I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 184 Siege
On the deck, after being exposed, the young man in white robes turned pale and then red. Seeing that there was no way to defend himself and knowing that he had no chance of escaping punishment, he looked up at the sky and laughed loudly.

"You will all die! The Demon Lord has locked onto the Bone Boat and will devour your bones and blood sooner or later!"

His voice was shrill and mad.

Enraged, someone drew his longsword and cleaved it in the chest.

"puff!"

As the sword pierced his body, the white-robed youth let out a miserable howl, cursing to the heavens, "May I not be reborn as a human, but as a demon for generations to come, devouring you pigs and dogs..."

call out!
A flash of cold light, and his head shot into the sky.

But at that very moment, the paper puppet containing the soul exploded with a bang, and black energy surged out like ink, transforming into vengeful spirits like mist, screaming as they rushed into the air.

The vengeful spirit is formless and intangible; it is impervious to swords and blades, and difficult to extinguish with fire.

They hovered between the sails and masts, forming a hideous face that clung tightly to the skeleton boat.

The wind suddenly picked up, and everyone on the deck turned pale.

Someone cried out, "This is a vengeful spirit from the underworld! Oh no! This thing is extremely difficult to destroy. It will not dissipate for three days!"
This will keep bothering us all the way.

"We should have realized this sooner. If they can set up a soul-possessed paper puppet, why would they choose an ordinary vengeful spirit?"

"What should I do?"

"That damned thing!"

Looking up at the vengeful spirits drifting like mist in the air, everyone's expressions turned solemn.

Old Qi's face turned ashen, and he shouted sternly, "You all saw it with your own eyes. If we don't enforce the rules, I don't think anyone will survive."

It's not too late to take action after everyone has discussed it; there's no need to act impulsively.

Now things are really hopeless; everyone's trapped in a dead end.

The two who had just killed the white-robed youth were both embarrassed.

Everyone glared angrily at the two men who had killed the white-robed youth.

Xue Xiangdao said, "What's done is done, there's no point in saying more, let's think about how to deal with it."

The demons have their eyes on us; this battle is inevitable, sooner or later.

"Old Qi, is there only one demon race in this sea area?"

Old Qi nodded, "Usually, a demon clan will occupy about 500 miles of sea area. The two demon clans will not cooperate unless they are facing the human race."

Therefore, I never let the Bone Boat stray more than 500 miles away, precisely to avoid the trouble of operating on two fronts.

Xue Xiangdao said, "In other words, once we deal with this wave of demons, we will all have a chance to catch our breath."

Old Qi nodded, "That's easier said than done. I just counted the number of people."

There are at least two hundred demons, and that only includes those at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages.

The number of other uncivilized demons is countless.

Not to mention, that great demon with the aura of Core Formation possessed combat power no less than that of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

How should we fight this battle?

Everyone's faces were extremely grim.

Xue Xiang raised his eyebrows. "A battle with no other choice, are you all still going to run away?"
Besides, we might not necessarily lose.

In the midst of a dead end, upon hearing that there was still hope, everyone's eyes shone brightly as they stared at Xue Xiang, listening intently to what he would say next.

Xue Xiangdao said, "The demon race's advantage lies in strength, while our advantage lies in wisdom."

The demons, who had been relentlessly pursuing us, were now exhausted. We, on the other hand, were able to wait in comfort for their exhaustion.

The demon race is relentlessly pursuing us, so the choice of battlefield and the timing of battle are in our hands.

With all these advantages, if planned properly, it is not impossible to win a battle.

Moreover, we have now reached a point of no return; if you still cling to life, you will surely perish.

After Xue Xiang finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

Clearly, Xue Xiang did not boost morale.

Old Qi snorted coldly, "To be honest, the White Bone Boat's protective shield can only be activated for a maximum of five hours a day, and there are only five opportunities to accelerate."

Now, it is almost completely depleted.

If you are referring to this ship of bones, we will sooner or later become food for the monsters.

Old Qi's words were the final straw that broke the camel's back.

"Now that things have come to this, we can only try to survive against all odds."

"Those who dare to gather morning and evening dew will not be swallowed by the seed. Gentlemen, it is time to fight to the death."

“Even if it’s a desperate struggle, we still need to choose a leader. I think Good Luck is a good choice.”

"Yes, Good Luck is very quick-witted."

"........."

After a brief discussion, Xue Xiang was once again thrust into the position of leader.

And this is what he wanted.

In his view, spending some spirit stones was not a big deal; the important thing was to hold out until he could collect the morning and evening dew.

That was his last hope for navigating the turbulent waters of Wenyuan.

Before that, the immediate crisis must be resolved, and pooling the strength of the masses is a key step.

Therefore, no matter how much he looked down on these guys who only knew how to protect themselves, he still had to leverage the power of the crowd to gain momentum.

Xue Xiang cupped his hands and said, "Thank you all for your kindness. I will do my best."

Before we proceed, I need to assess our strength. Please state your cultivation levels.

Do not conceal anything, otherwise it will greatly affect the deployment of troops.

Moreover, after the war, we distributed the demon cores according to our contributions.

Soon, everyone revealed their strength.

Including Lao Qi, there are six Core Formation Realm experts and fifteen Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Realm experts. Apart from a few sailors who are Qi Refining Realm experts, the rest are all Foundation Establishment Realm experts.

At that moment, Xue Xiang proposed forming teams, with one Core Formation expert as the captain of each team and several Foundation Establishment Perfection experts as vice-captains, for a total of six teams.

In a short while, the teams were assigned, and Xue Xiang then arranged for the members of each team to get to know each other.

After a short while, he summoned the captains and conveyed the battle plan.

Organizing his thoughts was a plan he came up with with Lao Qi.

Key takeaway: Formation combined with Yuanbao Orbs.

The White Bone Boat is equipped with thirteen sets of formations, one of which is the Sky-Covering Net Formation. Once fully activated, it can seal off an area of ​​three hundred feet in radius!

Simply attach the Elemental Burst Bead to the array net to create a terrifying explosion circle.

When Xue Xiang explained the plan, the team leaders were all extremely excited.

"The key issue is that the formation's wind-up time is too long, about half an incense stick's time. I'm afraid that by then, the battle will be over."

Old Qi said in a low voice, "The key is to buy time for setting up the formation."

As soon as he finished speaking, a demonic howl like thunder suddenly came from the depths of the sea fog.

Each sound was heavier than the last, making the sails hum and rattle.

"coming!"

"The demon horde has caught up!"

The white-boned boat trembled, and chaos erupted on its deck.

The fog wall suddenly cracked, and a black tide surged forth.

Hundreds of demonic figures rushed out of the mist, causing the waves to surge.

Old Qi looked at Xue Xiang, who nodded solemnly. "Since we've decided to fight, fleeing now would destroy our morale. Let's create a protective shield first to prepare for battle."

Old Qi waved his hand and gave the order. The runes on the white bone boat immediately began to move, and the light and shadow reunited.

"You dare kill my Dark Enemy? You will all...die!"

A powerful demon at the Core Formation stage floated over and unleashed a palm strike from mid-air, striking the defensive shield that the white bone boat had just erected. The entire shield resounded violently, and chaotic light flew everywhere.

Everyone was shocked, and Old Qi's eyes widened, a hint of despair flashing in them.

"You demon, if you have the guts, state your name."

Xue Xiang raised his voice and roared like thunder.

He knew very well that he had to boost morale and alleviate everyone's fear of the demon race; otherwise, if morale collapsed, all his plans would be a joke. "You audacious bastard, how dare you even mention the name of my king!"

A fish-headed, human-bodied monster shouted in a cold voice.

Xue Xiang said loudly, "I have heard that the demon race has many heroes, but I did not expect that the rumors were false. I did not even dare to reveal my name."

Listen carefully, this esteemed man, Good Luck, is here to speak with your leader.

"You don't deserve it..."

The fish-headed, human-bodied monster was about to shout and curse, but was stopped by the Core Formation Demon.

He waved his arm, which was as swift as a mountain breeze, and coldly glanced at Xue Xiangdao, saying, "Since you dare to invade my clan, you are courting death. Death is the only option. What else do you dare to say?"

Based on this single sentence, Xue Xiang concluded that this demon had been to school and was of a high level of education.

But the arrogance unique to the demon race was even more evident in him.

Thinking of this, he guessed loudly, "I have heard that there are many heroes among the demon race."

Those great demons who can achieve the Core Formation stage are mostly heroes of their generation; whether this statement is true or not is unknown.

The Core Formation demon snorted coldly, "You do have some knowledge, but no matter what you say, there's only one outcome for you today: death!!"

"A true man dares to enter dangerous places, regardless of his life."

Xue Xiang said coldly, "Since you are from a powerful demon clan, you should have courage and pride."

It is widely known that the demon race possesses formidable combat power, and within the same realm, they can crush our human race.

Little do you know that all rumors are false? Do you have the courage to fight one-on-one?

If you lack courage, that's fine too.

However, from this day forward, you demons shall no longer dare to speak of martial might.

As soon as Xue Xiang said this, before the Core Formation demon could react, the other demons were already furious, yelling and cursing at Xue Xiang.

"it is good!"

The Core Formation Demon roared, suppressing the entire scene, "My Xiong Clan still needs to survive in this generation. I can't let people laugh at my subordinates for not daring to fight humans one-on-one."

Yellow Lion!

Suddenly, a heavy rhythm came from behind the fog. The water wall was squeezed out of a narrow channel, and a giant monster with a lion's head and a human body emerged from the waves: its red mane was draped over its shoulders, the tips of which were charred black, and layers of black scales pressed down on its chest. The cold black halberd was diagonally resting on its arm, and its black eyes swept back and forth.

The lion demon stared disdainfully at the sky, "Who's first?"

It was as if someone had pressed the silencing button on the deck.

Some people pulled their cloaks tighter, some gripped their sword hilts tightly and then loosened them, shifting their toes but still refusing to take that step.

Fear, like a damp, musty smell, slowly spread through the air.

Xue Xiang frowned deeply; he had done all this to buy time.

At this critical juncture, these guys are actually hoping others will take the blame for them.

Just as he was about to express his opinion, Lao Qi said, "Those who contribute to the public should not go unrewarded."

I propose that everyone who participates in the battle should receive a thousand spirit stones.

The spirit stones were crowdfunded by us.

In addition, those who participated in the battle had the right to choose the spoils of war after the demon race was annihilated.

"That's exactly right, I have no objection."

"That's a good idea. Nobody's a fool, and nobody wants to put in effort for nothing."

"........."

Everyone expressed their opinions one after another.

Then a man strode out; his shoulders were like mountains, and his face was covered in a scar.

Xue Xiang recognized this person; he was a powerful cultivator at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, whose real name was "Zhao Fenglai".

"If you gentlemen keep your word, I, Zhao, would also like to practice my martial arts."

As he spoke, he soared into the air.

Old Qi said "Take care" and then opened a corner of the White Bone Boat's defensive shield.

Zhao Fenglai emerged from that corner, and as soon as he stepped out of the formation, a thunderous aura rose from beneath his feet, and his blood energy surged into the sky.

His entire body seemed to be ablaze with flames, his skin glowing with a dark golden luster. His back bulged, his shoulders trembled, and a phantom appeared—like a majestic Dharma image, as tall as a golden body, with ferocious features, holding a giant axe, as if it would cleave the entire sea in two.

Such imposing power immediately drew cheers from everyone on deck.

Zhao Fenglai roared, his voice booming like a bell, causing the waves on the sea to surge wildly.

He swung his arm and threw a punch, and the "Dharma Image" that appeared behind him moved accordingly. Golden light covered dozens of feet, reflecting a crimson glow on the misty sea. The momentum was so great that it seemed as if he would forcefully smash the demon race into the seabed.

Xue Xiang knew that this was definitely not a golden body of Dharma.

The true Dharma body is definitely not something that can be cultivated at the Foundation Establishment stage.

But to generate such power, it must be no ordinary divine skill.

Sure enough, Zhao Fenglai's Dharma image trembled behind him, and a fierce wind suddenly arose between heaven and earth.

Zhao Fenglai stepped through the air and charged towards the lion-headed giant demon. The Dharma image behind him also transformed into a stream of light and roared away.

The giant lion-headed monster stood there indifferently, its mane fluttering wildly in the wind and waves.

A glint of black light flashed in its eyes, and it raised the halberd that was draped diagonally across its arm, slowly crossing it across its chest.

Zhao Fenglai was already close by, and the golden light and Dharma image pressed down on him as if to overturn the entire sea.

The deck erupted in cheers, with many clenching their fists and shouting, "Good!"

However, the next moment—

With a stomp of its foot, the seawater exploded, and a black wind burst forth from its mouth and nostrils. The black wind, carrying a chilling demonic aura, swept straight towards Zhao Feng.

"boom!"

With a loud bang, Zhao Fenglai's golden Dharma image suddenly froze, then seemed to be twisted and shattered by iron clamps, its light and flames dissipating inch by inch.

Zhao Fenglai felt a sudden weight on his chest. Before he could even let out a roar, the lion demon had already pounced on him, gripping the halberd with both hands and tearing it apart.

Click!

Blood and bone fragments flew everywhere as Zhao Fenglai was torn in two and fell from mid-air into the sea, where blood and waves mingled together.

The deck fell silent instantly. The cheers that had been slurred earlier seemed to have been choked, leaving only the shaking of the ship and the howling of the sea wind.

"How can it be……"

"He's at the peak of Foundation Establishment..."

"Just like that... one move..."

"The demon race doesn't build their foundation; those who do are invincible!"

Some voices trembled, some faces were deathly pale, and some could not even hold their swords steady.

The lion-headed giant roared to the sky, its voice like thunder: "Is this the ability of the human race?"

Morale plummeted.

Before the roar of the lion-headed giant demon had faded, a Core Formation demon soared into the sky. His horns were like knives, his shoulders and back were like mountains, and his dark pupils stared intently at Xue Xiang. "You human junior, you were the most arrogant one just now. Didn't you want a one-on-one fight?"
Come and die!

His voice was like thunder, booming into everyone's eardrums and making their blood surge.

The people on the deck looked at each other, their Adam's apples bobbing, but no one dared to speak.

The horrific scene of Zhao Fenglai was still vivid in everyone's mind; the bloody shadow torn in two seemed to be branded in everyone's pupils.

Old Qi's face was ashen. He gripped the hilt of his sword and took a sudden step forward: "Since that's the case, I'll have a go at this beast!"

Before he could finish speaking, a hand suddenly reached out and stopped him.

Xue Xiang stood in the center of the deck, the wind billowing his sleeves, his eyes cold and calm. "Old Qi, you are our ballast, and you also control the great formation. You cannot act rashly."

Then, he lowered his voice and asked, "How long will it take to activate the great formation?"

"Half a cup of tea."

"Okay, I'll give you the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea."

Xue Xiang took a step forward, his gaze meeting that of the Core Formation demon, and shouted loudly, "You lot are truly unsophisticated! You've only won a minor victory, what are you clamoring for? Here I come!"

Having said that, he soared into the air.

Old Qi released one corner of the protective formation, and Xue Xiang soared into the air.

(End of this chapter)