Overwhelming Firepower Sweeps the Branches

The declaration of war spread across Heaven Dou.

The first to grow restless were the soul masters scattered among the Spirit Hall Branches in every city.

Spirit Hall's soul masters came from all walks of life.

Some belonged to families that had served the hall for generations and were loyal to the core. Others were simply there for a paycheck...

With the empire declaring war, they had to choose:

Stay with Spirit Hall, or leave it and return to the Heaven Dou Empire.

Every city's branch fell into turmoil.

Colleagues who had worked side by side split into factions overnight, arguing in the main hall and out in the corridors.

Those leaving urged others to come; those staying cursed them for going.

Some left on the spot once they confirmed the news;

some resolved to remain with Spirit Hall;

and others slipped out of the city that very night, bound for Spirit City.

Soul masters left branches in every city.

At the same time, an army advanced on every city that had a Spirit Hall Branch.

Disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan marched with them.

Bluestone City, Heaven Dou Empire.

Its Spirit Hall Branch was the largest for hundreds of miles around.

The grand complex stood behind a plaza paved with white jade.

Its master, Saro, was a level seventy-six Soul Sage. Between the hall guards and its stewards of every rank, the branch held over a hundred soul masters.

An army arrived at its gates.

Three thousand city guards surrounded the entire branch.

A deputy general stepped out of their ranks, approached the plaza, and read the declaration of war aloud.

He urged those inside to open the gates and surrender.

Saro looked out at the troops beyond the