwei and the others also turned their heads to look toward Qianye Island. A streak of silver light instantly merged into the Golden Flood Dragon Subduing the Sea Array. Immediately, a vibration like a landslide or a tsunami erupted.

*Boom!*

The golden light curtain shattered instantly, and countless golden runes dimmed and vanished into nothingness.

Following the collapse of the Golden Flood Dragon Subduing the Sea Array, the excited cheers of countless cultivators erupted!

"Look! The defensive formation is broken!"

"Qianye Island!"

"Charge, brothers!"

"Take Qianye Island!"

"The path to the Golden Core is right before our eyes!"

In an instant, the cultivators of the Alliance, opportunists looking to loot, and a motley crew of others all steered their magic tools, rushing toward Qianye Island at top speed.

Seeing this situation, Mo Lingwei and her group frowned deeply. They had not expected the Zhao family's Grade 3 formation to be breached so quickly. If Qianye Island fell and the Zhao family was defeated, the fate awaiting the families in the same camp could be easily imagined.

However, Qin Ming frowned, a vague premonition stirring in his heart. As one of the seven major powers, the Zhao family could not be that simple.

Suddenly!

*Hum—*

A grand, thunderous sound echoed between heaven and earth. Outside Qianye Island, at the very spot where the golden formation had been broken, a new layer of blue light curtain rose, with even more complex runic power surging within it.

Those cultivators who had rushed in to loot the burning house collided head-on with this blue light curtain. Like moths to a flame, they were reduced to ashes before they could even truly touch the formation, leaving not even a trace behind. One after another, the Dharma ships and warships crashed into the blue light curtain, instantly turning into balls of fire.

"Not good!"

"Retreat! It's a trap!"

"It's a high-grade composite defensive formation!"

"The Zhao family is too treacherous! This grudge is irreconcilable!"

...

Qin Ming watched for a while, then shook his head and sighed. He had no interest in joining the fray. Safety first. He quietly concealed his presence and quickly departed, flying back toward his own Wangyue Island.