Lingyunzi and Xu Bai quickly engaged in battle on one side, unable to determine a winner in a short time.

On the flying vessel, a young man in a bright yellow brocade robe glanced at the battling Lingyunzi and Xu Bai, then turned to a red-robed eunuch beside him. "What stage are they at?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, they should be at the late Nascent Soul Stage!" the red-robed eunuch replied.

The prince smiled faintly. "Late Nascent Soul Stage? The Azurecloud Sect is truly declining with each generation! In that case, what right does the Azurecloud Sect have to exist? A sect of five thousand years is just so-so. Start the flying vessel, head to Azurecloud!"

The flying vessel started again, advancing towards the Azurecloud Sect.

Zhang Yang frowned slightly, leaping into the air to watch the flying vessel. "Are you intending to start a war?"

If the first approach to Azurecloud was due to ignorance of etiquette, then the second approach had a more complex intention.

Especially since Lingyunzi appeared to block them, and the other side sent Xu Bai, all of which indicated that the Cloudmount Empire intended to act against the Azurecloud Sect.

"Isn't this what your Azurecloud Sect wants?" The prince looked at Zhang Yang, speaking indifferently. "Stealing the Cloudmount Empire's resources, your Azurecloud Sect has already gone too far. Daring to attack the Flying Dragon Guard and seize their flying vessel is a declaration of war against the Cloudmount Empire. Your Azurecloud Sect provoked us first, so don't blame us for being impolite."

An unexplainable anger surged within Zhang Yang. What a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black!

Digging up the Azurecloud Sect's mines and reclaiming them is robbery? Sending the Flying Dragon Guard to hunt them down is Azurecloud's provocation?

"Can your opinion represent the Cloudmount Empire?" Zhang Yang retorted.

The red-robed eunuch stepped forward to introduce, "His Highness is the Third Prince of the Cloudmount Empire, fully responsible for the dealings with the Azurecloud Sect this time."

The Third Prince looked at Zhang Yang with a cold smile. "Now do you see if I have the authority to represent the Empire?"

Zhang Yang nodded. "Very well, let's begin!"

"Fourth Uncle-Master, activate the formation!"

Bilingzi produced a formation disk, and the surroundings of the Azurecloud Sect seemed to ripple, shrouding the sect in a layer of mist.

"Fifth Uncle-Master, fill the gaps."

Hualingzi wielded a spiritual brush, drawing rune patterns that appeared out of thin air, concealing themselves within the mountains and rivers of the Azurecloud Sect.

Meanwhile, on the opposite flying vessel, the Third Prince waved his hand, instructing the red-robed eunuch, "Eunuch Xi, keep an eye on the changes in the Azurecloud Sect's Guardian Formation and find a flaw to break through."

"Understood!" The red-robed eunuch nodded.

"Flying Dragon Guard, heed my command, break the enemy!" the Third Prince shouted.

The three thousand Flying Dragon Guards on the flying vessel received the order. A thousand of them drew their bows, each arrow wrapped in rune patterns, all of them talisman arrows.

At the command, a thousand talisman arrows swept up the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, bombarding the Azurecloud Sect's formation.

"Boom—"

A thunderous explosion shook the Guardian Formation.

"Fire again!"

Another thousand Flying Dragon Guards shot arrows, striking the formation once more.

"Third Brigade, continue!"

The Third Prince sneered. "What's so great about immortal cultivation? I can't even count how many sects I've annihilated. We can cultivate your techniques too; the entire Empire's resources can support the Flying Dragon Guard. Does your Azurecloud Sect really think you can contend with us? We've just been waiting for an excuse to deal with you."

He commanded the Flying Dragon Guard, three brigades taking turns shooting arrows, continuously bombarding the Azurecloud Sect's formation.

Each talisman arrow shot by the Flying Dragon Guard was far more powerful than an ordinary bow and arrow.

Thus, only a thousand could shoot at a time, with three teams attacking in turns.

However, the power of a thousand talisman arrows exceeded the strike of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator.

The Third Prince was confident that with a few more attacks, the Flying Dragon Guard would eventually break through the Azurecloud Sect's Guardian Formation.

Inside the Azurecloud Sect, the formation disk in Bilingzi's hand shone brightly, manipulating the laws of heaven and earth.

Bilingzi gritted her teeth. "These damned bastards dare to offend Azurecloud; they must pay the price. Old Five, can you draw the runes any faster? The formation patterns are about to disconnect..."

Hualingzi retorted, "Am I not drawing fast enough? Does your broken formation even work?"

"How could it not work? Isn't it holding up?" Bilingzi replied irritably. "Third Senior Brother, give me a Restoration Pill to replenish my spiritual power."

"Coming!" Danchenzi tossed over an alchemical pill.

Zhang Yang frowned deeply, asking, "Can this formation hold? Seventh Uncle-Master, is this the full power of the Azurecloud Sect's Guardian Formation?"

A sect with a five-thousand-year history has fallen to this level of strength?

Baiyunzi shook his head. "This isn't the Guardian Formation; it's a formation our senior sister cobbled together. Keep it up, Senior Sister!"

Bilingzi grumbled, "Shut up, it's easy for you to talk when you're not doing anything!"

Zhang Yang shook his head helplessly. He hadn't been with the Azurecloud Sect long and didn't know much about it.

Although he was the acting sect master, the senior uncles didn't give him much face, and he couldn't command any of them, so he had no access to the true secrets of the Azurecloud Sect.

However, judging by the fact that they were still arguing at such a critical moment, the situation didn't seem too dire.

At this time, Situ Mingyue and the disciples inside the Azurecloud Sect finally reached the mountain gate.

Seeing the might of the three thousand Flying Dragon Guards outside, Chunxiao was very worried. "Miss, what should we do now? Should we let Senior Qin take us away? It's too dangerous here."

Situ Mingyue frowned, feeling a bit puzzled. Could the Azurecloud Sect really be this weak?

The Guardian Formation was being flattened by the three thousand Flying Dragon Guards?

This was a sect with a five-thousand-year legacy, yet it completely lacked the corresponding aura!

"Don't worry, Master hasn't made a move yet!" Situ Mingyue shook her head. "As long as he's here, these Flying Dragon Guards pose no threat."

"But, with the situation like this, and the sect master not appearing, what if he's not in the sect..."

"If Master isn't in the sect, then it would indeed be a bit troublesome." Situ Mingyue also began to worry.

Her greatest confidence lay in Qingyunzi. Without Qingyunzi appearing, she also wondered if he was off handling some other matter.

Meanwhile, the young disciples who had just joined the sect were also discussing among themselves.

Many of them were very worried as they looked outside.

They had just joined the sect, and it seemed like the sect was about to be destroyed?

"See that, that's our Flying Dragon Guard!" Cao Ying said proudly, completely unconcerned that others might discover her identity. "Our Flying Dragon Guard is invincible; once they step in, there's no enemy they can't defeat."

In contrast to Cao Ying's pride, Wang Baole glared at the Flying Dragon Guard.

He felt a bit desolate inside. The backer he had just found was about to be gone, and his revenge seemed unlikely.

"Senior Qin, shouldn't we step in to support them?"

Outside the Azurecloud Sect, Jiang Zhiqiu and Qin Yushu watched the Flying Dragon Guard's fierce assault on the sect, their expressions very grave.

They had long been alerted by the Flying Dragon Guard's might, but they didn't dare to show themselves openly and could only hide nearby, observing secretly.

As a rogue cultivator, Jiang Zhiqiu would have fled long ago if not for the Nascent Soul Stage cultivator standing beside him.

Although he had obtained a technique from the Azurecloud Sect, his relationship with them was more like a transaction.

Therefore, he didn't feel a strong sense of belonging to the Azurecloud Sect for the time being.

Qin Yushu frowned, also puzzled as he watched the Azurecloud Sect.

Qingyunzi still hadn't made a move?

Could it be that Lingyunzi was bluffing, and there was no battle between Qingyunzi and Tan Qiushui?

Moreover, Lingyunzi was evenly matched with Xu Bai... Why did it seem like the Azurecloud Sect was so weak... What was the real story here?

However, Qin Yushu had no intention of acting for the time being. As long as Situ Mingyue wasn't threatened, he wouldn't make a move.

At this moment, the Flying Dragon Guard's arrow rain had been shooting continuously for seventeen rounds when suddenly, the red-robed eunuch made a move.

In a flash of red, a pitch-black whip, like a black lightning bolt, struck Bilingzi's formation. At the same time, another round of arrow rain hit.

"Boom—"

After a thunderous explosion, Bilingzi's formation was breached.

Holding the formation's core, Bilingzi's hand trembled violently, and the formation disk flew into the air.

Affected, Bilingzi spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Senior Sister!" Baiyunzi exclaimed, quickly moving to Bilingzi's side to support her.

She looked up at the flying vessel, saying fiercely, "Dare to harm my senior sister, you're in danger."

The Third Prince sneered coldly. "Danger? I want to see what danger Azurecloud poses. Charge into Azurecloud, and from today, Azurecloud will be destroyed!"

The red-robed eunuch also sneered coldly. "Little girl, I don't see any danger..."

Before he could finish speaking, a cloud floating in the sky suddenly plummeted.

This cloud, drifting in the sky one moment, was on the flying vessel the next. Though it appeared soft, it struck the flying vessel like solid steel.

"Boom—"

With a thunderous crash, the flying vessel was slammed to the ground by the cloud, creating a deep pit.

When the flying vessel encountered external force, its rune patterns automatically activated, forming a large protective shield around it.

At this point, the Third Prince and the red-robed eunuch realized something was wrong.

"Quick, defend, activate the flying vessel's defenses at full power!" the Third Prince shouted in panic. "Eunuch Xi, hurry back to oversee the dragon boat's defense."

The red-robed eunuch hurriedly flew towards the flying vessel, trying to return to it.

The cloud suppressing the flying vessel instantly transformed into the shape of a giant hand.

With a flick of its fingers, the red-robed eunuch, who was about to return to the dragon boat, exploded into a cloud of blood mid-air, vanishing without a trace.

Then, the giant hand grabbed the dragon boat and slammed it hard into the ground.

The three thousand Flying Dragon Guards on the dragon boat had no power to resist, helplessly watching as the vessel crashed to the ground.

The Third Prince's face turned pale as snow, his eyes filled with fear, and he sat down on the deck, trembling, unable to utter a single word.