Retaking the Fallen Cities

Three days later, the Spirit Hall army set out from Spirit City.

Ten thousand elite Soul Masters marched in square formation, their banners blotting out the sky and their armor gleaming.

There were dozens of experts at the Soul Saint level or above alone.

Countless citizens had already gathered on both sides of Spirit City's broad main avenue.

Hearing the assembly horns and seeing the unprecedented scale of the force, they poured out of their homes and shops and lined the street.

"It's the Lord Soul Masters of Spirit Hall! Where are they going?"

"I heard a beast tide broke out in the Star Dou Great Forest, and many of the surrounding cities have already..."

"Damn those Soul Beasts! My nephew is in Agendas City!"

"Spirit Hall is going to suppress the beast tide! His Holiness the Pope is leading them in person!"

Cries of astonishment and discussion rippled through the crowd, soon swelling into a thunderous chorus of cheers and shouts.

"Glory to Spirit Hall!"

"Long live His Holiness the Pope!"

"Drive those beasts back!"

"Avenge our fellow citizens in those cities!"

Some white-haired elders leaned on their walking sticks and raised trembling arms, tears glistening in their eyes.

Young mothers held their children and waved to the troops, their eyes red-rimmed.

Several men in coarse clothes pounded their chests and shouted themselves hoarse. "Lord Soul Masters, we're counting on you!"

The force of ten thousand Soul Masters marched between the lines of citizens.

Hearing those heartfelt shouts and pleas, many young Soul Masters felt their chests burn and their steps grew firmer.

For the first time, they truly felt it.

They felt how much trust and hope the glory of Spirit Hall carried.

Bibi Dong sat in her luxurious carriage, listening to the citizens cheer along the way. She couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from rising.

This was what she wanted.

Bibi Dong leaned against a cushion, tapping her fingers lightly on the armrest as she calculated.

Once this campaign against the Soul Beasts was over, Spirit Hall's prestige would surely surpass that of the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire.

Then she could ride that momentum to bring the major families under her command, unify the continent and establish an empire. All the people of the continent would be indebted to her.

The more she thought about it, the better she felt. She couldn't suppress her smile.

After two days on the march, the army reached the outskirts of Treasure Sword City.

The city had completely changed.

Signs of Soul Beast activity were everywhere, both inside and outside the city. Dozens of Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts occupied the ruins, while a dense mass of lower-level Soul Beasts roamed the surrounding area, numbering at least several thousand.

Several Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts lay sunning themselves atop the city walls. When they saw the army approaching in the distance, they didn't flee, merely raising their heads for a leisurely glance.

Bibi Dong lifted the carriage curtain and took a look, then snorted coldly.

"These beasts certainly know how to pick a place. Pass down my orders: the entire army is to advance and wipe them out. Leave none alive."

A messenger ran off at once.

The Spirit Hall Soul Masters advanced in formation. Soul Ancestors and those above their level raised Soul Power shields at the front, while the ranged Soul Masters prepared their Soul Skills.

The Soul Beasts in the ruins roared.

They rose to their feet, ready to strike!

They fixed their eyes on the invading humans!

A Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Ape leaped down from the city wall.

"ROAR!!!!"

It threw back its head and beat its chest, smashing a huge crater into the ground as it landed.

"Fire!"

The Soul Masters in the front ranks bellowed in unison, unleashing hundreds of Soul Skills at once. Golden and silver light mingled into one.

The Golden Ape charged straight through the Soul Skills. Its hide was so tough that it took more than a dozen hits before its skin broke.

Several Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts pressed forward close behind it. The lower-level Soul Beasts also rushed in, crashing into the Soul Masters at the front.

"ROAR, ROAR, ROAR!!"

Bang!!

Spirit Hall's troops were elite, after all. Their formation held as the front ranks stood firm and the rear ranks pounded the enemy with wave after wave of Soul Skills.

After nearly half an hour of fighting, Soul Beasts lay fallen in droves, but Spirit Hall had also lost around a hundred people, and two gaps had been torn open in its front ranks.

Bibi Dong watched from the carriage, her brow furrowing slightly.

She rose, stepped out of the carriage, and stirred her Soul Power.

Nine Soul Rings rose around her.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black, red.

The last was a brilliant, dazzling red.

She raised a hand and pressed forward. A burst of purple light surged from her palm and exploded amid the densest concentration of Soul Beasts. The lower-level Soul Beasts within dozens of zhang were instantly wiped out, and several Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were sent tumbling away.

"His Holiness the Pope has made her move!"

The Spirit Hall Soul Masters' morale soared, and their battle cries grew louder.

Bibi Dong didn't rush to strike again. She stood at the rear and watched coldly.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced behind her. Qian Daoliu had stepped out of another carriage and stood there with his hands behind his back, showing no intention of fighting.

Didn't this old thing say there were some fellows calling themselves Demon Gods?

Qian Daoliu said nothing, his gaze fixed on the Star Dou Great Forest.

Sure enough.

Four points of light sped toward them from the direction of the Star Dou Great Forest.

In the blink of an eye, they landed in front of the ruins.

The presence of the Demon Gods spread out. As though they had found their backbone, the lower-level Soul Beasts retreated to either side to make room.

Hagenti landed at the front, with An Luoxian, Saigong, and Xi Er behind him.

An Luoxian folded his arms and glanced at the Spirit Hall army opposite him, curling his lip in disdain.

"You humans again. Haven't you seen how powerful the king is yet?"

Bibi Dong stood in midair, nine Soul Rings revolving slowly around her. At those words, she snorted coldly and looked the four Demon Gods up and down.

"You four are the masterminds behind the beast tide?"

"There's not a trace of Soul Power fluctuation coming from you, and your pressure is only at the level of ordinary Titled Douluo. You call yourselves Demon Gods?"

The smile on An Luoxian's face stiffened.

"Hmph, how dare you look down on the king's might!"

"An Luoxian, stop wasting words on this woman!"

"Let's attack!"

With that, the four Demon Gods attacked as one.

Bibi Dong pushed her Soul-Eating Spider Emperor Martial Soul to its limits, and the shadows of eight spider legs spread out behind her.

Her Sixth Soul Ring lit up.

"Eternal Wound!"

A strand of dark purple spider silk shot from her fingertip.

It swelled in the wind, transforming into a giant net that descended over them.

Sticky corrosive fluid dripped from the net, sizzling and smoking where it landed on the ground.

The four Demon Gods joined forces to raise a dark purple barrier and take the attack head-on. When the net landed, three cracks appeared in the barrier at once.

Xi Er's expression changed. He turned and shouted at An Luoxian.

"This human is no ordinary opponent! Let's retreat!"

"Retreat? What retreat?"

An Luoxian stuck out his neck.

"The word 'retreat' isn't in the king's dictionary!"

"Oh? Is that so?" A cold smile touched Bibi Dong's lips.

"Ninth Soul Skill!"

As her words fell,

the brilliant red light turned dark purple, and the entire space sank with it.

"Space-Rending Abyss Slash!"

Bibi Dong raised her hand and slashed forward, tearing a rift in space.

It spread rapidly toward the four Demon Gods.

The four Demon Gods' expressions changed drastically.

There was no way they could withstand the power of this attack!

Just then,

a beam of dark purple light descended from the sky, landing in front of the four Demon Gods.

It was the ninth pillar, Angel Demon God Baimon.

Baimon wore a long purple robe and a monocle.

Baimon reached out and barely managed to block the remnants of the spatial rift.

"Lord Baimon!"

"Lord Baimon!"

"Lord Baimon!"

"Go!" Baimon didn't look back, and the voice was grave.