"Skyfire Daoist, are you trying to break the rules?" Wang Jian angrily scolded, his voice like startling thunder reverberating between heaven and earth. The aura of the peak Transcendent Realm burst forth, protecting Qin Wudao behind him, his face full of vigilance.
Having contended with sects for hundreds of years, he deeply understood the nature of sect powerhouses—all smooth-talking hypocrites. For their own benefit, they would resort to any means.
"A life for a life, it's the eternal law!" Skyfire Daoist stood a hundred zhang away, howling towards the sky. His extreme grief transformed into intense killing intent, generating endless Evil Qi that stained the surrounding Void blood-red. He stood in this blood-red space, like a peerless god of slaughter that had crawled out from a blood prison.
In this world, the bond between master and disciple was akin to that between father and son. Luo Yun was his most valued disciple, regarded as his own. He had spent countless treasures on Luo Yun's cultivation, hoping that one day he could break through to the Heavenly Realm. Now that Luo Yun was killed, one could only imagine the depth of his hatred, a hatred so deep that even all the waters of the rivers and lakes could not wash it away.
"Elders of the Skyfire Sect, set up the formation!" Skyfire Daoist suddenly raised his head, roaring with chilling killing intent.
Above the clouds, more than a dozen Skyfire Sect elders descended. Dressed in fiery red Daoist robes, all were at the Transcendent Realm. They took up profound positions, forming a large formation.
"With my essence blood, I summon the projection of the Vermilion Bird! Kill!" Skyfire Daoist's figure flickered, landing before the formation. He struck his chest with his right hand and spat out a mouthful of essence blood, which fell upon the formation.
BOOM!
High above in the ninth heaven, the clouds roiled, and a sea of fire appeared. An ancient, desolate, and terrifying aura brewed within the sea of fire, coalescing into a thousand-zhang Vermilion Bird projection.
"The Vermilion Bird Formation! This is the Skyfire Sect's most powerful formation. It seems old man Skyfire is desperate!"
"This is good. After Skyfire kills Qin Wudao, it will be enough to make Emperor Qin grieve for a long time!"
"If Emperor Qin wants to grieve, he must first be alive to do so. After this battle, the Qin Empire will cease to exist in Donggu City... Considering the timing, the Sect Master and the Supreme Elder should have reached the Imperial Capital by now..."
The powerhouses from the other five sects whispered among themselves, their words gradually unveiling a massive conspiracy. Hangu Pass was merely one battlefield. Once they had attracted the Qin Empire's attention, the peak fighting forces of the six major sects would descend upon the Imperial Capital to destroy the very foundation of the Qin Empire.
"A Heavenly Realm aura! Your Highness, retreat quickly!" Upon sensing the aura of the Vermilion Bird's projection, Wang Jian's pupils contracted sharply. He transmitted his voice to Qin Wudao, his tone urgent. He feared no enemy in the Transcendent Realm, but against the Heavenly Realm, he was powerless... There was a world of difference between the two realms.
However, even though he knew that battling the Vermilion Bird's projection meant certain death, he did not retreat a single step. Like a God Mountain, he stood steadfast before Qin Wudao. He would trade his life for the future of the Qin Empire.
"Great General..."
Watching the figure before him, Qin Wudao was filled with gratitude. He understood that with Wang Jian's combat prowess, he could have easily abandoned him and fled alone. No matter how strong the Vermilion Bird's projection was, it still required the formation's support.
"Your Highness, leave quickly..." Wang Jian interrupted Qin Wudao, his eyes fixed on the Vermilion Bird projection, and he commanded in a solemn voice, "All soldiers, heed my command! Protect the Ninth Prince's retreat at all costs!"
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH...
From atop the pass, dozens of figures flew out. All were at the Fasang Realm or above. They stood before Qin Wudao, their faces grim with determination.
"Your Highness, leave quickly! We'll hold the rear!"
"Ninth Prince, remember the honor of the Qin Empire, remember today's battle!"
"Mighty men of Old Qin, together we face the nation's peril!"
"For Great Qin, we fight to the death!"
"Your Highness, don't let our sacrifice be in vain..."
One mournful voice after another echoed through the Heavenly Universe. Not a single Qin general retreated. With their flesh and blood, they forged an iron wall, marching together to meet a noble end.
Qin Wudao stood behind them, his face etched with shock, his body trembling involuntarily. So this is the Qin Dynasty, these are the men of Old Qin? To die for their country—they treat their own lives as lightly as a feather.
"I appreciate the kindness of all you generals..." Qin Wudao clenched his fists, his eyes shining brightly, like the luminous moon in the highest heavens. After fifteen years, he finally had a purpose. That purpose was to lead the rise of the Qin Empire, to lead the people of Old Qin to a better life. So that every last person of Old Qin could be as mighty as a dragon!
"Yan Yun Eighteen Riders, to battle!" Qin Wudao roared, under the puzzled gazes of the many Qin generals.
THUMP THUMP THUMP...
Behind Hangu Pass, from the endless expanse of mountains and forests, eighteen figures charged out. They rode tall warhorses, all clad in cold-proof attire, with curved sabers at their waists and black masks covering their faces, revealing only their chilling, murderous eyes. Draped in long black cloaks, they carried large bows and eighteen arrows each.
"Kill!" The Yan Yun Eighteen Riders launched their charge. At several hundred zhang away, they drew their bows and loosed eighteen arrows.
Each arrow exuded a different glow, creating different phenomena. Some depicted tigers descending mountains, flood dragons soaring through the sky, Immortals embracing the moon, myriad beasts roaring, or yellow sands sweeping across the land...
But these arrows all had one thing in common: their incredible speed.
With a flash of light, the arrows tore through the sky and struck the Skyfire Sect elders, the tremendous force pinning them to the ground, rendering them immobile.
With that, their formation was broken, and the Vermilion Bird projection slowly dissipated.
"Impossible!" Above the Void, Skyfire Daoist stared blankly, his gaze towards the Yan Yun Eighteen Riders filled with terror. A single arrow had grievously wounded an elder. When did the Qin Empire have such a powerful army?
Every Qin general, including Wang Jian, was stupefied. They were certain that the Qin Empire did not possess such a legion.
Could it be that the master of this legion is Qin Wudao?
"Kill!" The Yan Yun Eighteen Riders slung their bows behind them, drew their crescent sabers, and continued their charge. In the blink of an eye, they reached Skyfire Daoist, their crescent battle sabers arcing through the air, about to descend.
"Stop!" Seeing this, the powerhouses of the other five sects could no longer sit still. They all intervened, launching powerful attacks. Instantly, the winds surged and clouds churned, the very color of heaven and earth changing. Countless spatial rifts appeared, as dense as cracks on a shattered mirror, ready to burst into Voidness at the slightest touch.
Apart from the Skyfire Sect, the other five sects were the Celestial Gang Sect, Giant Sword Sect, Heartless Pavilion, Golden Sun Sect, and the Blood Sword Sect!
"Retreat!"
"Set up the formation!"
Covered by dozens of attacks, the Yan Yun Eighteen Riders could not slay Skyfire Daoist. They wheeled their horses around, evaded all the attacks, and spiritual light flashed around them, interlinking as they formed a battle formation.
At the same time, people were astonished to see a crescent moon appear in the distant heavens. This crescent moon was identical to the weapons of the Yan Yun Eighteen Riders.
"Charge!" After the formation was set up, the Yan Yun Eighteen Riders attacked again, their aura growing ever stronger. As a whole, their combined aura reached the Heavenly Realm.
"We will also set up a formation!" an elder of the Golden Sun Sect shouted. Over a dozen elders set up a formation, their auras surging continuously until they also reached the Heavenly Realm.
The Celestial Gang Sect, Giant Sword Sect, Heartless Pavilion, and Blood Sword Sect followed suit, setting up their formations one after another.
Thus, six terrifyingly unparalleled auras stretched across the Heavenly Universe, finally clashing in a fierce battle.