With the destruction of the Azure Emperor's most powerful weapon, the balance of power on the battlefield shifted dramatically. The United Element Sect seized the opportunity to press their advantage. Zhang Dong, his grandfather, Zhang Zhi, Liena, and Huo Qiang led the charge, their spirits renewed with hope.

While they were in high spirits, not everything was going their way. After the last collision of spiritual energy, the massive golden shield surrounding their fortress had been mostly destroyed. They were now vulnerable to an attack, and their spirit cannons started receiving hits from the enemy ships. However, their adversaries were in a much more dire state, as their treasured weapon had turned to nothing but dust in the wind.

The defenders unleashed a relentless barrage of spiritual energy and spirit cannon fire upon the remaining Long Clan ships. Their precision and coordination started to overwhelmed the enemy, causing chaos and panic among their ranks. The skies once filled with azure ships now turned into a chaotic battleground where the Long Clan was desperately trying to regroup.

Zhang Dong and his allies made their way towards the Azure Emperor, who was reeling from the loss of his weapon and the sudden shift in the battle's momentum. The sect members of the United Element Sect followed their leaders, emboldened by the turn of events and eager to claim victory.

“Leave him to me, take care of those pesky flies buzzing around him.”

“Of course!”

Huo Qiang responded to the order that had been issued by their patriarch. Everyone present desired to witness the confrontation between the two most formidable fighters, yet many also wished to avoid being caught in the middle of this clash. It was a battle between the two mightiest individuals, one that might determine the fate of both sects. While the United Element Sect cheered for their leader, the Long Clan was determined not to let their Emperor face the challenge alone. They encircled him with numerous nascent soul masters at the great circle.

The battlefield transformed into a chaotic arena, with the Azure Emperor standing at the center, encircled by his loyal followers, while Zhang Dong faced him with his own sect members by his side. The clash between the two forces was imminent, and the tension in the air was palpable.

Zhang Dong's eyes locked onto the Azure Emperor, his determination unwavering. He had come a long way on his journey of cultivation, and this moment was a culmination of all his efforts and sacrifices. His grandfather, Zhang Zhi, Liena, and Huo Qiang stood by his side, ready to support him in any way they could.

The Azure Emperor, on the other hand, wore a grim expression. He had never faced an opponent like Zhang Dong before, and the destruction of his quasi-immortal blade had shaken his confidence. But he was not one to back down from a challenge. With a deep breath, he stepped forward, his aura radiating power and authority.

"Zhang Dong my younger brother, you have proven to be a formidable adversary,"

The Azure Emperor declared, his voice resonating with a mix of respect and determination.

"But don’t think that destroying my blade changes anything, this battle is far from over and as always, I will be victorious."

Zhang Dong nodded in acknowledgment.

"I understand, brother. Let us settle this once and for all."

With that, the two titans of their respective sects clashed in a flurry of strikes and energy. The battleground became a whirlwind of power, with each move they made sending shockwaves rippling through the air. Their attacks were precise and deadly, and the onlookers could barely keep up with the speed of their exchanges.

The battle was fierce and relentless. Zhang Dong's martial arts prowess and mastery of elemental techniques were matched by the Azure Emperor's swordsmanship and profound spiritual energy manipulation. It seemed that the combatants were evenly matched, but soon enough people recognized that one of them had an obvious advantage.

Zhang Dong wasted no time as he forcefully propelled his older brother backward. Deprived of the quasi-immortal blade, the Azure Emperor found himself on a level playing field with other Emperor-level opponents he had previously encountered and conquered. His journey to the trial tower had transformed him, propelling him far beyond what should be possible. He now approached a realm never seen before, transcending the boundaries of the nascent soul realm.

This profound advancement became evident through Long Qing's futile struggle to land a single blow, a struggle that ultimately proved in vain. In a swift and electrifying moment, Zhang Dong executed a lightning-infused kick, impacting Long Qing's solar plexus with devastating force. The powerful blow sent his brother hurtling backward, crashing into one of the nearby ships.

‘This battle is not something he can win without that weapon, does he have something else up his sleeve or can I end it now?’

While Long Qing was down for the count, he continued to survey the battlefield. The remaining elders were engaged in fierce combat against The United Element Sect's forces. The Long Clan maintained an advantage in terms of the number of nascent soul masters. Huo Qiang valiantly took on ten adversaries single-handedly, while Zhang Zhi and Liena faced off against five opponents each.

Despite their collective efforts, the opposing side showed no signs of relenting, and victory remained elusive. The most pressing concern was the ever-present and ominous threat of the Empress, who concealed her identity as an Overseer. Would she intervene if he attempted to end Long Qing's life, or would she allow him to complete the gaming scenario?

“Protect the Emperor!”

As he hesitated, his chance at victory dwindled. The Azure Emperor swiftly retreated, materializing beside his formidable flying ship, a vessel that, while not quite as massive as the Golden Palace, still stood as a magnificent creation crafted from spirit metals. His hand clung to the point of impact, which continued to pulsate with crackling golden lightning energy. Even someone of his extraordinary skill and power struggled to expel the elemental energy coursing through his body. It became evident that without the aid of his weapon, this battle would prove far from simple, and his chances of prevailing were diminishing rapidly.

“I probably won’t be able to convince you but let me try. Long Qing, surrender. Let us end this useless conflict, you won’t be the Emperor anymore but you may keep your life and your children will too.”

Zhang Dong's voice echoed across the battlefield, ensuring that every combatant could hear his call. While this granted his foes a momentary respite, the ongoing clash favored the United Element Sect unmistakably. Had they faced off in an open field, the outcome might have skewed differently. However, trapped within this confining formation, their forces had been significantly reduced due to relentless beast attacks, leaving them unable to sustain the fight any longer.

“You want me to surrender?”

“Yes, don’t be a fool, you must have realized that you are not my match. Without that weapon of yours, you have no chance at victory!”

Long Qing could not deny this fact anymore. Zhang Dong has already proven to be above him when it came to cultivation power. Even though he was a more experienced fighter, it didn’t do him any good when he just couldn’t react to his enemy’s speed and power. Without using some other means, he could not win an outright clash.

“Do you really think I will believe that you will let us live? Do you really take me for such a fool?”

“Please reconsider, you have my word, and your family will be spared. I’ll give you some land where you may live with them in peace…”

“Live in peace? I think not.”

Zhang Dong frowned as his brother didn’t seem to see reason. This was not surprising as normally only death awaited the one that had lost. The other option was getting robbed of their cultivation base which Long Qing assumed would happen. His children were all over a hundred years old. If all of them were stripped of their spiritual energy, they would not live for much longer. It was still a death sentence to a cultivator and no one would take that deal.

“You underestimate my and the Long Clan’s power! This has gone on for long enough!”

As those words left the Azure Emperor’s mouth something started shifting in the air. The entire trapping formation started rumbling and even the beasts that were throwing themselves at everyone halted. Everything rippled for a moment and then started to slowly unravel. The potent spiritual energy that was around this place started vanishing and with it the whole environment changed.

‘Did they disable the trapping formation?’

Zhang Dong had underestimated his opponent. He had wrongly assumed that this entrapment formation was an ancient relic of the past, meant to be dormant and inaccessible for use, as evidenced by the uncontrollable spirit beasts. However, it became apparent that they held control over the central spirit vein, likely the key to the formation's operation. It was conceivable that they had disrupted its flow, effectively deactivating the entire formation.

“Turning off the formation doesn’t change anything!”

He shouted at his brother who just smiled. There was something wrong with this picture and he couldn’t let his opponent get ahead. Zhang Dong quickly rushed at the juggernaut of a ship and collided with its energy shield. Even as he was concentrating all of his energy, the shield was not budging fast enough. His enemy the Azure Emperor made a motion with his hand to produce a portal through which he started slipping through.

“Come find me in my city and see if the Long Clan is still weak!”

“Are you running away?”

“Running? No, this was just a small taste of what is to come.”

Soon the other nascent soul elders started vanishing from the battlefield. The ships that were still operational became abandoned and devoid of any living beings. Then suddenly they all started exploding while producing some type of strange green fog. Without thinking he quickly produced a massive shield to block this out and ordered everyone to retreat.

“I didn’t expect the Emperor to be such a coward!”

Called out Huo Qiang who mimicked Zhang Dong’s actions. The green miasma that was produced was clearly a cloud of poisonous fumes. Anyone who dared to touch it would quickly succumb to an illness of unknown proportions. Luckily this was just a badly planned solution to mask the Long Clan’s escape. The ones that suffered were their own forces that didn’t all have teleportation talismans on them.

The air was filled with the groans of many people who descended to the ground like rocks. Their bodies were turning green and their eyes along with their veins were popping out. It was clear that their enemies cared more about winning than their own people and to end this fight they would need to gather at their main lair, the capital of the Empire.