Brothers in the Spirit Banner

The Holy Sons of the Sword Sect gazed at the countless fallen enemies, their faces filled with excitement, exhilaration, and disbelief, hardly able to believe that the devastating strike just unleashed had come from their own hands.

At that moment, a roar brimming with grief and fury shook the heavens.

"You wretched brats of the Sword Sect! How dare you harm my disciples? Die!"

The Netherworld Old Monster bellowed, his entire being transforming into a blood-soaked war god descending from the divine realm. With a single punch, he shattered space, charging toward Gu Qingfeng and the others like a bolt of lightning, his unstoppable momentum radiating terror.

Close behind him were the remaining nine Celestial Beings of the Hell Sect—one at the Fourth Heaven, two at the Third Heaven, three at the Second Heaven, and the rest at the First Heaven.

Faced with the ferocious assault, the Sword Sect disciples tensed, raising their swords in unison to meet the enemy.

In an instant, the two sides clashed in a chaotic melee!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Torrents of divine power erupted continuously, shaking the battlefield. The clash of multiple Celestial Beings caused the heavens and earth to tremble, space itself fracturing as if stars were plummeting from the sky.

From the outset, the Sword Sect disciples found themselves at a disadvantage.

Not because the Seven Swords Immortal-Slaying Formation was weak—but because this was their first time executing it. They had never practiced it before, and coordinating such a formation demanded seamless teamwork, something they naturally lacked at first.

Yet, despite their initial struggles, the formation’s inherent power was undeniable. Even in their inexperience, its might was extraordinary.

As the battle raged on, the disciples—all prodigies in their own right—quickly adapted, their coordination sharpening with every passing moment. The Seven Swords Immortal-Slaying Formation grew smoother, their defenses against the enemy’s onslaught increasingly fluid.

The scales of victory began to tip with time.

However, Gu Qingfeng fought with visible frustration. Having to constantly adjust to others’ movements, he felt shackled, unable to unleash his full strength.

Meanwhile, the Netherworld Old Monster noticed the Sword Sect’s growing synergy, his heart pounding with alarm.

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he roared, "We can’t give them any more time! Break the formation now! Among these seven, the Sword Sect’s Imperial Son is the weakest—he’s our opening!"

Instantly, the ten Celestial Beings of the Hell Sect shifted their focus, launching a concentrated assault on Gu Qingfeng.

Gu Qingfeng sighed inwardly. What a brilliant observation. Congratulations—you’ve picked the strongest one.

But before he could act, the Sword Sect disciples broke into a cold sweat. They knew all too well—if Gu Qingfeng’s position was breached, the formation would collapse, and they would all perish.

Seeing the enemy target Gu Qingfeng, they instinctively adjusted their swordplay, switching from offense to full defense, shielding him from the brunt of the assault.

Gu Qingfeng could only roll his eyes at the irony.

The Hell Sect disciples, however, took their frantic defense as confirmation—they had chosen the right target. Their attacks intensified.

"Netherworld Sky-Piercing Finger!"

The Celestial Beings of the Hell Sect roared in unison, their bodies erupting with bloody light as a terrifying aura surged toward the heavens. Ten massive black holes, as if leading straight to the Netherworld, materialized before them.

A sinister glow gathered within the voids before lashing out in a concentrated barrage aimed directly at Gu Qingfeng!

"Not good! Block it!" Chu Jingchen shouted urgently, his divine light flaring as he channeled his full power into the Myriad Blades Sword. The others followed suit.

Seven phantom projections of ancient primordial beasts roared forth, intercepting the ten Netherworld Sky-Piercing Fingers.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The collisions between the phantom beasts and the sinister fingers sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, their mutual annihilation deafening.

Just as the disciples began to relax, thinking the danger had passed—an anomaly occurred.

The dispersed Netherworld energy suddenly coalesced, reforming into a single, slightly smaller Netherworld Sky-Piercing Finger, streaking straight toward Gu Qingfeng!

The Sword Sect disciples paled. Exhausted from their previous exertion, they had no strength left to intervene. They could only watch helplessly as the attack closed in.

"Uncle Gu! Dodge it!" Nangong Xue cried out, but her speed was no match for the attack.

Chu Jingchen’s face darkened as he cursed under his breath. "Damn it!"

In his eyes, Gu Qingfeng stood no chance against a strike from a Fifth Tribulation Celestial Being. The formation was as good as broken—and they were all doomed.

At this moment, he despised Gu Qingfeng more than ever, blaming him for dragging them all down.

The Hell Sect disciples grinned savagely. Once the formation shattered, these Sword Sect whelps would be at their mercy.

Yet, as all eyes locked onto him, Gu Qingfeng—the center of the storm—stood motionless, as if oblivious, allowing the attack to strike his chest unimpeded.

Pfft.

A soft sound echoed from his torso—and the Netherworld Sky-Piercing Finger dissipated like mist, vanishing as though it had never existed.

Silence.

Then—utter disbelief.

What just happened?!

"Uncle Gu… blocked it?"

"This is impossible!!" The Netherworld Old Monster’s face twisted in shock.

A mere Earth Yuan cultivator, shrugging off his attack? What kind of nightmare was this?!

"A bit itchy," Gu Qingfeng remarked casually, scratching the spot where the attack had landed.

He glanced around at the stunned faces. "Why are you all staring? Keep fighting. If you won’t, I’ll handle this myself."

"R-right!"

"Attack!"

Snapping out of their daze, the disciples hastily reactivated the Seven Swords Immortal-Slaying Formation, pressing the assault against the Hell Sect.

"That brat must have a protective treasure!" the Netherworld Old Monster snarled through gritted teeth.

Faced with the increasingly refined formation, he made a swift decision. "This formation is too strange—fall back to the mountain gate!"

The Sword Sect disciples gave chase, but the formation’s mobility couldn’t match individual speed. Only the slowest and weakest of the Hell Sect—a lone unfortunate—was struck down by a sword beam. The rest, though wounded, managed to retreat into their mountain stronghold.

"Attack the gate!" Gu Qingfeng commanded.

The Seven Swords Immortal-Slaying Formation unleashed a relentless barrage against the Hell Sect’s mountain gate. Unlike the Sword Sect’s, the Hell Sect’s defenses were inferior.

After dozens of strikes, cracks began spiderwebbing across the protective barrier. The Hell Sect disciples scrambled to reinforce it.

Such was the irony of fate—while the Sword Sect had been besieged earlier, now the tables had turned.

Yet, the Netherworld Old Monster showed no panic as he watched the crumbling barrier. Instead, he smirked and ordered, "Bring out the Ten Billion Soul Banner. Since they dare attack the Hell Sect, today they shall become brothers within its depths!"

Every major faction had its trump card. For the Sword Sect, it was the Emperor Demon Sword. Though the Hell Sect was no Imperial Court, its Ten Billion Soul Banner was the reason it had stood firm in the Greenwood Domain for so long.

The Hell Sect cultivated sinister arts, refining the souls of living beings into malevolent wraiths within the banner. The more souls, and the stronger they were, the more formidable the banner became.

And the Ten Billion Soul Banner’s power—had long surpassed the Celestial Realm, reaching the level of a Heavenly Monarch!