The duration of the technique changed with cultivation level. In the past, it could only last for a short period. However, now, as Paper Tanhua's cultivation had grown far stronger, the power of his Life Apertures had become astounding, and he had condensed a Life Map—that of the Heaven-Earth Paper Realm (乾坤纸界). It was eerie and powerful, not only allowing him to craft paper dolls at a much faster rate but also imbuing them with even more mystical strength.They could now last longer.
Currently, once a Heaven-Earth Paper Doll (乾坤纸人) was triggered, it would form a Heaven-Earth Pocket Space (乾坤空间) that could last for two quarter of an hour—that is, thirty minutes. Within that half hour, anyone hidden inside it would remain concealed. Even external battles wouldn't disturb or damage these small pocket spaces.
Eventually, once time ran out, the space would collapse on its own, and the people inside would reappear.The doll could act as a sacrificial decoy, creating a protective space. This ability was quite literally miraculous.
Especially since it hadn't been exposed yet, once revealed, it would undoubtedly be a hidden trump card, a decisive asset capable of reversing the tide.
A mass of paper dolls silently slipped into the bodies of nearly every human civilian.
"Something's wrong! Be alert—there's something in the fog!"
"Swords! So many sword flashes—what's going on? Enemy attack!"
The alien tribes were naturally extremely wary—this was a grand ritual, jointly held by various tribes. No one trusted one another completely. So they remained on high alert. The sudden appearance of thick fog, rolling in with fierce winds, swiftly covering the entire Thorned Plains (荆棘平原), naturally raised suspicion.
Though Heaven-Earth Paper Dolls were light and stealthy, they couldn't be completely undetectable. They were eventually discovered.
But Paper Tanhua wasn't limited to just paper dolls. After releasing them, countless paper swords—Paper Sword Talismans (乾坤剑纸)—were also seen darting into the mist, riding the wind toward the Thorned Plains.
These swords, cut from ordinary white paper, would appear useless to the average person. However, in this moment, within the fog, they transformed into piercing sword lights—their paper forms turning into sharp weapons. They moved through space so fast it was terrifying.
They seemed to teleport, leaping from one point in the void to another. Their forms were as flexible as spirit snakes, twisting and curving mid-air, slithering through space in unpredictable patterns—incredibly difficult to guard against.
Pffft! Pffft! Pffft!
Suddenly, the hidden paper swords exploded into action, revealing their deadly sharpness. They cut through the alien soldiers, piercing vital points. Within the fog, sprays of blood bloomed like scarlet fireworks.
"Enemy attack!"
"Watch the fog! There are sword lights—it's deadly!"
One by one, alien warriors screamed in agony. Many perished under the onslaught of Heaven-Earth Sword Paper, dying instantly. Visibility was extremely limited in the fog, and the paper swords were too fast, too numerous. Dodging was nearly impossible.
Still, the alien elites lived up to their reputation. Once they sensed danger, they launched counterattacks. Some managed to destroy the paper swords, but chaos still reigned in the mist.
"Disperse it!"
A loud shout rang out.
Then, a formless force radiated outward, instantly dispelling the fog wherever it reached. It was a stunning sight.
"Disperse it!"
More shouts echoed. Countless alien powerhouses used their fog-dispersing divine abilities. They weren't just one or two individuals; many participated. Their collective power swiftly cleared the fog, wiping it out.
"Such despicable tactics. Looks like the humans are here. Is it the Great Yi Dynasty's army? You dare come here, but don't dare show yourselves?"
Fan Wencheng sneered coldly.
He instinctively guessed that this was the work of humans—most likely Great Yi. He had experienced their methods firsthand. Since being exposed, he'd been hunted relentlessly—ambushed five or six times. If not for his survival skills, he'd already be dead.
He never dared to underestimate the strength of the human race or the Great Yi Dynasty.
Being discovered was no surprise. In fact, it was within expectations.
What he didn't anticipate was that the humans would send such a heavy-handed greeting.
Looking at the dead alien warriors scattered around, at least hundreds of thousands had fallen. Some were slain by the paper swords, others killed in friendly fire amidst the fog.
The confusion had been like a nighttime rout—the enemy dealt the first blow, but panic and mutual killings did the rest. If the fog hadn't been dispersed quickly, the casualties would've been even worse.
"Your Majesty, the paper dolls have entered the bodies of all human civilians. However, I can't guarantee they'll withstand the altar's sacrificial force,"
Paper Tanhua reported to Yi Tianxing.
"Then we must not allow them to be sent into the altar at all. The sacrificial altar is a mysterious force—its true capabilities are unknown. There's no guarantee even the Heaven-Earth Paper Dolls can save them. Issue the order—we strike now."
Yi Tianxing nodded without hesitation.
With the paper dolls as a safety net, the millions of humans in alien captivity were no longer a shackle—they had become a weapon.
"Humans! Come out now, or don't blame us if these captives start dying!"
A Ogre warrior growled, raising a giant blade, pointing to the human captives around him.
Suddenly—
"Great Yi's Azure Dragon Legion is here. How dare you act so brazenly!"
A cold voice cut through the air.
From the east of the Thorned Plains, the entire Azure Dragon Legion appeared out of thin air. Swords drawn, bows nocked, they faced the alien tribes head-on.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Five hundred thousand voices roared in unison. The sound rolled like thunder, sweeping the field.
"Vermillion Bird Legion of Great Yi has arrived. The alien tribes shall be purged."
Yang Ye's voice echoed from the western front.
"Demon-Breaking Legion, reporting in!"
...
In an instant, twelve legions appeared all around the Thorned Plains, completely surrounding it—a perfect encirclement, airtight.
"Well done, Great Yi. Twelve legions deployed at once? According to our intel, you should all be stationed in your celestial cities. Yet here you are—impressive. Truly formidable,"
The Ogre chieftain bellowed in rage.
"Do you not care about the lives of your fellow humans?"—sneered a Snake Demon commander.
"It's useless," Fan Wencheng said coldly. "Great Yi never yields to hostage threats. Their army will even kill human prisoners to eliminate leverage. Cold-blooded executioners—that's what they are."
He vividly recalled seeing the Vermillion Bird Legion shooting human captives. That memory was burned into his mind. During their expansion, not once did Great Yi's armies halt for human hostages.
For them, any loss would be repaid a hundredfold in blood. Refusing to be threatened by hostage situations had become Great Yi's ironclad tradition.
"Good. If the humans stayed in their celestial cities, we'd be helpless. But out here, in the wild, it's our domain. These plains are our battlefield. Here, we've gathered elite warriors from countless tribes, numbering in the tens of millions. We vastly outnumber them!"
"This is our chance—a chance to crush Great Yi. Let's show them what it means to be prey in the wild!"
Fan Wencheng burst into maniacal laughter.
Indeed, the Thorned Plains were teeming with elite alien warriors brought here for the sacrificial ritual. Their combined forces were immense—over ten million strong.