The Azure Emperor, a man of pride and ambition, could not afford to watch his forces diminish without retaliation. He understood that time was not on his side; the longer he waited, the weaker his position became. With a steely resolve, he made his choice. He raised his hand, and his fleet of ships surged forward, their cannons blazing as they aimed at the Golden Palace.

The battle escalated into a chaotic maelstrom of energy and violence. Explosions rocked the skies as the spirit cannons of the Long Clan ships fired upon the golden fortress. The protective barrier surrounding the palace shimmered under the relentless assault, but it held. Zhang Dong and his sect members, well-practiced in their roles, continued to operate the spirit cannons with precision, striking back at the enemy vessels.

Meanwhile, the Azure Emperor unleashed his formidable power, sending torrents of azure energy that took on the shapes of dragons toward the Golden Palace. The sky crackled with energy as the two forces clashed in a dazzling display of power and skill. Zhang Dong, Liena, and Zhi stood at the forefront of the defense and aided in keeping the barrier shut. They knew that this battle would determine the fate of their sect and that defending was the best option.

While their enemies did close in and started to surround them, they in turn were being swarmed by packs of flying beasts. The longer the battle raged on, the more their armada suffered damage. Each time a ship crashed, a horde of creatures eagerly awaited anyone who dared touch the ground. Fortunately, their flying fortress possessed strong defensive capabilities, giving them the advantage of time.

As the battle raged on, Zhang Dong couldn't help but think about his grandfather and Huo Qiang. He hoped that they were safe and on their way back to the Golden Palace. Their reinforcements could make a significant difference in this desperate struggle.

This confrontation would not have a quick resolution as the two sides continued to struggle. Hours turned into days as the battle continued unabated. The sky was filled with explosions, and the ground trembled from the roars of the spiritual beasts. Both sides were exhausted, but neither was willing to give in. The fate of the Golden Palace and the future of the United Element Sect hung in the balance.

Yet, one side was at a significantly bigger disadvantage than the other as the Long Clan Armada had dwindled by at least a half. They were performing the usual tactics of trying to slowly whittle down a defensive formation with continuous assaults. However, with Zhang Dong’s system and some spiritual energy reserves he could give back some of that lost energy to prolong this fight that should have ended already. Only now did the Azure Emperor start realizing that he had walked into a battle that he couldn’t win.

Having made his decision, he resolved to unleash his most formidable weapon: the quasi-immortal blade. This ancient relic, dating back to a forgotten era, possessed the ability to penetrate the impenetrable defenses of the golden fortress. Furthermore, it had the extraordinary power to amplify its wielder's abilities to an astonishing degree. In the hands of the Azure Emperor, renowned as the empire's finest swordmaster, it became an unparalleled instrument of destruction.

“So he finally decided to use it…”

Zhang Dong didn’t frown as he was expecting the sword to eventually come into play. It was the only weapon that could turn the tide and if the Azure Emperor continued with this prolonged battle, his people would eventually be wiped out. Before more of their ships were destroyed the man needed to slice through the shield. Hovering at a distance, his sword drawn and surrounded by a whirlwind of spirit energy, the vibrations of his sword intent echoed through the air.

The Azure Emperor's aura intensified as he prepared to strike. His eyes locked onto the golden barrier protecting the palace, determination etched on his face. He raised the quasi-immortal blade high above his head, and it shimmered with an eerie azure glow. With a swift and powerful downward motion, he brought the blade crashing down towards the shield. As the blade made contact with the golden barrier, an explosion of energy rippled through the air. The shield quivered under the force of the blow, but for now it held strong.

“Concentrate everyone, do not let him destroy the defensive formation!”

Utilizing every last of his available spirit points, Zhang Dong fervently shouted commands to his fellow sect members. This critical moment held the potential to determine the outcome of the entire battle. If their shield could be dismantled, their armada of ships would gain the opportunity to advance and neutralize the spirit cannons. The imminent threat of the swarming beasts and the inevitable one-on-one confrontation with the Azure Emperor loomed, but first and foremost, the quasi-immortal blade had to be dealt with.

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The initial assault tore through the heavens and anything obstructing its path, yet the protective barrier remained steadfast. Nevertheless, a minuscule fissure materialized at the precise point where the sword had made contact. The potency of this weapon was awe-inspiring, and despite expending the majority of their spiritual energy, they struggled to thwart its advance. Shortly thereafter, the leader of the Long Clan raised his sword once more, intent on targeting the same vulnerable spot, determined to bring the battle to their terms.

‘This doesn’t look good…’

Zhang Dong shifted his gaze toward the condition of his fellow sect members. Nearly everyone, except for Zhang Zhi and Zhang Liena, teetered on the brink of exhaustion. They had exerted themselves to the fullest extent, depleting the majority of their spirit energy reserves. It was evident that, with the impending strike, the barrier would be breached.

‘Huh? Did he do it?’

Before he could make a decision of what to do, his eyes were drawn to a red system window. Without thinking much he started clicking with his finger to produce a teleportation gate. Through it a large group started arriving with his grandfather and Huo Qiang at the forefront. His junior brother had finally been able to safely bring them back to the surface and close enough for a teleportation to be a valid option.

“Qiang? What took you so long?”

“I just got lost for a moment, those caverns were confusing!”

“Well, I’m glad that you are back, hope that you are feeling rested as I need your help.”

“You know that you can rely on me, Senior Brother!”

Huo Qiang smacked his chest with a lot of vigor while spotting the Azure Emperor in the distance. The man was in the process of charging up the next attack and now with some reinforcements, they had some more energy to spare.

‘Bob, are you sure that your calculations are correct?’

‘The possibility of the previous query is at 86,32%’

‘That should be enough…’

Zhang Dong nodded and focused intently on the dilemma at hand. The Azure Emperor wielded a formidable weapon capable of piercing through their shield. Nevertheless, they had managed to intercept it by anticipating the precise point of impact. With the emergence of that minor breach, it was all but certain that the enemy would target the same vulnerable spot once more. If they could successfully defend against it for just a few more rounds, his true plan would finally come to fruition.

The tension in the air grew as the Azure Emperor raised his quasi-immortal blade for another strike, his eyes fixated on the weakening point in the golden barrier. Zhang Dong, his grandfather, and Huo Qiang readied themselves, knowing that this would be the moment that decided the fate of the Golden Palace and the United Element Sect.

As the Azure Emperor's blade descended with incredible speed, the defenders focused their collective energy on reinforcing the vulnerable spot. Their spiritual energy flowed like a river, fortifying the golden barrier just in time to withstand the sword's impact once more. The explosion of energy and shockwaves that followed shook the heavens, but the barrier held.

"Good job, everyone!"

Zhang Dong exclaimed, relief washing over him as he saw the barrier endure the assault.

"Keep it up. We can't let him break through."

The Azure Emperor, frustrated by his inability to breach the barrier, raised his sword for another attempt. But he hesitated for a moment, sensing that something was amiss. The weapon in his hand felt strangely heavy and unresponsive. Yet, the gash had increased in size so he could yield. The victory was before him, with one more strike from his weapon the path would be open and his clan members would swarm the defenseless golden palace.

“It’s now or never, give me all of your strength!”

Zhang Dong issued a commanding call and, for this occasion, positioned himself directly behind the newly formed gap in the barrier. Zhang Zhi, Liena, and Huo Qiang swiftly rallied behind him, combining their strengths to bolster his own. Their collaborative synergy had significantly improved during their time spent in the trial tower. A surge of power coursed through his being as he conjured a luminous sword, ready to intercept the approaching azure light.

The azure blade descended once more, but this time, as it made contact with the golden barrier, something extraordinary happened. A burst of white energy escaped from Zhang Dong’s own sword and collided with the opposing force. For a moment the two sources of energy struggled with each other but in a sudden burst, they both canceled each other out.

"What? How is this possible? What have you done?"

The Azure Emperor roared in disbelief at his strike not being able to penetrate through the golden wall again. Instantly as if out of anger he raised his sword once more. Zhang Dong looked to be out of breath and so were the three elders that provided him with the energy to make this miracle happen. However, before the man could perform another attack something unexpected happened, the quasi-immortal weapons started cracking and suddenly exploded into thousands of pieces.

The explosion of the quasi-immortal blade sent shockwaves through the battlefield. Fragments of azure energy rained down like deadly shards, scattering in all directions. The Azure Emperor staggered backward, his expression a mixture of shock and disbelief as his most potent weapon disintegrated before his eyes.

“How could the Emperor’s blade be destroyed, it existed since before the Empire was established…”

As the remnants of the azure blade faded away, the Azure Emperor's forces were left in disarray. Without their leader's formidable weapon, their morale wavered. The tide of the battle had shifted, and it was now the United Element Sect's turn to go on the offensive…