The Ashes Sovereign

Chapter 17

The breach in the wall turned into a killing ground.

Sect elites pushed deeper into the valley. If they advanced far enough, they could reach the inner cavern, the very heart of Azure Ruin’s ancient legacy. If that place fell, all would be lost.

Lin Yue rushed to hold the broken wall. He fought beside the last remaining fragment‑bearers. They poured every last drop of their shared mist‑power to seal the breach. Silver‑grey fog swirled and hardened into new stone. Slowly, painfully, they closed the gap. But the cost was terrible. Most of those who carried power fragments were now spent, unable to fight further.

Outside, the sect army was also exhausted. Thousands had fallen. Their elite ranks were badly thinned. The once‑confident elders watched from afar. They saw their grand final assault stall. They could feel their army’s will to fight slipping away.

Many ordinary sect soldiers no longer wished to keep dying for the council’s vengeance. Whispers of mutiny spread among their ranks.

Inside Azure Ruin, the valley’s defenders were worn to their limits as well. Few uninjured fighters remained. Yet they stood firm. They fought for their homes, for refugees who had found safety here.

Lin Yue understood this moment. The sect army’s resolve was cracking. He chose to take a risky step. Instead of only continuing to defend, he climbed onto the broken rampart and called out across the battlefield. He spoke directly to the ordinary cultivators in the enemy host, not only to the council elders.