Chapter 107 – Pyrenees County City to Fall, Great Crisis

“Senior… do not push us too far.”

“Even if your cultivation surpasses ours, do not forget—this is Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture! It belongs to the Albigensians Sect!”

At that moment, the young Level 2 cultivator who oversaw Floating Dream Pavilion finally spoke up.

Of course, he didn’t actually expect the old hag to be intimidated by the name of Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture.

But as he spoke, the city’s grand defensive formations silently activated, covering the entire Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture capital in an intricate web of protective arrays!

At the same time, the ancestors of the Eight Great Clans, all in Level 2, began emerging from seclusion.

There was no hope of escape.

The old hag had come to slaughter—against such an enemy, fleeing was meaningless.

The only path forward was battle!

“KILL!”

A roaring battle cry erupted.

The grand killing formations woven throughout Floating Dream Pavilion exploded into motion, sending destructive waves of energy crashing toward the old hag.

A rabbit had no chance against a lion—but even a rabbit, when cornered, would struggle to survive.

If they didn’t fight now, they might never get another chance!

“Fellow Daoists! The demonic path has invaded!”

“Only by standing together can we overcome this crisis!”

“At most, within an hour or so, our Albigensians Sect’s Level 3 Grandmaster will arrive with a Level 4 treasure!”

“By then, suppressing this demon will be no more than a flick of a finger!”

The guardian of Floating Dream Pavilion, the young Level 2 cultivator, spoke loudly, attempting to rally the ten thousand cultivators of Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture.

Though the vast majority of them were low-level cultivators, barely able to fight—

As long as they had numbers, they could at least consume some of the old hag’s energy.

Even if they failed to injure her, forcing her to slaughter them would waste time.

And right now, time was the most precious resource in Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture!

Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture’s Last Defense

The defensive formations covering the capital city shone brilliantly, casting radiant runes into the sky.

Even ordinary mortals, gazing up from the streets, could sense that something was terribly wrong.

Panic spread as countless people ran in fear.

Many cultivators attempted to flee—

But the moment they stepped past the boundary of the city’s protective formations, their bodies instantly rotted away, dissolving into pools of blood.

Outside the city, the old hag had already set up an array, ensuring that no one—cultivator or mortal—could escape.

Her appearance in Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture was no coincidence.

This had been long planned.

The Dark Abyss King, having sided with the demonic path, had promised loyalty—

And to prove their sincerity, the Velmorian Sect had offered Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture as a gift to the Dark Abyss King.

By seizing the city, they would cripple the Sea Sand King’s forces, dealing a severe blow to his territorial control.

Fear and Betrayal

Despite the guardian’s call to arms, few cultivators stepped forward.

Aside from the Eight Great Clans and some minor sects, most chose to remain silent.

The situation was already clear—

Whether it was Albigensians Sect’s forces or the Eight Great Clans, they were all doomed.

The pills offered by the old hag—while their effects were unknown—at least promised survival.

And besides—

Even if they didn’t immediately consume them or swear allegiance to the demonic path, they could still watch from the sidelines.

So far, the old hag hadn’t started indiscriminately slaughtering everyone.

Why provoke her and throw away their lives?

Despair Among the Defenders

Noticing that almost no one had chosen to fight, the Level 2 elders of Albigensians Sect and the Eight Great Clans grimaced in frustration.

But there was nothing they could do.

At this moment, they didn’t have time to worry about threatening the neutral cultivators.

Arius’s Calculations

Amidst the ruins of Floating Dream Pavilion, Arius quietly withdrew into the crowd of cultivators, keeping to the shadows.

Finding a hidden corner, he began rapidly analyzing his options.

Both Albigensians Sect’s forces and the Eight Great Clans were utterly outmatched.

They wouldn’t be able to hold the old hag back for long.

As for waiting for Albigensians Sect’s reinforcements?

There was no telling when they would arrive.

And considering the enemy’s meticulous planning, if they dared to attack Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture, they had surely prepared countermeasures against reinforcements.

The Situation Was Dire.

Arius had to find a way to escape.

And he had to do it without drawing attention to himself.

Leaving one’s fate in the hands of others was the most foolish decision one could make.

The more desperate the situation, the more one had to take control of their own destiny—or risk becoming nothing more than cannon fodder.

Unlike the young and inexperienced cultivators who were paralyzed by fear, Arius—despite feeling an immense sense of pressure—remained calm and focused.

At the moment, he still had a considerable amount of spirit stones at his disposal.

Moreover, the collapsed Floating Dream Pavilion had scattered countless treasures and resources across the ruins.

When the structure crumbled, Arius had swiftly taken advantage of the chaos, looting an unknown number of valuable items.

Even now, those cultivators who had managed to keep their composure were still frantically scavenging for resources.

Greed Amidst Chaos

“People kill for wealth, birds die for food.”

Even in the face of mortal danger, human greed remained undiminished.

At this moment, whoever was stronger and faster claimed the most resources.

What happened after they obtained those treasures?

No one cared.

All that mattered was getting them first.

A Path to Survival?

Arius clenched dozens of storage pouches in his hands, his mind rapidly formulating a plan.

To escape this crisis, he needed to avoid attracting attention while using the Appraising Immortal Mirror to enhance his two Five-Thunder Talisman Treasures.

If he could upgrade just one of them to the Level 4 level—or at least close to it—he could turn the tides!

However—Using the Appraising Immortal Mirror in public would reveal its existence.

If that happened, unless he could slaughter every single witness in Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture, the secret would leak.

And once that secret was out…

Even a true immortal might not be able to protect him.

A Power Too Terrifying to Reveal

His rapid cultivation growth, his De Molinos Clan’s swift rise—these were not unheard of in the cultivation world.

After all, there were countless ancient legacies, lost relics, and fortuitous encounters scattered throughout the vast lands of this world.

It wasn’t uncommon for a mortal to rise to power under the right circumstances.

But—

The Appraising Immortal Mirror was an artifact beyond this world’s understanding.

If the truth about it were ever exposed…

Unless he had the power to wipe out entire cities and eradicate every possible witness, he would never be able to keep it a secret.

And right now, he lacks that power.

Even one survivor escaping with the secret would be his undoing.

Without using the Appraising Immortal Mirror, Arius’s chances of escaping unscathed were slim.

The old hag was simply too powerful.

If she was merely a Level 3 cultivator, he could have risked everything, relying on his Five-Thunder Talisman Treasures to break through.

But against someone of her level…

Even that might not be enough.

“What should I do?”

“Stay calm. Absolute calm.”

“There must be a way out!”

Arius remained in the shadows, hidden behind the masses of cultivators, no longer bothering to fight over Floating Dream Pavilion’s scattered treasures.

Survival was the only priority now.

Losing a few resources meant nothing if he could make it out alive.

The Massacre Begins

“Pfft!”

Above them, a Level 2 cultivator was crushed mid-air, his soul ripped from his body and sealed within the old hag’s lantern.

The defensive formations covering Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture were already on the verge of collapse.

If things continued this way, the Eight Great Clans and Albigensians Sect’s Level 2 elders wouldn’t last much longer.

Time was running out and Arius Had to Act Soon or he wouldn’t make it out alive.