Immortal Paladin

039 Great Barrier

The shockwave rattled the air as the demon’s greatsword met Da Wei’s blade. Ren Jin watched from above, his mind racing to process the sight before him. The earth cracked beneath Da Wei’s feet, spiderweb fractures spreading outward from the sheer force. But the so-called Master Cultivator did not budge. He simply glared, and to Ren Jin’s astonishment, the demon flinched.

A powerful arc of light followed Da Wei’s sword, a golden crescent cutting through the sky. It missed by a small margin as the demon—Brukhelm—twisted his body unnaturally midair, retreating with a single beat of his black wings.

Ren Jin frowned. That name—Brukhelm—felt clumsy on his tongue, foreign in a way that didn’t quite fit the usual dialects of the land. He couldn’t pronounce it properly, so he substituted it with something phonetically closer to his own language.

Bu Lu Keng.

It would have to do.

Ren Jin had been a prince of the Empire. He had witnessed the heights of cultivation and walked among the greatest warriors and sages. Even though he had been outmaneuvered by his siblings and sent to govern this backwater city, his experience was far beyond what most in this continent could ever dream of. And yet, this was his first time seeing a monster like that.

Everyone was panicking.

Bu Lu Keng’s presence alone had sent waves of fear through the crowd. Even Ren Jin’s finest soldiers, the elite of Yellow Dragon City, were visibly shaken. The strong-willed cultivators who had arrived for the festival—proud disciples of great sects—staggered as if their knees might give out at any moment.

Ren Jin remained aloft, observing the chaos with an unreadable expression. This was beyond what a city governor was meant to handle. Yet, he had no choice.

“Elders,” he called out with Qi Speech, his voice carrying across the battlefield, “please assist with the evacuation.”

There was hesitation at first, but then the older cultivators began to act. The disciples of the major sects, though still wary, started guiding the weaker ones away. Some of the stronger ones lingered, unable to tear their eyes away from the duel taking place.

Curiosity on whether they could measure to the mysterious demon and probably to the warrior who was confronting the said demon.

Ren Jin turned his gaze back to Da Wei.

Who exactly was he?

Da Wei had entered his city like a nobody. A wandering cultivator, if that. But now, he was wielding powers Ren Jin could not comprehend. He was forcing a high-ranked demon into caution. More than that, he seemed completely at ease in battle, as if he had done this countless times before.

Bu Lu Keng let out a deep, reverberating laugh. “You’re strong, Paladin. But you’re alone.”

Da Wei tilted his head, unimpressed. “So are you.”

Ren Jin narrowed his eyes. The battle wasn’t over. Far from it. But one thing was certain—no matter the outcome, Yellow Dragon City would never be the same.

The demon rose higher, dodging a flurry of radiant light that lanced through the air. Bu Lu Keng’s black wings spread wide, each beat sending powerful gusts downward, shaking the broken remains of the arena. His crimson skin glowed faintly, and his eyes, burning with an eerie golden-red light, scanned the battlefield.

Then, the demon's eyes locked onto Ren Jin.

A suffocating pressure crashed down on him as if a mountain had been placed upon his chest. His breath hitched. His body felt like it was being crushed beneath an unseen force. It was an instinctual, primal fear—one that whispered in his mind, telling him he was prey.

Ren Jin clenched his teeth and rose higher. His qi surged, fighting off the unnatural weight that sought to pin him in place. A translucent dragon coiled around his body, formed from his qi, a testament to his mastery of Dragon Soaring the Peaks.

Flight was normally impossible for cultivators beneath the Fifth Realm. Even those at the Spirit Mystery Realm, like himself, could only hover short distances. But his technique, a legendary one passed down within the imperial family, allowed him to soar the skies, albeit at a great cost to his stamina.

Bu Lu Keng, however, did not care about him.

The demon turned away without interest, fixating solely on Da Wei.

Ren Jin exhaled, retreating to the roof of his manor, where he had a clear vantage point over the battlefield. From here, he could see it all—the destruction, the chaos, the sheer scale of power being unleashed below. The demon's aura was powerful enough to affect the mortals in his entire city. He could feel it in his enhanced cultivation, see it as if he was right there.

The once-grand arena was being torn apart.

And people were beginning to tear into each other in this fine city he had built over the decades.

Da Wei’s sword shone with divine radiance, and every swing sent crescent arcs of golden light cutting through the air. The very ground quaked beneath his strikes, stone and qi-forged bleachers splitting apart, debris flying in every direction. His speed was unrelenting, pushing Bu Lu Keng on the defensive.

But the demon was no mere beast to be slain easily.

Bu Lu Keng’s greatsword, crude and jagged, met Da Wei’s attacks with unholy force. Each collision sent shockwaves through the city, shattering windows and toppling weaker structures. The air itself rippled from the sheer intensity of their duel.

A single swing from the demon cleaved through the remnants of the arena, leaving a deep trench in the earth. The crowd, still scrambling to flee, screamed in terror as debris rained down around them.

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The city’s enforcers and the sect elders worked tirelessly to evacuate the civilians. Chief Enforcer Liang Na led the guards, shouting orders with practiced efficiency. The elders from the Sword Canopy Sect, Cloud Mist Sect, Isolation Path Sect, and others took charge, using their own techniques to shield the weaker cultivators and guide them to safety.

Despite their efforts, the battlefield remained a place of utter devastation.

Ren Jin’s gaze flicked back to the battle. Da Wei stood firm, his golden aura clashing violently against Bu Lu Keng’s crimson malice. Two opposing forces, one of holy judgment and the other of pure corruption, waging war in the heart of Yellow Dragon City.

The sky cracked with thunderous roars as Da Wei and Bu Lu Keng clashed in the arena, their battle sending waves of destruction through Yellow Dragon City. Ren Jin hovered above the chaos, his gaze shifting from the battlefield to the panicked civilians below. The arena was no longer a place of spectacle—it had become a war zone.

Ren Jin pressed his fingers together, forming a quick seal. Then, he took a deep breath and activated Qi Speech.

His voice carried across the entire battlefield, infused with qi, reaching his subordinates with clarity despite the overwhelming noise.

"Keep the city guards in formation—anyone who cannot fly, pull back immediately!"

A moment later, Liang Na’s voice crackled back through Qi Speech, steady and unwavering. "Understood, My Lord! We are securing the market district as well. What of the arena?"

Ren Jin’s gaze flickered to the shattered remains of the battlefield, where Da Wei and Bu Lu Keng moved like blurs of gold and crimson. Each clash sent quakes through the earth. More gashes, cracks, and destruction painted the arena than the initial competitors had ever made.

"Do not engage. The fight is beyond our level. Focus on keeping casualties to a minimum."

More responses came through Qi Speech as the elders of the Sword Canopy Sect, Cloud Mist Sect, and Isolation Path Sect checked in.

"Ren Jin, the residential districts are secure," Elder Pan Xia reported. "We are ensuring the city’s escape routes remain open, but some civilians refuse to leave their homes."

Ren Jin’s expression darkened. "Then force them if necessary. This is no ordinary battle—we are facing a Great Demon."

A second elder, Lei Fen's voice carrying a sharp edge, responded. "And what of the governor’s manor, My Lord? Your estate—"

Ren Jin’s heart clenched.

"I am handling it."

Reaching through Qi Speech once more, he called upon the one person he trusted most. He shouldn't leave it to chance.

"Yue’er."

A heartbeat passed. Then, a soft but firm voice responded. "Jin."

Relief flooded through him. His wife, Yue Ruo, was safe—for now.

"The manor is not safe. Take the retainers and leave immediately. Do not wait for me."

"And what of you?" Yue Ruo’s voice was calm, but he could hear the concern beneath it.

Ren Jin looked back at the battle. Brukhelm roared as Da Wei struck him with another powerful swing, sending the demon crashing through yet another section of the city. Dust and debris filled the air.

"I must remain here," he answered. "I cannot abandon my people."

There was silence on the other end. Then, Yue Ruo’s voice came through once more, quiet but resolute.

"Be careful."

Ren Jin exhaled, his gaze hardening.

"I will."

He severed the Qi Speech connection and turned his focus back to the battlefield. Below him, his orders were being carried out—the city guards worked tirelessly to guide civilians to safety, while cultivators formed protective barriers around the evacuation routes.

And at the center of it all, Da Wei and Brukhelm fought with power that shook the heavens.

Ren Jin clenched his fists.

This battle was far from over.

Ren Jin hovered above the ruins of the arena, his robes billowing in the turbulent winds generated by the battle below. His heart pounded as his eyes darted between Da Wei and Bu Lu Keng. The demon was relentless, and despite Da Wei’s overwhelming skill, Ren Jin knew the collateral damage would only continue to spread.

The civilians were still evacuating. His soldiers, his cultivators, his city—they were all vulnerable.

He took a deep breath, steadying his mind. He had no intention of being a mere spectator.

Gathering his qi, he opened his mouth and roared, his voice amplified by both Qi Speech and his very vitality.

"I AM REN JIN! GOVERNOR OF YELLOW DRAGON CITY! MY ELITE ENFORCERS, GUARDIANS! COME TO ME! RAISE THE GREAT BARRIER!"

His words reverberated across the entire city, shaking the very air. It was not a simple call—it was a command laced with power, compelling all those sworn to him to answer.

From the manor, from the city walls, from the sky itself, golden streaks of light shot toward him—his elite enforcers, the sworn protectors of Yellow Dragon City.

The Great Barrier Formation was not a simple dome of energy—it was a meticulously designed defensive array requiring precise movement and positioning.

Each of them carried profound cultivation, their qi refined and battle-hardened. Their movements were sharp, their weapons gleaming with spiritual energy as they formed a perfect formation in the air around Ren Jin.

The elite enforcers spread out, their blades gleaming as they took to the air. Each cultivator unsheathed their flying swords, stepping onto them with effortless grace. Like a celestial dance, they maneuvered into preordained positions, forming concentric rings high above the battlefield.

Leading them was their Chief Enforcer, Liang Na.

The outermost ring consisted of those with defensive specialties—shield cultivators, barrier masters, and formation experts. Their weapons gleamed with golden inscriptions, thrumming with defensive qi as they stabilized the outer perimeter of the formation.

Together, they performed as a single entity.

The middle ring contained cultivators adept in channeling and maintaining formations. These were the specialists who linked the entire structure together, their bodies glowing with synchronization techniques. They stood upon their swords in a rotating cycle, their movements flowing like an eternal river.

The Great Barrier Formation was one of the city's ultimate defensive measures, an ancient technique requiring immense coordination and a powerful core to act as its anchor.

At the core was none other than Ren Jin himself, suspended in midair, his robes whipping against the fierce wind of clashing energies. His arms spread wide, golden lines of qi extending from his fingertips, linking him to every cultivator in the formation.

As he hovered in the air, the enforcers chanted in unison, their voices merging into a single, resonating force.

"As the Dragon Watches, So Shall We Stand!"

Golden symbols ignited in the air, forming intricate patterns that linked them together. The enforcers raised their hands, channeling their combined qi into the formation. Ren Jin felt the weight of their energy converging on him. His own qi flared, accepting their power, binding them together as one.

From his body, golden lines spread outward in a perfect sphere, encompassing the battlefield. The light surged higher, linking with the city's foundational ley lines. Yellow Dragon City itself responded, its protective array feeding into the formation.

The sky rippled, and a translucent golden dome erupted into existence, stretching far and wide. The Great Barrier had been raised.

A divine hum resonated through the air. The oppressive aura of Bu Lu Keng crashed against the barrier but failed to breach it. The citizens beyond its reach were safe.

Ren Jin exhaled, his body trembling slightly from the sheer force required to maintain the barrier. His eyes, however, remained sharp.

Inside the barrier, the battle between Da Wei and Bu Lu Keng raged on—but now, it was contained.

The city would not fall today.

Their combined efforts took shape in the sky—a grand geometric pattern woven from pure qi, intricate and alive, spinning like a massive celestial seal.

From the ground, the barrier appeared as a dome, but from above, it resembled a vast, golden mandala, ever-shifting as the cultivators continuously adjusted their flight paths, balancing the immense energy coursing through the structure.

The golden light pulsed like a living heart, and when Bu Lu Keng’s demonic aura crashed against it, the formation rippled but held firm. The barrier was in place. The city was safe.

Now, it was up to Da Wei.