Taiyi Dao Fruit

"Kill!"

On the official road, the cavalry transformed from paper figures and paper horses clashed with three thousand Heavenly Soldiers in a chaotic battle.

These horsemen feared neither blade nor spear, as cuts and thrusts would only create more holes in their paper bodies; even with their heads missing, they could continue to fight. It took slicing them into several pieces to revert them to their original state.

Taking advantage of this trait and their greater numbers, they had inflicted considerable casualties on the three thousand Heavenly Soldiers.

"Use the essence blood from the tip of your tongue."

Just as the cavalry began to gain the upper hand, a loud shout suddenly came from behind the Heavenly Soldiers. Swiftly, Sword Light surged forth like a dragon, knocking down men and horses alike, scattering countless shreds of paper into the air.

"Roar!"

After cutting through several yards, the Sword Light truly transformed into a Flood Dragon, baring its claws and teeth, shredding hundreds of horsemen.

Amidst the intersecting Blade Energy, a scholar clad in white emerged, his facial features perfectly proportioned and his stature imposing—an immediate testament to his elegance.

"Zhong Shenxiu, it's been a long time, old friend," Jiang Li said, looking at the figure with some surprise.

Gongsun Qi also spotted Zhong Shenxiu, but his thoughts were on someone else—the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer behind him.

Both men turned their gaze toward the Great Venerable.

"Do not look at me like that; what do the disciples of the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer have to do with me?" the Great Venerable innocently said.

However, the other two present already knew about the Great Venerable's disguise. Given that these three thousand Heavenly Soldiers were under the command of Feng Manlou, how could Feng Manlou be unaware of Zhong Shenxiu's presence among them?

With the Great Venerable's mastery of Yi Dao, no one under his command could hide from him if he desired to know.

"I didn't expect my brother to also have a connection with the Great Sacrificial Officer," said Jiang Li with a smile that was not quite a smile.

"Young brother speaks such words, but as the Great Venerable of the Desolate God Sect, I deviate from the path of Mo Yiling, the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer. How could we possibly collude?" the Great Venerable spoke with an air of being wronged.

Ever since he had revealed himself, he no longer kept up a pretense of decorum and his familiar tone as Feng Manlou could now be clearly detected in his speech.

Despite the seemingly friendly exchange between the two brothers, there was a subtle probing and sharpness hidden beneath their words. Expertly concealed, these could hardly fool the eyes of Gongsun Qi.

Gongsun Qi had observed, yet he remained inscrutable, leaving Jiang Li, who was stealthily paying attention, unable to grasp whether Gongsun Qi truly believed them or not.

While the three of them conversed, each word was a contest of wits, none less intense than if they were on the battlefield. The only difference was that their struggle was deeply buried.

Elsewhere, reminded by Zhong Shenxiu, all the Heavenly Soldiers bit the tips of their tongues and sprayed their essence blood onto their weapons, achieving notable results.

Infused with the dense and masculine aura of Soldier Evil, when it struck the paper men, it immediately dispelled the spirits attached to them, returning them to their original forms. Although the paper warriors were commanded by a fourth-rank, in creating tens of thousands of horsemen, there was naturally no room for excessive strength to be attached; moreover, descending into paper figures was not a particularly profound Magic.

Under Zhong Shenxiu's lead, the Heavenly Soldiers cut through the ranks, leaving a trail of scattered paper that paved a snow-white path.

Meanwhile, on mountaintops far away, a cacophony of cannon fire erupted, with cannonballs streaking across the sky to strike the city walls and fall within the city—a range that reshaped Jiang Li's understanding of artillery.

The cannonballs exploded on contact with the walls, blasting out breaches and sending up plumes of black smoke.

The Taiping Sect defenders quickly retaliated, heaving Thunder Balls that exploded with the force of thunder and lightning upon impact, charring the mountaintops.

This was the Iron Armor Divine Thunder of the Taiping Sect.

Iron Armor Divine Thunder was crafted through the art of the Outer Elixir, resembling iron spheres etched with runes, easily carried with a person. When activated by True Qi, they exploded with the ferocity of Thunder and Fire. High-grade Iron Armor Divine Thunder could even channel the power of a fourth-rank.

Previously, the Young Sect Leader of the Taiping Sect, Yang Ji, had used this Divine Thunder against Jiang Li.

Activating the thunder required a vast expanse of True Qi, and each launched Iron Armor Divine Thunder signified an Eighth Rank Cultivator depleting their Power—definitely not a sustainable practice. Yet still, it caused a great fire to burn across nearby mountains.

As the proverb goes, "water and fire are ruthless," and that holds even truer for Thunder and Fire conjured by Divine Thunder. In early spring, the mountains were covered with plenty of dry twigs and leaves, which caught fire immediately upon touching the flames, forcing the vanguard troops to retreat down the hills.

Back in Chanting City, portions of the walls had been collapsed by the Mo Family's Mechanism artillery, especially the city gates, which had been blasted open.

At that moment, Zhong Shenxiu led the Heavenly Soldiers in an assault, while in the city, an image of a star rose, and Yellow Turban Warriors pushed open the damaged gates to sally forth.

As the two sides clashed close-quarters, it was like two stubborn walls crashing together, with the gleam of swords and Soldier Evil overflowing as blood splashed.

To the three overseeing the battlefield from above, the figures engaged in the ferocious battle appeared as tiny as ants, but the intense atmosphere could not be concealed.

"In less than an hour, Taiping Sect reinforcements will arrive," Gongsun Qi stated indifferently as he observed the mountains engulfed in Thunder and Fire and the chaotic city, "and Feng Manlou has only fifty thousand soldiers, with not all having arrived. If they are later than the Taiping Sect reinforcements, unless a fourth-rank intervenes, Chanting City cannot be taken."

"Furthermore, the Thunder God and Lightning Mother, as well as the Immortal of Colossal Spirit, will arrive in less than a quarter of an hour."

In other words, Taiping Sect would hold an advantage in the number of fourth-ranks.

From Jiang Li's side, at this time, only the Bi Fang Demon God was present. Because they were wary of the Marquis of Wind and the Master of Rain, they dared not act rashly and could only fend off the wind and rain.

"Then we shall take the city before your reinforcements arrive."

Hearing this, Jiang Li spoke slowly, lifting his hand gently, as a spring appeared in his palm, and with a flip of his hand, the water poured into the evolving battlefield.