The Jixing Si’s rescue efforts proved fruitless.

Swiftly, followers of the White Bone Dao surged forth throughout the city, specifically targeting the rescue parties. Within the Wusheng Wumie Array, cultivators of the Zhuang Country found their strength suppressed to varying degrees, while the Dao techniques of the White Bone Dao disciples were amplified.

Especially now, with Wei Quji fallen in battle, and Lu Yan and Zhang Linchuan dominating the skies, surveying the entire city. Any strong cultivator who dared to show their face was instantly slain by Zhang Linchuan’s hand.

The morale of the Zhuang Country cultivators plummeted to the depths.

The northern part of the city was a residential area for commoners, those with the weakest ability to protect themselves. Under Shan Cha’s organization, the Jixing Si managed to save a few people.

But very soon, Miao Yu descended upon the long street.

“Surrender now with your people to the White Bone Dao, and I shall spare your life.” Miao Yu spoke faintly, “My mood is not good today. I will not give you a second chance.”

Among the nominal three great figures of Fenglin City, Shan Cha had the least presence. Without him, their strength was insufficient. A peak Tenglong realm cultivator, before Wei Quji and Dong A, couldn’t even raise their head. Miao Yu was willing to incorporate him merely for his title as the Chief of the Jixing Si. Possessing such an identity could immediately dismantle the last resistance in Fenglin City’s domain. Of course, killing him was also an option, the effect merely slightly less impactful.

The White Bone Dao had plotted against Fenglin City for many years, and she understood Shan Cha, knowing he was no virtuous man, having engaged in his share of self-serving acts. Such a person held the possibility of surrender. Had it been Dong A or Wei Quji, she wouldn’t even consider incorporating them, as it would be utterly impossible.

“Surrender to you all?” Shan Cha made no attempt to conceal his mockery. “Become one of those twelve skeletal frames lurking in the sewers?”

Miao Yu paid no mind to his scorn, merely stating, “Once the White Bone Dao country is established, each of the twelve-faced ones shall be a city lord. Consider it carefully.”

“That you could achieve this level, annihilating Fenglin City, I admit the Jixing Si underestimated you. The White Bone Dao is a truly fearsome adversary.” Shan Cha surveyed the surrounding scenes of devastation, his expression complex. Finally, he turned his gaze back to Miao Yu. “But you also underestimate our Zhuang Country too greatly! What do you think the Zhuang Country relies on for its establishment? Relying on the alms of neighboring countries?

It is calamity! It is war!

From the Yong Country to the Mo Country, and then to the already destroyed Xu Country, our Zhuang Country has yet to lose a national war!

You may have covered one city today, but when the court’s great army arrives, you will not even have bone frames remaining! And you speak of a White Bone Dao country!”

“Since that is the case, there is nothing more to say.” Miao Yu stepped forward. “I resided in Sanfen Xiangqi Lou for so long and heard quite a few matters concerning you. A person like you deserves to be killed a hundred times over. The Zhuang Court using a person like you as Chief shows how corrupt and vile it is, and its destruction is deserved.”

Facing this woman, Shan Cha knew he was no match, yet he suddenly burst into laughter. “Ha ha ha ha…”

Miao Yu frowned. “What are you laughing at?”

“I thought only I, this hypocritical official figure, needed to find an excuse to kill. I didn’t expect you, a demonic figure of the left path, to live so tiresomely!”

Miao Yu fell silent. It was only after Shan Cha’s words that she realized she seemed to have undergone some change. Her design to alter Jiang Wang’s worldview, life view, and values, while influencing Jiang Wang, seemed to have also influenced herself. This filled her with fear. Even after taking off Shan Cha’s head, this fear did not dissipate.

Just as Wang Changji ignited the great White Bone cauldron, the killing perpetrated by the White Bone Dao followers throughout the entire Fenglin City domain reached its climax. Encountering such a terrifying land disaster, and constantly failing to organize any systematic rescue, instead only saw the White Bone Dao followers’ slaughter intensify. On this land, from the upper regions of Fenglin City down to every town and village, barely one in ten thousand inhabitants remained alive.

This was a disaster of extermination. Corpses everywhere was merely an objective description.

The believers of the White Bone Dao could feel it, that their honored god, through the anchored position, had descended power. This was the victory of the entire White Bone Dao. It was the victory of all White Bone Dao believers. They were excited, frenzied! The beautiful new world belonging to the White Bone Dao would be opened up by them. They sought fairness, entrusted all desires, and all would be realized.

At the original site of Xiao Lin Town, negative emotions boiled and burned, the great cauldron trembling incessantly. As if brewing something, nurturing something.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Like a heartbeat, like a war drum.

This time did not last too long. Although in the eyes of some, it felt as if they had waited a thousand years. In an instant, the entire Fenglin City domain seemed to quiet down. The wails, the cries, the mad howls… all disappeared for a moment. The great White Bone cauldron became still.

Then the cauldron’s lid moved away, and a snow-white dan pill the size of a longan, spinning, floated high, suspended in mid-air. Instantly, rays of light shone in myriad directions, and a strange fragrance scattered. What kind of absolute world treasure was this! The White Bone Dao had plotted for decades, the White Bone Zun Shen personally descended a divine oracle, the White Bone Daozi guided the Youming treasure White Bone cauldron, using the countless living souls of the entire Fenglin City domain as sacrifice, endless negative emotions as fuel, coupled with the White Bone Dao’s several centuries of accumulation, only then achieving this one White Bone true dan!

As long as the White Bone Daozi swallowed this one White Bone true dan, he could immediately step onto the peak, tear open the boundary between Yin and Yang, consolidate the passage between the two realms, welcome the White Bone Zun Shen’s descent into the world, and achieve deity in the present realm! At that time, with the Zun Shen in the world, the Saint Lord would be the country lord. The masses of the White Bone Dao could also ascend to heaven by this step.

But the White Bone Daozi, surprisingly, did not move. He merely stood before that great White Bone cauldron, directly facing that White Bone true dan. As long as he took one step forward, he could reach out and grasp it. However, he did not take another step forward. His right foot slowly lifted, then slowly fell back down. He seemed to intentionally repeat this mechanical movement, constantly stepping in place.

Lu Yan watched this scene from afar through the bone mirror, his heart burning with anxiety, wishing he could personally rush over and stuff the White Bone true dan into his mouth. But he dared not offend in such a way. The Zun Shen had given an early divine oracle: at this time, no one could approach Xiao Lin Town.

Zhang Linchuan formed a hand seal in the air, the bone mirror shifted, changing angle, reflecting Wang Changji’s face. His face remained calm, expressionless. However, his two eyes… one eye was calm and indifferent, the other flowed with tears like a surging spring!

“This…”

Lu Yan turned his head, exchanging surprised and doubtful glances with Zhang Linchuan.

This was a long and arduous standoff. Although not much time had passed, for the White Bone followers, with victory in sight, every breath felt like an eternity. They had already waited for decades, centuries, even millennia! Perhaps, for that deity in the depths of the Nine Yous, waiting was also a torment.

Thus, a change occurred.

In the already thoroughly darkened Xiao Lin Town, as if from an endless distant depth, a pale hand reached out. That hand, white without a trace of blood, yet natural, contained Dao patterns. That hand merely extended slightly, and the entire space seemed to tremble, as if unable to bear such immense power. That one White Bone true dan, moreover, moved on its own, transforming into a stream of light and shooting rapidly!

It was the White Bone Zun Shen, finally unable to contain himself, expending a huge price, crossing the boundary to act!

Vaguely, a voice, seemingly echoing from another time and space, resounded—

“I… return from the Nine Yous!”