The sky stretched high, its clouds pale.
Traces of water, fire, blades, and swords marked the frontier city walls everywhere. Mottled dark-red bloodstains lay beside the Bronze Gate, while the light of Li Fire and double radiance encircled the city, protecting it.
Standing atop the wall, he looked north.
Vast swathes of Iron-Gray Cloud Qi spread across the sky, seemingly taking the shape of the heads of all manner of vicious beasts and pressing the heavens ever lower. Yellow sand swirled everywhere, obscuring the scene entirely.
In the distance, crimson lightning rolled through that Iron-Gray Cloud Qi, occasionally driving down thunder nails that churned the formation.
"Xi Wuya ventured into danger. I wonder whether he'll make it back?"
Clad in silver-white Daoist robes, Xu Xuan gazed at the formation in the distant Great Desert, his eyes cold as lightning. Even his spiritual perception could discern little.
According to the plan laid out by their superiors, the Spirit Thunder Envoy would charge into the formation first and plant twelve thunder nails, disrupting its spiritual workings and opening gaps in the Grand Formation to the north.
Xu Xuan had arrived at the frontier several days ago, yet he had not met this dragonkin even once. Xi Wuya had remained hidden in the Great Void until now.
Now that Tiantuo had broken through to Purple Mansion, he could employ Capital of the techniques he had possessed in life, making this an ideal opportunity to examine the enemy formation.
"This land was left behind by the Ancient Qiang, a place where nurturing earth's malign influences gather. Sand fills the sky, obstructing spiritual perception. These Liao people have also used secret arts of the Lingsa path to disturb its spiritual workings. They've certainly put some effort into this."
Tiantuo spoke leisurely, as though he had