Starting as a prodigy wanting milk? A world-destroying deception in the opposite direction.

The masked man at the head of the group spoke in a cold voice, and in a flash, he was in front of Gu Qing, aiming straight for his face.

"Arrogant!"

Gu Qing's eyes turned cold, and his mental power surged again. His crimson robe fluttered in the wind, and golden mental power transformed into a shield to block the attack. At the same time, he struck out with a palm.

The two instantly became entangled in combat.

The golden and gray psychic powers collided, producing a series of booming sounds. The surrounding lingering memories were dispersed by the aftershocks, and even the array on the plaza trembled slightly.

Many low-level Divine Blessing cultivators turned pale and nearly lost control of the formation.

From the black-veiled sedan chair at the edge of the square, the voice of the former Chief Celestial Official, the Elder Xuanji, rang out:

"Shadowless, make your move."

Before the words were finished, a dark figure darted out like a ghost; it was none other than the bodyguard, Shadowless.

He had no weapon in his hand, only his bare hands, and with a violent burst of mental energy, he lunged straight at a black-robed man holding a bone flute.

The man in black robes was playing his bone flute to support Yi Hui when Wu Ying suddenly approached him.

The moment the two clashed, the sound of tearing clothes and the cracking of a bone flute were heard. The man in black robes was sent flying, spitting blood, and collapsed to the ground.

Su Wenyuan didn't hesitate either, his golden psychic power surging as he rushed towards the aggressive masked man:

"You heretical scoundrel, I'll slay you!"

The radical masked man sneered, and a blood-red short blade appeared in his hand, its blade flowing with an eerie red light. He then engaged Su Wenyuan in battle.

Gu Chengye and Gu Qingshuang also found their own opponents and joined the battle.

In the direction of the Ceremonial Academy, Wang Juan, Liu Xubai, Shen Moyan, and others have also made their move.

Within the royal camp.

Emperor Feng Hongyi's dragon robe fluttered in the wind, his body protected by golden spiritual energy. Empress Qi Hongyu stood beside him, her spiritual energy as a third-level Divine Protector spreading out to protect the royal family members around her.

"Royal Guards, follow me to fight the enemy!"

At Feng Hongyi's command, the Imperial Guards behind him drew their swords and engaged the man in black robes in fierce combat.

Crown Prince Feng Xun appeared to be fighting the enemy, but his gaze would occasionally sweep across various parts of the battlefield, especially the direction where Gu Qing was locked in combat with the masked leader, as if he were plotting something.

Princess Feng Dai's purple dress fluttered as she entangled a man in black robes, and with a flick of her wrist, she severely injured him.

The Third Prince Feng Yu put aside his usual frivolity, holding a long sword and barely managing to protect himself;

Although the Fourth Prince Feng Shuo was young, he gripped the short knife in his hand tightly, his eyes fixed firmly on the guards, showing no sign of backing down.

Shen Zhenglan handed Shen Xuan over to the members of the Jingxie Division beside him:

"Keep a close eye on her; she's not allowed to leave the formation even a step!"

Before he finished speaking, he transformed into a golden light and pounced on a masked man whose palm had runes.

"A sixth-tier Divine Blessing Master?" The masked man spoke calmly, runes lighting up in his hand.

"Let's see what these so-called experts from the Temple of Compassion are capable of!"

The two clashed with their mental energy, golden light and runes intertwined, producing a deafening sound, and they instantly became locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle.

Shen Zhenglan's golden light was fierce and domineering, while the masked man's runes were strange and unpredictable, and for a time neither could defeat the other.

On Shen Zhen's side, a sword light suddenly attacked, as fast as lightning, aiming straight for his face.

Shen Zhen dodged to the side, and with a sweeping motion of his Nianjie Ruler, his sword clashed with the opponent's longsword.

"bite--!"

With a crisp sound, sparks flew, and the two men each took two steps back, their arms slightly numb.

Shen Zhen turned his head and saw the masked man pointing his long sword diagonally.

The opponent's swordplay was fierce and cunning, with each strike aimed directly at vital points such as the throat and heart.

He never imagined that the person opposite him was the same passerby he had met in Xiaojiawan.

The ruler in his hand emitted a burst of white light, as if day had arrived, intertwining with Song Yue's sword light.

The two exchanged blows, the sounds of their swords clashing against each other ringing out clearly amidst the chaos of the battlefield.

"Join us, become a faithful follower of the Son of God, and gain eternal life."

Song Yue's voice came through the mask, carrying a seductive power.

Shen Zhen did not respond, but instead intensified his attack. His opponent's strength was comparable to his own, and even slightly superior in the sophistication of his moves.

The two fought back and forth, neither gaining the upper hand.

"Have we met somewhere before?"

He finally couldn't help but ask, and Nian Jiechi slowed down his attack, leaving some room for maneuver.

Song Yue paused slightly, her swordplay slowing by a beat, before quickly resuming its normal pace and coldly saying:

"The world is so vast, we may have met once before."

Shen Zhen sensed the perfunctory tone in her words and stopped asking questions. She then launched a sudden attack with the Nianjie ruler.

Song Yue dodged to the side, and her long sword pierced his left arm, the tip of the sword tearing through his clothes and leaving a bloody mark.

Shen Zhen felt a sharp pain, but took the opportunity to lean forward, using the Mind Ruler to press against the back of her sword. Suddenly, a trace of the dormant despair within her body spontaneously overflowed and spread rapidly along the sword.

Song Yue's face under the mask changed color slightly. She could feel the penetrating power of that mental force and subconsciously took a half step back. Her attack froze for a moment.

The two fought for dozens more rounds, still unable to determine a winner, while the atmosphere around them grew increasingly tense.

The formation in one corner of the square was broken by several men in black robes working together.

Dozens of people screamed and rushed toward the center, only to be instantly entangled by the lingering filth, their eyes becoming vacant.

Across the battlefield, the sounds of fighting, screams, and clashing weapons mingled together, creating a tragic and heroic war song.

While a single aberration isn't particularly strong, its sheer numbers are overwhelming. The overwhelming swarms of filth constantly bombard the formation, draining the mental energy of the Spirit Master.

Taking advantage of the cover provided by the lingering filth, those men in black robes launched frequent surprise attacks.

Many of those who were touched by the spirits were injured, and some even had their consciousness invaded by the tainted memories, causing them to go insane on the spot.

Lei Lie cleaved open the chest of a man in black robes with a single slash, but was then entangled by green ropes behind him.

The laughter of the gluttonous beast could be heard:

"Another source of nourishment!"

Lei Lie roared, his psychic power erupted, and golden light surged from his body, shattering the ropes. He turned and slashed at the giant face of the Devourer.

The giant face of the Devourer shrank back, dodging the attack, and the green rope shot out again, wrapping around Lei Lie's arm.

"Let go of me!"

Lei Lie exerted his strength suddenly, and the golden psychic power backfired along the rope, causing the Devourer to let out a cry of pain, its giant face trembling.

Han Yan pierced the heart of a black-robed man with her sword, and warm blood splattered on her cold face. Another black-robed man had already launched a sneak attack from the side.

"Be careful!"

A shout rang out.

Ye Zhi Qiu flashed forward, blocking Han Yan's path. He unfolded his folding fan, using his mental energy to create a barrier that blocked the attack.

Even after withstanding the full force of the black-robed man's attack, Ye Zhi Qiu was still forced to retreat, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, and his face instantly turned pale.

Are you alright?

Han Yan turned around, a hint of concern flashing in her cold eyes. With a backhand flick of her longsword, she killed the black-robed man who had ambushed her.

Ye Zhi Qiu grinned and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth:

"It's alright. What's a little injury compared to you?"

Before he could finish speaking, he clutched his chest, coughed up another mouthful of blood, and swayed precariously.

Han Yan stepped forward to support him, her fingers trembling almost imperceptibly. This was the first time she had proactively shown concern for someone. She said softly:

"......Thanks."

Ye Zhi Qiu leaned on her arm to steady himself, smiled weakly, then broke free from her support, his gaze once again fixed on the black-robed man in the distance, and with a burst of energy, he leaped forward.

Ren Fei and Miao Erhu fought back-to-back.

Ren Fei's talismans flew out continuously, bombarding the surrounding Yi Hui and the black-robed men; Miao Erhu's copper bell was deafening, and the sound waves turned into invisible fists, repelling the approaching enemies.

"Tiger, to the left!"

Ren Fei gave a warning, and the talisman in his hand instantly burned away, turning into a flame that shot towards the target.

Miao Erhu's sonic waves overlapped with the flames, causing Yi Hui to sizzle as he shouted:

"Damn it, there's way too much! I can't hold on much longer!"

Fu Gang, Wei Bao, Lu Dan, and others also fought fiercely.

The situation is becoming increasingly critical for the rookie team.

Chen Xi was surrounded by two men in black robes, and he used his short blade to defend himself with all his might. He had several wounds on his body, and blood had soaked into the Jingxie Division's uniform.

"Chen Xi, watch out!"