The salty sea breeze mixed with gray-red mist pressed heavily on the sea surface.
The massive fleet of the Great Xuan Alliance Army pitched violently amidst the raging waves.
The keel emitted groans of unbearable burden as the iron-plated bow repeatedly cleaved through the dark waves, splashing not water, but tendrils of ominous, sticky fog.
The sky hung low, the sun and moon dimmed, only a chaotic mix of gray and red suffused the horizon.
Even the compass needle spun wildly, completely losing direction.
"Steady! Lower half the sails! Rowers, heed the orders!"
On the deck of the flagship "Dinghai," Marshal Pingwei, Gao Zhenxiong, his beard and hair bristling, shouted in a voice like a bell.
His body was firmly planted before the violently swaying deckhouse, his eyes fixed intently on the wall of mist ahead.
This was no ordinary storm, but foul Sha Qi leaking from a rift in the Daluo Dharma Realm, eroding the ships and sapping morale, with countless semi-transparent, twisted howling shadows of resentful spirits floating within.
Like a lingering affliction, waiting to pounce on the living.
"Master Yu Chan!" Gao Zhenxiong turned sharply.
At the core of the fleet, on a specially-crafted giant magic platform.
The Wudang Sect Leader, Yu Chanzi’s Daoist robe fluttered as he wore a look of iron determination.
Before him, the Sui Lun True Monarch Statue, formed from the incense faith of the citizens of the Divine State, radiated a gentle yet resilient Gang Qi, creating a clear space of several dozen feet, the only beacon on the sea.
Zhang Jingxuan of Dragon and Tiger Mountain formed the Heavenly Master Seal Technique with his fingers and walked the Yu Step, chanting incantations under his breath.
An ancient bronze compass lay before him, its needle trembling erratically yet continually guided by a force.
Several Maoshan High Priests wielded Peach Wood Magic Swords and Five-Colored Order Flags, stepping on Gang Dou, releasing talismans that danced in the wind.
"Eight Winds Sea Stabilizing Array, Mystical Sect unite! Activate the formation!"
Yu Chanzi’s voice burst like spring thunder as he fiercely pointed the horsetail whisk at the statue.
Buzz——!
The Sui Lun True Monarch Statue hummed, a streak of Gang Qi shot skyward, piercing through the layers of gray fog.
Zhang Jingxuan’s compass needle abruptly fixed its direction, pointing northeast!
The Maoshan Taoists released into the air the Eight-Color Order Flags, representing the Buzhou Wind, Guangmo Wind, Tiao Wind, Mingshu Wind, Qingming Wind, Jing Wind, Liang Wind, and Helv Wind, anchoring them firmly around the fleet despite their distortion in the Sha Qi storm.
"Eight Winds Sea Stabilizing Array, complete!" Zhang Jingxuan shouted with bristling beard and hair.
An unseen, overwhelming force spread rapidly from the giant magic platform at the center!
The violent Sha Qi storm struck against an indomitable wall, still roaring yet unable to invade the array at will.
The fleet’s pitching visibly lessened as chaotic currents were combed by the Eight Winds, forming a relatively stable thrust.
"Excellent! Order all ships to follow the light of the Sui Lun True Monarch and pursue the flagship to break through!"
Gao Zhenxiong, his spirits lifted, gave the order in a hoarse shout.
The dull horn sound pierced the winds and waves as the enormous fleet, infused with adrenaline, moved its oars in unison, adjusted the sails, and arduously, yet resolutely, split the gray-red misty sea, forging ahead along the path combed by the Eight Winds Array towards the direction the compass locked onto—Tsushima Island, breaking the waves!
However, would the resentful spirits in the Sha Qi storm concede so easily?
Like cannibal fish gathering densely outside the Eight Winds Array, they hid in the mist, unleashing silent shrieks, relentlessly assaulting and depleting the power of the array.
Moreover, some massive clusters of powerful resentful spirits, resembling ink coalesced into monstrous fish, audaciously collided against weak points of the light barrier, causing the Taoists maintaining the array to pale and bleed from the corners of their mouths.
"Divine Machine Camp! Prepare Thunder Fire Exorcism Cannon!" A flash of fierce determination glinted in Gao Zhenxiong’s eyes.
On the fleet’s flank, several specially-modified warships advanced.
On their bows was mounted not the usual General Zhenyuan Cannon but a giant object adorned with thunder patterns, short and stout.
The leader of the Divine Machine Camp, Lei Dahai, personally oversaw the operation alongside Kuai Dayou, descendant of the Mystical Sect’s Divine Craftsman.
He meticulously inspected the vermillion engravings on each barrel.
"Load the powder! Add ’Thunder Fire Sand’!" Lei Dahai roared.
The gunners acted swiftly, loading specially-made black powder packets combined with sulfur, saltpetre, copper powder, and Thunder Talisman blessed by Taoists into the barrels, then adding heavy solid iron balls engraved with Evil-breaking Runes.
"Fire!"
Boom! Boom boom boom——!
The deep rumble of cannon fire merged into a continuous roar!
Fireballs trailed long flames, slamming fiercely into the densest fog of resentful spirits.
Whoosh——!
Sizzle——!
Like a scorching iron piercing snow.
In the areas struck by the Thunder Fire Bombs, gray-red mist roiled and evaporated violently, countless resentful spirits vanishing explosively without even time for a scream, like bubbles bursting!
The filthy sea surface was momentarily cleared.
At the edge of the flagship deck, Li Yan’s brow suddenly furrowed.
When the Yin Sha Qi blasted by the explosion surged towards him, the Hook Paper unexpectedly heated slightly, generating a faint suction!
Li Yan’s heart skipped.
He instinctively attempted to guide.
Indeed! Strands of free, pure Yin Sha Evil Qi began slowly seeping through his skin, drawn into the imprint of the Hook Paper!
Though the speed was incredibly slow and the amount minuscule, far less than directly devouring a Mortal God, the significance differed!
Previously, the Hook Paper lacked such capacity.
"These things... are Qi seeping from the Daluo Dharma Realm!"
A flash of realization crossed Li Yan’s eyes.
The terrifying phenomena before him arose from the rift in the Dharma Realm, releasing Gang Qi and Sha Qi.
And the Hook Paper had a breach leading to the Daluo Void.
He no longer hesitated, proactively activating the Hook Paper.
Strands of pure Yin Sha power were drawn into the breach by the Hook Paper.
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