Shicang continued explaining himself. "The butcher's sudden death sent alarm bells ringing in my head—I needed to do something to strengthen myself, and absorbing his troops into mine isn't a bad idea."

The elder clutched his wound as he shouted, "Help! Help!"

Shicang smiled. "There's no need to try to call for help. Listen closely—none of them have the freedom to help you."

To the elder's shock and dismay, a huge commotion could be heard outside his tent as the sura troops fought against one another.

Shicang continued, "While you were worrying about what had happened to your king, I killed and resurrected most of your troops as corpses."

The elder shouted, "Don't you think the monarch of stars will be...