Jiang Ziya witnessed the profound mystery of the Earth Escape Technique and sighed inwardly, aware that merely relying on the mana of a few disciples would be inadequate to capture Zhang Kui.

The next morning, he ordered the Xi Qi army to surround and launch a fierce assault on Mianchi County from all sides.

In the following days and nights, the Xi Qi forces constantly launched vigorous attacks, with war drums shaking the heavens, and siege engines relentlessly bombarding the walls, filling the space between heaven and earth with the smell of gunpowder and slaughter.

However, the defenses of Mianchi County were as steadfast as bedrock. Zhang Kui and his wife commanded in an orderly fashion, and the soldiers inside valiantly resisted, preventing the Xi Qi forces from breaking through the city walls.

Standing on the command platform, Jiang Ziya's gaze was both resolute and weary. He knew that this siege was far more difficult than anticipated. His eyes looked past the battlefield's flames and smoke, fixing on the solid walls as he silently pondered the next strategy.

Suddenly, an Immortal Crane, tired and covered in dust, flew towards him with a scroll in its beak.

The Immortal Crane landed before Jiang Ziya, nodding in greeting.

A thought stirred in Jiang Ziya's mind as he took the scroll and unrolled it, learning that these were reinforcements sent by the Chan Sect's Golden Immortal Fearful of Leaving His Descendants.

Having read the scroll, it turned to ash and dissipated, dropping a charm.

This charm contained the Great Divine Power to turn earth into steel, trapping enemies within the invisible, a natural nemesis to the Earth Escape Technique.

Jiang Ziya took the charm, feeling the powerful mana within, a glint of sharpness flashing in his eyes. He immediately gathered his generals to discuss, eventually deciding to use a tactical deception, luring Zhang Kui out of the city.

The plan was quickly set into motion. Jiang Ziya ordered a portion of the army to feign an attack on another side of the city, while he led a squad of elite soldiers to quietly lie in ambush in the woods outside the city.

Seeing the attack on another side of the walls, Zhang Kui immediately commanded his soldiers to defend.

However, the Xi Qi army feigned an attack for a short period before retreating in disarray.

Seizing the opportunity of the enemy retreating without formation, Zhang Kui led his elite cavalry out of the city in pursuit.

But the moment Zhang Kui led his forces out of the city gate, Jiang Ziya, holding the charm and murmuring incantations, threw the charm onto the ground. The charm turned into a golden light, instantly turning the ground into impenetrable metal and formed a metal cage, trapping Zhang Kui and his cavalry inside.

Zhang Kui, shocked and pale, swung his Fangtian Halberd fiercely against the metal cage, only to find it unbreakable, while his Black Smoke Beast became increasingly restless, charging around inside the cage, but unable to escape.

Gao Lanying within the city, seeing her husband trapped, was overcome with anxiety and recklessly rushed out of the city gates. However, as soon as she stepped out, she was attacked by Li Jing, who had been lying in ambush for a long time.

Li Jing, holding the Exquisite Pagoda with a solemn expression, raised the pagoda high into the air, chanting incantations. The pagoda emitted thousands of spirit lights, shooting up towards Yun Xiao. Gao Lanying, realizing the immense power of the pagoda, quickly brought out the Taiyang Golden Needle, attempting to counter the suppressive force of the pagoda.

Yet, the Exquisite Pagoda, a treasure bestowed upon Li Jing by the Vice Sect Hierarch Randeng, was extraordinary.

With a flash of spirit light from the pagoda, Gao Lanying's Taiyang Golden Needle was directly absorbed into it. A strong suction force then drew her into the pagoda as well, suppressing her on the spot.

Trapped inside the metal cage, Zhang Kui looked desperately outside the city. Knowing that if his wife Gao Lanying fell into enemy hands, he too would struggle to survive. He took a deep breath, resolved to, even at the cost of consuming great magic power, perform the Golden Escape Technique, which he was not skilled at, in order to break through the current predicament.

Zhang Kui closed his eyes, his body beginning to emit golden light, which gradually solidified into golden streams. At that moment, the metal cage seemed to sense Zhang Kui's movement, starting to vibrate with a buzzing sound, which Zhang Kui ignored.

The moment the Golden Escape Technique was activated, Zhang Kui transformed into a golden meteor, instantly breaking through the restraints of the cage and rushing out towards the outskirts of the city. However, as soon as he broke free, he realized he had fallen into another trap.

Wei Hu had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Zhang Kui appear, he swung his Demon-Subduing Pestle with the force of a mountain and the sound of tearing through the air, striking down fiercely at Zhang Kui. Still affected by the aftereffects of the Golden Escape Technique, Zhang Kui's reaction was sluggish, and he could only just manage to parry with his halberd.

However, the might of the Demon-Subduing Pestle was unparalleled, and even the Fangtian Halberd couldn't withstand a direct hit. With a thunderous boom, Zhang Kui was struck by the pestle and sent flying like a broken kite, crashing heavily to the ground lifeless.

Meanwhile, inside the city, Gao Lanying, trapped in the Exquisite Pagoda, struggled fiercely, but the oppressive force was like Mount Tai crushing down. Her Taiyang Golden Needle had been absorbed into the pagoda, and her own magical power was rapidly depleting. In the end, under the endless press of the pagoda, Gao Lanying's form gradually dissolved, turning into a wisp of blue smoke, falling within the pagoda.

With the fall of Zhang Kui and his wife, the defenses of Mianchi County also collapsed. Seeing the moment had come, Jiang Ziya immediately commanded the army to attack with full force. The soldiers shouted as they charged the walls, siege engines roared continuously, and the city gates finally collapsed under the fierce assault.

The Xi Qi army surged into the city like a torrential flood, sweeping away any remaining resistance. Soon, Mianchi County completely fell, and the Xi Qi forces occupied the entire city.

After the victory, Jiang Ziya did not rest for a moment. He promptly organized the troops, pacified the citizens, and quickly arranged the defense and governance of the city.