The Battle of Jialing Pass
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When Nan Feng emerged from the Abyss, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had already chased him to the edge of the frozen zone.
He stood on the icy plain, the tower suspended in front of his chest, his Level 87 Soul Power surging through his meridians, and the Samsara patterns on the tower shimmering with silver-blue light. Chrysanthemum Douluo's golden chrysanthemum petals bloomed in the twilight, while Ghost Douluo's gray-black shadow glided silently across the ice. The two Titled Douluo formed an encirclement around him, less than three hundred paces away.
The Nan Feng didn't run away.
He held a dark red snake bead in his palm, and all nine levels of the tower lit up simultaneously. The Samsara Power condensed into a silver-blue halo at the bottom of the tower. Chrysanthemum Douluo made the first move, his nine chrysanthemum petals transforming into nine golden light blades, blocking all escape routes from nine angles. At the same time, Ghost Douluo leaped out of the shadows, his Gui Mei body transforming into dozens of gray-black afterimages, rushing towards him from the front.
The Nan Feng stirred. He activated the Nether Step: Void Step, stomping his right leg in the void, his figure rising three zhang into the air. Nine golden light blades swept past his feet, shattering the ice behind him. He flipped in the air, his tower body cascading down on the dozens of afterimages of Ghost Douluo.
"Tower Realm: Heaven and Qiankun!"
The power of Qiankun exploded at the bottom of the tower, and the silver-blue light distorted the space within a hundred paces into chaos. Dozens of Ghost Douluo's afterimages shattered simultaneously in the distortion of Qiankun, and his Gui Mei true form was forced out of the void by the power of Qiankun and earth. Nan Feng followed closely with the Nether Step Shrinking Earth, taking three steps in quick succession, and appeared in front of Ghost Douluo. He took out the iron rod from the Tower Spirit Space, infused the rod with Primordial World Power, and smashed it into Ghost Douluo's Gui Mei body.
Ghost Douluo's soul was pierced by the Primordial World Power, letting out a shrill scream. His Soul Power instantly dissipated by 30% under the full force of the Level 87 Nan Feng, and his body flew backward, carving a deep trench on the ice.
Chrysanthemum Douluo's golden chrysanthemum petals bloomed once more. But this time, Nan Feng did not give him a chance to gather his strength. The tower expanded to a height of three zhang, and the seventh layer of Samsara patterns erupted with the strongest silver-blue light. Nan Feng held the tower with both hands, using the Suppress Mountains and Rivers Mountain Suppression Art, and smashed the tower down on Chrysanthemum Douluo.
"Suppress Mountains and Rivers, Samsara!"
The Samsara Power pierced through Chrysanthemum Douluo's golden shield, suppressing his Soul Power flow speed by 50%. Chrysanthemum Douluo's expression changed drastically, and four of his nine chrysanthemum petals shattered under the Samsara Power. He retreated with all his might, pulling Ghost Douluo, who had crawled out of the icy ditch, into a golden light and a gray shadow, and fled in the southeast direction.
Nan Feng didn't chase. He stood on the ice field, the tower slowly retracting into his palm. His Level 87 Soul Power surged within him, and the Immortal Power in his meridians was somewhat disordered due to the full-force burst just now. He took a deep breath, Primordial World Power automatically circulated, calming the disordered Immortal Power.
The Old Huai poked its head out from the immortal tree. "You drove away two Titled Douluo. You, at Level 87, took on two level 94s and even gained the upper hand."
Nan Feng retrieved the iron rod into the Tower Spirit Space. "Their mission is to hunt them down, not to fight to the death. The Titled Douluo of the Spirit Hall won't risk their lives for Bibi Dong's orders."
He took a step in the southeast direction, activating the Nether Step: Shrinking Earth technique, leaving a trail of afterimages across the icy plain. Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had temporarily retreated, but the kill order remained, and the Spirit Hall's spies were still there. He needed to leave the frozen tundra before nightfall and enter the northern border defense line of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Three days later, Nan Feng arrived at Jialing Pass, a major town in the northern border of Heaven Dou.
Jialing Pass is situated at the strategic crossroads between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Spirit Hall Empire. It is flanked by towering cliffs stretching for thousands of miles, with only a narrow passage about twenty miles wide in the middle. The pass is built against the mountainside, with walls over thirty feet high, constructed of ten-thousand-year-old cold iron stone, and three hundred Soul Cannon mounted on the walls. This is the first and last line of defense for the Heaven Dou Empire against the Spirit Hall Empire.
When Nan Feng arrived, the city was already filled with troops. The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Legion of the Heaven Dou Empire, the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Soul Master, Soul Master reserves recruited from all over the country, plus the elite troops drawn from the Imperial Guard by Xue Beng, totaled more than 100,000. However, when Nan Feng scanned the city with his Treasure-Appraising Spirit Light, he only sensed three Titled Douluo- level auras among the Soul Power fluctuations.
These three correspond to at least a dozen Titled Douluo on the Spirit Hall's side.
When Nan Feng ascended the city wall, Xue Beng was discussing matters with a group of generals. Upon seeing him, Xue Beng immediately emerged from behind his desk. "You've arrived."
Nan Feng nodded. He looked at Xue Beng, the prince with whom he had once made a deal in the secret passage, who was now the emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire. Xue Beng's eyes were sunken, and his brows showed the weariness of not having slept for many days, but his eyes were sharper than they had been in the secret passage.
"The vanguard of the Spirit Hall Empire has advanced to within 300 li of the pass." Xue Beng pointed to the markings on the sand table. "Their vanguard is the Holy Dragon Legion of the Spirit Hall, commanded by the Holy Dragon Douluo Tuoba Lie, a level Level 95 Titled Douluo with the Martial Soul Holy Dragon. The deputy commander is Elephant Armor Sect, the sect master of the Soul Douluo Huyan Zhen, a level 89 Soul Douluo."
Nan Feng looked at the terrain on the sand table. Three hundred miles outside Jialing Pass was a wide plain with no natural defenses. The vanguard of the Spirit Hall was advancing at an extremely fast pace, clearly intending to forcefully breach the pass before the allied forces could complete their defenses.
How many men did Tuoba Lie's vanguard have?
"Fifty thousand. But they are all elite Soul Master of the Spirit Hall, with an average Soul Power of over level 40." Xue Beng paused for a moment, "And Bibi Dong may send in additional Titled Douluo at any time."
Nan Feng was silent for a moment. "Let me lead the vanguard out of the pass and set up an ambush outside."
Xue Beng looked at him. "Are you alone?"
"I am not alone," Nan Feng said. "My tower can cover a sensing range of three thousand paces. I can detect the Spirit Hall's vanguard marching routes, hidden stakeouts, and ambush traps in advance. Give me three hundred elite troops, and I can hold off Tuoba Lie outside the pass for three days. Three days is enough time for you to complete your defense deployment."
Xue Beng stared at him for three breaths, then finally nodded. "Three hundred elite Imperial Guards, all at least Soul Ancestor level. You lead them out of seclusion; I will personally guard the city."
As Nan Feng turned to leave the city tower, Xue Beng called out to him, "Nan Feng."
The Nan Feng turns back.
Xue Beng said, "You've come back alive. You still owe my royal treasury."
Nan Feng's lips twitched slightly. "Understood."
That night, Nan Feng led three hundred elite imperial guards out of the pass and marched rapidly in a north-northeast direction.
The three hundred Imperial Guards were all elites selected by Xue Beng from among the royal guards, with an average Soul Power of over level 45. The leader was a level 68 Soul Emperor named Lu Chen, Martial Soul was the Dark Gold Tiger, known for its speed and stealth. Nan Feng divided the three hundred men into ten teams of thirty, each led by a Soul King- level captain. They used their Treasure-Appraising Spirit Light to cover a perception range of three thousand steps, creating a reconnaissance network covering a radius of thirty miles.
On the first night, Nan Feng discovered the Spirit Hall's ambush for the first time during the march.
The Treasure-Appraising Spirit Light detected an unusual fluctuation of Spiritual Power three miles ahead. It was a spike trap buried in the frozen soil beneath the official road, concealed by Soul Power Soul Power. It had been activated by a Soul Saint- level Soul Master. Once the three hundred people entered the trap's range, the spikes would simultaneously explode from beneath their feet within three breaths, enough to engulf the entire group.
Nan Feng instructed Lu Chen to lead his men to flank the trap, while he himself used the Nether Step - Shrinking Earth to Teleportation above the trap, causing the tower to materialize and slam into the ground. The suppressive power of the Mountain Suppression Art poured down from the bottom of the tower, shattering the Soul Power structure of the earth spike trap. The Soul Saint buried in the frozen soil was shaken out of the ground by the suppressive power, and Nan Feng knocked him unconscious with a single blow.
The first ambush was foiled. All three hundred Imperial Guards were unharmed.
The next day at noon, Nan Feng discovered the Spirit Hall's spy for the second time.
The Treasure-Appraising Spirit Light detected twenty faint points of Spiritual Power in the dense forest on both sides of the official road. These were twenty Soul Master concealed by their Soul Power, lying in ambush in the tree canopy. Each of them held a soul-guided crossbow, and the crossbow bolts were coated with Soul Power poison. If the group passed through the official road, the twenty poisoned crossbow bolts would be fired simultaneously, covering the entire road surface.
Nan Feng instructed Lu Chen to lead his men around the edge of the dense forest, while simultaneously using the Tower Realm to suppress the forest from above. When the Tower Realm's light membrane covered the forest, the Soul Power flow of the twenty ambushing Soul Master was suppressed by 30%, making it impossible for them to aim their soul-guided crossbows. Nan Feng used the Shrinking the Ground to an Inch to Teleportation into the forest, and with a series of swings of his iron rod, all twenty Soul Master were stunned within ten breaths.
The second ambush was foiled.
On the morning of the third day, Nan Feng uncovered the Spirit Hall's ambush for the third time, this time on a larger scale.
Within its three-thousand-step perception range Treasure-Appraising Spirit Light detected an extremely concealed fluctuation of Spiritual Power emanating from an abandoned post station five miles ahead. The post station was surrounded by Soul Power perception traps, and four Soul Douluo- level Soul Master were buried underground, their auras concealed by their Soul Power, preparing to simultaneously burst forth from underground when the vanguard camp passed by. This was a trap personally set up by Tuoba Lie, the commander of the Spirit Hall's vanguard legion.
Nan Feng summoned the tower, and the nine-story bronze tower slowly rotated in the morning light. The seventh layer of Samsara patterns and the sixth layer of Return to the Void patterns lit up at the same time, with silver-blue and black light intertwining. He held the tower with both hands, poured all his Level 87 Soul Power into the tower, and activated the Mountain Suppression Art at full power.
"Suppress Mountains and Rivers!"
The tower expanded to a height of ten zhang, projecting a massive shadow that sealed off the abandoned post station. The Soul Power of the four Soul Douluo underground was suppressed by the Suppress Mountains and Rivers, reducing their Soul Power flow speed by 70%. Nan Feng used the Shrinking the Ground to an Inch to Teleportation to the center of the post station, and with the Nether Step: Void Leap, he rose into the air, causing the tower to crash down. The suppressive power of the Mountain Suppression Art pierced through the ground, blasting the four Soul Douluo out of the ground. Before they could even regain their footing, Nan Feng's iron rod had already struck their shoulders and knees one by one, crippling all four of them.
The third ambush was foiled.
During the three-day march of the three hundred Imperial Guards, Nan Feng used his Treasure-Appraising Spirit Light and Primordial World perception to spot the Spirit Hall's ambush traps three times, ensuring that none of the three hundred men were injured or killed. When the news reached Jialing Pass, Xue Beng stood on the city wall in silence for a long time, then said to the general beside him, "He is a Celestial Master. I don't understand his Dao, but I believe in it."
Three days later, Nan Feng led three hundred imperial guards back to Jialing Pass.
On the return journey, the vanguard encountered a thousand-strong patrol from the Spirit Hall's Holy Dragon Legion. Instead of a direct confrontation, Nan Feng used his Tower Realm to suppress the patrol's Soul Power perception, allowing Lu Chen to lead three hundred Imperial Guards to flank and charge using their Soul Power to compress the formation. Under the Tower Realm's suppression, the patrol's Soul Power flowed slowly, preventing them from organizing an effective counterattack. The three hundred Imperial Guards broke through their formation and defeated them one by one. During the battle, Nan Feng used his Shrinking the Ground to an Inch to traverse the battlefield, appearing three times in the most critical positions to rescue three surrounded Imperial Guard soldiers.
After the battle, Lu Chen walked up to Nan Feng and remained silent for a long time. "General."
Nan Feng looked at him.
Lu Chen said, "The footwork you used on the battlefield today, covering a hundred steps in three, was ten times faster than my Dark Gold Tiger Movement Technique. Even those Titled Douluo probably couldn't run as fast as you."
Nan Feng retrieved the iron rod into the Tower Spirit Space. "Shrinking the Ground to an Inch is not Soul Skill. It's a footwork technique from another cultivation system."
Lu Chen didn't press the matter. He clasped his hands in salute and turned to gather his troops. When the three hundred Imperial Guards returned, none had been killed in action; only a dozen or so had sustained minor injuries during the charge. After the news reached Jialing Pass, a name began to circulate among the Imperial Guards—"Immortal Steps." The soldiers said that the immortal master could take three steps on the battlefield, his figure moving like Gui Mei, so that the enemy couldn't even touch his shadow.
That night, Nan Feng stood Jialing Pass, gazing at the vast plains beyond. Xue Beng emerged from the city wall and stood beside him.
"You saw through all three ambushes," Xue Beng said. "Tuoba Lie's vanguard has been stationed three hundred li outside the pass for three days without moving. He's waiting for you to make your move."
Nan Feng gazed at the distant starry sky. "He's not waiting for me to make a move. He's waiting for Bibi Dong's reinforcements."
Xue Beng was silent for a moment. "What level is your Soul Power?"
"Level 87."
Xue Beng looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. "Level 87 cultivator withstood two level 94 Titled Douluo and still won. Your seventh soul ring is a 120,000-year-old red Soul Ring, your right leg is a 120,000-year-old Soul Bone, your Martial Soul is a nine-story pagoda, and within you flows Primordial World Power even more ancient than Divine Power power." He paused, "Nan Feng, just how far do you intend to go?"
Nan Feng did not answer. He looked down at the nine-story bronze pagoda floating in his palm, the Samsara patterns on the seventh floor shimmering quietly with a silver-blue light in the night. He remembered what Old Huai old locust tree had said— the Primordial World Immortal Dao is divided into nine realms: Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Void Refinement, Body Void Refinement, Body Integration, Mahayana Tribulation Transcendence, and True Immortal. He was currently only at the Foundation Establishment Perfection.
"How far you go isn't important." Nan Feng tucked the tower into his palm. "What's important is that wherever you go, you protect those who need protection."
Xue Beng looked at him and finally nodded. "The defenses at Jialing Pass are complete. The vanguard of the Spirit Hall Empire will launch its first probing attack in three days. Just stand on the city wall then."
Nan Feng tightened the red hair around her left wrist. In the Tower Spirit Space, Hu Liena's secret letter floated quietly beside the Ice Crystal Amulet, its dark fox tail pattern glowing faintly in the cyan-gold immortal light. In the Abyss, the dark red snake bead of the Nine Netherworlds Dark Python quietly rotated on the seventh floor of the tower, and the Samsara Power overflowed from it, merging into the patterns on the tower.
Seventh ring. Level 87. 120,000-year red Soul Ring. 120,000-year Right Leg Soul Bone.
With Jialing Pass behind them and the Spirit Hall Empire ahead, even though Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo have retreated, Bibi Dong will not give up easily. Old Huai said in the tower that the gate to the Abyssal Outer Domain is at Jialing Pass, and the real war has not yet begun.
Nan Feng stood atop the city wall, the night wind blowing in from beyond the pass, carrying the chill of the northern frozen tundra. He closed his eyes, sensing every fluctuation of Spiritual Power within a three-thousand-step radius clearly presented in the Treasure-Appraising Spirit Light. Primordial World Power flowed quietly through his meridians, all nine stories of the tower shone brightly, the light of the Samsara patterns flickering faintly in the night.
Three days later, the vanguard of the Spirit Hall Empire launched its first attack. Nan Feng stood atop the city wall, the tower suspended in his palm, awaiting the arrival of that war.