Immortality Cultivation

That earth-shattering explosion was like a clap of thunder, leaving everyone stunned! At the East City, the earthy-yellow light shield cracked like an eggshell with a "crack," shattering into pieces. Countless points of light flew everywhere, and in the blink of an eye, it was gone!

Immediately after, a mountain-shaking roar of battle cries surged in from outside the city, making people’s ears ring! One could guess even without thinking that those bastards from Great Qin must be charging desperately toward the gap in the East City like hungry wolves smelling blood!

"The East City has fallen! Go reinforce them! Fast!" The Captain who came to meet them turned pale instantly. He roared at the top of his lungs, ignoring Fang Hao and the other reinforcements, and led his men to sprint toward the East City.

The city gate area instantly turned into a chaotic mess! Wounded soldiers, laborers, and the defenders who had just retreated from the city walls were all in a panic. Some wanted to run into the city, while others wanted to rush to the East City, all huddled together.

"Don’t panic! Lei Battalion! Follow me to the East City! Block the gap!" Commander Lei was an old general after all; he remained calm in the face of danger. His roar was like a thunderclap, instantly suppressing the chaos. The veteran soldiers he brought were also elites. Although they had just experienced an encounter, they did not hesitate for a moment. They immediately assembled into a Formation and followed Commander Lei, charging toward the East City where the battle cries were most intense!

"Master Zhao! Guest Official Ning!" Commander Lei shouted as he ran, "I’ll leave the Formation to you! No matter what, find a way to prop up the East City’s defense again! Otherwise, this city is finished!"

Master Zhao’s face was so solemn it looked like it could drip water. He nodded heavily, "Don’t worry! Even if I have to risk my life, I will repair the Formation! Guest Official Ning, let’s go!"

Fang Hao’s heart skipped a beat, knowing that things were in big trouble now! The city wall was breached, and enemy troops were pouring in. Going to set up a Formation now? That was no different from jumping into a meat grinder! But as things stood, there was no choice! If the city fell, everyone would be finished!

"Little Grandson, take the others and follow the Quartermaster to get the Formation Materials! Be quick!" Master Zhao quickly gave an order, then grabbed Fang Hao, "Kid Ning, come with me! Let’s go check the core eye first!"

The two didn’t care about their appearance anymore. They used their movement techniques to weave through the chaotic crowd, racing toward the East City. The further east they went, the more tragic the scene became. Panicked civilians and retreating wounded soldiers were everywhere on the streets, with cries and screams echoing endlessly. In the distance toward the East City, flames soared into the sky, the light of Spell explosions flickered constantly, and the sound of clashing weapons and battle cries was deafening.

The air was thick with the smell of blood and smoke, making people cough.

They finally managed to reach a square near the East City. This was originally the location of the core eye of the East City’s defense Formation, a huge stone hall. But now, the stone hall was mostly destroyed, the ruins were still burning, and charred corpses and shattered Formation Plate fragments were scattered everywhere. A few surviving Formation Masters were digging through the ruins with soot-covered faces, trying to salvage something, but it looked hopeless.

"It’s over... the core eye has been completely destroyed!" An Old Formation Master cried out when he saw Master Zhao, "Director Zhao, there’s no way! The Formation Foundation is gone!"

Master Zhao rushed to the ruins, took one look, and his heart sank to the bottom. The destruction was too thorough; let alone repairing it, even rebuilding it would be as difficult as reaching the heavens!

"Damn it!" Even the usually steady Master Zhao couldn’t help but swear. He suddenly turned to look at Fang Hao, his eyes sharp, "Kid Ning, the core eye is beyond saving! But we can’t give up! We must set up a temporary defense Formation near the breach, even if it only holds for a while! We need to buy time for Commander Lei and the others!"

Fang Hao looked at the messy ruins before him and heard the battle cries getting closer. He knew Master Zhao’s plan was the only way. They couldn’t stop the tide-like enemy head-on; they could only rely on a Formation to stall them!

"Alright!" Fang Hao nodded without hesitation, "What Formation do we need? Where is the location?"

"Use your best one! A variation of the Small Five Elements Rotation Formation. It must be fast and sturdy! The location is at the entrance of the main street ahead! That is the only path for the retreating troops and the incoming enemy!" Master Zhao shouted, pointing to a wide street leading to the city center. On that street, one could already see the figures of retreating defenders and pursuing Qin Army soldiers fighting!

"What about the Materials?!" Fang Hao asked urgently. Even the cleverest housewife can’t cook without rice!

"I’ll go push for them! You go select the site and position it first!" After saying that, Master Zhao’s figure flashed as he rushed toward the Logistics Department.

Fang Hao gritted his teeth and pushed his Divine Spirit Steps to the limit, turning into a trail of green smoke. He moved against the flow of retreating people and rushed to the entrance of the main street. The street entrance was in chaos; the defenders were fighting while retreating, and the vanguard of the Qin Army had already broken in. Both sides were engaged in a tragic street battle at the entrance! Blades flashed, Spells flew, and people fell constantly.

Fang Hao hid behind a broken wall, operating his Clear Spring Spirit Eyes to quickly scan the terrain of the street entrance. He needed to find a suitable position that could cover the entrance and be relatively easy to defend.

"There!" He quickly locked onto a relatively intact, tall stone Gatehouse. There were solid walls on both sides of the Gatehouse that could serve as support for the Formation base!

Just as he selected the position, Little Grandson arrived panting, leading a few apprentices and carrying large and small boxes of Materials. "Guest... Guest Official Ning! The Materials are here! Master Zhao went to gather people and told us to follow your lead!"

"Good!" Fang Hao didn’t have time for more words. He grabbed a handful of Formation Flags and Spirit Fluid for engraving from the boxes. "Little Grandson, take the men and clear the enemies around the Gatehouse! Buy me some time! The rest of you, follow me to set up the Formation!"

He was the first to rush out of the Gatehouse, swinging his yitian sword. Sword Qi swept out, forcing back several charging Qin Army soldiers. Little Grandson and the others also plucked up their courage, using various means to temporarily hold a small area in front of the Gatehouse.

Fang Hao moved like a butterfly among flowers, moving rapidly between the Gatehouse and the walls on both sides. His hands were so fast they left afterimages. One by one, Formation Flags were precisely inserted into the gaps in the ground and walls, and Formation patterns were quickly outlined with Spirit Fluid. He pushed his understanding of Five Elements Formations to the limit, striving to set up a sufficiently sturdy temporary defense Formation in the shortest time possible!

"Faster! A bit faster!" Fang Hao muttered to himself, sweat dripping from his forehead. The battle cries around him were getting closer, and Little Grandson and the others were finding it increasingly difficult to hold on, with apprentices constantly getting injured and falling.

"Guest Official Ning! We can’t hold on much longer!" Little Grandson shouted, another wound added to his arm.

Just then, Master Zhao finally arrived with a squad of soldiers and several Formation Masters! "Form up! Block them!" Master Zhao roared, personally joining the fray, finally stabilizing the defensive line.

"Kid Ning, how’s it going?" Master Zhao asked anxiously while fighting the enemy.

"Almost done!" Fang Hao struck in the final core Formation pattern, embedded several Mid-Grade Spirit Stones into key nodes, and slammed both hands onto the center of the Formation eye!

"Small Five Elements Rotation — Thick Earth Barrier! Arise!"

Buzz—!

An earthy-yellow light curtain instantly rose with the Gatehouse as the center, enveloping the entire street entrance! The light curtain was thick and heavy, exuding a steady defensive aura!

Several Qin Army soldiers at the front couldn’t stop in time and crashed into the light curtain, being sent flying back!

"The Formation is complete! Retreat into the Formation!" Master Zhao was overjoyed and immediately ordered everyone to retreat into the protection of the light curtain behind the Gatehouse.

The successful activation of the temporary defense Formation finally checked the momentum of the incoming enemy, buying precious time for the retreating defenders and the counterattack organized by Commander Lei! The tragic street battle reached a temporary stalemate at this small street entrance!

Fang Hao leaned against a pillar of the Gatehouse, gasping for air. He looked at the Qin Army outside, who were frantically attacking the light curtain, and wiped the sweat and blood from his face.

This first hurdle had finally been barely overcome. But looking at the ripples constantly appearing on the light curtain, he knew this temporary Formation wouldn’t last long. The real test was still to come. This Iron Rock City had turned into a giant meat grinder, and he was already trapped within it.