Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“You will naturally understand soon,” Zhang Dongyun said casually.

The old bloody shadow demon replied meekly, “Yes, I will obey Your Majesty’s teachings.”

After pausing for a while, it inquired again, “Your Majesty, the people outside the fortress have already entered the White Cloud Abyss. They should be arriving at Chang’an Fortress soon…”

“Just a few pests. Don’t mind them,” said Zhang Dongyun, who had transformed into the Evil Emperor.

The old bloody shadow demon smiled. “Of course. It is my fault for being so useless and affecting you, Your Majesty…”

It was extremely curious about what His Majesty had said about healing its injuries, but it could not currently understand the meaning.

Outside Chang’an Fortress, inside the White Cloud Abyss, the Tang Dynasty army was quickly paving the way.

In the desolate mountains and primeval forest, even the enormous army could only barely open a rough path.

Inside the forest, another group of people were carefully avoiding the scouts of the Tang Dynasty army and observing the army from afar.

They belonged to the Cold Mountain Sect.

The changes in Dragon Ridge’s White Cloud Abyss had alarmed many.

The Cold Mountain Sect, one of the locals in the Dragon Ridge’s southern foot, had naturally sent some people to investigate the situation, much like the Thunderclap Sect.

Afterward, they encountered Hui Tianyu, who had left Chang’an Fortress.

After listening to Hui Tianyu’s narration of what happened, the seniors of the Cold Mountain Sect were shocked.

They came to the White Cloud Abyss, hid, and silently observed the Tang Dynasty army enter the mountain. The objective was the same: the strange fortress that had suddenly appeared.

“It’s General Gao Qi, the right-hand man of the Great Xuanwu General Du Kun, and the good-for-nothing son of Du Kun, Du Yifan,” one middle-aged man said softly.

An old man beside him nodded slowly. “The Mountain Tiger Hall Sect Master has also come with his subordinates.”

“This should total more than two thousand people, right?” The middle-aged man frowned. “Du Kun is currently trying to control civil unrest with his army. His son and Gao Qi have most likely brought some of his men.”

The old man stared at the figures in the faraway forest intently.

“If what Tianyu said is true, an expert resides in Chang’an Fortress, so two thousand people will be insufficient. The most important question is how many Xuanwu Central Army troops came.”

Upon hearing that, the middle-aged man looked wary and solemn.

There were many troops under the Great Xuanwu General Du Kun.

The powers like the Cold Mountain Sect, the Mountain Tiger Hall, and the Thunderclap Sect would not be able to hold their own against the army.

Nevertheless, to experts of a higher realm, such armies possessed no threat to them.

The ones they had to be careful of would be Du Kun and the elites of the Tang Dynasty army.

The Tang Dynasty army had many Martial Dao cultivators.

Martial artists of the first and second realm possessed extremely powerful bodies, far surpassing that of ordinary people. Thus, they could master the crossbows and stiff bows that ordinary troops could not.

Even if their aim was worse than expert archers, they were stronger.

If martial artists of the third and fourth realm joined in, and everyone drew their bows in tandem, an expert of a higher realm could be threatened.

Under the Great Xuanwu General Du Kun was the Xuanwu Central Army.

Despite the limited number of troops, their battle power was still astonishing.

The old bloody shadow demon was previously injured by their arrows.

“We can’t go any closer, or else we’ll be discovered,” the old man whispered.

The middle-aged man nodded.

After hesitating a while, he could not help but say, “Uncle-Master, you let Tianyu leave so that he could complete the mission Chang’an Fortress ordered him to. This…”

“It’s only to hunt some animals and doesn’t involve any weapons or medicinal herbs. It should be fine. Let him do what he needs to,” the old man said slowly. “What we should do now is to confirm who it is inside the fortress.”

The middle-aged man looked hesitant. “About the Forgotten Truth Temple…”

After a moment of deep contemplation, the old man replied, “If Chang’an Fortress is indeed as powerful as what Tianyu described, we can make use of this chance to leave the Forgotten Truth Temple.

“Otherwise, we can act as the bridge between the Forgotten Truth Temple and Chang’an Fortress.

“If Tianyu saw wrongly, and the fortress is nothing but an empty shell, then…”

As he spoke, the old man shook his head again.

The face of the middle-aged man sunk.

The two of them spoke no more as they silently observed the Tang Dynasty army entering the deep recesses of the White Cloud Abyss.

Finally, the army moved through the valley and gradually approached the mysterious fortress.

“Report! There is indeed a fortress in the middle of the valley. The fortress walls span one thousand five hundred meters north-south, one thousand meters east-west, and are ten meters tall,” the scout reported to General Gao Qi. “It’s just that…”

The eyes of middle-aged Gao Qi swept across the man. “Spit it out.”

The scout replied, “Report! General, the fortress gate is completely open.”

Gao Qi frowned.

Beside him, the Mountain Tiger Hall Sect Master was puzzled as well. “Did they not realize that we’re here? That’s not possible. We injured that demon. Did he not return to the fortress to report back?”

Du Yifan laughed. “If we’re uncertain, we should just enter the fortress.”

He slapped the large ballista beside him and smiled sinisterly. “We will open a new door on the fortress walls ourselves!”

“Don’t be impatient.” Gao Qi shook his head, walked out of the dense forest, and looked at the faraway Chang’an Fortress.

His body started slowly rising into the air, and he looked down into the fortress.

Du Yifan was very envious when he saw this. “When I reach the Flying General realm, I will definitely fly to play.”

The Mountain Tiger Hall Sect Master smiled and did not take his words seriously.

The sect master was impressed with General Gao as well.

As a martial artist at the fourth realm of the Martial Dao, the Brave Officer realm, he could float in the air and glide.

However, to float and stay in midair, you had to reach the fifth realm of the Martial Dao, the Flying General realm.

At this realm, martial artists were extremely powerful and could go as they pleased. They could fly in the air for a short period of time and could even carry people.

Du Yifan shouted, “Uncle Gao, bring me up too.”

Gao Qi did not react as he continued to observe the fortress intently.

After a short while, he landed with a strange expression.

“It’s completely empty, and there’s no one inside. There are no other buildings other than the palace in the center of the fortress.”

The Mountain Tiger Hall Sect Master frowned. “Such a calm response. Are they so confident?”

“They could be faking it.” Du Yifan snorted. He looked at Gao Qi beside him. “Uncle Gao, let’s head in. The spirit pills are definitely hidden in the palace.”

Gao Qi fell silent for a while before saying, “There’s something amiss, and we know nothing about the enemy. We should still be careful.”

Du Yifan urged, “Uncle Gao…”

Gao Qi raised his hand to prevent him from speaking and issued an order to the troops.

“Don’t enter the fortress for now. Everyone, draw your bows and prepare to fire.”

The sound of bow drawstrings filled the air. The Tang Dynasty troops pulled their bow and aimed the arrowheads upward.

Gao Qi’s body floated in midair once again as he looked down into the fortress.

“Three rounds of arrows! Release!’