The charge of the iron cavalry was an enormous, surging force!

From tens of miles away, the Heretic Cultivators sensed the subtle tremors in the ground and the fierce, scorching energy of blood and qi sweeping in from behind them.

With a single hand shaping a spell, the leading Heretic Cultivator flung his wide sleeves, and from within his robe, a red-eyed crow burst forth, flapping its wings.

Its blood-like crimson eyes surveyed from high above, reflecting the cunning and hidden approach of the ferocious iron cavalry!

"Whose army is this?"

Connected mysteriously with the red-eyed crow, the Heretic Cultivator also detected this force.

Especially the flag fluttering fiercely in the wind, declaring its presence to the world with the character "Wu"!

"Form the formation! Break the wind!"

Cold light shone through the eyeholes of the tightly-fitting iron helmets as they caught sight of the crow soaring in the sky.

The next instant, a deep and powerful command suddenly spread throughout the entire cavalry!

BOOM—

The aura of the whole iron cavalry changed abruptly. Their horses neighed intensely as clouds of black and red dust rose suddenly, enveloping the entire army.

THUD, THUD, THUD—

In an instant, streaks of red light shot out, closing the tens of miles in a flash. Among these red lights, figures flickered, then came together to form, resembling a Qing Tian giant blade that could slash through mountains, savagely striking towards the dozen Heretic Cultivators and the demons behind them.

A LOUD CRACK!

The giant blade, formed by over a hundred iron cavalry, instantly pierced through the formation led by the Heretic Cultivator. Numerous demons were torn to shreds by the raging sword qi, drenching the sky with a mist of blood that saturated the air with a thick, iron rust scent.

"You..."

The Heretic Cultivator's eyes nearly burst from his coin mask in rage. The sudden charge of this army had caught them off guard. Before they could even think to react, they had already suffered heavy losses.

"Kill!"

A cold, indifferent shout came from below the iron helmet.

Faced with the iron cavalry—disciplined, coordinated without fail, and systematically charging—the dozen Evil Cultivators fought desperately.

But the more they fought, the more terrified they became!

This iron cavalry was markedly different from ordinary troops.

An inexplicable connection amassed their strength together, and when they were injured, it was shared through this link.

This cavalry seemed to consist of hundreds, yet also seemed like just one person.

"Who exactly are you? If you have the guts, leave your name!"

After withstanding a heavy and powerful lance from the approaching iron cavalry, the Heretic Cultivator's Body-Protecting True Gang instantly shattered, and the remaining formidable impact force made him cough up fresh blood, along with pieces of his internal organs.

"The Wu Family, Demon-suppressing Army's Sixth Battalion, Nineteenth Banner!"

With a sudden twist of the wrist, the iron lance violently erupted with rings of tangible force, instantly perforating a large hole in the Heretic Cultivator's chest.

SPLATTER—

Blood and remnants scattered everywhere.

Under the onslaught of a hundred elite iron cavalry, this group of Heretic Cultivators was completely annihilated in less than an hour.

Atop a high hill, steaming limbs and flesh mixed with blood and remains could be smelled for miles, giving off a nauseating stench.

Holding their long spears, these iron cavalry trod their horses around, repeatedly stabbing down with the tips of their spears to ensure none of the enemies were left alive.

"Let's go!"

After dispatching the final blows, the leader of the iron cavalry called out lightly, and in an instant, the entire army headed out again, stepping into the thick dust and gradually disappearing over the horizon.

Meanwhile high in the sky, Qi Xiu stood with his sleeves gathered, deep in thought, his eyes swirling with purple hues, clearly having activated the Observing Qi Skill.

This aura... it feels familiar; I must have encountered it somewhere before.

Within his special black-and-white vision, Qi Xiu saw very clearly the unique aura entwining the iron cavalry.

He was almost certain he had seen this aura before.

But where, and when have I seen it...

Slowly touching the Golden Cry Jade Beads on his wrist, Qi Xiu's gaze grew heavy.

This mysteriously emerged army most likely didn't appear by chance. It must be entangled with something behind the scenes. This time, in this situation... Gao Tianxiong's death has truly caused all sorts of ghosts and goblins to start emerging.

With a short sigh, Qi Xiu turned and left, as three months was not a long time for a cultivator.

Yet for the current state of Dianchuan Province, three months was enough for many things to happen.

He needed to find a place to gather information to fill in the gaps of these three months, otherwise, his list of uncertainties would only grow.

At a corner of a completely ruined county town, there was a concealed, winding alley.

The alley was so narrow it could only accommodate two people walking side by side, with high brick walls that were mottled and damaged, covered with numerous burn marks.

At the end of this alley, a wooden door hung askew. However, if a cultivator at the Blood-Stained Realm, adept in the Skill System and Methodology of observation, were to come here, they might detect countless Talisman Scripts with Spiritual Light hidden in the void on this ordinary, worn wooden door.

If even a trace of hostile aura appeared, the Cloud Seal Talismans on the door would revive instantly, transforming into a terribly powerful Thunder Sea Formation sweeping in all directions.

Compared to the dusty and grimy exterior of the wooden door, the courtyard inside was clean and spotless. Though sparsely furnished with little furniture, it exuded an air of simplicity and detachment.

Sitting on a cushion, Qi Xiu had a jade slip spread across his lap, with one hand supporting his chin, and the other slowly rotating the Golden Cry Jade Beads.

The [Early Knowledge of Major Events] from the Listening Wind Teahouse.

Despite being a time of war, the business of intelligence thrived more than usual, fetching higher prices.

With a ten-line-a-glance speed, Qi Xiu finished the jade slip in his hand and his fingers subconsciously tapped lightly on the slip.

His expression was ever-changing, at times furrowing his brows and at times slightly opening his mouth, as if trying to make sense of a complex puzzle.

"No wonder I felt that aura was so familiar. It is indeed an old acquaintance," Qi Xiu murmured to himself, and several faces emerged in his mind.

Song Tingye, Sun Xingshan, Li Jiufang...

These apparently unrelated people somehow revealed their associations with each other amidst the chaos of the troubled times.

「Two and a half months ago.」

That is, about ten days after Qi Xiu had begun his seclusion, a rebellious force known as the Demon-suppressing Army suddenly emerged within the various prefectures of Dianchuan Province.

This army appeared so abruptly that there had been no signs at all before.

It was as though they had sprung out from cracks in the rocks.

The appearance of the Demon-suppressing Army was bizarre, and once they made their presence known, they displayed an operational capacity that left many forces immensely shocked.

In just ten days, this Demon-suppressing Army swept through and uprooted over a hundred demon encampments in various counties and prefectures.

They slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Demonic Evil Cultivators.

And the more rampant the demons and the more miserable the lives of the people, the more frequently this Demon-suppressing Army appeared.

It was as if the sole purpose of this military force was indeed to suppress demons and rescue the multitude.

But what was even more bizarre came afterward.

The Demon-suppressing Army, this so-called righteous military force, made its appearance at this time, heavily striking down Demonic Evil Cultivators.

Even a fool knew they were gathering public support.

Yet oddly enough, the County Yamen seemed completely oblivious to their actions, as if not the least bit concerned about the growing popularity of this rebel army.

They even issued covert orders for all troops under the command of the County Yamen to avoid conflict with the Demon-suppressing Army and to actively make way for them.

As a result, the Demon-suppressing Army had an even greater free rein in Dianchuan Province.

Without the restraint of the County Yamen, the Demon-suppressing Army operated with even greater freedom. Moreover, the Ancient Sect Nobility had no reason or need to conflict with them.

As for the commoners at the bottom, they began to fervently worship the Demon-suppressing Army that appeared as if saviors.

Wherever the Demon-suppressing Army went, the common people welcomed them with open arms, eagerly awaiting their arrival.

In just two or three months, the name of the Demon-suppressing Army almost became a household word throughout Dianchuan Province, becoming an entity often mentioned by the people.

If it were only so, it wouldn't be anything remarkable. What truly defies belief is the twist that unfolded five days ago...

「Five days before!」

Water Army Commander Song Tingye of the County Yamen, Gatekeeping Colonel Zhao Kun, Central Pastures Inspector Xia Hui, Cavalry Captain Zhou Ming, Mobile Cavalry General Feng Tianci, County Magistrate Li Jiufang of Qingliu County, County Magistrate Yang Yong of Mingchang County, County Magistrate Shen Huixin of Anfeng County, County Magistrate Wu Shan of Pingyun County...

From top to bottom, a total of one hundred thirty-seven officials from the County Yamen collectively submitted their resignations.

Leading their subordinates, military officers, and soldiers, they all defected to the Demon-suppressing Army!

This move caused an uproar throughout Dianchuan Province, like a multi-ton boulder dropped into a calm lake.

More than a hundred officials resigning and rebelling all at once. This was an unprecedented event in the entire history of the Great Xuan Dynasty.

And it wasn't just resigning. These hundred-plus people actually took their subordinates and armies to join the rebels.

This was no longer just a slap in the face of the County Yamen. It was akin to stabbing wildly with a knife, a hundred and more stabs at once!

As the major powers in Dianchuan Province were still in shock, expecting to see how the furious and frantic County Yamen would lash back, the highest administrative authority that ruled the whole Dianchuan Province fell silent as if it was doused.

Without uttering a word, the silence was eerily unsettling.

Song Tingye, Li Jiufang… Qi Xiu read the familiar names on the jade slip, let out a long breath, and chuckled softly.

His acquaintance with these two was not shallow.

In fact, had it not been for his serendipitous creation of the Hunyuan Dragon Tiger Scripture Mystery, he might have actually agreed to Song Tingye's terms and married into their family.

And the reason he found the aura of the Demon-suppressing Army so familiar was because, back in Baoho County, Song Tingye had once asked him to act as a drill instructor for a group of young men, imparting martial skills to them.

He had witnessed an ordinary young man step into the Tempering Power Realm in just seven days, a realm that others might not reach even after seven years.

Later, when he asked Song Tingye about it, Song Tingye diverted the topic by mentioning the Ancient Heavenly Gang Secret Skill.

This Demon-suppressing Army's mysterious appearance, their vast numbers, and their strength—almost all at the Dao-Entering Realm—are remarkable. To possess such a large number of Dao-Entering Realm cultivators, even the Ancient Sect Nobility falls short. If they can cultivate a Tempering Power Realm warrior in seven days, then cultivating a Dao-Entering Realm cultivator in seven years might also be possible. I originally thought their greed was for Human Path Merit. But their real goal... turns out to be the entire Dianchuan Province. To make the County Yamen shut up, to change the flags step by step. There must be some big figure behind this...

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.