They've Appeared

The Sixteen-Eyed Monster's eyes followed the Soul-Fixing Banner as well, its head even tilting slightly to watch with unusual focus.

After waving the white banner for only a short while, the two young and sturdy attendants, Bai Shan and Qingshui, were already drenched in sweat.

However, the Sixteen-Eyed Monster ceased its movements, its former ferocity and suspicion replaced by confusion. The Soul-Summoning Banner before it obscured all other vitality, emitting fluctuations that brought it pleasure, yet the intense focus required to watch the banner drained its soul power and left its already murky mind even more muddled.

To it, this object acted much like a sedative does to a human.

After a while, the Sixteen-Eyed Monster even scratched the back of its head in a remarkably human gesture, turned around, and sauntered away.

Seeing it finally dissolve into black smoke and follow the main horde into the sky, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Bai Shan and Qingshui put away the Soul-Fixing Banner and sat down on the spot, struggling to regulate their breathing, ignoring the sweat pouring down their foreheads.

This brief moment of waving the banner had caused a dual exhaustion of both physical strength and spirit.

The entities emerging from the well now were all massive vengeful spirits; they were large in size but few in number, keeping a certain distance from one another, unlike the previous spirits that had huddled together in a chaotic, boundary-less mass.

Often, they were even followed by a small group of lesser spirits, trailing closely behind like attendants.

Seeing this, He Lingchuan understood that these things held higher power and status among the vengeful spirits. Just like humans, those with status and reputation were never short of lackeys.

Fortunately, they were not as sensitive as the Sixteen-Eyed Monster, or perhaps they simply had no intention of looking down, and they ascended into the sky surrounded by their throngs of spirits.

Once they had all departed, the well fell silent, and no new vengeful spirits emerged.

At this moment, the light of the Void Barrier began to fade; clearly, Sun Fuping's claim about its short duration was no excuse.

Taking advantage of this gap, Nian Songyu whispered to Sun Fuping, "It seems they've all run out."

Sun Fuping, striving for caution, shook his head to signal they should "wait a little longer."

While they remained safe and able to converse normally here, outside Coiling Dragon City, the ground was already being swept by gale-force winds, with sand and stones flying; there was not an inch of peace left. The effect of the Soul-Suppressing Powder still held, and the group clearly saw the pillars of souls—formed by the gathering of thousands of vengeful spirits—erupting high into the sky before scattering like spray. Every sesame-sized black dot was a vengeful spirit, and these dots filled the sky, riding the gale toward every corner of the Coiling Dragon Desert.

The Furious Sand Season had begun. This was the first time everyone had clearly witnessed its birth.

Within a mere half-day, the Furious Sand Season would sweep across the entire Coiling Dragon Desert, blotting out the sun and sky for many long months to come.

Seeing this, the entire team bowed their heads in silence.

He Lingchuan turned his head and caught the gravity on He Chunhua's face.

Although it was only a few days until September and regular travelers of Red Cliff Road understood the unpredictable temper of the Coiling Dragon Desert and would usually avoid it early, Sun Fuping's premature triggering of the Furious Sand Season would undoubtedly cost many lives.

Not to mention anything else, those courier stations that hadn't managed to evacuate in time would certainly be wiped out in one fell swoop.

Yet, they had only learned of Sun Fuping's intentions after entering Coiling Dragon City, and since the man's rank was far higher than their own, how could they defy him?

Fearing his father might be carrying too heavy a mental burden, he whispered, "Father, are you alright?"

"Hmm." He Chunhua was staring blankly at the well and replied subconsciously, "Protect me. The real danger is likely only just beginning."

"Oh, right."

For a long while, no new vengeful spirits appeared from the well.

The group looked to the State Preceptor for instructions.

While they stood watching, Sun Fuping had not been idle; he had long since picked up a branch and was drawing a formation on the ground.

The formation was large, encircling everyone, and the drawing process did not look complex.

Despite the simple lines, He Chunhua found them increasingly intriguing, and he couldn't help but say, "State Preceptor, this is a summoning formation, isn't it?"

"Yes, just in case." Sun Fuping also felt he had waited long enough and stopped his work. "Alright, since nothing else is coming out of the well, we shall prepare to..."

Before he could finish, the calm water in the well exploded without warning, and another cluster of vengeful spirits surged out.

It was, shockingly, another army of the dead.

Among them were infantrymen holding shields and blades, and cavalrymen riding horses with spears in hand; the moment they appeared, they brought with them a sky-piercing aura of slaughter!

Even from several yards away, He Lingchuan felt a chill run down his spine, raising goosebumps all over his skin.

There was the same mournful howling, the same overwhelming hatred, but the onlookers felt something was different.

They did not look more robust or better equipped than the other war spirits; in fact, many of the soldiers appeared quite frail. Some had arrows with multicolored fletching in their quivers, likely made from scavenged feathers; some cavalrymen held spears made of freshly whittled white wax wood, still covered in prickly splinters and unpolished; most of the soldiers' armor was ancient, carrying the unique gray aura of old relics, with plates of mismatched colors and sizes—clearly repaired and patched repeatedly, perhaps even cannibalized from other sets.

Yet, their eyes were as tenacious and cruel as a pack of mountain wolves.

Even the frailest among them ran with a spirit of indomitable, death-defying resolve.

The people of Blackwater City happened to be facing this army directly, and almost everyone immediately lowered their heads and closed their eyes, not daring to meet their gaze.

The sharpness honed through a thousand trials was something even the Blackwater City army, which had repelled enemies many times, and the fierce bandits who roamed the desert licking blood from their blades, dared not face head-on.

These vengeful spirits were truly different from all the rest.

He Lingchuan clenched his fists in the dark.

These must be the Great Wind Army, right?

Sure enough, a flag-bearer appeared, confirming his suspicion.

This vengeful spirit rode a chestnut horse and held a large banner high; on the bright red fabric, there was only one character written in a bold, sweeping calligraphy:

Zhong!

He Lingchuan remembered that his own team also hid a "Zhong" banner, and his heart felt a complex mix of emotions. His own team carried the "Zhong" banner to avoid disaster and ensure safety, while these people carried it to march into war and slaughter their enemies.

This was the authentic Great Wind Army, a legendary force.

He could hear the heavy breathing of those around him; clearly, everyone present was stirred to the depths of their souls.

He Lingchuan, in particular, widened his eyes instinctively, eager to catch a glimpse of those two legendary figures.

He had already spotted several generals among the ranks of the war spirits; did that mean Zhong Shengguang or the Red General would also emerge from the well?

Regrettably, even after straining his eyes across the vast, surging ranks, he could not find his targets.

Just then, Sun Fuping spoke urgently: "The barrier cannot hold."

Nian Songyu and the others were shocked beyond measure. Looking at the Void Barrier, it was indeed in a precarious state, its earthy-yellow light flickering on and off—much like the temperamental chandelier in the attic He Lingchuan used to rent.

He Lingchuan let out a strange cry: "Can't you hold on for a little longer?"

The Great Wind Army was appearing right now! Whether in life or death, they were equally ferocious killers.