Northern Yang Dao.
A barren mountain, its summit.
Xu Wencai, dressed in feather fan and scholar's robe, stood atop a massive rock, surveying the terrain within a radius of 100 miles. Before him, two Eastern Depot eunuchs stood guard while unfolding a massive map of Northern Yang Dao.
Holding a brush, he marked and traced upon it. After a long while, he slowly set the brush down.
"It's finished. Deliver it to General Feng Yong."
"Yes! Grand Chancellor!"
One of the eunuchs rolled up the scroll and carried out the order.
"Cough, cough—"
A breeze brushed past. Xu Wencai, his temples streaked with gray, coughed twice. Gazing down upon the endless rivers and mountains beneath the sun and moon, he let out a long sigh.
"The mountains are high and the rivers are distant—it is like beholding the blue heavens."
"Old Xu."
Chen Duhe spat out the blade of foxtail grass in his mouth. "What are you sighing about now?"
"Heh."
Xu Wencai smiled faintly. "This old minister merely laments that heaven and earth are vast, while I am but a mortal with limited lifespan. I will not be able to continue assisting His Majesty forever."
"Oh."
Chen Duhe gave a noncommittal response. After a moment's pause, he said calmly, "Then how about I refine you into a zombie?"
Xu Wencai shook his head with a wry smile. "Your Highness certainly has an unconventional train of thought. But such sinister techniques damage the Heavenly Dao. Even if successful, they would not be tolerated by heaven and earth. Your Highness should spare this old minister."
Over the years, he had studied numerous cultivation texts. As far as matters of cultivation were concerned, he understood quite a bit.
"Rather, Your Highness should continue cultivating diligently. In the future, you can assist His Majesty in conquering Heavenly Water Isle and restoring the Great Dao."
Chen Duhe yawned, clearly showing little interest.
Xu Wencai shook his head and said no more. Instead, he gazed up at the heavens and counted upon his fingers.
"Northern Yang Dao is about to receive rain. It is the perfect time to send out troops."
"Hey, Old Xu."
Chen Duhe suddenly perked up. "Even though you're just a mortal, some of your abilities are things even cultivators don't have. Like observing celestial phenomena—why don't you teach me?"
"Your Highness holds a noble status. Such techniques, burdened with the five deficiencies and three lacks, are best not touched."
Xu Wencai said, "Your Highness, please leave this place with me. It is time to rendezvous with the main army and march toward Heavenly Water Isle."
Nanling Town.
Ever since several years ago, the Heavenly Assault Army had been stationed here.
This force of the Heavenly Assault Army numbered over 5,000 troops. They had been selected and assembled from the once-renowned Northern Liang army, along with elite forces drawn from throughout the Great Han Dynasty.
In the eyes of the local people, they were no different from heavenly soldiers and divine generals.
This was because the mounts they rode were not conventional warhorses.
Instead, they were "heavenly steeds" that people had previously only seen in storybooks or heard about from storytellers in teahouses.
Some ran across the ground like lightning, while others flew through the sky like rolling thunder. Combined with cavalry clad in armor and wielding weapons, drilling day and night above the firmament, their majestic divine might inspired awe in all who saw them.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
On this day—
War drums suddenly sounded, shaking the land within a radius of 100 miles.
The familiar sight of heavenly soldiers drilling appeared once more. The clouds high above began to churn as heavenly steeds spread their wings, carrying soldiers clad in bright armor as they charged straight toward the nine heavens.
"Look!"
"What is that—how is that ship flying in the sky?!"
"It really is!"
"Immortals! The armies of our Great Han are heavenly soldiers and divine generals!"
Clang—
Upon the leading warship, Feng Yong raised his long blade high. His voice rang out like a great bell, echoing across heaven and earth.
"Set out—advance!"
Northern Yang Dao.
Across the land that was currently engulfed in bloody slaughter, dense dark clouds had unknowingly gathered overhead.
Crack—
With a thunderclap splitting the clear sky, torrential rain began to pour down, washing over the muddy ground stained with blood and the steep mountain peaks alike.
Within Daze Market, security had become stricter than ever before.
Members of the Li family, disciples of the Shengyun Sect, and the vast majority of the Demon-Suppression Bureau had all gathered here, protecting the safety of the Demon-Smiting Grand Formation.
"Reporting to the Ancestor!"
"Jiang Shang, City Lord of Ronghua City, has defected to the demonic sect! The guest cultivators in the city have also joined forces with people from the Seven Kill Sect!"
"Ancestor, the Eighth Prince has disappeared!"
"Someone saw Elder Shouzhongzi fighting fiercely with demonic cultivators near Dafeng Mountain. Afterward, the two chased each other away, and there is still no news!"
"Many of Qu Lingchuan's people have colluded with the Seven Kill Sect!"
"Internal strife has erupted within the Zhang family!"
Under the blood sacrifice, the entire Northern Yang Dao had fallen into utter chaos.
"Ancestor! What should we do next?"
Li Sheng, the Li family's ancestor, said in a deep voice, "It has nothing to do with us. Just handle our own affairs."
"B-but—"
A young disciple said with great conflict, "Are we really not sending any men out? If no one intervenes soon, I'm afraid all the mortals in the entire Northern Yang Dao will be slaughtered!"
"So what if they're slaughtered? What does that have to do with us?!"
Li Sheng said expressionlessly, "If something happens to the Demon-Smiting Grand Formation, that will be the disaster that wipes out my Li family!
"Go. Gather every outsider guest cultivator in the market whose combat strength is above Foundation Establishment and bring them all to the main peak!"
"Yes!"
After sending one person away, another group soon came hurrying back.
This time, it was none other than Shengyun Sect disciple Peng Rui.
He rushed back in a panic and said bluntly, "Elder Shouzhongzi has encountered a powerful enemy and cannot extricate himself. We hurried back specifically to check on things here. How is the situation?"
"So it is little Daoist Friend Peng."
Li Sheng said, "Everything is as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary."
"You must be careful!"
Looking at the torrential rain, Peng Rui's expression was grim. "Today, someone will definitely try to take advantage of the chaos to sabotage the Demon-Smiting Grand Formation."
"Rest assured, little Daoist Friend."
Li Sheng said confidently, "Including the people from the Demon-Suppression Bureau, there are more than 400 cultivators inside and outside the market. The main peak is also protected by a mountain-guarding formation, and with this old man here, unless 1,000 demonic cultivators attack all at once, or a Golden Core comes in person, everything will remain absolutely secure!"
Market, teleportation formation.
"By order of the Ancestor!"
"All guest cultivators are to proceed to the main peak and protect the grand formation!"
"By order of the Ancestor, all—"
Several cultivators tasked with relaying orders flew through the air above the market on flying swords, continuously announcing the command.
This place was mainly responsible for guarding the teleportation formation, but in truth, the defenses were not particularly strict, nor were there many people here. After all, the teleportation formation had not been activated for many years.
"Brother Qu?!"
Passing through the area, Xu Youliang urged, "Why are you still standing around here? Come with us to the main peak and guard the Demon-Smiting Grand Formation."
"But..."
Qu Lingchuan said, "What about the teleportation formation? Are we just ignoring it?"
"What's there to care about?"
Xu Youliang said in confusion. "Wouldn't it be enough to just take away the token?"
"Mhm. Daoist Friend Xu makes a good point."
Qu Lingchuan said, "You go ahead first. I'll be there shortly."
Fine.
Xu Youliang said nothing more and flew away.
Before long, only Qu Lingchuan and a very few others remained near the teleportation formation. One of them came before him and lowered his voice.
"Daoist Friend Qu, we can begin."
"Are you certain?"
Qu Lingchuan looked at him. "You really have confidence?"
Once the teleportation formation was opened, there would be no turning back for him.
"That Golden Core has already been lured away by His Majesty's scheme. The great army of Great Han is waiting just outside the teleportation formation."
The Tianyong City Commandant said, "Daoist Friend Qu, please activate the formation at once. Do not delay the appointed time!"
"I understand."
Qu Lingchuan had once sworn a Heavenly Dao Oath himself, so naturally he did not dare violate it. After a moment of silence, he spoke toward the front.
"Daoist Friend Zhuang, is the teleportation formation token on you?"
The teleportation formation linking to Eastern Divine Continent required both a primary token and a secondary token in order to be formally activated.
"Naturally, it's on me."
The cultivator surnamed Zhuang came over upon hearing the call. "Brother Qu, what is it?"
"Nothing."
Qu Lingchuan made as if to leave, but at the instant he turned around, he suddenly unleashed his flying sword. His mana surged wildly as he shouted, "I'll borrow your token for a moment!"
Cultivator Zhuang was completely unprepared. Struck directly in a vital spot, he lost all ability to resist on the spot and collapsed to the ground, barely clinging to life.
"Daoist Friend Qu? Y-you—what are you doing?!"
Several cultivators likewise tasked with guarding the teleportation formation were horrified. Those who reacted quickly fled at once, while those left standing in a daze were easily cut down.
"Br-Brother Qu..."
Blood continuously spilled from the corner of Cultivator Zhuang's mouth. He stared in disbelief at the brother with whom he had drunk and laughed day after day, and with great difficulty forced out the question, "Wh-why—"
"The Immortal Path and Great Dao leave me no choice. Brother Zhuang, I'm sorry. Let us be brothers again in the next life."
Qu Lingchuan calmly finished him off, then quickly searched out the other token and set it into the groove together with the primary token and the spirit stones.
The teleportation formation activated at once. Space began to distort, until it finally condensed into an azure vortex, signaling that it had formally linked to Eastern Divine Continent.
Rumble—
Across the dim sky overhead, streaks of lightning first flashed like a spiderweb, followed by rolling thunder so deafening it shook the heavens.
Above the main peak of Daze, they saw with their own eyes that on the summit of another mountain, within the curtain of rain, a gigantic teleportation formation silently appeared.
"Unnamed Mountain?"
Li Sheng sat cross-legged, yet not a trace of rainwater or mud touched his robes. After noticing the phenomenon, he frowned and asked, "What is going on? Why are you opening the teleportation formation?"
"We don't know, Ancestor. That place has always been handled by outsider guest cultivators."
"Then why are you still standing there? Go and check at once!"
Boom, boom, boom—
Before his words had even finished, drumbeats that shook Heaven and Earth suddenly rolled across the dark sky above. The rhythm was heavy, murderous, and grim, at times overpowering even the thunder as it blanketed the whole of Daze.
"What is this?!"
"Look up there!"
"There are flying ships in the sky—no, wait, there are people!"
They saw—
Above Unnamed Mountain, one artifact warship after another poured out from the teleportation formation, hanging high in the vast sky above the storm clouds. The thunderous war-drum sounds were coming from those warships.
Shadow after shadow flew out from the ships and spread into formation atop the black clouds. Among the banners whipping wildly in the wind were beastlike cries resembling dragon roars. Just as lightning flashed, it illuminated the gilded character on the banners—Han.
And those shadows were unmistakably Great Han soldiers clad in gleaming heavy armor, holding cold spears and sabers, standing upon the clouds and looking down upon the entire land below!
The sight shocked not only the cultivators inside Daze Market, but even the demonic cultivators slaughtering living beings across Northern Yang Dao.
"Wh-what sect's cultivators are these?!"
"Why are they all wearing armor?"
"What are they here for?"
When had these cultivators ever seen such a scene? They could not help but discuss it in alarm and unease.
"Idiots!"
Peng Rui of Shengyun Sect was the first to shout, "What sect? Didn't you see the banners they're carrying? It's Eastern Divine Continent—the mortal Han court of Eastern Divine Continent!"
Hearing that only made the cultivators even more dazed.
They looked up at the disciplined military formation high in the sky, at those soldiers radiating overwhelming divine might, and could not help but think, You call this a mortal court?!
Even the Great Song Immortal Court of Heavenly Water Isle probably did not possess divine troops with such grand bearing!
As for this—
the Demon-Suppression Bureau's Demon-Suppression Guards could fully attest to it!
The vast majority of Great Song's cultivators were concentrated within the Demon-Suppression Bureau. Its armies were more often used to manage mortal affairs.
"Look at how spineless you all are!"
Li Sheng barked. "How could Eastern Divine Continent possibly have this many cultivators?! These people are definitely just mortals putting on an act!"
"That's right."
Peng Rui agreed, "The cultivators of Tianyong City were already scattered at Dafeng Mountain. These are nothing more than mortal troops. What is there to fear?"
He stared at the indistinct figures in the sky, knowing his guess was correct.
The stratagem of luring the tiger from the mountain had been arranged entirely by the people of Eastern Divine Continent. Their goal was to find an opportunity to destroy the grand formation and thereby save themselves!
That meant the Tianwu Emperor Chen Lei was, with 99% certainty, going to appear here as well.
Good!
Killing intent surged within Peng Rui.
Even now, the bounty on Chen Lei was still in effect, and the rewards had only continued to stack higher and higher!
The resources one could obtain by exchanging that man's head would be enough to pave the road all the way to the Golden Core realm!
"Everyone, prepare!
"Crush these ants beneath your feet!"
In the air—
5,000 Heavenly Assault Army troops spread into formation.
Now middle-aged generals like Zhao Kang and Feng Yong stood at the front of the ranks, gazing out at the landscape of the cultivation world.
"It's been more than 10 years!"
"The lot of us haven't seen blood for more than 10 years."
"Isn't that the truth!"
"This is interesting."
Wu Da teased, "Ever since we started following His Majesty, we've basically never fought a rich man's battle. Either it was the few against the many, or we were outright inside the enemy's encirclement. And now? A bunch of mortal martial men are directly coming to fight immortal cultivators!"
"We're fighting exactly them!"
Zhu Tong cursed. "Back during the war to found the nation, I was already sick of those bastards flying around in the sky!"
"Well said! And with Great Han's national destiny in full prosperity, even though we ourselves may be weak, we can still rely on the augmentation of national destiny. Why should we fear these birdmen?!"
"Old Xu and His Highness have arrived."
A flying boat approached from the distance and stopped before the army formation.
Xu Wencai, clad in feather fan and silk headscarf, came to a halt and quietly looked down upon the main peak of Daze.
The three armies fell into a murderous silence. Within the clouds there remained only the rhythmic, heavy beat of war drums.
Then, not long afterward, a white-robed figure wreathed in flames flew back from the south on a flying sword and arrived before the three armies.
At that moment, all 5,000 soldiers of the Heavenly Assault Army struck the armor over their chests with their left hands, bowed in salute, and with voices like great bells and cauldrons overpowering everything in the world, shook the entirety of Northern Yang Dao.
"The Heavenly Assault Army pays respects to Your Majesty!"
"Long live His Majesty Tianwu, long live, long live, ten thousand long lives!"