As Jiu Bai hurriedly lifted the layers of smoke and fire that enveloped the scene, ascending to survey the panorama, he finally witnessed the tragic sight.
Boundless scraps of flesh, a sky filled with blood mist, mingled with withered wood shavings and charcoal, scattered across the entire expanse.
"Xiao Si!!!"
Jiu Bai's mind reeled instantly.
He had never imagined that Xiao Si, whom he had dispatched on a mission, along with the group of youngsters he led, would lose their vibrant lives the moment they stepped out.
Having spent so long in the Emperor's Inner Sanctum, Jiu Bai was intimately familiar with every blade of grass and every tree, let alone the people within.
Furthermore, Xiao Si and the others were a rare, fresh source of talent for the Inner Sanctum, astute, intelligent, and diligent in their cultivation, earning Jiu Bai's deep affection.
Yet today, they had perished before his eyes due to his immature command…
Knowing the dangers outside, why hadn't he sent stronger individuals to investigate?
Or, perhaps, gone himself?
Overwhelmed by regret, Jiu Bai's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, and he cast an extremely terrifying gaze towards the steel torrent in the sky.
"All invaders… shall die!"
"All Inner Sanctum guards, attack!"
With that, Jiu Bai, as if losing his sanity, transformed into a streak of blood-red light in the air and charged directly towards the fleet, intending to confront the magnetic energy cannons with his own flesh and blood.
"Who is it?! Such immense power!"
"I observe his overwhelming bloody aura; he can be considered a peak tenth-rank!"
Yet, even so, he brought immense shock to Tanaka Kenhō and Chizuru Ginshiro, who had already transferred to the ships.
Chizuru Ginshiro's gaze towards Jiu Bai was now filled with an expression of infatuation.
Tanaka Kenhō narrowed his eyes:
"That is Jiu Bai… the leader of all the ascetics in the Emperor's Inner Sanctum, nominally the Chief Guard."
"His strength, even when placed within Sakura Country, or even the entire Blue Star, is among the top-tier…"
"However, as I said…"
"Times have changed!"
"Now, it is no longer an era where he can dominate the world solely through his individual peak combat power!"
"Joint Defense Matrix, activate!"
Hum! Hum! Hum! Hum! Hum! Hum! Hum!
Accompanied by tremors that vibrated through space, hexagonal cubes of luminous blue, resembling a honeycomb, emerged one after another from the air, completely encircling the entire fleet.
This 360-degree, deathless protection immediately brought a sense of calm to the charging Jiu Bai.
As the Chief Guard who had protected the Sakura Royal Family for countless years and maintained his position in the Emperor's Inner Sanctum on Kyushu Island, possessing peak tenth-rank combat power, he was certainly not a fool to charge in when it was clearly impossible.
In the face of such large-scale coordinated combat, especially formations that could combine their strength, individual power was ultimately too insignificant.
Moreover, judging by the enemy's demeanor, this was clearly a well-prepared surprise attack. They likely knew of his existence within the Inner Sanctum and had certainly prepared countermeasures.
His reckless charge would most likely lead him into a trap.
Therefore…
Jiu Bai clasped his hands together, and black vines, one after another, emerged from his body.
Extreme anger did not cause him to lose his reason or composure; instead, it made him more steady and meticulous.
The greater the pain and hatred, the more he forced himself to be attentive!
Watch me… Dance of the Nine Heavens!
Swish, swish, swish!
These black vines branched out countless times in the air, and on these branches, flower buds emerged, eventually blossoming into pink flowers.
Subsequently, the pink flowers sprayed clouds of fragrant pollen, gradually masking the roars and clamor of the bombardment targeting the Inner Sanctum's second defensive layer.
"Heh! He actually thinks he can defend against my entire fleet single-handedly? Daydreaming!"
Tanaka Kenhō said fiercely while signaling the fleet to increase its firepower output, aiming to break through the defenses as quickly as possible.
However, before the fleet's next wave of bombardment could commence, from amidst the fragrant pink flowers, countless figures clad in straw clothing emerged.
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!
They scattered, each using their unique skills, launching cutting attacks against the fleet's defense matrix while carefully dodging the incoming barrage of cannons.
"No! These individuals are too agile; their offensive must be stopped!"
"Otherwise, if the defense matrix is dismantled piece by piece, my fleet will be directly exposed to these powerful awakened individuals…"
"If they dismantle our ship cannons, we will have no special violent means to blast open the Inner Sanctum's defensive barrier!"
As he spoke, Tanaka Kenhō began to command his subordinates to sortie and engage the enemy, while simultaneously looking towards Chizuru Ginshiro.
Chizuru Ginshiro, who had played a crucial role in breaching the first layer of the barrier, understood Tanaka Kenhō's intentions immediately and quickly directed her divine officials in her mind.
Thus, outside the fleet's defense matrix, numerous powerful combatants engaged in close-quarters combat, a fierce battle unfolding.
From the clash between the two sides, it was easily discernible that the ascetics led by Jiu Bai held an absolute advantage.
After all, they vastly outmatched Tanaka Kenhō's so-called experts in both numbers and quality.
The rewards of their usual simple meals and ascetic meditation were now evident, as they sent Tanaka Kenhō's awakened individuals and Chizuru Ginshiro's divine officials scrambling.
If not for their access to the defense matrix, allowing them free movement and respite under its protection, they would have likely been routed long ago.
However, their sorties were not entirely without merit. At the very least, under their cover, the rate of the defense matrix's disintegration slowed down considerably.
At least, compared to the Inner Sanctum's defensive barrier.
Under Tanaka Kenhō's targeted magnetic energy cannon fire, the Emperor's Inner Sanctum's second layer of defense quickly perished.
The third layer, the final outer perimeter of the Inner Sanctum, immediately began to withstand the barrage of nuclear energy cannons and magnetic energy cannons.
One primarily attacking with physical demolition, the other with neural erosion, the constant bombardment made the entire barrier look unsightly.
Not good!
Jiu Bai immediately realized the direness of the situation.
Compared to the tenacious defense matrix, their defensive barriers were disintegrating far too rapidly.
If this trend continued, they might not even break through half of the defense matrix before the Emperor's Inner Sanctum began to directly endure the fleet's bombardment!