Three shadows at Jialing Pass

As the Trident landed before the pass, Bai Jin was pulling a wounded soldier out of the collapsed battlements.

The wounded soldier had broken his Left Leg and was still clutching half Military Flag. He set the bone for him, had someone carry him away, and then looked up at Tang San, who was standing on the other side of the moat.

The Azure Sea Divine Outfit reflected the firelight on the city walls across the river.

It took Tang San three days to get here from the coast. The imperial post stations along the way had sent messages long ago, but when they actually saw the Trident, the Martial Soul of the city's guardian Soul Master were still suppressed, and several low-level Soul Master couldn't even maintain the Soul Ring under their feet.

The Bai Jin crossed the battlements and landed on the outer Stone Steps.

"Last time we met, you had to take a boat across the sea. This time, you saved a lot on travel expenses."

Tang San did not respond to that sentence.

"Hand over Bibi Dong."

His voice carried across the moat, reaching those on the city walls who had just caught their breath. Bai Jin gestured behind him, and Hu Liena waved her hand, causing the wounded soldiers to retreat down the inner passage. Yan remained near the breach, pressing his hands against the stone beam that was about to slip.

"I heard the reason," Bai Jin said. "You came to my door with a halberd and demanded that I hand over the person. I can't do that."

"Xiao Wu is alive again. I remember what you did."

Tang San gripped the halberd shaft tightly, raising the blade tip from the river surface.

"Her mother should live on too. None of those Soul Beasts that died in the pursuit will ever return."

Bai Jin didn't laugh this time. He saw the old wound on Tang San's Right Arm, which was mostly covered by his Divine Outfit. When he turned his wrist, the healed wound still extended along the back of his hand.

"Old scores must be settled. If you insist on storming this pass and taking everyone inside as your scapegoat, I will stop you."

I will avoid civilians.

"The second camp behind is the wounded camp; the supply convoy just entered through the north gate. If your halberd is to crush their formation, you must first crush them."

Tang San's gaze passed over Bai Jin and settled on the Purple-Black Light inside the pass.

Bibi Dong has arrived at the Pass Tower.

The Dark Pattern patterns on her Divine Outfit were concealed on her shoulders and back, Rakshasa Demon Scythe stood upright at her side. She glanced at the Allied Army outside the city, then looked at Tang San, showing no intention of hiding herself.

"If you want me to come, you have to win this battle first."

A clanging of armor echoed from behind the Military Flag as the Soul Master of the Spirit Hall Empire began to re-form their battle array. Some regained their sense of direction, while others dared not even look directly at her back. An officer closer to the Demon Scythe lowered his head, his face flushed an unnatural red.

Bibi Dong withdrew her Divine Power, and the man steadied himself by leaning against the wall.

Bai Jin saw this scene and pointed to the open space outside the city gate.

"Your Majesty, advance over there. We still have people here."

"I know."

Bibi Dong stepped out of the Pass Tower, the dark light beneath her spreading straight towards the riverbank. Higher up, a Golden Light Pillar intercepted the aftershocks that were veering towards the wounded camp. Qian Renxue spread her six wings, her Holy Sword pointing diagonally at the ground, first withdrawing her domain outside the gate walls.

She looked at Bibi Dong, her gaze lingering on the officer.

"I will guard the rear. Do not rely on others for support in your territory."

Bibi Dong did not argue with her in front of the army. With a turn of her Demon Scythe, the Purple-Black Light moved outward. The Taxi Soldiers on the opposite bank of the river retreated far away, and Tang San also rose into the air, the golden patterns on his Trident lighting up section by section.

The Three Kinds of Divine Power down on the valley, causing the Cavalry, who were still charging forward, to rein in their horses, and the leading warhorses to kneel down.

However, a catapult was launched from the rear of the Allied Army. The Soul Master trapped on the catapult were slow to retreat, and their ropes were broken by the Cavalry around them. The stones coated with oil crossed the valley and fell towards the camp inside the pass.

Bibi Dong raised her Demon Scythe, and the stone projectiles were immediately engulfed in purplish-black flames. Before the guards could even cheer, the burning oil was already being swirled into an even larger fireball by Divine Power, which then fell and covered the entire wall passage.

Bai Jin raised his Right Hand, and Cang shrank into a point in mid-air. The broken stones and burning oil droplets were pulled toward that point, and then he was pushed out of the pass by a thud. The fireball fell into the empty river beach, Taxi Soldiers on the bank fell down one after another, but the oil only burned on the mud and sand.

"I told you, there are still people here."

His gaze shifted to Bibi Dong. The flames on the Demon Scythe receded, she glanced at the wall passage that her Divine Power had invaded, and then moved to the sky above the distant river bend.

Tang San also raised his hand to the rear, and all the catapults of the Allied Army were brought down. Dai Mubai stepped over the Cavalry at the front, personally pulled back the warhorse that was about to be sent forward, and led the frightened Taxi Soldiers away from the riverbank.

Orders rang out from both inside and outside the city, and the open space by the river gradually became clear. Bai Jin and the last few of their own scouts entered through the small gate before removing the Limitless from their heads and turning their hands toward the Trident.

Xie Yue ran along the wall path, his Moon Blade severing the out-of-control cable and lowering the last Wounded Soldiers' Wagon to the ground. Hu Liena helped the Soul Master suppress their mental turmoil, then shouted at the door to close it, and the heavy door slammed shut.

When she turned around, Bai Jin was still standing on the outer Stone Steps.

Nine Soul Ring had already risen, with two Red Ring rotating around him, and his Head Soul Bone fixing the nearest landing point. The riverbank, the outer wall, the abandoned watchtower, and the rocky slope on the south side of the valley were separated in his Six Eyes.

Tang San glanced at Qian Renxue first.

"Are you going to take the blame for her too?"

"I will make her bear the responsibility she should bear." Qian Renxue raised her Holy Sword. "The lives of ordinary people in this city are not for you to decide."

The Trident drew a circle forward, and the water in the river rose along the blade. Tang San narrowed the Divine Power that was originally covering the entire wall and pointed it directly at the Rakshasa pillar of light above the Empire Center Army.

He chose the core of the military formation.

The Stone Steps beneath Bai Jin's feet cracked first.

Before the Divine Power even touched space, it had already pushed outwards, causing the arrow towers on the inner side of the city wall to tilt outwards, and the beams that Yan was supporting to sink again. Bai Jin raised his hand and released Cang, which guided the bricks that were about to block the exit of the wounded soldiers into the air, and then used He to send them to the deserted area.

Tang San.

He took a step forward.

"You'll have to get past me first."

The blue-gold halberd shadow fell, splitting the river in the middle, with the mud and sand on the banks swirling to both sides. Limitless unfolded layer by layer before Bai Jin; the tip of the halberd shadow slowed, but the Sea God Power continued to press in from behind.

A continuous squeezing sound echoed in the space.

A drop of blood fell from Bai Jin's outstretched Right Hand, and the rock beneath his feet had been flattened by the remaining force. He did not retreat back into the wall; instead, he slashed his left hand across his chest, and the Worldless Sky-Sealing blocked the special entry point leading directly to the Pass Tower, while the halberd in front of him continued to advance.

Tang San flipped his wrist and sent in another surge of power.

"You can't hold off the entire battlefield."

"This is enough for me to stand here."

Bai Jin positioned Cang Ning to one side of the halberd's shadow, the azure light deviating from its original straight line, grazing the outer wall as it slid towards the valley. A deep trench was carved into the South Slope, the tremor reaching the city wall. Hu Liena caught a Soul Master who was about to fall off the wall, her hands cut by the rubble.

She looked up and outwards, finally seeing Bai Jin's Right Arm Bai Jin.

The sleeve had ripped open, and blood was flowing down from the elbow.

Qian Renxue took half a step forward, but Bai Jin waved her off.

"Don't let the back collapse."

Golden wings landed above the fortified wall. She gripped the Holy Sword, flicking a wisp of Sea God Power away from the direction of the wounded camp, then looked towards the center of the valley. Bai Jin moved his bloodied Right Hand, Reverse Cursed Technique to mend the damaged Meridians, but his temples still throbbed.

He stared at the golden patterns that had reappeared on Tang San's halberd shaft.

This power was even deeper than when Qian Daoliu tested his sword back then. The moment the halberd shadow changed direction, the farthest point in the surrounding space was half a beat slower.

Bai Jin retrieved the Bone Anchor.

Tang San saw his movement, and immediately pressed the halberd downwards. The second wave bypassed the Limitless of the Wuxiawan and surged along the riverbed towards the base of the fortress wall.

Bai Jin stepped into the valley, his feet leaving the last intact Stone Steps.

"You have a good eye this time."

He brushed aside the stray hairs covering his forehead, revealing his Six Eyes to the divine light.