In a yard of the Fire Phoenix City’s Highwarrior family.
Qin Yun was practicing with his sword as sword flashes surged like a tide, leaving anyone who saw them stifled.
“How powerful.” Firephoenix Yuqing and Cailan were watching not far away.
“Yun’s sword arts are the strongest I’ve ever seen.” Firephoenix Yuqing could not help but comment.
Cailan nodded as well. “Temple Lord has also praised Elder Yun for his impressive sword arts. His attainment in sword arts alone would rank him in the top five among humanity’s nine great cities.”
“You call that praise?” Firephoenix Yuqing could not help but remark. “Among all the Elders in Fire Phoenix City, Yun is the only one that uses a sword. There aren’t many Elders who use swords in the nine great cities. So what if he’s ranked in the top five? I think Yun’s sword skills should be either first or second in all of humanity.”
Unlike Connate Godfiends that were born from the world, the Connate Godfiend descendants had human blood running through them. Thus, they were also considered a part of humanity.
“Oh?”
Qin Yun was practicing freely with his sword when suddenly, his eyes were filled with a redness. He immediately repressed it.
“Ever since I came to this world, the rich bloodlust in my body has been affecting me, filling me with great killing intent,” thought Qin Yun. “The bloodlust dissipated after I killed those fiendish demons during the Coming of Age ceremony. Later, when I broke through to the Godfiend realm, the bloodlust arose once again. It made me more intent on killing and keeps pushing me to the limit. Such horrifying killing intent would have driven me mad if I were still at the third Firmament of the Mortal realm. Thankfully, my soul experienced a qualitative change after reaching the Godfiend realm, allowing me to endure this killing intent.”
“However, it still doesn’t feel good having to live with such intense killing intent for the past ten years.”
“Even my sword arts have become ruthlessly oppressive.”
Qin Yun stopped his practice and frowned slightly.
He did not really mind since the path the Stone of the Earth paved for him was very similar to the defense Paramount realm he already comprehended. His greatest improvement was in the defensive aspect of his sword art. But due to the influence of the killing intent, his sword arts also turned more oppressive. It did not matter though, since the more powerful it was, the better it was at slaying his enemies.
Furthermore, it gave him unexpected results! The focus it took to repress his killing intent all day also honed his Dao heart.
Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong!
Suddenly, deep and urgent-sounding gongs resounded throughout the city.
Qin Yun’s expression changed.
“This is?” Firephoenix Yuqing and Cailan, who were watching Qing Yun practice his sword arts, suddenly had drastic changes in expression.
Everyone in the Highwarrior family, be it sleeping elders that were awoken, youths, women practicing their archery, or men, all of them stopped what they were doing.
“Quick.”
“To the city walls.”
Instantly, all the men and women from the Highwarrior family, including the elderly, donned armor as fast as they could before running out with weapons in hand.
“Fiendish demons are here. I’ll be going to the city walls.” Firephoenix Yuqing rushed out quickly too. She had reached the third Firmament of the Mortal realm and needed to participate in battle as well.
“Another war?” Cailan also immediately rushed toward Magus God Temple.
Qin Yun retrieved a black armor Dharma treasure from his Cosmic Bag. With a thought, the black armor covered him entirely. Following that, he tapped his feet and transformed into a stream of light that streaked across the sky, heading straight for Godfiend Temple.
At that moment, countless people in Fire Phoenix City were anxiously looking up. Connate Godfiend descendants at the third Firmament of the Mortal realm, as well as the Heaven Magi of the magus lineage were running, leaping to cover more than a thousand feet, while others were flying across the sky. All of them headed for the four different walls!
The countless commoners in the city were praying. They had no means to participate in the battle for they would only be sending themselves to their deaths if they did so.
Therefore, although the Connate Godfiend descendants and magi enjoyed high prestige in the city, numerous commoners were willing to serve them. This was because every time the fiendish demons attacked the city, it was the Connate Godfiend descendants and magi who stood on the city walls to fend them off. There, they risked their lives.
…
In a square at the Godfiend Temple.
Sou!
After Qin Yun landed, other beams of light descended. Some walked out of Godfiend Temple. In a blink of an eye, eight Godfiend Temple Elders were gathered there.
“Your Majesty Firephoenix.” The eight Elders, including Qin Yun, saw a beautiful woman dressed in a fiery-red dress. She had flaming red hair and brows. Her eyes suffused red light but she looked absolutely gorgeous. Qin Yun considered his wife, Yi Xiao, to be the prettiest woman he had ever seen, but Firephoenix was in no way inferior to Yi Xiao. Furthermore, she had a domineering air to her.
Firephoenix scanned the area and said, “The fiendish demon horde is attacking. Many of you are already experienced, except for Highwarrior Qinyun. It’s his first time participating in war but I believe you have heard from others about it many times.”
Qin Yun nodded.
Firephoenix continued, “The eight of you will divide yourselves evenly to defend the four walls. The main thing to defend are the Magus Pillars. Youxu, you and Qin Yun are to defend the eastern wall. Qin Yun is young and lacking in experience. You have to help him.”
“Yes,” replied Firephoenix Youxu respectfully.
“Linli, you will go to the south wall with Muqi. The remaining four will take their usual places,” commanded Firephoenix. “Remember, although protecting the Magus Pillar is important, your lives are more important. Be fully vigilant!”
The eight Elders were extremely solemn and serious.
In such a massive war, dying in combat was possible no matter how careful they were.
“Alright, move out,” Firephoenix commanded.
Immediately, Qin Yun and Firephoenix Youxu streaked across the sky and headed for the eastern city wall.
Only ten thousand plus years had passed since the birth of the world. Humans were still few in number and although Fire Phoenix City was one of the nine great cities of humanity, it had a radius of only about five kilometers. On the eastern wall, there were already many Godfiend descendants dressed in armor and wielding weapons. They were prepared for the oncoming onslaught. There were also a few Heaven Magi but they were not adept at close combat.
Boom! Boom!
Qin Yun and Firephoenix Youxu landed on the eastern wall and stood about a thousand feet apart. They looked at the eastern horizon.
Along the horizon were rolling black clouds. Standing on them was a dense horde of fiendish demons.
It wasn’t only the east!
The other three directions all had large hordes of fiendish demons riding over on black clouds.
…
Firephoenix was standing at the top of a towering column in the middle of the city. Fire Phoenix City had a total of five Magus Pillars. There was one in the city and one situated along each of the four walls. The five Magus Pillars… formed the core of the magus array that fortified Fire Phoenix City.
“Your Majesty Firephoenix.” A voice sounded from afar.
Firephoenix turned to look. Faraway where the Magus Temple was, a black-haired man was leading eight Heaven Magi.
“Temple Lord, I’ll leave the magus array to you,” said Firephoenix.
“Don’t worry.” The black-haired man nodded.
******
Each Magus Pillar was fifty feet in diameter and about three hundred feet tall.
The five Magus Pillars… were also the prisons of Fire Phoenix City! Those that had committed severe crimes were imprisoned in the Magus Pillars. Of course, there were fiendish demons that were caught alive. They too were imprisoned in the Magus Pillars.
“Activate all the magus arrays.”
There were all sorts of mechanisms within the Magus Pillar.
The magi immediately activated the many minor magus arrays in the Magus Pillars, enveloping all the prison cells.
“Hmph, if those fiendcelestials dare attack the Magus Pillars, just a slight stir will kill the numerous fiendish demons and inmates in them. These are all mortals. With so many mortals dying instantly, the fiendcelestials would probably be smitten by the tribulations instantly.” The magi had eyes filled with frenzy.
…
On the city walls.
Qin Yun was dressed in black armor and a companion sword hung by his waist as he looked at the eastern horizon. He also knew that all the Godfiend descendants and magi were doing their utmost in the city to prepare for the battle ahead.
“Yun.”
Among the many warriors on the city walls, Firephoenix Yuqing stood there dressed in blue armor. She looked at the distant Qin Yun and suffused a smile. “Yun and I will be fighting alongside each other.”
“Yuqing, follow me later. This is your first time you are participating in battle. Remember, follow your training.” A voice sounded beside her.
Firephoenix Yuqing immediately answered, “Yes, Father.”
As long as Godfiend family members could live long enough, they would all reach the third Firmament of the Mortal realm. Therefore, there were many people on the city walls with father-daughter relationships, or even had their grandfathers and great grandfathers standing alongside them… Every Connate Godfiend family clan sent scores of their members to the battlefront. Anyone at the third Firmament of the Mortal realm had to participate in the battle. There was no exception.
Qin Yun turned his head to look at the clansmen that were prepared to do battle. He felt his heart undulating. “Fifteen Connate Godfiend family clans. Other than the children that lack Godfiend bloodlines, as well as the youths that have yet to reach the third Firmament of the Mortal realm, everyone else is here! All of them are prepared to risk their lives in battle! Perhaps, my homeworld’s ancient times also had such wars!”
Following that, black clouds from all over approached.
“Prepare for battle!”
A clear voice resounded throughout the city.
Firephoenix stood on the Magus Pillar and swept her surroundings with a gaze.
“To arms! To arms! To arms!” All the clansmen on the four city walls roared angrily. They were either at the third Firmament of the Mortal realm or Heavenly Magi. Their roars quaked the world, distorting even the air around them.