Practically a kilometer in size and length, the Cataclysmic Seal covered the entire area of the illusionary array almost. Even from the outside of the array, a scorching red light could be seen radiating in the sky, and some of the houses were starting to turn dark and burn from the heat.

“What’s...what’s going on!?”

Five figures stood in the skies over several people who were mortally wounded, but not quite yet dead. At the present moment, none of the people there had been able to snap back to reality after the Soul Kings were killed. All they could do was stand there in shock without really an idea on what to do.

And then in the next moment, a giant mountain crashed down onto the area!

All of the Soul Exalts felt the blood drain away from their faces at the sight. They turned, ready to run away from the area when...

“Roarrr!!!!”

An earth-shaking roar was transmitted through the area, reverberating through the heads of everyone there and shaking their souls. Everyone grunted in pain as their souls were struck, and some of those who were extremely weak were killed straight away!

The permafrost mastiff was using its soul attack!!

The Cataclysmic Seal slammed into the ground the next moment, squishing the Soul Exalts in the air and on the ground without any further resistance!

“Boom!!!”

It was a completely bone-chilling sight. An object as large as a mountain had dropped onto the ground and squashed everyone, a few of them screaming in pain as they were squished. Then came the shaking of the earth in which the entirety of Baishan City felt.

There had been ten people left in the area when the Cataclysmic Seal fell, and after it did, not a single one of them was left!

............

Not much time had passed since Bai Yunfei entered the illusionary array and started battling.

Outside the barrier.

Just roughly three hundred meters away, there were two parties of people watching.

Of the two parties, one of them had a middle-aged man leading eight figures. Each one of them wore golden robes and the one in front floated in the air without the assistance of elemental energy, meaning he was a Soul King.

Of the eleven, the one at the front was the lord-mayor of Baishan City and early-stage Soul King. The eight people behind him were all Soul Exalts.

The other party had only a single person, but he stood in between them and the array.

That person was currently observing the array in front of him, sensing the chaotic energy flowing from within with a sense of urgency.

“Lu Fang!! What is the meaning of this?! What has the Cao done, and why are you stopping us?! If there is a battle within the city, do you wish to make the entire empire your enemy by stopping us?!”

The one he was talking to was the black-robed figure standing fifty meters in front of them.

The frail-looking middle-aged man smiled. “Lord Zhang, I have no wish to make the empire or its officials my enemy. But this is a personal grievance of the Cao and will soon resolve itself. I only wish to spare lord Zhang a few headaches and invite that you wait a moment.”

“What kind of grievance is this?! What is going on in there—why has the entire Cao mobilized themselves? Who are the people they are fighting?”

“Hehe, please forgive this one for his lack of knowledge, but this one knows not. It is always hard to tell what problems might exist in the world of soul cultivators, lord Zhang.”

“You—!”

Zhang Mo was fuming with anger, but he did nothing. While he was the lord-mayor, he couldn’t be too overbearing while in the presence of others. This person in front of him was a rather well known traveling soul cultivator with an ill reputation. He liked to kill more often than not and was an early-stage Soul King. Despite that, he was a cut above the rest and stood even a good chance of victory when fighting against a mid-stage Soul King.

All things considered, Zhang Mo couldn’t afford to start a fight. This was Baishan City, and a fight here would affect the lives of the commoners here no matter if he won or lost.

He had been one of the first to arrive here when he felt the fluctuations from the other parts of the city. But before he could go in to investigate, Lu Fang came forward to stop him.

During that time, several people managed to make their way into the array...

Things were hazy, but Zhang Mo could distinctly feel the auras of three Soul Kings in there! He was unsettled. Whatever it was that was happening between the Cao, it was something huge and he was really curious on the specifics of this fight.

Prior to his arrival, he had orders to the other Soul Exalts to quarantined the area and prevent the commoners from getting too close to this area. There were a few people that fled from within the Cao, but they were just servants or guests. Many of the commoners living nearby the Cao were relocated, meaning that there was practically no one within three kilometers of the Cao except for the parties directly involved.

As he waited with the others outside, Zhang Mo stared incessantly at the illusionary array. He could feel one aura start to fade while another spike of elemental energy led him to worry and feel even more curious.

Just...what kind of fight was taking place in there?

In front of him, Lu Fang was starting to look much more tense now compared to his previously relaxed version. The longer time went by, the more tense he became. “What’s going on...how did so many people die?! We’re getting close to the allotted time, if they take any longer, then they’re going to show up. We can’t escape with them here!”

The thoughts of the two parties had the same desires, but for contrasting reasons. Time slowly trickled by before a huge spike in energy led to everyone looking in surprise.

“Wha—what’s going on!? How did one more Soul King appeared?! What happened inside now?!”

Both parties thought this time in unison. And then a second incident caused them to look surprised, but this time, it was because of the area to the north of the illusionary array!

The two parties turned their heads, Zhang Mo with suspicion and Lu Fang with a rather unsightly amount of concern.

To the north of the illusionary array a dark green of light was speeding towards the city. In one second, it was already several kilometers closer to them. In another moment, two figures stepped out from a warped piece of space!

Teleportation!

One of the new figures wore a gray robe dirty with time and grime. His hair was disheveled as if he had been traveling for a long time. He was rather short in stature and was forty years of age. But the most distinguishing detail to the man was the very long sword tied to his back!