books44 Chapter 189 Repairing the Barrier
Chapter 189 Repairing the Barrier
Sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows and adding a touch of dreamlike beauty to this tranquil forest.
After recovering their health and spiritual power, Jiang Jingzhi, Xu Xiaoxiao, Lan Ji, and Mu Zhusheng resolutely embarked on their journey to the place where the barrier was broken. Along the way, their steps were firm, and their eyes revealed their dedication and determination to complete their mission.
When they finally arrived at the broken part of the barrier, the scene before them shocked them. What was originally just a single crack had now become a spiderweb-like structure, with black cracks resembling hideous scars, emanating an eerie aura in the air. The surrounding space seemed to be affected as well, becoming distorted and unstable, with chilling howling sounds emanating from it from time to time.
Jiang Jingzhi took a deep breath and quickly took out various materials needed to draw the magic array from his storage bag. He knew that repairing the barrier was no easy task and he had to go all out. His hands moved quickly in the air as he chanted incantations. Streams of spiritual power flowed from his fingertips and were injected into the materials. Then, he dipped his specially made talisman brush in spiritual ink and began to draw the magic array on the ground.
Xu Xiaoxiao, Lan Ji, and Mu Zhusheng tacitly dispersed and stood around Jiang Jingzhi to protect him. Their eyes vigilantly scanned their surroundings, not missing any unusual movements.
Xu Xiaoxiao gripped the spirit sword tightly in her hand, its blade gleaming with a cold light. Although her heart was beating rapidly, her eyes were filled with determination.
Lan Ji floated quietly in the air, her hands forming a hand seal, surrounded by a faint blue light, ready to cast a spell at any moment.
Mu Zhusheng placed defensive talismans and magical artifacts around the area to form the first line of defense, and also held a longsword in his hand, ready to fight.
Just as Jiang Jingzhi was concentrating on drawing the magic array, the sky suddenly turned pitch black, as if shrouded by a huge black cloth.
Immediately afterwards, a sharp whistling sound came, and countless demonic soldiers surged down from the sky like a black tide. These demonic soldiers all had ferocious faces and exuded a strong demonic aura. The weapons in their hands gleamed with a cold light, as if they wanted to devour everything.
"Oh no, they're demon soldiers from the demon race!" Xu Xiaoxiao's expression changed drastically as she shouted. She knew in her heart that although they had managed to escape from the last battle with the demon race.
But the demons certainly wouldn't let it go. Now it seems they were indeed well-prepared, intending to wipe out these arrogant young people in one fell swoop.
Jiang Jingzhi was at a crucial moment in drawing the magic array. His forehead was covered in sweat, his hands trembled slightly, but his eyes were extremely focused. He knew that if the magic array was interrupted, not only would all his previous efforts be in vain, but his cultivation would also be reduced by half. Therefore, he gritted his teeth and continued to devote himself wholeheartedly to drawing the magic array.
Looking at Jiang Jingzhi's focused expression, Xu Xiaoxiao secretly vowed in her heart: "Senior Brother, I will definitely guard this place and never let these demon soldiers disturb you!" She turned to look at Lan Ji and Mu Zhusheng, and the three of them looked at each other, their eyes filled with determination and tacit understanding.
"Kill!" Xu Xiaoxiao roared first, holding her spirit sword and charging towards the demon soldiers at the forefront.
Her swordsmanship was fierce, each strike carrying powerful spiritual energy, instantly slaying several demon soldiers.
Lan Ji was not to be outdone. She quickly formed hand seals and chanted incantations. Blue ice shards shot out from her hands like sharp daggers, piercing the demon soldiers. Caught off guard by this sudden attack, the demon soldiers screamed and fell to the ground.
Mu Zhusheng then wielded the long sword in her hand, and bursts of spiritual energy surged from the sword, causing the surrounding demon soldiers to stagger and fall.
As he cast his spell, he shouted, "Everyone be careful! There are too many of these demonic soldiers. We can't fight them head-on. We need to find a way to buy time!"
However, there were simply too many demon soldiers. They surged in wave after wave like a tide. Although Xu Xiaoxiao and the others fought hard, they gradually felt powerless. Their spiritual energy was being consumed, and some wounds began to appear on their bodies.
Just then, Xu Xiaoxiao suddenly remembered the signal flare the Demon King had given her. A thought struck her: "Perhaps this is our only hope. As long as we can attract reinforcements, we still have a chance of winning!" So, taking advantage of a gap in the demon soldiers' attack, she quickly took out the signal flare from her storage bag and launched it forcefully into the sky.
The signal flare burst into a dazzling light in the air, like a bright star in the night sky. However, in the tense atmosphere of battle, the light seemed particularly blinding.
The demon soldiers seemed to realize the threat posed by the signal flare, and their attacks became even more frenzied, attempting to eliminate Xu Xiaoxiao and the others before reinforcements arrived.
"Hmph, you little brats think you can attract reinforcements? Today is your death day!" A demon general-like figure stepped out from among the demon soldiers. He held a huge battle axe in his hand and exuded a demonic aura far stronger than that of ordinary demon soldiers. He coldly looked at Xu Xiaoxiao and the others, his eyes filled with disdain and killing intent.
"You think you can kill us? Not so easy!" Xu Xiaoxiao glared back at the demon general without fear. The spirit sword in her hand shone brightly once again. She knew that she absolutely could not back down now, otherwise not only would her own and her companions' lives be in danger, but her senior brother's efforts would also be in vain.
The demon general roared and swung his battle axe at Xu Xiaoxiao. The axe carried a powerful force, as if it were about to tear the air apart.
Xu Xiaoxiao quickly dodged to the side, and at the same time swung her spirit sword, stabbing at the demon general's arm. The demon general snorted coldly, easily avoiding Xu Xiaoxiao's attack, and then swung his battle axe again, launching an even more ferocious attack.
Lan Ji and Mu Zhusheng also joined the battle against the demon general. Lan Ji unleashed her strongest spell, Ice and Snow. Suddenly, heavy snow began to fall from the sky, the surrounding temperature dropped sharply, and a thick layer of ice instantly formed on the ground. The demon general's movements were greatly restricted, his speed slowed down, and his attacks became somewhat sluggish.
Mu Zhusheng seized the opportunity to cast a spell, injecting streams of spiritual power into Lan Ji's spell, making it even more powerful. Under the combined attack of the two, the demon general gradually became unable to withstand it, and some wounds began to appear on his body, staining his clothes with blood.
However, the demon soldiers did not back down because of the demon general's injury. Instead, they attacked Xu Xiaoxiao and the others even more frantically. They rushed forward regardless of their own lives, trying to buy time for the demon general with their own bodies.
Xu Xiaoxiao and the others were locked in a fierce battle. Their spiritual energy was almost exhausted, and they were getting more and more wounds, but they still did not give up. With their indomitable will, they continued to fight against the demon soldiers.
Just as they were feeling desperate, a roar suddenly came from afar. A group of cultivators riding flying magical beasts flew rapidly toward them, led by the Demon King.
"Great! The reinforcements have arrived!" Xu Xiaoxiao was filled with joy the moment she saw the Demon King. Hope rekindled in her eyes, and the spirit sword in her hand became powerful again.
The Demon King and his companions quickly joined the battle. Their strength was immense, and they instantly turned the tide of the war. Under the attack of the cultivators, the demon soldiers were routed and fled. Seeing the situation was not good, the demon general also wanted to take the opportunity to escape, but the Demon King blocked his way.
"Hmph, trying to run? Not so easy!" The Demon King sneered, his weapon flashing as he attacked the Demon General. The Demon General looked at the Demon King in terror, knowing he had met a formidable opponent today. But he was unwilling to be captured so easily, so he fought with all his might, engaging in a fierce battle with the Demon King.
In the end, the demon general was no match for the demon king and was killed by him with a single sword strike. With the demon general's fall, the demon soldiers completely lost the courage to resist and scattered and fled.
Xu Xiaoxiao and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief. They collapsed to the ground, exhausted, but with smiles of relief on their faces. Although the battle was difficult, they had successfully held the line and waited for reinforcements thanks to their firm belief and tenacious will.
Jiang Jingzhi finally finished drawing the magic array. He slowly stood up, looked at the scene before him, and thought that this barrier must be repaired, otherwise the cultivation world would be plunged into chaos.
After Jiang Jingzhi finished drawing the magic array, he didn't have time to rest and immediately began to repair the barrier. He quickly formed hand seals and chanted incantations. The spiritual power in the magic array surged like a tide and rushed towards the riddled barrier. Xu Xiaoxiao, Lan Ji, and Mu Zhusheng stood by and watched nervously, their eyes full of anticipation.
However, as spiritual energy was injected, Jiang Jingzhi's expression gradually became serious. He found that no matter how hard he tried, although the cracks in the barrier showed signs of healing, the speed was extremely slow, and some of the more serious damages showed almost no signs of repair. He stopped what he was doing, carefully observed the magic array and the barrier, frowned, and fell into deep thought.
After some thought, Jiang Jingzhi finally realized that there was still one crucial element missing in repairing this severely damaged barrier—a spark. This spark was not an ordinary flame, but a special flame containing powerful energy that could resonate with the magic array and spiritual power, accelerating the barrier's repair.
His eyes searched his surroundings, trying to find a clue, but there was nothing there except for the pervasive demonic energy and the broken ground.
Just as Jiang Jingzhi was feeling anxious, his gaze fell on the Demon King outside the formation. The Demon King was directing his demon soldiers to clear the battlefield, and his tall and majestic figure was particularly eye-catching under the sunlight.
Jiang Jingzhi suddenly remembered that the Demon King's true form was a fire phoenix. As a descendant of the phoenix, his body must contain powerful phoenix fire, and this phoenix fire was very likely the fire needed to repair the barrier.
Jiang Jingzhi took a deep breath, sorted out his thoughts, and strode toward the Demon King. The Demon King had just finished dealing with the Demon General and was preparing to withdraw his troops back to the palace. When he saw Jiang Jingzhi approaching, he was slightly taken aback, and then revealed a gentle smile.
"Young Master Jiang, is there something you need?" the Demon King asked.
Jiang Jingzhi bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, thanks to your timely arrival, we were able to defend this place. However, while repairing the barrier, I discovered that something crucial is still missing—the fire seed. I have heard that Your Majesty's true form is a fire phoenix, containing powerful phoenix fire within you. I wonder if Your Majesty could assist me in casting spells to repair this barrier?"
Upon hearing this, the Demon King frowned slightly and fell into a brief moment of contemplation. The Phoenix Flame was his natal flame, extremely precious, and he would not easily show it to others. However, he also knew that this barrier was related to the safety of the entire cultivation world. If it was not repaired in time, the demon race would surely advance unimpeded, and at that time, the entire cultivation world would be plunged into an abyss of no return, and their demon race would not be spared either.
A moment later, the Demon King raised his head, looked at Jiang Jingzhi with a firm gaze, and said, "Young Master Jiang is absolutely right. This barrier is of great importance, and I will certainly help you. However, the Phoenix Fire is very powerful, and if we are not careful, it will cause unpredictable consequences. During the casting process, Young Master Jiang will need to cooperate more to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
Jiang Jingzhi was overjoyed and quickly bowed again, saying, "Thank you for your help, Your Majesty the Demon King! I will do my best to complete this important task of repairing the barrier together with Your Majesty."
Afterwards, Jiang Jingzhi and the Demon King returned to the magic circle and informed Xu Xiaoxiao and the others of the situation.
Upon hearing this, Xu Xiaoxiao and the others were both excited by the new hope and worried about the difficult challenges ahead. However, they all understood that only by working together could they overcome this difficulty.
The Demon King stood firmly in the center of the magic array, his aura surging. Two golden flames gradually ignited in his eyes, containing boundless majesty and power.
As the flames burned, the Demon King's body began to change. A pair of huge, fiery red wings slowly unfolded from his back, the feathers on the wings shimmering with golden light, each feather seemingly containing the mysteries of the universe.
Seeing this, Jiang Jingzhi immediately mobilized all his spiritual power, resonating with the spiritual power in the magic array. His hands quickly formed hand seals, guiding the spiritual power in the magic array to converge towards the demon king.
Xu Xiaoxiao, Lan Ji, and Mu Zhusheng stood guard on the side, watching their surroundings vigilantly to prevent any accidents from happening.
The Demon King took a deep breath and spewed out a golden flame. The flame, like a nimble dragon, swirled and danced within the magic array. Wherever it went, spiritual energy surged, and a scorching aura filled the air.
Jiang Jingzhi stared intently at the flames, his hands moving rapidly, skillfully fusing the spiritual energy within the magic array with the phoenix fire.
As the phoenix fire merged with spiritual power, the cracks in the barrier that had been slowly healing began to repair rapidly. The golden flames, like flowing magma, filled every crack in the barrier, and wherever they passed, the black demonic energy was instantly dispelled, and the barrier regained its dazzling light.
However, just as the barrier repair was about to be completed, a sudden change occurred. A powerful backlash surged out from the barrier and attacked Jiang Jingzhi and the Demon King.
This backlash was extremely powerful, as if it were the barrier's resistance to their forced repair. Jiang Jingzhi and the Demon King's expressions changed drastically. They hurriedly mobilized their spiritual power to resist, but the backlash was too fierce, and their bodies involuntarily retreated.
"Oh no! Everyone, help!" Xu Xiaoxiao shouted when she saw this. She rushed forward and poured her spiritual power into the magic array in an attempt to strengthen it and resist the backlash.
Lan Ji and Mu Zhusheng joined in without hesitation. Their spiritual power flowed like streams into the magic array, merging with the spiritual power of Jiang Jingzhi and the Demon King.
With everyone's joint efforts, the backlash was finally successfully resisted. Jiang Jingzhi and the Demon King took the opportunity to increase their spiritual power output, and the Phoenix Fire burned even more fiercely. Under the powerful force, the last crack in the barrier was successfully repaired.
As the last crack disappeared, the entire barrier regained its former solidity, and a dazzling light burst forth from the barrier, illuminating the entire sky. The demonic energy that had permeated the air was completely dispelled, replaced by refreshing spiritual energy.
Jiang Jingzhi and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief. They collapsed to the ground, exhausted, but their faces were filled with the joy of victory.
Although the battle was difficult, they successfully repaired the barrier and protected the peace of the cultivation world by relying on their firm belief, tenacious will, and concerted efforts.
The Demon King put away the Phoenix Flame and returned to human form. He looked at Jiang Jingzhi and the others with admiration in his eyes. "You are all excellent!" the Demon King said. "If it weren't for everyone's joint efforts, this barrier would probably have been difficult to repair. It is a blessing for the cultivation world to have such a young generation like you."
Jiang Jingzhi stood up, bowed to the Demon King again, and said, "The successful repair of the barrier this time is largely due to Your Majesty's great assistance. On behalf of the entire cultivation world, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Your Majesty!"
Xu Xiaoxiao, Lan Ji, and Mu Zhusheng also bowed to the Demon King to express their gratitude.
The Demon King smiled and waved his hand, saying, "No need for formalities. This is our joint achievement. Now that the barrier has been repaired, the cultivation world has temporarily returned to peace. However, we still cannot let our guard down. The demons will definitely not give up easily. We still need to strengthen our vigilance to prevent them from attacking again."
Jiang Jingzhi and the others nodded in agreement. They knew that although they had successfully repelled the demons, the war between the cultivation world, the demon world, and the demon realm was not over, and it seemed that they would not be able to return for some time.