A rolling tide of Bloodsha dyed the clouds, the fury of the Dragon-Elephant shook the heavens.
Gazing upon the soul-shaking Bloodsha, the heart-stirring Dragon-Elephant, and the awe-inspiring Chixiao People charging from all directions, the thousand-plus Nine-Star Immortal Officials and Dharma Manifestation Great Venerables stationed at the Immortal Office all paled drastically, as if facing a formidable enemy. They immediately activated their Primordial Spirit Dharma Manifestations for protection and summoned their flying swords. Yet, even so, they could not suppress the fear in their hearts.
This scene seemed to transport them back to the Ancient Era.
In Ancient Times, when the Chixiao People campaigned across the land, wherever they went, it was exactly like this: Bloodsha piercing the clouds, Dragon-Elephant shaking the heavens.
A shadow.
An absolute shadow.
No one was without fear, no one was without dread.
The leaders of various sects gathered around the Immortal Office, witnessing this sight, were also frightened into hurriedly retreating.
Beneath the Immortal Office's monument.
An Ran watched this scene, her delicate face shifting between shades of gloom and brightness. She too had not lived through that frenzied era of antiquity, but she knew the Bloodsha Aura and Dragon-Elephant Spirit of the Chixiao People were terrifying. She had seen the Chixiao People act before, and precisely because she had seen it, she knew they were not to be trifled with. However, in all her years, this was the first time she had witnessed such frenzied Bloodsha Aura, such frenzied Dragon-Elephant Spirits, and moreover, the first time she had seen a full thousand-plus legendary Chixiao People.
The billowing, skyward Bloodsha dyed the firmament with a mist of blood. The roaring Dragon-Elephant Spirits seemed to make the entire Great Northwest tremble with their bellows. And then there were those Chixiao People, each brimming with killing intent, holding Crescent Greatblades, bodies enveloped in Bloodsha, Dragon-Elephant Spirits roaring around them, like blood-soaked war gods from hell, causing scalps to tingle, hearts to revere, and souls to tremble.
This scene was truly too shocking, and too terrifying.
Even the dozens of previously arrogant, unruly, and domineering Immortal Dynasty Nobles were frightened by this sight, their faces changing color repeatedly. However, that was all it was.
A fright was merely a fright.
The Immortal Dynasty Nobles were not yet afraid, let alone filled with terror.
Possessing Immortal Roots, the Great Sun Bright Light Dharma Manifestation, over a hundred Great Nature Colored Spirits, immense fortune, and the backing of the Immortal Dynasty—how could they be afraid?
How could they feel terror?
Far from fearing, it instead ignited the fighting spirit of the Immortal Dynasty Nobles.
"A bunch of old fools who don't know their own mortality!"
Liuguang Jiaoying wanted to charge forward and use his Great Sun Bright Light Dharma Manifestation to intimidate these Chixiao People, but before he could act, he was stopped by Liuguang Qinghong beside him.
"Brother Qinghong, why are you stopping me?"
"No hurry."
A faint, shallow smile hung on Liuguang Qinghong's lips. No one knew what he intended to do.
He was in no hurry, but someone was very anxious.
Seeing that the Banner Masters of the Three Black Banners under Lord Blackwater had all arrived, Gold Crane and the other six Chixiao People knew that almost all the old Chixiao veterans stationed in the Northwest had come. They dared not be unafraid. They rushed over, cupping their hands and saying, "We are now people of the Immortal Dynasty. We beseech the various Immortal Nobles to grant us your protection!"
"And us..." Ming Hui and the other ten Crimson-Letter Sect Branch Hall Masters who had submitted to the Immortal Dynasty were already scared out of their wits, continuously retreating towards the Immortal Office.
"Rest assured. Since you have submitted to the Immortal Dynasty, our Dynasty will naturally protect you."
Liuguang Qinghong's voice came through. The stone hanging in the hearts of Gold Crane and the other Chixiao People, as well as Ming Hui and the other Crimson-Letter Sect Hall Masters, finally settled. As long as they had the Immortal Dynasty's protection, they could be at ease.
"Immortal Noble Qinghong, you should be well aware that if we were to engage in open warfare with the Crimson-Letter Sect here in the Northwest, the consequences would be unimaginable!"
The speaker was Lord Xun. As an old Immortal Official of the Immortal Office, he did not wish for war between the Immortal Dynasty and the Crimson-Letter Sect. That would only bring devastation to the common people and harm the innocent—something he did not wish to see.
"Lord Xun, do you not trust me, or do you not trust Young Master Long?"
"This old one...
This old one does not mean that, it's just..." By now, Lord Xun basically knew that all of this was masterminded behind the scenes by Young Master Long. He just didn't know what Young Master Long aimed to achieve in the Great Northwest by stirring up so much trouble.
"There is no 'just'. Since Lord Xun trusts Young Master Long and trusts me, then do not waste any more words."
As he spoke, Liuguang Qinghong took a deep breath, the smile at the corner of his mouth growing even richer. "As for what Young Master Long wants to do, and what I want to do... you will naturally find out shortly."
On the opposite side.
A full thousand Chixiao People from the Black Nether Banner, Black Flame Banner, and Black Wind Banner under Lord Blackwater arrived in a grand, imposing formation.
At the forefront were precisely the Banner Masters of the Three Black Banners: Banner Master Hong of the Black Nether Banner, Banner Master Tang of the Black Flame Banner, and Banner Master Huang of the Black Wind Banner.
"Gold Crane, roll out here and accept your death!"
Scar-face Kui, enveloped in Bloodsha, guarded by a Dragon-Elephant Spirit, and holding a crimson-black Crescent Greatblade, charged at the very front.
He belonged neither to the Black Nether Banner, nor the Black Flame Banner, nor the Black Wind Banner. He was one of the Eight Mad Ghosts under Lord Blackwater.
"Do you think hiding behind these Immortal Official lackies means we won't dare to kill you?"
Scar-face Kui brandished his Crescent Greatblade. With a single slash, Bloodsha roared and the Dragon-Elephant bellowed!
Whoosh!
A blade light, nine meters in size, condensed and manifested, sharp as a crescent moon, exceedingly fierce. The void of the Great Nature crackled, and the earth was cleaved with a deep trench.
At that moment.
A figure flashed—an elder in white robes beside Liuguang Qinghong. The elder appeared in a flash, radiant light shimmering around him as he blocked this blade strike with his bare hands!
Boom!
Crack!
The elder grunted. Then, the radiant light around him burned like flames, even like sacred fire. Everyone knew this was the protection of a Starcloud Immortal. The elder exerted force with both hands, the Starcloud protection madly coalescing. Amidst a series of crisp cracking sounds, as the Starcloud protection flickered and wavered, Scar-face Kui's blade light also dispersed and vanished.
"Truly worthy of being one of the Eight Mad Ghosts under Lord Blackwater. A mere blade light possesses such power. This old one is impressed, truly impressed!"
The elder was clearly a Starcloud Immortal Official. After speaking, he flashed back to Liuguang Qinghong's side.
Although Scar-face Kui had a fiery temper and very much wanted to slaughter Gold Crane and those ungrateful traitors on the spot, he also knew today's matter was not so simple.
If those protecting Gold Crane today were anyone else, he would not hesitate to charge forward and kill. But facing the Immortal Officials of the Immortal Dynasty, he had no choice but to proceed with caution.
It wasn't fear.
He had never known what fear was.
What forced him to be cautious was that the relationship between the Immortal Dynasty and the Crimson-Letter Sect had always been in a very delicate state—a state where neither provoked the other. The relationship between the two was like a very thin, very thin pane of paper. The Immortal Dynasty had never pierced this pane of paper, and likewise, the Crimson-Letter Sect had not. Both sides knew that once this pane of paper was pierced, the consequences would be unpredictable for anyone.
Liuguang Qinghong, wearing a smile, asked softly, "Might I inquire as to the purpose of your esteemed gathering coming in such force to our Northwest Immortal Office?"
"We heard the Immortal Dynasty intends to arrest all the Hall Masters of our Crimson-Letter Sect's branch halls. Therefore, we old folks have come to take a look."