The flag silently flew in the wind.

After an unknown passage of time, a cultivator below sat down with a thud. Immediately, quite a few people followed and landed on their butts. They had long since been overdrafted. When the Reincarnation Puppet began to shrink, however, the heavenly calamity had already dissipated into smoke.

“We survived…” a cultivator shakily watched his hand and suddenly exploded with a shout, “WE SURVIVED!!!”

“We won!!! Victory!!!” 

“Hahaha! A famous Reincarnation Puppet! The Reincarnation Puppet that can wipe out a clan! We survived! We won!”

“It’s hard to imagine, huh! Hahaha! We won! Victory!”

There weren’t too many other words that were said. Right now, the words “survived” and “won” had become their joint vocabulary.

There were some who cheered, some who remained silent, and some who sadly wept. But there were even more cultivators who hugged each other despite their sweat-soaked clothing, and sharply cried out.

Yer regardless of who it was, the excitement on their faces overflowed into their speech!

Zhao Wuye sat down and took a cigarette out from his clothing. With a trembling snap, he ignited it and took a deep drag.

A new lease on life after calamity… 

Tonight’s wind was so crisp. Although their bodies seemed to be in shambles, excitement left them unwilling to sit down and meditate.

“This is a Reincarnation Puppet, huh…” Zhao Fenglai walked over to his side, his face likewise pale. His voice was just floaty. “I never thought… never thought… The Foundation that the Nalan Clan has reached to this day; in the entire cultivation world there are only twenty Reincarnation Puppets… W-We actually did it…” He didn’t continue speaking, his Adam’s apple violently trembling. Eventually, he said to Zhao Wuye, “Give me one.”

“But you don't smoke?” Zhao Wuye laughed dryly, his voice somewhat raspy. He flung over a cigarette and gazed into the sky, repeating in a trance, “This… is a Reincarnation Puppet…”

Flap… 

In the sky, a banner fluttered, yet no dispatched soldiers came.

The Linghu Clan’s devastation soon to come, the other clans didn’t want to become the next Linghu Clan. However, upon pondering, some clan cultivators discovered that from entering the battlefield until now, each unforeseen event was actually connected to the Xingtian Legion.

The Xingtian Legion had eaten up a hundred riders of the Screaming Wind Legion’s central forces, leading the Linghu Clan to be attacked from all sides. And now… they had surprisingly kicked it up a notch and killed a Reincarnation Puppet!

This was a shining sword in the face of the other clans!

“Xingtian Legion…” On a table, the Crimson Rakshasa’s hand occasionally curled into a fist and then relaxed. 

“This legion… truly cannot be underestimated too much…” Even though she was extremely unwilling in her heart, she still gritted out, “If we look down on them… we might be devoured whole…”

“Clan Elder!” At this time, a man in front of her cupped his hands in respect, a murderous aura permeating his face. “Nalan Yanran is willing to lead fifty of the Soulsearch Legion to destroy the Xingtian Legion!”

His appearance was beautiful. He was surprisingly a man with a woman’s facial features, yet his temperament left one feeling that there lay no conflict in this.

“He actually damaged an invaluable Reincarnation Puppet… His sin is deserving of ten thousand deaths!”

The woman-spider indifferently brushed an eye over the man, and a bitter smile surfaced in her heart.

You want to go?

“Nalan Liusu has been completely eradicated. Henceforth, the Nalan Clan will no longer have Holy Maiden Liusu,” she said apathetically.

Nalan Yanran fell into a daze, disbelief soon overtaking his face, and said, “Holy Maiden Liusu… T-The Madam didn’t return?”

“I’ll say it again.” The Crimson Rakshasa looked at him and said, “Her soul form was completely eradicated.”

Nalan Yanran gasped sharply, but the anger on his face had oddly disappeared.

“The Linghu Clan cannot be let off, don’t move against him,” she said icily, “Could it be you’re thinking of becoming the second Linghu Clan?”

Foundation Establishment spiritual senses strangely appeared and strangely vanished. The Xingtian Legion had hoisted Xu Yangyi's banner. A minute later, the demon slayer quietly took the flag down and stowed it away.

A sword drawn out was fine.

What has shocked him, however, was the Spirit Ascending Bamboo. He was unaware of what the organism ate, but unexpectedly… it had started to grow roots?

“Could it be that it was previously in some kind of false death state?” He waved his hand and collected the bamboo stalk. “Ten Grand Immortal Physiques, the Voidspirit Physique… I’ve never heard of it. I’ll have to look up information when I head back.”

All of these events seemed long, but in fact had only lasted several minutes or so.

He withdrew his gaze, looked below, and nodded. Immediately, he looked to his rear.

Things weren’t done yet… His expression appeared calm, but his heart was seething with murder!

This killing intent was for Zhao Ziqi.

A single Nalan Liusu still wasn’t enough for him to offer sacrifices to the youth’s soul.

Swish!

 His figure became an afterimage. Both his wings shook free, and he quickly rushed down!

Originally, everyone in the sky was still planning on saying something, but they saw the direction of Xu Yangyi’s charge. A cold glint flashed through each of their eyes.

The Screaming Wind Legion… 

“Striking while the iron’s hot is good…” Lord Zhao laughed coldly and dived down from the hawk-puppet he was sitting on. Two orbs of qi had already started to form in his hands. “And that still depends on whether this fire is big enough… Don’t go plundering, or you’ll be the one to burn to death instead.”

One by one, the cultivators below all stood up.

Those cheering stopped crying out in happiness. Using their scant remaining strength, they hefted up their Spirit Accumulation Cannons and aimed behind them without need for explanation.

Zhao Wuye pinched out his cigarette. He didn’t use a spirit cannon, but rather spat out a longsword from his mouth. He sucked in a deep breath of air and turned around, killing intent coursing through him.

The Screaming Wind Legion was completely dumbfounded.

The Reincarnation Puppet… had died?

They dared not believe it. As the behemoth’s opponent in these several battles, how many lives had filled it? Moreover, no one had ever broken out from inside. Yet now someone had accomplished this feat.

It wasn’t until a wave of frank murderous aura buffeted their faces did the Screaming Wind captain react!

No good… 

Those in front of them were not weary soldiers, in no way a grieving army! 

Sopping wet with cold sweat, his hand tightly clenched his longspear, and his eyes swept through the faces of all the opposing cultivators. At this moment, among any single one of the Xingtian Legion’s soldiers, where were those traces of despair from a little while ago?

“Retreat… RETREAT!” he shouted loudly and made a sharp turn on his heels!

However at this time, an azure figure was strangely blocking the front of them.

“My Linghu Clan and your Dao Sect have neither injustice nor hatred…” The captain glared daggers at the Daoist facing him. Already, fear and alarm were twisting together in his heart. “Fellow Daoist… you…”

Xuan Chengzi said nothing, but took his sword and threw it to the ground. Shortly after the clanging noise of the sword piercing into the ground rang out, both his hands formed a seal. The ruined sword surprisingly exploded into a mass of qi that was tens of meters tall! In addition, the qi expanded to both sides and formed a light curtain of sword qi!

“Sword Overlooks The Primordial Void.” The sword-cultivator took a deep breath. “Although I can’t stop you, I’m confident that I can slow you all for a minute.”

Done speaking, he collapsed on his feet.

Finished… 

In his swiftly closing eyes, he saw Xu Yangyi’s serene face, but below this serenity was a terrible murderous aura. 

All is done… 

“Ten Cardinals Red Lotus…” In the sky, Xu Yangyi deeply studied the collapsed Xuan Chengzi and said nothing. With a wave of his hand, Falling Moon welcomed the wind and flourished. From the air, a dragon of black fire screamed and spread forth! It was no less than dozens of meters in size, slashed down from high up in the sky!

BANG!!!

 Perhaps the dragon’s might couldn’t be considered too great, but the attack’s momentum was enough to jolt the eye. Xu Yangyi was like a soaring goose, and a swoosh echoed! In an instant, the head of a somewhat sluggish reserve soldier from the Screaming Wind Legion flew up!

As rocketing blood followed, Xu Yangyi took a step before the curtain of sword qi. His hand gripping Falling Moon, and black fire lingering on his form, he resembled a descending god of war!

“Want to run?” His reaper-like gaze cut across each face of the Screaming Wind Legion. “Ask if the people behind me agree.”

This was a war devoid of others’ wellbeing.

Morale ebbed and flowed between two sides. For one to rise, the other had to fall, a discussion long since without mention of equality. After barely ten-odd minutes, Xu Yangyi stood on a bloody patch of land with his blade stabbed into the chest of the Screaming Wind Legion’s captain.

Here, the last twenty-three riders of the Screaming Wind Legion had fallen. He could already imagine the face now of the Linghu Clan’s clan master.

“Everyone risked their lives without thought of safety. I definitely won’t disappoint all of you.” Needless of any more wasted words, he cupped his hands towards the Zhao Clan and the Hidden Dragon Legion. “Right now, recovering is the most important. The Xingtian Legion is to defend the Featherwood Guard. The Hidden Dragon Legion will follow. Each legion will have an eight-hour guard shift.”

“Alright.” Lord Zhao nodded. “And Ziqi?”

Xu Yangyi gritted his teeth and took a long sigh, “I’m sorry.”

“How?” Zhao Wuye bolted up, his eyes going round. “W-What happened to him?”

Xu Yangyi opened his mouth a few times, but nothing ultimately came out. He silently stood in place.

“He died?” Lord Zhao looked at Xu Yangy in shock. Less than three seconds later, he suddenly broke into a fit of soft laughter. “Fellow Daoist Xu, you think much.”

“What?” Xu Yangyi snapped his head up. This attitude… Could it be that Zhao Ziqi hadn’t died?

“The Netherpierce Eye is neither human nor ghost. Has Fellow Daoist Xu ever heard of a ghost dying again?” Lord Zhao finished laughing and sighed deeply. “Ziqi’s form has to be reaccumulated, that’s all… The time may be long… but it also might be short…”

Zhao Ziqi actually hadn’t died?

Xu Yangyi stared blankly for several seconds, only then digesting this information. He had taken the youth in with him, the other continuing to call him brother. He, who had lost his family as a child, quite longed for this kind of relationship.

“I owe him a favor,” he sighed in relief. “Is the Zhao Clan fine with handing this matter over to me?”

“We’re fine with it, absolutely fine with it!” Lord Zhao’s gaze brightened, and he immediately nodded.

What a joke, looks like the two of them improved their friendship inside the Reincarnation Puppet, eh… If the pill master behind Branchmaster Xu agrees to act, it’ll be the Zhao Clan’s time to shine once Ziqi finishes reforming!

Xu Yangyi didn’t spare another word, reaching towards his storage ring with a swipe and spraying out pill-elixir.

A cultivator took a glance, and his eyes quickly shone.

“Spirit Mending Elixir?!” He almost didn't risk believing his eyes. “Qi absorption speed is increased 30%. It lasts for twenty-four hours! I-I’ve only seen it on middle-stage elites!

“What’s the fuss!” Zhao Wuye didn’t hold his breath. 

Can you not show off how much of a country bumpkin you are?! There’s always a person behind someone else! Someone else, you get it? What can a couple bottles of pill-elixir be considered?

Chu Zhaonan didn’t utter a second word, and down the bottle in a gulp. He furrowed his brows and stretched out his hand. “I’ll be taking a couple back with me.”

Xu Yangyi likewise didn’t mince words and tossed the bottles over. The skill of his throw caused the hearts of the Zhao Clan cultivators to tremble.

What if the bottles break on the ground? Can’t you pay a little bit more attention to the effect?

Lord Zhao sighed faintly. It appeared that the Zhao Clan and the other two parties were working together this time, but there was a difference of close and distant in relationships. This, he could see. He didn’t have the nerve to question further, but Chu Zhaonan had opened his mouth as he wanted.

“Starting now, the Xingtian Legion will keep watch for eight hours, and then we’ll rotate between the three groups.” Upon seeing everyone take pill-elixir, Xu Yangyi took a deep breath, his eyes like fire as he gazed at the night sky. “If I’m not mistaken… the White Tiger Hall won’t be able to hold on for long.”

Over yonder at the sky’s end was a spinning ocean of four intertwined qi lights. Murderous auras raced through the approaching clouds and stars, turning the region into an absolute domain.

“The first great curtain of this war is already about to fall.”

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