Chapter 312: The Ninth Rank Fiendish Blade
Chasing Xiao Yuandeng's army had taken nearly a day, and the return journey had also consumed another day.
Two days later, Zhongshan returned with his army to Daye City. However, standing outside the city, he furrowed his brow because the southern gate of Daye City was wide open.
Didn't I instruct Shui Wuheng to keep a close watch on the city? How could the city gates be wide open? Or could something major have happened?
Standing outside the city, Zhongshan's army did not rush in but instead observed the city gates and the soldiers still stationed on the city tower.
"The Grand Marshal is back!" a sharp-eyed soldier exclaimed excitedly.
"Inform the generals, the Grand Marshal has returned," a commander said.
Zhongshan stood outside the city, waiting.
Without understanding the situation inside the city, Zhongshan would not recklessly charge in, having learned from Xiao Yuandeng's example.
What's happened?
However, while standing outside the city, Zhongshan noticed a huge palm print above the gate of Daye City.
A palm print?
Zhongshan was suddenly startled. Who could have left a palm print on the gate of Daye City? This seemed rather abnormal.
Before long, Shui Wuheng rushed out in a panic.
"Grand Marshal, you've finally returned! Something big has happened in these two days," Shui Wuheng said anxiously.
Seeing that the soldiers were still on duty on the city tower, Zhongshan said, "Tell me slowly."
"Yes, Grand Marshal. On the day you left, I closed the gates of Daye City and dispatched five thousand men to quickly search for various resources within the city. However, less than half a day later, two individuals arrived separately at Daye City!" Shui Wuheng said nervously.
"Two individuals?" Zhongshan frowned.
"Yes, one of them claims to be Da Wei Tianlong and demanded the gates be opened to allow entry for investigation," Shui Wuheng said.
"Da Wei Tianlong Bodhisattva?" Zhongshan raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Grand Marshal, there's a memory crystal here," Shui Wuheng said, handing over a memory crystal.
Zhongshan quickly took it and examined it.
In the recording, Da Wei Tianlong Bodhisattva stood alone beneath the city tower.
"Are these the troops of Daluo?" Da Wei Tianlong asked.
"Yes, who are you?" Shui Wuheng replied from the city tower.
"I am of the Daluo Army, Da Wei Tianlong under the Golden Cicada Tent. Open the gates and let me in," Da Wei Tianlong said.
"The Grand Marshal has ordered that no one is to enter the city!" Shui Wuheng replied firmly.
Slowly, Da Wei Tianlong rose into the air with his Zen staff, hovering in mid-air and looking down at Shui Wuheng.
"I am here to investigate the matter of the fiendish demons within the city. It won't delay you, and besides, you cannot stop me," Da Wei Tianlong's face showed a hint of anger.
"Regardless of who you are, please wait. The Grand Marshal will return soon!" Shui Wuheng insisted.
Da Wei Tianlong's face darkened, and he raised his hand as if to strike, but seeing the soldiers of Daluo, he took a deep breath and restrained himself, choosing not to attack.
Just then, beneath the southern gate, another man in golden robes appeared.
With an imposing air, the man didn't even look up at the sky but stared fixedly at the southern gate. He raised his hand and struck the southern gate with a palm.
"Boom~~~~~~~~~~"
A tremendous roar echoed out, causing the entire city tower to shake violently. It was too powerful. The force of that palm strike was incredibly fierce.
Standing on the city tower, Shui Wuheng felt the ground sway beneath him, almost causing him to stumble.
Below, the man struck with a palm, distorting the space near the city gate, making it appear incredibly unreal.
On the robust city gate, a massive palm print suddenly appeared.
The gate of Daye City had been breached!
A palm strike so robust it bordered on abnormality. This man was incredibly strong.
The man paid no heed to Shui Wuheng and the soldiers, merely glanced at Da Wei Tianlong in the sky before striding into the city.
Da Wei Tianlong furrowed his brow slightly, then flew into the air above the city tower and slowly descended into the city.
Shui Wuheng issued orders not to attack.
Peerless experts—this was what peerless experts were like. As for the self-proclaimed "Da Wei Tianlong," Shui Wuheng wasn't sure of his strength, but the man in the golden robes who broke open the city gate, Shui Wuheng knew. Only experts of the level of Da Xuan Wang or someone like Nalan Piaoxue could achieve that. If the person claiming to be Da Wei Tianlong Bodhisattva was indeed of that caliber, he too would belong to such a category.
Such an expert could wipe out his entire city alone.
Now there were two of them. Was he seeking his own death?
Shui Wuheng merely ordered his men to observe from afar, to see what they were up to. Meanwhile, he continued to urge the five thousand soldiers tasked with looting to hasten their efforts—faster, faster!
"Sir, that's Bai Ye!" A Da recognized him at a glance.
Bai Ye, the emperor of the Daye Dynasty, once entered a feng shui array with Princess Qianyou and others, releasing the Zombie Emperor of the Great Qin City. He was bitten by the Zombie Emperor and became one of his descendants.
The former Bai Ye had already reached the peak of the Emperor Extreme Realm. Now his strength had increased dramatically. A palm strike that shattered the gates of Daye City?
Daye City was originally where Bai Ye resided, the capital of the Daye Dynasty.
Bai Ye had returned?
"Has anyone been injured?" Zhongshan frowned and asked.
"No, I ordered my subordinates to stay away from the two men, so there were no casualties," Shui Wuheng said.
"Hmm!" Zhongshan nodded in satisfaction.
"However, Da Wei Tianlong inspected for a while and asked about the whereabouts of the fiendish demons. One of my subordinates pointed them out to him, and then he flew away!" Shui Wuheng said.
"He left? Good!" Zhongshan nodded.
"But that man in the golden robe, called 'Bai Ye'? He's still inside the city, currently in the Imperial Palace. I didn't dare to approach!" Shui Wuheng said.
Taking a deep breath, Zhongshan furrowed his brow slightly and thought for a moment. "Deploy another five thousand troops and intensify the looting of all wealth within the city."
"Yes!" Shui Wuheng replied.
"Zhao Chuan, lead ten thousand men to withdraw, waiting for us ten thousand miles away!" Zhongshan ordered.
"Yes!" Zhao Chuan immediately responded.
"A Da, Zhihuo, let's go in and take a look!" Zhongshan said.
"Yes!" A Da and Zhihuo nodded immediately.
Bai Ye, why has he suddenly appeared here? The Grand Light Battlefield? What is he here for? If he's here, where is the Zombie Emperor?
With a heart full of doubt, under the escort of two Emperor Extreme Realm experts, Zhongshan arrived at the outskirts of the Imperial Palace. Standing in a secluded corner, he instructed a subordinate observing there to report.
"General, that peerless powerhouse has entered the palace now!" reported a subordinate.
"Hmm," nodded Zhongshan, following the direction indicated by his subordinate, he directly looked towards the central palace.
The palace stood conspicuously on a plaza, surrounded by no other buildings, its structure quite peculiar.
The gates were tightly closed, and as per Zhongshan's orders, Ada and Zhihuo refrained from using their spiritual senses to probe.
Baiye. He entered the city without killing anyone, indicating he's not targeting us. Since that's the case, it's best not to provoke him.
Standing in a remote corner, Zhongshan patiently waited.
And waited. It took an entire day!
At that moment, Shuiwufen also flew over. "General, everything that could be looted from the city has been taken away, and anything that could be exchanged for spirit stones has also been moved. However, it will take some time to sort through everything."
"Hmm, lead the troops out of the city to meet Zhao Chuan. Wait for me there," said Zhongshan.
"Yes!" Shuiwufen immediately responded and hurried to organize the troops.
Da Ye City had been emptied.
Another half day passed.
"Roar~~~~~"
Suddenly, a loud roar erupted from the palace Zhongshan was monitoring.
Immediately after, a frenzy of flames erupted from that spot.
"Boom~~~~~"
Billowing flames burst out from the palace, and in an instant, the entire structure turned to ashes.
It wasn't fire, but the energy of Diyang!
Was this the source of Diyang energy?
"Retreat!" Zhongshan shouted to Ada and Zhihuo.
The two quickly led Zhongshan to retreat.
In no time at all, endless flames surged into the sky, and the earth suddenly melted, turning into magma.
Was this the exit of Diyang energy, or was it a Yangquan underneath?
As Zhongshan retreated, he saw that while the magma and flames surged into the sky in the distance, they seemed to avoid the central area.
Baiye stood aloft, his eyes fixed firmly below. His right hand stretched downwards, seemingly guiding an invisible force to avoid the magma and block the Diyang energy.
In an instant, the entire sky over Da Ye City was shrouded in flames, burning across the sky. After the magma surged into the sky, it smashed towards all directions, leaving devastation in its wake. Forests burned, and buildings were incinerated.
As for the original site of the imperial palace, it was now filled with endless erupting magma, completely submerging the entire Da Ye Imperial Palace.
Meanwhile, under Baiye's grasp, the Yangquan slowly emitted a black light from below.
A powerful killing intent surged in all directions, causing Zhongshan to tremble even from afar.
What was beneath this Yangquan?
"Clang~~~~~"
Following a sound of sword chanting, a treasured sword suddenly flew up from below the Yangquan.
It emitted faint black aura strands. Looking at the sword, Zhongshan felt a dizzying sensation—full of slaughter, condensed like billions of killings. It was extremely cold, arrogant, and violent.
At the mouth of the Yangquan, if placed in the sea, Zhongshan was sure that this killing intent alone could freeze thousands of miles of ocean.
"Hahaha~~~~~"
Baiye burst into excitement, laughing wildly before flying towards the sky.
Perhaps Baiye knew how to close the city defense formation. At this moment, the sky no longer had any formations. Baiye was excited, holding the great sword, flying towards the distant horizon. Wherever he passed, the sky was filled with mist and snow, and in an instant, only a white fog remained visible on the horizon.
Baiye departed, and Zhongshan quickly left the city under the escort of Ada and Zhihuo.
"What kind of sword was that? Suppressing a Yangquan?" Ada exclaimed in surprise.
"It's a ninth-grade sword. I didn't expect there to be a Yangquan beneath Da Ye City, sealed by a ninth-grade ominous sword," sighed Zhihuo with emotion.