On the other side, the Divine Travel Grand Protector delivered the news straight to the Imperial City, into the Great Ming Hall, and into the hands of Ji Lingguang.

"First he killed Ji Bogu, then defeated Luu Tianpeng, and now even Zhu Hui'an has come to our doorstep to apologize with a birch switch in hand. Even when I first ascended to the fourth rank, I didn't have such ability. This youngster actually possesses such capability at the fifth rank."

Ji Lingguang's face showed a look of suspicion, and he couldn't help but wonder in his heart, 'Could this youngster have engaged in Dual Cultivation with her?'

After pondering over and over, it seemed that this was the only explanation that made sense. Otherwise, no matter how extraordinary his talent was, even if he cultivated the Qi Tomb, his accumulation of power would still be hard to match those old fellows who had lived for dozens or hundreds of years, not to mention the gap in Dao Fruit Divine Power.

It couldn't possibly be that all the Dao Fruits he had assimilated were of Uniqueness, right?

'If that's really the case, the next time I see her, I must make a joke of Tianxuan, that flirty dame. She doesn't hesitate to seduce her own Disciple, and yet she dares to mock me for robbing the cradle?'

Thinking thus, Ji Lingguang, with his mood quite pleased, ordered, "Draft an imperial decree, requesting the Jiang Family Master, Jiang Li, to go to Liangzhou Province to quell the rebels."

The implication was, of course, that Jiang Li was already regarded as the head of the Jiang family.

At the same time, this decree also stood up for Jiang Li, telling those of the Ji Family to keep their hearts in check and not daring to retaliate openly. This was also considered a way to preserve some of the clan members' lives.

A maid at the side heard the order, promptly responded with affirmation, and then began to write down Ji Lingguang's instructions in a formalized form. After Ji Lingguang stamped the document, it was then delivered.

On the same day, at the Daode Sect atop Eight Sceneries Mountain, two Daoists, one middle-aged and the other young, stood on a cliff, looking up at the sky.

As dusk approached and the sky grew dim, one could see a cloud that appeared in the heavens, yellow above and white below, several zhang long, like a great flag fluttering across the sky, bringing an unprovoked sense of icy solemnity.

"Chi You's Flag, when seen, signifies a king's campaign in all directions."

The Daoist in the forefront seemed to be middle-aged and elderly, yet also carried the vitality of youth, without contradiction. He gazed at that cloud and spoke slowly, "The conflicts of the human world begin from this. Is this the opportunity you have been waiting for?"

"Yes," replied the young Daoist from behind.

This young Daoist was dressed in a white Dao Robe, with eyebrows that swept into his temples, carrying an innate sharpness in his gaze. His hair was not tied up in the traditional fashion, but rather draped loosely, shimmering with a silvery-gold lustre like refined steel.

"Gouchen Master will ascend in these times of human warfare. This moment is a perfect opportunity."

The young Daoist's words were as clear as a sword chime, carrying a peculiar resonance. A sharp edge emerged with his voice, causing the surrounding vegetation and the Realm of rocks to take on a steel hue.

"But you will not succeed," the Daoist in the front sighed softly. "I, in my travels to the west, disrupted that madman's physical body and blocked the Awakened. Those two, even the Karma Tathagata, will not allow you to succeed, neither will the third-grade Fellow Daoists stand by and watch."

"What about Master?" The young Daoist remained unfazed and instead inquired about someone not previously mentioned.

"The Master has been secluded in the mountains for years, rarely taking action. But whenever he does make a move, it's to prevent someone from ascending to the Second Grade. He once killed the master of the Dragon Palace, causing the Azure Dragon Dao Fruit to scatter across the Nine Provinces. A hundred years ago, he journeyed westward, fought across ten thousand li, first destroying the mad Ji Family man's physical body, then debated with the Awakened, unsettling his mind and obstructing his path. This time, will he make a move against his own disciple?"

The Daoist's words were sharp, pointedly addressing the past of the man before him. However, the addressed Daoist, the latter's Master, fell into a brief silence.

After a short while, he spoke softly, "No."

"Thank you, Master," said the young Daoist with a bow before turning to leave immediately.

It seemed his visit was just for those two words.

Just before he left, a streak of light shot from behind, arcing through the air to stop before the young Daoist.

The Daoist looked closely and saw a Jade Scroll with several large characters inscribed on it—Nine Heavens Demon Suppressing True Technique.

"You've never come to visit, and I couldn't bring myself to bring it to you shamelessly. Today, since we've had the rare occasion to meet, it's the perfect time to give this to you," came a faint voice from behind, causing a slight stir in the young Daoist's gaze.

"Thank you, Master," he murmured, his voice warmer than the previous thanks.

Afterwards, the young Daoist pocketed the Jade Scroll, bowed once more, and then left directly, leaving only his Master still standing on the cliff, looking into the sky.

"If you could wait another three years, you might have a chance to succeed. What a pity that you are unwilling to wait."

The eldest of the Daoist Lords in the present world looked at the sky and spoke softly, "Well, let's see how much those two Fellow Daoists have improved over the years."

His eyes seemed to pierce through time and space, reflecting two figures, one black and one white, in each of his pupils.

As dusk fell in Liangzhou Province, Luchuan County.

A soldier on guard duty looked up at the sky, seeing the clouds streaking by, and promptly nudged his dozing comrade, saying, "Elder Brother, look quick—a sign of good fortune!"

His companion was shaken so much he almost knocked against the city wall. Once he steadied himself, he said irritably, "Nonsense, that's no sign of good fortune. With the minor holiday approaching and floods causing havoc outside, we still have to stand watch tonight. Rather than a good sign, it looks more like an omen of disaster to me."

Despite his words, he couldn't resist his curiosity and followed his comrade's pointing finger. Then, he saw that flag-like cloud passing remote in the sky, and below it, there was a dense crowd drawing closer.

Indeed, the crowd was real, and several large banners inscribed with the word "Taiping" stood tall.

"Taiping Sect!"

Dalang cleared his throat and grabbed the copper gong beside him, hammering away, "The Taiping Sect has arrived."

The drowsy atmosphere was instantly shattered as pairs of soldiers with bows and crossbows took to the city wall, and a stream of white Qi suddenly arose, with the Prefectural Governor emerging from within.

"It's indeed the demonic people of the Taiping Sect."

Prefectural Governor Zhang Pan, with cultivation in him, spotted those military banners at a glance and immediately ordered the archers to prepare to shoot at any moment, the bed crossbows to be drawn, loaded with bolts etched with runes, and even sent people to summon the cultivators within the city.

But moments later, as the dense crowd drew near, his expression changed dramatically.

Old men, women, children, and even the disabled, the swarming throng must have numbered two or three hundred thousand, ragged and clearly refugees.

The Taiping Sect had captured Yuelin City and gathered even more refugees, and now a portion of these refugees had arrived here. Two or three hundred thousand people, like floodwater during a disaster, surged towards Jun City, causing the archers, who were about to relax, to involuntarily lower their bows and arrows.

"Release the arrows!"

Yet at this moment, Zhang Pan roared furiously, "Release the arrows! Behind you is the entire city's populace, your families and relatives. If the demonic people of the Taiping Sect enter the city, your kin will become one of them."

"Release the arrows! Should there be an incident, I will take full responsibility."

Compared to the Inspector, this Prefectural Governor displayed an unusually resolute determination—or rather, the determination to be ruthless.

The hesitant soldiers, upon hearing this, looked at the frenzied refugees, gritted their teeth, drew their bows, and launched another volley of arrows into the air, striking down those refugees at the forefront.

At the same time, cultivators and officers with cultivation and Dao Fruit arrived in droves, wielding weapons to guard the city gates, their intimidating Qi Mechanism solidifying a formidable presence that deterred the refugees from advancing.

The refugees halted, and the Yellow Turban Army following them also stopped. Below a central military banner, a man in his thirties, clad in armor and wearing a Yellow Turban, saw this and immediately reported to the chariot behind him: "Commander, the garrison is releasing arrows."

"I can see it," responded the commander.

Atop the chariot, a young man with a jade-like complexion and handsome features revealed a cold sneer and commanded, "Summon the Iron Armor Divine Thunder."

If the city gates were open, it would naturally be the best outcome for the Jun City side. If not, it still suited the Taiping Sect's intentions perfectly. They could use this opportunity to stir up public sentiment and coerce the refugees into attacking the city. Whatever the opposition did, it wouldn't change the outcome.

Shooting the refugees was a dead end, and not shooting was also a dead end.

"Summon the Iron Armor Divine Thunder."

The order was relayed down the ranks, and immediately, Yellow Turban Warriors cleared an extensive space among the refugee crowd, as ten physicians clad in Yellow Robes stood apart, both hands raised high.

Round, spherical iron balls spun between their hands, brightening with one rune after another on their surface.

Suddenly—

"Crackle!"

Lightning flashed, the iron balls were activated by the Thunder Technique, shooting towards the city walls with dazzling light, as the ten physicians collapsed powerless.

Another volley of arrows erupted from the wall, among them True Qi and magic, with arrows and Qi Force hitting some of the iron balls, some being scattered by the Thunder Light, and others······

"Boom!"

A clap of thunder exploded in the sky, the iron balls burst open, releasing Thunder and Fire, immediately setting the city wall ablaze, limbs flying in all directions.

Some of the spheres landed on the wall, instantly blowing a gap, and even the city wall, reinforced by the Earth Deity's power, couldn't withstand the bombardment of the Iron Armor Divine Thunder, as the entire wall trembled.

At the same time, the sound of military horns came from outside the city, the Yellow Turban Warriors formed up and advanced, as the commander shouted: "The dog officials butcher innocent people, cutting off our lifeline, better to storm the city and slaughter the dog officials, and seize food."

Crude though the words were, this commanding yell immediately ignited the survivors' instincts in the refugees.

When desperately hungry, there is little rationality left. These refugees had traveled long distances and were nearly driven mad. Hearing the shout now, without much thought, they followed their survival instincts and rushed forward.

Even if a few individuals managed to remain rational, they couldn't stop the tidal wave of people.

The soldiers on the city wall naturally resisted with all their might, with Prefectural Governor Zhang Pan exerting his Divine Domain, a barrier held firmly over the city wall, stabilizing it, and simultaneously suppressing the refugees and the Yellow Turban Warriors behind them.

Relying on the city wall and the Divine Domain, the defenders held their ground forcibly, continuously reaping lives, but as a wildly bright starlight sliced through the sky, striking the barrier, the whole city wall began to shake violently.

"This is···Divine Attribute Heavenly General, fifth-rank!"

Zhang Pan felt his Divine Domain shatter upon contact and couldn't help exclaiming.

At the same time, the Taiping Sect's commander, dressed in a bright yellow armor, emerged from the starlight, with one palm smashing down upon Zhang Pan's head.

"The one who kills you, Heavenly Tyrant Star Lou Yunqing."

As his words fell, the skull shattered, and Lou Yunqing crushed Zhang Pan's Heavenly Spirit with one palm, red and white splashing out and staining the armor, highlighting a fierce aura.

And Lou Yunqing swept across the city wall like a whirlwind, where he passed, flesh and blood flew, and in moments, he slaughtered the defenders to the last man.

"Heaven has died, Yellow Heaven shall rise."

He stood atop the ruined city wall and yelled down, inciting a tidal echo.

"Heaven has died, Yellow Heaven shall rise."

A large number of refugees, chanting the slogan, flooded into the city alongside the Yellow Turban Warriors, bursting through the city gates.

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