Chapter 61: The Great Battle Begins

Outside the peaceful Hanyue City, the sound of war drums suddenly rose.

A piercing alarm spread throughout the entire city.

This alarm hadn't sounded in over a dozen years, but even children still in school knew why it was ringing—there was only one possibility… war!

Two Martial Artist soldiers sped through the city with loudspeakers, their voices carrying far.

"Fierce Beast siege! All Martial Artists above the Mortal Embryo Realm within the city, assemble at the city gate!"

"Anyone who flees out of fear will be executed without mercy!"

In an instant, panic spread through the city, the populace thrown into utter chaos.

"Fierce Beasts? Our Hanyue City is in the far northwest—we haven't had a Fierce Beast siege in decades. How could one suddenly appear?!"

"Forget all that, let's just grab our things and run! Once the Fierce Beasts break in, we're all dead!"

"Run, my ass—a bunch of cowards! Ptooey! If you're a real man, follow me up the wall and defend our home!"

"He's right! Wasn't all those years of bitter cultivation for exactly this moment? How could we fear a pack of beasts!"

The gathered Martial Artists, having received the summons, climbed the city wall brimming with confidence.

But when they saw the distant beast horde, a black mass that blotted out the sun like dark clouds, each one fell silent and spoke no more. This was their first time facing a beast tide, and it would leave a lifelong, unforgettable shadow.

In a Fierce Beast siege, the most terrifying thing was never the strength of the beasts, but their overwhelming numbers!

"Roar—!"

Even from a great distance, the howling from afar could be heard.

It was impossible to count their numbers, but there were certainly no fewer than ten thousand. And how many could even stand on the city wall? A few hundred?

Which meant most of them would have to charge down from the wall and fight the beast tide head-on.

And at this moment, to everyone's surprise—

The Martial Artist teams belonging to the three major groups all, as if by unspoken agreement, leapt down from the wall at the same time, weapons in hand, charging actively into the beast tide with the look of men prepared to die.

"Kill!!"

That fervor infected the Martial Artists on the wall. Their eyes turned fierce, and they too leapt down one after another.

"Scared of what? Worst case, I'll be a fine fellow again in the next life!"

"A pack of beasts—I'll fight you to the death!!!"

"Defend Hanyue City!"

Meanwhile, two Divine Image Realm Realm Martial Artists appeared at the very front of the battlefield, conjured towering Dharma Image Phantoms, and charged into the beast tide as if passing through empty air. Beast blood sprayed, and within moments over a hundred Fierce Beasts perished.

This greatly boosted the Martial Artists' confidence, their fighting spirit soaring once more.

Little did they know, it was all an act.

These two Divine Image Realm Realm Martial Artists had come from the Lei Family and the Zhao Family.

…

At the same time.

Twenty li outside Hanyue City, at a canyon.

Beyond this canyon lay the Great Jin Kingdom. Within the canyon, raging winds converged—a rare and special terrain. The fierce gale was so lethal that ordinary people would die the moment they entered, so this canyon was also known as the foremost danger spot of Hanyue City.

Jiang Qin's figure had just come to a stop when a group of people in strange clothing appeared above the canyon.

The leader was a man draped in a beast-skin coat. Staring at Jiang Qin, he could not help but clap and say:

"Truly worthy of being Special Envoy Jiang, who strikes fear into those three families. Knowing full well it was a trap, you actually came alone to save your friend. We truly admire you. I, Tu Wen, have a deep appreciation for a real man like you."

"People of the Great Jin Kingdom…"

Jiang Qin murmured, unsurprised, then said lightly: "I'm already here. Now you should release my friend, since the one you want to kill is me, isn't it."

Tu Wen said no more, waving his hand to signal his men.

Soon Chen Xiaohu was pushed out by two men and placed beside Jiang Qin.

As a warrior of the Great Jin Kingdom, Tu Wen could afford this small mercy—after all… this fatty had already drunk the poison they had prepared, and would die within half an hour at most.

"Boss."

"Mm, you've worked hard."

Jiang Qin instructed: "Go back and help Su Lingwei first. I still need to stay here and play with them a while."

Chen Xiaohu nodded firmly and turned to flee quickly into the distance. After all, this had been planned from the very beginning.

At this moment, Tu Wen above frowned and looked into the distance.

Because according to the schedule, another Divine Image Realm Realm cultivator should have arrived by now to coordinate with them in eliminating this young Special Envoy, in case he had some hidden trick.

But even now, the other party had yet to appear.

"Forget it, never mind."

"As long as we take care of this kid, the deal between us and them is done."

Tu Wen casually tossed out a cube emitting a red glow.

As the cube radiated a dazzling red light, the environment within a thousand meters rapidly began to change.

The azure sky turned blood-red, as if soaked in fresh blood.

The surroundings instantly grew dark and gloomy.

The environment within a thousand meters all around became like this.

But viewed from beyond a thousand meters, this area remained unchanged—only the figures of Jiang Qin, Tu Wen, and the others were gone.

As if they had been drawn into a special Space.

Jiang Qin's eyes flickered slightly. He raised his hand and sent a Slash blasting forth.

Before this Slash had traveled far, it seemed blocked by some kind of barrier—or perhaps devoured—without the slightest ripple returning, as if it had vanished into nothingness.

"Give up. This is the most special Domain-type Spiritual Tool. It cannot be broken without reaching the Earth Martial Realm."

One figure after another emerged from behind Tutu, more than fifty in total, the lowest among them being mid Spirit Sea Realm — all elites among the elites of the Great Jin Kingdom's army.

"If you must blame someone, blame the rot festering inside your Huaguo, and blame that terrifying talent of yours!"

"Therefore, to leave nothing to chance, even if it means deploying a Domain-type Spiritual Tool, we must cut you down here and remove a future threat for my Great Jin Kingdom!"

"Move!"

…

Just as the great battle in Kuangfeng Xiagu was about to erupt.

The Li Family's Divine Image Realm Realm 'Hua Lao', who should have long since gone to join in the killing of Jiang Qin, was intercepted halfway by a single person.

The old man in splendid robes frowned as he stared at the figure not far away. Being of the same Divine Image Realm Realm, he naturally sensed the aura emanating from the other party, and a deep wariness flashed through his eyes.

He was already mid Divine Image Realm — for him to feel this way meant the other party was at least late Divine Image Realm.

"Who are you, and why are you blocking my path?"

"You mean to kill my young master — what do you think I am?"

Steward Jiang stood there with his hands clasped behind his back, his face perfectly calm.

The moment he revealed his identity, Hua Lao saw the light: "So you are Jiang Qin's hidden confidence. No wonder he dared not seek aid from Spirit Suppression Bureau Headquarters. But unfortunately… his little scheme is doomed to fail."

A vicious grin twisted across the old man's face:

"Even if you hold me here, he is still as good as dead! Great Jin Kingdom's Divine Image Realm Realm experts have long been waiting for him in Kuangfeng Xiagu, along with Great Jin Kingdom's elite Martial Artists. He alone could never break free."

"Even if you rush to support him now, all you'll find is his corpse!"

Just as she expected Steward Jiang to fly into a rage, he merely shook his head.

"My one and only task is to hold you here. As for Kuangfeng Xiagu, the young master will handle it himself."

At these words, Hua Lao's face changed drastically.

"Could it be that the Divine Image Realm Realm experts by his side are more than just you?!"

"No — the young master truly did go alone."

"Then why—"

Facing the question posed by this soon-to-die man, Steward Jiang generously gave his answer.

"When a man is pushed to the brink, a fierce obsession takes root within him. He places himself at death's door, and uses that obsession to break through."

Hua Lao had not expected such an answer, and immediately realized that from the very start until now, they had likely been dancing in the palm of the other's hand.

Unconcealed shock surfaced on her face: "He's mad! That is a Divine Image Realm Realm — a mere flick of the finger could crush him easily. And yet he dares to face the might of Divine Image Realm with nothing but a Spirit Sea body!"

"This matter, I too cannot comprehend." Steward Jiang sighed. His duty was to safeguard Jiang Qin's safety, yet now he had no choice but to help Jiang Qin carry out his plan.

The young master had used his own death to coerce him — he had no other choice.

At the thought, killing intent seeped thickly from Steward Jiang's eyes. His entire presence shifted, as though a frail old man had transformed into a god of slaughter, his gaze fixed on Hua Lao.

"If the young master truly dies in that Kuangfeng Xiagu—"

"Then after this incident, regardless of whether your so-called three great families of Hanyue City have truly committed those acts that anger both Heaven and man, no matter where you flee to the ends of the earth, so long as a single clansman still lives, my Jiang Family will never let this rest."

"Until your bloodline is utterly severed!"

"As for you… come forward now and meet your death."