Translator: CinderTL
Zhong Jun continuously manipulated magic seals, guiding the flying ark lower until it skimmed the ground, hoping to use the complex terrain to hinder the Purple Cloud Dove's pursuit.
The Purple Cloud Dove's massive size prevented it from navigating narrow passages as easily as the flying ark.
However, Zhong Jun's plan proved to be wishful thinking.
With a powerful flap of its wings, the Purple Cloud Dove swooped down, plunging into the gap between two towering mountains.
Before the dove's wings, the solid mountain rock crumbled like tofu, easily sliced apart and collapsing into a roaring avalanche of stone.
Countless poisonous insects hidden within the rocks were startled awake, attempting to swarm the Purple Cloud Dove. But the turbulent air currents generated by its wings shredded them into dust.
Realizing the Purple Cloud Dove was completely unfazed by the terrain and rapidly closing the distance, Zhong Jun moved swiftly to the center of the five nascent soul cultivators operating the Sky-Soaring Formation.
As he channeled a series of magic seals into the flying ark's control array disk, the ark's speed surged dramatically, instantly surpassing the limits achievable by divine transformation cultivators and erupting into a velocity rivaling that of some void refinement cultivators.
However, if they had been facing a terrestrial or aquatic demon beast—one not known for its speed—the flying ark's burst of acceleration might have given them a chance to shake it off.
But against the Purple Cloud Dove, an aerial demon beast, the ark's speed proved woefully inadequate.
Under the anxious gazes of the passengers, the Purple Cloud Dove flapped its wings, stirring up wind and clouds as it closed the distance with lightning speed. Its massive form loomed like a dark cloud, gradually eclipsing the sky above the flying ark.
The dove extended its razor-sharp talons, each claw as large as an iron hook, and lunged at the ark.
Screech!
The talons scraped against the ark's protective shield, producing a piercing, ear-splitting screech that made the passengers' eardrums ache.
Unbeknownst to the others, Ye Bing, Xiao Ying, and Wei Qian had already taken their positions at the three formation nodes of the Profound Kunming Harmony Formation, activating the defensive formation.
True to its reputation as a sixth-tier defensive formation, the Profound Kunming Harmony Formation withstood the Purple Cloud Dove's assault. However, the ark, battered by the relentless impact, lost control and plummeted toward the ground like a falling meteor, its descent accelerating with each passing moment.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The flying ark crashed against the mountain cliffs, tumbling violently and shattering countless rocks. The mountains shook and the earth cracked.
Except for Song Wen, who happened to be free, the other nine members dared not relax their focus for a moment. Despite the ark's relentless tumbling, they clung tightly to the deck, continuing to channel energy into the formation.
Zhong Jun remained completely focused, constantly inputting magic seals into the Array Disk in an attempt to regain control of the Giant Flying Ship.
Above, the Purple Cloud Dove's sharp eyes remained fixed on the ark. Its fury seemed to intensify at its failure to tear the ark apart with a single strike.
With a powerful flap of its wings, it swooped down again.
The Purple Cloud Dove's massive talons descended with the force of thunder, slamming the ark—which had just managed to lift off—back into the ground, creating a massive crater.
Its talons pressed down relentlessly on the ark's protective shield, the force akin to a mountain crushing the vessel.
No matter how Zhong Jun manipulated the Array Disk, he couldn't break free from the Purple Cloud Dove's grip.
The Purple Cloud Dove raised its massive head, its razor-sharp beak, like a gleaming sword, suddenly stabbing at the protective shield.
The protective shield flickered violently, as if on the verge of shattering.
Ye Bing, Xiao Ying, and Wei Qian channeled their Spiritual Power into the formation nodes like a raging torrent.
Despite their combined efforts, maintaining the Profound Kunming Harmony Formation proved increasingly difficult. Beads of sweat gradually formed on their foreheads.
"You must hold on! If the formation breaks, we're all doomed!" Zhong Jun shouted, his gaze fixed on the pair of razor-sharp claws and the massive beak repeatedly striking the shield above. His expression was fraught with anxiety.
"Zhong Jun, you know the Qicang Flying Ark best. Do you have any escape plan? Otherwise, the Profound Kunming Harmony Formation won't hold much longer," Wei Qian urged.
Before Zhong Jun could reply, Song Wen suddenly spoke up.
"Senior Zhong Jun, the Spiritual Qi in the spirit stones is running low. We need to replace them all immediately."
Zhong Jun glanced at the spirit stones in the eighty-one slots. As Song Wen had said, though some Spiritual Qi remained, it was best to replace them now, given the Purple Cloud Dove's relentless assault.
He immediately probed his Storage Ring with his Divine Sense, but his face froze.
"We've used up all the spirit stones we had prepared."
Song Wen and the nine nascent soul cultivators each contributed five hundred high-grade spirit stones. Later, Ye Bing added another thousand, bringing the total to four thousand high-grade spirit stones. Yet, in just over half a month, all of them had been completely exhausted.
"Everyone, shouldn't we discuss how to procure more spirit stones?" Zhong Jun asked.
His words drew incredulous looks from the group.
In this life-or-death situation, Zhong Jun was still concerned about 'procuring spirit stones'!
Could there truly be someone who values wealth over life itself?
Just then, a cold glint flashed in the Purple Cloud Dove's eyes, and its massive beak parted slightly.
A silver bolt of lightning formed in its mouth, then struck the flying ark's protective shield with devastating force.
The shield shuddered violently, and the spirit stones in the energy slots were rapidly drained of their Spiritual Qi to stabilize the faltering barrier.
Crack! The first spirit stone, its energy depleted, shattered into dust.
The cultivators' eyes widened in horror.
Zhong Jun's gaze held not only fear but also deep regret.
Simultaneously, Zhong Jun, Ye Bing, Wei Qian, and Xiao Ying summoned massive quantities of spirit stones, desperately trying to salvage the situation.
But it was too late.
As the first spirit stone shattered, the remaining eighty spirit stones crumbled in an instant.
The flying ark's protective shield shattered as well.
The Purple Cloud Dove, clearly surprised by its sudden breach of the shield, its eyes gleamed faintly as its massive beak swooped down toward the group below.
The first to bear the brunt of the attack was Zhong Jun, who stood closest to the dove.
Zhong Jun immediately summoned a shield, raising it above his head.
However, the shield was easily knocked aside by the dove's beak and continued to fall.
Two figures suddenly appeared above Zhong Jun.
They were two nascent soul cultivators.
Engulfed by two streams of Spiritual Power shot from Zhong Jun, they were hurled toward the Purple Cloud Dove's gaping maw.
The dove accepted the offering without hesitation, swallowing both cultivators whole.
The remaining eight survivors abandoned the ark, scattering in all directions.
But the Purple Cloud Dove had no intention of letting its prey escape. With a thunderous flap of its wings, it unfurled them like two colossal, sky-darkening curtains, enveloping the fleeing figures.
Even before the wings descended, a crushing pressure and hurricane-force winds swept down, forcing the cultivators to lose their footing. Like kites with severed strings, they plummeted toward the ground.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The cultivators crashed to the ground, their conditions dire.
The three remaining nascent soul cultivators were particularly grievously wounded, each coughing up blood.
Perched high above, the Purple Cloud Dove surveyed the group with cold, predatory eyes—the gaze of a beast sizing up its dying prey.
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (RDC) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c1246. [+2]
🔑Read upto Ch1062 for FREE visit the pinned post on my p@treon to learn how!🎉
💥Translated (6) Series, (4.6K+) Chapters, (6.7M+) Words.