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Outside the courtyard, the night was as dark as ink, but inside the hall, candlelight shone brightly. Xu Shiji's promise of "impregnable fortress" still echoed, and the forced smile on Qian Duguan's face had not yet fully solidified.

A calm, indifferent voice, as if descending from the heavens, pierced through the tightly closed hall doors without warning, resounding clearly in everyone's ears and hearts:
"Impregnable? Ha..."

A soft laugh, carrying an indifference as if looking down on ants, instantly froze all sound and movement in the hall!
Immediately afterwards, the heavy and luxurious brocade curtain at the entrance of the hall, as if brushed by an invisible giant hand, silently slid open to both sides, revealing the thick darkness of the night outside.

Two figures, bathed in the cool moonlight, stood quietly outside the threshold.

The leader, dressed in a simple blue robe, stood tall and straight like a solitary peak. His face was blurred in the flickering candlelight, but his deep eyes, like two ancient wells that swallowed light, calmly swept over the crowd who had frozen in place. Wherever his gaze fell, the air seemed to thicken and become heavy!
Half a step behind him stood a tall, slender young woman. Her honey-colored skin glowed with a healthy sheen in the moonlight, and her azure eyes, like pure gemstones, sparkled with curiosity and a hint of eager excitement. A simple, ancient-style longsword hung at her waist, its sheath still concealing a sharp edge.

"Who?!"

"Be bold!"

The Fu brothers, Fu Zhen and Fu Yan, reacted the fastest. The sound of "Heh" was like stepping on their tails! A violent and ferocious aura suddenly erupted!
"court death!"

Fu Zhen's shrill screech was like that of a night owl. The long, narrow, curved sword inlaid with animal bone at his waist was drawn with a clang, leaving a pale, chilling trail. It was so fast that it left only a blur. The blade was aimed straight at Yi Huawei's throat! Before the sword energy even arrived, a foul wind had already swept over him, carrying a bone-chilling cold!
Almost simultaneously, Fu Yan's short, stocky body shot up like a cannonball, his large, fan-like hand carrying a violent, mountain-splitting force, his five fingers forming claws, tearing through the air, aiming straight for Yi Huawei's Baihui acupoint on the top of his head! The claw wind howled, faintly carrying the sound of wind and thunder, which was the "Wind-Splitting Claw" that made him famous!
The two brothers unleashed a devastating attack with perfect coordination, one targeting the throat and the other the crown of the head, their ruthlessness unparalleled. Clearly, they intended to kill the mysterious man who dared to spy and even dare to mock them on the spot! The fierce and wild aura of the grasslands instantly filled the entire hall!

However, Yi Huawei didn't even glance at the two deadly attacks out of the corner of his eye.

He simply raised his right hand casually, spread his five fingers, and pressed them down in the air in response to the violent onslaught of blade light and claw shadows.

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely and freeze at this moment.

Fu Zhen's swift, ghostly, and cunning curved blade was only three inches from Yi Huawei's throat, yet it seemed to be trapped in ancient ice, unable to advance any further! The pale blade aura and bone-chilling cold swirling around the blade were instantly wiped away and frozen by an invisible hand!
Fu Yan's Wind-Splitting Claw, powerful enough to shatter stone tablets and split rocks, with its fierce claw wind and finger force capable of piercing through metal and stone, abruptly stopped a foot above Yi Huawei's head! The furious expression on his face froze, and his thick, veiny arm trembled violently, as if it had pressed against an invisible, indestructible wall of sighs! No matter how much he channeled his life's power, the violent claw force vanished without a trace, like a mud ox sinking into the sea!
"Ugh—!"

Fu Zhen and Fu Yan simultaneously let out a muffled groan, like wild beasts being choked! Their faces instantly flushed crimson, their eyes filled with disbelief, horror, and a fear that emanated from the depths of their souls! They felt all their internal energy being drained and devoured by that invisible hand, like a flood bursting its banks! An overwhelming, icy, and deathly power instantly invaded their meridians, like millions of ice needles piercing and freezing their life force!

Northern Darkness Divine Art: Devouring the Universe!

Yi Huawei's five fingers were slightly bent, as if he were plucking flowers and brushing willows.

"Plop!" "Plop!"

Just moments before, the brothers Fu Zhen and Fu Yan had been fierce and arrogant, but now, like two pieces of rotten wood drained of all their strength, they plummeted straight down from mid-air, crashing heavily onto the hard, gold-brick floor! Their faces were ashen, black blood spilled from their mouths and noses, their bodies trembled violently, their eyes were unfocused, and all the powerful true energy they had painstakingly cultivated had vanished, leaving only a bone-chilling cold and weakness! They struggled to lift their heads, to see the figure in the green robe, but they couldn't even move a finger, like two fish out of water, only able to gasp in despair.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye!
From Yi Huawei's appearance to Fu Zhen and Fu Yan's sudden attack, and then to the two of them collapsing to the ground like dead dogs, it all happened in just a breath or two!

The hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop!
The smile on Qian Duguan's face froze completely, turning into a deathly pale gray. His pupils dilated to their maximum size due to extreme fear! His obese body trembled violently like a sieve, and his teeth chattered!
The domineering, arrogant air that once filled Li Mi's face vanished instantly! He abruptly stood up from his seat, his tall frame taut like a bow, his black robes billowing even without wind, his inner energy surging so violently that the rosewood chair beneath him cracked inch by inch! He stared intently at the figure in green robes at the doorway, his eyes filled with unprecedented solemnity, apprehension, and a hint of fear that even he himself was unwilling to admit…! Veins throbbed on his forehead, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his inner shirt!

"The Heavenly... Heavenly Dao Alliance Leader?!"

A terrible suspicion surfaced in his mind, and Qian Duguan finally managed to squeeze out a distorted, bellows-like sound from his throat, filled with sobs and unbelievable despair.

"Heavenly Alliance, 'Nameless'."

Yi Huawei's voice was calm and even, yet it was like a thunderclap from the heavens, exploding in everyone's ears!

"nameless?!!"

Li Mi's pupils contracted sharply! Xu Shiji gasped, his whole body turning ice-cold! The person they had just been plotting to assassinate was standing right in front of them?! And had overheard their entire plan?!
Fear, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly coiled around everyone's heart!
"Take him!"

Li Mi, true to his reputation as a ruthless leader, instantly suppressed his shock and issued a stern order! He knew that at this moment, it was either you or me who would die!

From the shadows in the corner of the hall, several figures of Wagang and Qian Duguan's assassins pounced out like ghosts! Blades flashed, carrying a deadly intent, as they attacked Yi Huawei and Shan Wanjing!
At the same time, Qian Duguan realized what was happening and slammed his hand on the button under the table!
call out!call out!call out!
Several powerful crossbow bolts shot out from hidden holes in the hall, aiming straight for Yi Huwei's vitals! In addition, wisps of colorless and odorless highly poisonous smoke quietly spread from the incense burner and the cracks in the floor!
"Master, be careful!"

With a sharp cry, Shan Wanjing drew her "Azure Wave" sword instantly, its azure light rippling like waves as she met the two attacking assassins! Her swordsmanship was agile and swift; though she was fighting two against one, she was not at a disadvantage in the slightest.

Faced with this deadly trap coming from all directions, a cold sneer flashed in Yi Huawei's eyes.

"Even a grain of rice can shine?"

He didn't even move a step. Yet, within three feet of him, the air suddenly became thick and heavy!

The crossbow bolts that were shot at him seemed to sink into an invisible quagmire the moment they entered his area of ​​influence. Their speed decreased sharply, and they were eventually frozen in mid-air as if by an invisible hand. The arrowheads were only three inches away from his body, but they could not go any further!
The pervasive toxic fumes, upon touching that invisible realm, seemed to have met their nemesis, emitting a soft "sizzling" sound as they were instantly decomposed, purified, and vanished into nothingness!
The assassins who rushed forward felt as if they had crashed into an insurmountable wall of sighs! Their swords struck the invisible barrier of energy, producing dull thuds and sparks flying, yet they couldn't even touch the hem of Yi Huawei's clothes! Instead, they were jolted back by a resilient yet powerful recoil, their blood churning and their bodies staggering backward!

Yi Huawei made a move.

He raised his right hand and made a grabbing motion with his five fingers towards the empty space in the hall!
boom--!
An indescribable, terrifying pressure, as if the heavens and earth were collapsing, suddenly descended!
Everyone in the hall, including the assassins who were locked in combat with Shan Wanjing, felt as if an invisible, towering mountain was pressing down on them! A sense of fear and suffocation from the depths of their souls instantly gripped them!
"Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!" Except for Li Mi, Xu Shiji, and Qian Duguan, who could barely stand, everyone else—the assassins, and even the guards hidden in the shadows—fell to their knees under this immense and unparalleled pressure, as if all their bones had been removed! They couldn't even lift their heads! Like humble ants gazing at the sky!

The entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop! The only sounds were heavy breathing and the chattering of teeth.
Yi Huawei stood in the hall, his cold gaze sweeping over the crowd who looked like lambs to the slaughter. He slowly raised his hand, and a tiny, almost imperceptible, yet profoundly pure true energy, containing the true meaning of life and death, gathered at his fingertips.

"As I have said, those who follow the way of Heaven prosper, and those who defy it perish. Your schemes and tricks are like child's play. Today I will punish you slightly to serve as a warning to others."

Before he finished speaking, he flicked his fingers in quick succession!

laugh!laugh!laugh!
Three thin, almost imperceptible streams of true energy, as if they possessed life, shot into the dantian of Li Mi, Xu Shiji, and Qian Duguan with unparalleled precision!
"Ugh—!"

All three of them simultaneously let out a muffled groan of extreme pain! It felt as if an invisible steel needle had pierced their most vulnerable core!
Li Mi felt a cold, eerie, yet life-destroying force instantly invade his dantian, locking away the pure internal energy he had painstakingly cultivated for decades! It was as if an invisible shackle had been placed over him, rendering him unable to mobilize even a trace of true energy! His face instantly turned ashen, his eyes filled with utter horror and immense humiliation! A once-powerful figure had had most of his martial arts crippled by someone so easily?!

Xu Shiji was in even worse shape. His martial arts skills were not as profound as Li Mi's. The true energy that entered his body not only locked his internal strength, but also clung to his meridians like a maggot, bringing waves of excruciating pain! He was covered in cold sweat, collapsed to the ground, and looked at Yi Huawei with eyes full of fear.

Qian Duguan fared even worse. His martial arts were the weakest; the influx of that true energy was like igniting a powder keg, instantly detonating within his dantian! He screamed, spitting out blood, his cultivation completely destroyed in an instant! He slumped in his chair like a rag doll, his face ashen, his eyes filled with despair!
"This is the 'Life and Death Restriction'. Your lives are now in my hands. If you continue to defy the Heavenly Dao, the restriction will be activated, and you will die instantly, your bodies and souls will perish."

He stopped looking at the three pale-faced men and turned his gaze to Fu Zhen and Fu Yan, who were kneeling on the ground and trembling, as well as the assassins.

"As for you barbarians..."

A cold glint flashed in Yi Huawei's eyes: "Those who offend China deserve to die! I spare your mangled bodies and send a message to Bi Xuan: If you wolves of the grasslands dare to set foot in the Central Plains again, I will personally go beyond the Great Wall, take your heads, and burn your royal court!"

Upon hearing this, Fu Zhen and Fu Yan trembled violently, their eyes filled with boundless fear! They had no doubt about the truth of the man's words! This man... definitely had the ability to do it!

After speaking, Yi Huawei ignored the group of ants. His gaze fell on the huge Xiangyang city defense map in the center of the hall, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

A voice, like the roar of a dragon from the heavens, carrying supreme majesty and boundless inner power, pierced through the roof of the hall and the layers of walls of the mansion, resounding throughout the silent night sky of Xiangyang City:
"The ways of Heaven are clear: those who obey prosper, those who defy perish! Xiangyang... shall be subject to the will of Heaven!"

The sound was like a rolling thunderclap, instantly spreading throughout the entire city of Xiangyang! Countless people were awakened, opened their windows, and looked in terror towards the direction of the city lord's mansion! The Hanshui Sect disciples patrolling the city walls were horrified!
With this announcement—

Phew—pop!

Phew—pop!

Phew—pop!

Three dazzling crimson flames, like three roaring fire dragons, suddenly shot into the sky from three different directions of Xiangyang City! They exploded with a deafening roar in the dark night sky! Transforming into three enormous, eerily beautiful blood-red lotus flowers!
This is the signal for the Heavenly Alliance to launch a full-scale attack!
"The Blood Lotus blooms! The Heavenly Dao descends!"

The elite Heavenly Alliance soldiers, who had been lying in wait throughout the city, at the docks, and even among some of the city's defense forces, saw this soaring signal and their eyes instantly blazed with fanaticism!
"Do it!"

"Seize the city gate!"

"Take control of the dock!"

"Capture the leader of the Han River faction!"

Those who surrender will not be killed! Those who resist will be killed without exception!

The tranquil city of Xiangyang, like a lake tossed with a boulder, instantly boiled over! Shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, cries of alarm, and screams of agony shattered the night's peace!

At the three main city gates—east, west, and south—almost the instant the signal lit, a fierce battle erupted! The lower-ranking officers and soldiers of the Hanshui faction, already infiltrated and turned by the Heavenly Dao Alliance, launched a sudden attack led by elite spies! Shouting the slogan "Heavenly Dao descends, those who surrender will not be killed," they engaged in a bloody struggle with the die-hard loyalists of Qian Duguan. Caught off guard, and with the formidable fighting power of the Heavenly Dao Alliance's elite warriors, the resistance was quickly shattered! The heavy city gates crashed open with a teeth-grinding thud of winches!

On the Han River docks, hundreds of ships of all sizes were instantly thrown into chaos. Fierce battles for control of ships erupted on the Han River faction's naval vessels. Many more ships raised the pre-prepared Heavenly Dao Alliance flags! Countless Heavenly Dao Alliance warriors surged from hidden corners like a black tide, swiftly seizing control of key points, warehouses, and customs posts on the docks. On the water, speedboats flying the Heavenly Dao Alliance flags shot out like arrows, blocking the river and preventing any escape.

The Heavenly Dao Alliance experts, lurking around the mansion and supported by the elite Baling Army personally led by Lei Shimeng, stormed the mansion's defenses like tigers descending a mountain, instantly breaking through the chaos caused by the upheaval at the "Zangqing Villa"! Guards loyal to Qian Duguan were swiftly divided, annihilated, or surrendered. Important locations such as the treasury, armory, and confidential document room were immediately taken control.

Throughout the city, strongholds, barracks, and martial arts schools loyal to the Hanshui Sect suffered fierce attacks from the Heavenly Dao Alliance's hidden forces and the invading army. Resistance was sporadic and desperate. When news of "the city lord's capture," "Li Mi and Xu Shiji of Wagang being crippled," "the Changbai Sect's grandmaster suffering a crushing defeat," and "the Heavenly Dao Alliance leader's personal arrival" spread like wildfire, the remaining forces of the Hanshui Sect instantly crumbled! Countless people threw down their weapons and knelt in surrender. The few die-hards who stubbornly resisted were ruthlessly annihilated.

The whole process was as swift as lightning and as fierce as fire!

From the moment the Blood Lotus signal took off to the moment the Heavenly Alliance flag was planted on the walls, docks, and city lord's mansion of Xiangyang, it took less than two hours! This important town on the Han River, which Qian Duguan and the Han River faction considered impregnable, was like a burst bubble, and it changed hands without any resistance in the face of the absolute power of the Heavenly Alliance!

(End of this chapter)