All eyes turned towards the void, gazing at the domineering silhouette.
The shadow bore a smirk, coldly remarking, "You need not know this. I'll grant you ten breaths to choose: your own demise, or my intervention, leaving you naught but bones."
"A true man fears not death. I, Liu Canglan, would rather perish in battle. Alas, my soldiers are entangled in my plight."
Liu Canglan lifted his gaze towards the shadow in the void, his body ablaze with fervent combat spirit. Ascending into the air, he chose to perish in combat rather than suffer dishonor.
The soldiers of Xueyue revealed expressions of immense grief and indignation. This calamity upon Xueyue was unjustified aggression.
"Since you seek death, I shall grant your wish."
The shadow's demeanor turned icy, its black essence surging once more with destructive power.
"Fury raging, standing by the rail, as the drizzle ceases."
"Raising my eyes, I howl towards the heavens, with fervent aspirations."
"Thirty accomplishments turned to dust, eight thousand miles under the clouds and moon."
A melodious song echoed from afar, stirring the blood of all present. Soon, a clear voice resounded in the ears of every soldier.
"If Liu Canglan dies, Mojie Crown Prince Mojie shall meet his end today."
The words were delivered with subtlety, devoid of tyranny, yet carried an undeniable weight.
The shadow's countenance hardened as it looked into the distance, coldly questioning, "Who dares utter such arrogant words?"
"Hanmo, do you think Xueyue lacks capable individuals?"
The thunderous sound rolled closer, and shortly thereafter, another figure appeared in the void.
Beneath this figure floated roiling clouds of true essence. Surprisingly, the man sat upon these clouds, with an ancient zither before him, playing it with ease.
"Living a carefree life in the misty rain."
Observing this newcomer, Hanmo's gaze sharpened. This man, appearing here, stirred his suspicions.
"Feasting on the flesh of barbarians, laughing while drinking the blood of Mojie."
As his fingers danced upon the zither, a melody emerged, accompanied by an endless white radiance from its strings. Instantly, a series of dull thuds rang out as the melody pierced the chests of nearly a thousand Mojie soldiers, claiming their lives without a drop of blood spilled.
Casually conversing, lives vanished without a trace, a testament to the man's lethal elegance.
Hanmo, looking indifferent, met the furious gazes directed at him. Even in killing, he carried a certain grace, mingling conversation with zither melodies as figures faded into oblivion.
The crowd was shaken to its core. Another top-tier expert emerged, overwhelming in a manner beyond their comprehension. With a mere wave of his fingers, lives were taken.
The soldiers of Xueyue gazed upon him, their eyes aflame with fervent hope.
"Living a carefree life in the misty rain." Though they hadn't heard of this name before, his eloquence suggested strength rivaling the shadow. He stood as one of Xueyue's top experts.
Lin Feng's heart trembled once more. Misty Rain, that was his name.
The middle-aged man playing the zither in the void was familiar to Lin Feng, and likely to many at Tianyi Academy.
He who taught Lin Feng the zither, the one who guided him in meditation—Misty Rain, the man from the Peach Blossom Forest.
Lin Feng hadn't imagined that the man he'd met a few times, who helped him in meditation and even aided his breakthroughs, possessed such formidable strength.
Indeed, tranquil as a virgin, swift as thunder, somewhat akin to Wen Aoxue. Exquisitely beautiful in appearance, yet a grim reaper on the battlefield, slaying with each stroke.
"Misty Rain." Lin Feng silently engraved the name. Misty Rain's strength likely surpassed that of Long Ding, the vice-dean of Tianyi Academy.
Hanmo's gaze remained fixed on Misty Rain, silent for a moment before speaking, "The long-lost name of Xueyue's Misty Rain, how about a battle today?"
"If you wish to fight, then let's fight."
Misty Rain's voice remained indifferent, as if nothing mattered.
Black true essence surged before Hanmo, his right palm swirling in the void. Suddenly, an overwhelming black true essence followed.
"Annihilate!"
With a resounding boom, Hanmo struck, unleashing the overwhelming palm print that seemed to engulf the heavens and earth, hurtling towards Misty Rain.
Misty Rain, seated calmly atop the gathering white clouds of true essence, moved his fingers on the zither strings, and from them poured forth an endless stream of radiance, converging towards the obliterating palm print.
Sharp whistling pierced the void as the black palm print was pierced through by the radiance. Endless white light, accompanied by razor-sharp energy, surged towards Hanmo. Simultaneously, the damaged palm print continued its trajectory towards Misty Rain.
"Let's relocate for this battle," Hanmo shouted, soaring into the air.
"Indeed," Misty Rain responded. The white clouds of true essence shifted in the void.
In a mere moment, their figures turned into specks, vanishing into the distant sky, leaving no trace behind.
The immense strength of Hanmo and Misty Rain was such that a battle here would inevitably affect the bystanders below. Clearly, neither Hanmo nor Misty Rain wished for this.
Watching the two disappearing figures, the soldiers below remained unsettled, their gazes still fixed on the void, lost in thought.
At such a level of power, one person could sway the tide of battle, annihilating an army. It was too overwhelming. No wonder the Nine Kingdoms agreed not to let their top experts directly participate in wars.
"Feasting on the flesh of barbarians, laughing while drinking the blood of Mojie."
"Kill!"
Liu Canglan bellowed in the void, drawing his bow. Behind him, his golden martial soul emerged, a bow and arrow aimed at the sky, exuding an awe-inspiring aura.
With a grab, the illusory martial soul bow and arrow were seized, and then, nine arrows aimed at the Mojie army. With a release, golden light flashed, instantly claiming dozens of lives with each arrow.
"Kill!"
The soldiers of Xueyue roared, shaking the heavens and earth. Earlier, Hanmo's palm had extinguished a thousand lives, threatening their army and demanding Liu Canglan's demise, leaving the three armies filled with grief and fury but powerless. Now, with Misty Rain's appearance and his duel against Hanmo, they found hope, allowing their generals to escape death. This stirred up boundless rage and hot blood among the soldiers of Xueyue.
Once again, blood stained the earth.
Lin Feng, brandishing his longsword, advanced relentlessly. Many masked figures fought alongside him, spreading carnage wherever they went.
The battlefield's scope expanded continuously, devoid of tactics, only endless combat.
At last, Lin Feng spotted the figure seated on a warhorse, Duan Xinye.
However, Duan Xinye was immobilized, her body bound to the warhorse, surrounded by eight horses. These eight individuals, cloaked in sinister black armor, were none other than the Black Shadow Guards.
Duan Xinye also caught sight of Lin Feng, her eyes shimmering like autumn waters, filled with a hint of anticipation.
Of course, the Black Shadow Guards noticed Lin Feng and his companions charging towards them. Their gazes behind the armor exuded a chilling intent, sharp and piercing.
Stepping forward, Lin Feng raised his sword, leaping into action. As he did, one of the Black Shadow Guards moved simultaneously, soaring into the air, their blade descending with a swift stroke.
Lin Feng swung his sword, radiance bursting forth.
The Black Shadow Guard's palm trembled, causing Lin Feng to feel a torrential force rushing towards him, destabilizing his blade. In the fluctuating space, the sound of rushing water echoed.
A balance between gentle and fierce forces sent Lin Feng staggering back, landing on the ground. The Black Shadow Guard had already returned to the warhorse, casting a disdainful glance at Lin Feng before waving his hand. Instantly, the hooves thundered, and the eight horses carrying Duan Xinye dashed away, leaving Lin Feng astounded.
"Impressive. These Black Shadow Guards are formidable." Lin Feng's pupils narrowed. Though they numbered only eight, their strength surpassed the group he had dispatched earlier.
With a leap, Lin Feng struck down, and a figure fell from the warhorse. Lin Feng vaulted onto the horse and gave chase to the eight riders.
Duan Xinye, no matter what, had to be rescued.