At the foot of North Spring Mountain, in the Forbidden Army Camp.
"Why hasn't the general come down yet? Could he have angered Young Master Gu and gotten into trouble?"
Several of Yuan Yingsong's personal guards looked up toward the mountain.
"Why don't we go up and take a look?"
"But the general said that no matter what happened, we weren't to go up the mountain without his orders."
"Things are different now. It's been almost an entire day. No, we can't just sit here waiting. Even if it means disobeying orders, I'm going up to find out what happened."
The guard was just about to leave camp and head up the mountain when Zhang Zhuo strode over.
"Where is he?"
"Still on the mountain, with no word from him. Sir, could something have happened to the general? We're worried sick."
Zhang Zhuo glanced up at North Spring Mountain and frowned.
"Come up the mountain with me. We must bring the general back. The Crimson Dragon Cult could arrive at any moment. Without the general, our Divine Eagle Great Formation will be like a host of dragons without a head. Never mind fighting a Grandmaster—we couldn't even handle someone at the Profound Martial Ninth Layer."
"Yes, sir!"
The party of a dozen or so passed through the mountain gate and headed uphill.
Gu Yuanqing merely glanced toward the mountain gate, then paid them no further attention, guiding the Qi of Earth Sha gathered within North Spring Mountain into the Profound Martial Secret Treasure.
The moment the Qi of Heaven Sha came into contact with the Qi of Heaven Gang, rapid changes began.
Within the Secret Realm, clouds and Wind Dao rose once more, Thunder Dao roared, and lightning flashed. Earth, Fire Dao, Wind Dao, and water faintly manifested again.
After