Yanghu Zi Mountain, halfway up.
The Deathmatch Arena fighters rushed back and forth, passing along messages.
From time to time, they buried unusual objects in specific locations.
At a glance, they seemed to be working busily and in good order. But if you watched for a while, you could see that each of them moved in a way that felt off. Their actions weren't stiff, exactly, but somehow they all seemed uncoordinated.
A closer look revealed complicated expressions on every face.
Some looked helpless, others furious...
But no matter what, they couldn't break free of the control. All they could do was obediently follow orders.
A quick count put the crowd at well over a hundred.
On the altar stood a youth with waist-length white hair, hands clasped behind his back as he watched the busy crowd with indifference.
On the surface, he seemed calm, but even he couldn't help feeling unsettled.
Second Young Master Hu still couldn't understand how things had ended up like this.
How had such a favorable situation collapsed overnight?
Third Aunt Hu, Hu Liu, Hu Jiu, Huang Yuan, the two Altar Immortals from Liu Family Village, and even the many Guardian Immortals from the villages around the county seat.
From the top ranks to the middle and lower tiers, they clearly had an overwhelming advantage at every level.
And that was without even mentioning the Four Immortal Lotuses, a weapon so devastating that it could turn the tables against the immortals.
Setting aside Chang Shengtian, who hadn't wanted to get involved in the first place, the opposing side had only Lord Bai the Fourteenth and a dozen or so insignificant Incense Officers.
Where had things gone wrong?
The white-haired youth couldn't figure it out.
He let out a long breath, but the worry between his