Xin used qi to enhance his perception even further. He heard people move up and down inside the houses the enemies retreated towards.
"There are more people inside the houses! Their retreat is luring us into the central street!" Xin shouted to some rank one master leading one of the groups. "Pass the word!"
"Got you! Everyone, stay back, gather the tower shields! Help the injured! Brace for a counter-attack!" He ordered his troops. Xin noticed that this master had only seven out of his ten soldiers left. The sect's forces coordinated and prevented the ranks from overstretching, then barricaded behind the houses near the gate they broke through.
Xin was anxious. It's not just the fact that his perception abilities were the strongest among the people inside of the homestead, which shouldn't be the case,but also the lack of proper coordination. When your officers are also your best combat assets, each as strong as a small squad of soldiers, it creates awkward situations like this one.
"Ming, we have a problem!" Murong Zhan ran up and reported. He looked shocked, looking at a pile of bodies near the gate's entrance. Many of the dead were the sect's and not the enemies'. "Master Ting is struggling with that sword path guy, I was sent to reinforce us!"
"And you couldn't help her?"
"My attacks won't do shit. Both of these masters are durable as a fucking wall! I'm more useful here."
"Got it. Think we should flank. They gave away the entrance for a reason, they are stalling for time to enable their masters to win. If we manage to dominate the flanks, we'll mow them down with ranged attacks. And we need to clear the houses." Rui Ming shared his perspective.
"Yes! But think!" Xin spoke up, anxious about being shut down. Luckily, he had enough authority in his friends' eyes, and they listened. "There might be a rank two or three master hiding inside, waiting to wipe our troops out. Of course, master Zhi or someone else might be hovering above, waiting for them to expose themselves, but if a rank three breaks the rules, it would take a rank four to truly punish them! And I doubt any rank fours are around, that means rank threes aren't bound by any rules!" Xin was talking very fast, stumbling upon his words somewhat, but time was of the essence. They could hear the crossbow shots unleashed around the central passage, where the shootout was happening.
"Right. And where's Lei?"
***
If there was a place where I could be of most value, what would it be? Lei stood above the tied down captive master. He was a merc, wasn't he? Not a bald monk, not of the Sword sect. Whatever, he's not important anymore.
It seems that our low ranked masters are stronger, rank twos are equal, but our mortals are behind. I need to reinforce, urgently, but where? He glanced at master Ting and master Xiaodan's fights.
Master Xiaodan was pummeling the orange monk with his fists, transformed into head-sized stones, emanating a brown aura. Master Ting was trying to keep up with her opponent, as he hovered at range and shot small, ethereal jian swords at her.
A thought flashed in Lei's mind — master Ting is rank two, but she can be of great assistance in a battle of rank threes, her formation could help deflect even some rank three moves. She's our strategic trap card, and she is overwhelmed by an opponent none of rank ones can harm!
Except me. Molten Heart. Metal element's vulnerability to fire. My rank one power. All these combined, and I can deal meaningful damage to him! Just like with the iron mantis!
"You!" He shouted to an injured internal disciple. "If he moves, smash his head with your hammer. Sit on top of him!" The prisoner was somewhat secured, but if he escaped, it wouldn't be the end of the world. The internal master nodded, and sat on top of the enemy master. Even with his inhuman strength, breaking the rope bonds on his feet, legs, arms and hands at the same time would probably be impossible, especially lying face down in the mud.
Time to do something crazy!
Lei ran up to master Ting. She was covered by a water bubble, and ran around the field, trying to stay in the formation's zone, all while showered with swords.
"Can you attack him, master?" Lei asked, standing twenty steps away, behind a tree.
"I have a flying sword, but the formation will be disrupted if I fly it! We need it to counter his giant sword attack!"
"Give it to me!"
"Can you even fly it?"
"I rode a simple one, once! Got any other ideas?"
"Let him. I'm itching to smash this fly." The Divine Sword sect's master announced from above. He couldn't attack Lei just yet, for the fear of being killed by a hidden rank three master.
Lei's heart was going crazy. What was even the plan? Fly up to him, spit on him and fly back? Winning master Ting some time to heal could turn the tide of battle in her favour, but can he withstand his attacks?
Overseer Ting procured a flying sword from her core's aperture. It looked like an elegant cavalry sword, adorned with fancy golden ornaments, while the metal itself was covered in azure spraying. Lei didn't know if it was some sort of material or just decorative.
Dying on a girly flying sword, fighting a phallic looking rank two master! Let's go! Lei grinned and chuckled slightly.
"What's so funny?" A muffled voice sounded from inside the sword path master's helmet.
Lei didn't answer, but stood his feet up on the sword instead.
Last time he rode one, he was drunk and hanging out with a bunch of mercenary cultivators, who dared him to try and fly one of their swords, as he claimed it was always his dream to own one. Lei only sustained minor injuries in that incident, which was a win, relative to how most of his other stories went.
This sword seemed more powerful, though. Lei felt his feet effortlessly stick to it. He attuned to the sensations of the artefact, in just mere moments it felt like he had a new organ, he could feel it as distinctly as he felt his hands. What a high quality sword, the one I rode has nothing on this one! But using it effectively will be a completely different thing!
Master Ting was anxious. She broke down another little piece of the formation, weakening it, and absorbed the materials to restore her qi again (It was a subtler method than just munching on spirit stones, and at her current rank, she'd need to eat around twelve).
It felt like she'd soon reach her qi restoration limit, while the opponent showed no signs of exhaustion.
Her only attacking method that was powerful enough to meaningfully harm the enemy master was close ranged, and all the formations that could help her in this fight required time to set up, and she was harassed by the swords! The current predicament looked almost unsolvable, and she considered giving up. Lei wouldn't last too long, either, she can't even establish any of her minor formations with him, given their conflict of elements.
"How about a contest of swords? None of the qi techniques, just man against man!" Lei probed the waters. Divine Sword sect members are known for their honour and sword skills, maybe he could provoke him?
The master ignored him, and in the meantime, he added another stab to master Ting's shin.
"Agh! Get him off me!" She cried out in pain. There was a pool of blood and water mixed underneath her, as she launched a bunch of explosive bubbles back at the opponent, aiming to at least disrupt him. He effortlessly dodged most of them, and those that hit didn't harm him all that much.
Fuck! Lei felt a martial spirit rise up in him. A mix of fear and excitement! He also felt a subtle hint of sorrow lurking underneath. This whole war is so meaningless!
He charged his sword towards the enemy master. As he entered the range of fifty feet, an orange collar appeared around his neck.
Rank two immunity — removed! The moment it happened, a shower of swords switched to attack him.
"When I get into melee, you are done for!" Lei shouted. He kept planting the idea that he has a fencing based trap card into the enemy master's head. Will he fall for it, though? It's quite basic, he might call my bluff.
The enemy didn't respond, retrieving even more swords from around master Ting. In total, around eighteen swords were now flying towards him. He was forced to fly twenty steps up, to avoid being hit by Lei and the bubbles at the same time.
Lei advanced, his whole mind focused on staying cool. I have to execute a perfect succession of moves, or it's over.
Wait.
The first sword hit Lei, and he barely deflected it, infusing his sword with small bits of fire qi. Otherwise, the ethereal sword would pass right through it.
Wait.
The second and the third sword slashed at him from two sides, forcing him into ducking forward.
Wait!
Lei's heart skipped a beat, as the fourth sword slashed right where the enemy master led him. Lei barely deflected it, too.
Wait!
The fifth sword flew at him with the speed of a crossbow bolt. His armour would have a marginal effect on stopping it.
Iron Lung dao shard! Lei felt a ringing in his ears as he breathed out.
Lei successfully activated it as he took this blow head on. The sword penetrated his chitin armor, slashed into his iron skin, and entered right between his ribs. Luckily, it didn't hit any vital organs.
Wait!
Lei flew forward towards the enemy master, who was now twenty steps away. There were four swords behind his back, pointed at him.
Now!
Propulsion dao shard! A stream of fiery energy emanated from Lei's shoulders and ankles.
Lei rapidly sped up and flew towards the enemy master, as the four swords also charged to intercept him. The enemy master manifested a sabre in his arms, and was already manifesting that giant sword technique near his shoulder.
Dodge! Lei nimbly evaded the first sword, and the second one. He then threw his sword at the opponent, using fire qi enhancement. He hoped that this bluff works, but this attack would deal no meaningful damage.
The opponent braced for impact, expecting a compound move to trigger, but didn't recall the two ethereal swords still flying towards Lei. He then deflected Lei's sword away with a powerful qi enhanced sword attack.
Propulsion dao shard! Lei spun in the air, using the shard's motion, and raised his knee, deflecting one of the swords with the guard of his flying sword!
Lava spit! He launched his trap card towards the enemy master.
Before it landed, Lei's gut was pierced by an ethereal sword. The wound was deep, and he felt the pain blind him for a moment. He had no time to waste, and began his retreat, as the other ethereal swords were already chasing him.
"End them, quick! I'm struggling!" The glowing monk called out from afar, his voice desperate. "Stop playing it safe!"
Bang! Master Xiaodan hit him with one of the massive boulder fists.
"That won't be enough, kid!" The sword path master tore a part of his armour off with his bare arms and replaced it with a scrap of metal he pulled out of his aperture. He then redirected the ethereal swords at master Ting, who had enough of a breather to set up some sort of secondary formation. That looks dangerous, I need to stop her, he thought. But first, remove the nuisance!
"Sword Ringing Overture!" The sword path master announced, as he sent a massive two-handed sword to chase Lei.
Swish. Swish. Swish. Master EHM launched a bunch of icicles at him. This technique was rank two in power, and the sword path master was forced into dodging and blocking, losing control of his sword swarm for a moment. Ice path! Lei remembered lady Ting's lesson, that's exactly what she was talking about! He gave her a breather, and she managed to use this time to set up an ice element formation.
Time to end this, the sword path master thought. He figured master Ting's formation out by now.
"Execution Crescendo!" He announced the final stage of his attack, aiming to finish Lei off.
Torrential Rising formation! Master Ting manifested a torrent from Lei's shoulder. Apparently, she managed to attach a flagellum to his shoulder at some point in his charge, but he didn't notice.
Boom! The sword was thrown away, but the attack didn't end. The sword kept ringing, deafening both Lei and master Ting, then quickly changed directions and flew towards her. Lei quickly flew away, his qi reserves were almost drained, and the opponent had a clear way to negate his only attack. It's over, I need to run away and take some healing pills.
"Tenfold Sword Descent!" The enemy master took a horizontal position, as if he himself was a flying sword, his helmet pointed at lady Ting, leading a wedge of ethereal swords flying behind him, and split the air with rapid speed, by far faster than master Ting's flying sword.
Her heart skipped a beat. Is it over? She had her trap card, but would that be enough? She braced for impact.
Now!
Ten steps before impact, she activated her technique. All the water and blood underneath her rose up, and was launched towards the enemy master and his sword wedge.
Freezing Tide!
The water enveloped the enemy master, and then solidified, turning to ice. The impact was so powerful that half of the ice was sliced away, but she raised her hand again, preparing to solidify it again.
Slash! A giant sword split master Ting in two, from behind her back. Deafened, she didn't hear Lei's warning. The frozen sword path master fell to the ground, too, but his legs were still moving. He was alive, but trapped in the ice!
Suddenly, the earth opened up, and something pulled the frozen master underground. Moments later, master Xiaodan emerged, holding a big stone coffin in his arms.
Lei was astonished, did he bury this master in mere moments? He had no time to think, as the orange glowing monk also appeared, covered in cuts and bruises! He held his flail menacingly. I need to fuck off, I have no rank two immunity!
"No! Release master Tong immediately!" The monk demanded.
"I won't. One more demand and I'll execute him. Let's talk ransom." Master Xiaodan said. He had an expression of a person with nothing to lose.