Chapter 631: 589 Returns Again 3
"The Human Immortal Temple is merely a local power. Even if they have a Red List expert, they shouldn’t have caused such significant losses, should they?" Canses’ expression was grave.
He was still relatively composed; as a Red-Clad Archbishop, the strength of the experts under his command was far inferior to that of the Knights’ Legion.
The one truly enraged was Leimo, the commander.
The Holy Cross Star Knights’ Legion had only about a dozen members in total. Back home, they were revered as high nobility, known as the Holy Knights.
Yet here, not long after landing, they encountered setbacks and lost so many experts.
"Did the Master of the Human Immortal Temple make a move?" He took a deep breath and asked.
"Yes! After his intervention, if the disciples hadn’t fled swiftly, they might not have escaped to return!" France at this moment felt something was amiss. He realized that the steadfastness in his heart was slowly crumbling.
Without fighting, he fled, slipping from the limits of being a Grandmaster.
The end phase was weakening until it became completely unusable.
But being weakened was better than being killed, after all; he made a choice.
"Lead the way. I’ll go personally." Leimo said in a deep voice. "If we don’t swiftly defeat the Human Immortal Temple, it might affect our subsequent plans!"
"Defeating them isn’t enough; we need to strike and kill." Canses shook his head. "Given the opponent’s strength, even if you match them, the outcome is uncertain. Don’t underestimate the weight of the Great Spirit’s Red List."
"The Human Immortal Temple was clearly supposed to intercept them, yet now they’ve created such a mess. We shouldn’t bear this alone." Canses pondered for a moment.
"Here’s the plan: Yuan Shi Yuan Hong from the Western Sect is also here. Let’s invite them to jointly take action. The combined strength of four people, surprising and capturing this person, can be used as leverage against the Great Dao Teaching."
"Yuan Hong and the other Yuan Shi?" Leimo understood this wasn’t the time for impulsive decisions, no matter his desire to single-handedly kill that so-called evil of the Human Immortal Temple.
But for the greater plan...
"Alright! Gumu, go personally to convey my invitation to the two from the Western Sect. The Western Sect was tacitly expelled by the Great Dao Teaching years ago. Given a chance now, they would likely be very willing to do something to that lofty Sect Leader." Leimo gave instructions as he turned to the rear.
"Yes!"
A silent knight following behind slightly bowed his head, turned, and quickly left.
Leimo exhaled, looking at France.
"Go back and rest for a bit first, and the subsequent arrangements I will..."
Boom!!
Before he finished speaking, there was a deafening explosion from the checkpoint at the city entrance in the distance.
The explosion penetrated the buildings, reverberating far over here, making the ground seem to tremble slightly.
"Flat-trajectory cannon fire...! That’s the sound of concentrated flat-trajectory cannon fire. It seems they’ve encountered an expert!" Leimo’s expression grew grave.
"Send the order for everyone to be on alert! Prepare the Holy Forest Array!" Canses ordered urgently and loudly.
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Outside Citong City.
The sound of cannon fire continuously erupted in massive blasts, with the ground trembling in succession.
The shells, like raindrops, shot out parallel to the ground from the cannon’s mouth, lightning piercing through everything for hundreds of meters ahead.
On the artillery position, all the soldiers of the White Ten Sect were tense, nervously watching the empty field shrouded in smoke in front of them.
Just a moment ago, a rapid warning came from the official road leading into the city.
Everyone quickly organized formations, warily scanning in all directions.
Then a blood shadow flashed across the sky, bringing a series of terrifying deaths.
Wherever the blood shadow passed, fresh blood automatically flew out from the five senses of all living beings, just like the legendary blood-sucking demon! The scene was horrifying.
Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, the vanguard troops at the forefront fell into chaos.
The subsequent commanders acted decisively, unleashing indiscriminate flat-trajectory cannon fire. Thick smoke and explosions seemed to hold off the unknown enemy’s surprise attack.
For a while, the surroundings quieted down.
But no one knew that the so-called blood shadow had already used the smoke as cover to quietly enter the city.
Inside Citong City.
Zhang Rongfang’s figure seemed to be dematerializing, appearing semi-transparent, almost impossible to discern.
Within Citong City, one building after another stood sparsely populated, barely a few civilians in sight. Only the white-armored soldiers of the White Ten Sect patrolled in teams everywhere.
There were no shops, no vendors, just a few cleaners in the corners responsible for sweeping away bloodstains and corpses.
Their eyes numb, they dragged carts, picking up corpses and limbs to carry away.
The air was filled with the scent of blood, lime powder, and the mixed smell of burning flames.
In a swift motion.
Zhang Rongfang’s figure flickered, suddenly appearing in the shadow of a three-story gray building, peering toward the street from the corner.
A squad of patrolling guards had just passed, and two officers with tobacco pipes leaned against a closed storefront, chatting idly.
From their more complete armor, it was evident they weren’t ordinary soldiers.
Zhang Rongfang squinted, his gaze falling on the two chatting officers.
He needed to capture someone to figure out how many experts were around.
If there were too many and they were too strong, then he’d have to plan carefully. Otherwise, he might as well charge through impulsively.
Once the patrol moved a bit further.
He shifted slightly, his figure flashing.
With super-speed movement, in the blink of an eye, he was beside the two officers.
Raising his hand, he made a quick point.
The two were momentarily dazzled and, before clearly seeing the figure, felt a dizziness in their heads and collapsed into unconsciousness.
Zhang Rongfang grabbed each with one hand, leaped a few times, and lightly landed in a dark corner.
Several minutes later.
He slowly walked out from the corner, having gathered rough intelligence about Citong at the moment.
"What do you plan to do?" White Scale couldn’t help but ask. "Those two just now were low-level, knowing little, while capturing high-levels would surely cause significant repercussions here. So..."
"So, I need to strike swiftly, capturing a high-ranking individual who can meet my needs," Zhang Rongfang calmly replied.
From the mouths of those two, he learned that Citong now had experts everywhere, with Holy Cross Star experts being grandmasters who were considered top-notch under normal circumstances.
But here, above them were the Holy Cross Star Legion Commander, the Archbishop, and even more formidable Adjudicators.
Woo!!
Suddenly, a piercing horn sounded from the city center.
An invisible ripple, accompanying the horn sound, spread out like water waves in all directions.
As Zhang Rongfang passed by, his body moved slightly.
"Did something just go by!?" He looked up at the sky, a certain power that had just flown over seemed to have noticed him.
"Over here!!" Sure enough, a loud shout echoed from afar. Then came a large group shouting in Western languages.
Followed quickly by the sound of armor clashing, approaching swiftly.
’To fight or not?’ White Scale tensed up. This was the White Ten Sect; sneaking into the headquarters alone was a bit too thrilling for somebody like her, a Residual God.
After all, the gods worshiped by the White Ten Sect were not small figures but were truly of God Lord level.
’I am alone. Facing too many experts directly is too dangerous; it’s not worth it.’ Zhang Rongfang’s purpose was clear, which was to find out exactly what was going on with the White Ten Sect here.
Why haven’t the surrounding Spirit Army and Snow Rainbow Pavilion experts arrived by now?
Listening to the sounds approaching rapidly from afar, he estimated the opponent’s speed, and with a light step forward—
Whoosh!
He transformed into a red shadow, quickly disappearing into the distant shadows.
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"What! The Grandmaster and the referee quietly left!? Part of the surprise strike expedition!?"
On the other side, near a freshly piled pillar of corpses.
Leimo’s expression changed slightly as he looked at the loyal subordinate returning with the report, momentarily unsure of what to do.
"Use the array. With the Holy Forest Array, we can completely suppress the opponent just by ourselves." Canses sighed. "It’s just that our plan from capturing alive has to change to killing. After all, the opponents are of Spirit General-Level; relying on just the two of us, even with the Holy Forest Array, cannot completely overwhelm them."
He and Rein were both at the Saint Boundary level, which converted by the Great Spirit, was between Grandmaster and Spirit General.
They were stronger than a Grandmaster but slightly weaker than a true Spirit General.
But here, utilizing the Holy Forest Array and the large army, their strength could be greatly elevated by one level, surpassing a typical Spirit General.
"Anyway, according to the referee’s instructions, we still have to create the illusion that he and the Grandmaster are present." Canses said.
"Understood!" Leimo nodded. "Currently, the one commanding the troops is Holy War Star General Kadir. As long as he’s unharmed, Citong will remain stable."
Kadir specifically was responsible for commanding troops, leading and managing a large group of at least ten thousand soldiers.
While the two of them were in charge of the elite top experts.
The two sides would only coordinate in combat under the referee’s orders.
"Then it’s up to you." Canses nodded.
The two quickly began ordering all the Archbishops and Holy Cross Star subordinates in the city to be on alert.
But before the orders could even be given, something was amiss.
"We’re missing people!!" Leimo’s expression grew solemn. "Five people are missing! Two lower officers, three mid to higher ranks!"
"Someone has infiltrated the city!" Canses and he exchanged glances, understanding each other’s intent.
The two simultaneously took out a silver pocket watch from their arms, gently pressing the button on top.
Hiss.
Waves of invisible ripples instantly started spreading from several corpse fire pillars in the city, vibrating outward.
The two closed their eyes simultaneously as if sensing something.
This was the Holy Forest; a large-scale military surveillance array unique to the White Ten Sect.
"Found them!" Suddenly, both opened their eyes, their gazes fierce, and vanished from the spot, rushing in the direction they sensed.
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The sky was dim, a corner of Citong City.
Zhang Rongfang stood on the ruins of his preserved mansion, letting out a long breath.
This was the fixed official residence where he originally lived, and it too ended up being burned down.
Beside him, at his feet, lay three captured senior military officers of the White Ten Sect.
"Speak, how many of you came? How many of those strong like the Holy Cross Star, or even stronger, came?" Zhang Rongfang looked at the three, asking in West Yi language.
He had learned a foreign language in Citong, unexpectedly coming in handy now.
"The Holy Cross Star?? We have many strong like that! You pitiful heretic, you have no idea what great power you have provoked!"
"God will cast your soul into eternal hell! Heretic!!"
"Not only are the experts of our sect here, but your Western Sect’s Grandmaster is also here, along with many other forces and people with us! Just you wait, you’re doomed!!"
As soon as the cloth was torn from their mouths, the three shouted fervently.
They cursed viciously, facing Zhang Rongfang like someone who had murdered their father, their emotions intense.
"Even the Western Sect is here...?" This was a bit troublesome.
Zhang Rongfang was very aware of the Grandmaster’s level, comparable to the top Spirit General, like Yue Shi from before. It was uncertain if he could prevail against them.
It seems a direct confrontation is unwise....
He asked a few more questions, but the three continued shouting incoherently, clearly seeking death.
He simply waved his hand, sweeping past the three’s foreheads.
Blood quickly gushed out as their fresh blood flew from their features, merging into Zhang Rongfang’s body, disappearing beneath his blood-colored robe.
"Someone’s coming."
Suddenly his expression shifted, his form transforming into a blood shadow shooting into the distance.
In less than half a minute, two figures appeared simultaneously at the spot where he had stood.
It was Leimo and Canses.
Holding the silver pocket watch, the two scanned the area, immediately spotting the lifeless three high-ranking officers.
"A little late! But he’s just up ahead! Pursue!"
Leimo shouted sternly.
Canses said nothing, clutching the pocket watch tightly, his eyes growing colder.
Based on the feedback from the Holy Forest Array, that person hadn’t gone far, and there was still a chance to catch up!!
Meanwhile, Zhang Rongfang was ahead, with the two trailing behind.
The three moved quickly through the city, changing directions.
But soon the two lost sight of Zhang Rongfang’s figure. They simply couldn’t keep up with his speed.
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