The black-lacquered gates of the city defense army's barracks in the eastern part of Heaven Dou City stood open.
Several sentries at the entrance wore their caps askew and leaned their spears carelessly against the ground. They were huddled together, loudly discussing the previous night's gambling losses and winnings, and hadn't even noticed someone approaching.
Of course, no one usually dared to set foot on the "military men's" turf.
Xue Yuheng led Xiao Xiao to the shade of a tree and stopped. He raised a hand and ruffled her hair. "Xiao Xiao, wait here for me. I'll go inside and take care of something. I'll be right back."
Xiao Xiao nodded obediently.
Xue Yuheng turned and walked into the barracks. Instead of the solemn, murderous atmosphere one would expect of an army, he was met by a strong stench of alcohol and sweat.
Broken wine jars and gambling pieces littered the open ground. Several shirtless soldiers sat in a circle, rolling dice, their shouts loud enough to make one's ears ache.
From the barracks in the distance came the occasional cry of a woman. The whole place was as chaotic as a marketplace.
Two patrolling soldiers swaggered over, their eyes half-lidded. Their scabbards dragged along the ground with a scraping sound. "Where'd you come from, brat?
"This is an important military zone. You think you can just walk in here? Get lost!"
Xue Yuheng didn't bother arguing. He turned his palm over, and a dark iron token appeared in it.
The token gleamed black in the sunlight. A golden "Tian" was stamped on its front, and the two soldiers instantly sobered up.
"The... Tianhun Token?"
Only His Majesty the Tianhun Emperor and a few princes possessed one of these.
The commander of the city defense army had one, too. The soldiers had seen it many times when he showed it off.
The soldiers who had been acting so arrogantly moments ago immediately went weak in the knees. One of their sabers clanged to the ground as they dropped to their knees and kowtowed. "This lowly soldier failed to recognize your status! Please forgive us, sir! We'll take you to see the commander right away!"
Inside the commander's tent, Vista sat with one leg crossed over the other, eyeing the fresh-faced young recruits doing push-ups in front of him with a lecherous gaze.
He was considering how he would "eat" tonight.
He was the younger brother of Vister, the Emperor of the Tianhun Empire.
He had no great ambitions and preferred men. That was exactly why Vister felt safe putting him in charge of the city defense army in Heaven Dou City.
When a subordinate reported that His Highness Prince Gan of the Dou Ling Empire had arrived, the interest on Vista's face instantly faded.
He impatiently waved for the recruits to leave, then leisurely straightened his wrinkled clothes before looking up at Xue Yuheng as he entered.
"I wonder what brings His Highness Prince Gan to this humble place?" His tone was perfunctory. He couldn't even be bothered to stand.
Xue Yuheng got straight to the point, staring directly at him. "I've received word that your city defense army plans to move against the Tang Sect. Does His Majesty know about this?"
Vista's expression changed sharply, and his hand instinctively tightened around the armrest.
The destruction of the Tang Sect had been secretly ordered by his older brother in the first place. The sect had been in decline for over a thousand years and was of no use to the Tianhun Empire. Wiping it out would let them seize its Hidden Weapon techniques and what little property it had left.
But now Prince Gan stood before him with the Tianhun Token his brother had bestowed upon him. Could his brother have changed his mind at the last minute?
He quickly weighed his options, but put on a bewildered expression. "The Tang Sect? What Tang Sect? What's happened to them? Does Your Highness have some connection with the Tang Sect?"
Watching Vista's expression shift back and forth, Xue Yuheng felt his unease grow stronger.
He stopped beating around the bush. The shadow at his feet stirred slightly.
A streak of black-and-white swordlight flashed. The icy blade was already resting firmly against Vista's shoulder.
"The Tianhun Token is here. I'll ask you one last time: what's going on with the Tang Sect?" Xue Yuheng's voice was cold, and its pressure left Vista struggling to breathe.
Vista's whole body stiffened, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
He was a level-seventy-six Soul Saint, yet he hadn't even noticed when the person before him had struck!
The long sword rested against his neck. Its icy aura was almost enough to cut through his skin.
He had no doubt that if this seemingly delicate young man so much as willed it, his head would hit the ground in an instant.
He couldn't rely on his status to intimidate him. His life was more important.
"Your Highness, spare me! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"
Vista's voice trembled, and even his teeth chattered. "It was one of my disobedient battalion commanders. He's planning to lead three hundred city defense soldiers in a surprise attack on the Tang Sect tonight, in coordination with the Iron Blood Sect! They've already set out!"
Xue Yuheng furrowed his brow and said to Heavenly Dancing Maiden in a low voice, "The five of you, go to the Tang Sect first. Stop them at all costs."
As soon as he finished speaking, five shadows split off from Heavenly Dancing Maiden's feet. Five Soul Douluo-level auras erupted without restraint, and they shot toward the depths of the eastern city like five black bolts of lightning.
Vista stared at the scene, dumbstruck.
Five Soul Douluos! Prince Gan's hidden strength was actually this terrifying!
That meant Heavenly Dancing Maiden's peak strength had already reached the Limit Douluo level.
That was why Xue Yuheng had dared to come here alone.
Xue Yuheng gave a cold snort and swept a frigid gaze over him. "Ten thousand years ago, the Tang Sect helped your Tiandou Empire destroy the Spirit Hall Empire. That's how you came to rule this land.
"I never thought that ten thousand years later, you'd be the sort to kick someone when they're down.
"If anything happens to the Tang Sect, you, the commander of the city defense army, and every last one of your men... will all die sooner or later."
With that, he turned and left, leaving Vista slumped in his chair, his face ashen.
Xue Yuheng met Xiao Xiao at the entrance to the city defense army's barracks. Yue and Ying were already waiting nearby. The four of them turned into a streak of light and flew toward the Tang Sect at top speed.
From a distance, they saw flames soaring above a street in the eastern city, near the outskirts.
Billowing black smoke obscured half the night sky. Bloodcurdling screams and cries for help carried on the wind, making their hearts tighten.
The Tang Sect's vermilion gates had been smashed to pieces. Blood and bodies were scattered throughout the courtyard.
Some were Tang Sect disciples dressed in blue; others were members of the Iron Blood Sect dressed in black. A few city defense soldiers lay among them as well.
Several unarmed elderly people and women and children had fallen on the flagstones, swords and knives sticking out of their bodies. Blood seeped through the cracks, forming little dark-red streams.
The Iron Blood Sect disciples were looting and setting fires everywhere, ransacking the place in search of the Tang Sect's manuals and valuables.
Sneering laughter and screams intertwined. The once-quiet sect had become a living hell.
Just then, the cool moonlight suddenly grew unusually bright.
A breathtakingly beautiful woman in white hovered in midair. Heavenly Dancing Maiden slowly raised her pale hand, and a silver domain instantly enveloped the entire Tang Sect.
As moonlight flowed, time seemed to slow countless times over. Everyone's movements turned stiff. Even sparks dancing through the air hung suspended, refusing to fall.
This was a linked domain Soul Skill, created by the seven Moon Shadows using the Wind Origin and Space Origin of the Hall of Inheritance domain.
A Limit Douluo-level domain—Wind Flower Snow Moon.
The Iron Blood Sect's leader, Tieli, held his broadsword less than two meters from the chests of Tang Lin and his wife, the Tang Sect's leaders. The cold gleam on its edge was already reflected in Tang Lin's face.
At that critical moment, a blue-white ice chain shot through the air like a striking viper and wrapped precisely around Tieli's right arm.
Countless sharp ice spikes burst from the chain and plunged into his wrist. A piercing chill spread from his arm through his entire body.
"Argh!"
Tieli screamed. His broadsword fell to the ground, and his entire right arm froze solid, going completely numb.
The ice chain had formed from Xue Yuheng's Ice Jade Empress Scorpion External Soul Bone. In its normal state, it appeared as an Ice Jade Scorpion tattoo on his wrist.
When Xue Yuheng needed it, it could transform into any weapon he wanted.
Xiao Xiao had never seen such a bloody, brutal scene before. Her little face flushed with anger, and the Soul Power in her body surged out of control as she prepared to rush forward and teach the villains a lesson.
Xue Yuheng reached out and held her back, gently shaking his head. "Don't be impulsive. Let them handle it."
He couldn't let Xiao Xiao get her hands dirty.
Heavenly Dancing Maiden slowly descended from the sky. Her long white dress fluttered softly in the night wind, and the pressure radiating from her was suffocating. She seemed like a goddess from the highest heavens, descending into the mortal realm. No one present dared to raise their eyes and look directly at her.
"Iron Blood Sect, how dare you!"
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