Chapter 417: Old Soldier versus Cavalry

Luansheng Linyou continued, "The second matter concerns the West Sea veteran soldiers living in Qingyun Quarter. They are set to gather en masse outside Danyue Quarter tomorrow morning, preparing to head to the Western Front. These veterans, all martial arts masters residing near the West Sea Prince's Estate, would form a formidable battle formation. Their strength is not to be underestimated."

"The crisis in the Western Front will leave Lingxiao City in an unprecedented state of vulnerability," said Yang Shenjing.

The transcendent from the Theocratic Dark Family stated, "The West Sea Veterans are reputedly Lingxiao City's elite army. Tomorrow, the Dark Knights will face them."

An Xianjing added, "Thirdly, a problem has arisen with the Liang family, one of the Rice Cult's most crucial assets within the city! Liang Chu has expelled over half of his clan members from Lingxiao City. Losing control of the Liang family will make it extremely difficult to fully dismantle the city's protective formation."

Zen Master Liunian announced, "The fourth matter is that Song Yulou has broken free from mind control and disappeared!"

Li Longshu remarked, "This is to be expected! At this stage, it's impossible for the imperial court to be entirely unprepared. If everything were truly calm and without incident, that would be far more concerning. Of course, even with their preparations, they can only put up a minor struggle against the overwhelming forces at play."

From the carriage behind Fu Wenyan, a woman's voice resonated: "Only three days remain. We must be prepared for any unforeseen events, as we risked so much to enter this city precisely to confront them."

"Whoosh!"

Vast expanses of earth began to writhe.

A colossal ship, dozens of meters long and made of yellow mud, burst forth from beneath the ground. Its mast was formed from the bones of an ancient immortal giant, ghostly flags unfurled, and a chilling, sinister energy permeated the entire transcendent residence.

At the ship's bow stood a young man with an orchid mark on his brow, his presence overpowering everyone in attendance. He declared, "The Zen Sea Mist View is truly remarkable. The thirty-six ley lines laid underground all those years ago are incredibly significant. Even with my seven thousand years of cultivation, it took me six days and five nights to traverse this distance beneath the earth. If these ley lines were fully activated, even an ancient Heavenly Emperor would be rendered helpless upon arrival."

All the martial cultivators present, overwhelmed by his oppressive aura, found it difficult to breathe and bowed their heads in slight deference.

This individual was a formidable overlord from the Netherworld of the Deceased, ruling dozens of the two hundred and seventy-two provinces and commanding nine cities, ten prefectures, and twelve caves.

To navigate a ship directly through the sub-strata of the Cloud Heaven Immortal Plain and into the city—such a feat was enough to terrify half the martial cultivators in Lingxiao City.

Zen Master Liunian, already standing and maintaining a deferential posture, requested, "Lord Lan, please instruct us on the subsequent attack strategy."

The young man with the orchid mark responded, "What? Do you wish for me to lead the assault, allowing Qilin Zang and the Azure Phoenix Fisherman to reap the rewards?"

"We wouldn't dare!"

Zen Master Liunian then addressed the others, "Very well, we will stick to the original plan. In three days, once Lord Zang arrives, we will launch a coordinated attack from both inside and outside to conquer Lingxiao City."

The Qilin Platform, standing eight hundred meters tall, was constructed primarily of black stone.

Under the starlight, the Demon Kingdom Prince ascended the black stone steps, one stride at a time. With every step, the formation inscriptions on the stairs and in the surrounding air rapidly dimmed.

He had already ascended two hundred meters from the ground.

At this pace, he wouldn't need three days; he could single-handedly breach the formation, meticulously laid by the Third Palace Master over a millennium, and reach the summit within a single day.

The Mind Masters, female officials, and eunuchs within the Qilin Platform all trembled, overwhelmed by the aura of this unparalleled powerhouse.

Many officials, the moment the Demon Kingdom Prince arrived at the Qilin Platform, prostrated themselves beside the stone steps, terrified to rise or make any sudden movement. It was an oppressive force capable of crushing even one's soul.

The Third Palace Master stood at the end of the staircase, a spiritual light radiating from their brows like a brilliant moon. Yet, despite their utmost effort, they were powerless to stop him.

At the first quarter of Chen Shi (around 7:15 AM), the sky was a deep blue.

A faint glow already appeared on the horizon.

Only half an hour remained until Lingxiao City's gates and all government offices opened.

At that time, all imperial officials and soldiers would report to their respective offices, and the entire city would begin to function with precise efficiency.

Xingyue, having witnessed the Demon Kingdom Prince ascend halfway up the mountain, finally left the Qilin Platform. She walked alone on the hundred-meter-wide thoroughfare, her expression dazed, her brow furrowed, and her heart seemingly shattered.

It was terrifying!

The Qilin Platform's formation, which the Third Palace Master had managed and refined for a millennium, had been half-destroyed by the opponent in a single night.

Before, the Third Palace Master had been like a god to her, omnipotent.

But last night, she clearly saw that even with their full might, the Third Palace Master could not withstand him in the slightest. The defeat of their gamble was predetermined; now, they were merely struggling to hold on.

Gods, it seemed, were not omnipotent.

The elders of the Street Bureau were already sweeping the thoroughfares.

Xingyue hadn't received the Hidden Ones' summons from yesterday, yet she found herself unconsciously drawn to Danyue Quarter, wanting to break down and weep. She longed to tell the other Hidden Ones to flee Lingxiao City immediately, for there was no hope left for this place.

Suddenly, Xingyue witnessed an incredibly astonishing sight.

On the deserted and wide thoroughfare, a perfectly disciplined square formation appeared.

They wore the standard armor of the West Sea Veterans, wielding horse-slaying sabers. Almost all of them had white hair and wore beast helmets; many were missing limbs, some were lame, others blind—at least half were not fully abled.

Yet, they were vibrant and spirited, their eyes sharp as blades, and their formation was as precise as a painted image.

The aura emanating from the formation solidified the air for miles around. Their battle intent and killing aura deterred all pedestrians and vehicles attempting to pass through the area.

The black banner of the West Sea Veterans flapped fiercely in the wind.

Xingyue approached one of the veteran West Sea commanders and learned they had gathered voluntarily to depart for the Western Front today, rejoining the West Sea Camp to combat the demon army.

Arriving at the transcendent mansion where the Hidden Ones convened, she knocked for a long time before the door finally opened.

The door closed, and the defensive formation activated.

Li Weiyi dispelled his disguise, explaining, "All Hidden Ones and Hidden Elders evacuated yesterday. I intended to inform you, but messages couldn't reach the Qilin Platform."

For some reason, Xingyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good," she murmured, "it's good they left."

An hour ago, Zen Sea Mist View went to the Phoenix Pavilion with the Grand Historian. She had another urgent matter there and instructed Li Weiyi to wait, promising to personally escort him out of the city.

Li Weiyi detected the sadness and pain in her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Xingyue then recounted the events at the Qilin Platform.

"The Demon Kingdom Prince Yu Daozhen is a top-tier figure even in Xiaoyao Capital, so it's normal for the Third Palace Master not to be his match," Li Weiyi comforted her. "The Qilin Platform's formation failing to stop him doesn't mean the Grand Formation of the Nine Heavens, the Immortal Plain Formation, the City Protection Formation, or the thirty-six ley lines will also fail."

Xingyue, still perplexed, asked, "Everyone else has left. Why haven't you?"

"I must remain to complete the final task," Li Weiyi replied.

"Let me do it!" Xingyue insisted. "I am a disciple of the Third Palace Master and have long decided to stand with Lingxiao City until the end. Give me all the intelligence and data; I will send people to handle it. When the city gates open later, you must leave immediately. The situation is very wrong; the enemy could act at any moment."

"It's too late!" Li Weiyi replied.

Xingyue's eyes narrowed as she grasped the implication. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"We have only two quarters of an hour left until the operation begins," Li Weiyi stated.

Xingyue quickly suppressed her inner shock and asked, "Why the rush? All the Hidden Ones have evacuated, and you have no one. Furthermore, we absolutely cannot act today. The Qilin Platform is locked down by the Demon Kingdom Prince, and without the Third Palace Master's command, the various imperial offices won't function, leading to utter chaos. We must at least wait until tomorrow!"

"The arrow is on the string; it must be fired."

Li Weiyi looked at her, then produced a set of provincial governor's robes and a governor's seal, handing them over. "You've already advanced to the seventh heaven of the Dao Seed Realm, haven't you? Put these on quickly. Though I am a Divine Hidden One, you are a martial arts master after all. Decide for yourself whether to fight or to leave. If you choose to depart, stay close to me later."

Xingyue quickly donned the provincial governor's robes and activated her spiritual energy to test them, her eyes wide with shock and her mind swirling with questions.

"Who said I have no one?" Li Weiyi challenged. "Have you not seen those steely veterans outside who have fought on battlefields for at least sixty years? Huh!"

Li Weiyi uttered a soft exclamation, sensing movement on the ground, and swiftly ascended to the top of the wall.

From the west, dense demonic clouds were surging.

The ground's subtle tremors intensified into violent shaking.

Two hundred Dark Knights, mounted on crawling skeletal giants, approached from the west and halted approximately a mile from the West Sea veteran soldiers.

Four Blood Handprint Knights—three men and one woman—led the vanguard. They observed the West Sea veteran soldiers in the distance with appraising eyes.

"If they make any sudden moves, we'll intercept them, using the charge that they killed Xie Chucai," one Blood Handprint Knight stated. "Don't worry about Lingxiao Palace; His Royal Highness is over there, so we can be a bit more audacious."

"Let's go, it's time to act."

Li Weiyi, calculating the time, donned the provincial governor's robes. With Xingyue behind him, he walked towards the West Sea veteran soldiers' formation, then leaped to land atop the thoroughfare wall.

Old Zhuang, having already arranged for Song Yulou to stay with the noodle shop owner in Minglun Li, stepped out of the formation. Using a whispered spiritual transmission, he addressed all the veterans present: "Today, we are not going to the West Sea Camp... We are defending Lingxiao City!"

"The enemy is already here," he continued. "There are internal traitors and external foes. They lurk within the city: enemies from the Demon Kingdom, demon tribes, cultists, and lingering spirits. If we do not eliminate them all today, then perhaps tomorrow, everyone in this city will be slaughtered, becoming food for the demons, playthings sold to the Demon Kingdom. All resources and treasures will be plundered, leaving only scorched earth."

"And then, the flames of war will spread across all twenty-eight provinces! Today, we have no choice but to fight."

The veterans were momentarily stunned, but their battle formation remained unbroken. They then roared in unison, "West Sea Veterans! West Sea Veterans! West Sea Veterans!"

This was their reply.

Li Weiyi glanced at the distant Dark Knights legion and secretly transmitted, "How many men can hold them back?"

"Two hundred!" replied an old commander.

The killing intent of another old commander, ignited by Old Zhuang's shocking news, roared, "Those fully abled, step forward!"

Two hundred against two hundred, infantry against cavalry,Veterans against elites, horse-slaying sabers against long spears.