Immortal Path Space

On the second day, Mountain Valley was left with only a dozen or so defenders, while the rest of the two thousand-plus were ready for action.

Before noon, Sloppy Old Daoist had already arrived at Mountain Valley, leading a group of people.

Following behind Old Daoist were more than a thousand cultivators, representing a diverse array of factions.

As these people approached Mountain Valley, they witnessed a scene that left them utterly shocked.

At the valley entrance stood over two thousand people, and the sheer number alone exceeded their own forces by more than twofold.

However, what struck them the most was not just the sheer number of people here; they had encountered gatherings of thousands or tens of thousands of cultivators before. What truly set this group apart was the unique aura that emanated from the two thousand-plus individuals, an aura that was distinctly different from any cultivator they had ever encountered in the Cultivation World.

Particularly striking were the more than two hundred Foundation Building cultivators at the forefront. They stood there silently, in perfect formation, exuding an air of solemnity, resembling a pack of crouching tigers.

All two hundred-plus Foundation Building cultivators were clad in uniform leather armor, and judging from the fluctuations of their Spiritual Energy, they wielded at least medium-grade Spiritual Weapons.

The uniform style of their Spiritual Weapons hinted at the scale and power of their backing.

Moreover, aside from Qingxu Sect, there were very few factions that could boast over two hundred Foundation Building cultivators.

Sloppy Old Daoist approached Wang Hong, casting an appraising gaze over him, his expression tinged with surprise.

Just yesterday, he had thought of Wang Hong as merely wealthy, but seeing this kind of formation today, it was clear that wealth alone could not describe it.

"Wang nephew, it seems I've underestimated you! Let's set out!" Sloppy Old Daoist addressed Wang Hong with unprecedented gravity.

"Yes, Master!" Wang Hong replied before turning and shouting to those behind him, "Let's move out!"

"Move out!"

The two thousand cultivators behind them echoed in unison, their combined voices creating a deafening sound that sent nearby rocks tumbling down the slopes.

Sloppy Old Daoist led the way at the front, with the two thousand-plus people following in disciplined ranks, followed by the scattered one thousand-plus.

They would gather additional groups along the way, amassing a force of over four thousand as they marched towards the frontline battlefield.

Due to the Qi Cultivation cultivators in their group, their progress was slowed, and it took them three days to reach the battlefield.

When they finally arrived, the battle on the city walls was intense. Without a word, Sloppy Old Daoist led his troops to join the fray.

With the addition of fresh reinforcements, it took just an hour to repel the Demon Clan's assault.

As they cleaned up the battlefield, a Golden Core cultivator who had been stationed there approached Sloppy Old Daoist.

"Senior Brother Chu, thanks to your timely arrival, we were on the brink of collapse. We've been battling these Demonic Beasts for an entire day before your arrival."

This Golden Core cultivator was also from Qingxu Sect, and they were quite familiar with each other, so there was no need for formalities.

"Junior Brother Gu, you look energetic, not a hint of fatigue. If you want to slack off, just say so," Sloppy Old Daoist teased.

"Well, these young ones have indeed been fighting for a full day. If the battle had gone on any longer, they might not have been able to hold out."

"Senior Brother Chu, where did you find this group of fierce fighters? They seem quite formidable!"

Gu Yuan pointed at Wang Hong's group, who were currently collecting spoils of war beneath the city wall, and asked Sloppy Old Daoist, "What about those people down there?"

He had been deeply impressed by their combat prowess during the recent battle. Judging from their attire, they were not Qingxu Sect disciples, yet their combat abilities surpassed those of Qingxu Sect disciples.

Moreover, these two thousand-plus individuals seemed to have practiced together countless times, splitting into numerous small teams during battle, each consisting of fifty to a hundred members.

Within each team, they coordinated seamlessly, displaying a well-balanced offense and defense. After a battle, they had only a few lightly injured individuals, with no severe casualties or fatalities. It was a rare sight, as most battles would inevitably result in some casualties, even in victory.

Gu Yuan was increasingly intrigued by this group's performance.

"Do you see that young man down there? He's the one leading this group. Honestly, when I first saw this troop of people, I was taken aback," Sloppy Old Daoist replied, his expression carrying a touch of pride.

"Oh, is he affiliated with any particular faction now?" Gu Yuan asked, visibly interested because Wang Hong was not wearing Qingxu Sect's standard purple robes at the moment.

"Are you thinking about recruiting him?" Sloppy Old Daoist teased with a grin.

"Well, this young man is indeed impressive. If he's willing to join Qingxu Sect, I could take him as my disciple," Gu Yuan admitted openly.

"Hahaha! If you really do that, be prepared for Gu Qingyang to come knocking on your door for a fight," Sloppy Old Daoist laughed.

"Has Gu Qingyang already laid claim to him?"

"Hehe! I'll tell you the truth; this young man has been a formal disciple of mine in Qingxu Sect for several decades now. He was the fifth disciple Gu Qingyang took under his wing."

"What a pity! What a pity! With Gu Qingyang's wooden head, he won't be able to properly mentor such an outstanding disciple. It's a waste to have such talent fall into his hands," Gu Yuan lamented, shaking his head.

"You make it sound like you're better than Gu Qingyang. He has a beautiful Dao Companion, and you're still a single man. He has a silly son, and you're still single. He has five decent disciples, and you're still a lone commander," Sloppy Old Daoist retorted, delivering a series of blows that left Gu Yuan red-faced and speechless.

Gu Yuan wanted to retort that Sloppy Old Daoist was also single, but he suppressed the urge. He knew that bringing up this topic was a sensitive issue for Sloppy Old Daoist.

Just then, Wang Hong and his group had finished collecting the spoils and returned to the city. They approached Gu Yuan and greeted him.

"Starting today, you will be under our command for the defense of this section of the city wall, directly under my and Elder Chu's orders. With your addition, we now have a total of ten thousand cultivators. The wall section you need to defend spans two li (about one kilometer). I will divide you into three groups, and you will take turns on duty."

While making these arrangements, Gu Yuan was quite confident about holding this section of the city wall. With ten thousand people, each of them would only need to guard a few inches of the wall. Furthermore, it would be impossible to fit all these people on the wall at once.

Most importantly, the reinforcements brought by Sloppy Old Man were quite impressive. Among Wang Hong's group alone, there were over two hundred Foundation Building cultivators, almost reaching three hundred. This was a remarkably high ratio.

In addition to their two Golden Core elders, it should be quite secure to defend this section of the city wall.

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