Leaving aside the little Daoist boys chatting as they hurried along, Hong Xixiang felt as though he'd blinked. Before he even saw Wang Yue, he had arrived outside Tai'an City.
Li Chungang sensed something beside him and quickly turned around. When he saw Hong Xixiang standing there, he asked in surprise, "Little Daoist, how did you get here?"
Only when he heard Li Chungang's voice did Hong Xixiang notice Li Chungang and Deng Tai'a standing beside him.
He bowed to them, then shook the scabbard in his hand and explained helplessly, "Elder Wang probably brought me along because he needs my sword."
Deng Tai'a was even more astonished. He was certain Wang Yue hadn't been here, yet Wang Yue had somehow brought Hong Xixiang over. He was now even more eager to see the outcome of Wang Yue's battle.
Li Chungang was itching to see it, too. He smiled and said, "Since the battle's about to begin, let's head into the city and find a place to watch."
Hong Xixiang wanted to go, of course, and quickly nodded. "I'll follow your lead, seniors!"
Deng Tai'a was a man of few words. "Please."
Li Chungang didn't hesitate. He flew toward the city first, his figure flickering several times before he reached the roof of a tall building not far from the imperial palace. Deng Tai'a arrived shortly after, followed by Hong Xixiang.
From their vantage point, the three saw Wang Yue moving like a ghost, killing with the ease of someone chopping vegetables.
Before the Daoists from Dragon Tiger Mountain and Zhao Danping could set up their formation, Wang Yue had already cut down more than a dozen of them. Seeing that things were going badly, Jin Xin'an quickly ordered the Qi cultivators to form the Imperial Seal Formation.
Wang Yue