When news reached Lingxiao Peak, the seat of the Immortal Alliance Council, that Thousand Lakes City had been razed to the ground, the once peaceful immortal realm was instantly shrouded in terror.
Around a large, round, white jade table, dozens of sect leaders who held sway over the cultivation world sat on either side. Xuanhe Zhenren, the acting sect leader of the Qingyun Immortal Sect, sat upright at the head of the table. However, his constantly trembling beard betrayed his inner unease.
'The vanguard of the Yujian Sect, three thousand elite troops... completely annihilated?' Xuanhe Zhenren's voice was hoarse.
In the centre of the council hall, an illusory array showed the ruins of Thousand Lakes City: the heads of three thousand Yujian Sect disciples had been piled into a massive mound of skulls and a blood-red flag adorned with the Great Qian Python pattern had been planted on top of it, fluttering wildly in the wind.
[System Real-Time Monitoring: Large-scale high-energy reaction detected.]
[Judgement: The main force of the Immortal Alliance is mobilising the 'Demon-Slaying Array', with an estimated coverage area of a thousand miles.'
The Iron Cavalry entered the city and massacred the Wanhua Sect.
Before the Immortal Alliance Council could order their encirclement, more devastating news arrived.
The Wanhua Sect, a second-rate sect based near Thousand Lakes City and renowned for its arrays and spiritual herbs, was destroyed in an instant.
This was no longer a traditional siege, but rather a massacre-style plundering of resources.
Blessed by the Dragon Vein, the Netherworld Iron Cavalry, led by Leng Wuxue, tore apart the Myriad Flowers Sect's protective array.
Three thousand riders roared in unison; the sonic waves carried the oppressive power of the Dragon Vein, shattering the heart meridians of all cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage.
The cavalry swept through the sect's medicinal fields and pavilions, their blades like chainsaws reaping lives and instantly draining spiritual energy from millennia-old herbs and cultivators, transforming it into dark red replenishment fluid.
"Help! Ah—!"
The Myriad Flowers Sect's leader, a beautiful, late-stage Nascent Soul female cultivator, was pinned to a pillar in the main hall by Leng Wuxue's deadly limbs. Her prized Myriad Flowers Array was as fragile as a bubble against these 'steel monsters', which were impervious to lightning and fire and could see through illusions.
"Why kill us? We have no grudge against the Great Qian," she pleaded, spitting blood.
Leng Wuxue showed no pity in her eyes: 'The general has ordered that all members of the Immortal Alliance be spared.'
"Sizzle!" The killing arm suddenly exerted force, tearing the sect leader to pieces. Then, the entire Wanhua Sect was ignited by the Netherworld Iron Cavalry's Netherworld Corrosion Poison Fire and transformed into a giant torch floating in mid-air.
Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the scene switched to show the horrific destruction of the Wanhua Sect.
Xiao Wuchen's red, glowing phantom grew increasingly ferocious. "This is only the second one," he said. I will visit each of those on the bounty list."
"Xuanhe, activate the Demon-Slaying Array! If you don't, you won't be worthy of being my opponents. Once activated, however, you will find that the spiritual energy of this entire world no longer belongs to you."
Xiao Wuchen waved his hand abruptly and the projection shattered.
The destruction of the Myriad Flowers Sect came as a hammer blow to the leaders of the Immortal Alliance, shattering the last vestiges of their composure.
A burly sect leader stood up abruptly, his face contorted with rage. Pointing at the afterimages in the air, he roared, 'Xuanhe! Is this what you call 'defeated remnants'? That was the Myriad Flowers Sect! The elders guarding the formation didn't even have time to send a signal before they were consumed by that monster! Will my 'Blazing Fire Sect' be next?"
Master Xuanhe's face turned ashen as he stared intently at the Netherworld Iron Cavalry crossing the sea of fire in the image.
[System Analysis: Serious divisions have emerged within the Immortal Alliance.
[Psychological Model Analysis: Fear is growing exponentially; 60% of the smaller sects have begun to consider retreating. "Silence!" Master Xuanhe shattered the white jade table with a single palm strike. 'Xiao Wuchen isn't just seeking revenge; he's using power beyond the laws to "strip" our foundations! If we don't work together to activate the Demon-Slaying Array, none of us will survive!'
At that moment, the massacre on the ruins of the Myriad Flowers Sect was nearing its end.
But this was not mere destruction.
The Netherworld Iron Cavalry traversed the medicinal fields; the seams of their armour resembling greedy little mouths as they instantly drained the life force contained within the millennia-old spiritual herbs.
A faint bluish-green lustre began to flow across their originally dark purple armour.
Having absorbed the Myriad Flowers Sect's 'Longevity Principles', the Iron Cavalry's self-healing speed had increased threefold — even limbs severed by flying swords could regenerate in seconds thanks to the Netherworld Corrosion Mother Root.
Leng Wuxue stood on the charred ground of the Sect Master's Hall. In his hand was a massive crimson gourd — the Myriad Flowers Sect's treasured artefact, the Nine Yang Divine Brew. Instead of drinking it, he crushed the gourd, letting the spiritual liquid soak into his killing arm.
'Master, the resources of the Myriad Flowers Sect have been depleted,' reported Leng Wuxue to Xiao Wuchen via the will network.
Thousand Lakes City Ruins.
Xiao Wuchen slowly rose. The 'Raider' wings in the void behind him, which were originally illusory, had almost solidified. They were the product of the fusion of the Dragon Vein and the Resurrection Sand.
'Since they want to see a miracle, then let them see it.'
Xiao Wuchen's eyes narrowed and his voice boomed across thousands of miles above Lingxiao Peak.
'Xuanhe, bring your hypocritical "allies" to Thousand Lakes City to meet their deaths! If I don't see the main force of the Immortal Alliance within three hours, I will massacre the surrounding thirty-six sects, leaving not a blade of grass or a tree standing in this cultivation world!'
Following Xiao Wuchen's challenge, the entire cultivation world descended into chaos.
Countless cultivators began a frantic exodus, and those sects that had benefited from the fall of the Great Qian Dynasty were gripped by fear. The Immortal Alliance thus issued its most severe 'Demon-Slaying Conscription Order' in history.
Deep within Lingxiao Peak, an ancient array plate, dormant for thousands of years, began to slowly rotate. This destructive weapon could draw upon the power of the nine heavens and stars, and was the Immortal Alliance's last trump card.
The destruction of the Myriad Flowers Sect was a resounding slap in the face, exposing the Immortal Alliance's hypocritical facade of "justice". Around Thousand Lakes City, countless small immortal sects — once self-proclaimed paragons of virtue — were abandoning their foundations of millennia and fleeing south in disarray.
However, under the tight blockade of three thousand Netherworld Iron Cavalry, this escape resembled a desperate hunt.
[System Real-Time Statistics: 12 portions of Nascent Soul-level spiritual essence and 480 portions of Golden Core-level essence have been recovered.
[Function Synchronisation: All Netherworld Iron Cavalry members have completed the 'Myriad Flowers Armour' coating, increasing magic resistance by 40%.
Xiao Wuchen stood atop the ruins. He paid no heed to the scattered ants. He was waiting for the dying beast on Lingxiao Peak to unleash its final fangs.
Lingxiao Peak, inside the Lingxiao Palace.
'Since he won't give us a way out, we'll all die together!' Master Xuanhe's face contorted with rage and a glint of madness flashed in his eyes. Surveying the hesitant sect leaders around him, he sneered, 'Activating the Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Array requires a massive amount of spiritual energy. Since the spiritual veins of Thousand Lakes City have been drained, we'll use your sect's fortune to fill the gap!'
'Xuanhe, you dare?' an elder exclaimed in shock.
However, before he could finish speaking, the ancient bronze pillars surrounding the Lingxiao Palace erupted with blinding, blood-red light. Master Xuanhe had activated the 'Shared Fate Restriction' hidden beneath the palace. Dozens of the sect leaders present let out shrill screams as their spiritual power was forcibly extracted by the array and transformed into blood-red pillars of light that shot straight into the sky.
The sacrifice of dozens of sect leaders caused the entire sky of the cultivation world to instantly plunge into darkness.
The once clear, boundless sky was now obscured by thick, inky thunderclouds. Within the clouds, streaks of purple-gold lightning churned — the ultimate law of the cultivation world, 'Annihilation Thunder'.
'Xiao Wuchen, do you think you've won?' The projection of True Immortal Xuanhe reappeared above Thousand Lakes City. His gaunt, emaciated face, the result of the sacrifice, declared: 'This Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Array locks you in, along with your three thousand wicked creatures. I will turn this entire area within a thousand miles into scorched earth!' In the face of this terrifying divine might, which could destroy a peak Nascent Soul cultivator and severely injure a Mahayana cultivator, Xiao Wuchen showed no fear.
He slowly drew the jet-black longsword from his waist, pointing its tip towards the surging thunderclouds. The cold iron core in his chest trembled with ecstatic pleasure.
'Xuanhe, you still don't understand.' Xiao Wuchen's voice was clearly audible amidst the thunder, carrying a chilling fervour.
"If I were three thousand years younger, this could indeed kill me, but now I'm worried that the 'Resurrection Sand' fused into this body lacks a true 'Heavenly Thunder Forging'."
Suddenly, he spread his arms and the black wings of the raiders behind him unfurled like a curtain, blotting out the sky and releasing all defences in front of Lei Wei.
"Let the lightning strike! Use this thunder from the nine heavens to baptise the resurgence of the Great Qian!'