CHAPTER 729: CHAPTER 394: XING ZHOU APPEARS

After getting through this calamity, Huangfu Yi himself was quite confused, but the system indeed wasn’t wrong. He had leveled up. Upon stepping out of the secret realm, Huangfu Yi had indeed reached the Core Formation Realm, and perhaps had even touched upon the threshold of something once deemed worthless.

As for the sword energy in his body, serving as the core, it had been forged into a blade similar to the Green Bamboo Leaf Sword Tip, much like a ’Sword Pill’ gestating within his abdomen, which had now stabilized. It could be freely utilized by the Sword Control Skill, traveling as he wished through his meridians and viscera, opening up the Qi acupoints throughout his body and expanding his meridians.

Thus, as he walked and breathed, his heart, spirit, and the fetus resonated with every pulse, like harmonious music echoing in concert. His muscles and bones crackled and stretched with ease, the spiritual breath of the world seemed to swirl around him like a breeze, enveloping his body as it was inhaled into his lungs, and the marrow between his spine subtly grew warm, as if his whole being was entering another growth phase. His Qi Power was constantly enhancing and strengthening, indescribably smooth and natural.

Walking along like this, practicing both day and night, swiftly as the wind and thunder, Huangfu Yi eventually saw signs of human habitation in the distance almost without realizing it.

Yet, calling it signs of human habitation wasn’t quite right. It was more accurate to say it was a military encampment with watch towers and beacon smoke. Getting closer, he saw a fortress on the plain. Judging by the ruins and remains around it, this place used to be a large city, evidently destroyed by warfare multiple times. But as it was a transportation hub, armies frequently camped and rebuilt here.

Huangfu Yi gazed towards the city wall, seeing a black flag with a rust-colored dragon soaring, realizing it was now occupied by the Heavenly King Rebel Army. This was likely the same forces involved in that earlier small skirmish, the one with winged soldiers. Strangely enough, there were also quite a few common folk outside the fortress.

Indeed, getting closer and peering across the river, he saw a vast slum, likely filled with military families, servants, artisans, camp prostitutes, enslaved peasants taken by force, and homeless refugees.

The soldiers in the city didn’t seem to drive or confine these people, often soldiers were seen leaving the camp, filling brothels in the slum or trading with slave merchants. Their violence, accusations, or drawing of sabers demonstrated they were far from any idealized righteous force that spared the slightest harm. Yet people continued to gather, clustering like ants.

After all, with demon gods descending everywhere, and with demon nests wreaking havoc—slaughtering across thousands of miles leaving red earth and bloody seas—it still seemed safer to huddle with others.

Maybe, the woodsman was right.

This world has never been fair; where there is strength there is weakness. The weak can only survive by clinging to the wings of the strong for protection. In these years, perhaps those wielding swords aren’t many good people, prone to oppression and exploitation, facing death at any moment; but it’s still more reliable than being outside, where one could become demon fodder...

So, do you intervene? Can you intervene? And if you do, is it truly a good thing?

Huangfu Yi found himself lost in thought, stuck in a dilemma of whether to meddle and change the course of this iron-fated track.

But he didn’t dwell on it for long, as the situation quickly changed.

Warning beacon smoke rose continuously from the southwest, prompting the cavalry in the camp to quickly mount their horses. In moments, nearly four hundred horse riders emerged, forming an arrowhead formation, charging like storm clouds toward the smoke.

Recognizing the military order from the north, and seeing the cavalry carrying Demon Hunting Crossbows, Huangfu Yi knew demons were attacking. Without another word, he flew underground, following the cavalry.

After traveling over ten miles, Huangfu Yi emerged from a hillside to see a surge of Demon Qi rising into the sky, and a gigantic chasm splitting the ground, as if caused by an earthquake.

Why are there demons emerging again? It’s truly endless...

But the demons weren’t the only problem, or rather, the Heavenly King’s Army was adept at Gang Fist, and didn’t fear demons much. Plus, with commoners everywhere to eat, demons wouldn’t typically bite at their iron-covered tough hides.

Therefore, this cavalry wasn’t assembled here for demon extermination or evil suppression; the Demon Hunting Crossbows were mere precaution. Their true target was someone else.

"Wooo wooo wooo—"

A clear military horn sounded from afar; the cavalry immediately spread their wings into battle formation. Huangfu Yi, standing on high ground, saw it clearly too. From the south, dust flew upwards as another troop approached, arrayed in formation, confronting the Heavenly King Army across the chasm.

This army bore a purple flag, with the outline of a bird embroidered on it, big as a swan with red eyes like blood. Behind them followed two large banners, one bearing ’Relief’, the other ’Hu Ben’. The knights wielded long spears, carried short weapons, wore rhinoceros armor, donned helmets, and had tiger-tail helmets. The wheels interlocked, flags and banners fluttered skyward, a thousand riders swept forward with great momentum, evidently battle-hardened elite, adept at charging and raiding.

Purple Phoenix, so this is the Domain Army of Xun Country?

As Huangfu Yi traveled, he had heard much about the current situation. Naturally, he knew that the Three Constellations were now under the governance of the Xie Family’s Grand Tutor. This person, one of the Three Ministers, was no hollow title; he was a legitimate hereditary Super Duke, the Duke of Xun Country, and Vassal Lord of the Eight Domains.

After all, the Xie Family, the second strongest Immortal Gate in the world, had long secured alliances through marriages with noble families, often stationed in the Eight Domains, holding financial and labor power over one nation. With the Wang Family’s decline, they had seized the chance to enter Taiwei, further bonded through marriage, ultimately becoming the father-in-law of the reigning court, controlling half of the Immortal Palace, well within their grasp, filling their appetites from the pot and bowl alike. Naturally, they’d contribute to the court by dispatching troops from Xun Country’s Domain Army to suppress rebellion in the Central Plains.

Of course, this Relief Hu Ben army likely wasn’t truly here to fight either, but perhaps equally stirred by the sudden appearance of demon seals, coming over to see what was unfolding.