Once Fortune scattered and people's hearts fell apart, coupled with the True Dragon's passing, the spiritual energy that had existed there and the slight changes in the Dragon Vein, the people of the stronghold no longer revered the Chief and the others. At last, the situation throughout the entire mountain stronghold spiraled out of control.
Not only outside the main hall—even within it, the Heavenly Spirits leaders who appeared united were actually divided into several factions. There might have been emotional ties between them, but what bound them more was their shared interests and power. Once the foundation of that sharing wavered, they would devour one another. Such things were hardly rare in the stronghold. The bloody conflict between the previous two leaders, which ended with the Chief taking their place, was precisely one such result.
Thus, after a series of clamorous disputes, the many Earthly Fiends leaders outside the hall acted decisively, directly defeating the soldiers blocking their way, though they did not take their lives.
Those able to guard the main hall at such a time were undoubtedly the cream of the stronghold's soldiers. Yet before the Earthly Fiends leaders, they were still no match. Nevertheless, there were bonds and rules between them, so neither side would go too far.
Almost at the same moment that the Earthly Fiends leaders outside broke through the blockade and were about to enter the hall, the Heavenly Spirits leaders within, each harboring different thoughts, also began to stir. They had seen the Chief reveal a moment of losing all sense of advance and retreat when facing Qiu Yan. It was like a bottle that had originally been intact on the outside, filled with liquid and possessing weight within; even when set upon a scale, it could weigh down one pan and