The great battle was over, and everyone in Crimson Fire felt the long-awaited taste of victory. Though there had been considerable casualties, nothing could dampen the soldiers' elation.
Orders were issued throughout the various divisions to rest in place. Floating continents were hauled over one after another, coalescing in the void to form a temporary camp. The great army took up position there, facing the Ink Race's main encampment from across the distance.
The two sides were separated by only half a day's journey. Those with slightly higher cultivation and sharper eyes could even clearly make out what the other side was doing.
It was evident that the Ink Race's camp was heavily guarded. From time to time, the auras of Pseudo-King Lords flickered and vanished, as if issuing a warning — but the more they did this, the more it betrayed the Ink Race's true weakness beneath their bluster.
Along this campaign, the Crimson Fire Army had reclaimed numerous Domains. Wu Five Domain had been the one where they encountered the fiercest resistance, mainly because the human battle lines had grown long and the Ink Race had begun to fight back. In the previously reclaimed Domains, the Ink Race had rarely engaged in large-scale clashes with the humans — they had practically handed them over without a fight.
A decade of warfare had cost Crimson Fire dearly, but today's battle had thoroughly crippled the Ink Race army. Morale soared, and what truly set the entire Crimson Fire Army buzzing with excitement was the prospect that they might soon have a Ninth-Order powerhouse to anchor their ranks!
All along, they and the other five legions without a Ninth-Order presence had deeply envied the Qingyang, Xuanming, and other legions. The difference between having a Ninth-Order powerhouse and not having one was night and day. The former felt like having a parent watching over you; the latter was like being unloved by grandmother and uncle alike.
The army rested, preparing for the next great battle.
Meanwhile, on a floating continent less than five thousand li from the human temporary camp, Yang Kai sat cross-legged, the River of Time and Space swirling around him.
The river roared with violent waves, spray erupting in countless bursts — far from calm.
The reason was simple. The river contained a full five Pseudo-King Lords trapped within. Even with Yang Kai's current strength, this had pushed him to the very limit of what he could control.
In this battle, he had first used the River of Time and Space to trap Hu Yu, killed the already grievously wounded Jiang Chi, then swept up three Pseudo-King Lords who attacked head-on — four in total. By that point, he had already felt the strain. The Pseudo-King Lords trapped in the river would not simply sit and wait for death; they fought and struggled ceaselessly, and suppressing them cost Yang Kai tremendous mental effort.
However, after he had simultaneously sealed away three Pseudo-King Lords who had been linked in a formation, the remaining ones were thoroughly terrified and scattered in every direction. In truth, if they had pressed their attack together at that moment, Yang Kai would have had no choice but to flee immediately.
Nearly seventy percent of his power was devoted to suppressing the upheaval within the River of Time and Space. Even he could not fight so many powerful enemies at once.
But the Ink Race's powerhouses had never encountered such a bizarre technique. In a single exchange, three Pseudo-King Lords had vanished without a trace, and they were all shaken to the core.
Moreover, given Yang Kai's fearsome reputation, none dared to provoke the tiger again. They fled in all directions.
The Pseudo-King Lord Yang Kai had set his sights on ultimately failed to escape. Yang Kai deliberately delayed for a time, and before the man could retreat to the main camp, swept him into the river as well.
Now, with five Pseudo-King Lords sealed within the River of Time and Space, eighty percent of Yang Kai's strength was tied up. Had that not been the case, he would have charged straight into the Ink Race's camp long ago — he would never have given them time to cling to survival.
Figures flew over from the human temporary camp one after another, led by the four Crimson Fire legion commanders of East, South, West, and North, accompanied by over a dozen Saint Spirits.
Upon arriving and seeing Yang Kai with the River of Time and Space coiling beside him, every one of them showed expressions of admiration.
"Greetings, My Lord!" they all bowed in unison.
Yang Kai smiled and raised a hand. "There's no need for formalities."
Zuoqiu Yanghua's face was pale. Earlier, when Jiang Chi and Hu Yu had launched their ambush, he and several other Eighth-Order cultivators had been injured. If Yang Kai hadn't arrived in time, they would surely have met their end. Now, having been summoned by Yang Kai, he had no time to tend to his wounds and had rushed over with the others.
By seniority and age, Zuoqiu Yanghua far exceeded Yang Kai, but in this chaotic age where heroes rose and fell, strength was what truly commanded respect.
Zuoqiu Yanghua first expressed his gratitude for Yang Kai saving his life, then asked, "I wonder what My Lord's summons is regarding?"
"To kill the enemy," Yang Kai said with a slight smile.
Zuoqiu Yanghua immediately looked toward the River of Time and Space. In truth, he had already guessed as much upon seeing it — and hearing Yang Kai confirm it now, he thought: just as I expected.
He was far from the only one to reach this conclusion. The situation was obvious. Within the River of Time and Space, shadowy figures periodically surged into view, struggling and fighting back — clearly the trapped Pseudo-King Lords refusing to go quietly.
Everyone understood. It seemed this mysterious river was excellent at trapping enemies, but its killing power appeared somewhat lacking.
There was no time to waste. The numerous Eighth-Order cultivators and Saint Spirits immediately took their positions, and formation after formation materialized in an instant.
Seeing that everything was ready, Yang Kai raised his hand. The very next instant, from within the River of Time and Space, a figure burst forth.
It was none other than Hu Yu — the first to have been sealed inside. He had barely appeared and hadn't even grasped the situation when devastating attacks slammed into him from every direction.