Chapter 696

Fewer than ten people flew openly through the air toward the city wall.

Upon seeing them, Tang soldiers couldn't hold back—they prepared to loose an arrow.

"Stay on guard; only shoot if they attack. If they pass us, ignore them."

The Tang general on the northern side had already received orders and immediately issued them to the Tang Army.

Though the Tang soldiers didn't understand why they were letting enemies approach, once the order came, they obeyed solemnly.

They ignored Bi Xuan's group entirely, continuing to shoot arrows at the Yuan troops beneath the wall.

Bi Xuan led his retinue over the wall and found no one attacked them—his lips curled in astonishment.

"Are the Tang defenders terrified, afraid we'll come down and slaughter them all?"

"Most likely. None of these soldiers are World-Class; against us, they're utterly outmatched."

"Exactly! If they're this weak, why don't we just charge down and kill them all?"

Seeing this, Bi Xuan's retinue couldn't help but chatter among themselves.

"Fools! Do you really think they're easy to deal with?"

Bi Xuan's face darkened, grim and furious.

Last night, he'd assumed Yanmen Pass—lacking any high-level defenders and just after its commander had fled—would be demoralized and fall in one strike.

Yet his three hundred disciples were shattered here.

Why?

Because of this unique defense array within Yanmen Pass!

Once entangled by the Tang soldiers' battle formation,

Even a Supreme Immortal would suffer dearly!

Seeing Bi Xuan's anger, the retinue dared not speak further, only silently followed him toward the array's core.

This defense array of Yanmen Pass was personally inscribed by the Tang Empire's State Preceptor, Yuan Shoucheng.

The array is identical to the one protecting Chang'an.

Not only does it link the soldiers' qi and inner strength when arrayed, but crucially, it suppresses the strength of any enemy entering the pass.

Bi Xuan hadn't entered the pass last night, so he hadn't felt it.

Now that he was inside, he realized his power had been suppressed by at least two-tenths.

He inwardly marveled—no wonder over half his disciples had died or been wounded.

As he pondered, he arrived at the array's core—the governor's office.

Seeing two squads of Tang soldiers arrayed before the office, he immediately assigned two of his retinue to distract them.

Then, with the rest, he strode boldly into the governor's office.

Seeing the faint aura emanating from the Stone Guanyin atop the office hall,

He knew—this was the true core of the array.

His heart leapt—this mission would end so simply.

He straightened his posture, stepped forward, and raised his palm to shatter the Stone Guanyin—

"If I were you, I'd put down that Stone Guanyin."

At that moment, a cold voice rang out—and suddenly, a figure appeared in the corner of the empty hall.

503 Could they be from the Qinglong Society?

Seeing the man, Bi Xuan's heart tightened.

He called himself Wu Zun—his cultivation was no low level.

Yet even he had not sensed anyone else in the governor's office.

Could this man's cultivation surpass his own?

Had the Tang sent a high-level expert here?

Was this all a trap?

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Still gripping the Stone Guanyin, he asked,

"Who are you? A Tang imperial retainer?"

The man ignored his question, continuing to stare at the Stone Guanyin in his hand, repeating:

"Put down that Stone Guanyin. I'll allow you to leave alive."

"Bold little brat! How dare you speak to Wu Zun like that? Take this!"

One of the Great Yuan retinues, unable to hold back, took advantage of the man's youth, eager to impress Bi Xuan.

He struck out suddenly, palm thrust forward—heat rapidly coalescing in his palm.

The heat spiraled, gradually forming a flame dragon coiling around his arm.

Bi Xuan watched him strike without intervening.

He wanted to see this sudden intruder's true strength.

After all, this Great Yuan retinue had reached the late stage of Earthly Immortal Realm.

His power, before Yunzhou's return, was exceedingly rare.

His Flame Dragon Palm was famed across the grasslands.

Even Bi Xuan himself could only suppress it through the unique properties of his Flame Yang Divine Art.

Testing this man with him was perfect.

"Overestimating yourself! How dare you attack the Altar Master? Die!"

As the Flame Dragon Palm surged toward the man, another figure suddenly appeared beside him.

This man held a divine weapon, a treasured sword, and suddenly thrust out with a single sword strike.

Under the flickering sword-light, he actually cleaved through this fire dragon in a single strike.

Then the sword momentum did not fade, continuing to attack this Dayuan offering elder.

This Dayuan offering elder had his signature technique, the Fire Dragon Palm, broken in public — he was just at the moment of smoldering resentment.

Watching this swordsman rush in, he was utterly shocked as well, and hurriedly gathered the full strength of his body, fighting this swordsman together.

This government yamen's great hall had cramped space.

The duel between the two was also a hasty affair.

Neither had time to mobilize the world's primeval force, relying purely on their own true essence plus Wu Gong moves to compete.

The Dayuan offering elder's Wu Gong centered on the fierce, domineering Fire Dragon Palm; every time a palm struck out, a coiling fire dragon appeared, looking extremely pleasing to watch.

That swordsman who had appeared so abruptly — amid his flickering sword-light, there was faintly a wheel of sunlight circulating within.

The two traded speed for speed, exchanging over a hundred moves in an instant.

Haaah!

Suddenly, that swordsman let out a roar, and atop his sword-light there faintly flashed a thread of Lei Guang and fire-shadow.

Then a sword strike erupted, piercing through three consecutive Fire Dragon Palm strikes of the Dayuan offering elder.

This sudden turn left the Dayuan offering elder utterly shocked, just about to retreat.

But that treasured sword in a blink was several fractions faster.

A flash of cold light — a single sword thrust pierced this Dayuan offering elder's throat.

Guk…

The Dayuan offering elder's throat convulsed, all his vitality gone, and he collapsed dead here in unwillingness.

From his sudden rising to make trouble for that man, to this swordsman striking — the two traded speed for speed, and in the end he met his death.

The time from start to finish was less than the span of a cup of tea.

Watching his own side's offering elder suddenly be killed, Watching Bi Xuan's eyelid twitched lightly; he only felt this sword move was faintly somewhat familiar,

"Wilderness Thunder — this move of yours should be one of Ba Fenghan's Seven Styles. Are you Seeing Ba Fenghan?"

He finally recalled where this sword move that broke through three Fire Dragon Palm strikes in succession came from.

It was from one of his enemies — a young enemy he had never met.

Once on the grasslands, there was a young swordsman who refused to accept his title of Wu Zun.

He roamed everywhere, challenging the Wuzun Sect.

At last the Wu Zun's chief disciple was enraged by him and fought him in a fierce battle.

After a day and night of fierce fighting, the Wu Zun's chief disciple was killed, and at the moment of death he left behind the four characters "Wilderness Thunder."