Burial Armament City.
Strictly speaking, Burial Armament City was never originally a city at all.
Cultivators from Cangzhou faced off against the Eastern Desolate Demon Territory here.
The two sides engaged in endless mutual slaughter.
One weapon spirit after another was left behind on this battlefield.
Eventually, human sages forged these ancient battlefield remnants into a living fortress, creating Burial Armament City.
Some say over five million weapon spirits remain here, including numerous divine arms.
The undispersed battle souls and remnant weapon spirits together compose Burial Armament City.
Thus, this city wasn't built brick by brick -
the surrounding ten thousand li became a battlefield of weapon-qi.
The closer outsiders approach the walls, the heavier their bodies and souls feel, as if carrying mountains.
Eventually, they'd be crushed into pulp.
Even those who withstand it find their cultivation suppressed.
Now, as Burial Armament City's lord Wen Yuan moved the city onto the battlefield,
the entire fortress awoke.
Banners atop the city snapped violently in the tempest winds.
Countless armored weapon spirits roared like a slumbering behemoth stretching its limbs.
The Scarlet Dawn Demon King and four other demon kings paled slightly. Though permitted entry, they immediately found breathing difficult under the city's pressure.
Let alone Lingxu himself - the sole target on this battlefield.
The metallic scent of weapon-qi filled Lingxu's nostrils as countless ethereal chains emerged from his inner universe, binding him tightly.
His once-fluid spiritual energy circulation became labored, like water trapped in a stoppered gourd.
This crushing suppression forcibly slowed his energy cycles.
Any divine sense extending beyond a thousand li would be severed by the weapon-qi.
This city that held back the Eastern Desolate Demon Territory for millennia now bared its fangs at this Tribulation Transcension expert.
Using the entire ancient battlefield's killing intent, this murderous city was suppressing Lingxu's cultivation from its peak.
Within Burial Armament City, eight ancient weapon spirits manifested.
Each radiated boundless power and murderous intent, surrounding Lingxu in an airtight encirclement.
Tens of thousands of military cultivators combined their strength into a grand formation.
Cracks appeared across the dharma avatar behind Lingxu.
Five Great Ascension demon cultivators closed in from behind.
Wen Yuan, now possessed by ancient weapon spirits, declared loudly:
"Lingxu, prepare to die!!"
Lingxu's expression turned grave, yet he suddenly grinned, glancing skyward to remark inexplicably:
"Lovely weather today."
"Are those your last words, Lingxu?"
Zhongzhou, Mount Shushan.
As the Ink Pool Sect launched its full assault,
onlookers gasped in astonishment, putting themselves in the defenders' shoes.
Any other faction would have collapsed already under such an attack.
The Ink Pool Sect specialized in siege warfare using puppets.
Yet despite their relentless assault, Mount Shushan's sword formations remained unshaken.
Then, not just the Ink Pool Sect -
the Star Palace Lord exchanged glances with the Ink Pool Sect Leader before both mighty beings struck simultaneously.
The heavens suddenly drained of color.
Tens of thousands of Star Palace cultivators performed mystic steps while holding their lifebound soul lamps, forming a grand formation to channel celestial power.
At that moment, Mount Shushan's spiritual currents abruptly stilled.
Countless talismans flew from the Star Palace Lord's sleeves toward the bright moon itself.
The Ink Pool Sect had previously forged special chains for every Star Palace cultivator, which now extended from their foreheads.
Countless chains connected to the moon.
The Star Palace Lord's robes billowed as he faced away from the full moon, unleashing divine power.
He intended to drag down the entire moon and crash it into Mount Shushan.
Ice crystals began spreading across the Star Palace Lord's previously smooth skin.
This was backlash from the moon's frigid power ravaging his body,
freezing even his inner universe's heart lake
and immobilizing his divine consciousness beneath thick frost.
Star Palace cultivators froze solid as their soul lamps crystallized.
Through their sacrifice, that celestial cold light finally shifted.
The moon descended with ancient loneliness' chill.
Its fall created vacuum vortices that shook Mount Shushan.
The Star Palace Lord's lifebound artifact shattered, erasing three thousand years of cultivation.
His forcibly enhanced realm backfired, temporarily dropping him below Tribulation Transcension.
Over half of the Star Palace's forces perished.
Wushangzi's expression changed sharply as he pointed his sword.
Mount Shushan's sword formation activated.
Flying swords carrying sword qi soared to intercept the falling moon,
but slowed progressively until freezing solid mid-flight,
their sword qi crystallizing into icy shards.
"We can't let it reach the formation!!"
Little Qiong Peak's master Yu Yangzi flew sword-first to block the moon.
Just facing the moon made blood pour from Yu Yangzi's seven orifices.
His dharma avatar trembled violently.
Enduring the pressure, Yu Yangzi raised his sword skyward.
"Witness Mount Shushan's sword backbone!!"
Yu Yangzi's sword flicked against the moon's edge.
With one final glance at Mount Shushan, he detonated his lifebound sword and inner Great Dao.
At the cost of complete soul annihilation,
he destroyed half the moon.
The remaining half crashed mercilessly into Mount Shushan's sword formation.