Chapter 204 |
Hong Yao nodded and was about to speak when her eyebrows suddenly twitched, turning her gaze eastward.
Yang Lingrui and He Shenglai followed her line of sight, spotting three faint shadows—one black and two white—streaking toward them from the horizon.
"Perfect timing! Three months without a proper fight—now we can finally cut loose!"
Hong Yao shook her perky braid excitedly, then traced a crackling circle around the two men with lightning-tipped fingers.
"Stay inside this ring. I’ll handle those three."
With that, she vaulted skyward, morphing into a crimson thundercloud as she charged toward the eastern arrivals.
The four figures collided violently above the clouds, filling the sky with roaring red lightning.
Yang Lingrui muttered an incantation to link with Chen Yang’s awareness, barely managing to track the aerial struggle.
Through the churning clouds, he glimpsed glowing talismans and sword flashes moving faster than fear itself.
Yang Lingrui’s pulse quickened when he recognized the black-clad figure.
Sword cultivators remained rare in Tiger-Chasing territory—no established sects, no proper sword path inheritance.
Only Master of the Virtual Sword from the Immortal Patrol Office and his disciples had achieved any renown here.
Noticing his thoughtful expression, He Shenglai explained, "Sword path inheritance is scarce, but true talent’s rarer still. In Tiger-Chasing’s decades as a dynasty, only Master of the Virtual Sword truly mastered it."
"His three disciples? The strongest barely reaches mid-stage Condensing Essence. Without extraordinary luck, they’ll never touch Spirit Communication."
Yang Lingrui nodded slowly. "Lord He, they say sword cultivators overpower same-realm opponents—even challenge higher realms. True?"
"Half-truths." He Shenglai watched lightning tear the sky. "Sword cultivators generally hold combat advantage, but strength depends on the wielder, not the path."
"Every technique holds marvels. Master their essence, and you’ll match any sword cultivator." He gestured upward. "See? Lord Hong Yao fights three foes without faltering."
Yang Lingrui squinted at the crimson streak dancing through the heavens, locked in deadly ballet with the Eastern Wilderness trio.
New spiritual energy surges erupted from Tiger-Chasing’s direction.
"Brother Hua! Reinforcements approach! Withdraw!"
A white-robed Eastern Wilderness scholar’s shout pierced the thunder.
The sword cultivator Hua Maochen disengaged, only to freeze at venomous laughter behind him.
"HAH!
Hua Maochen! Twenty years and your swordplay still stinks like week-old fish!"
"Where’s that ‘I’ll surpass you in Ten Years’ bluster? Need babysitters to face me now?"
Hua Maochen’s face purpled with rage, but he kept silent.
Had Yang Guanfeng been present, he’d have recognized the swordsman who slew Yingxuan’s protector cultivator.
However, he had lost his former arrogance, his eyes filled with wariness as he stared at the flickering red lightning.
The three of them combined couldn’t subdue Hong Yao alone. Now that two more from Tiger-Chasing had arrived, continuing the battle would only end in defeat.
"Don’t celebrate yet! I’ll summon the Spirits and fight you again!"
Hua Maochen spat this threat before fleeing with his companions.
Hong Yao didn’t give chase. Being closer to Eastern Wilderness territory, reckless pursuit might lead to ambush.
"Greetings, Friend Hong Yao."
Two Tiger-Chasing Condensing Essence cultivators arrived. After exchanging pleasantries, their gazes immediately fell upon the charred corpse.
Awe deepened in their eyes.
Truly, the Hall of Divine Governance’s Hong Yao deserved her title as one of the dynasty’s twin heroes alongside Wenzi Shu!
The old cultivator’s dissipated true essence had frozen the ground where he fell, creating an ice sheet over three meters thick.
"I entrust this body to you both. I must take these two to Central Camp."
"We’ll handle it."
"Go in peace, Friend."
Hong Yao descended, bringing Yang Lingrui and He Shenglai onto her thundercloud as they sped toward the eastern line’s center.
Within three days, word of Hong Yao slaying an Eastern Wilderness Condensing Essence cultivator spread through both armies.
This marked a crucial turning point in the Eastern Expedition.
From then on, Condensing Essence cultivators from both sides plunged into frontline battles in force.
The fighting turned deadly serious, with neither side holding back.
This escalation made life harder for lower-level accompanying cultivators and ordinary soldiers.
As the saying goes: when gods clash, mortals perish.
Previously, both armies had ways to counter Gathering Qi cultivators.
But now with titanic battles erupting overhead without warning…
A single misstep could mean death from falling energy blasts.
"Zhao Qi! More Condensing Essence fighters above! Which direction?!"
In the central battlefield, the Yang Family’s five-member squad fought alongside Tiger-Chasing forces in mountainous terrain.
Zhao Qi backflipped several meters at the commander’s shout, tracking the silhouettes in the sky.
After quick assessment, he bellowed: "East!"
"Master Zhao’s order! All units east!"
The command made every Tiger-Chasing soldier and cultivator immediately disengage, rushing eastward.
They might have hesitated at another’s order – but this was Zhao Qi.
Anyone surviving three central battles knew his legend:
The only accompanying squad with zero casualties since the Expedition began.
Three major campaigns with highest survival rates.
Repeatedly escaping Eastern Wilderness traps during retreats.
Zhao Qi’s battlefield instincts shone brightest in chaotic border warfare.
His talent kept the Yang Family intact and earned him military promotions – now serving as deputy commander.
Tiger-Chasing’s sudden retreat made Eastern Wilderness forces think they’d won, pushing forward to claim the area.
WHOOSH!—
Scarcely had they occupied the position when scorching air screamed downward.
Reaching the eastern slope, Tiger-Chasing troops turned to see their former position become an inferno from heavenly flames.
Every Eastern Wilderness soldier and cultivator there vanished in the blaze, leaving only ash.