Leading the approach into the Black Peaks, John was glad for Astrid at his side. Not because he needed emotional support at the current moment, but because her commitment to compatibility and her light element totems helped provide the final piece of balance to create a proper combat formation of six elements. Members of the Six Elements Crossroads had trained with him at the lead, and John had gotten far better at managing the flow of light element, but it was best to have a proper cultivator.

  The first wave of Six Elements Crossroads cultivators was very low in light cultivators- partially because John couldn’t provide proper instruction for them. There was Viriato, but while he was capable of martial feats he really wasn’t focused on that. Improving his cultivation made journeys easier and gave him greater respect during negotiations- both for trade agreements and other diplomatic methods.

  Astrid had made a strong commitment with her training lately, spending just as much time with external elements as her own. And of course, that included training with John. If they weren’t compatible with external energy shaping, then dual cultivation would be foolish to attempt.

  Training had been going well. John found himself able to direct energy to anywhere that was needed in the battle formation- though for the moment they were limited in size. Alone, he could manage a combat formation of core element or darkness aligned cultivators numbering several hundred. Astrid’s addition slightly reduced that number but included cultivators of all elements, overall increasing the available power.

  Once she advanced to the Ascending Soul Phase, however, John expected that they could lead more than a thousand together. Of course, if John had infinite time he could train with every individual in his sect and achieve even greater results- but it was only practical to train closely with a few leaders individually, spending a similar amount of time with the whole group formation.

  As they moved into the city, they faced off against various battle formations the enemy held, but the core sects were being pushed back and the others were being slaughtered. Ascending Soul Phase cultivators of the air element and fire element led their own sects for the Sovereign Primacy, but John’s battle group was able to exploit their elemental weaknesses, focusing certain elements on different sides of the wedge shaped formation.

  John pushed forward, unconcerned about enemies pressing in from both sides. He parried a series of swift fist strikes from the air cultivator with his sword, his earth element extending the breadth of his weapon. The man on the right wielded a flaming whip, and he would have liked little more than to clash with the earth element John was using- but Astrid kept him at bay. She didn’t have the spare capacity to counterattack, even with the effects of the battle formation, but keeping a defensive posture was good enough.

  As he moved, John gathered water element. Freezing the flaming whip would be his first choice, but he also prepared fire element for a different alternative. And of course, there was always darkness element to hide his true intentions.

  Whether this ploy worked or not, John wasn’t in a hurry to win. He continued to stride forward at a measured pace, keeping their enemies on the back foot.

  If they were smart, they would turn to flee soon. Because Ursel was still fighting her way through some of the weaker sects- and the few Black Peaks cultivators foolish enough to stand on the side of the Sovereign Primacy, thinking it would provide them a greater chance of survival. Once she reached the frontlines, it seemed as if it would be two Ascending Soul Phase cultivators on either side- a balanced match- but Ursel and the Amber Heart cultivators in her wake would be highly disruptive to air element formations.

  Or Ursel might go directly for the fire cultivator and smash his head in. She could rely on her armor to protect her from attacks long enough to do some pretty serious damage… though John wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. He wasn’t going to disparage whichever choice his daughter made, though.

  The flaming whip came for John once more. This time, however, he stepped towards it, circling around Astrid and swapping positions. She fended off the air element cultivator with flashes of light and flame.

  The whip twisted around John’s sword, burning at the earth element. John’s water element reached out, intending to freeze the weapon- hoping to make it brittle. There was a physical core beneath the flames, and if that was destroyed the man’s attacks would be far less efficient. However, he had anticipated John’s counter and intensified the flames around his whip. Which was where John’s second phase kicked into gear. He also used fire element, focusing at the furthest point down the whip where his sword touched. Rather than trying to break through his opponent’s control and overwhelm his strength, he joined with it, intensifying the heat even more.

  John wasn’t certain quite which material the whip was made out of, but flexibility limited its possible compositions. In that instant when the man reflexively tried to heat it up… John made sure it happened. There was a glow and a puff of smoke, but sadly he didn’t get all the way through as the man pushed back against him. However, he was forced to pull back, disentangling his whip rather than trying to twist the weapon out of John’s hand.

  It was obvious their opponents weren’t terribly familiar with the city streets, as some of the fire element group broke off at an angled intersection. Or perhaps it was the air element cultivators that went the wrong way. The result was the same, a momentary disconnect in unified elements as they scrambled back into place. But just as a single opponent could provide an opening, so could a battle formation. John directed more spiritual energy towards the right flank, allowing them to push forward. Eventually, the wedge could curve around and begin to surround them.

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  Or they could just kill enough people that it didn’t matter.

  John’s company maintained forward pressure while other units struck various positions around the battlefield. They had already moved far past the walls, negating any defensive advantage that they provided- as long as they didn’t let themselves get flanked. But the enemy forces were not so overwhelming as to have the numbers, especially as they had to draw upon their defenses all around the city.

  Finding additional opportunities against the Ascending Soul Phase cultivators was difficult for John. He couldn’t always be as successful as he had been against Akash. If they had been the same element, he might have been able to come up with a plan, but the quick strikes of the air element cultivator matched with the sweeping whip of the fire element cultivator kept both him and Astrid on their toes.

  Until Ursel decided she was done fighting lesser cultivators. John had sensed her smashing her way through at least a few Consolidated Soul Phase cultivators of the air element. Being able to attack without reservations for defense made her a serious threat to those even slightly less powerful.

  Now she charged forward without reservation. John was glad she had chosen the air element cultivator, though he would be ready if she cut across the ranks at the last moment. It wasn’t out of the question for her to go from her favored element to a disfavored one.

  The focus of the other two Ascending Soul Phase cultivators had to shift as she approached. John just kept a general track of her, which was easy enough- he didn’t have to worry about her harming him unless he made a sudden and foolish movement.

  Ursel went straight for the air element cultivator, bringing a heavy stone club down towards the woman’s head. The air cultivator moved with great alacrity, sidestepping the attack and moving forward. Her fists struck Ursel several times, the sound ringing out. Even if they were supported by enchantments, her fist couldn’t easily cause damage. But she did have speed.

  The heavy club swiped at her again and again, but she relied on her speed to avoid Ursel’s attacks. Her targets changed, from various parts of the torso to fingers clutched around the club to Ursel’s waist, the side of her head, and anywhere she thought might be vulnerable.

  She was fast, and Ursel’s club was heavy. Ursel did manage to disrupt the formation, her earth element knocking back unrelated combatants as the ground shook. An excessive and flashy use of energy.

  That was how Ursel did her deception. Because while she was absolutely capable of fighting most opponents head-on, she knew when it wasn’t to her advantage. As her club sunk into the ground once more, the air cultivator struck her side.

  Ursel’s elbow came down, catching the woman’s fingers. To her credit, her reflexes and decisiveness were astounding. She yanked back her hand- heedless of the damage it caused. Better for her to break some fingers or her wrist than let Ursel get a hold of her arm.

  Meanwhile, John had to face only against the flaming whip… with Astrid’s support. His sword moved round and round to catch it at various points, bolstered by water to keep the man from gripping his weapon. He was looking for an opening… and got one when Astrid targeted the man’s face with a beam of light. His fire element training prevented a flare up, and he took no damage- but his eyes were briefly closed.

  John released a throwing dagger from his free hand, aligning his air element with the winds that were given off by the nearby air cultivators. It wasn’t performed perfectly, and the man’s flexible armor kept him from taking a serious injury as it struck his gut, but it provided an opening for John to step inside his reach, slashing with his blade.

  Ethereal flames crept along his blade, trying to devour the man’s own spiritual energy with Clinging Affliction. John’s self created technique was sometimes difficult to land, but if it wasn’t dealt with swiftly he could cause serious drain to enemy stores.

  John continued to press the attack, not wanting to give the fire cultivator a chance to dispel the flames eating away at him. Not peacefully. Astrid aided by throwing darts imbued with her power that sprang up into flickering towers of flame, blocking off part of his movements- unless he wished to take a hit.

  The two Ascending Soul Phase cultivators were being forced further apart. That was around the time Ursel broke her opponent’s hand. The air cultivator wisely made the decision to retreat, calling her company with her.

  That left John’s opponent with little choice but to run as well. John launched a few spears of ice at the man’s back, attempting to cause another injury. None were significant, but any future advantage over Ascending Soul Phase cultivators. Both sides had exchanged techniques which they would then learn from for later encounters.

  Ursel gave chase, but she focused her attacks on the weaker cultivators left behind. They weren’t exactly slow, but on a straightaway it was hard to get away from a more powerful cultivator. She still kept her swings intentionally slower, as she was still being observed by the air element cultivator.

  With the main force broken, John rallied his company to begin cleaning up the outer edge of the city. Whether they holed up inside sect grounds or fled the city, the continental alliance could afford to let the Sovereign Primacy cultivators pick. If they were smart, they’d cut their losses and run… but John wouldn’t mind toppling another peak on them.

  As for the local sects… it was one thing to capitulate to invaders, but quite another to then stand up against them. Any who had fought wouldn’t be making it out alive… and the remainder would be paying a price as well. Perhaps they should have completely exterminated them the last time through, as they had weakened the continent’s position. But that mistake wouldn’t be continuing. Any who could make their case for survival would nevertheless find themselves without any power in the region.