In the great hall of the Heavenly Sword Palace, Zuo Quanhui's face was cold and grim. The oppressive aura of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven realm cultivator pervaded the chamber, making it difficult for everyone present to breathe. The person who had spoken earlier realized he'd misspoken and couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.
"Alliance Master, this humble one requests permission to fight! Please grant me this honor!" Just as Zuo Quanhui's aged face was about to lose its composure, Luan Baifeng rose to her feet and offered a graceful bow.
Zuo Quanhui cast a warm glance at her and nodded. "Prison Warden Luan's eagerness is commendable, but with three Sixth-Order Open Heaven cultivators attacking together, you would be outnumbered." Although his cultivation was a full order higher than Luan Baifeng's, she had voluntarily come to join his ranks, and her current offer to fight had helped preserve his dignity. As a result, Zuo Quanhui treated her with considerable courtesy.
He turned his gaze to the other side and called out in a low voice: "Huangquan, Jingang, Cangyan!"
Being called by name, the three—Huangquan Tianjun and the others—had no choice but to reluctantly rise to their feet, clasping their fists in salute: "Your subordinates are here!"
"Those three are yours to handle!" Zuo Quanhui regarded them coolly.
Huangquan Tianjun and his companions dared not object. Having sworn allegiance to another, they needed to play the part of loyal dogs. With submissive expressions, they replied: "Rest assured, Lord. We will ensure they never return!"
They turned, rallied their forces, and marched out of the Heavenly Sword Palace in imposing formation.
Moments later, a great battle erupted in the void.
The three Sixth-Order Open Heaven cultivators from the Sin Stars and the three Mountain Lords of Xuanyang Mountain were no strangers to each other. When the Heavenly Sword Alliance had burst out of Feiyan Domain, these three had been at the vanguard. The three Mountain Lords stationed here had been outnumbered and forced to retreat deep into the void, not daring to resurface until Yang Kai arrived with the main force.
Now that both sides clashed again, they knew each other's strengths and weaknesses well—it was a contest of true equals.
In an instant, battle circles of all sizes erupted across the void. The might of divine abilities and Artifacts blazed forth, and the power of worlds surged one after another, creating a spectacular spectacle.
However, both the Heavenly Sword Alliance and Void Land knew this was not the time for a decisive battle, so both sides held back. The scene appeared chaotic and intense, but every participant fought with extreme caution. After a full half-sh hour of fighting, aside from a handful of minor injuries, not a single person had died—it was, one had to admit, a remarkable miracle, as well as a tacit understanding shared by both sides.
Yang Kai sat within the shattered spirit continent, gazing out at the distant battlefield with composure.
But inside the Heavenly Sword Palace, Zuo Quanhui's face was ashen. If the battle couldn't tip in their favor, how could he force Yang Kai into action? And if Yang Kai didn't reveal himself, how would he ever get the chance to kill him!
Just as Yang Kai had planned to create an opportunity for Luan Baifeng to participate in the battle so she could feed him intelligence, Zuo Quanhui's own plan was simple—as long as he could force Yang Kai to show himself, the battle would be half won. Once Yang Kai appeared, he could strike. Even with the Saint Spirit Heavenly Moon Devil Spider watching from the shadows, there might still be a chance to cut him down.
The last time he'd been injured by Yang Kai had been due to carelessness. This time, he would not let his guard slip.
And as long as he could kill Yang Kai, his great vengeance would be avenged! As for the rest of Void Land, whether they lived or died was of no consequence to him.
Watching the battle grind on with no resolution, Zuo Quanhui was naturally displeased. He spoke up: "Huang Mao, Liang Ce, Qixuan, Danyang!"
The four men below rose in unison, standing at attention as if receiving orders.
All four were Sixth-Order Open Heaven cultivators of the Heavenly Sword Alliance. Yang Kai had once asked Luan Baifeng about the Alliance's strength, and her answer was that the Heavenly Sword Alliance had four Sixth-Order cultivators operating openly—two had been killed by Yang Kai, leaving only two. The ones hidden in the shadows, she didn't know about.
Huang Mao and Liang Ce were the two who operated openly, while Qixuan Tianjun and Danyang Tianjun were the hidden ones. Both were veteran powerhouses of the Heavenly Sword Alliance who had spent years in seclusion. Had Zuo Quanhui not taken control of the Alliance, they would never have appeared here.
That said, the Heavenly Sword Alliance did harbor an irreconcilable grudge against Yang Kai. They wanted to use Zuo Quanhui's momentum to avenge the two former Alliance Masters who had been killed, so they felt no particular resistance to his orders.
"The four of you, take additional forces and reinforce Huangquan and the others. You must gain the upper hand."
"Yes!" the four replied hastily.
Zuo Quanhui then turned to the only Sixth-Order female remaining under his direct command: "Ziyan, you go as well. Act according to the situation!"
"Rest assured, Master. Your disciple understands!" Ziyan gritted her teeth, turning around with the fire of hatred blazing in her eyes—so intense it seemed it might tear the void apart!
Of all the Sixth-Order cultivators under Zuo Quanhui's command, only one was a true confidant, and that was Ziyan. She was, after all, a disciple cultivated under his own lineage, and her loyalty was beyond question. She alone truly understood what Zuo Quanhui was planning.
"Uncle-Master Zuo, are you looking for a swift decisive battle?" A voice suddenly echoed through the hall. The battle had barely begun, and Zuo Quanhui had already deployed nearly all of his Sixth-Order Open Heaven cultivators. His intentions were plain enough for anyone perceptive to guess.
Zuo Quanhui replied gravely: "You are correct, nephew. That is indeed my intention." He spoke brusquely and issued orders freely to others, but toward this person he showed unusual respect. The reason was simple—this person had an impressive background, and like Luan Baifeng, had come to join voluntarily, naturally earning Zuo Quanhui's special regard.
The speaker pondered for a moment: "Based on current intelligence, Void Land has a total of eight Sixth-Order Open Heaven cultivators besides Yang Kai. On our side, we have Huangquan and the three from the Sin Stars, four from the Heavenly Sword Alliance, plus your disciple—that makes eight as well. This will be a clash of true equals, a meeting of matched talents. It should be quite a spectacle to watch."
The man smiled as he spoke, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Zuo Quanhui said solemnly: "Which is why later I may need you and Prison Warden Luan to intervene together and apply pressure. Only then is Yang Kai likely to show himself."