Chapter 713 - 698: Great Battle in the Stone Forest

Within the circular crater, magma churned and boiled.

The massive volcano was enveloped in a wave of heat that ordinary Martial Artists would find unbearable. The temperature here was far higher than anywhere else.

Several magnificent halls were arranged in a precise formation around the volcano, like stars orbiting the moon.

However, the figures Shen Lang had seen moving between the volcano and the halls had all vanished.

The area atop the volcano had returned to its former tranquility.

But while the peak was calm, a deafening roar echoed from the volcano’s base, shaking the very heavens and earth.

Blasts of powerful energy collided again and again. A scene rarely witnessed in the outside world was now unfolding in the Stone Forest at the volcano’s foot...

Within the Stone Forest, dozens of figures darted and leaped, launching one attack after another.

Joining the fray were not only groups of King Martial Realm experts, but also numerous powerful Demon Beasts and savage Ancient Flame Demons!

Inside the Stone Forest, powerful Demon Beasts roared incessantly, Flame Demons shrieked in fury, and the thunder of explosions was deafening.

The experts from the various sects in the Stone Forest either teamed up to hunt Demon Beasts, joined forces to battle Flame Demons, or fought one another to the death!

The battle raged with ferocious intensity.

By the time Shen Lang arrived, the chaotic battle had already reached its zenith.

’When I scouted this area before, I didn’t sense the auras of so many powerful Flame Demons atop the volcano. Did they all crawl out from beneath it?’

Standing on a hillside not far from the Stone Forest, Shen Lang watched the mass of King Martial Realm experts fighting. He saw that the Profound Dao Sect’s Elder Ancestor, Dongfang Jian, and the Xiu Hua Sect’s Elder Ancestor, Gong Lanyan, were both unharmed, so he felt no need to rush.

He began to quietly observe the Stone Forest and the Ancient Flame Demons within.

The Stone Forest, spanning a radius of over three hundred *li*, was composed of massive, bizarrely-shaped, black-brown rocks, appearing as if naturally formed after a volcanic eruption.

However, what looked like a chaotic arrangement of boulders took on a completely different appearance in the eyes of an Array Master like Shen Lang.

’Yin Yang Inverted Stone Gate Formation? The Yumu Cave Blessed Land truly lives up to its reputation. To think they could combine the energy from within the volcano with this Array... That means the Array has a virtually inexhaustible source of power. Trying to break it with brute force would be suicide unless your Cultivation is absolutely overwhelming. Otherwise, you’d be trapped here until you die!’

’This active volcano is enormous, yet this Stone Forest at its base is tiny by comparison. How could it be a coincidence that everyone is gathered here? Were they herded into this place by the swarms of Flame Demons?’

After only a few casual glances, Shen Lang had already grasped the crux of the problem.

’Although the Flame Demons possess high Spiritual Wisdom, for them to act with such purpose, there must be a powerful force directing them from behind...’

Shen Lang leaped down from the hillside. He gave the towering, active volcano a suspicious glance before walking slowly toward the Stone Forest.

Inside the Stone Forest, Zu Wei of the Imperial Dragon Sect, along with several experts from the Li Hen Sect and the Flower Sect, were locked in a fierce battle with the members of White Bone Hall.

A total of nineteen experts at the Fifth and Sixth Heaven of the King Martial Realm were fighting. Their battle was earth-shattering and utterly terrifying.

Within a five-hundred-meter radius, there were almost no Flame Demons or other Martial Artists.

All of them—be it the experts from the other sects, the Flame Demons, or the Demon Beasts—kept their distance from this battle, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.

To the right of Zu Wei’s battle, several experts from the Blood Wing Demon Sect—also at the Fifth and Sixth Heaven of the King Martial Realm—were turning a blind eye to the conflict. Instead, they were focused on besieging a few massive Flame Demons.

Demonic Cultivators, in addition to being sinister, ruthless, and treacherous, were also unbelievably shameless...

Despite having clearly accepted benefits from Zhuge Xian’Er and forming an alliance with the Profound Dao Sect, they now refused to join the Imperial Dragon Sect’s group in attacking White Bone Hall.

Instead, they took on the posture of watching the tigers fight from a mountaintop.

Yet they weren’t willing to stay out of it completely. They merely pretended to hunt Flame Demons on the outskirts of the battle, seemingly ready to strike at any moment and reap the spoils!

It seemed they wouldn’t make a move unless they were absolutely certain they could annihilate the members of White Bone Hall.

To the left of Zu Wei’s battle, a group of eight, including the Profound Dao Sect’s Elder Ancestor Dongfang Jian and the Xiu Hua Sect’s Elder Ancestor Gong Lanyan, were besieged by a swarm of Flame Demons and locked in a desperate struggle.

Unfortunately, Zu Wei and the others from the Imperial Dragon Sect were tied down by White Bone Hall, unable to break away.

And as for the other Major Sects in the distance... they were in an even worse state!

The seven fighters, including Dongfang Jian, all had impressive Cultivation levels and were clad in Xingtian Battle Armor.

The Magical Treasure Secret Artifacts they wielded were also far more powerful than those of the Elder Ancestors from other Profound Iron Level Sects...

Despite this, their current situation was far from good.

Every one of them was wounded, locked in a bitter struggle against a swarm of Flame Demons.

The Xiu Hua Sect’s Elder Ancestor, Gong Lanyan, sat cross-legged in their midst with a deathly pale face. She seemed to be gravely injured and had already lost the ability to fight.

If not for the Xingtian Battle Armor they all wore, they likely would not have lasted this long.

The Ancient Flame Demons besieging Dongfang Jian’s group were enormous. The shortest stood a full *zhang* tall, while the tallest reached two *zhang*!

One *zhang* is three meters, meaning the tallest were six meters high!

In a place where even King Martial Realm experts couldn’t fly, such immense size was a tremendous advantage.

These Ancient Flame Demons had demonic heads and bodies covered in sulfur and fire. Thick veins bulged on their skin, with molten lava flowing through them like blood.

Every single one of them exuded a vast, ferocious aura, appearing no weaker than an ordinary King Martial Realm expert.

Furthermore, the two-*zhang*-tall Flame Demons were surrounded by a vortex of boiling magma at their feet. Ordinary King Martial Realm experts scrambled to get out of their way; almost no one was willing to face them head-on.

"Dongfang, you bastard! How much longer do you think you can hold on? Are you going to consider my proposal or not? Drag this out any further, and you won’t get the chance!"

As the group struggled desperately, a woman in palace robes from another battle cried out.

This woman was none other than Duanmu Rongrong, whom Shen Lang had encountered at the city gates when he first arrived in the Imperial Capital.

Legend had it she was the young lady of the Duanmu Family who had once sworn vows of eternal love with Dongfang Jian, only to be abandoned by him, turning their love into bitter enmity.

Currently, Duanmu Rongrong was fighting alongside four companions to fend off the Flame Demons’ attacks. Her delicate face was beaded with sweat, and her clothes were spattered with blood.

The Duanmu Family was merely a Profound Iron Level Influence. Even allied with the Nangong Family, they were no match for the alliance of sects like the Profound Dao Sect and the Xiu Hua Sect.

Their situation was considerably worse than the Profound Dao Sect’s; they were on the verge of being completely overwhelmed.

Hearing Duanmu Rongrong’s words, a flash of anxiety crossed Dongfang Jian’s eyes, but his voice was cold as he replied, "Enough! What damn good would an alliance do? If we join forces, will we suddenly have fewer enemies to fight?"

"If we team up, wouldn’t we just have to take on your share of the Flame Demons?"

Duanmu Rongrong flew into a rage. "You... You’re so heartless!"

"You already knew that, didn’t you? Hmph!" Dongfang Jian’s words were dismissive, but a flicker of hidden anguish showed in his eyes.

He unleashed three quick slashes, forcing back an attacking Flame Demon, then gritted his teeth. Turning to the Second Ancestor, Feng Buping, he whispered, "Second Brother, I... You..."

Feng Buping splayed his fingers and unleashed a palm strike, sending an Ancient Flame Demon flying.

Then, without a word, he let out a soft sigh. His body shot forward, skimming across the ground, and in a matter of seconds, he had joined Duanmu Rongrong’s Battle Array.

The moment he appeared, Feng Buping stowed his longsword. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a Cyan Great Seal and smashed it down on two massive Flame Demons that were charging forward.

The Cyan Great Seal flared with brilliant light, instantly swelling to the size of a small mountain and enveloping the two charging Flame Demons.

A terrifying aura immediately drew the attention of everyone fighting nearby.

’An Imperial Artifact! Feng Buping actually has an Imperial Artifact! That bastard, waiting until now to use it. He really knows how to hide his strength.’

The thought had barely formed when a tremendous BOOM resounded. The two powerful Flame Demons were instantly crushed into a pile of flaming rocks.

Two apple-sized Hearts of the Flame Demon shot out, trailing flames. With a flick of his sleeve, Feng Buping swept them into his Sumeru Ring.

"Thank you, Second Brother," Duanmu Rongrong said to Feng Buping, her voice a mixture of gratitude and bitterness.

Feng Buping wanted to use this chance to explain things to her, but with the death of the two Flame Demons, the ones behind them grew even more frenzied. They surged forward madly, giving him no opportunity to speak.

Not even a man like Feng Buping could have imagined that missing this perfect chance for an explanation would ultimately lead to Dongfang Jian’s tragedy...

But that is a story for another time.

Now that Feng Buping had stopped holding back and joined Duanmu Rongrong’s side with his Imperial Artifact, the pressure on her group lessened dramatically.

Conversely, Dongfang Jian’s group, now short one person, was getting battered by the Flame Demons, letting out comical yelps of pain.

But at a time like this, no one was in the mood to laugh, as everyone else was in a similarly dire predicament.

Dongfang Jian and the others exchanged a look. They were already considering playing their hidden trump card: their Imperial Artifacts.

Ever since Shen Lang’s meteoric rise and unification of the Five Great Sects.

The Elder Ancestors of the Five Sects, who before could have scarcely dreamed of touching an Imperial Artifact, were soon all equipped with one.

But such items were so shocking that Dongfang Jian and the others were unwilling to reveal them unless they were in mortal danger.

Imperial Artifacts were items typically found only in Spirit Copper Level Sects.

For Profound Iron Level Sects, their most prized treasure, the Treasure of the Sect, was usually only around the Profound Level Fifth Grade.

Now that Feng Buping had already revealed one Imperial Artifact, it would be far too conspicuous if Dongfang Jian’s group brought out several more.

But if they didn’t use their Imperial Artifacts, it seemed they wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer...

They couldn’t win, and they couldn’t run.

It was a deathtrap.

Their only hope rested on the experts at the Fifth and Sixth Heaven of the King Martial Realm from the Imperial Dragon Sect and its allies.

But they were completely absorbed in their fierce battle with White Bone Hall, with no way to disengage.

The experts from the other sects ground their teeth in hatred for White Bone Hall. They wished they could rush over and help Zu Wei’s group annihilate them!

If White Bone Hall hadn’t sneak-attacked the Profound Dao Sect, they could have relied on the combined power of the Fifth and Sixth Heaven experts from the Imperial Dragon Sect and its two allied Major Sects. Would they have ever ended up in this predicament?

If only the experts from the Imperial Dragon Sect’s alliance would join the fight against the Ancient Flame Demons, what would a mere swarm of them matter?

But right now, the most powerful group in the entire Stone Forest was busy fighting amongst themselves!

Meanwhile, the experts from the other Profound Iron Level Sects were mostly at the First and Second Heaven of the King Martial Realm. They were already unable to cope with the relentless assault of the Flame Demons...

This Stone Gate Array was incredibly bizarre. It was only a few hundred *li* in radius, yet no one could find a way out, no matter how they ran.

And while there were array experts among the various sects, they had neither the time nor the opportunity to try and break the formation. One by one, they were being beaten down, their strength nearly exhausted.

An atmosphere of panic and despair began to spread throughout the Stone Forest...

THUD!

A dull thud echoed out. Just as Dongfang Jian and his men were exchanging glances, debating whether to use their Imperial Artifacts, an Ancient Flame Demon broke through their defensive line and charged directly toward Gong Lanyan, who was meditating to heal her wounds!

"Not good!" Dongfang Jian cried out in alarm.

At that very moment, a black-clad figure emerged from behind a massive boulder. He shot forward in a sudden burst, leaving a long trail of afterimages as he overtook the Flame Demon and appeared directly in its path!