New Recruits on the Battlefield

At eight quarters past the hour of You (5-7 PM), the city gates were closed.

The sky was dusky, the sun was setting in the west. The sky was ablaze with crimson clouds, a truly magnificent sight.

With all the hermits gone, the vast and serene mansion returned to tranquility in the twilight.

Li Ling was among the last group to leave the city, following Old Zhuo and others.

Day and night alternate, yin and yang are divided.

Li Weiyi retrieved Zen Sea Observing Mist from the Blood Mud Space. The two walked along the quiet courtyard path and arrived at the meticulously decorated bridal chamber. Red candles, red silk, and curtains created a novel and surreal feeling.

In the afternoon, Li Weiyi spent the entire time transcribing intelligence information, preparing dozens of copies.

Zen Sea Observing Mist, meanwhile, was in the Blood Mud Space, helping him refine the Star Day Pill and studying the three-foot-tall Buddhist shrine he had brought out from the Underground Immortal Mansion.

Inside the shrine was an iron box.

The iron box was so heavy that even with Tang Wanzhou's cultivation level, he couldn't lift or open it.

"The iron box was sealed during the ancient Bhakara Sect period with 376 Buddhist secret characters, which I have deciphered completely." Zen Sea Observing Mist opened his right palm, and instantly, dense Buddhist Script condensed and flew towards Li Weiyi's Glabella Spiritual Realm.

Li Weiyi asked, "What's inside?"

"A single page of Buddhist scripture should be extremely helpful to your cultivation. Tonight, we don't have much time left; shall we continue discussing cultivation?" Zen Sea Observing Mist said.

Li Weiyi stared at her breathtakingly beautiful face for a long time. "Have you really convinced yourself?"

When the two first had an open and honest conversation, Zen Sea Observing Mist chose the second option of Yang Jia, he said, "You're actually quite good; I can convince myself to accept you."

Zen Sea Observing Mist at the fading sunset on the horizon, he thought, "In my eyes, you are far more than just 'okay.' A hundred years from now, your reputation on the continent of Yingzhou will likely surpass mine. It's just a pity that we haven't had enough time together, and now the situation is beyond our control."

"I was afraid of making you feel wronged," Li Weiyi said.

Zen Sea Observing Mist said, "You're a good person in every way, except when it comes to emotions; you're always hesitant and indecisive. We've already bowed to heaven and earth, we're no longer strangers, and tonight we're getting married, our fates intertwined. This isn't the result we've been pursuing, but rather the beginning of everything. It's you who's treating the beginning as the end."

The sky grew completely dark.

Li Weiyi drank the wine in the pot in one gulp, took a deep breath, extinguished the red candle with a finger, picked up Zen Sea Observing Mist, and walked towards the red bed with the curtains, just like any newlywed couple.

At this moment, he resembled a new recruit on the battlefield, filled with hesitation and trepidation. Was his spear sharp enough? Was the taste of killing truly as wonderful and thrilling as veterans described, or would it bring guilt and psychological burden?

Stepping onto the battlefield for the first time, everything is unknown.

Knowing only that the enemy is incredibly powerful, this will be the most important challenge of my life.

Newlyweds, in their bridal chamber.

This is destined to be a sleepless night!

A transcendent mansion located just ten miles away from Six Thoughts Zen Temple.

After nightfall.

One after another, mysterious Exotic Beast Carriage arrived and drove inside.

The Six Thoughts Zen Master, who appeared to be around thirty years old, with the eight-star mark on his head, sat opposite An Xianjing, discussing Buddhist teachings.

Light the lanterns to dispel the darkness.

Although Six Thoughts Zen Master is one of the five great venerables of the Daojiao Heavenly World Hall, known as "Lingxiao Venerable," he is not actually a person from Lingxiao Shengjing. He came here more than 20 years ago with the Demon Country Crown Prince.

He is the spokesperson for the Demon Country Crown Prince in the Lingxiao Shengjing.

His staying behind to study the power of the Six Thoughts Heart Demon was one of the conditions under which the Demon Country Crown Prince helped Yu Yaozi kill the Saint Infant.

Six Thoughts Zen Master not only studied the various spells and incantations of the Six Thoughts Heart Demon, but also always considered himself a Buddhist practitioner, and was extremely interested in the Buddhist scriptures that the Dao Sect had unearthed from the Underground Immortal Mansion. Therefore, they cooperated closely.

The Rice Cult wanted to gain the support of the Demon Kingdom, so they appointed Six Thoughts Zen Master as Lingxiao Venerable.

Both sides got what they wanted.

Amidst the footsteps, Sui Sect leader of the Yang Shen Realm, was the first to arrive.

He appeared to be in his fifties, with a handsome face, graying temples, and a calm and composed demeanor like a mountain. His eyes never revealed any emotion, giving him an aura of unpredictability and unknowability.

An Xianjing stopped discussing Buddhism with Six Thoughts Zen Master and looked outside the pavilion. "Master Yang's arrival here suggests he already knows about our actions. How did he find out?"

"The main altar and the Hall Master An have always held prejudices and wariness against me, which is due to racial prejudices. But the Palace Master of the Heavenly World Hall has always trusted me and the Sui Sect." Yang Shen Realm stopped ten feet away from the pavilion, standing firm like a pine tree, with a sky full of stars above him.

The identity of the Lord of the Heavenly World Hall is mysterious; even An Xianjing doesn't know who he is, but she guesses he might be some transcendent being of the human race.

Yang Shen Realm and Sui Sect are of great use and value in conquering Lingxiao City, so they should be used. Therefore, An Xianjing said no more.

The Twelfth Elder of the Jiu Li Hidden Gate were escorted up by two Dao Seed Realm experts from the Sui Sect.

The Twelfth Elder was limp all over, with many of his bones broken.

A voice asked from the darkness, "Who is he?"

Yang Shen Realm said, "During this time, an unknown force has been secretly investigating the various strongholds of the Sui Sect. However, this group is powerful, extremely vigilant, and has an extraordinary ability to hide, so we have been unable to catch them. After returning to the city, I personally took action and finally captured one of them."

Six Thoughts Zen Master said, "We had already noticed them and even captured several of them. But these people are very stubborn; not one of them has spoken up."

Yang Shen Realm nodded. "He has Death Spirit Fire within him, making it impossible to seize his soul's memories. Only His Crown Prince can obtain any useful information."

"Is that so? Is it that difficult to say? Let me give it a try."

The transcendent Sacred Dark Family stood dozens of feet away, in an endless expanse of darkness.

A claw reached out from the air.

"Sizzle!"

Strands of black lines spread out, drilling into the Twelfth Elder's body, attempting to corrupt his consciousness and soul.

The Twelfth Elder let out a shrill scream, taking advantage of the fact that the seal within his body had been corroded and broken by the dark power, he deliberately activated the Death Spirit Fire, and his body instantly burst into flames.

Everyone present watched coldly.

Six Thoughts Zen Master was not surprised by this, because even when he used mental incantations, the result was the same.

A moment later.

The bodies of the Twelfth Elder were burned to ashes.

The Six Thoughts Zen Master, with a kind face and gentle voice, said, "His Crown Prince has gone to Qilin Platform. Tonight's gathering will be presided over by this humble monk."

The sound of wheels and hearty laughter drifted from afar, "This Third Palace Master of the Lingxiao Palace actually dared to agree to let His Crown Prince enter Qilin Platform? Interesting!"

Another force arrived by car.

The driver was a refined and handsome young man with a Pure Immortal Body. He wore a scholar's cap, had bright eyes, and was handsome yet approachable. Despite his cultivation at the Dao Seed Realm, he was not at all flustered in front of a group of top experts, and his eyes were sizing up everyone.

Based on this mindset alone, he can already be called a leader among the younger generation.

He was Fu Wenyan, the Young Son of Heaven of the Du'e Temple.

The frame of the bicycle behind him was covered with writing.

The characters are difficult to recognize, yet they are full of beauty.

Fu Wenyan felt relaxed and carefree. His gaze fell on the dark area where the Sacred Dark Family was located, and he saw Xie Chucai.

Xie Chucai had nearly doubled in height, his bones were exposed, a pair of bony wings had grown on his back, and his eyes were bloodshot.

Fu Wenyan sighed, knowing that this was the price of making a mistake in the face of important matters—to be punished, to become neither human nor ghost, and perhaps even to have his consciousness completely blurred.

On the corridor several dozen feet away.

Phoenix-born Unicorn-young cascading down like a waterfall, said from afar, "In the Lingxiao Shengjing, with His Highness the Crown Prince's status and cultivation, he can go wherever he wants. No one can refuse him."

Fu Wenyan's gaze fell on Phoenix-born Unicorn-young. He had long heard of this peerless genius of the Demon Race, and his eyes were full of scrutiny. In the Lingxiao Shengjing, there were only a handful of people who could catch his eye.

Young Son of Heaven at the Dao Seed Realm can stand shoulder to shoulder with Longevity Realm Giants in any power. As long as the power behind him is strong enough, his status may even be no less than that of a Great Longevity Realm expert.

Walking ahead of the Phoenix-born Unicorn-young is the "Crimson Phoenix," one of the Five Luan of the Demon Race.

The Crimson Phoenix transformed into human form, a man over two meters tall, his skin covered in flame-like feather patterns. He laughed freely, "That's true! If His Crown Prince desires something, the Third Palace Master will likely have no choice but to wash herself clean and kneel in apprehension. However, His Highness the Crown Prince has extremely high standards; only Yu Yaozi can catch his eye."

Six Thoughts Zen Master said, "This is the third game between His Crown Prince and the Third Palace Master! As long as the Third Palace Master can hold off His Crown Prince for three days with the help of the Qilin Platform, His Crown Prince will immediately leave the city and depart from Lingxiao Shengjing."

Fu Wenyan said, "His Crown Prince only wanted to keep her occupied for three days, and that Third Palace Master actually believed it? Are all those who have reached the Lingxiao Shengjing so naive?"

Yang Shen Realm said, "This isn't naivety, it's helplessness. The weak can only fantasize, fantasize about being spared by the strong. Without this fantasy, there's only despair. Only those standing outside can see that the strong just want to manipulate and play games to gain a greater sense of accomplishment."

Crimson Phoenix laughed, "I'm even more curious: if Crown Prince Highness the Qilin Platform and reaches the summit within three days, what will the Third Palace Master lose? Haha!"

The extraordinary Li Longshu of the Li Tribe appeared atop the palace. "Actually, we don't need to wait three days. With our current strength, we can directly storm into the Lingxiao Palace and break through any formation."

Fu Wenyan said, "Alright! Senior Li, go and attack Phoenix Pavilion, and help us test Yu Yaozi's sword to see if it can still slay Chao Ran."

Upon hearing the name "Yu Yaozi," everyone present froze.

Who would be willing to gamble their life after hundreds or thousands of years of ascetic practice?

Li Longshu glanced at Fu Wenyan, then looked at the carriage behind him before looking away.

An Xianjing said, "If Yu Yaozi were capable of taking action, she would have done so long ago. How could she just stand by and watch the empire her master, Mist Son of Heaven, built fall into such a state?"

Yang Shen Realm said, "The formation of Cloud Heaven Immortal Plain is the greatest threat."

Phoenix-born Unicorn-young listened quietly the whole time, only to feel that these powerful cultivators all had a certain arrogance about them, just like him before the Qianlong Lantern Festival.

"The weak are pessimistic, the strong are arrogant"—human weaknesses that no one can overcome.

While they were mocking the Third Palace Master, they themselves were heading towards the other extreme.

Phoenix-born Unicorn-young, "Several interesting things happened in the city today, and I would like to share them with you seniors. At noon, after getting drunk at the Heavenly Pavilion, Ge Xiantong revealed a secret from a thousand years ago, claiming that when the Mist Son of Heaven was alive, he established the Mist Shadow Army, which was the last trump card of the Lingxiao Palace, and was led by Yu Yaozi."

"He wept and rallied the Mist Shadow Army to assemble at the West Gate tomorrow and march to the Western Territory battlefield."

Fu Wenyan asked, "What do you seniors from the Lingxiao Shengjing have to say?"

"I've never heard any legends about the Mist Shadow Army, but Myriad Gate Families has its Hidden Gate, so it's not surprising that Lingxiao Palace has an army hidden in the shadows," An Xianjing said.

Li Longshu said, "Whether it's true or false, I will go to the West Gate tomorrow to find out for myself."