The stakes involving the spirit mine were enormous. The Dao Court's mediation failed, and as per common practice, the Qian family and the demon hunters were set to clash at the nameless peak’s spirit mine.
The victor would claim the mine.
Currently, the Qian family was on the offensive, while the demon hunters were tasked with defending.
The atmosphere among the demon hunters grew increasingly tense.
Elder Yu ordered all demon hunters to avoid entering Dahei Mountain for hunting and summoned most of the Qi cultivators from levels seven to nine to guard the mine at the nameless peak.
On one hand, the demon hunters prepared to fend off the Qian family's attack; on the other hand, they accelerated the mining of spirit stones.
If they could hold the mine, it would be ideal, but the Qian family was powerful and had numerous cultivators. The demon hunters doubted they could hold out to the end.
Given that they didn’t know when the mine might fall, they aimed to extract as many spirit stones as possible beforehand.
Late-stage Qi cultivators had to enter the mine, and Mo Shan, being a level nine Qi cultivator, was no exception.
Previously, during the attack on the mine, Mo Hua had been outside. With rocks and trees to hide behind, he could flee if danger loomed.
Now, inside the mine, there was virtually nowhere to escape.
If the Qian family’s cultivators broke in, and a chaotic battle ensued with swords and spiritual energy flying everywhere, no one could guarantee Mo Hua’s safety.
Thus, Elder Yu initially refused to let Mo Hua, a mere level six Qi cultivator, stay in the mine.
That was until Mo Hua said he could help draw arrays.
"I can draw the Golden Armor Array, and even late-stage Qi cultivators can use it!"
Upon hearing this, Elder Yu had no grounds to refuse.
In large-scale battles among cultivators, arrays played a significant role.
Moreover, the Golden Armor Array sounded much stronger than the Iron Armor Array. With the Golden Armor Array, the chances of holding the mine greatly increased.
Even if they couldn’t hold it in the end, it would buy more time to mine more spirit stones.
This was a spirit mine, after all, and even a small one could provide for many independent cultivators for a long time.
Elder Yu was tempted.
Several demon hunters then praised the Golden Armor Array’s efficacy, recalling how Mo Shan had been unharmed by a blow from the Kui Wood Wolf thanks to the Golden Armor Array on his rattan armor.
Mo Shan sighed and reluctantly brought out his rattan armor inscribed with the Golden Armor Array.
Elder Yu examined it closely and, after testing its defense, his eyes lit up and he immediately decided to let Mo Hua stay.
Thus, Mo Hua stayed in the spirit mine.
Elder Yu instructed the other demon hunters to take good care of Mo Hua, secretly vowing:
"Anyone who dares to harm Mo Hua, I will kill them with one blow!"
Over the following days, Mo Hua began drawing the Golden Armor Array for the demon hunters.
Given the strength of Mo Hua’s spiritual awareness, enhanced by the Heavenly Proliferation Technique and the recovery speed from Meditation Techniques, he could draw ten first-grade Golden Armor Arrays per day.
Mo Hua provided the spiritual ink for these Golden Armor Arrays.
Elder Yu would convert the spiritual ink into spirit stones, along with the payment for the arrays, to be given to Mo Hua later.
Previously, Elder Yu was stingy due to a lack of spirit stones.
Now, having occupied a small spirit mine, he wouldn’t let Mo Hua suffer any loss.
To ensure Mo Hua’s comfort in drawing arrays, Elder Yu even opened a small, cozy mine cave for him and instructed him to express any needs.
Mo Hua stayed in the small mine cave, drawing arrays. In three days, he had drawn about thirty Golden Armor Arrays.
Then the Qian family’s cultivators began their assault on the mountain.
Mo Hua watched from the cave entrance as the numerous Qian family cultivators approached, feeling anxious. He asked Elder Yu, "Can we defeat the Qian family?"
"We can fight them, but it won’t be easy. The outcome is uncertain."
"Have we fought them before?"
Elder Yu nodded, "Several times. The Qian family bullied us, we fought back, and it escalated into an uncontrollable brawl. We suffered more losses, but the Qian family didn’t gain much advantage either."
Mo Hua asked, "Where does the Qian family have the upper hand?"
Elder Yu thought for a moment, "In direct combat, each side has its strengths, but the Qian family has more spirit stones, better spirit tools, and they can hire people."
Mo Hua said, "So, with the Golden Armor Array, we can have more of an advantage?"
Elder Yu nodded, "Yes."
He wasn’t sure how powerful the Golden Armor Array was, but even a slight advantage in such a battle could impact the outcome.
The Qian family began their attack openly.
Historically, the Qian family looked down on demon hunters, seeing them as impoverished.
With their abundance of spirit stones and higher cultivation levels, the Qian family didn’t bother with stealth attacks but marched in broad daylight.
They aimed to intimidate the demon hunters.
However, as soon as the battle commenced, something felt off.
Thirty level nine Qi cultivators from the demon hunters charged forward with ferocity, starting the fight immediately.
The Qian family’s swords barely scratched their rattan armor.
The Golden Armor Array, a first-grade nine-pattern array, made the rattan armor nearly impervious to ordinary swords, even in the hands of level nine Qi cultivators.
With the Golden Armor Array, the demon hunters fearlessly slashed away, cutting down the Qian family’s cultivators who could barely defend themselves and were forced into retreat.
They retreated until they had nowhere left to go.
Seeing no way to win, the Qian family fled in disarray.
They had arrived with great momentum but were utterly defeated. The Qian family felt humiliated and soon returned with reinforcements.
This time they were better prepared, wearing rattan armor, and some level nine Qi cultivators even donned iron armor.
Iron armor, made entirely of refined iron, was costly and very durable.
The two sides clashed again.
The Qian family’s cultivators quickly realized the demon hunters’ rattan armor was different from theirs.
The demon hunters’ rattan armor was incredibly tough, hard to cut through.
In contrast, their own rattan armor was like paper, easily sliced apart.
Even their iron armor was comparable to the demon hunters’ rattan armor.
However, iron armor was heavier, making them slower and easier targets.
The ten or so Qian family cultivators in iron armor were outmaneuvered by the demon hunters in rattan armor and were quickly taken down.
Their iron armor was stripped away.
The Qian family felt as if they could spit blood.
Iron armor was costly, requiring a significant amount of refined iron to make, and now it had been taken from them!
But they couldn’t give up the fight for the spirit mine, with its glowing spirit stones.
To counter the demon hunters’ rattan armor, the Qian family spent heavily on twenty genuine first-grade blades.
These blades were extremely sharp, cutting through ordinary rattan armor with a single stroke.
Handpicked Qian family experts wielding these first-grade blades re-engaged the demon hunters.
The blades were effective, slicing through rattan armor with a few strikes.
But then the Qian family faced a bigger problem.
There were more and more demon hunters wearing rattan armor!
Initially, there were only thirty.
Then more each day, until now, nearly all the demon hunters wore the troublesome rattan armor.
Everyone had it!
The Qian family’s cultivators were aghast.
They only had twenty blades to face over two hundred sets of rattan armor!
How could they possibly win?
Unsurprisingly, they were defeated again…
The repeated defeats demoralized the Qian family’s cultivators, forcing them to pause their assault.
Elder Yu was overjoyed.
The Golden Armor Array’s effect was far beyond his expectations.
He had anticipated a tough battle with heavy casualties even in victory.
Yet now, not only had they won, but they had done so easily with minimal losses.
Elder Yu sighed in relief, then curiously asked Mo Hua:
"Why is the Golden Armor Array so strong?"
Strong enough that first-grade blades required several strikes to break it.
They wore ordinary rattan armor, not first-grade iron armor.
Mo Hua naturally replied, "Because the Golden Armor Array is a first-grade array."
"A first-grade array..." Elder Yu nodded, "No wonder."
A first-grade array was bound to be powerful.
Suddenly, Elder Yu realized something, his heart pounding.
"First-grade?!"