Chapter 610: Army at Liuyun

On Tian Xuan Continent, Cang Feng Kingdom, Liuyun City, Xiao Sect.

Under an ancient tree with a few withered leaves hanging from it, there was a somewhat worn-out wicker chair. An old man with graying hair sat quietly on the chair, his eyes closed, basking in the warm light before noon.

A man in black walked into the courtyard at this moment. His footsteps were silent, his figure like a ghost. With just one step, he moved from the courtyard entrance to in front of the old man... The old man before him could not really be called an old man. He was only sixty-one years old this year and was also a Xuan practitioner. He should not have borne such heavy marks of time, but over the past few years, he had aged rapidly, and his hair had quickly turned white. The man in black stood before him, not sensing peace and tranquility, but a kind of loneliness and indifference.

It was as if he had even become indifferent to life and death.

Seeming to sense someone approaching, the old man opened his eyes at this moment. He silently glanced at the black-clad youth, then closed his eyes again: "Xi'er is not here."

The black-clad youth said nothing, turned around, and seemed about to leave silently. At that moment, a tall figure walked into the courtyard—it was precisely Xiao Sect Master Xiao Yunhai. As he entered, Xiao Yunhai caught sight of the black-clad youth standing there. His entire body trembled violently, every bone in his body went limp with fear, and his eyes were filled with extreme terror, as if what he saw was not a person, but a ferocious demon baring its terrifying fangs.

Xiao Yunhai did not have the courage to leave. He steeled himself and walked forward. After just a few steps, his legs gave way and trembled so much that he nearly fell to the ground several times: "I... I pay... pay respects... to... to Fen... Fen Young Master."

"What are you doing here?" the black-clad youth spoke, his voice cold and indifferent, utterly devoid of emotion, as if it came not from a human but from a cold corpse.

"I... I... specifically... came... to... to pay respects... to... Fifth Elder."

It was a simple sentence, but Xiao Yunhai stammered it out over a long time, and the chattering of his teeth could be clearly heard.

"Hmph!" The black-clad youth gave a cold snort. Without any visible movement, his body suddenly blurred, and then he silently vanished from the spot.

Xiao Yunhai's entire body relaxed, and he collapsed to the ground like a pile of mud, gasping for breath. His robes were completely soaked through with cold sweat.

Over the past few years, his fate and that of the entire Xiao Sect had risen and fallen like a lone boat in giant waves.

Six years ago, news came from the Xiao Clan. A great blessing descended upon the Xiao Sect. Xiao Yunhai was ecstatic, thinking that he could finally transform from a worm in the mud into a dragon in the clouds. To curry favor with Xiao Kuangyun and get his son Xiao Yulong into the Xiao Clan, he did not hesitate to set a sinister plot, offering Xia Qingyue and Xiao Lingxi to Xiao Kuangyun.

Unexpectedly, Xia Qingyue turned out to be a disciple of the Bing Yun Fairy Palace... The final result of his sinister scheme was that Yun Che was forced to leave in hatred... That very night, his son, who was supposed to follow Xiao Kuangyun back to the Xiao Clan the next day, had his limbs and facial features destroyed... Not long after, he died a miserable death.

Three years ago, Yun Che returned to collect debts, putting them through a terrifying nightmare.

After that, the entire Xiao Sect lived in fear, especially Xiao Yunhai and the others, who felt like death row prisoners awaiting judgment... However, eight months later, they did not await Yun Che. News of Yun Che's death in the Primordial Mystic Ark spread across the entire Tian Xuan Continent.

The entire Xiao Sect breathed a long sigh of relief. But half a year ago, they encountered another demon... one even more terrifying than Yun Che.

Fen Juechen!

Burning with endless hatred, Fen Juechen had come to annihilate the entire Xiao Sect... because this was Yun Che's birthplace!

He arrived at the Xiao Sect and immediately began killing. One step, ten kills per step. Before they could even react, over a hundred people had died at his hands, all with their bodies mutilated.

Among them were Grand Elder Xiao Li and Third Elder Xiao Ze.

Throughout the entire process, he did not utter a word, his expression blank, like a reaper from hell, only there to harvest lives.

The most terrifying thing was that those who died under his hands... their mutilated corpses quickly rotted away in a mass of black energy, turning into charred remains...

The one who stopped this demon was Xiao Lingxi.

When Xiao Lie and the terrified Xiao Lingxi appeared, this demon stopped his killing spree, and on his cold, hard face, human emotions finally stirred...

Thus, he stopped massacring the people of the Xiao Sect and has remained here ever since... The reason he stayed was Xiao Lingxi.

He became a demon-like presence in the Xiao Sect. Every disciple who saw him would cower in fear, not daring to breathe too loudly. Fortunately, he listened well to Xiao Lingxi, no longer killing anyone from the Xiao Sect, and never even struck anyone again. Fortunately, he spent almost all his time in his own courtyard... Every day, the only time he left his courtyard was to catch a glimpse of Xiao Lingxi, even if only from a distance.

Back then, to avoid the chaos of war, Xiao Lie brought Xiao Lingxi back to Liuyun City, which was not affected by the conflict. Due to warnings from the imperial family, even without Yun Che's deterrence, they no longer dared to disrespect them, because, after all, Xiao Lie was the grandfather of the current empress's husband. When Fen Juechen arrived, the people of the Xiao Sect treated Xiao Lingxi and Xiao Lie like ancestors, not daring to show even the slightest negligence.

Because everyone clearly saw that the terrible demon obeyed Xiao Lingxi unconditionally. If Xiao Lingxi told him to kill someone, that person would die immediately.

"Fifth Elder..." With Fen Juechen gone, Xiao Yunhai was still somewhat unsettled. Facing Xiao Lie, he said with utmost respect: "The Shenhuang army is approaching. The gates of Liuyun City have already been... thrown wide open. City Lord Yuwen and City Lord Situ personally led the city defense troops an hour ago, going thirty li outside the city to welcome... welcome... and ordered our Xiao Sect, when the Shenhuang army enters the city, to absolutely not make any disrespectful moves. Just now, the Shenhuang army has already arrived... Please rest assured, Fifth Elder. Since there is no garrison resisting, they probably won't kill indiscriminately."

Xiao Lie opened his eyes. There was no pain, disappointment, or unwillingness in his gaze, only a dull, deathly gray: "That's fine. Even if it's humiliating, at least it won't provoke their savagery and harm innocent citizens."

In the distance, the sounds of commotion grew closer. Xiao Yunhai quickly took out his Sound Transmission Jade and glanced at it, then cautiously said to Xiao Lie: "Fifth Elder, the Shenhuang army hasn't entered the city. Instead... they are stationed outside, completely surrounding the city. I don't know what they... intend to do."

"I'll immediately notify the disciples to behave themselves these days. Fifth Elder, I... I won't disturb your rest."

Xiao Yunhai took two steps back. Even though Fen Juechen was not present, he remained extremely respectful, not daring to show any neglect. Because in his eyes, Fen Juechen was far more terrifying than an army of hundreds of thousands from Shenhuang. After all, if he surrendered obediently to the Shenhuang army, they probably wouldn't kill or massacre the city. But with Fen Juechen, even the slightest mistake could result in a mutilated corpse.

At that moment, a panicked voice came from outside...

"Bad news! Fifth Elder... bad news!!"

A young Xiao Sect disciple stumbled in. Seeing Xiao Yunhai, he gasped for breath and said: "Sect Master, you're here... Bad news... Xiao Lingxi... she... she... she..."

The urgent tone and the name "Xiao Lingxi" made Xiao Lie's eyes snap open. Xiao Yunhai's heart also skipped a beat, and he roared: "What happened to Xiao Lingxi... Spit it out!"

"She... she..." The Xiao Sect disciple swallowed hard: "She was stopped by the Shenhuang army. That Shenhuang general... seems to... want to..."

Ssss!!

"What did you say!?"

A pitch-black shadow streaked through the air. The Fen Juechen who had left earlier appeared like a ghost before the Xiao Sect disciple, grabbing him by the collar. But immediately, he threw the man aside. His body brimming with murderous intent, he vanished, a black shadow shooting northward at terrifying speed.

Less than three li from the Liuyun City gate.

Feng Huwei, the renowned Huwei General of the Shenhuang Empire. He possessed the Phoenix bloodline, belonged to the Fenghuang God Sect, and had extremely high prestige and status in the Phoenix army... At the same time, he also had extremely high Xuan power cultivation—First Level Overlord Xuan Realm, enough to hold the position of an elder even within the sect.

Invading the Cang Feng Kingdom, he was one of the main leaders.

And the "important task" of taking Liuyun City this time was to be personally executed by him!

As expected, under the command of his fully 250,000-strong army, the tiny Liuyun City had no courage to resist. Both city lords opened the city gates wide and took the initiative to welcome him outside the city, bowing and scraping all the way.

Having the army surround the entire Liuyun City, he rode a tall and fierce Fire Mastiff Beast, leading five hundred cavalry behind him. Under the fawning guidance of City Lord Yuwen Tuo and Deputy City Lord Situ Nan, he entered Liuyun City directly. Even without the identity of Huwei General, he knew very well what a Overlord Emperor meant in the Cang Feng Kingdom... let alone in a tiny place like Liuyun City. He swept his arrogant gaze over the city before him... Everything here, he intended to control with ease, like casually trampling an ant under his finger.

In fact, he didn't even need the ridiculously exaggerated 250,000-man army. He alone could trample the entire Liuyun City as he pleased... and he wouldn't even get a scratch, let alone a speck of dust.

Taking Liuyun City and finding the huge crystal mine near it in the shortest possible time would complete the mission perfectly... And this was not only his mission this time but also the ultimate goal of the Shenhuang Kingdom's forceful invasion of the Cang Feng Kingdom... Destroying the Cang Feng Kingdom was mostly just a diversion!

No one would have guessed that the Shenhuang Kingdom's army invaded Cang Feng for the sake of... the smallest and poorest city, Liuyun!

He had thought this mission would be extremely simple and equally boring... until a girl caught his eye.

The girl wore a light blue dress. From a distance, her figure was graceful and charming, perfectly proportioned. As she walked slowly, her skirt fluttered slightly, her delicate curves occasionally visible. The arcs of her waist, chest, and hips flashed briefly but were indescribably beautiful, radiating a captivating charm.

Although he could only see her profile, it was still extremely exquisite. The exposed skin of her neck was snow-white and translucent, as if one could see through to the bones...

The imposing Huwei General, a powerful Overlord Emperor, had seen countless people, but he was momentarily stunned... At that instant, he felt as if he were looking at a breathtaking fairy who had fallen to the mortal world.

The girl quickened her pace, obviously trying to avoid these terrifying invaders. Feng Huwei's eyes burned with passion, and he pointed forward urgently: "Go! Stop that young lady and let me take a good look!"

With a startled cry from the girl, Xiao Lingxi was surrounded by a group of men riding Blaze Steeds. She could neither advance nor retreat. Her wide eyes were filled with terror: "What... what do you want to do..."

The citizens of Liuyun City fled far away, desperate to avoid trouble. No one dared to step forward to help.

"Hahahaha!" Feng Huwei rode his Fire Mastiff Beast, majestic and imposing, approaching unhurriedly. Seeing Xiao Lingxi's true face, his gaze grew so hot it seemed about to burn. He even subconsciously licked his lips: "To think that in this remote backwater, I could encounter such a peerless beauty... Tsk, looks like this trip wasn't in vain, hahahaha!"

Liuyun City Lord Yuwen Tuo hurried forward, bowing with a fawning smile: "This is the daughter of the Fifth Elder of our city's largest clan, the Xiao Sect. Her name is Xiao Lingxi, twenty-one years old this year, not yet betrothed. General Huwei's eyes are truly sharp—she is the number one beauty of our Liuyun City."

"Yes, yes," Situ Nan also quickly nodded and smiled ingratiatingly: "If General Huwei takes a fancy to her, it would truly be the greatest blessing of her life... By the way, there is something I don't know if I should say... She also has another identity—she is Yun Che's aunt."

"What?"

The name "Yun Che" made Feng Huwei's face change dramatically. Then he grinned widely and burst into loud laughter: "So, this little beauty is actually a relative of that Yun Che... Good! Good! Good! Hahahaha! Perfect! Since she's a relative of Yun Che, even if I have to take her by force, I will! Drag her to my mount!"

He committed this act of violent abduction here without any restraint! Because in this tiny place, everything was insignificant before him. No matter what he wanted to do, no one could resist, and certainly no one could judge him... The only thing they could do was obediently submit and tremble.

At least that was what Feng Huwei believed.

Then, just as his voice faded, an icy voice came... as if from the depths of hell:

"Try... it... if... any... of... you... dare... to... touch... her..."

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[Encountered a major case; been investigating all night these days, waking at seven in the morning, finishing work after midnight... Sigh, so tired.]