Without realizing it, Qin Sang had stood up, gazing toward the ritual altar beneath the Daoist priestess, his eyes shimmering with wonder.
The altar seemed capable of stabilizing worldly yuanqi. The priestess clearly possessed a mid Core Formation cultivation base, yet the true yuan within her showed no signs of chaotic reversal!
With his discerning eye, he could naturally tell that the crucial factor was most likely the altar beneath her and the slowly revolving Seal of Proclaiming to All Spirits upon it.
Though the seal was small, even on a battlefield teeming with demon troops, no one could overlook it.
One could tell it was not a physical seal. Most of its body, including the finial, remained indistinct, only vaguely discernible in shape. Yet it sparkled with spiritual radiance, seemingly inscribed with cloud seal scripts, thunder patterns, phoenix emblems, and dragon calligraphy—a divine object half-hidden from mortal sight.
Only the four large characters at the base, "Proclaiming to All Spirits," were exceptionally clear, surrounded by intricate and mysterious talismanic patterns.
The priestess glowed with brilliant golden light as though clad in golden armor. A strange ripple emanated from her, exuding boundless majesty that made others hesitate to meet her gaze.
Moreover, the altar's capabilities went far beyond this!
At that moment, a heavy mist blanketed the river. Mortals could not see the confrontation in the air clearly, yet panic seized their hearts. Everyone understood the truth that when immortals clashed, mortals suffered. Abandoning their homes and belongings, they fled in sheer terror, quickly leaving White Dragon Ferry nine-tenths deserted.
Qin Sang went with the flow, making his way outside White Dragon Ferry alongside the elderly man and the boy, but his Heavenly Eye Butterfly kept a close watch on the battlefield.
He saw clearly that the two companies of water snake soldiers had marched out in battle formation from the altar only after the priestess issued an incantation command.
Just like the three companies of wolf soldiers hidden in the reed marsh, Qin Sang had previously only sensed the priestess alone on the solitary peak; there had been no trace of the two companies of water snake soldiers.
Before the wolf soldiers revealed themselves, an altar had also flashed briefly within the black smoke.
Evidently, the altar possessed the ability to house and nurture troops.
Such methods reminded Qin Sang of sects in the Storm Realm that specialized in beast taming, such as the Yuling Sect of the Beichen Realm, yet this was markedly different.
When a cultivator of the Yuling Sect entered the Dao, they had to choose a compatible demon beast and swear a covenant, binding the two as one. That demon beast was known as a natal spirit beast.
Apart from a natal spirit beast, one might raise a few spirit beasts with unique abilities to command, but the numbers were never large. Most could not afford to raise an army of demon soldiers; otherwise, it would derail their own cultivation.
A spirit beast's cultivation did not come out of thin air. For Qin Sang, raising a few fourth-metamorphosis spirit insects and gathering the precious materials required for their growth had consumed tremendous effort, easing only after he received the Panhu True Scripture.
Yet the two companies of water snake soldiers before him were not only strictly disciplined, obeying every order to the letter, but their cultivation was far from weak.
The leaders of the two companies in particular were only slightly inferior to the priestess, both being snake demons at the early Demon Core stage.
Under each leader were several water snakes at the Demon Spirit stage, and beneath them were well over a hundred mortal demon soldiers.
The two companies maintained a tight formation, spearheaded by the two snake demon generals and anchored by the priestess. Their momentum flowed seamlessly as one, faintly coalescing into a peculiar array that concealed tremendous power; they could by no means be viewed as an ordinary military formation.
Right now, only two gates were open. What would it look like if all eight gates opened simultaneously? And what if the person commanding the altar possessed a Nascent Soul or Deity Transformation cultivation base, or even higher?
Wouldn't a single cultivator of this realm be equivalent to thousands of troops and horses?
Qin Sang felt a chill in his heart.
Of course, he understood full well that conscripting and drilling demon troops so they remained utterly loyal and obedient was far from as simple as it appeared.
Having finally encountered a cultivator of this realm and seen a method to resolve the chaotic reversal of worldly yuanqi, Qin Sang felt slightly relieved, but he also grew intensely curious about the practitioners here. Cultivators in the Storm Realm focused on refining themselves; such a sight was virtually unheard of.
Still, if he were asked to drill and command troops, he would be rather reluctant. Weren't cultivators here afraid of delaying their own progress by pouring so much effort into martial hosts? Or did it offer other benefits?
While Qin Sang pondered in secret, another shift occurred over the river.
After her shout, the priestess had no intention of waiting for the wolf demon's reply. For a wolf demon to openly harm a river god under her jurisdiction was a crime worthy of execution!
Moreover, this pack of wolf soldiers was clearly a band of rogue troops.
Rogue troops had originally belonged to Daoist masters. When an accident occurred—such as a Daoist dying without a disciple to inherit their mantle, or the troops rebelling because the master could no longer suppress them, resulting in the altar shattering or the troops seizing the altar and fleeing—they lost all restraint and became rogue troops.
Rogue troops of gentle temperament posed little threat. But those like these wolf soldiers, who fed on raw flesh and blood and dared attack the City God and water domains, were almost certainly mutinous troops from a shattered altar.
Any Daoist disciple who encountered them bore the duty to slay the demons, subdue the fiends, and recover the ritual registers!
The priestess pinched a hand seal, stepped through the Steps of Yu, and formed astral energy with her swift footwork.
At her command, the leaders of the two companies of water snake soldiers vigorously waved the banners in their hands. Cascades of watery radiance immediately splashed forth and sank into the bodies of the snake soldiers. The soldiers roared in unison, their voices shaking the mountains.
The streams of water merged, resembling a heavenly river winding above the river surface, enveloping all the snake soldiers within.
The snake soldiers swam through the river water, their bodies gleaming with faint golden light under the blazing sun as their demonic qi harmonized.
Immediately, one snake demon general raised a banner and pointed toward the sky, while the other pointed down toward Lord White Dragon, who was struggling desperately on the river's surface.
The snake soldiers shifted their formation, and the heavenly river abruptly surged skyward, plunging heaven and earth into sudden gloom.
The blazing sun vanished, replaced by a deep blue water sword suspended upside down over the river. A soft blue radiance bathed the mountains and streams as the sword's tip trembled faintly, pointing straight at the giant wolf.
At the same time, with a loud splash, the water beneath Lord White Dragon surged violently. A burst of icy vapor materialized from nothingness, instantly freezing into an ice pillar that entombed him.
This move was meant to protect Lord White Dragon and prevent the wolf demon from acting out of cornered desperation.
Though the priestess's cultivation far surpassed that of the wolf demon, she remained exceptionally cautious.
The wolf demon had no time to stop her, watching helplessly as the flesh and blood within its grasp was frozen and dragged toward the riverbed.
Simultaneously, the deep blue sword trembled slightly and pierced downward through the void like lightning.
In the distance, Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. The might of this sword was already comparable to an attack at the late Core Formation stage!
Unexpectedly, the wolf demon showed not the slightest fear. Allowing the priestess to rescue Lord White Dragon, it raised its head toward the sky and gave a series of cold sneers.
"An Altar Master? So you are a Minister of Law from the Tianshu Court! Quite a big fish to catch. My respects! My respects!"
The wolf demon let out an eerie howl and stamped its four hooves heavily. Suddenly, an altar materialized beneath its feet.
The fiend had clearly used some method to conceal it earlier, only revealing the altar's true form now that the main quarry had arrived.
This altar matched the priestess's in design—three tiers, four pillars, ten directions, and eight gates. However, floating in the center of its altar was a spiritual banner.
The banner was tattered, and the altar's four pillars were cracked and tilted, appearing utterly dilapidated compared to the priestess's altar.
Yet the banner inside was far more substantial than the priestess's Seal of Proclaiming to All Spirits.
The moment the altar appeared, two gates swung wide open. Amid billowing black smoke, two more companies of black wolf soldiers rushed forth, including three giant wolves at the Demon Core stage, dozens of black-furred demon wolves, and well over a hundred auxiliary troops of foxes, jackals, tigers, and leopards behind them.
Seeing the altar emerge beneath the black wolf's feet, a flash of astonishment crossed the priestess's eyes. "The Cinnabar Cloud Banner, an Ascending Mysterious ritual rank?"
She currently held only the mid Cavern Spirit rank; only upon perfecting her cultivation could she attain the Ascending Mysterious rank.
In the Tianshu Court, the Ascending Mysterious rank corresponded to a Grand Altar Master, a post of the fifth official grade bearing the noble title Grandee of Upper Clarity Xuandu. This demon had actually belonged to the troops under a Perfected Immortal!
The several companies of wolf soldiers swiftly converged.
Of the three wolf generals, one was at the mid Demon Core stage, leading the elite troops at the front, while the other two were at the early Demon Core stage, keeping the auxiliary troops in line from the rear.
The three generals coordinated seamlessly. Hearing the giant wolf's command, they raised their heads and howled, spewing churning black smoke. The demons shifted formation accordingly, vanishing into the smoke to become shadowy and unpredictable.
With a swirl of convergence, the black smoke formed a majestic heavenly wolf tens of zhang tall. Opening its massive maw toward the sky, it swallowed the water sword in a single gulp.
A faint blue light flickered within the heavenly wolf's belly before falling utterly silent.
The heavenly wolf sneered and licked its fangs as though savoring a delicious delicacy. Shaking its head, it pounced toward the nearby water snake formation.
The giant wolf itself was completely unscathed. Chuckling eerily at the priestess, it seemed to break free of some internal shackle; its aura surged wildly, quickly matching the priestess's level without slowing down in the least.
The priestess's expression changed slightly. While she had anticipated the giant wolf's origin was not simple, she had not expected it to be a rogue host that had usurped a Perfected Immortal's altar.
Even so, she did not panic.
The strongest generals under a Perfected Immortal would have followed their master for many years; betrayal was almost impossible.
The damaged altar and tattered Cinnabar Cloud Banner beneath the giant wolf suggested that the Perfected Immortal had likely suffered severe injuries at the hands of a powerful foe, allowing the wolf to seize the opportunity.
Under such circumstances, that immortal's personal guard was most likely already dead, and this giant wolf's cultivation was not necessarily exceedingly high.
She was a Minister of Law of the Tianshu Court, presiding over a branch altar, and all local deities were subject to her authority.
Remaining calm in the face of peril, the priestess shifted her astral steps, swaying like a willow as she paced the Big Dipper. Pointing two fingers into the void, she drew a spiritual talisman that instantly transformed into a streak of light, darting into the treasure seal upon the altar.
Immediately, the seal burst with dazzling golden light, and the priestess's cool incantation echoed between heaven and earth.
"By order of the Divine Empyrean, I command the garrison troops.
Gods of earth and local soil, all obey the mandate.
Once the heavenly talisman is granted, nine merge into one.
Wherever the talismanic order reaches, myriad spirits shall follow!
Swiftly!"
The incantation sounded like a divine voice, rippling invisibly across the ten directions.
The moment it rang out, whether City Gods, Earth Gods, Mountain Gods, or Water Gods, so long as their fief lay within the branch altar's jurisdiction, they received the talismanic summons and had to dispatch troops immediately to assist, or face severe transgression.
The first to sense it were naturally Lord White Dragon's garrison troops.
Lord White Dragon was still trapped, and his troops dared not disobey the summons. Just as the white wolf soldiers skirmishing with them retreated, they hastily rode the surging waves upward to merge with the water snake soldiers.
The City God hastening from downstream also received the summons and urged his various departmental troops forward, quickening their pace.
From afar, a streak of divine light pierced the void, racing toward the scene.
At the same time, among the mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas outside Fulong City, within the capital of the Nine Dragons Kingdom, and even across neighboring nations, all territories governed by the priestess's branch altar felt the summons.
Those too far away could hardly arrive in time, but around the nearby peaks and cities, banners rose and divine light flared as spirits mobilized toward the ferry.
At the same moment the priestess issued her summons, the two snake demon generals waved their banners once more. A brilliant light flashed in the sky, and the veil of watery mist pressed down forcefully, briefly halting the heavenly wolf. They then led their demon soldiers soaring high, arraying themselves around the altar.
The snake demon generals continually shook their banners. Obeying commands, the snake soldiers surged with bursts of watery light, forming a transparent command token that hovered above the altar.
The token trembled slightly, and the heavenly river manifested once more. This time, however, it remained coiled in reserve, circling the demon troops like a celestial serpent biting its own tail. Reinforced by the token, its might far surpassed its previous display.
Having realized this was a trap laid by the giant wolf with herself as the target, the priestess immediately adopted a defensive stance.
Wrapping the demon troops and the altar within the heavenly river, she surged swiftly downstream, intending to join forces with the City God first.
Though her current strength was slightly inferior to these wolf troops, she was not afraid. As long as she held out until the garrison troops of the local temples arrived to encircle them, these fiends would find no escape.
Just as this thought crossed her mind, the priestess's face turned pale.
The giant wolf's cultivation had been climbing steadily and had now reached the peak of the Demon Core stage, yet it showed no signs of stopping.
*Crack, crack...*
The giant wolf twisted its head, its bones popping loudly as its aura surged explosively, crossing straight into the Transformation stage.
"Awoo!"
A sky-shattering howl rang out, terrifying gods and ghosts alike.
Turning into a streak of black light, the giant wolf shot into the dark smoke. "Lads, follow this king to capture this tender-skinned naked worm! Boil her to go with our wine, and the flesh and blood of this kingdom will be yours to feast upon as you please!"
"Awoo! Awoo! Awoo!"
Excited howls erupted from within the black smoke.
With the giant wolf personally commanding the altar and leading the array, the wolf soldiers' momentum swelled immensely, and streams of black smoke poured endlessly into the heavenly wolf's body.
In the blink of an eye, the heavenly wolf grew to a height of a hundred zhang. Its frame matched a mountain, towering and magnificent; its breath could conjure wind and thunder, and its exhalations shook the peaks.
Downstream along the great river, banners stood thick as a forest, belonging to the divine soldiers of Fulong City's City God Temple.
The City God was not a demon, but a young man of about thirty with a fair complexion and a short beard. He wore a black winged official cap and green robes, his sharp features carrying considerable majesty.
Having answered the summons to reinforce the front, he paled in horror when he saw the towering heavenly wolf in the distance.
Though he was the City God of this region, his cultivation was only slightly higher than Lord White Dragon's. Facing a vile demon in the Transformation stage commanding countless demon troops, how could he not feel terror?
If the deities across the Nine Dragons Kingdom could arrive in time, they might stand a chance against the demon. But with only his single city's gods, even under the command of that Minister of Law of the Tianshu Court, they would hardly be a match.
At this thought, hesitation sprouted in the City God's mind.
*Rather than throwing my life away, it would be better to preserve myself and quickly report to my superiors; that would at least atone for my failure...*
Yet with the talismanic summons hanging over him, he had no choice but to respond.
With a shift in thought, the City God boarded his ritual carriage, pointed forward, and ordered the garrison troops to advance without delay to provide reinforcement.
Sitting upon the carriage, his expression suddenly stiffened, and a subtle gust of yin wind slipped quietly into the mountain forest.
The garrison troops, completely oblivious and daring not disobey, flew tremblingly toward the battlefield.
At that moment, the heavenly wolf caught up to the priestess with ease. Opening its maw wide, it took a fierce inhale at the heavenly river.
The surging river water was drawn into its mouth like a silk ribbon, exposing the riverbed below—a single breath that severed the river!
The protective heavenly river churned violently, waves surging as the command token rattled erratically.
The priestess's face turned slightly pale. She hastily cast talismans and incantations in rapid succession, shifting the demon troops' formation as stream after stream of light struck the token to steady the river.
Unexpectedly, the heavenly wolf leaped into the air, riding a foul gale as it lunged straight toward her.
*Is that person still not going to act?*
Watching the battlefield from afar, Qin Sang glanced toward the solitary peak where the priestess had previously hidden.
While on the boat, he had already noticed two people concealed on that peak, one of whom possessed an obscure aura comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator.
If that person was the priestess's master, the timing was about right; it was time to step in.
Sure enough, just as he shifted his gaze, he saw a speck of dark radiance shoot up from the mountain, accompanied by a vigorous voice reverberating through the heavens.
"Water and fire intertwine, celestial prison shining divine.
Subdue fiends and capture ghosts, force all evil to show its spine.
Swiftly!"
Along both banks of the great river, atop the surrounding peaks, four heavenly pillars hundreds of zhang tall rose out of nowhere, sealing both the priestess and the wolf troops within.
Inside the pillars, one half burned crimson with rolling flames, while the other turned deathly pale with chilling frost. The crisp clanking of chains echoed continuously, resembling a veritable celestial prison!
Chapter 1748