Chapter 108: Secretly Absorbing Nascent Soul Spiritual Energy, Battle Erupts Instantly

The army of over a thousand cultivators marched forward in grand formation.

This wasn’t a mortal army that trudged slowly, covering maybe fifty li a day. These were Qi Condensation cultivators—by flying with hand seals and techniques, they could easily travel over two hundred li in a single night.

After traveling all night and into the next day, by evening, Zhao Yue and the others led their 1,500 cultivators to a massive city located 600 li away.

Outside the city stood a dense crowd of cultivators—over 30,000 at a glance.

Above them, floating a thousand zhang high in the sky, were four Nascent Soul experts, exuding overwhelming pressure like four blazing suns. They were the same four who had led the assault on White Cloud Sect: Wan Hun Zhenren, Teng Long Zhenren, Jin Huang Zhenren, and Lady Green Bamboo.

Over thirty Core Formation cultivators also hovered in the sky like brilliant stars.

They were clearly waiting for the rest to arrive.

Zhao Yue’s group was one of the later arrivals due to distance. After they joined, the crowd waited another hour while five more groups arrived, totaling an additional 8,000 cultivators. Altogether, nearly 40,000 Qi Condensation cultivators had gathered.

Even the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators had increased by more than thirty compared to the White Cloud Sect assault.

Clearly, many independent Foundation Establishment cultivators were now drawn to the power of the Scattered Cultivator Alliance, which had proven its strength by toppling a sect.

Perhaps they hoped to gain benefits by joining this new battle—just as Zheng Huo and Yu Xian had.

After all, Medicine King Valley was rich.

As night fell, a voice echoed from the skies:

“Time’s up! No more waiting. Lady Green Bamboo, please use your Leaf Sea technique to lift the Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment cultivators—we strike Medicine King Valley tonight! No more chances!”

Wan Hun Zhenren’s voice was bloodthirsty and full of excitement.

“Very well.”

A gentle female voice responded.

The next moment, a sea of green bamboo leaves—formed entirely from pure energy—cascaded down from the sky.

“One leaf per person. Stand or sit firmly.”

That soft voice echoed in the ears of all present.

A three-foot-long bamboo leaf floated in front of each person.

Yu Xian’s eyes flickered as he stepped onto the leaf.

Its edges were sharp like swords, yet the surface was soft. As he sat cross-legged, faint wood spiritual energy rose from the leaf.

Clearly, Lady Green Bamboo cultivated wood-element techniques and had a deep affinity with bamboo.

But she wasn’t a bamboo spirit. If a plant formed a spirit body and gained human form, they’d be at least Soul Transformation realm—she was only Nascent Soul.

As Yu Xian sat, the elm tree tattoo over his heart subtly stirred.

Frowning in thought, he pressed his hand against the bamboo leaf and activated the Ten-Thousand-Year Evergreen Spring Technique.

Strangely, the leaf’s energy didn’t respond. He was still absorbing spiritual energy from the surrounding air.

Puzzled, Yu Xian switched to the basic Elmheart Foundation Breathing Technique left behind by his mother.

This was the technique that had brought him to mid-stage Qi Condensation before he acquired his current high-grade technique.

Once he activated the Elmheart method, something astonishing happened.

Not only did it draw in surrounding spiritual energy, it also siphoned wisps of power directly from the bamboo leaf beneath him!

And those wisps were hundreds of times purer and denser than the spiritual energy in his own body—like a heavenly river flooding into his dantian and sea of Qi.

This vibrant green wood-element energy nourished his top-grade spiritual root, expanded his Qi Sea, and even subtly strengthened his body.

Eyes alight with joy, Yu Xian calmly and slowly absorbed and refined the energy.

Using the Elmheart technique on this leaf proved faster than his advanced Ten-Thousand-Year Evergreen Spring Technique—by at least five times.

Naturally, one bamboo leaf only held so much energy, and as Yu Xian continued to draw from it, it gradually grew dim.

However, with tens of thousands of leaves in the sky, some spiritual energy from surrounding leaves would automatically replenish his, barely noticeable in the grand scheme of things.

Even Lady Green Bamboo, who stood in the sky with calm eyes, didn’t detect a thing.

This minuscule consumption was like a drop in the ocean compared to the massive energy cost of flying tens of thousands through the air.

With a graceful step and a subtle gesture, she activated the spell.

Whoosh!

The sea of leaves soared skyward!

All ~40,000 cultivators—Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation alike—were lifted into the sky by her technique.

Those who had experienced this before remained calm. Newcomers turned pale.

To lift an army of tens of thousands into the sky with a single spell—this was the might of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Compared to them, Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment were like ants.

Yu Xian remained calm and unmoved, eyes closed, focused solely on absorbing the spiritual energy flowing through his leaf.

This was energy even he couldn’t obtain after months—or years—of cultivation.

His Qi Sea surged, glowing green. The crystal at its center grew clearer, its mysterious lines sharpening.

The leaf ocean advanced, seemingly slow but moving with Core Formation-level speed toward Medicine King Valley.

The energy cost of sustaining such a spell was immense. But a slight siphoning like Yu Xian’s was unnoticeable—even Lady Green Bamboo couldn’t distinguish between consumption by flight and theft.

As dawn approached, Yu Xian’s spiritual energy reserves were full. His Qi Sea had expanded another seven chi, reaching a total size of three zhang, seven chi.

One night’s absorption saved him months of bitter cultivation. His path to Foundation Establishment was significantly shortened.

If only he could keep absorbing… he felt he might establish his Foundation within half a year!

Such was the power of Nascent Soul spiritual energy.

Opening his eyes, he looked ahead at the massive basin valley—Medicine King Valley.

But now, the valley was protected by a massive tri-colored dome—a giant formation known as the Innate Threefold Truefire Array.

The three colors of light flowed constantly, each representing a strand of true fire. The array could both attack and defend with great might.

Clearly, Medicine King Valley had long since prepared for this invasion.

The sect itself couldn’t be moved. Fleeing wasn’t an option—they had no choice but to activate their protective array and brace for war.

Perhaps the higher-ups were regretting not supporting White Cloud Sect earlier. If they had, the rogue alliance might never have risen to power.

Now they were next.

Yu Xian’s gaze turned cold.

Moments later, the bamboo leaves descended. Nearly 40,000 Qi Condensation and over 200 Foundation Establishment cultivators landed outside the valley.

The leaves then gathered back toward Lady Green Bamboo like a tide.

“All disciples of the Scattered Cultivator Alliance—listen up!”

“Once the formation breaks, everything inside the Medicine King Valley is yours to take! Fight with all your strength!”

A commanding voice echoed from the sky.

“Form up!” Jin Huang Zhenren roared.

“Activate the Soul-Destroying Array!”

“Everyone—channel spiritual energy into the formation!”

“Prepare for battle!!”

Though it seemed slow, the war had actually begun in an instant.

With shouts from several peak Core Formation cultivators, the massive army launched the attack.

A massive formation spread out with Jin Huang Zhenren and 30+ Core Formation cultivators as its pillars. The Soul-Destroying Array unfolded, lightning crackling through the air.

Every cultivator covered by the array could pour their spiritual energy into it, empowering it.

One Qi Condensation cultivator was nothing.

But ten thousand—forty thousand—offering energy simultaneously?

Once gathered and unleashed, the force would rival a full strike from a late Nascent Soul expert.

And with four Nascent Soul experts and over thirty Core Formation cultivators striking in unison—

How long could Medicine King Valley’s fire array hold?

Was it even stronger than White Cloud Sect’s grand formation?

Light from the Soul-Destroying Array surged across the sky.

Yu Xian joined the crowd without hesitation. With a calm thought, he pointed forward, channeling spiritual energy into the formation.

Within just three breaths, the great formation fully activated.

It condensed into a thundering barrier of light, crackling with power, and slammed straight into Medicine King Valley’s protective formation.

The battle had begun. Instantly.