A thunderous roar, mingled with the essence of battle, echoed across every corner of the sacred city of Jia Ma. At this moment, countless people in the city raised their heads, gazing toward a particular direction where immense fighting energy surged like a pillar of heaven. From the Mither Family, Yaphira, Gunny, and others rushed out of the grand hall, their faces solemn as they watched the place where the powerful combat aura exploded.
“What should we do now?” Mither Tengshan asked in a deep voice.
“What else can we do? If surrender is not an option, then we must fight to the death!” Gunny snorted coldly, a chill swirling around him, while his azure eyes turned deeper under the veil of frosty breath.
“Everyone, follow my orders, hold your positions, no panic! If invaders breach, slay them without hesitation or report!” Yaphira’s beautiful face was icy, her phoenix-like eyes filled with menace as her cold command reverberated throughout the Mither Family.
Watching Yaphiao issue her commands with precision and swiftly stabilizing the agitated scene, Gunny nodded slightly, then squinted, gazing coldly at the spot where the combat aura burst, clenching his fists within his sleeves. “Old Cloud Mountain, you want to annihilate the Mither Family, but I’ll make sure you suffer, bones break, and blood flows!”
As the members of the Mither Family stood ready, a sharp, synchronized shout erupted from the location where the fighting energy had burst in the sacred city. The people in the entire city saw a white-clothed regiment, like locusts, swarming forth from somewhere and bouncing off buildings, their distinctive cloud-patterned sword emblems easily identifying them as Cloud Sect forces!
“Whoa… I didn’t expect the Cloud Sect to send so many. It seems they aim to devour the Mither Family entirely,” some murmured, drawing cold air, while others felt bitter and indignant as the blatant show of force by the Cloud Sect bordered on audacious arrogance.
The white-clad troops flooded the northern end of the city and then encircled towards the Mither Family with an overwhelming presence. By the scale, the Cloud Sect must have mobilized over a thousand, matching a small army’s might.
As the white tide surged, the imperial capital boiled with agitation, countless people clambering onto rooftops, following the current until they could see the Mither Family clearly. Finding good vantage points, they observed what would undoubtedly be the greatest upheaval in the Jia Ma Empire’s history.
The three great families of the Jia Ma Empire, having long-standing power, had only grown stronger, unchallengeable by average clans. The Cloud Sect’s move against the Mither Family would be one of the greatest conflicts within the empire in decades!
Curiosity filled many as the anticipation for this mighty clash grew. Thus, before the white tide reached the Mither Family, people already crammed nearby high spots, observing intensely.
“Brother Xiao, if a battle breaks out, stay hidden,” Yaphira turned to remind Xiao Ding, who sat in a wheelchair, watching the distant white surge.
“At this juncture, hiding serves no purpose. Do you think I am so powerless?” Xiao Ding chuckled, shaking his head. Then, his hand glowed, enveloped by a vibrant, life-filled green energy.
“Eh? You’ve entered the Battle Spirit realm? When did this happen?” Gunny, recognizing the sudden power, said in surprise.
“Without mobility, there’s time for cultivation, and progress was good, though I hadn’t shown my combat qi much, so no one knew.” Xiao Ding smiled.
“As long as you can protect yourself, you and Yaphira should look for an escape… defending to the last man isn’t wise. That way, even if the Mither Family falls, someone will take revenge later.” Gunny nodded, speaking quietly.
Hearing Gunny’s words, Xiao Ding and Yaphira exchanged glances, about to reply when Gunny grew serious, saying, “They are here…”
Looking up, they saw figures clad in white, armed with identical keen swords. The cold glare from reflected sunlight chilled the air, striking fear into all.
“You two manage here; I’ll intercept the Cloud Sect.” With that, Gunny shot skyward, followed by Mither Tengshan and other formidable clan members, forming a stand-off near the edge.
Hovering mid-air, Gunny spread his frozen qi wings, his powerful aura rivaling the white tide. People marveled, recalling the former glory of this esteemed Dou Wang-level fighter.
“Gunny, don’t resist. Can you turn the tide alone? Surrender the remnants of the Xiao Clan now!”
Just as Gunny’s power peaked, two roars rose, matching his aura. Moments later, wind cut through the air, and two figures descended amidst myriad gazes to hover outside the Mither family grounds. Both were elders, garbed in cloud-embossed robes, exuding formidable presences.
Their arrival drew all eyes. Realizing the duo were also Dou Wang-level, many grew uneasy—since when did the Cloud Sect gain two more?
Gunny, eyes fixed on them, gasped incredulously, “Yunda? Yunqin? How did you ascend so quickly?”
“Hmph. Who says we can’t, just like you?” Yunqin retorted coldly.
“Three years ago, these two were barely four-star Dou Wang. How did they advance so suddenly?” Mither Tengshan arrived, voicing the same disbelief.
“It’s off. While their aura mimics Dou Wang, it feels forced. Cloud Mountain likely boosted their power by unnatural means,” Gunny analyzed.
“What do we do, then?” Tengshan asked anxiously.
“Surrender now?” scoffed Gunny, then firmly, “I’ll kill one and help you with the other. Once the leaders fall, the rest can be managed.”
Tengshan sighed, accepting the grim truth. Even if defeated, honor could be salvaged under such public scrutiny.
“Gunny, last chance. Will you turn over the remains of the Xiao Clan?”
“They tarnish past sect leaders’ names! Is Cloud Mountain not afraid of ancestral vengeance?” Gunny sneered, provoking a stern response.
Yunqin and Yunda’s countenances darkened, raising and swinging hands down. As their palms fell, a killing command boomed, “Purge the Mither Family today!”
Ice-cold sword intent leapt from the white tide, engulfing the city beneath an ominous shadow.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage