When the news reached Wildfire City, a wave of restrained euphoria swept through the city. The tense cultivators could finally breathe a sigh of relief. This victory was not just about seizing resources; it was a crushing blow to the Shadow Viper Sect's morale.
For Noctis and Lumina, the news was like a refreshing dew in a barren desert. They stood on the small balcony of their room, looking towards the southwest as if they could see the valley now controlled by their sect.
"We did it, Lumina," Noctis said, his voice trembling with emotion. "Our contribution... from the reconnaissance mission and initial discovery... it will be immense."
Lumina held her husband's hand tightly, tears of happiness finally streaming down her cheeks. "This is the beginning, Noctis. The beginning of everything. For our Core Forging... for our reunion with Lux."
They both knew that the road was still long. The Shadow Viper Sect would certainly not remain silent. Retaliation was sure to come, and it might be bloodier than ever. But for the first time in a long time, they allowed themselves to feel a glimmer of real hope.
The victory in Crystal Valley was a brilliant tactical victory for the Burning Sky Sect, achieved by the raw power of their four Nascent Souls. For Noctis and Lumina, it was the key that might unlock the door to greater power and, most importantly, reunification with the son they missed so dearly. The fires of the border had forged them into steel, and now, with the resources of Crystal Valley, they were ready to forge themselves into something even stronger.
Nera Ironshield's and her elite team's glorious victory in Crystal Valley was not the end, but only the opening for a much larger and more dangerous conflict. News of the massacre, thanks to the Faelan Space Locking Formation, did not leak immediately. However, the complete loss of contact with their outpost in the valley eventually triggered an alarm at the nearby Shadow Viper Sect headquarters.
Two days after the valley was secured, reinforcements from the Shadow Viper Sect arrived. They sent four stage 3 Nascent Soul Cultivators as a counterattack a force almost equal to Nera's team. The four were shadow warfare experts who had spent centuries in dirty battles. There was Vorlak, a snake-like man with vertical eyes that emitted a deadly aura; Shara, a woman with an intoxicatingly seductive laugh and deadly illusions; Kankri, a hunched man with a staff that emitted a soul-poisoning mist; and Zalto, a mute giant with skin as hard as rock and fists that could flatten hills.
They arrived at the edge of Crystal Valley and immediately understood the situation. The Faros concealment and locking formation was powerful, but the remaining high-level battle aura and the absolute absence of their comrades' auras spoke louder than words.
"Burning Sky," Vorlak hissed, his forked tongue licking the air. "They've cleaned out our nest."
"They're still inside," Shara added, sensing the vibrations of energy from within the formation. "Four... all Nascent Soul. One of them is very strong."
Zalto simply stomped his foot on the ground, creating a small earthquake. Kankri chuckled, "Let my poison do the talking."
They didn't charge in blindly. As experienced old cultivators, they knew battles of this level could last for days and destroy the landscape. Their priority was to break the formation and reclaim the mine, not an empty battle.
Inside the valley, Nera and her team were ready. They sensed the arrival of the four Nascent Souls.
"Four, stage 3. Balanced composition," Faros reported, his eyes closed as he felt his locking formation being touched by the enemy's spiritual sensors.
"Formation defense," Nera ordered, her voice calm but authoritative. "We don't need to win, we just need to hold out. Reinforcements from the sect are on their way."
The battle began not with a shout, but with a suffocating silence. Kankri the poison master raised his staff, emitting a greenish mist that didn't attack the body, but directly attacked the soul. The mist spread, trying to gnaw at the locking formation and find weaknesses.
Lisa, the supporter of the team, moved instantly. She clasped her hands together, emitting a pure golden light that formed a protective dome inside Faros's formation. The soul-poison mist hissed as it touched Lisa's light, neutralized before it could penetrate.
Meanwhile, Zalto the giant began to hammer Faelan's formation with his devastating physical blows. Each blow shook the foundation of the formation, creating wild ripples of energy. Faelan, his face beginning to sweat, his fingers danced rapidly to stabilize the vibrating formation nodes.
"This won't last long if he keeps hitting it like this," Faros reported.
Ling ling, the destroyer, jumped out of the formation. "I'll distract the giant!" he shouted before launching like a meteor towards Zalto.
The physical battle between two brutal forces began. Ling ling vs Zalto. Fist against fist. Each impact created shockwaves that shattered the rocks around them. Ling ling was more agile, but Zalto had an almost impenetrable physical defense. Their fight was a symphony of destruction, diverting Zalto's attention from the formation.
Vorlak and Shara saw an opportunity. While Faros was busy stabilizing the formation and Lisa was focused on Kankri's poison, they attempted a combined attack. Vorlak disappeared into the shadows, appearing right at the edge of the formation, his poisonous hand clawing to tear through the protective layer. Shara, from a distance, created an illusion of countless duplicates of herself, each dancing seductively and releasing subtle energy needles that sought out openings.
Nera Ironshield finally moved. She didn't leave the formation. She simply drew her sword for the first time. The sword was simple, gray in color, but when drawn, the entire valley seemed to stop breathing. She didn't slash. She simply placed the tip of her sword on the ground.
"Herald of the Eternal Flame," she murmured.
A field of burning red energy spread from the tip of her sword, covering the entire area within the formation. It was her Domain type art, a space where the spiritual energy of her world were determined by her fire. Within this Domain art, Shara's illusions instantly evaporated like dew in the scorching sun. Vorlak's poisonous claws that touched the border of the Domain art immediately burned, forcing him to retreat quickly, hissing in pain.
The battle continued for hours. Both sides tested each other, attacking, and defending. Korin and Zalto continued to fight outside, the ground around them already turned into a crater. Faelan and Lyra worked together perfectly to maintain the formation and neutralize long-range attacks. Nera, with her Domain art, became an unshakeable fortress that controlled the area.
The four Nascent Soul Shadow Vipers were surprised by the compactness and specialization of Nera's team. They expected a chaotic battle where they could exploit trickery and poison. Instead, they faced a solid and perfectly coordinated spiritual fortress. Every gap they opened was immediately closed. Every weakness they exploited was immediately repaired.
Realizing that they could not achieve a quick victory without sacrificing at least one or two of their own, and that Burning Sky Sect reinforcements were surely on their way, the four Nascent Soul Shadow Vipers finally decided to retreat.
"They're too organized," Vorlak grumbled, licking the burn on his hand.
"Foolish to waste energy here," Shara added, her face annoyed that her illusions were ineffective.
They signaled Zalto and Kankri. With a snarl, the four Shadow Viper cultivators withdrew, disappearing back into the shadows from whence they came.
Inside the valley, Nera's team could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Faros's formation was still intact, although some nodes needed serious repair. Ling ling returned with wounds and panting, but his face was filled with satisfaction. Lisa immediately helped him recover.
"We did it," Faros said, tired but proud.
Nera nodded, her sword already back in its sheath. "This is just a delay. They will return with greater force, or with a different strategy. We must strengthen our defenses and await reinforcements from the sect."
The first battle between the giants ended without a clear winner, but also without casualties on either side. It was a tactical success for the Burning Sky Sect, as they managed to defend the mine. However, everyone knew that this was just the beginning of the storm that would soon hit.