Chapter 220 - Ten Day Siege!
In the royal palace, Yun Xiao stood before the Supreme Marshal, Chen Xiao, with a dilemma. How could he explain this bizarre turn of events? The war had just been declared, and right after the young folks had gotten down to business, Yun Xiao had to break the news: "Your daughter... she's gone."
He couldn't mention anything about the Primordial Immortal Ancestor or the Creator Immortal.
"She was a reincarnated true Immortal," Yun Xiao finally said after a long silence, his voice deep and solemn. "She triggered a mark and had to return... and she left the rest to me."
The Supreme Marshal was dumbfounded, staring at Yun Xiao with wide eyes. After a long pause, he asked, "You're not pulling my leg, are you?"
"No," Yun Xiao replied.
"Gone back? Gone back where?" The Supreme Marshal asked through gritted teeth.
"To a realm beyond our mortal understanding, I suppose," Yun Xiao said.
"Will she ever return?" The Supreme Marshal's voice trembled with the question.
"Definitely! You're the father of an Immortal; she'll surely come back to see you," Yun Xiao assured. He had made up his mind. He would seek out other incarnations of transcending calamity. His story with Chen Xi had ended too abruptly; there was still so much left unfinished. This was also a way to give the Supreme Marshal some closure.
The Supreme Marshal slightly relaxed upon hearing Yun Xiao's confident reply, but his eyes reddened. He stared blankly at the dragon throne, lost in thought. "How could she just leave all of a sudden..." he mused. As a father, to see his daughter of fifteen years vanish without a trace left a gaping, torn wound in his heart.
"Gone, and she took the Primordial Array with her?" The Supreme Marshal didn't dwell on his sorrow for long, quickly returning to the pressing matters at hand.
Yun Xiao, holding a walnut-sized, dim bell, said, "We still have this, but we can't activate it."
The Supreme Marshal frowned deeply, eyeing Yun Xiao. "So, you mean to say we've not only lost our main powerhouse but also our greatest strategic asset? Are we now left to barefoot brawl with the Demon Continent and Violet Sky?"
"Exactly." Yun Xiao nodded.
The Supreme Marshal felt as if struck by lightning. A double blow! The weight of reality, the fate of millions, left him no time to mourn the loss of his daughter. He took a deep breath and finally turned to Yun Xiao, asking, "Her departure was so sudden, did she leave anything behind for you?"
"Yes!" Yun Xiao's eyes blazed with intensity. "She left me a portion of her strength. I've just entered the Saint Realm." It was this absorption of a part of the Yin Void power that shattered the Heavenly Decree Curse. And it was no small part.
"Can you fight the Demon Emperors?" the Supreme Marshal asked solemnly.
"Yes!" Yun Xiao nodded, his eyes full of conviction. "Leave it to me."
"Do you have a strategy?" The Supreme Marshal looked into the eyes of his son-in-law. He believed Yun Xiao had a potential even greater than his daughter's.
"It's already in motion!" Yun Xiao's voice was firm.
"But you're still here, how can you be executing it?" the Supreme Marshal didn't quite understand.
Yun Xiao didn't answer directly. Instead, he said to the Supreme Marshal, "My style is different from hers. She could inspire troops and lead battles. I only know how to wield a sword and kill. You hold the front, I'll take the rear. Just follow my lead."
"Alright!" The father-in-law and son-in-law, the two most important men in her life, were now united. They would confront her lifelong fate together. Perhaps she would find solace in that...
Every word Yun Xiao spoke was while holding a white crystal in his hand. He could feel it warming up, pulsating like a beating heart, connecting his and her father's hearts. She was still there!
"Let's keep her departure between us," Yun Xiao said.
"Understood." The Supreme Marshal nodded. If word got out, it would crush the morale of the Heavenly Realm, dooming millions.
"How do we deal with the gap left by the disappearance of the Primordial Array?" the Supreme Marshal inquired. Their communication was simple, efficient, and full of trust. Chen Xi was the bridge between them.
"The demon race is naturally suspicious. I'm trying to buy time," Yun Xiao replied.
The Supreme Marshal was stunned again. "But you're here, how can you stall?"
Yun Xiao, without a word, strode out of the palace, the Supreme Marshal following close behind, sealing the grand doors shut. The Heavenly Realm’s high officials approached, their faces tinged with anxiety. “Why have we shut down the Primordial Array?” they asked. It was like leaving the gates wide open for the demons and devils to come slaughter at will!
Yun Xiao chuckled, “Strategic ploy, no need for questions.” The officials stood dumbfounded.
In this silent moment, Yun Xiao turned to an elderly man. “Sword Saint Sun, how many Sword Hearts do we have combined in the Three Great Sword Tombs?”
“Sword Hearts?” Sword Saint Sun, after a quick consultation, replied, “Around 50,000, I reckon. Most of the others are past their prime.”
“So many?” Yun Xiao was taken aback.
“These were the toughest times for the Three Great Sword Tombs. To preserve our legacy, the older generation had no choice. Facing imminent demise, they endured the hardship, giving their all for the safety of future generations,” Sword Saint Sun sighed. He, too, was part of this older generation, destined to leave behind his Sword Heart. His predecessors, three generations of Sword Saints, had already done the same.
“We were about to distribute these Sword Hearts to the young ones for battle,” Nangong Xi said.
“No, give them all to me. Including those of the three generations of Sword Saints,” Yun Xiao demanded.
“All to you?” Sword Saint Sun and his peers were stunned.
“Yes, quickly!” Yun Xiao urged, eyes fixed on the ominous clouds above.
“Alright.”
To prepare for battle, they had all 50,000 Sword Hearts with them. Without hesitation, they handed over the Pouch of Holding, containing all these Sword Hearts, to Yun Xiao.
“These Sword Hearts are the last loving gift from several generations to their descendants...” Sword Saint Sun's hands trembled as he passed them over. Many were from his generation, some from friends, brothers, teachers. Few from the upper three generations were left alive now. Most had become Sword Hearts, memories, and hopes of the younger generations.
“Sword Hearts, the heaviest sacrifice of the Sword Cultivator’s Dao. More than 50,000 departed souls, yet their heroic spirits still illuminate the world!” the Supreme Marshal couldn’t help but admire. He truly respected them. Even the most ordinary of Sword Cultivator ancestors endured the agony of bone stripping before death. If they died before the process was complete, the Sword Heart would fail. So, they had to endure, refusing to die.
The moment a Sword Heart formed, it was often the instant they closed their eyes and departed this world. When Yun Xiao caught these 50,000 Sword Hearts, it was as though he was catching a mountain!
Most of these Sword Hearts might not be considered powerful, their utility limited, but the sword spirits they left behind were priceless!
“What I can do,” Yun Xiao said as he gathered the Sword Hearts, his eyes reddening, “is to transform this bone-deep love of the ancestors into a lethal force, unleashing its greatest value.”
After pocketing the Sword Hearts, Yun Xiao turned to the Supreme Marshal, Sword Saint Sun, Zhao Xuanjian, Nangong Xi, and the others, including the Nine Divine Guards. Even the Emperors of the other four great Immortal Empires were there.
“I leave this side to you. Wait for my word.” Having said this, Yun Xiao suddenly soared into the sky on his Sovereign Sword, vanishing in a blink.
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Above the Heavenly Realm, demon clouds churned!
Over 100 million demons stirred these clouds, inching ever closer to the Heavenly Realm's gate. Even the Sword Dao Monument was visible!
“These humans have some nerve, leaving the Heavenly Realm's gate open,” the demons sneered.
The Heavenly Realm had two layers of defense. The first was the Heavenly Realm's gate, and the second, the Primordial Array. The Heavenly Realm, a small pocket universe, had only one entrance. Other points required divine vessels to cross, which were scarce, and the Demon Continent had none.
So, for the demon and Violet Sky armies to invade the Heavenly Realm, the first step was the gate. While not as formidable as the Primordial Array, the gate was a powerful defensive array.
After annihilating the Azure Leaf faction, the Divine Dawn Empress reopened the gate, allowing non-essentials to leave. Normally, she should've reactivated the gate, reinforcing both lines of defense. Controlling the gate wasn't hard for her.
Yet it remained open, a provocation to the demons and Violet Sky. But then, an even more explosive piece of news spread among the demon army.
“Not only is the Heavenly Realm's gate not activated, but the Primordial Array is also withdrawn?”
The Violet Sky and Demon Continent forces were baffled. What was the Divine Dawn Empress playing at? Both inner and outer gates wide open, inviting doom?
This unusual change sparked a whirl of speculation.
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Amidst the swirling demon cloud, two Demon Saints, the Ape Saint and Burning Saint, accompanied a silver-haired youth to a grotesque sight: a mountain of blood and flesh, the remains of countless bodies. The silver-haired youth was none other than the Moon Fairy.
Ape Saint, initially reluctant, had been persuaded by Burning Saint, who mentioned the Forbidden Fate's interest in Moon Fairy. After all, the Forbidden Fate Demon Emperor was the supreme ruler of the Demon Continent.
Gazing at this macabre mountain, Moon Fairy felt a chill crawl up his spine. What kind of monstrosity was this? A heap of eyes, ears, mouths, and limbs—a true abomination.
As Moon Fairy stared, the countless lifeless eyes of the heap seemed to return his gaze.
“The conflict between you and Eclipse has been relayed to me,” Forbidden Fate's voice resonated in Moon Fairy's ears. “He slandered and killed your master, and you vow to not share the sky with him. Rest assured, I shall see justice done.”
Moon Fairy, though aggrieved, felt a sense of satisfaction. Indeed, with high enough talent came privileges. Even going up against the Eclipse Demon Emperor was possible!
His direct audience with the Forbidden Fate Demon Emperor was risky, but as long as he wasn’t immediately annihilated, any later discussion meant an opportunity for Moon Fairy. At least during the war, he could move freely among the demon ranks.
Hearing this, both the Burning and Ape Saints heaved a sigh of relief. The former concerned about the future of the Demon Continent, the latter about the well-being of his clan.
But Forbidden Fate had more pressing matters. “She has not only left the Heavenly Realm's gate unactivated but also opened the Primordial Array. What do you make of this action?” Forbidden Fate pondered, frowning.
It was highly unusual. Declaring war with such bravado, then leaving the gate open... had they gone mad? With a hundred million fierce demons, accustomed to killing on sight, even they were bewildered by this unorthodox tactic.
“My Emperor! I have studied human military strategies extensively. This is called the Empty Fort Strategy, designed to intimidate us and buy time,” the Ape Saint confidently asserted with a bow. “In light of this, we should act as if oblivious and strike directly, piercing their heart.”
With a snort, the Burning Saint couldn't help but laugh, "You’re versed in human warfare, but do you think they don’t know that? What if they're setting a trap for you to fall into?"
The Ape Saint was momentarily speechless.
"Maybe lay off reading those human tactics, huh? They're full of traps!" The Burning Saint chuckled.
Biting his lip, the Ape Saint conceded, "Fine, I'll shut up."
To attack or not to attack? Direct assault or a more indirect approach? These questions buzzed among the 100 million in the demon horde, so much so that even the Supreme Marshal of the Violet Sky Immortal Empire, Du Ding, came to seek Forbidden Fate's counsel.
After a moment of silence, Forbidden Fate turned to Moon Fairy. "The fox is known for its cunning and wisdom, fit to be a strategist. What’s your take on this situation, Fox?"
Moon Fairy pursed his lips, bowing his head. "Demon Emperor, I hesitate to speak."
"Speak freely," Forbidden Fate encouraged.
Looking at the mountain of flesh and feeling conflicted, Moon Fairy finally said, "Advance!"
Suddenly, a gaping, fleshy cavity opened in the Forbidden Fate's chest, emitting a stench so foul it could suffocate a living being. Moon Fairy, despite feeling nauseous, stepped into the cavity with a look of feigned honor.
"I fear my words may be too bold, offending you," Moon Fairy said, bowing inside the increasingly constricting cavity. The stench was unbearable—a mix of rotting corpses, blood, and excrement.
Meanwhile, Yun Xiao, far inside the Heavenly Realm, felt like his heart was breaking. He had to grit his teeth and endure, speaking through his body double, "Demon Emperor! In the Ancestral Temple of the Heavenly Realm, I encountered those three devils. Hearing their words and observing their actions, I dare to guess that your alliance with the Endless Netherworld is not going smoothly. Those devils... they are truly domineering, not considering our demon race at all!"
"Oh?" Forbidden Fate's voice shifted slightly.
From that change in tone, Yun Xiao knew he had hit the mark.
In the sinister realm of the Endless Netherworld, stronger than even the Demon Continent, the devils plotted their next move. These creatures, born of malice, sought not friendship but opportunity. "Could the existence of these devils and Divine Dawn's closing of the Primordial Array be related?" Forbidden Fate mused, eager for a fresh perspective.
The essence of a Corpse Demon was to gather the power of a multitude of demon corpses. Gather was its mantra, manifesting in its actions as an absorber of power, corpses, and even thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, Moon Fairy, biting his lip, ventured, "I dare to speculate that the devils and Divine Dawn might be in cahoots!"
"Oh?" Forbidden Fate's exclaimed. He'd asserted that the guests from the Endless Netherworld were friends. No demons doubted that.
Seizing this moment, Yun Xiao, through the Moon Fairy, played on this revelation.
Forbidden Fate had never considered this angle before. "And then?" he asked calmly.
"We, the devils, and Divine Dawn represent three forces," Moon Fairy said, composed. "The devils, newcomers with desires, surely covet the lands of both the Divine and Demon Continents. Among these three, we demons are stronger than the humans. The devils, playing the role of the fisherman, would naturally seek to weaken us first. So their aid is a facade, their alliance with Divine Dawn a sham! But one truth remains! The devils will first weaken us. If we fall into their trap in this first battle, we'll suffer greatly!"
"Oh..." Forbidden Fate pondered. He, more than anyone, should understand the true intentions of these devils. Yun Xiao suspected that their alliance was filled with deceit, each party plotting against the other.
"So tell me, little fox," Forbidden Fate continued, "with the gates of the Heavenly Realm and the Primordial Array wide open, what would happen if I, without suspicion, charged straight in?"
Moon Fairy spoke gravely, "The two major defensive lines of the human race, the Heavenly Realm's gate and the Primordial Array, can be activated or deactivated at will. The gate is breakable, but the array can only be breached by a frontal assault and by slaying Divine Dawn. Now, with the gate inactive, we can't break it. If we enter the Heavenly Realm and they activate both defenses, we'll be trapped between them. And if the devils and Divine Dawn strike us together, what should have been an overwhelming victory could turn into an evenly matched battle. Considering our long march and the high morale of the humans, the losses could be substantial."
"And your solution?" Forbidden Fate asked coldly.
"We must attack! But as for the intentions of the devils, that's just my speculation. It's up to you to decipher their true motives. I suggest encircling the Heavenly Realm without attacking, sealing off their world. Let's crush their morale, built up by their war declaration. We wait until their initial fervor wanes, then strike decisively. It would be best to destroy the Heavenly Realm's gate after it's activated, to prevent being mired with no way out."
"Sieging the city and cutting off escape?" Forbidden Fate inquired.
"Exactly! It shouldn’t take long, depending on your dealings with the devils. If we can discern their intentions, the humans will crumble easily. Most of the millions in the Heavenly Realm lack the will to fight, relying solely on Divine Dawn. They won't last long. Now that both the gate and the array are open, let's retreat a bit and spread rumors of a ten day siege. This will cause the faint-hearted to flee, shaking their morale. This could force Divine Dawn to activate the gate to stop deserters. Once the gate is destroyed, we have a clear retreat and can fight without fear of being sandwiched between humans and devils."
After hearing this, Forbidden Fate burst into laughter, the flesh pressing on the Moon Fairy vibrating ominously. Moon Fairy was at his limit; it was disgusting! His mind was a blank slate as he spoke these words, exerting his utmost effort.
"Interesting! Quite interesting, little fox." Forbidden Fate laughed heartily, as if over 100 million demons joined in his amusement.
Moon Fairy modestly responded, "Just some wild thoughts, really. I hope I didn't make a fool of myself."
"Not at all, you've got quite the mind," Forbidden Fate said with a chuckle.
"So..."
"We'll do as you suggest. First, we encircle the city, spread rumors of a ten day siege to force human deserters to flee, further shaking their morale. At the same time, you instruct the Gu Demon Emperor to act. Since the Primordial Array isn’t active, his little bugs can go on a killing spree, even infiltrating the palace. Let him and his demons start the mayhem!" the Demon Emperor commanded.
"Yes..."
Without the Primordial Array, Yun Xiao, in his guise as Moon Fairy, truly had no way to counteract a killing probe. He had given it his all today.
Fortunately, the outcome seemed favorable. At least the 100 million-strong demon army hadn't charged headlong into the Heavenly Realm. They had bought some precious time.
Just as Moon Fairy was about to sigh in relief, Forbidden Fate added, "Your plan is good, but I have an addition to make."
"What further insight does the Demon Emperor have?" Moon Fairy's heart skipped a beat.
The Demon Emperor's sinister smile widened. "Divine Dawn thinks she can play mind games with me? I'll play right back! I'll immediately order the Violet Sky Immortal Empire’s army to descend upon the Divine Continent, attacking and slaughtering across the ninety-nine territories of the Divine Dawn Empire. Let's see how they like it when countless of their own lie dead or bleeding in the streets, their own people turning on each other. I'm curious to see who gets desperate first!"
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