Within Yang Capital, Zhu Shi sat behind his desk, gazing through the crystal wall at the spiritual barrier of King Xi's army opposite, sprawling beneath the night sky and blotting out heaven and earth. Ever since Wang Duo had charged into that military formation, there had been no news of him for quite some time.
A trusted adviser at his side said, "Yuan Shou, do not worry. Wang Zhi Dao has obtained the Armor of Supreme Goodness; he possesses an immortal body, and no one can do anything to him. This operation will certainly succeed. King Xi's defenses must simply be too tight for him to find an opening for the moment."
Yet Zhu Shi did not relax at these words of comfort. Having held power for many years, he had long learned to weigh all gains and losses with a cool head. He thought to himself, I wonder how the arrangements on the Six Sects' side are proceeding.
But none of that was within his power to influence. He had done all he could; what remained could only be left to Heaven's will.
At that moment, he suddenly felt parched, so he reached for the teacup on the desk. Before he could drink, however, he saw specks of starlight opposite him. In an instant, they blazed across heaven and earth. The next moment, he felt the entire city domain begin to shake. The chair beneath him swayed as if upon ocean waves, and the ornaments on the desk all bounced from the tremors. Then came the thunderous roar of ship cannons that shook heaven and earth.
He remained calm and merely said, "It seems Wang Zhi Dao has failed."
The trusted adviser was startled. "Could King Xi be lashing out in fury? Or perhaps trying to conceal something?"
Zhu