“The Screaming Wind Legion… has suffered a crushing defeat.” The old man collected his gaze. “There are at least dozens of corpses that account for this there… The Breathshadow Talismans they brought only have one use, and that is to isolate all spiritual-sense detection for a temporary period of time. Really, that sly old fox wants to take advantage of the Xingtian Legion having just entered, and eat them up. Unfortunately… kekeke…”

“Who wiped them out?” An old man at his side said lowly. “There’s no way a Qi Condensation insect can achieve something like this. It’s obviously the Xingtian Legion, but they can’t mobilize Foundation Establishment military power first. To do so before the four great clans use their own Seniors is to seek death. Ancestor Ancientpine cannot protect him. He dares not make this precedent.”

“Who wiped out the Screaming Wind Legion isn’t important…” Elsewhere, the old woman-spider’s eight legs hung from a skull. At her side, Nalan Cuo’s fiery gaze glared daggers at a faraway place. At the horizon, countless qi vortexes were rampaging without the concealment of Breathshadow Talismans!

The Scarlet Rakshasa’s eyes drew back, absent of the slightest reluctance. She locked her gaze on the White Tiger Palace in the sky. “What is important… is that in the Linghu Clan has ended up worse in their reckless daring as they tried to lure the chicken, only to lose the rice. Cultivating such elite cultivators for our clans is no easy feat. In this battle… the Qi Condensation group of the Screaming Wind Legion has lost at least a fifth. They…” She laughed loudly, “do not have enough forces in their stronghold!”

“You wish to attack the Linghu Clan?” Nalan Cuo’s gaze flashed, his voice containing incomparable heat. “Isn’t it better to settle things with the Xingtian Legion?”

“Wrong!” The old woman sneered, “Even if we can only use Qi Condensation power… the clan’s detection and manpower are far beyond Qi Condensation. This will be our root this time to steadily gain the upper hand. Even if the Xingtian Legion’s battle power was stronger, they’ll always lag a step behind, without eyes!”

“We and the other clans have almost a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators in total. Foundation Establishment spiritual sense is enough to cover every nook and cranny in Chengdu. Even now, Branchmaster Xu hasn’t come. According to our information, his last appearance was at Tianzi Mountain, and Tianzi Mountain’s surroundings are already brimming with ours and the other clans’ soldiers. Moreover, they’re focusing on all Phaseshift Talisman activity, and will sound the alarm in case… Once he shows up, he’s definitely going to be discovered!”

“Isn’t it just a question of when the Xingtian Legion will be kicked out?” Without Branchmaster Xu here, they’re just a pan of scattered sand! But… the Linghu Clan’s weakness is a situation hard to encounter even once in a century! Nalan Cuo… don’t forget…” She studied the other with thick killing intent. “Ancestor Ancientpine said that even if one command plate has been taken… there is no rule on the amount that a clan can take!”

“Rather than go kill a dog now, it is better to mount a tiger when it is sick. Take advantage of their illness and take their life. You see…” Her thin and wizened fingers pointed towards the sky. “the Zhao Clan’s Hunting Immortal Guard no longer has the patience to wait.”

Nalan Cuo lifted his head and looked. In the sky, a bright light had appeared all of a sudden in the Kindling Mulberry Wall! Flowing lights soared out of the city, tens… a hundred… until finally there were 600! Each silhouette resembled a raging flame! On their backs was a violet bow and arrow, making them seem like stars in the sky!

Bereft of hesitation, the Zhao Clan was the first to extend their fangs at the Linghu Clan!

At the border, the first cry of a bugle horn had already rang out, yet great changes had long since occurred on the battlefield! This horn directly stirred the interior ministries of the four clans which had just calmed down!

“Three days. We only have three days… Command… the Soulsearch Legion.” The old woman’s gaze was like fire. “All of them are to attack! Tonight, the Linghu Clan falls!”

The chess piece that Xu Yangyi had previously dropped finally exploded with its greatest power in this instant! 

He was a step ahead.

But it was a mere step ahead and nothing more! This step had caused all the clans to misjudge that he was still at Tianzi Mountain! Misjudge that the Xingtian Legion’s battle power was inadequate! They had shown weakness to their enemies, and on this battlefield of wolves circling in wait… the word ‘weakness’ had instead become their most natural camouflage!

Because they were weak, it was fine to kill them whenever! However, the destruction of the Linghu Clan’s hundred Screaming Wind riders was an extremely rare opportunity to attack and destroy the White Tiger Hall! The Linghu Clan ought to pay for their brazen daring!

“Report!!! Clan Elder! The Bluedawn Winding Corridor has moved! 534 of the Soulsearch Legion has been mobilized!” 

“Report! 604 of the Zhao Clan’s Hunting Immortal Guard is advancing towards the White Tiger Hall!”

“Report!”

“GET LOST!!!”

The third person hadn’t even shouted, already slapped out by the changpao-wearing old man who towered before the apex of the White Tiger Hall’s apex!

“How… How did this happen!!!” He pulled his hand back and ruthlessly smashed a table, in the next second! A booming noise rang out, and the stone table instantly turned into fine powder. The wrinkles covering his old face were already filled with pain, deep worry, and heavy disbelief!

“Father, what are we doing now?”

“Clan Elder? What should we do now? They clearly know about our operation. Our current soldiers simply aren’t enough to go toe-to-toe with them!”

“The Foundation Establishment legions were left at the clan grounds! We only have control over 3,400 Qi Condensation cultivators right now! Their only specialized cultivators; there’s no difference between them and sheep on the battlefield!”

“I know!!!” the old man snarled angrily. Due to his great rage, the muscles on his face had some traces of demonization. He furiously threw the cane in his hand and gritted his teeth. “Command the vanguard… to return and defend at once! The White Tiger Hall is activating all defensive measures! The number of people able to come back is just that! Guard the White Tiger Hall to the death!”

“Yes!”

In a twinkling, everyone left. The old man clutched at his heart, and his silhouette flickered, appearing once more on top the tiger’s head. All of a sudden, however, heaven and earth seemed to transform!

Boom…

 A resounding shaking noise passed into the ear. In the black night, seven coffins, each one over a hundred meters tall, quietly left the Bluedawn Winding Corridor, smashing into the ground one after another.

“The Nalan Clan’s Reincarnation Puppets…” He firmly gnashed his teeth, his gaze turning to the other side.

There, under the sky, the Sky Universe Palace’s giant crane was already soaring through the air. It spread wide its giant wings, both appendages nearly twenty kilometers long. The distant droning in the air echoed like a bugle horn, gloomy and stifling as it traveled through the horizon!

Following this sound, two hawk-like demonbeasts that were two kilometers long flew out. Jade-green runes revolved around their sides, and countless cultivators rode floating artifacts to surround and protect them. On these artifacts, there was likewise a strand of spiritual light tethered to the Sky Universe Palace!

“The Lou Clan’s Heavenly Demon Mothership…” The old man’s heart was set aflame. It was the descendant of the Lou Clan’s clan-protector demonbeast! Exactly half-step Foundation Establishment! Perhaps these beasts wouldn’t pose a fatal threat to lone cultivators, but they were invincible against fortresses and cities! No less than a thousand equipped cultivators were garrisoned on it! It could be said to be a true moving fortress!

What was the appearance of these siege weapons meant to accomplish?

His face was ashen. The conclusion went without saying! Three clans… had actually chosen to ignore the Xingtian Legion and attack the Linghu Clan!

“Why… Who was it?” In some disappointment, his pale hair fanned around him in the absence of fierce winds. He felt his heart ache, unable to speak. “Where… did I go wrong?”

“On this night… His Excellency Ruler’s condition was completely changed… Which clan didn’t arrange following tactics? The Linghu Clan barely has a thousand Breathshadow Talismans… I handed out a tenth of them… The dispatched were twelve seeds leading the Screaming Wind Legion’s vanguard… Their leader has passed away… How have I erred?”

“Who is it that can obstruct an official legion of a noble clan?”

Xu Yangyi was merely a step ahead, yet the situation had shifted over to this scenario! The first to face the danger of extermination wasn’t the Xingtian Legion, but the infinitely stronger Linghu Clan!

Xu Yangyi was none the wiser. He was of heart to plant a willow tree, and he had received such a good seed. With the fall of this seed, the chessboard of seemingly four powerhouses and one weakling was actually beginning to gradually shift!

The present him had just now opened his eyes. In front of him, everyone from the Xingtian Legion, Hidden Dragon Legion, and his allies were looking at him with deep concern. He didn’t speak straightaway, but rather spoke a few words first to Mao Ba’er through spiritual sense. Afterwards, he looked at the crowd behind him.

He was unaware of how long he meditated, but the sky was still pitch-black now, the strong scent of blood wafting through the air. Behind the crowd was a tract of scorched earth. The heads of dozens of white tigers were strewn here, their bodies pierced will all kinds of magik artifacts. There were swords, blades, and loops made of heavenly treasures… All of their spiritual light was dim.

In front of a black tiger, scores of riders had already been eliminated. Each one bore scars all over their bodies, but his gaze suddenly jumped.

The face guards of these riders had been shattered. What was revealed underneath these masks was surprisingly not young people, but old men!

“This is what happens when longevity is burned down until nothing is left. One enters directly a state of old age.” The demon slayer’s eyes flashed with a wisp of respect. The Linghu Clan’s forces was barely a hundred riders, yet they made him feel such great menace. Nonetheless, he soon looked at everyone present. The expressions on each of the survivors’ faces seemed unchanged, but there was a substantial transformation.

While their expressions had not changed, their essences, qi, and spirits had. Now, his newcomer allies had seen blood and participated in a battle of cultivators. The remaining people weren’t many, but each one could be said to be excellent by some.

“Fellow Daoist Xu.” A familiar person walked out and clasped hands. “Only thirty remain of the Zhao Clan’s 78 elites. The Hidden Dragon Legion lost ten people.”

Xu Yangyi nodded. Yes, he really wasn’t without the slightest assistance this time! None had expected that besides the Xingtian Legion, there was another seemingly out-of-place power who had joined this chaotic war!

Longsu’s Zhao Clan!

Men died for riches, and birds died for feed. Once the four great clans gained a foothold, Longsu’s native cultivators would have no choice but to submit under the pressure of the clans that were bound to advance into an apex power. Otherwise, they could only leave. But rather than this, why not choose someone they’d once cooperated with? Especially since the other’s reward was so generous.

Xu Yangyi slightly lowered his chin, expressing his understanding. However, his thoughts weren’t on this, and he instead ran his eyes through the surroundings. He said brightly, “Everyone, I believe all of you see.”

“None of us have experienced this kind of battle, including me. However, this was only the first. Next, we’ll be facing the enemy stronghold. We’ll be up against enemies that are many times more fierce than this time!”

“Don’t be afraid that you don’t understand. Be afraid that you are unlearned.” His expression was indifferent, yet revealed a kind of confidence. Regardless, his name was Xu Yangyi, the famous cultivator who was able to break through Danxia Temple. Along with his sword today, even the powerful aid of the Zhao Clan and their elder, who was two to three times older than he, said nothing and instead listened respectfully.

“Since I’ve come, I want to survive. We can only adapt to this battlefield. We’re spring chickens, but that doesn’t mean we can’t become the winners!” He looked over everyone like a wolf, and licked his lips. “If we can ultimately plant a banner in this land, then it has to be our Xingtian Legion’s flag!”

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