Even as a cultivator at the Primordial Spirit late stage, Xia Houfeng felt a palpitation at this moment.
As a seasoned warrior, he had encountered all kinds of opponents and experienced various situations.
But at this moment, even without the appearance of an assassin, he was restrained solely by an overwhelming killing intent.
Such an assassin, such an assassination, was something he had never encountered in all his years of experience.
Xia Houfeng knew in his heart that he was facing a difficult situation today. If he made even the slightest mistake in his response, his life could be in danger.
He dared not be careless and immediately activated the life-saving item hidden on his body, even without enough time to mobilize the power of the Grand Dao.
A yellow cloth strip wrapped around Xia Houfeng's waist spontaneously ignited, and then his body split into two identical copies of himself.
The killing intent, aimed straight at Xia Houfeng's back, hesitated for a moment in the face of this unexpected situation and then bypassed the illusion, attacking Xia Houfeng's real body.
However, this delay gave Xia Houfeng enough time to react.
Radiant green light shone on Xia Houfeng's body as thick green vines appeared out of nowhere, blocking the path of the incoming killing intent.
These thick vines twisted violently, entangling with each other, and desperately rushed toward the direction of the killing intent.
After a series of soft sounds, the countless vines quickly disappeared, and the killing intent was rendered ineffective.
Xia Houfeng was proficient in the Wood-element Grand Dao among the Five Elements Grand Dao. Escaping from the disadvantageous situation of being ambushed, he had enough time to cast his spells, showcasing his rich combat experience.
Giant green trees appeared in the air, rushing towards his left side.
A purple aura rose to the sky, scattering all the giant trees.
A figure emerged along with the purple aura, appearing in front of Xia Houfeng.
It was a middle-aged man dressed in purple robes, wielding a long and a short blade in his hands.
Seeing this middle-aged man, Xia Houfeng's face was filled with wariness, and he even seemed a bit nervous.
However, he didn't hold back his sharp tongue.
"It is said that the Purple Yang Holy Sect is a renowned cultivation Holy Land in the Middle-Earth Continent, and its cultivators are the cream of the crop, the proud sons of heaven."
"When did the proud sons of heaven become like mice, only knowing how to hide in rat holes, launching sneak attacks and injuring others from behind?"
Xia Houfeng, with his extensive experience and broad knowledge, immediately recognized the other party's identity.
Among the several cultivation Holy Lands in the Middle-Earth Continent, they stood at the pinnacle of the entire Cultivation World, controlling and dominating this world.
The Purple Yang Holy Sect was one of these Holy Lands, and its strength was truly formidable. Even if the entire Dali Dynasty's forces were combined, they wouldn't stand a chance against it.
"We've heard that the people of the Dali Dynasty are arrogant and overbearing, doing as they please in the Cultivation World, causing trouble everywhere."
"I was somewhat skeptical of these claims. But today, hearing your slanderous words about the Holy Sect, I know that these rumors don't even begin to describe the Dali Dynasty's audacity."
"Our Purple Yang Holy Sect bears the responsibility of maintaining peace and tranquility in the Cultivation World. We cannot allow you to continue causing trouble."
The middle-aged man remained expressionless, saying these words in a serious tone.
"Ha! I despise you dogmatic Holy Land Sects the most."
"High and mighty, looking down on everyone. Full of hypocrisy, full of male thieves and female prostitutes."
"Clearly launching shameless sneak attacks, yet now you put on a righteous face. It's really disgusting."
"If I hadn't seen through you, I wouldn't know how long you'd hide in your rat holes."
Xia Houfeng was clearly infuriated by the other party's attitude and couldn't help but curse, disregarding his fear of the Holy Land Sect.
"Stubborn fools deserve to die. Remember, it is Purple Yang Holy Sect's World Traveler, Xiao Jiansheng, who will take your life."
The middle-aged man who called himself World Traveler Xiao Jiansheng pronounced these words like passing a death sentence before attacking Xia Houfeng with his sword.
Despite his tough words, Xia Houfeng was extremely cautious and fearful of his enemy.
He appeared careless, but he had long prepared his own plans.
While Xia Houfeng was angrily cursing, the guards following behind him immediately formed an army formation.
Within the army formation were eight generals at the Gold Core stage and ninety lieutenants at the Foundation Building stage.
Before Xiao Jiansheng could make a move, the army formation consisting of ninety-eight people had already begun its operation.
A formidable military qi soared into the sky, transforming into a heavy cloak that draped over Xia Houfeng.
From their previous encounter, Xia Houfeng knew that the enemy's cultivation base was definitely not below his own. Moreover, with the added boost from the Holy Land Sect's inherited Divine Abilities, he might not be the opponent of his adversary.
Of course, even though he knew he might not win, Xia Houfeng couldn't just escape.
At this moment, the battle between the Dali Dynasty and the Jiuqu League, along with their reinforcements, had reached a critical moment, and there was absolutely no room for any slack from either side.
With Xia Houfeng's personality, abandoning the army and fleeing was absolutely unacceptable.
Furthermore, he also had his own trump cards and killer moves. As long as the timing was right, even if facing a Holy Land Sect cultivator, he could still give them a great deal of trouble.
Xia Houfeng, together with his guards and army formation, aimed to firmly entangle the enemy and prevent them from affecting the progress of the major battle.
With the support of the army formation, Xia Houfeng's strength increased, and his confidence grew.
Fearlessly, he engaged in a fierce battle with the cultivator from the Purple Yang Holy Sect.
Meanwhile, the soldiers within the army formation behind him continuously operated the formation, channeling the power of military qi and infusing it into Xia Houfeng.
The army formation of the Dali Dynasty was a profound formation that had been developed over the years by gathering talents from all walks of life, absorbing various secret teachings, including some from extraterritorial sources that didn't belong to the Cultivation world.
The army formation had various functions. It could suppress enemy cultivators, directly kill enemies, or provide assistance to allies.
Originally designed to hinder the cultivation of True Essence and restrain Soul with military qi, when applied to friendly forces, it became a potent tonic, greatly amplifying their strength.
Xia Houfeng's elite guards had fought alongside him for many years and possessed extremely keen battlefield instincts.
If this army formation were to directly confront the cultivator from the Purple Yang Holy Sect head-on, it might not withstand more than a few moves and would be easily dispersed, providing little help to the overall battle.
However, by activating the military qi and fully exerting its supporting function to enhance Xia Houfeng's strength, the army formation proved to be highly effective.
Even in the face of a legendary Holy Land Sect's prodigy, Xia Houfeng remained full of fighting spirit, fearlessly mobilizing the power of the Grand Dao and unleashing his Divine Abilities.
In the air, on the ground, and around the two combatants, purple and green auras collided and intertwined, constantly fighting for dominance.