kě bú shì me ， lín xuān ， hēi fèng yāo nǚ ， wàn xiǎo xiān jūn tā men wǔ gè ， yǐ jīng shì nài lóng jiè rú jīn zuì qiáng de xiū xiān zhě ， yǐ wǔ dí yī ， shàng qiě luò de rú cǐ yí gè jié guǒ 。- dǐng - diǎn - xiǎo - shuō -
可不是么，林轩，黑凤妖女，万晓仙君他们五个，已经是鼐龙界如今最强的修仙者，以五敌一，尚且落得如此一个结果。-顶-点-小-说-
Isn't that the case? Lin Xuan, the Black Phoenix Demoness, and Wan Xiao Immortal Lord—these five were already among the strongest cultivators in the Realm of Naelulong. Despite their overwhelming numbers, they still ended up with such a disastrous outcome.
fàng yǎn nài lóng jiè ， hái yǒu shuí néng jiāng zhè kě pà de mó tóu dǎng zhù ？
放眼鼐龙界，还有谁能将这可怕的魔头挡住？
Looking across the Realm of Naelulong, who else could possibly stand against this terrifying demon lord?
xiān dào méng bù yòng zhǐ wàng le 。
仙道盟不用指望了。
The Immortal Dao Alliance was out of the question. Even if Naelulong True Man returned here, he would likely be overwhelmed by the situation. This battle not only resulted in the loss of many cultivators but also left them shaken and their morale at rock bottom.
jiù suàn nài lóng zhēn rén huí dào zhè lǐ ， duō bàn yě shì wàng fēng pī mǐ ， zhè yī zhàn ， xiān dào méng bù zhǐ sǔn shī le xǔ duō de xiū xiān zhě ， guān jiàn shì ， hái bèi dǎ pà le ， shì qì dī luò ， jī hū diē luò dào le gǔ dǐ 。
就算鼐龙真人回到这里，多半也是望风披靡，这一战，仙道盟不止损失了许多的修仙者，关键是，还被打怕了，士气低落，几乎跌落到了谷底。
Virtuous Demon Lord was portrayed as nearly invincible.
xū wú mó jūn bèi miáo huì dé jī hū wú rén néng dí 。
虚无魔君被描绘得几乎无人能敌。
From then on, the power of the域外天魔 (Exterior Heaven Demons) became increasingly arrogant and overbearing.
cóng cǐ ， yù wài tiān mó de shí lì ， yuè fā de zhāng yáng bá hù 。
从此，域外天魔的实力，越发的张扬跋扈。
Monk practitioners aside, most sects and families fled in fear.
sàn xiū bù tí ， gè zōng mén jiā zú ， jī hū shì wàng fēng ér táo 。
散修不提，各宗门家族，几乎是望风而逃。
However, despite the vastness of Naelulong, there were limits to its extent. As these exterior heaven demons expanded their influence, many sects and families found themselves cornered, forced into a desperate battle with no other choice.
rán ér nài lóng jiè miàn jī suī rán guǎng kuò ， dàn yě zǒng shì yǒu jí xiàn de 。
然而鼐龙界面积虽然广阔，但也总是有极限的。
No one wanted to be at the mercy of others. After all, even clay men had some true fire left in them. Cultivators who controlled the power of the heavens were certainly not willing to give up so easily.
suí zhe zhè xiē tiān wài mó tóu shì lì de kuò zhāng ， bù shǎo zōng mén jiā zú ， yǐ xiàn rù liǎo bù dé bù bèi shuǐ yī zhàn de dì bù 。
随着这些天外魔头势力的扩张，不少宗门家族，已陷入了不得不背水一战的地步。
They fought back with all their might and managed to kill off a few exterior heaven demons. However, this merely delayed their advance. After these series of events, the disparity between their strength had become even more pronounced.
méi yǒu shuí yuàn yì yǐn jǐng jiù chuō ， ní rén shàng yǒu sān fēn zhēn huǒ ， gèng hé kuàng shì zhǎng wò tiān dì zhī lì de xiū shì ne ？
没有谁愿意引颈就戳，泥人尚有三分真火，更何况是掌握天地之力的修士呢？
In summary, the exterior heaven demons had been nearly invincible thus far, conquering everything in their path, except for two places: the main sect hall of Cloud Concealment Sect and Naelulong True Man's cave dwelling on Penglai Immortal Island.
pīn mìng fǎn pū ， dào yě shā shāng le yī xiē yù wài tiān mó 。
拼命反扑，倒也杀伤了一些域外天魔。
Firstly, regarding the main sect hall of Cloud Concealment Sect, its strength had grown significantly over the years. The area of the main sect hall was ten times larger than before, and it was filled with numerous traps and prohibitions.
rán ér yě jǐn jǐn shì yán huǎn duì fāng jìn gōng de jiǎo bù ， jīng guò zhè yī lián chuàn de biàn gù ， shuāng fāng de shí lì yuè fā bù zài yí gè qǐ pǎo xiàn le 。
然而也仅仅是延缓对方进攻的脚步，经过这一连串的变故，双方的实力越发不在一个起跑线了。
Following that battle, the Immortal Dao Alliance suffered a crushing defeat. The remnants retreated to the main sect hall of Cloud Concealment Sect, including Immortal Lord Wan Xiao and the Black Phoenix Valley's valley master, along with their subordinates.
zǒng de lái shuō ， yù wài tiān mó dào mù qián wéi zhǐ ， jī hū shì zhàn wú bù shèng ， gōng wú bù kè ， wéi yǒu liǎng gè dì fāng shì lì wài de 。
总的来说，域外天魔到目前为止，几乎是战无不胜，攻无不克，唯有两个地方是例外的。
Other powerful figures from various sects also retreated to Cloud Concealment Mountain. After that battle, Virtuous Demon Lord did not pursue them relentlessly; perhaps he thought it wasn't worth his time. However, this didn't mean his followers would let Lin Xuan and the others go easily.
yí gè shì yún yǐn zōng zǒng duò ， hái yǒu yí gè biàn shì nài lóng zhēn rén de dòng fǔ ， péng lái xiān dǎo le 。
一个是云隐宗总舵，还有一个便是鼐龙真人的洞府，蓬莱仙岛了。
The other exterior heaven demons continued their assault, making it impossible for any of these powerful figures to leave. Thus, they were forced to remain within the main sect hall of Cloud Concealment Sect.
xiān shuō yún yǐn zōng zǒng duò ， jīng guò zhè xiē nián de fā zhǎn ， yún yǐn zōng de shí lì tí shēng hěn kuài ， zǒng duò de miàn jī yǔ yǐ qián xiāng bǐ ， kuò dà le shí bèi yǒu yú ， yě bù zhì kàn lái bù shǎo lì hài de xiàn jǐng jìn zhì 。
先说云隐宗总舵，经过这些年的发展，云隐宗的实力提升很快，总舵的面积与以前相比，扩大了十倍有余，也布置看来不少厉害的陷阱禁制。
Currently, the main sect hall of Cloud Concealment was a gathering place for many powerful cultivators, relying on array formations and prohibitions for protection.
ér nà yī zhàn ， xiān dào méng dà bài kuī shū ， cán bīng bài jiàng méi yǒu qù chù ， shùn shì yě jiù tuì wǎng le yún yǐn zōng zǒng duò 。
而那一战，仙道盟大败亏输，残兵败将没有去处，顺势也就退往了云隐宗总舵。
Meanwhile, although the exterior heaven demons had formidable numbers, without Virtuous Demon Lord's assistance, they were at a loss as to how to proceed. Their battles with Cloud Concealment Sect continued sporadically but did not break through its defenses.
zhè qí zhōng bāo kuò wàn xiǎo xiān jūn ， hēi fèng gǔ gǔ zhǔ 。 hái yǒu qí shǒu xià suí xíng de gāo shǒu le 。
这其中包括万晓仙君，黑凤谷谷主。还有其手下随行的高手了。
It seemed like both sides were stuck in a cycle of mutual attrition.
chú cǐ yǐ wài ， qí tā zōng mén de qiáng zhě ， yī tóng tuì qù yún yǐn shān de yì yǒu hěn duō 。
除此以外，其他宗门的强者，一同退去云隐山的亦有很多。
However, Cloud Concealment Sect could not break free either. In this situation, it was one of the few relatively safe places in Naelulong.
nà yī zhàn zhī hòu ， xū wú mó jūn méi yǒu qióng zhuī bù shě ， huò xǔ zài tā kàn lái ， gēn běn jiù bù zhí dé ， fǒu zé ， lín xuān děng rén néng bù néng táo chū lái hái shì liǎng shuō 。
那一战之后，虚无魔君没有穷追不舍，或许在他看来，根本就不值得，否则，林轩等人能不能逃出来还是两说。
The other place that was equally renowned was Penglai Immortal Island, which was the dwelling of Naelulong True Man and had been operated for a million years.
dàn xū wú mó jūn méi yǒu zhuī lái ， bù dài biǎo tā de shǒu xià ， yě huì jiāng lín xuān děng rén fàng guò 。
但虚无魔君没有追来，不代表他的手下，也会将林轩等人放过。
Packed with various array formations and prohibitions, its power far surpassed that of Cloud Concealment Sect. The Nine True Vengeful Deity Array alone ranked among the top five in all three realms, enough to deter even wandering immortals and demon kings from entering.
qí yú de yù wài tiān mó 。 kě shì suí hòu yǎn shā de ， rú cǐ yī lái ， qí tā de gāo shǒu jiù suàn xiǎng yào lí kāi ， yě bù kě dé ， yú shì bù dé bù kùn shǒu yú yún yǐn zōng zǒng duò 。
其余的域外天魔。可是随后掩杀的，如此一来，其他的高手就算想要离开，也不可得，于是不得不困守于云隐宗总舵。
Although Naelulong True Man was no longer around, Qianqian Immortal Lady was not a weakling either. Her strength far exceeded that of her peers, and some of Naelulong True Man's concubines and attendants were formidable as well, even reaching the realm of Tribulation Transcendence.
suǒ yǐ rú jīn de yún yǐn zōng ， kě shì huì jí le dà liàng de gāo shǒu ， yī tuō zhèn fǎ jìn zhì de shǒu hù 。
所以如今的云隐宗，可是汇集了大量的高手，依托阵法禁制的守护。
Moreover, although Naelulong True Man was carefree, he had friends who shared his temperament. In critical moments, he was known for his loyalty to his comrades.
ér yù wài tiān mó de dà jūn ， suī rán bīng qiáng mǎ zhuàng ， dàn méi yǒu le xū wú mó jūn zhè wèi dà shǒu lǐng de bāng zhù 。 yī shí piàn kè ， què yě ná tā men shì wú kě nài hé 。
而域外天魔的大军，虽然兵强马壮，但没有了虚无魔君这位大首领的帮助。一时片刻，却也拿他们是无可奈何。
Thus, naturally, there would be a group of brothers and cultivators who had benefited from him.
shuāng fāng de zhàn dòu ， suī rán gé sān chà wǔ jiù huì bào fā yī cì ， dàn yún yǐn zōng yě yì zhí méi yǒu bèi gōng pò 。
双方的战斗，虽然隔三差五就会爆发一次，但云隐宗也一直没有被攻破。
Although these individuals were not widely known, their strength was considerable. Among them were late-stage Tribulation Transcendence realm experts, as well as some wandering practitioners who crossed over to assist.
gěi rén de gǎn jué 。 dào xiàng shì xiàn rù hù xiāng xiāo hào de guài quān diào le 。
给人的感觉。倒像是陷入互相消耗的怪圈掉了。
As a result, the power of Naelulong True Man's dwelling on Penglai Immortal Island was no weaker than that of Cloud Concealment Sect.
dāng rán ， yún yǐn zōng yě méi yǒu bàn fǎ tū wéi ， dàn jiù zhè yàng de qíng kuàng lái shuō ， yǐ suàn shì nài lóng jiè shǎo yǒu de ān quán zhī chù 。
当然，云隐宗也没有办法突围，但就这样的情况来说，已算是鼐龙界少有的安全之处。
The exterior heaven demons' army had no idea how deep their strength lay. Initially, they suffered heavy losses and were in dire straits.
zhì yú lìng wài yí gè 。 yǔ qí qí míng de dì fāng ， nà jiù shì péng lái xiān dǎo 。
至于另外一个。与其齐名的地方，那就是蓬莱仙岛。
While it wasn't an all-out defeat, it was indeed a humiliating retreat that even attracted the attention of Virtuous Demon Lord himself.
nà ér kě shì nài lóng zhēn rén de dòng fǔ ， jīng yíng de suì yuè 。 gèng shì yòng bǎi wàn nián lái jì suàn de 。
那儿可是鼐龙真人的洞府，经营的岁月。更是用百万年来计算的。
Virtuous Demon Lord shared an unbreakable enmity with Naelulong True Man. Although he didn’t want to take matters into his own hands, his subordinates were thoroughly defeated.
gè zhǒng zhèn fǎ jìn zhì shǔ bù shèng shǔ ， lùn wēi lì ， gèng yuǎn fēi yún yǐn zōng kě bǐ ， bié de bù tí ， nà jiǔ zhēn fú mó dà zhèn de wēi lì ， biàn shì fàng yǎn sān jiè ， yě kě yǐ pái míng qián wǔ ， zú yǐ ràng sàn xiān yāo wáng zhè yàng de cún zài ， yě bù gǎn qīng yì shè zú 。
各种阵法禁制数不胜数，论威力，更远非云隐宗可比，别的不提，那九真伏魔大阵的威力，便是放眼三界，也可以排名前五，足以让散仙妖王这样的存在，也不敢轻易涉足。
Virtuous Demon Lord was enraged and personally took action.
nài lóng zhēn rén shì bù zài le ， dàn qiān qiān xiān zi yě bú shì ruò zhě ， shí lì yì chāo guò tóng jiē cún zài xǔ duō ， ér nài lóng zhēn rén de yī xiē qiè shì shì nǚ ， shí lì nà yě bù róng qīng wǔ ， shí lì shèn zhì hái yǒu dù jié qī de 。
鼐龙真人是不在了，但芊芊仙子也不是弱者，实力亦超过同阶存在许多，而鼐龙真人的一些妾室侍女，实力那也不容轻侮，实力甚至还有渡劫期的。
To be fair, Penglai Immortal Island did have many powerful experts, but none of them could match Virtuous Demon Lord in strength. Even if they all attacked together, it would be useless.
hé kuàng nài lóng zhēn rén shì wán shì bù gōng méi cuò ， dàn tā zhè zhǒng huó liǎo wú shù suì yuè de dà néng ， nǐ yǐ wéi jiù méi yǒu xìng qíng xiāng tóu de péng yǒu ？
何况鼐龙真人是玩世不恭没错，但他这种活了无数岁月的大能，你以为就没有性情相投的朋友？
Thus, their strategy was to avoid battle and remain hidden.
bì jìng nài lóng zhēn rén suī rán bù kào pǔ ér ， dàn guān jiàn shí kè ， yě shì hěn jiǎng yì qì de 。
毕竟鼐龙真人虽然不靠谱儿，但关键时刻，也是很讲义气的。
This had nothing to do with courage or cowardice. Facing an enemy that couldn't be defeated, trying to fight head-on is not bravery; it's the behavior of a fool.
yú shì ， zì rán huì yǒu yī bāng xiōng dì ， yī xiē shòu guò tā ēn huì de xiū xiān zhě 。
于是，自然会有一帮兄弟，一些受过他恩惠的修仙者。
Of course, Qianqian Immortal Lady and her companions would never make such a mistake. They weren’t just defending but using prohibitions to engage in guerrilla warfare with their opponents.
zhè xiē rén ， suī rán shēng míng bù xiǎn ， dàn shí lì zhe shí bù sú ， qí zhōng shèn zhì yǒu dù jié hòu qī de lǐng yù qiáng zhě ， hái yǒu yī xiē sàn xiū ， shì kuà jiè qián lái xiāng zhù 。
这些人，虽然声名不显，但实力着实不俗，其中甚至有渡劫后期的领域强者，还有一些散修，是跨界前来相助。
Initially, Virtuous Demon Lord didn't take this small intelligence lightly.
rú cǐ yī lái ， nài lóng zhēn rén de dòng fǔ ， péng lái xiān dǎo de lì liàng ， bǐ zhī yún yǐn zōng zhǐ qiáng bù ruò 。
如此一来，鼐龙真人的洞府，蓬莱仙岛的力量，比之云隐宗只强不弱。
What could any prohibition stop him from doing?
yù wài tiān mó de dà jūn bù zhī shēn qiǎn ， yī kāi shǐ ， jī hū shì zhuàng le gè tóu pò xuè liú 。
域外天魔的大军不知深浅，一开始，几乎是撞了个头破血流。
However, pride came before a fall. The Nine True Vengeful Deity Array was so powerful that even Rain桐 Immortal Lady hesitated to face it. While Virtuous Demon Lord could defeat the Painted Demon, facing Rain桐 Immortal Lady might not be as easy.
shuō quán jūn fù mò tài kuā zhāng le ， dàn dàng zhēn shì láng bèi dào jí chù 。
说全军覆没太夸张了，但当真是狼狈到极处。
Wandering immortals and demon kings, true demons, and primordial ancestors were indeed on par in reputation, but their actual strength was vastly different.
shèn zhì jīng dòng le xū wú zhè wèi dà shǒu lǐng 。
甚至惊动了虚无这位大首领。
Moreover, this ranking came from ancient times, a million years ago. After so many years of refinement, the disparity between their strengths had become even more pronounced.
xū wú mó jūn ， yǔ nài lóng zhēn rén shí yǒu bù gòng dài tiān de dà chóu hèn ， rú jīn zhǎo bú dào zhèng zhǔ ér ， jǐn jǐn shì zhǎo tā jiā rén de má fán yuán běn shì bù xiǎng zì jǐ chū shǒu de 。
虚无魔君，与鼐龙真人实有不共戴天的大仇恨，如今找不到正主儿，仅仅是找他家人的麻烦原本是不想自己出手的。
Defeating the Painted Demon did not mean they could walk all over the three realms.
kě méi xiǎng dào shǒu xià què bèi dǎ dé pì gǔn niào liú 。
可没想到手下却被打得屁滚尿流。
Thus, Virtuous Demon Lord, who underestimated his opponents, suffered significant setbacks this time. He personally attacked but failed to break through the Nine True Vengeful Deity Array and lost an arm in the process.
xū wú zhèn nù 。
虚无震怒。
Of course, at such a high level of strength, limb regeneration was no issue for him.
qīn zì chū shǒu 。
亲自出手。
But it was still embarrassing to return empty-handed.
píng xīn ér lùn ， péng lái xiān dǎo suī rán yě gāo shǒu yún jí ， dàn zhēn lùn shí lì ， méi yǒu yí gè rén néng yǔ xū wú xiāng bǐ ， jiù suàn shì yī yōng ér shàng yě méi yǒu yòng chǔ 。
平心而论，蓬莱仙岛虽然也高手云集，但真论实力，没有一个人能与虚无相比，就算是一拥而上也没有用处。
In other words, even with his personal involvement, he could not easily breach Penglai Immortal Island.
yú shì zhòng rén zhì dìng de cè lüè shì bì zhàn bù chū 。
于是众人制定的策略是避战不出。
The stalemate continued.
zhè yǔ yǒng bù yǒng qì méi yǒu guān xì ， miàn duì wú fǎ zhàn shèng de qiáng dí ， hái yào ná jī dàn pèng shí tou ， nà bú shì yǒng gǎn ， ér shì mǎng fū de biǎo xiàn 。
这与勇不勇气没有关系，面对无法战胜的强敌，还要拿鸡蛋碰石头，那不是勇敢，而是莽夫的表现。
However, did this mean that Penglai Immortal Island was completely safe?
qiān qiān xiān zi tā men dāng rán bú huì fàn cuò wù zhè zhǒng cuò wù ， tā men yě bú shì yī wèi fáng shǒu ， ér shì lì yòng jìn zhì yǔ duì fāng yóu dòu 。
芊芊仙子他们当然不会犯错误这种错误，他们也不是一味防守，而是利用禁制与对方游斗。
Of course not. The Nine True Vengeful Deity Array was incredibly powerful, but each prohibition had its limits. This wasn't just about the consumption of crystals; there were other factors as well.
yī kāi shǐ ， xū wú mó jūn zhēn méi yǒu jiāng zhè diǎn xiǎo cōng míng fàng zài yǎn lǐ 。
一开始，虚无魔君真没有将这点小聪明放在眼里。
Every time the exterior heaven demons attacked, the Nine True Vengeful Deity Array would suffer some damage. While it might not be noticeable at first, over time, these damages accumulated.
shén me jìn zhì néng jiāng zì jǐ dǎng zhù ？
什么禁制能将自己挡住？
Furthermore, this array was overly complex. Although Penglai Immortal Island had many experts skilled in array formations, they lacked the ability to repair something so ancient or possibly passed down from the immortal realm.
rán ér jiāo ào shì huì fù chū dài jià de ， jiǔ zhēn fú mó dà zhèn de wēi lì kě shì lián yǔ tóng xiān zi dōu yào wàng ér què bù ， xū wú néng gòu dǎ yíng huà mó ， dàn ruò shì duì shàng yǔ tóng xiān zi hái néng bù néng xiào dé chū lái kě shì liǎng shuō 。
然而骄傲是会付出代价的，九真伏魔大阵的威力可是连雨桐仙子都要望而却步，虚无能够打赢画魔，但若是对上雨桐仙子还能不能笑得出来可是两说。
Postscript: Today, I saw "Lotus Heart Mortal," an old reader, and it brought back a flood of memories. Thank you all for your companionship throughout these years. (To be continued...)
Isn't that the case? Lin Xuan, the Black Phoenix Demoness, and Wan Xiao Immortal Lord—these five were already among the strongest cultivators in the Realm of Naelulong. Despite their overwhelming numbers, they still ended up with such a disastrous outcome.
Looking across the Realm of Naelulong, who else could possibly stand against this terrifying demon lord?
The Immortal Dao Alliance was out of the question. Even if Naelulong True Man returned here, he would likely be overwhelmed by the situation. This battle not only resulted in the loss of many cultivators but also left them shaken and their morale at rock bottom.
Virtuous Demon Lord was portrayed as nearly invincible.
From then on, the power of the域外天魔 (Exterior Heaven Demons) became increasingly arrogant and overbearing.
Monk practitioners aside, most sects and families fled in fear.
However, despite the vastness of Naelulong, there were limits to its extent. As these exterior heaven demons expanded their influence, many sects and families found themselves cornered, forced into a desperate battle with no other choice.
No one wanted to be at the mercy of others. After all, even clay men had some true fire left in them. Cultivators who controlled the power of the heavens were certainly not willing to give up so easily.
They fought back with all their might and managed to kill off a few exterior heaven demons. However, this merely delayed their advance. After these series of events, the disparity between their strength had become even more pronounced.
In summary, the exterior heaven demons had been nearly invincible thus far, conquering everything in their path, except for two places: the main sect hall of Cloud Concealment Sect and Naelulong True Man's cave dwelling on Penglai Immortal Island.
Firstly, regarding the main sect hall of Cloud Concealment Sect, its strength had grown significantly over the years. The area of the main sect hall was ten times larger than before, and it was filled with numerous traps and prohibitions.
Following that battle, the Immortal Dao Alliance suffered a crushing defeat. The remnants retreated to the main sect hall of Cloud Concealment Sect, including Immortal Lord Wan Xiao and the Black Phoenix Valley's valley master, along with their subordinates.
Other powerful figures from various sects also retreated to Cloud Concealment Mountain. After that battle, Virtuous Demon Lord did not pursue them relentlessly; perhaps he thought it wasn't worth his time. However, this didn't mean his followers would let Lin Xuan and the others go easily.
The other exterior heaven demons continued their assault, making it impossible for any of these powerful figures to leave. Thus, they were forced to remain within the main sect hall of Cloud Concealment Sect.
Currently, the main sect hall of Cloud Concealment was a gathering place for many powerful cultivators, relying on array formations and prohibitions for protection.
Meanwhile, although the exterior heaven demons had formidable numbers, without Virtuous Demon Lord's assistance, they were at a loss as to how to proceed. Their battles with Cloud Concealment Sect continued sporadically but did not break through its defenses.
It seemed like both sides were stuck in a cycle of mutual attrition.
However, Cloud Concealment Sect could not break free either. In this situation, it was one of the few relatively safe places in Naelulong.
The other place that was equally renowned was Penglai Immortal Island, which was the dwelling of Naelulong True Man and had been operated for a million years.
Packed with various array formations and prohibitions, its power far surpassed that of Cloud Concealment Sect. The Nine True Vengeful Deity Array alone ranked among the top five in all three realms, enough to deter even wandering immortals and demon kings from entering.
Although Naelulong True Man was no longer around, Qianqian Immortal Lady was not a weakling either. Her strength far exceeded that of her peers, and some of Naelulong True Man's concubines and attendants were formidable as well, even reaching the realm of Tribulation Transcendence.
Moreover, although Naelulong True Man was carefree, he had friends who shared his temperament. In critical moments, he was known for his loyalty to his comrades.
Thus, naturally, there would be a group of brothers and cultivators who had benefited from him.
Although these individuals were not widely known, their strength was considerable. Among them were late-stage Tribulation Transcendence realm experts, as well as some wandering practitioners who crossed over to assist.
As a result, the power of Naelulong True Man's dwelling on Penglai Immortal Island was no weaker than that of Cloud Concealment Sect.
The exterior heaven demons' army had no idea how deep their strength lay. Initially, they suffered heavy losses and were in dire straits.
While it wasn't an all-out defeat, it was indeed a humiliating retreat that even attracted the attention of Virtuous Demon Lord himself.
Virtuous Demon Lord shared an unbreakable enmity with Naelulong True Man. Although he didn’t want to take matters into his own hands, his subordinates were thoroughly defeated.
Virtuous Demon Lord was enraged and personally took action.
To be fair, Penglai Immortal Island did have many powerful experts, but none of them could match Virtuous Demon Lord in strength. Even if they all attacked together, it would be useless.
Thus, their strategy was to avoid battle and remain hidden.
This had nothing to do with courage or cowardice. Facing an enemy that couldn't be defeated, trying to fight head-on is not bravery; it's the behavior of a fool.
Of course, Qianqian Immortal Lady and her companions would never make such a mistake. They weren’t just defending but using prohibitions to engage in guerrilla warfare with their opponents.
Initially, Virtuous Demon Lord didn't take this small intelligence lightly.
What could any prohibition stop him from doing?
However, pride came before a fall. The Nine True Vengeful Deity Array was so powerful that even Rain桐 Immortal Lady hesitated to face it. While Virtuous Demon Lord could defeat the Painted Demon, facing Rain桐 Immortal Lady might not be as easy.
Wandering immortals and demon kings, true demons, and primordial ancestors were indeed on par in reputation, but their actual strength was vastly different.
Moreover, this ranking came from ancient times, a million years ago. After so many years of refinement, the disparity between their strengths had become even more pronounced.
Defeating the Painted Demon did not mean they could walk all over the three realms.
Thus, Virtuous Demon Lord, who underestimated his opponents, suffered significant setbacks this time. He personally attacked but failed to break through the Nine True Vengeful Deity Array and lost an arm in the process.
Of course, at such a high level of strength, limb regeneration was no issue for him.
But it was still embarrassing to return empty-handed.
In other words, even with his personal involvement, he could not easily breach Penglai Immortal Island.
The stalemate continued.
However, did this mean that Penglai Immortal Island was completely safe?
Of course not. The Nine True Vengeful Deity Array was incredibly powerful, but each prohibition had its limits. This wasn't just about the consumption of crystals; there were other factors as well.
Every time the exterior heaven demons attacked, the Nine True Vengeful Deity Array would suffer some damage. While it might not be noticeable at first, over time, these damages accumulated.
Furthermore, this array was overly complex. Although Penglai Immortal Island had many experts skilled in array formations, they lacked the ability to repair something so ancient or possibly passed down from the immortal realm.
Postscript: Today, I saw "Lotus Heart Mortal," an old reader, and it brought back a flood of memories. Thank you all for your companionship throughout these years. (To be continued...)