"Boom!"
A single claw shattered the void.
Ao Qing, with a dragon body nearly 30,000 feet long, took a step forward.
They appeared outside the rebuilt Hanging Blade Pass.
The entire dragon's body lay horizontally above the heads of the demons.
In terms of size alone, it seems to have already exceeded the entire distance of the Hanging Blade Pass.
Upon reaching the Void Return level, the demon's body would typically be 70,000 meters in size.
Ao Qing is a purebred dragon, invincible among those of the same level.
His physical body was incredibly strong, and his Demon Power was boundless.
Even its dragon body was more than a size larger than that of Demon Beast of the same level.
Its terrifying size, nearly 100,000 meters, shocked all the demons.
The Lord of Dongting, who had already arrived at this Blessed Land, saw Ao Qing appear the moment he did.
They all bowed their heads and hissed, fear spreading among the demons.
Dragon's might, the true might of the dragon.
The pressure from their bloodline and cultivation level forced the million-strong demon army to submit.
The sight of Ten Thousand Demons submitting further amplified the dragon's might.
"Hold head high--!!!"
A dragon's roar resounded, like ancient thunder.
The Hanging Blade Pass fell into a deathly silence.
On the wall, the monk wielding the spear was deathly pale.
Those at a slightly lower level will experience a shock to their Divine Soul, and blood will seep from their ears and noses.
The newly appointed guardian Divine Lord, Hu Lie Divine Lord, known for his fierce courage, had sweaty palms at this moment.
He stared intently at the terrifying dragon-like body beyond the pass, which almost blotted out the sun, his throat dry, and he hissed sharply.
"Raise the flag! Light the beacon fire!"
"Full array activated! Send a message to the Prince's residence: Ao Qing has arrived in person!"
The adjutant beside him trembled.
"Does the Divine Lord really not request the Heavenly Realm to Void Return?"
"Can we stop this demon on our own?"
Hearing this, Hu Lie felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
If there were extra Void Return True Lord, why would we need to send him to guard the pass?
At this moment, the few remaining Void Return within the manor are all on guard against the Suanni with divine beast blood.
Hu Lie could only gamble, hoping that Ao Qing, seriously injured, wouldn't personally lead the attack on the city.
Sure enough, the dragon's body suddenly contracted.
He transformed into a young man in a dragon robe, hovering above Ten Thousand Demons.
"Wait for all the demons to gather and break down the three great barriers themselves."
"After breaking through the barrier, you shall slaughter all the cultivators of the Western Continent. Without my imperial order, you shall not retreat, nor capture or plunder them alive."
"Those who disobey shall be executed!"
A slightly weary divine thought resounded throughout the Sea of Consciousness of all the demons.
After issuing the final imperial decree, Ao Qing no longer hesitated.
With a wave of his hand, he concealed his entire body, and with an open mouth, he spat out his natal Demon Treasure.
A blood-red, glistening dragon ball flew out.
It seemed as if ten thousand souls were wailing within the pearl, and blood-red light flickered within.
At Ao Qing's command, the crimson dragon pearl transformed into a dense, blood-red cloud that blotted out the sky.
It covers an area of tens of thousands of miles.
Blood-red clouds churned, their inner breath rising and falling like dragon's.
At the same time, countless tiny blood lines, barely visible to the naked eye, quietly seeped out from the Dragon Ball.
Like a living thing, it spread rapidly in the sky, intertwining and spreading hundreds of miles above the Hanging Blade Pass.
Silently sketching out a vast, eerie, and magnificent crimson array spanning thousands of miles...
Ao Qing arrived at Hanging Blade Pass.
Zongzheng Lie led his men back to Jingxi Prefecture from Hanging Armor Pass shortly after.
Inside Black Armor Pass, the few remaining Void Return True Lord were on their last legs.
They didn't even bother to say goodbye; each of them turned into a stream of light.
They rushed to their Lineage's secret realm or the sect's forbidden area, eagerly beginning their secluded cultivation to heal their injuries.
Suppressing the almost shattered Primordial Spirit.
Zongzheng Lie's face was ashen, and he forced himself to enter the palace with a burst of true energy, accompanied by Jingfeng Canyue.
Inside the mansion, war drums thundered and armor clanged.
The repairs to the government offices are being carried out in an orderly manner.
He didn't even glance at it, and went straight into the secret room.
He raised his hand and sent out several divine thoughts that entered the communication Jade Slip.
They flew to the three remaining Void Return stationed in Jingxi Prefecture.
" The Suanni is cunning; we must defend this territory at all costs and be wary of this demon. We must not engage in reckless battle!"
"Our only goal is to stall this demon until we can leave the pass."
"Once the three major defenses are breached, this demon will likely join forces with the demon army to attempt to hold them back and delay their progress."
"If they join the demon army, they will be in even greater danger with such assistance!"
After giving instructions on the important matter, he summoned the chief steward of the Prince's mansion, his voice hoarse.
"By my royal decree, I command the royal guards to be stationed at the three major passes, under the command of the Pass Divine Lord... Fight to the death, never retreat!"
After speaking, without waiting for the steward's reply, he waved his hand and closed the stone door of the secret chamber.
He didn't even have time to see Zong Qing.
He immediately sat down cross-legged, unable to suppress the urge to vomit blood, and his life force instantly diminished.
A dragon has three reverse scales in its life. When it transforms into a true dragon, the three scales merge into one, becoming the true reverse scale of the dragon.
Aside from the Dragon Balls, it is the most important thing.
It is an unparalleled defensive treasure.
Ao Qing was ruthless to the extreme, removing the last two dragon scales in exchange for severely injuring him.
This was something Zongzheng Lie hadn't expected.
After all, if he were to cultivate in seclusion for another few thousand years, he might be able to condense one last reverse scale.
Even after it transforms into a dragon, it will still possess a true dragon's reverse scale.
But now, the bulbils have been removed.
Even if it were to transform into a dragon in the future, it would never have the chance to possess the reverse scale of a true dragon, making it far weaker than any other true dragon.
This unexpected event rendered him and a group of high-ranking human leaders powerless to fight again.
As to the outcome of this Prefecture-Breaking War, only heaven knows...
Meanwhile, many Void Return were about to go into seclusion to heal their injuries.
As the two governments prepare for war.
Deep within the Demon Manor.
The Dao Academy disciples, disguised as human slaves of the Heavenly Wolf Demon Army, continued to follow the demon army according to the plan and orders.
After evading the supervision of the first batch of Dongting lords behind them.
Lu Li's Divine Sense entered the Heart of Primordial Beginning.
" In the Primordial Beginning, inform all the disciples of the sect."
"Immediately break away from the demon army, disperse into smaller groups, and go into hiding."
"Without my personal command, you shall not move, speak, or initiate any communication."
"Keep quiet!"
The order has been issued.
A flash of inspiration struck the jade disc.
The next moment.
All the disciples of the Dao Academy felt a slight tremor in the Jade Slip slips at their waists.
Four cold, ancient seal characters were revealed:
"The dragon lies dormant, silent."
On the edge of the mighty torrent of demonic forces.
Without a sound, the numerous 'slave cultivators' quietly scattered like dust, disappearing into the mountains and rivers, leaving no trace.
At Heavenly Wolf's signal, the Heavenly Wolf demon army deliberately stirred up thick clouds of dust.
Creating legitimate chaos.
To help the disciples of the Dao Academy simultaneously escape from concealment.
The disciples in each location had been keeping their distance, as planned.
They either lurked alone or in small groups.
The methods differ.
Five disciples of the Dao Academy gathered in a sheltered rocky hollow.
The leading Foundation Establishment cultivator quickly took out a new type of Spirit Machinery Law Artifact a camouflage pattern, resembling a disguise net.
Toss it upwards.
The camouflage net unfurled in the wind.
The light flowed and blended seamlessly with the colors of the surrounding mountains, rocks, and vegetation.
Completely isolate everyone's presence.
The space inside the net was cramped, and the atmosphere was oppressive.
A young outer court Qi Refinement disciple turned pale.
Unable to hold back, she asked in a trembling, breathy voice.
"Senior brother... how long should we remain hidden?"
The sound had barely been uttered.
The Foundation Establishment disciple suddenly turned his head, his gaze sharp as a knife.
She covered his mouth with her hand.
He leaned closer, his eyes flashing a warning.
With his fingertips, he slowly traced several bold, powerful characters on the dusty rock surface.
"When I take command, I will cause the heavens to fall!"