Chapter 41: Powerful Gold-Tier Strike: Breaching the Barrier
The battle had entered a rhythm. Demonic beasts hurled themselves endlessly at the sect barrier, their claws and fangs slamming against glowing walls of Ki. Yet, for every impact, the defenses held.
Inside the formation, disciples surged in rotating waves, their movements drilled and precise. One squad would strike, unleashing arcs of fire, lightning, or steel through the barrier's openings. Another would immediately step back, pulling injured brothers and sisters toward the waiting hands of healers. Above them, the air shimmered with overlapping auras. Support mages stood atop towers, hands raised, feeding vast layers of blessing energy into the crowd below. Power, agility, and durability surged through the veins of every cultivator.
Despite the violence, there was order within the chaos. Younger disciples carried stretchers, reinforced wounded formations, or launched support strikes from the rear. Veterans pressed forward like pillars of steel, anchoring the line and covering any gap that appeared.
But not all fought equally.
Among the great noble families, their disciples fought cautiously. Their formations were tight, defensive, and more focused on preserving strength than throwing themselves into the meat grinder. They would strike with precision, then withdraw the moment risk grew too great. Some of their elders joined, but their focus was protecting their own heirs. To the sect at large, it was both a blessing and a silent insult.
From the tallest platform overlooking the field, the Sect Leader, Vice Sect Leader, and Head Elders observed without flinching. Their gazes swept the battlefield, magnified by spiritual sense and the countless relay formations carved into the earth. Every movement, every weakness, every beast was accounted for.
Elder Hanzo scowled, his brow furrowed. "Still no movement from the Gold-Tier beasts. They wait."
"They are probing," the Vice Sect Leader replied grimly. "But once they commit, the tide will shift."
The Sect Leader's eyes, sharp as blades, followed the largest demonic beasts lurking beyond the horde. Their auras flared faintly, monstrous patience etched into every movement.
Then, it came.
A sudden pulse, deep and resonant, swept across the battlefield. The weaker disciples stumbled under its weight. The barrier flickered faintly as though acknowledging a new challenger.
The Gold-Tier beasts stepped forward.
Two Gold Tier 1 monsters barreled through the swarm, their massive bodies plowing aside Bronze and Silver-tier creatures alike. Their eyes glowed blood-red, and with every thunderous step the ground cracked beneath their weight. Their killing intent swept outward like an ocean wave.
"Gold Tier 1 beasts!" someone screamed from the barricades.
The Sect's formations flared to life instantly. Elders shouted orders, disciples scrambled into defensive positions, and the air thrummed with the resonance of ancient arrays buried beneath the mountainside.
The Sect Leader exhaled once, his aura rising in full. Golden inscriptions across his armor blazed like miniature suns, their light spreading into the surrounding formation cores.
The barrier itself shuddered, then stabilized as lines of radiant energy spread across the mountain walls.
Every cultivator felt it.
The Bright Brilliant Blade Sect was no longer merely defending.
It was preparing to strike.
On the battlefield, the beasts hammered at the barrier again, their blows shaking the foundations. One Gold Tier 1 slammed its massive claws, sending cracks spiderwebbing across the glowing defense. Another hurled corrupted flames, forcing support mages to desperately reinforce. The pressure mounted with every passing breath.
The Sect Leader's voice boomed across the sect, calm yet commanding.
"All units, brace yourselves. The time has come to reveal our fangs."
The Vice Sect Leader and three Head Elders raised their hands, each weaving intricate seals with practiced precision. Their lips moved in unison, chanting words too ancient for the younger disciples to understand. Spiritual lines carved into the earth lit up one after another, forming vast diagrams that spanned the entire sect ground.
The sky dimmed.
The earth shook.
And above them, an enormous projection began to take shape—a colossal sword of light forming from the combined essence of thousands. Its blade stretched high into the heavens, its edge gleaming with refined sword intent sharp enough to split the very clouds.
Disciples gasped. Even the most arrogant noble scions felt their knees tremble at the sheer presence of the weapon hanging in the air. The beasts paused mid-charge, their bloodlust faltering before the overwhelming energy.
The Sect Leader pressed his palms together, every syllable of his chant resonating like thunder. His voice then cut across the battlefield, sharp as a killing edge:
—Bright Blade Execution: First Sword… BRIGHT JUDGEMENT—
The colossal sword flared. Its brilliance swallowed the world in light.