The army entered the passage, but instead of appearing in Wuji City as expected, they materialized in the Land of No Return. What sent chills down their spines was that they were surrounded the moment they appeared.
Yue Ran, shouldering his spear, hovered in mid-air, his eyes burning with battle intent. "Welcome to the Land of No Return."
"Young Sect Master!" The people from the Heavenly Sword Sect recognized Yue Ran as their leader and exchanged bewildered glances. Yue Ran had disappeared from the Heavenly Sword Sect, rumored to have been killed by the Sect Master. Yet, here he was, in the Land of No Return. Su Dan Novel Network.
Yue Ran merely glanced at the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples before stating, "All of you, lay down your arms and live."
"Yue Ran, you have betrayed the sect and colluded with demons. What crime do you deserve?"
"Demons?" Yue Ran sneered. "Who are the demons?"
"Xiao Man."
"My sister is human!"
"But she released the Demon Lord and poisoned all living beings, making her no different from a demon!"
Yue Ran lowered his gaze, staring at the speaker, a chilling smile playing on his lips. "May I ask, what act of poisoning living beings did the Demon Lord commit after his release? Instead, it is the Heavenly Sword Sect, who kills for treasure, incites discord for power, that I consider the true demons."
"Young Sect Master Yue, the Demon Lord is a merciless killer. Xiao Man releasing him endangers everyone, including you."
"The Demon Lord is out, and I am still alive. You are all alive. Of course, if you hadn't foolishly trespassed into the Land of No Return, you wouldn't be dying."
"You few people..."
"Few people?" Yue Ran chuckled. "Sister Peony, did you hear that? They say we are just a few people."
Peony's expression turned cold. With a wave of her hand, countless more disciples appeared, surrounding the allied army in layers upon layers.
"It's over, it's over, it's over!" Zuo Feng clutched his head, repeating the word "over" three times. "We've walked right into a trap!"
"Brother Zuo, didn't Sect Master Yue say he would teleport us directly to Wuji City? Why are we in the Land of No Return?"
"It's over, we can't get out. The Land of No Return imprisons the most heinous bandits on Cang Xuan Continent. How can we possibly be their match!"
Xiao Man, arms crossed, gazed at Yue Ran hovering in the air. "Good. This brat hasn't slacked off. His cultivation has already reached the early stage of the Transcendent Realm. After his Nascent Soul returned, his cultivation has been advancing by leaps and bounds."
"Brother Qin, what do you think?"
"Didn't they say it? Lay down your arms and live," Xiao Man said earnestly. "When the fighting starts, we'll surrender."
As soon as Xiao Man spoke, those around her turned to look at her. Xiao Man shivered. "Circumstances dictate a bow of the head."
"As righteous cultivators, how can we bow to evil! We will fight to the death!"
"A courageous stance, my friend." Xiao Man gave a thumbs-up. "I admire you."
Zuo Feng and Yang Di followed Xiao Man, retreating backward. However, behind them were the disciples of the Eight Directions Sword Sect, leaving them with nowhere to retreat.
"Brother Qin, what do we do?"
Xiao Man retreated to the front of the Eight Directions Sword Sect disciples and laid down her weapon. "We surrender."
Zuo Feng and Yang Di hadn't even processed what was happening when Xiao Man took their weapons, and the three of them were escorted to the rear by the Eight Directions Sword Sect disciples!
"Traitors!"
Among the vanguard were many rogue cultivators who had hoped to snatch some benefits. To their surprise, they had fallen into a trap. Suspecting collusion, and seeing Xiao Man and the others lead the surrender, the rogue cultivators followed suit and surrendered.
"Kill the surrendering!" The disciples of the Four Great Sects, seeing more and more people surrender, became enraged. They slashed down at a rogue cultivator who had raised his hands to surrender. The rogue cultivators had long harbored resentment towards the Four Great Sects, but had dared not resist due to their power. Now that they were like meat on a chopping block and the Four Great Sects still dared to attack them, they rose up in resistance.
Yue Ran watched the allied army erupt into infighting, a strange expression on his face. "No wonder my sister said the Four Great Sects were a scattered mess. We haven't even made a move, and they're already fighting amongst themselves."
Xiao Man watched this scene, a sense of unease growing within her. Even if she had secretly interfered and sabotaged the teleportation passage, it shouldn't have stopped Yue Tianxia and the others. Yet, they hadn't appeared. Something was wrong. Wuji City!
Xiao Man leaped into the air and flew straight towards Wuji City. "Ah Ran, Peony, I'll leave this to you. I'm returning to Wuji City."
Yue Ran acknowledged her and immediately ordered the encirclement. His sister was in a hurry to get to Wuji City, so something must have happened there. However, he was the only Great Ascension stage cultivator here and had to remain to command, otherwise, Peony and the others wouldn't be able to suppress the Nascent Soul stage powerhouses here.
Xiao Man hurried to Wuji City. The moment she entered, she found the City Lord's Mansion enveloped by a barrier, with Mo Mo and the others lying on the ground, unable to move.
"Mo Mo, Yu Qing!"
Xiao Man released the few individuals hidden within the Tongtian Pagoda. "Elder Qin, can you break this barrier?"
"I'll try." Elder Qin was not confident. This barrier was set up by Tian Xuzi. The allied army was merely a lure, a decoy to draw fire. Yue Tianxia's true target was the City Lord's Mansion in Wuji City, where he sought something he desired.
"Mo'er, Mo'er, are you alright?" Jun Ru patted the barrier, calling out to Mo Mo inside.
Mo Mo twitched her finger. She seemed to hear someone calling her, their voice urgent, familiar yet strange.
"Xiao Man..."
"Girl, lend me your divine spark for a moment." Elder Qin's eyes lit up. Xiao Man possessed the divine spark of Xuan Xin, the Heavenly God of the Xuan Clan, within her. That was the source of the laws of all things. A mere barrier would be no match for her!
"Okay."
Elder Qin, using Xuan Xin's divine spark within Xiao Man, forcefully shattered the barrier. Tian Xuzi, who was beneath Wuji City, stopped in his tracks.
"Tian Xuzi, what is it?"
"The barrier is broken." Tian Xuzi turned to look. This barrier was his masterpiece, yet it had been easily shattered. He knew that even Tian Ze couldn't break his barrier. Could the arrival be the Demon Lord?
"Could it be the Demon Lord who has arrived?" Yue Tianxia inquired.
"I don't know." Tian Xuzi halted. "You all go on ahead. I'll wait here and see who has arrived."
"Four Sect Masters, what exactly are you looking for?" the old City Lord asked weakly. These four had broken into the City Lord's Mansion, subdued everyone in an instant, captured him and his son, and forced them to lead them into the forbidden area of the City Lord's Mansion. They had guarded the forbidden area for so many years, yet this was the first time they knew there was a space beneath it.
"Don't ask what you shouldn't. Lead the way." Yue Tianxia pushed the old City Lord. The old City Lord stumbled forward, and the deeper they went, the more terror filled his heart. The oppressive aura above him grew heavier, making it almost impossible to move.
"I can't walk anymore."