CHAPTER 470: CHAPTER 454: THE LONG ARMY IN THE DESERT, CHARGE! _1

"What... what in the world is this?"

Soul Dan was utterly panicked. The Bone Cold Fire in his hand throbbed rapidly, exuding a temperature so cold it could freeze the world to its core. The Void itself was frozen solid, yet this cold could not breach the golden mystical light. He still couldn’t sense the passage of time!

"It’s time to end this!" Xiang Yu declared coldly, battle spear in hand. He advanced step by step towards the Eternal Temple expert. His towering figure, awash in surging blood-light, resembled a deity descending upon the mortal realm as he thrust his spear.

BOOM!

An Ancient Great Emperor Realm expert from the Eternal Temple before him found himself immobilized. He could only watch helplessly as the spear’s energy descended, consigning him to endless darkness.

After slaying one foe, Xiang Yu’s expression remained unchanged as he strode with steady steps toward another Eternal Temple expert.

This was a Legendary Great Emperor Martial Artist! Across the entire Primal Continent, he was a dominant figure. Yet now, he was like an ant on a chopping block, struggling futilely, unable to escape his doom. He could only watch as the butcher’s blade descended, drawing ever nearer!

"No!" he roared, his face contorted with unwillingness as death claimed him.

Instantly, his body exploded into a cloud of blood mist. The crimson light congealed into a torrential rain of blood that pattered down. This downpour seemed to announce to the world that a formidable existence had perished here.

Amidst the blood rain, Xiang Yu continued his advance. A few breaths later, another Ancient Great Emperor Realm Martial Artist was slain.

Now, of the Eternal Temple experts battling Xiang Yu, only Soul Dan remained, his expression one of utter terror.

I’m almost at my limit! Xiang Yu’s brow furrowed slightly as two streams of bloody tears trickled from his eyes. Though activating his Heavy Pupil granted him control over time, it exacted a heavy toll on his body. After felling three enemies, he had reached his breaking point.

"Die!" Unwilling to let Soul Dan escape, Xiang Yu suddenly accelerated.

"Bone Cold Fire, detonate!" As the power of death loomed, Soul Dan glanced at the spiritual flame in his hand, gritted his teeth, and a look of grim resolve crossed his face. Compared to his life, such external possessions were expendable.

With a mere thought, the Bone Cold Fire began to swell, unleashing a violent, destructive power. It then abruptly exploded, transforming into innumerable wisps of bone-white energy that surged across the sky.

BOOM!

It was as if heaven and earth were rending apart! The golden mystical light began to tremble, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface. The temporal domain Xiang Yu had constructed using his Heavy Pupil Divine Skill started to collapse.

The force generated by the spiritual flame’s self-detonation was so formidable that even an Origin Great Emperor Realm expert would have to steer clear. Moreover, the Bone Cold Fire had been nourished by Soul Dan for countless eons, making its might even greater.

PTHOO!

Xiang Yu’s face paled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. Yet, he did not retreat, his gaze resolute, fixed squarely on Soul Dan.

The blood-red spear light crisscrossed the air, like a blade of heaven and earth, annihilating all in its path!

"That madman!" Soul Dan’s eyes burned with venomous hatred. He had already self-detonated his Bone Cold Fire, yet this lunatic relentlessly pressed on. Does he intend for us both to perish?

As the spear’s energy was about to descend, the venomous hatred in Soul Dan’s eyes gave way to despair.

"Useless!" At the critical moment, from countless miles away at the ruins of the Purple Sky Sacred Land, Soul Annihilation let out a soft sigh. He extended his right hand and tore through endless space-time.

Soul Dan’s status was extraordinary; he was the Eternal Temple’s sole Heavenly-level Alchemist. Other Legendary Great Emperor Martial Artists could perish, but no mishap could befall him.

With the Eternal Temple’s profound resources, nurturing a Legendary Great Emperor Martial Artist wouldn’t take much time. Yet, in all these countless years, there had only been one Heavenly-level Alchemist!

On the mountain peak opposite him, Guo Jia raised an eyebrow, a cold sneer playing on his lips.

The next instant, high above the Celestial Fall Domain, the Void suddenly shattered. An immense palm imprint appeared, obscuring the sky and sun, exuding roiling black qi as it reached for Soul Dan.

"Hmph!" Xiang Yu snorted, his eyes narrowing, but he still did not flinch.

RUMBLE!

The sharp spear energy slammed heavily into the black palm imprint. Terrifying shockwaves spread out, causing the entire Celestial Fall Domain to shudder.

Within a radius of tens of thousands of miles, mountain peaks crumbled. The sky and earth were simultaneously rent asunder, and cracks spread in all directions like a spider’s web.

Alas, Soul Annihilation was an Origin Great Emperor Realm Martial Artist. Although his palm strike traversed countless miles through space-time, diminishing its power, it was still not something Xiang Yu could disperse.

After a brief stalemate, the blood-red spear energy disintegrated inch by inch.

Soul Dan, hidden behind the palm imprint, silently breathed a sigh of relief. He looked down at his empty right hand, the corner of his mouth twitching; he wanted to cry but had no tears. Heavens, bear witness!

He had come to the East Border battlefield primarily to gather death qi to nurture his Bone Cold Fire. Yet, in the end, not only had he failed to collect a single wisp of death qi, but he had also lost his spiritual flame.

"Break for me!" Seeing his attack thwarted, Xiang Yu roared in fury. His bloodshot eyes flashed with divine light, shooting out a golden beam that enveloped the palm imprint, sealing the surrounding space-time. Trying to snatch someone from my grasp with a mere palm imprint? Dream on!

The overlord’s will surged, and the blood-red spear energy pulsed. Spear thrust after spear thrust hammered against the black palm imprint. The heavens and earth were illuminated crimson by the spear energy!

After being struck by dozens of spear thrusts, the black palm imprint grew faint.

"Junior, you’ve gone too far!" Xiang Yu’s actions, however, thoroughly enraged Soul Annihilation. He directly tore through the Void, descending above the Celestial Fall Domain with a furious expression, and struck out with several successive palm attacks.

Several palm imprints whistled through the heavens and earth; wherever they passed, all techniques were extinguished. The Void, laws, Spiritual Energy—everything detonated!

"Stop!" Immediately after, the Void above Xiang Yu’s head split open, and Guo Jia’s lean figure slowly emerged. He was wreathed in a boundless scholarly aura, with a canopy of stars above him.

He pointed with his right hand, and the vast scholarly aura surged, forming a Sword Qi condensed from it, which pierced through all the incoming palm energies.

After this one strike, Soul Annihilation did not press the attack, instead glaring at Guo Jia with a dark, baleful gaze. Guo Jia also refrained from acting, watching Soul Annihilation with an enigmatic smile.

As their gazes met, the Void itself trembled as if under immense pressure, emitting CRACKLING sounds, threatening to shatter at any moment.

Once these two appeared, Xiang Yu, Yue Fei, Soul Dan, and the others all ceased their attacks, standing behind their respective leaders with expressions of utmost vigilance.

"We’re leaving!" After a brief standoff, Soul Annihilation waved his right hand, enveloping Soul Dan and his contingent, then tore through the Void and vanished.

"Clean up the battlefield. Prepare for an all-out assault on the Kylin Realm!" Guo Jia said with a faint smile. After this instruction, his figure gradually faded, leaving Yue Fei and Xiang Yu standing high in the biting wind.

"Hahaha!"

"We won!"

The two exchanged a look, saw each other’s battered and weary state, and couldn’t help but laugh heartily. This war had been incredibly hard-fought!

They’re finally gone! Thank goodness! Tens of thousands of li away, Zheng Guiqiong and Xiong Lie stood atop a mountain, gazing at the distant sky. Seeing Soul Annihilation and his group depart, their faces filled with relief.

After witnessing the might of Guan Yu and the others, the pair realized this battle was lost. Without further hesitation, they led their several hundred thousand trusted troops in a panicked flight northward.

"Let’s hurry and go!" Zheng Guiqiong urged in a low voice, his expression somewhat hesitant.

"Sigh, let’s go," Xiong Lie said, glancing at the battlefield. Witnessing the massacre of countless soldiers, a pang of heartache struck him, and he departed, dejected.

But it seemed fate was not done with them. As they descended the mountain and traversed a rugged path, the sudden sound of thundering hoofbeats reached their ears.

"Desert Army, charge!" A roar like thunder shattered the clouds in the sky.

Xiong Lie and Zheng Guiqiong were aghast. Looking ahead, they saw a Cavalry regiment rapidly approaching, led by Huo Qubing, clad in battle-worn armor.

The ’Huo’ general’s banner snapped smartly in the wind, exceptionally striking!

"It’s them!" Recognizing the approaching general, Zheng Guiqiong felt as if struck by lightning. His refined features drained of all color, appearing exceptionally pale.

Huo Qubing! The Desert Army! Their impression of this legion was far too profound; the entire Eastern Front battlefield had undergone a heaven-shaking transformation because of them.

They had campaigned across thousands of li! Single-handedly, they had pinned down the enemy forces of two major powers! They had become the nightmare of countless people from the Sacred Land of Qionghua and the Thousand Monster Saint’s Court!