Junior sister took first place again

The mysterious light wheel in the center of the Yuntai Golden Palace spun with a loud bang, and the thirteen jade plates turned into streams of light and disappeared into the void.

"The second round of the attack and defense draw begins." The Supervisory Elder swept his whisk across the roulette wheel. "The defenders must immediately deploy their defenses on the designated floating islands after the draw."

Five island-guarding talismans flew into the Cloud Pavilion in full view of the crowd. As the Fuyu Pavilion, home to the Xingchen Sect, lit up, the corresponding talismans transformed into the golden shadow of Thousand Blade Island—a result of the random designation of Heaven.

Lu Xingyan gently stroked the tear on his Xinggui robe and smiled bitterly, "Jinxiang Island... is 30% more difficult than expected."

"That's all right." The fellow disciple summoned the Twenty-Eight Mansions Formation Plate. "The Star Sand Transplantation Technique we accumulated on Earth Phase Island in the first round is perfect for use on the Metal Storm."

"Go ahead, it takes time to set up defense."

Lu Xingyan nodded, led a few people into the teleportation array and disappeared.

The Xuanling Sect was drawn to be the attacking side this time.

Ning Jiasheng pinned the spiritual power markers of the eight attacking teams onto the cloud map:

"The Bishui Sect will definitely seize the Shuixiang Island to avenge their humiliation, and the Hehuan Palace will definitely choose the Muxiang Island to defeat the Qingdi Platform. The remaining three islands--" The fire on his fingertips wandered between the gold, earth, and fire islands.

Wen Yan presented the first round of damage reports: "The Fire-phase Flowing Flame Reef has a 79% damage rate, and its earth veins are of the lowest value. The Earth-phase Falling Star was originally modified by the Xingchen Sect, but..."

He suddenly tapped some data, "The Star Mark Ore Vein on Jinxiang Qianren Island has revived!"

Wen Yan sprinkled the star sand seized in the first round onto the spiritual energy sample, and the metallurgical sample suddenly swallowed up the star sand: "The star sand showed a soul-devouring reaction in the metal. This is the unique weapon refining method of the Xingchen Sect!"

"The Xingchen Sect guards Thousand Blade Island."

Lan Ying unfolded the Zhou Tian Bao Jian (The Mirror of the Heavenly Zhou) and said, "Star-patterned black iron! The core material for forging array-breaking devices. If the Xingchen Sect were to fully control it..."

"They can blockade all the islands in subsequent rounds."

Everyone's breath froze.

Ning Jiasheng's flames burned scorch marks on the projection of Qianren Island. "Changxing Gate is defending this time. Other attackers dare not touch this tough bone."

She drew seven more attacking trajectories. "Look, five of the eight teams are converging on the Water and Fire Islands."

Qiu Rumo suddenly realized: "Senior Sister wants to take advantage of the chaos to seize strategic resources! But we don't need to refine weapons?"

"But we need to stop the Xingchen Sect from monopolizing it."

Ning Jiasheng unleashed a sword, and the sword light split the cloud map. "If Lu Xingyan can refine the star pattern ore into a Zhoutian array, all the floating islands will become their star sand domain tomorrow."

When the six beams of light broke through the clouds, everyone was surprised to see that the originally violent metal storm had condensed into a star map.

Millions of sharp blades were embedded with microscopic star patterns, forming a flowing Zhoutian star array in the void - this was the astonishing transformation that the Xingchen Sect completed within a few hours after randomly drawing the Jinxiang Island.

"Good move." Ning Jiasheng deflected the incoming star blade with the tip of his sword. "He managed to transform the killing golden energy into a carrier of star power."

The six people stopped, and Ning Jiasheng released the three wooden puppets seized in the previous round. They disguised themselves as attackers and approached Qianren Island, but were instantly shredded by the metal storm.

Ning Jiasheng caught the flash of star patterns between the storms: "The Seven Killing Stars have old injuries, left by the first round of poison from the Blue Water Sect!"

Lan Ying activated her Wood Spiritual Roots, and a tingling sensation emanated from the Star Pattern Ore deep within the earth's veins. "They're using the veins as the centerpiece of the formation. The core has already merged with the Star Sand!"

"Sure enough, they are casting the Eternal Star Array."

Ning Jiasheng crushed the star sand seized in the first round, and the fragments revealed the direction of the mineral vein in the fire. "Junior Brother Wen, prepare the Guishui mines - they are specially designed to destroy the metal-phase earth veins!"

While several other teams were fighting on Liuyan Reef, six people from Xuanling Sect broke into Qianren Island.

As Lu Xingyan raised his Star Track Banner, Ning Jiasheng's sword tip touched his old wound. "Did Fellow Daoist Lu know that poisoned Star Track Ore will repel cinnabar?"

The sound of metal cracking was heard from underground, and the thirty-six array points buried by the Xingchen Sect suddenly became unbalanced.

Shi Yan detonated the Guishui mine, and the lightning, which was fused with the poisonous green water, followed the veins straight to the core, and the Xingsha formation began to devour itself.

"You deliberately revealed your tactical tendencies..."

Lu Xingyan looked at the gradually crystallizing Star Pattern Ore and said, "Let us mistakenly think that you are going to attack Earth Phase Island."

Ning Jiasheng's sword crushed the last piece of the formation's core. "If I hadn't released the paper crane to explore Earth Phase Island, how could I have allowed you to transfer 70% of the star sand to forge the Falling Star Field?"

When the gold list showed that Xuanling Sect had won Thousand Blade Island, the spectators were shocked to realize the truth:

The Star Pattern Mineral Vein was destroyed, and the Star Sect was unable to manufacture the Zhoutian Formation Plate.

The Bishui Sect captured the Shuixiang Island, but lost the strategic value of the Poisoned Jinxiang Island.

Xuanling Sect obtained the key material to break the formation, the star-patterned black iron.

"What a great Dragon-Severing Technique!" The elder of the Sword-Forging Villa slammed the jade table to pieces. "On the surface, they're fighting for an island, but in reality, they're destroying the entire situation!"

Lu Xingyan stroked the crystallized mineral vein and smiled bitterly: "Fellow Daoist Lin chose Jinxiang Island not to win this round."

"It's to win the entire competition." Ning Jiasheng shook off the star sand from his sleeves. "Now, all the floating islands are back to the same starting line."