The tiny scroll stirred Luofu but she didn’t show it outwardly at all.
The army was the strongest fighting power of Jin - there was no questioning this. However, she didn’t have control over them. The eighteen marquises had this military authority.
Chaos was here with wars everywhere. The marquises continued to recruit and gain more influence. Each marquis faction was on the same level as an ancient sect right now.
The eighteen factions were started by the founding fathers and great contributors of Jin. The title and power were hereditary. The strongest member of each faction in every generation would become the next Heavenly Marquis, the leader of up to one hundred million soldiers.
Beiming Moshou had six Heavenly Marquises on his side. This was enough to threaten the royal clan.
Long Luofu has been wanting to take the army back but she lacked a proper justification and method. Now, Yao Ji has given her a usable strategy.
She contemplated. In front of her was a table with a golden imperial scroll on top. In the end, she made her decision. Her delicate fingers began to dance in front of the scroll and wrote a decree, rising to the occasion.
This would go down as an important event in Jin’s history.
***
The stone roads in Witch God City were macabre with carriages full of corpses. These dead soldiers had terrible wounds, some still bleeding. This was a solemn and stirring moment.
Even a demoness like Bai Ruxue was moved. She said softly: “Why do people wage war?”
“For gains, survival, and honor.” Feiyun wasn’t affected as much. People die every second in this world. It was an honor to die in a meaningful manner.
As a soldier, to die on the battlefield was the greatest glory.
The two Chang brothers were solemn and quiet. They didn’t mind fighting for Heaven Worship’s survival and honor. However, two years have gone on without any result while their tribe members starved to death.
Many children were skin and bones, not even one meal every two days. A few bold ones snuck out of the city, wanting to hunt in the mountains and forests. Unfortunately, they only became meals themselves.
“Her Highness is here…”
“It’s really her!” The majority of the crowd became emotional and got on their knees.
“Your Highness, we pray for an end to this war and peace.”
“Please punish the evil-doers and revive my man…”
“Your Highness, I’m hungry…”
Twelve knights riding black skeletal beasts appeared from the crowd. They had monstrous death energy with black smoke lingering around them. On their skin were witch runes; their eyes were profound and dark.
They wore skeletal plates as well with a silver spear. There was a strange energy in them, not spirit energy but still very ancient and mighty.
Chang Dakai and Chang Daye put on a serious expression and jumped down from their bull to respectfully greet these warriors. Other shamans were right behind them.
Every member of the tribe became reverent and kneeled to the sides of the road.
Chen Daoran whispered to Feiyun: “They are the twelve knights of Witch God Temple, extremely powerful and versed in taboo arts. Moreover, witch medicines have refined their body so they have lived for a very long time now. In reality, they are half-dead and half-living, who knows which to call them? They are responsible for guarding the master of the temple in each generation. The current master is the Heavenly Witchcraft Goddess.”
Feiyun nodded. He had sensed a strange fluctuation in these twelve knights. The blood in their veins was quite thin, replaced by a powerful medicinal liquid or as Daoran had put it - witch medicine.
Outside of powerful warriors, the Jiang also had cultivators of witchcraft, or shamans and witches. The latter required training from a young age because witchcraft had a negative effect on the body. It made them weak physically and much smaller than other members. They were only as tall as ordinary people.
Mo Chongji had a strange expression: “Their skeletal armors are powerful too, comparable to a spirit treasure. You can see the spirit formations on their spears as well.”
Feiyun’s eyes flashed in response: “Hmm, each of these knights should be comparable to an early Giant. This Witch God Temple is quite strong. If it joins the war, it’ll be able to change the tides.”
“Unfortunately, the knights only listen to the goddess and she only wants peace, definitely won’t let them participate.” Daoran said.
“Foolish. Does she not know that in order to have peace, someone must end this war. Powerful force is the most direct way.” Feiyun said.
Daoran quickly took out a green cage to seal off their area, afraid that someone else might hear Feiyun badmouthing the goddess. It would cause an uncontrollable problem.
Calling the goddess a fool here in Jiang? That’s the same as antagonizing the entire race.
He had big drops of cold sweat streaming down his forehead from being frightened. Luckily, no one heard Feiyun just now.
He didn’t dare to disagree with Feiyun: “The truth is that the situation right now is quite complex. It looks like the three divisions are at war, a least on the surface. However, many heretical masters are involved. The goddess wishes to mediate but these heretics are disruptive and have tried to ambush her many times before. There seems to be an invisible hand stopping her from unifying the three divisions.”
Feiyun suddenly felt something during the conversation. A faint aura engulfed over the city as dark clouds in the shape of a massive palm blotted out the sun.
His eyes lit ablaze as he shouted: “Show yourselves, villains!”
“Boom!” An explosion broke the containment from the green cage. Air turned into offensive waves.
A ripple in the sky started spreading like a portal. Inside came an old and deep voice: “Impressive spiritual awareness, able to see through my ‘Godstep Witch Art.’ Unfortunately, no one will be able to stop me today.”
The ripple broke entirely as a man with a fur cloak jumped out. He looked like an ape with disorderly hair. He took out a crimson staff made of wood and aimed it straight for the goddess’ palanquin.
Murderous energy as sharp as a sword rushed out.
“Such impudence, daring to be disrespectful towards Her Highness?!” Cheng Dakai roared as his bones issued cracking sounds like frying beans. He unleashed a punch straight at the staff.
He was comparable to an early Giant but only managed to move the staff a little bit. A monstrous force cracked his skin, spilling out ten drops of blood or so.
“Hehe, weakling. I will become the master of Witch God Temple today. Little girl, hand over the young divine tree and I will spare you.” The old man threatened. His eyes inside the fur cloak had a bloody light.
He leaped and stomped down on Dakai’s shoulder, breaking two bones in the process, then made another jump forward.
“I’m gonna kill you!” Dakai contained the feeling of pain from his shoulder and lifted up an entire stone street before throwing it at the old man’s head.
The old man didn’t bother dodging. He simply cut down the street with his staff and finally made it above the palanquin to unleash a palm strike.
The twelve knights erupted with divinity in the form of twelve pills of light. They thrust their spear and successfully repelled the old man.
Witch runes on the fur cloak turned into mountains and rivers to stop the spears. He landed on top of a building not far from there, half kneeling.
“Boom!” A second ripple emerged with another person shrouded in black cloak rushing out. Black radiance surrounded his body so he looked like a moving black hole absorbing the light and air nearby.
He wasn’t weaker than the first old man at all. Just one stomp from him cracked the earth and made the ground concave.
The goddess’ palanquin was falling down to the newly created pit.
‘A heretical overlord.’ Feiyun could tell who the black-cloaked person was from his technique.