Seizing the City

Wind Abyss Ruin Realm, southern region.

Mountain ranges stretched into the distance, their slopes green and their peaks wreathed in clouds and mist. Flashes of sword light could faintly be seen within the mist.

The sky was a deep, dark azure. Nine blazing suns, the lingering power of a Purple Mansion Divine Ability, hung overhead in some arcane formation. Their radiance intertwined with the Spiritual Qi of Wind Abyss, leaving it scorching as embers, impure, and violent.

Sounds of slaughter and clashing spiritual power came from time to time, and faint Yao Qi and the scent of blood mingled in the air.

Ye Jinyu stood in the air, the Qiuyan Daoxuan robe stirring slightly in the blood-tinged night wind.

With a clang, Ye Jinyu opened the Azure Nether Jade Glass Fan. Several currents of deep, dark Bifeng wind pressure compressed in an instant, condensing into wind blades as Ye Jinyu flicked the fan over with a turn of the wrist.

The Bifeng wind blades shot out, sending ripples through the air wherever they passed. They surged fiercely toward an early-stage Foundation Establishment wind wolf being hunted through the mountains, fleeing blindly in panic.

Whoosh-

The blades formed from Bifeng pierced the wind wolf's flesh in an instant, leaving a bloody wound on its head.

The power of Bifeng invaded the wolf demon's body, extinguishing its divine soul and scattering its demon soul. It was immediately reduced to a shriveled skeleton, all its essence gathering in the azure demon core at the center of its abdomen.

Ye Jinyu picked up the demon core, still stained with fresh blood, which smeared the fingertips.

Behind Ye Jinyu, Ye Anlan respectfully offered a brocade handkerchief.

Though at Qi Refinement Perfection, Ye Jinyu possessed Divine Sense at the Foundation Establishment Realm Middle Stage, and with a Law Treasure as well, the resulting combat strength was already formidable.

Ye Jinyu elegantly wiped the blood from the fingertips with the brocade handkerchief and gazed into the distance. A few scattered presences could faintly be sensed beyond the mountains. Ye Jinyu nodded.

Seven people accompanied Ye Jinyu in all: Ye Anlan, Ye Jinming, and five elite Foundation Establishment disciples of the Ye Clan.

"The spatial turbulence when we entered the realm scattered everyone, sending them at random to different parts of this realm," Ye Jinming reported respectfully, holding a faintly glowing jade positioning disc.

"According to the clan's jade disc, most of our Ye Clan disciples are scattered across the southern region. The nearest group is still three hundred thousand li away, and the farthest... are already beyond a million li. They may not even be in the southern region, but Jinxuan should know what to do..."

When he finished, Ye Anlan stepped forward from behind and knelt on one knee in the air. "Young master, we appear to have landed in the southern region of this realm. This is Demon Beast territory, where the Spiritual Qi is impure and Yao Qi hangs everywhere.

"We just searched with our Divine Sense and have cleared out all thirteen Demon Beast lairs within ten thousand li. Three cultivator presences remain. Two are weak and should belong to cultivators native to the Ruin Realm.

"The other is somewhat stronger, having reached the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. That presence is stationed in a stone city roughly forty thousand li southeast of here."

Ye Anlan paused, then added, "The stone city is protected by an array, and flags bearing the character for Qi fly from its walls."

"Qi? It should be something like a border city. Great Qi is one of the two great dynasties in this Ruin Realm." Ye Jinyu tapped the jade fan lightly and looked southeast.

"In conquering a Ruin Realm, a foothold comes first. Without a stronghold, we are like drifting duckweed; without a foundation, we are like windblown catkins."

Ye Jinyu turned, voice calm but carrying an unquestionable authority:

"Anlan, Jinming."

"Here!"

"Send word to the Ye Clan disciples that they may begin gathering in the southern region. For now, take a city first and establish a foothold. Find some information and slowly swallow up this realm's opportunities, like silkworms eating leaves."

Ye Jinyu touched a jade talisman, and a message turned into streams of light that shot off in every direction.

"Use Azure Nether as a guide and assemble the Ye Clan disciples. They must reach the southern region within three months. Anyone who fails to arrive by then... will bear the consequences."

"But... a hundred or so people still aren't enough... It seems we need to recruit more hands..." Ye Jinyu said softly.

Hearing this, Ye Jinming immediately stepped forward and said in a low voice:

"Young master, according to our earlier intelligence, both the cultivators and the armies of this realm's Great Qi Dynasty practice the sword.

"With this King-Observing Sword Force Instruction, they can unite thousands upon thousands of sword forces into one. On top of that, these cultivators have set up an array.

"For us cultivators from Cangxuan, especially the Rogue Cultivators, they are exceptionally troublesome. I'm afraid we might suffer heavy losses and still fail to take the city, left staring at a mountain of treasure without being able to claim it."

Ye Jinming then paused, the corners of his mouth rising slightly with a calculating look.

"These Ruin Realm natives naturally count for little before a noble immortal clan like our Ye Clan.

"But if we want to fulfill the True Lord's requirements, our Ye Clan disciples alone still aren't enough, so-"

"These Rogue Cultivators could be put to use. We might recruit a talented person or two, and they can also gather intelligence and fill ditches and level ravines..."

"They're all excellent choices. Spending some Spirit Stones and resources is better than letting our own disciples suffer casualties..."

Ye Jinyu listened thoughtfully. A moment later,

Ye Jinyu took more than ten jade bottles from a storage ring, then poured out a pile of Spirit Stones, heaping them on the ground like a small mountain, and handed three array-breaking talismans to Ye Anlan.

"Anlan, take two people and go to that city's gates. Tell the defending general to open the city and surrender within half an hour, and hand over all supplies, maps, and records. I can leave his corpse intact and spare the mortals in the city."

Ye Anlan froze, then his eyes flashed. "What if he refuses to surrender?"

Ye Jinyu smiled, though the smile did not reach the eyes. "Then fight your way in. Kill every Foundation Establishment cultivator, cripple the cultivation of the Qi Refinement cultivators, and drive out the mortals.

"I want that city to fly the banner of our Ye Clan of Yunlan..."

"Yes..."

As soon as the words were spoken, Ye Anlan took the array-breaking talismans and set off for the border city with two cultivators.

"Jinming, take my decree and gather as many Rogue Cultivators and small-sect cultivators as you can from the surrounding area."

With that, Ye Jinyu handed the two men a pair of azure jade tokens carved with the character for Ye.

"Tell them the Ye Clan is offering generous rewards of Spirit Stones and pills, and will allow them to become affiliates of the Ye Clan.

"Any cultivator who follows our Ye Clan will receive three low-grade Spirit Stones for each native killed and five mid-grade Spirit Stones for each array broken. If they render great service... we will not begrudge rewards: third-grade pills, Cultivation Methods, even Purple Mansion spiritual objects."

Pills, Cultivation Methods, Purple Mansion spiritual objects.

At those words, even the remaining Ye Clan disciples began breathing rapidly!

Those were... Purple Mansion spiritual objects! In Cangxuan, anything with even the slightest connection to the Purple Mansion could stir up a bloody storm and murderous feuds among Foundation Establishment cultivators...

"As the young master commands." Ye Jinming bowed.

Ye Jinyu's gaze was deep, the corners of the mouth lifting slightly.

"Spirit Stones, pills, even spiritual objects are merely external possessions. Under the Ye Clan's generous rewards, brave men are sure to appear.

"Besides, the lives of our clan's talented disciples are what truly have no price. As for a few Rogue Cultivators... we can also see whether there are one or two outstanding seedlings among them... perhaps we can nurture a few."

Forty thousand li to the southeast, slaughter and chaos raged throughout the southern region. Beneath the last rays of the setting sun, a city stood alone.

It had a certain tragic beauty.

Its walls were about a hundred zhang high, built entirely of dark blue-black stone. Banners snapped atop them, each embroidered with a long sword. A plaque over the city bore the two characters for South-Pacifying.

South-Pacifying City had been established by Great Qi as a major border stronghold against invasions by the Demon Race of the southern region. It was also a key point of entry into the eastern region.

Atop the walls, a middle-aged man in golden armor stood with his brows tightly furrowed.

"General, is there still no word from the imperial court?" a deputy general asked quietly.

The golden-armored man was Li Pojun, the city's commanding general and a member of Great Qi's royal family.

At his subordinate's question, he shook his head and tightened his grip on the sword at his waist. "When battle broke out beyond the heavens that day, the Purple Mansion mighty figures of our realm, Sect Master Jian Yiyuan, His Majesty, and that Yin Emperor... all the Purple Mansion experts went to war."

"The outcome is unknown, but within our realm... everything has fallen into chaos."

He then pointed to the wilderness beyond the city. "In these three days, seventeen groups of otherworldly fiends have already entered the southern region and wreaked havoc. Heavenly Yin City to the north fell yesterday. Its city lord died in battle, and every cultivator in the city was slaughtered.

"Even Venomous Blood Python Valley, whose demons had a fearsome reputation throughout the southern region, was seized by a group of fiends dressed in red. The eight hundred Venomous Blood Demon Pythons in the valley were skinned and had their tendons stripped..."

The deputy general shuddered. "Where in the world did these fiends come from?"

"According to the cultivators who escaped back here, they call themselves cultivators from Cangxuan." Li Pojun's gaze was icy.

"They invade our home, burn, kill, and plunder, and enslave our realm. There is no evil they won't commit. They swarm over every spirit medicine and precious herb they see, picking them until their spiritual vitality is cut off.

"They dig up every mineral vein they find and kill every cultivator they meet... They're nothing but a swarm of locusts! Bandits! Fiends!"

Before he had finished speaking...

Boom!!!

A gathering current of blue-gray wind struck the ground thirty zhang before the city, like an arrow loosed from a bow, like a wind Gang shattering a mountain.

The ground exploded into a deep crater. Amid the flying dust, three figures slowly emerged.

Ye Anlan looked up and swept his gaze over the defenders on the wall, who stood as if facing a formidable enemy. His lips curled with undisguised contempt.

"Listen up, you Ruin Realm ants in the city-" Ye Anlan's voice was not loud, but driven by spiritual power, it reached every person's ears clearly.

"I am Ye Anlan of the Cloud Mist Ye Clan, from the upper realm of Cangxuan.

"By order of my clan's young master, you ants have half an hour to open the city and surrender, and hand over all supplies, maps, and records. If you do, the defending general's corpse may be left intact, and the mortals will be spared."

Ye Anlan paused, his smile growing cold. "If you resist to the bitter end... every Foundation Establishment cultivator will be killed, every Qi Refinement cultivator crippled, and every mortal driven out.

"This city will become scorched earth."

Dead silence.

Every defender on the walls froze, then erupted in furious curses that soared into the heavens!

"Arrogant!"

"A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, and you dare spout such nonsense!"

"General, let us all leave the city and join forces to slay this fiend! Let us uphold the might of Great Qi."

He had the pride of royalty and was determined to test the strength of this Cangxuan fiend.

Li Pojun raised a hand to silence the uproar and stared fixedly at Ye Anlan, speaking each word distinctly.

"Cangxuan fiends... you really are arrogant."

He leaped down from the wall, the spiritual pressure of the Foundation Establishment Late Stage erupting with a roar!

His two deputy generals followed close behind, and the three surrounded Ye Anlan in a triangular formation.

"I am Li Pojun, a member of Great Qi's royal family and the commanding general of South-Pacifying." Li Pojun slowly drew his sword, its blade shining with a bright golden light.

That was the kingly sword force unique to those who cultivated the King-Observing Sword Force Instruction, capable of drawing upon the force of a region or a city.

"Walk the kingly path and slay the fiends."

"Today, I shall offer your blood to Great Qi's border banner!"

Ye Anlan did not even look at him. He turned to the two Ye Clan disciples behind him. "You two stand guard and make sure no one interferes. I'll be right back."

"Yes!"

Seeing how little regard Anlan had for him, Li Pojun flew into a rage. "You're courting death-King-Observing Sword Force, Thick Earth Bears the Ground!"

He raised his sword high. His sword force stirred the power of the earth, and the ground within ten zhang rose up, forming the phantoms of three earthen-yellow peaks that bore down fiercely on Ye Anlan.

"Be suppressed!"

This was the King-Observing Sword Force's finest move for suppression. Cultivators of the same stage caught beneath it were often unable to move and could only endure it head-on.

Ye Anlan remained just as contemptuous.

"You dare come out and fight me without relying on the array in the city?"

"We're both at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, but Ruin Realm ants really don't know their own limits..."

"This Method Formula is quite marvelous, with boundless power.

"What a pity that you, the defending general, have never refined any extraordinary treasures of heaven and earth. You're just an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, and that leaves this magnificent sword force unable to withstand a single blow..."

Ye Anlan finally moved.

He raised his right hand, pressed his index and middle fingers together, and slashed through the air.

Hiss-

A fine thread of blue-gray wind shot from his fingertips, thin as a hair but too fast for the eye to follow!

The blue-gray Calamity Wind sliced through the void, through the three phantom peaks bearing down on him, and across Li Pojun's astonished face, before finally dissipating in the air ten zhang away.

Time seemed to freeze.

One breath later.

Crack... boom!!!

The three earthen-yellow phantom peaks split down the middle and shattered with a roar!

The dispersing sword-force Qi swept back, blasting the two deputy generals backward and making them spit blood!

Li Pojun stood rigidly in place, his sword clattering to the ground.

He slowly lowered his head and looked at his chest. An exceedingly fine red line ran diagonally from his left shoulder to his right abdomen. His clothes split cleanly open, revealing a bloody wound that cut to the bone, while Calamity Wind ravaged his body.

Pfft-

A mist of blood sprayed out. In mere moments,

Li Pojun's body separated into two halves and crashed to the ground!

A battle general at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage who had guarded the border for years had failed to withstand even a single move!

A deathly silence fell over the city wall.

All the Great Qi defenders stared wide-eyed. The youth had casually waved his hand, and their defending general had... been slain?

Ye Anlan flicked his fingers, as though he had merely brushed away a speck of dust.

He looked up at the wall, his voice as even as ever. "Who else wants to die?"

"Run... run!!"

No one knew who shouted first, but the wall fell into chaos in an instant! Cultivators scrambled over one another to flee.