That night, deep within the Great Rift, heavy, thunderous booms echoed endlessly. The sound was like a giant hammer pounding unbreakable steel—thud, thud, thud—each strike reverberating with a deep, weighty resonance. Blocked by layers of earth and rock, the noise couldn’t reach the surface, so no one in Spirit Eagle Palace heard it. Only Simone’s ears twitched—she alone could sense the flavor of that sound.
Thud, thud, thud—the sound made Simone’s heart race with fear. She could tell this wasn’t the sound of a hammer at all, but her master pounding a giant sword with bare fists. Just from the noise and her imagination, she could picture Jill Young smashing the sword, sparks flying, the blade constantly warping.
If you had to describe the sound, it was angry, resolute, and suppressed—like underground lava, burning hot but unseen. Yet, as the pounding continued, the fire in that sound only grew fiercer. It was like a volcano that had stored up the earth’s power for millions of years, its flames surging, just waiting for the day it would erupt.
Dharba from the Vajra Sect has come to support!
Jill Young spent the whole night busy with her own affairs.
Fifty Bright Sect followers have come to support!
Clang! When the sun rose, the pounding finally ceased. Watching the sunrise on this mountain was breathtaking—when the huge sun leapt over the horizon, the whole Misty Peak glimmered brilliantly. And in the midst of the morning glow, Jill Young returned. Bathed in divine light, she walked step by step, not fast nor slow, but with a force that seemed to shake the whole world.
The Old Vajra Master leads fifty disciples of the Vajra Sect to answer the call!
The condor soared overhead, always pointing the way forward. Grace Kwok’s will was ironclad, and though more and more people joined behind her, it never slowed her down.
So, everyone set out once again.
Black condors soared in the sky, black heavenly horses galloped across the land. Jill Young rode Black Charcoal, dashing westward once more, as if nothing had changed. As they set off, Joan turned back and took a long, deep look at Spirit Eagle Palace. Her gaze swept over everyone, every building, and the beautiful landscape near and far. Then, with determination, she turned away and charged west alongside Jill Young.
This time, it might be a farewell forever.
But if these kids can grow up well, then everything will have been worth it.
What Joan didn’t know was that not long after she left, Spirit Eagle Palace was also thrown into a frenzy of activity. The day after Jill Young’s departure, everyone in Spirit Eagle Palace was ready. Yan Laihong, dressed in full battle gear, inspected the assembled troops on the main square. After a stern sweep of her eyes, she leapt onto her horse, gathered her energy, and shouted, “March out!!”
A scout raced in on horseback with the news, and everyone instantly readied for battle. Squeak, squeak—bows were drawn, arrows nocked, waiting for the order to let loose a storm. But Grace Kwok raised her hand and stopped them all. Suddenly, she leapt off her horse and dashed forward using lightness skill.
After absorbing the lifetime inner power of top masters Yang Guo and Yideng with her Beiming Divine Skill, Grace Kwok’s energy reserves ranked second only to Joan in the entire group. She was smart, with a solid martial arts foundation—way better than Duan Yu back in the day. After getting past the early hiccups, she could now use her massive inner strength almost effortlessly.
She unleashed her lightness skill, shooting forward like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, she outpaced the whole cavalry. Focusing her gaze, she could see clearly—the proud beast blocking the road was none other than the Great Eagle.
This Western Region was dry and sandy, with a blazing sun that would knock out ordinary folks. Even the Great Eagle looked roasted by the heat. Still, it held its head high, standing there like it owned the place. For a bird, it sure had an attitude. Birds of prey have sharp eyesight, and from far away, the Great Eagle spotted Grace Kwok, spread its wings, and flapped twice as if saying hello.
Wusun City.
“Big Brother Eagle, what are you doing here?” Even though the Great Eagle couldn’t talk, Grace Kwok asked in surprise and delight.
Yili City.
Ali reporting back with forty people!
Huali City.
Dharba from the Vajra Sect has come to support!
Tieyun City.
Fifty Ming Sect followers have come to support!
Shuangqi Town.
The Old Vajra Master leads fifty disciples of the Vajra Sect to answer the call!
The condor soared overhead, always pointing the way forward. Guo Xiang’s will was ironclad, and though more and more people joined behind her, it never slowed her down.
These people came from different groups, with different allegiances. Some came willingly, some were forced, some for justice, some for profit, and some even had old grudges between them. But nobody dared make trouble now—everyone knew, if anyone tried anything funny, that white-haired witch would never let them off.
Now really isn’t the time for anyone to mess things up.
Besides, as the main force of this march, the ‘No One Under Heaven’ army was powerful and well-equipped, armor gleaming, cultivation levels sky-high, and masters everywhere. Look at those palace maids and island chiefs—anywhere else, they’d be elders, worshipped and put on a pedestal. But here, they followed orders as one, perfectly disciplined.
Masters with military discipline made allies, vassals, and even enemies deeply respectful.
“Report—! Strange beast blocking the road ahead!”
A scout raced in on horseback with the news, and everyone instantly readied for battle. Squeak, squeak—bows were drawn, arrows nocked, waiting for the order to let loose a storm. But Guo Xiang raised her hand and stopped them all. Suddenly, she leapt off her horse and dashed forward using lightness skill.
After absorbing the lifetime inner power of top masters Yang Guo and Yideng with her Northern Darkness Divine Art, Guo Xiang’s energy reserves ranked second only to Jiaoniang in the entire group. She was smart, with a solid martial arts foundation—way better than Duan Yu back in the day. After getting past the early hiccups, she could now use her massive inner strength almost effortlessly.
She unleashed her lightness skill, shooting forward like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, she outpaced the whole cavalry. Focusing her gaze, she could see clearly—the proud beast blocking the road was none other than the Divine Condor.
This Western Region was dry and sandy, with a blazing sun that would knock out ordinary folks. Even the Divine Condor looked roasted by the heat. Still, it held its head high, standing there like it owned the place. For a bird, it sure had an attitude. Birds of prey have sharp eyesight, and from far away, the Divine Condor spotted Guo Xiang, spread its wings, and flapped twice as if saying hello.
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“Big Brother Condor, what are you doing here?” Even though the Divine Condor couldn’t talk, Guo Xiang asked in surprise and delight.
Then, she heard a familiar voice coming from the side: “Brother Condor took pity on my frail health and waited here for me. He’s really gone through a lot of trouble.”
Guo Xiang trembled at the sound. She spun around and saw two people walking together by the roadside—a handsome man and a beautiful woman, a perfect couple. The woman, dressed in white with a gentle look and a slight baby bump, radiated a budding maternal glow. This was Xiaolongnü. The man she supported was, of course, Yang Guo.
It had only been a few weeks, but though Yang Guo had lost his inner power and was physically weak, surviving disaster had left him looking more spirited than ever. His clear, gaunt eyes practically shone with light.
Guo Xiang was both surprised and delighted. “Big Brother, what are you doing here?”
Yang Guo laughed heartily, sounding as confident and sharp as when he was young: “A real man should stand tall and live with a clear conscience. Miss Yang and Senior Wu risked their lives to help me when I was sick—how could I ever forget that kindness? Judging by your situation, this must be no small matter. How could I just sit on the sidelines?”
Guo Xiang was excited but worried. “But Big Brother, you…”
“Don’t worry. Even though I’ve lost my strength, I still have a lifetime of experience to offer.” Without the aura of the Divine Condor Hero, Yang Guo felt a surge of boldness. “I know a thing or two about the strengths and weaknesses of the Mongol army. Trust me, little Xiang!”
Looking at the spirited Yang Guo, Guo Xiang’s eyes suddenly grew a little misty. She glanced at Xiaolongnü, who smiled and nodded at her. Instantly, Guo Xiang nodded firmly to Yang Guo: “Big Brother, with you here, I’m not afraid of anything.”
Rumble—off in the distance, the main force rushed forward. Yang Guo squinted into the distance at the armored troops and elite warriors, and said in a low voice, “I heard the Eternal Sky Sect personally sent their best on this westward campaign. The Wolfguard Corps isn’t to be trifled with—I was worried before. But now, I’m starting to feel a bit more confident.”
Guo Xiang straightened her back with pride. “Of course! We’re ‘No One Under Heaven’!”
“No One Under Heaven? Haha, I don’t get the meaning, but it sure sounds bold. Little Xiang, where are we headed for this battle?”
“Deep in Persia—the Promised Land!”
Guo Xiang was leading only the best—this was ‘No One Under Heaven’ going all out. There were just over six hundred people, but every single one was a true expert. The group had always focused on the Western Regions; while they hadn’t gone deep into Persia before, they had plenty of connections among the local kingdoms. With the mighty Vajra Sect leading the way (Yang Qi had made sure to get them on board), they moved unhindered.
The big group moved a bit slower, but steadily. Day after day, through endless yellow sands, they could always spot Yang Qi’s secret markers ahead. From the info on those markers, Guo Xiang knew she was keeping pace—just as Sister Yang had planned.
On the third day, she stood atop a high ridge. It was a mountain pass, and the fierce wind made it hard to stand.
“From here on, it’s Persia.” She looked at the sunset in the west and murmured, “Big Sis, where are you now? Have you found the place?”
Following Guo Xiang’s gaze westward—across mountains, rivers, and deserts—in a small exotic town, Yang Qi had indeed found the place. To be precise, the town was close to the Promised Land, and Fang Hui had already found the Manichaean contact there.
This contact was extremely cautious, suggesting the Manichaeans had a tough time in Persia. While Fang Hui negotiated, Yang Qi went out to observe the town. She didn’t speak the language, but she could see the panic and unrest among the townsfolk—almost like wartime chaos. From other clues, it was clear the Mongol elite had already passed through.
“I’ve got the details—overall, things aren’t looking good.” Fang Hui came over to report to Yang Qi. Even after three days, her feelings toward Yang Qi were complicated. Finding out the world’s greatest flower thief was a woman isn’t something you get over easily. Especially for Fang Hui, who always had her own ideas, it was hard to accept.
But she knew now wasn’t the time to talk about gender—so she got straight to the point: “The Mongols sent their best—the Wolfguard Corps—and they’ve rallied all the local lords and city chiefs. Right now, they’re surrounding the Promised Land, just waiting for a signal to attack.”
No sooner had Fang Hui finished than she felt a buzz—the Sacred Flame Token was reacting again.
This time, the message was stronger and more urgent than ever. Anyone holding a Sacred Flame Token knew—time was running out.
“Looks like the moment’s here.” Yang Qi turned and strode off. “Take me to the highest-ranking Manichaean here—I need to talk to him myself.”