Chapter 376: the thousand dao city 46.

Ji Ruyan led the younger disciples through the central gate and toward the battlefield.

The first enemy group came toward them.

The collision was immediate.

Sword light filled the sky.

Spiritual techniques exploded across the grassland.

The Battle Maiden disciples fought with a style that emphasized formation and cooperation rather than individual glory. One woman blocked an attack, another stepped in from the side, a third struck the opponent’s exposed position, and a fourth healed the injured before moving back into formation.

The enemy had expected them to be desperate.

Instead they found discipline.

Ji Ruyan fought at the front.

Her sword cut through a group of Golden Core cultivators with almost brutal efficiency.

Yet even she could not fight endlessly.

Two enemies attacked simultaneously from opposite directions.

Ji Ruyan blocked the first.

The second nearly struck her side.

Su Lian’s formation activated.

A wall of light appeared between them.

The attack shattered against it.

Ji Ruyan looked back.

Su Lian smiled.

"I told you I would protect you."

Ji Ruyan shook her head.

"I was protecting you."

"We can protect each other."

Ji Ruyan smiled very slightly.

"Fine."

They continued fighting.

On the higher ridge, Ye Qinglan faced three Nascent Soul cultivators at once.

The sect master moved like water.

Her sword was elegant and controlled, never wasting movement.

The three attackers expected her to retreat.

She did not.

She fought them across the sky, using the mountain itself as part of her defense.

Her cultivation was high, but the three opponents were clearly trying to exhaust her.

One attacked from behind.

Another from the side.

The third maintained pressure from the front.

Ye Qinglan blocked one strike, twisted, and sent the second cultivator away.

Then the third struck her shoulder.

Blood appeared.

Mu Qingru arrived immediately.

"Sect Master!"

Ye Qinglan stepped back.

"I am fine."

"You are bleeding."

"It is a scratch."

Mu Qingru raised her sword.

"Then let me return the favor."

The older elder entered the battle.

For several breaths, the two women fought side by side.

Below them, the Battle Maiden disciples watched their leaders fighting without retreating.

That gave them courage.

The first enemy line slowly began to lose ground.

A horn sounded from the plain.

The enemy retreated slightly.

The Battle Maiden Sect did not chase.

Ye Qinglan understood immediately.

It was only a probing attack.

The real assault had not begun yet.

She returned to the main platform.

Mu Qingru followed.

Blood stained the sleeve of Ye Qinglan’s robe.

Mo Yuxin looked at the wound.

"Sit."

Ye Qinglan frowned.

"I am fine."

Su Yubing walked over.

"Sit anyway."

Ye Qinglan looked at the two women.

Then, perhaps because they had already repaired half the sect’s formation in less time than it took most people to pour tea, she reluctantly sat.

Su Yubing examined the wound.

"It is deeper than she thinks."

Mo Yuxin crouched beside them.

"Hold still."

Ye Qinglan looked surprised.

"What are you doing?"

"Fixing it."

Mo Yuxin pressed two fingers near the wound.

A gentle wave of spiritual energy entered the injury.

The damaged flesh closed.

The bleeding stopped.

The pain disappeared.

Ye Qinglan stared.

"This healing technique..."

Mo Yuxin stood.

"Just basic."

Ye Qinglan looked at Su Yubing.

Su Yubing smiled politely.

"She likes to pretend everything she does is basic."

Ye Qinglan gave a quiet laugh.

Then her expression became serious again.

"Thank you."

Mo Yuxin nodded.

"You are welcome."

Ye Qinglan looked toward the battlefield.

"I do not want the younger disciples thinking they are fighting a battle they cannot win."

Su Yubing answered, "Then do not tell them that."

Ye Qinglan looked at her.

Su Yubing continued, "Tell them the truth. They are weaker in numbers and resources. But they are not helpless. They do not need to defeat the whole Southern Continent tonight. They only need to protect one another and survive the next attack."

Ye Qinglan was silent.

Then she nodded.

"You have a good way of speaking."

Mo Yuxin said, "She is good at everything."

Su Yubing looked at her.

"You are embarrassing me."

"I am praising you."

"In front of the sect master."

"She already knows I love you."

Ye Qinglan looked away to hide a smile.

Mu Qingru pretended not to hear.

Across the battlefield, new banners appeared.

Heavenly Sword Sect.

Golden Mountain Sect.

Azure Cloud Sect.

Cangming Palace.

Their troops moved together.

Ye Qinglan’s expression darkened.

"They are all here."

Mu Qingru looked toward the western ridge.

"Not all. Purple Heaven Valley is absent."

Su Yubing quietly said, "For now."

Ye Qinglan looked at her.

"You think they will join?"

"I do not know."

Su Yubing glanced toward Luo Qinghe, who was helping the injured near the main gate.

"But I know some people in Purple Heaven Valley are unhappy with what their elders are doing."

Ye Qinglan followed her gaze.

"Luo Qinghe."

"Yes."

Ye Qinglan nodded slowly.

"Then perhaps we are not completely alone."

The next hour was a battle of patience.

The enemy did not attack the mountain directly.

Instead they surrounded the supply roads and destroyed small structures around the outer edge of the sect’s territory. They wanted the Battle Maiden Sect to waste spiritual energy defending places that did not matter.

Mu Qingru recognized the tactic.

She refused to fall for it.

"Do not chase them."

Ji Ruyan nodded.

"We protect the inner line."

Su Lian worked constantly to keep the formations stable.

Several times, strange spiritual fluctuations appeared in the western wall.

Each time she found a hidden sabotage mark before it could cause serious damage.

After the fourth mark, she became furious.

"They have been preparing this for months."

Mo Yuxin stood beside her.

"Yes."

"How many more are there?"

Mo Yuxin looked at the formation.

"Twenty-seven."

Su Lian stared at her.

"You can see all of them?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

Mo Yuxin pointed around the mountain.

Su Lian quickly marked every location on her map.

Then she looked at the map and went silent.

"This is not random sabotage."