Over on the other side, the sixteen-eyed monster's eyeballs tracked the Soul-Stabilizing Banner, its head tilting slightly as it watched with exceptional absorption.
After waving the white banner for only this short while, the two robust young attendants, Baishan and Qingshui, were already drenched in sweat.
Yet the sixteen-eyed creature halted its advance, its original ferocity and suspicion replaced by utter confusion. The soul-summoning banner before its eyes smothered all other signs of vitality, emitting ripples that gave it pleasure, but focusing so intently on it severely drained its soul power, muddling its already clouded mind even further.
To the creature, the banner worked like a sedative on a human.
After a moment, it even reached up to scratch the back of its head in an oddly human fashion, then turned and ambled leisurely away.
Watching it finally disperse into black smoke and rise into the sky to join the main swarm, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Baishan and Qingshui lowered the Soul-Stabilizing Banner and sat down on the spot, struggling to regulate their breathing, completely ignoring the sweat pouring down their foreheads like rain. Waving the banner for such a brief spell had pushed both their physical and spiritual reserves to utter exhaustion.
By now, the entities emerging from the pool's depths were colossal resentful souls—massive in size but few in number. They kept a certain distance from one another, unlike the earlier spirits that had swarmed together in a chaotic mob without the slightest concept of personal space.
Often, small clusters of resentful souls trailed close behind them, keeping in step like an entourage.
Seeing this, He Lingchuan understood that these beings held greater power and higher status among the resentful souls. Just like humans, those of prestige and standing never lacked underlings.
Fortunately, they were not as sharp-sensed as the sixteen-eyed monster, or perhaps they simply had no interest in casting a downward glance. Flanked by their spiritual retinues, they ascended into the sky.
Once they had all departed, the pool fell still, with no new souls bubbling forth.
At the same time, the light of the Illusionary Barrier began to dim; clearly, Sun Fuping's claim about its brief duration had been no mere excuse.
Seizing this quiet interval, Nian Songyu whispered to Sun Fuping, "Looks like they've all flown off."
Preferring caution, Sun Fuping shook his head. "Wait a bit longer."
While they remained safe and could speak normally here, outside Panlong City was already a hellscape of howling gales, whipped-up earth, and flying grit, devoid of a single inch of calm. The effects of the Soul-Shielding Powder had not yet worn off, allowing everyone to clearly see the towering pillar formed by tens of thousands of souls bursting into midair and scattering in all directions. Every speck of darkness no larger than a sesame seed was a resentful soul, and countless such black specks blanketed the sky, riding the violent winds toward every corner of the Panlong Desert.
The wild sand season had begun. This was the first time any of them had witnessed its birth with their own eyes.
Within a mere half day, the wild sand season would engulf the entire Panlong Desert, blotting out the sun and sky for the long months ahead.
At this sight, the entire party silently hung their heads.
He Lingchuan glanced sideways and saw the grim heaviness on He Chunhua's face.
Although September was only days away and regulars of Red Cliff Road knew the Panlong Desert's fickle, vicious temper well enough to steer clear early, Sun Fuping triggering the wild sand season ahead of schedule would undoubtedly claim many lives. If nothing else, the post stations that had not yet evacuated in time would certainly be wiped out entirely.
Yet they had only learned of Sun Fuping's plan after entering Panlong City, and with his rank far surpassing theirs, how could they oppose him?
Fearing his father was carrying too heavy a psychological burden, He Lingchuan asked in a low whisper, "Dad, you all right?"
"Mm." He Chunhua was staring blankly at the pool, answering almost by instinct. "Keep close guard over me. I fear the real danger is only just beginning."
"Right, will do."
For a good while, no new souls emerged from the pool.
The men looked to the National Preceptor for instructions.
While they stood watching, Sun Fuping had not remained idle. He had picked up a tree branch long ago and was tracing an array of talismans across the ground. The formation was vast, encircling everyone inside, and the process of drawing it did not seem particularly complicated.
Though composed of remarkably simple lines, the design grew more fascinating the longer He Chunhua observed it. Unable to hold back, he asked, "National Preceptor, is that a summoning array?"
"Yes, just in case." Judging that they had waited long enough, Sun Fuping paused his work. "Very well. Since nothing else is emerging from the pool, let us prepare to—"
Before his words could finish, the calm water blasted open once more without warning, and another dense cluster of resentful souls surged out.
It was yet another army of the dead.
Among them were infantrymen bearing sabers and shields, and cavalrymen brandishing spears atop galloping steeds. The moment they surfaced, they brought with them a towering surge of murderous intent!
Even from several fathoms away, a cold shudder ran down He Lingchuan's spine, breaking out into a rash of goosebumps.
There were the same wails of grief and indignation, the same eyes filled with hatred, yet the onlookers could sense something different about them.
They did not appear any stronger or more well-equipped than the other battle souls; on the contrary, many of these soldiers seemed downright gaunt. The fletchings in some of their quivers were a mishmash of colors, plucked from who knew what wild fowl; the spears held by certain horsemen were freshly whittled from white waxwood, still bearing prickly splinters that had not yet been sanded smooth; and the armor worn by most of the soldiers was visibly battered, coated in the dull patina unique to worn relics. The scales differed in shade and size, clearly repaired time and again, perhaps even pieced together by stripping one set to patch another.
Yet their eyes were as unyielding and ferocious as a pack of highland wolves.
Even the frailest among them charged forward with an aura of indomitable, fearless resolve.
The men from Blackwater City happened to be facing this army directly, and nearly all of them immediately bowed their heads and shut their eyes, not daring to meet their gaze.
That edge, tempered through thousands of crucibles, was something that not even the Blackwater City garrison—veterans who had repelled enemies time and again—nor the hardened bandits accustomed to licking blood from their blade-tips could look upon straight.
These resentful souls truly were unlike any that had come before.
He Lingchuan clenched his fists in secret.
*These... must be the Gale Army, right?*
Sure enough, the appearance of a standard-bearer confirmed his suspicion.
Mounted atop a sorrel steed, the ghostly rider hoisted a massive banner. Across its bright red fabric, a single bold character was scrawled in flying flourishes:
*Zhong!*
Remembering that their own company also carried a hidden "Zhong" banner, He Lingchuan felt a tangle of mixed emotions. His own men flew the banner to ward off disaster and ensure safe passage, while these soldiers carried it into battle to slaughter their foes.
*This* was the genuine Gale Army—a legendary force.
He could hear the heavy, ragged breathing of the men beside him; clearly, everyone present was deeply shaken.
He Lingchuan instinctively widened his eyes, eager to catch a glimpse of those two legendary figures.
He had already spotted several generals among the ranks of battle souls. Did that mean Zhong Shengguang or General Red would emerge from the pool as well?
To his regret, his eyes grew tired scanning the vast, surging ranks, yet he could not find his mark.
Just then, Sun Fuping called out urgently, "The barrier can't hold!"
Nian Songyu and the others received a terrible jolt. Looking toward the Illusionary Barrier, they saw it tottering like a candle in the wind, its earthy yellow dome flickering bright and dim—resembling nothing so much as that fickle, temperamental hanging lamp in the attic room He Lingchuan had once rented in his past life.
He Lingchuan cried out in dismay, "Can't you hold it together a little longer?!"
The ones taking the field right now were the Gale Army! In life or death, they slaughtered with equal fury!
Chapter 42