Chapter 2694: Chapter 2694: Back Against The Wall
The enemies mobilized in the horizon as the sky darkened. It seemed as though a raging storm was preparing to rain terror upon the people below.
The weapon refiners from the Su Clan and the Oneness Sky Palace looked on gloomily.
The attack from the Sun Crow race left them no time to take a break.
“Why? It is just a piece of Shade Stone! What do they want it for?” A weapon refiner complained angrily.
The Shade Stone was indeed a rare material for weapon refining in the Source World, since it only appeared once in a while.
It was out of sheer luck that it chose to appear in the Blue Cloud City of Mountain Viewing Province this time.
It was said that if any Other Shore Treasure was refined with a Shade Stone, the resulting power would be comparable to that of a primary Grand Nature Treasure. However, ultimately, it was still but an Other Shore Treasure.
It was really hard to grasp why the Sun Crow race was going through extreme lengths to get it.
“We mustn't let them get what they want. If we hesitate, there will be nothing but trouble for us. Now is the time to melt the Shade Stone!” Cailen cried valiantly, determination written all over his face.
While everyone glanced at each other uncertainly, they knew that the Sun Crow race gathering in the distance posed an overwhelming threat. Begrudgingly, they agreed to follow Cailen's orders.
“Well, at this point, it's our only choice...”
“I agree!”
“Let's do what Master Cailen says...”
The weapon refiners of the Su Clan and those from the Oneness Sky Palace gradually came to an agreement.
Having reached a conclusion, everyone returned to their posts.
Then, shutting his eyes in concentration, Cailen activated the Nine Edges Weapon Refining Array. Suddenly, the Array started emitting a dazzling light.
In order to melt the Shade Stone, they needed the blood power of Eira.
The Shade Stone needed to be soaked in this blood power.
The Shade Stone, which was originally square in shape, gradually transformed. The surface of the Shade Stone started to bubble, buckling under the influence of the blood power. Finally, it began to melt.
The melting started from the edges of the cube. As the sharp corners began to ebb away, the Shade Stone had completely transformed into a perfect globe.
Standing in the center of the Nine Edges Weapon Refining Array, Cailen finally opened his eyes to take a glance. “The blood power of Eira...” he said anxiously, “is not enough yet!”
Upon hearing this, the people of the Su Clan all frowned slightly.
At this point, Eira was on the verge of death. If they kept taking her blood power, she would be completely drained!
“Collect more blood power from her!” Cailen demanded, without the slightest hesitation.
No one dared to disobey the master's order. Immediately, one of the weapon refiners activated the array that drew blood power from her.
Eira trembled slightly, her face as pale as a ghost. The only traces of color came from the droplets of blood seeping from her forehead. Anyone who saw her would definitely be able to tell that she was greatly weakened, with scarcely any blood power left to give. ℞âΝỌВÈꞩ
As soon as the droplets had completely formed, they shot towards the Shade Stone, like bits of metal to a giant magnet.
Immediately, the Nine Edges Weapon Refining Array was activated again. The spherical Shade Stone suddenly began to transform into all kinds of strange shapes, like a pool of black liquid suspended in the air.
“Phew!”
Cailen leapt to his feet excitedly, summoning a small bottle in his hand.
“Come to me!”
He tapped the bottle very gently. As a result, a strong gravitational force came from within the bottle.
Just then, something unexpected happened.
The black liquid flew to the opposite side, as though it could tell what was going on.
Cailen's eyes widened in surprise.
This was not his first time to refine a Shade Stone. Once upon a time, a Shade Stone appeared in the Bloom Divine Province. He joined forces with the Oneness Sky Palace to refine it. However, he had chosen to not melt it completely, and forged it into a sword. Vastly impressed, the Oneness Sky Palace rewarded the Su Clan with tens of millions of divine crystals in exchange for the sword.
Cailen's eyes darted back and forth, following the melted Shade Stone that managed to keep dodging him.
Even so, there was no need to worry, as it was trapped inside the Nine Edges Weapon Refining Array. There was no way Cailen would let it escape.
Pointing at the black liquid, he summoned a spell that shot out a column of green light, enveloping the black liquid.
“Seize it!”
The black liquid wriggled desperately in the air, but it couldn't break out of the array.
Cailen walked cautiously towards it, till finally, the black mass was sucked into the bottle.
“Buzz...”
Even after it was bottled, the black liquid still struggled to escape, bouncing off the walls of its glass enclosure.
“Done. Remove the Nine Edges Weapon Refining Array. We're leaving the Blue Cloud City!” Cailen couldn't conceal his excitement, his lips upturned slightly.
The others did not respond. Instead, it seemed they had lost interest in what had just happened. Cailen, confused by the silence, whipped around to face them, only to find them staring at the sky nervously.
Cailen, following suit, looked up to the sky and gasped.
The entire sky above the Blue Cloud City was covered by the Sun Crow race. It would not be easy to leave.
Atop the city wall, all the Oneness Guards shuffled around uneasily.
Having lost the protection of the four Arrays of Innumerable Swords, it would not be easy to fight the Sun Crow race. This could be a bloody battle.
Similarly, the recruited soldiers at the foot of the city wall also looked mournful as they expected what was to come.
“This is not right. Even a five-star task shouldn't be a fatal one...”
“There're too many uncertainties with the war against the Sun Crow race. No one knows how it will go...”
“Will we all die here?”
Most of these people had come here in eager pursuit of merit points. Who could have known the Blue Cloud City would fall so soon? The people who had chosen this mission were basically dead men walking. It was no wonder they were desperate.
Gant was affected by the low morale of the others. He felt depression taking over him.
He had been worried about Eira. However, at the moment, the situation was no better for him. Not only that, all the core members of the Su Clan were there.
If the Blue Cloud City was destroyed, the whole Su Clan would suffer great loss.
Zen remained calm. This place was swarming with the Oneness Guards. It was impossible for them to rely on only the four sword arrays.
Right then, Maxim's voice interrupted his thoughts. “What are you waiting for? Come with me!”
Following Maxim, Zen and Gant headed towards the right side of the city wall. There, they met Rupert, Alfie and others.
Once their eyes met, they exchanged bitter smiles. Very soon, this place would be soaked in blood, and they knew it. It was a heaving rock resting on everyone's stomach. Everyone felt this heavy burden weigh down on their backs.
“I don't know why the Sun Crow race is acting like this... But for us, the most important thing right now is to survive,” said Maxim in a grave tone.
Obviously, he was also under great pressure.
Maxim turned to Zen and Gant, smiling wistfully. “If the Sun Crow race weren't all over this place, I would let you go. But unfortunately... that isn't the case.”
Hearing Maxim's words, Alfie and Rupert exchanged funny looks. No one wanted to say it aloud in front of Zen, but they knew that even if everyone else died, he'd probably be the sole survivor.
Meanwhile, the people of Blue Cloud City formed a circle around its center.
The outermost layer of the circle consisted of the women, elderly, and children, who had gathered there out of survival instinct.
The ones in the innermost part of the circle were the important Oneness Guards and weapon refiners.
On the city wall stood the one-star and two-star Oneness Guards. Lastly, the recruited soldiers were stationed right outside the wall; among them was Zen.
Everyone held their breath, anxious at what was to come. Then, all at once, the enemies launched their attack. Sun Crows flooded into the city from all directions.
From afar, they looked like steadily approaching dots in the distance. Gritting their teeth and brandishing their swords, everyone was prepared to fight for their lives.