Tianming was covered in blood and looking at the young man holding the Evil Suppression Pillar, who was panting in the heavy rain. Lightning occasionally streaked across the horizon as roars and screams echoed out in the battlefield.
“Feng.” Tianming stretched out his fist.
“Brothers for life.”
Ye Lingfeng nodded and bumped fists with Tianming, then they closed their eyes. Tianming saw a lot in Ye Lingfeng’s eyes; he had probably grown up after this battle.
“Go home!”
“Go home!”
The Decimo Dao Palace was now their home. When Wei Ji was killed, Lan Huang beheaded one of the Three-Headed Moondevouring Fiendwolf’s heads. The Soulfiend then plunged its hands into the body and crushed its internal organs.
With that, the gigantic beast let out a whimper and died. After the fight was over, everyone had injuries on their bodies. When Tianming turned his head, Meow Meow was sleeping peacefully and Ying Huo was leaning on Lan Huang’s back, shaking its legs with a strand of the fiendwolf’s fur dangling from its mouth.
“What’s with that pose? Come here!” Tianming called out.
“Here I come!” Lan Huang ran over. His gigantic body nearly knocked Tianming flying.
“Holy shit. Brother Chick, why didn’t you hit the brakes?” Lan Huang said guiltily.
“How is that my problem? I’m not riding you,” said Ying Huo.
“But didn’t you secretly tell me the other day that I’m your exclusive mount?” Lan Huang asked in an aggrieved tone.
“Don’t talk nonsense. I’m straight!” Ying Huo was furious.
“Straight your ass. Your balls aren’t even as big as Lan Huang’s,” Tianming teased Ying Huo mercilessly.
Ying Huo wanted to cry. “I finally know why I have such a strong resentment against balls.…”
“Hahaha!” They had just emerged victorious from a life and death battle.
“Have you gotten used to the Evil Suppression Pillar yet?” Tianming turned to Ye Lingfeng.
“The last attack seems to have opened a whole new world to me. Big Brother Tianming, you were right. I seem to have a better resonance with it during fights,” Ye Lingfeng said excitedly.
“Can you summon the Evil Suppression Formation?”
“I’ll give it a go!”
“Alright. It’s all on you now, Feng.”
“Got it!”
……
Theirs was an escape route that traveled across half the Divine Capital. After Li Wudi had lured Autarch Qian away, Tianming was responsible for opening a path while Bai Mo and Ye Yi cleaned up the rear. As for the other Astral Kings and Hall Kings, they were by the sides, escorting the legions.
The Seven Astral Legions showed unprecedented ferocity for survival. When they charged out of the Sun-Moon Imperial Formation, it was a smooth journey back.
Only Theocrat powerhouses could make a detour around to stop them, but many of them had died like Wei Ji. Both sides were constantly suffering casualties.
Up until now, the Decimo Dao Palace hadn’t suffered many losses, but the Theocrats were right on their tail. They weren’t in a hurry, because the Evil Suppression Pillar was already gone. So no matter how they ran, they would only face the outcome of being butchered.
They could wait for Autarch Qian to return after killing Li Wudi. At that time, their plight would be a lot worse. After all, Autarch Qian was the one who had singlehandedly thrown the Decimo Dao Palace into despair.
Just like that, millions of people ran across the Divine Capital, throwing the capital into chaos. Sometimes, they would even confuse allies and enemies. Under such circumstances, Tianming and Ye Lingfeng had killed the Ancient Greedwolf Clan’s patriarch under everyone’s dumbfounded gazes, then carried on paving the way for the Seven Astral Legions.
As they attracted most of the firepower, the Seven Astral Legions easily managed to escape. Tianming had no idea how many people he had slain. When they finally saw the Decimo Dao Palace, it was enveloped under a starry sky, which formed a spherical formation. It was a five star heavenly pattern formation, the Ninefold Silver Formation.
It was the Decimo Dao Palace’s backup heavenly pattern formation, but no one had expected that they would need it that day.
“Since the Ninefold Silver Formation is active, that means the Sky Hall King has successfully made it back. Hall King Situ must’ve brought the palace lord back.” Tianming was finally relieved.
He entered the Ninefold Silver Formation first, then the Seven Astral Legions followed. The moment they entered, they didn’t scatter, but formed a defensive formation to face the Ancient Theocrats’ charge.
As a five star heavenly pattern formation, the Ninefold Silver Formation was equivalent to the weakest Sun-Moon Imperial Formation. If the Theocracy’s army came in, the formation wouldn’t be able to hold them off for long. If Autarch Qian came personally, it would be even more troublesome.
However, this was their final hope of survival, and it was better than nothing. Now, it was all down to Ye Lingfeng.
“Feng, head to the Evil Suppression Plaza and let them know that you’re going to give it a try!”
“Big Brother Tianming, what about you?” Ye Lingfeng asked.
“I’ll hold them off here.” Tianming stood at the border of the Ninefold Silver Formation and looked out ahead. The Decimo Dao Palace’s army was still entering the formation, and the formation marking hadn’t begun. The marking would only be activated once everyone came in. So anyone who came in after that would be marked as invaders and be targeted by the formation.
“Go ahead. You’re our only hope; I’ll manage on my own.” Tianming smiled.
“Okay!”
Ye Lingfeng didn’t say another word. With determination filling his eyes, he turned and rushed into the dao palace. Meanwhile, Tianming was holding the Grand-Orient Sword and waiting for the Ancient Theocrats.
Soon, almost everyone from the Decimo Dao Palace had entered the formation. Bai Mo and Ye Yi were personally holding the rear, stopping Dongyang Yun and the others. When the two came back, they were covered in injuries. With that, anyone could see what they had gone through.
“Seal the formation!” Ye Yi’s voice echoed through the dao palace. Shortly after, the Ninefold Silver Formation’s color changed. Countless motes starlight gathered in the formation before turning into thousands of spirit hazard dragons. They were also a form of dragon pulses, known as ninefold silver dragons.
Thousands of dragons galloped across the battlefield with raging momentum. Besides those, there were many other spirit hazards in place. That meant many people must be in the formation nuclei to power it by now.
“Bai Mo, go and help out with the formation,” said Ye Yi.
“Hang on, brother!” Bai Mo patted Ye Yi’s shoulder.
“I’m tough, and I won’t die easily.” Ye Yi smiled. The Ninefold Silver Formation brought security to the Seven Astral Legions. They weren’t afraid of death, and at most, they would just have to face a deadly battle.
“Brothers!” Ye Yi turned around to look at the legions. “Everyone dies, but the difference lies in how you want to die. I believe that since everyone has chosen to join the dao palace and become part of the Dark Hall, none of you are willing to serve the Ancient Theocrats. The Ancient Theocrats have ruled the Theocracy of the Ancients for tens of thousands of years, exerting their tyranny and dominance over this territory. And I believe that all of you can see that!”
Ye Yi looked at the Ancient Theocrats who were charging over, regarding the Decimo Dao Palace as a cemetery. “My fellow brothers, we’re like-minded people. Death is our ultimate fate, but we can choose to die for our descendants without regrets. Our relatives, loved ones, and children are all in the dao palace. This is the only sacred place in the Theocracy, and we have to protect it—even at the cost of our lives! Today, the Ancient Theocrats are trying to destroy our home, seize our wealth, and enslave our descendants. What reason do we have to not fight for our dignity?”
Raising the black spear in his hand, he pointed it at the Ancient Theocrats. “We will ultimately have to walk on our shadows to press forth. Brothers, I’d like to say that I’m not alone! So kill!”
“KILL! KILL THEM ALL!”
That echo wasn’t from a single person, but an army of millions. They were doing this for righteousness, for their dreams.
“Go into the thirteenth defensive formation and charge!” Ye Yi’s voice echoed out.
“Dark Astral Battalion!” Tianming led his battalion of ten thousand to the front lines.
The ground trembled violently as countless lifebound beasts from the Ancient Theocrats stomped across the Divine Capital. Tianming knew that the Ninefold Silver Formation wouldn’t last, but it was just as Ye Yi had said: this was the only sacred ground remaining; this was the place that everyone had protected throughout their life.
So even if they were to die, they would have to make sure that they bit a chunk of flesh off the Ancient Theocrats. If they could kill a million Theocrats, they would be greatly weakened. At that moment, Tianming’s heart was burning with fire.
The Theocrats charged into the Ninefold Silver Formation.
“Everyone, listen up! Lay waste to the Decimo Dao Palace, and all spoils of war belong to that individual alone!” Dongyang Yun revealed an eerie smile.
“Roger!”
Everyone from the Ancient Theocrats laughed.
“The Ancient Theocrats for eternity!”
“Kill!”
Their will had transformed them into madmen on the battlefield. No one could deny their fighting power, because they were a bunch of fanatics. It only took an instant for the army to disappear into the formation.
Thousands of Ninefold Silver Dragons swooped down at the marked enemies, creating chaos wherever they went. But even so, many still managed to break through the spirit hazards and clash with the Seven Astral Legions.
When the armies collided, blood and flesh splattered all around. Right at that moment, a black formation suddenly appeared and added another layer to the Ninefold Silver Formation!