"What was that!?"
An entire squad of soldiers had been wiped out in an instant, unable even to resist. They had only managed to get close because the other side had not cared. How could those watching from concealment in the rear not be shocked?
"The intelligence was wrong. That can't possibly be a Strange Dog!" Yu Qing's expression shifted repeatedly. Those fluctuations, that destructive power-it had already reached the level of a savage beast.
He felt they might have kicked an iron plate. How could that possibly be a Strange Dog? It had to be a savage beast, and might very well possess the bloodline of an ancient descendant.
"He dared kill our soldiers!" The City Lord was first shocked, then furious. This could no longer end peacefully. A commander in the spirit transformation realm had died; there was no covering that up. The higher authorities would surely investigate.
When this affair was dug up and both sides confronted each other, his deliberate favoritism toward the Rain Clan would be nailed down beyond dispute. Forget gaining even the slightest benefit-he might not even be able to save himself.
That man could not be allowed to live. They had to leave a dead man who could offer no testimony!
"You should understand how serious this is now. We're all grasshoppers tied to the same rope, so stop holding anything back." The City Lord looked at Yu Qing and the others. Their only option now was murder to silence the witness.
"We understand." Yu Qing naturally understood that matters had now exceeded his expectations. He took out a string of bone beads and handed it to the City Lord. "By the way, City Lord, I have a thought. Could he be a spy from another kingdom?"
That man could not survive. Otherwise, what had originally been a minor matter might very well grow into a major incident that shook the Stone Kingdom.
And judging by the Strange Dog's condition, it was extremely powerful. He feared that even with a Treasure Tool, killing the Strange Dog would still do them no good.
After all, that man seemed to possess the strength of the spirit transformation realm. Under the Strange Dog's protection, unless they killed him in a single strike, he would surely escape without a trace.
Thus, since they were already enemies-and irreconcilable enemies at that-they might as well go all the way and ask the strongest existence in Cloud-Rushing Town to act in the name of eliminating a foreign spy.
"Hm?" Hearing Yu Qing's words, the City Lord visibly froze, but quickly understood his meaning. "He dared kill the Stone Kingdom's soldiers and disregard its laws. That must be it, that must be it!"
Whatever Di Yi's origins, he had killed soldiers of the Stone Kingdom. Before, this could still be considered a dispute between nobles, but now it was entirely different. It had risen to the level of a conflict between kingdoms.
He then looked toward Cloud-Rushing Town and released a cluster of runes carrying an embellished account, seeking help from the town's true ruler-the sacrificial spirit that held the real authority of the City Lord.
In Cloud-Rushing Town, an earthen hill stood beside the town gates. A plant grew there, dark green from top to bottom, with enormous leaves shaped like palm-leaf fans.
This was Cloud-Rushing Town's sacrificial spirit, a plant whose name even great figures did not know.
Those who grew up in Cloud-Rushing Town mostly addressed it as Lord Sacrificial Spirit, though they sometimes called it Lord Cloud-Rushing.
Whoosh!
It had been rooted in Cloud-Rushing Town for years, watching this place develop step by step into a large town of eighty thousand people, and held a special affection for it.
It soon received the embellished message. Upon learning that a spy had passed through Cloud-Rushing Town and penetrated deep into the Stone Kingdom's interior, it stirred.
Waves of sweet fragrance spread. Three unusual flowers grew among its enormous dark green leaves, and the petals of one flower unfolded, releasing an astonishing fluctuation.
The next moment, as though a sword had left its sheath, a streak of crimson light shot out and flew toward the source of the message.
"Lord Cloud-Rushing has responded!" The City Lord hung the string of bone beads around his wrist. After receiving the response from Cloud-Rushing Town's sacrificial spirit, he immediately unleashed the imposing aura of a powerful expert.
Hearing this, Yu Qing and the others felt reassured. They followed the City Lord to help him settle the matter.
"More people are coming?" Di Yi sensed the disturbance behind him and felt rather helpless. This truly was a case of beating the young only for the old to come running.
Still, he felt this was only natural. After all, two groups had already died.
And one group had consisted of soldiers. Based on what he had learned in Stone Village, the higher-ups in Cloud-Rushing Town would certainly not ignore this. He only hoped these newcomers would listen to reason rather than stand up for people who had wanted to kill him and had acted on that intent.
Yet things went against his wishes. Every one of them came brimming with killing intent. At least the previous group had been willing to exchange a few words; this group said nothing and attacked the instant they met.
"Roaar..."
The City Lord activated a Precious Technique, his entire body shining as a Fierce Tiger took form.
Immediately after materializing, the Fierce Tiger expanded at tremendous speed, its terror surging to the heavens. Blood-colored mist coiled around it, accompanied by swathes of runes flickering in the air.
The Fierce Tiger roared, shaking the wilderness in every direction. Chaos swept through the mountain forest, rocks tumbled, and leaves flew wildly.
In a single instant, rocks and trees alike suffered devastating attacks. Even the ground sank and split apart. This Fierce Tiger was enormous, its offensive power so great it made hearts tremble.
Boom!
The Golden Hou was disdainful. A blaze of lightning appeared, formed from golden runes. It stabilized the area where it and Di Yi stood, then struck toward the middle-aged man who dared charge in to kill them, intercepting the Fierce Tiger.
At once, a tremendous thunderous sound shook the mountains and rivers.
The manifested Fierce Tiger was clearly no match for the Golden Hou. It was dissolving inch by inch, while its blood-colored mist evaporated under the lightning.
But at the critical moment, the string of bone beads hanging from the middle-aged man's wrist shone. Dazzling light enveloped both him and the Fierce Tiger, bringing about a terrifying transformation.
"Roaar..."
The Fierce Tiger let out a long roar, seemingly gaining the pulse of life. It became vivid and lifelike, as though it were a living creature. Even its teeth grew sharper, gleaming coldly as it unleashed a barrage against the Golden Hou.
As for the middle-aged man, he seemed to gain immense weight, like a vast range of mountains descending. His attacks engulfed both Di Yi and the Golden Hou, their terrifying might surging to the heavens, wave upon endless wave like a boundless ocean.
At the same time, Yu Qing and the others also moved.
They came from the Rain King Mansion. Though they were not members of its direct line, they still carried considerable weight and had learned inherited Precious Techniques. Otherwise, they would not have been granted a Treasure Tool to act as circumstances required.
In an instant, rain poured down. Strange phenomena appeared between heaven and earth, fierce winds howled, and lightning flashed amid rolling thunder, as though sealing off the entire area.
Those raindrops, formed from divine radiance, runes, and other powers, seemed to weigh ten thousand jin apiece. Every drop punched a terrifying hole into the ground.
In their view, such an immense barrage would cause even someone in the spirit transformation realm to suffer. Under sustained attacks, the flesh would eventually tire and be overwhelmed.
They admitted that their cultivation realms fell short of the man named Di Yi, but cultivation realm was not everything. True combat strength could never be measured by realm alone.
Just as those who had not yet reached the blood moving realm could strengthen their flesh through body tempering, medicinal baths, and baptisms, then use the power of supreme Precious Techniques to kill accomplished blood moving realm cultivators, or even hunt giant beasts and savage beasts.
They believed that even a spirit transformation realm cultivator was ultimately still human. And anyone human could be killed.
Besides, the middle-aged City Lord was a powerful expert. With him leading the charge, their chances of victory were high.
"Roar!"
The Golden Hou felt insulted. That Fierce Tiger actually dared roar at it! In an instant, golden light burst from its entire body, filling heaven and earth as it raised its head and roared.
Like a sovereign, it looked down upon the vast land.
At the same time, Di Yi also moved.
This time, however, he did not use his limitless power. Instead, he activated a Precious Technique, manifesting a Fierce Bird. Its brilliantly colored wings swept across the battlefield, their might dominating heaven and earth as boundless divine radiance swept in every direction.
Everyone opposing him was using Precious Techniques, and the Golden Hou was also employing one. He felt he ought to "follow the local customs" and use a Precious Technique for a round of combat himself.
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