Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

Hao Lei's aura surged violently, his spiritual power was pushed to its peak, his sleeves fluttered in the wind, and a heavy killing force condensed in his palms.

The forty-man coalition launched a fierce attack in turn, yet they could not defeat the mere twenty disciples of Laoshan. For him, this was a great humiliation.

"Hao Lei. Return to your position." Just as Hao Lei was about to step into the air and leave the formation, a deep and thunderous shout suddenly entered his ears. The voice was iron-blooded and cold, carrying the strict rules ingrained in the bones of the Hao clan.

This was Hao Qingyue's telepathic message. He stood at the forefront of the viewing platform, his figure as upright as a solitary peak at the northern foot of Mount Tai, exuding a chilling and imposing aura. The Hao clan was founded on martial prowess, and its military and clan discipline had always been strict. He was solely focused on winning a spot in the secret realm and expanding the clan's power, and he would never allow any of his clan members to act recklessly or take unnecessary risks on the field.

Hao Lei abruptly turned to look at the high platform and saw Hao Qingyue's ashen face and overwhelming aura, knowing that the clan leader was already angry. Even though he was usually arrogant, willful, and unruly, he would never dare to openly defy the long-established rules of the clan at this moment.

Hao Lingjun, who was observing the battle from the sidelines, stepped forward at the opportune moment. As the chief clerk of the Hao family's military headquarters, he was meticulous and in charge of all intelligence. He immediately whispered a reminder in his ear.

"Young Master, do not act rashly. Lin Yan's ability to coordinate formations is extraordinary, and there is no opening in Laoshan's formation. A rash one-on-one fight will only deplete your own strength and expose your weaknesses, which is not worth the loss. Clan Chief, you must consider the overall situation of the secret realm and not let personal grudges cloud your judgment and delay the clan's grand plan."

On the battle platform, not far from Hao Lei's allied forces, Hao's two core prodigies stood silently watching the battle.

Hao Jingchuan possessed an arrogant and upright posture, with an intense fighting spirit emanating from his very bones. He aspired to the top of the competition and the right to lead the secret realm team; his vision and ambition far surpassed those of the impetuous Hao Lei. Having witnessed Laoshan's twenty men steadily hold off his own forty-strong allied army, and seeing Lin Yan at the heart of the battle, directing all operations and securing the victory, he felt no contempt, but rather a deep sense of apprehension.

He disdained Hao Lei's rashness and recklessness, but firmly remembered the coordination ability of the young man in the blue robe at the center of the formation, and already regarded Lin Yan as the biggest obstacle to his competition for first place.

Hao Lie, a man of kind and brave nature, calmly focused his gaze on the center of the battle platform. He did not covet the top spot, but only sought to steadily climb the ranks and secure more secret realm slots for his family. Now, witnessing firsthand the impregnable Laoshan formation, their well-ordered offense and defense, and how they withstood a massive onslaught with zero casualties, he was secretly astonished. He completely abandoned his arrogance as a scion of a noble family and took this quietly rising Laoshan force seriously.

Both of them were core talents of the Hao clan participating in the war, and being in the midst of the chaos of the battlefield, they saw things more clearly than anyone else.

Under layers of pressure and constraints, Hao Lei, despite his immense resentment, could only grit his teeth, glare at Lin Yan at the center of the formation across the airspace, and groan softly.

We'll see.

He reluctantly withdrew his spiritual power, waved his hand to issue an order, and recalled all the Hao clan allied forces that had been besieging them.

The forty-strong offensive abruptly ceased, the myriad magical lights vanished, and the surging torrent of spiritual energy receded with a deafening roar. The Hao clan's allied forces, having failed in their prolonged assault and with their morale already low, immediately and orderly withdrew from the Laoshan front lines upon receiving orders.

Amidst the clamor, a tranquil space instantly cleared.

During this brief pause in the fighting, the commanders and elders of the various families and sects all focused their attention on the Laoshan camp, and finally all their eyes fell on Lin Yan, who stood calmly at the center of the formation.

Elder Wang's gaze was profound. He nodded slightly and spoke cautiously: "This young man is only at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, yet he can command the minds of twenty people, form an array to defend against the enemy, and stabilize the entire chaotic battle. This sense of overall control far surpasses that of ordinary geniuses. The world has always only known that Yunxi of Laoshan is the best swordsman among his peers, but today we see clearly that the true strength and confidence of Laoshan lies in this young man who is guarding the core of the array."

The smaller sects affiliated with the major families were utterly shocked, repeatedly exclaiming, "Forty people launched attacks in succession, covering the front, flanks, and the vanguard, yet their formation completely neutralized them. Their orderly advances and retreats, their composure under pressure—such teamwork is no accident. Laoshan has been dormant for many years; it seems they are truly poised to rise again through this competition."

Previously, everyone thought that only Yunxi from Laoshan was capable of fighting, and the other disciples were just there to make up the numbers. Today's battle has completely overturned everyone's perception.

Yunxi's immortal sword style, Shen Yue's steadfastness and composure, and Ye Qing's agile attacks were certainly impressive, but the entire battle's offensive and defensive rhythm, combat power allocation, and crisis control were all orchestrated by Lin Yan alone.

This person, if he doesn't take action, is fine; but once he sits down, he can control the entire situation.

The elder of the Mohist school, observing the battle, brightened his eyes slightly, showing considerable respect: "This person is well-versed in the formation's energy and the connection between offense and defense. He has an accurate prediction of the weaknesses in the battle situation and integrates the spiritual power of the entire school with the principles of checks and balances through mechanisms and barriers. In the midst of chaos, he can stabilize people's hearts, solidify the formation, and lock down the overall situation. He is a rare commander, not just a fighter who only knows how to kill."

For a time, praise, surprise, fear, and caution were all the rage among the various factions.

Everyone could see clearly that the true dark horse of this year's Mountain and Sea Competition was not any of the elite families, but the Laoshan team with Lin Yan as its absolute core.

On the high platform, Hao Qingyue took in all the movements of all sides, his expression growing increasingly solemn. He was focused on strengthening the Hao clan and vying for a spot in the secret realm. Originally, he only regarded Yun Xi as the only threat to Laoshan, but now he had listed Lin Yan as his number one target for containment.

If this child is not suppressed or guarded against, he will surely become the biggest obstacle for the Hao clan to dominate their peers in the Eastern Barbarian lands and seize control of the secret realm's resources.

Hao Qingyue's cold eyes narrowed slightly, and he once again gave a telepathic order: "Remember this person. In the subsequent battles, the focus should be on containing Laoshan, cutting off their path to advancement, and absolutely preventing them from entering the secret realm."

The situation on the battlefield quietly reversed, and the initiative completely fell back into Laoshan's hands.

At the heart of the formation, Lin Yan slowly raised his eyes, his clear gaze sweeping lightly over the retreating Hao clan allied forces.

Since the start of the battle, Laoshan has steadfastly maintained its formation, remaining calm and composed, avoiding greed and reckless advances, and has withstood the fiercest human wave attack of the entire battlefield. Now that the enemy's morale has collapsed and they are retreating voluntarily, it is the perfect opportunity for Laoshan to turn defense into offense and clear the field.

Lin Yan's mind stirred slightly, and he transmitted his spiritual power throughout the team, giving a clear and decisive command.

"Contract the formation and switch to offense."

"Shift positions in all directions, advance steadily, eliminate remaining enemies in the surrounding areas, and seize advantageous airspace on the battlefield."

At a command, the Qi of the twenty disciples of Laoshan flowed in unison, and the defensive formation instantly changed, alternating between offense and defense.

Zheng Bei Yunxi took the lead, her gleaming white Water Cloud Sword humming as it was drawn from its sheath. She silently recited the immortal sword incantation, and the sword's energy, both cloud-like and watery, spread across the sky, its clear and crisp Daoist aura covering the surrounding land. The scattered cultivators who had been loitering and observing were all forced back by the sword's oppressive power; those who resisted were immediately overwhelmed by the Daoist aura, their spiritual power shattered, and they retreated in disarray. The immortal sword cleared a path, its sharp edge awe-inspiring, tearing a secure route for the entire team.

Shen Yue, holding his spear, advanced steadily. His Xuan Yan spear was infused with a heavy earth spirit, making each step as firm as a mountain. With each sweep of the spear, a powerful force exploded, wiping out the remaining enemies of the Hao clan's allied forces and the wandering cultivators in the surrounding area. His frontal advance was unstoppable.

Ye Qing, on the west side, moved with the agility of the wind, his longsword as swift as a startled bird, flitting about on the flanks of the formation. His sharp eyes were fixed on those lurking in the shadows, ready to ambush and stealthily attack. With swift sword strikes, he broke through defenses, cleanly eliminating all potential threats and firmly protecting the entire team's flanks.

The twenty disciples of Laoshan were of one mind and high spirits, and they steadily advanced in close following of the four core forces. Their formation remained intact and their momentum continued to rise.

Previously, the entire battlefield was in chaos, with heroes vying for supremacy and chaos reigning, but only Laoshan remained steadfast and unmoved.

At this moment, the tide of battle turned. Laoshan emerged and swept through the field with lightning speed, its power overwhelming all directions.

When defending, it is as solid as a rock; when attacking, it is as swift as a wildfire.

Lin Yan stood quietly at the center of the formation, moving slowly forward with the rest of the team. His innate spiritual energy circulated silently, harmonizing the team's combat power and locking in the pace of the advance. His cold gaze swept across the entire field, pointing out weaknesses to any stubborn enemies he encountered; and maneuvering the formation to secure key areas in the airspace.

In just a few breaths, the previously chaotic and noisy eastern airspace was completely cleared and firmly controlled by Laoshan.

The remaining elites in the surrounding area witnessed Laoshan's skillful offense and defense and its exquisite command, and dared not harbor any thoughts of spying or provocation, and all kept their distance.

The situation on the battlefield has been completely reversed.

Previously, Hao Lei led a forty-strong allied army to press forward aggressively, displaying overwhelming arrogance.

At this moment, Laoshan is advancing step by step, taking control of the battle, and showing its full strength.

The various tribes on the high platform and the forces on the battleground, looking at this Laoshan team that advanced and retreated with ease and attacked and defended at will, and looking at the young man in blue robes at the heart of the formation who remained calm and composed and in complete control of the situation, felt their fear deepen.

The Hao clan, located at the northern foot of Mount Tai, has always been renowned for its martial prowess in the Dongyi martial arts arena. However, today, on the Nine-Tiered Jade Battle Stage, Lin Yan from Laoshan, relying solely on his strategic command, reversed the tide of battle and forcefully overwhelmed all the Hao clan's strength.