Chapter 72: The Crimson Standstill
The towering walls of Ironfang's capital loomed like an unyielding fortress, their stone surfaces etched with the scars of battle and reinforced with Shadowfang Sect arrays that pulsed with dark qi, the air thick with the acrid scent of smoke and the faint, metallic tang of blood from the ongoing siege. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the rugged terrain, the ground littered with the remnants of broken weapons and the fallen, as the allied forces faced a sudden halt in their advance. The arrays, shimmering with eerie black runes, unleashed tendrils of energy that repelled assaults, forcing the siege into a tense standstill. Lin Xuan stood at the edge of the line, his crimson eyes narrowed with steely resolve, the robust power of his 9th Layer Qi Transformation a silent force. The Celestial Unity Crest on his back pulsed faintly, a quiet guide as he assessed the situation. "We need a way through—silently," he murmured to himself, his voice a low growl, his mind already plotting an infiltration.
He employed Abyssal Lotus Step, his form gliding like a phantom through the shadows, evading the arrays' sensors as he approached the wall. A Shadowfang guard, a wiry figure at the 6th Layer Qi Transformation, detected the disturbance and lunged with a qi-charged dagger, its edge humming with dark energy. Lin Xuan sidestepped with fluid grace, countering with a precise qi burst that sent the guard sprawling, his dagger clattering to the ground as blood seeped from a gash on his arm. Undeterred, Lin Xuan planted Crimson Vein Suppression traps, the crimson threads weaving a lethal net that snared a patrolling scout, his scream cut short as the trap tightened, the air crackling with neutralized qi. "That'll slow their response," he muttered, melting back into the darkness. Liu Yue, her 8th Layer Qi Transformation qi flowing with Frost Phoenix Cry, and Liu Yang, his 6th Layer Qi Gathering qi steady, held the front, her snowflake mark glowing as she froze an array tendril, his blood-forged glaive flashing to deflect a counterattack. "Hold steady, Elder Sister—their arrays are weakening!" Liu Yang called, his young face set with focus, the glaive's crimson edge a defiant spark.
In the royal tent, Ji Yunjing, at the peak of the 4th Layer Profound Heavenly Realm, negotiated with neutral second-rate clans—small but influential groups like the Jade Serpent and Golden Crane—his silk robes rustling as he paced, his voice firm. "Join us, and your lands will be spared—stand aside, and you risk ruin," he said, his brow furrowed with diplomatic pressure, the air thickening with the murmur of hesitant agreements as clan leaders bowed reluctantly. Bai Ningxue, her 9th Layer Qi Transformation aura a serene yet potent force, sealed the effects of Lin Xuan's traps with her Thousand Lotus Seal Art, her seals shimmering as they stabilized the battlefield, her hands steady and precise. "This will hold their qi—give us time," she said, her tone calm and focused, her efforts enhancing the stalemate's strategic pause.
The standstill stretched into the evening, the air growing cool with the scent of blood and scorched earth, the allied forces regrouping as Ironfang's defenses held firm. Lin Xuan returned to the tent, his breath steady but his eyes alert, presenting his findings. "Their arrays are vulnerable from within—hit them there," he said, his voice thoughtful. Liu Yue nodded, her breath even but her resolve firm. "We'll break through, Senior Brother." she replied, The royal tent buzzed with the clink of armor and the murmur of plans, the crimson standstill a test of patience, the war poised on the edge of a turning point.