The Grand Princess led the charge, slaying all the scouts on guard. She even killed a crossing traveler who was relieving himself in the wild with a single stroke from head to groin. Holding the Moon Shadow sword, she walked at the forefront, blood dripping from the blade onto the white snow.
The Demon Suppression Army had already climbed the eastern slopes of East Buddha Mountain from all four directions. The Grand Princess sensed the right moment. She soared into the air and with a wave of her hand, coldly commanded, "Kill!"
In an instant, three thousand Demon Suppression soldiers surged from every direction.
The travelers in the edge rooms didn't even have time to react before the Demon Suppression soldiers surrounded and slaughtered them.
"The Demon Suppression Army is here! Ah~!"
"The Demon Suppression Army is here!"
Some travelers, realizing the danger, began shouting, but most were still dancing in the ballroom above, unaware of the commotion below, as the music of Ming Kingdom's social gathering played on.
Li Ya, holding a folding fan, was with a modern-day traveler—an enchanting little fairy—just finishing reading a script in a nearby dark room when they heard the noise. He froze in shock.
"What?! How could so many Demon Suppression soldiers have arrived?" He quickly ran toward his master's room. "The Demon Suppression Army is here!"
"Everyone, quickly come out! It's dangerous!" he shouted as he ran.
Many travelers who had been staying in various rooms rushed out to engage with the Demon Suppression soldiers. Li Ya burst into the Tang Daoist's room, pushing the door open.
Inside, two dancers had left their shoes by his bed, and the entire bed was shaking.
Li Ya rushed over, drawing the curtain open. "Master, it's bad! The Demon Suppression Army has arrived!"
"Kill you, what? Can't you see I'm busy?" Tang Daoist retorted.
"The Demon Suppression Army really is here! They're everywhere! It looks like the Grand Princess is leading them."
"What?" The Tang Daoist jumped out of bed in a panic. "Are you sure?"
"It's true, master! They're swarming the entire mountain!"
"Quick, sound the battle bell!" The Tang Daoist shouted.
Li Ya hurried to the door and struck the massive iron bell. "Boom, boom, boom~"
The sound of the bell echoed across the peak of East Buddha Mountain, and the music in the ballroom stopped.
Many travelers rushed to the windows to look outside.
"Who is so bold to bring so many people to attack our East Buddha Mountain?"
"Our East Buddha Mountain has over thirty travelers at the Spirit-Connecting level! They're looking for death!"
Windows all around exploded as numerous travelers leapt out.
"Talent: Leap, activate!"
An elderly traveler propelled himself off the ground, leaping nearly ten meters high, holding a massive cleaver as he charged at the Demon Suppression soldiers.
"Talent: Water Control, activate!"
A female traveler summoned water from a barrel, turning the droplets into numerous concealed weapons midair.
"Talent: Mountain Crushing Fist, activate!"
A muscular traveler punched a nearby comrade, sending the force across the distance to strike a Demon Suppression soldier, causing them to vomit blood and die instantly.
"Talent: Spikes, activate!"
A weak-looking traveler's body erupted with sharp spikes as he joined the others in battle.
Though the Demon Suppression soldiers were numerous, most were only at the third or fourth level of body refining. In contrast, the majority of these travelers were at the fourth level or higher, and many had reached the Spirit-Connecting realm.
As their various talents activated, they quickly stabilized the situation.
The Grand Princess and the Twelve Zodiac stood on the tower at the entrance, silently observing the entire battlefield.
"Yanshu!"
"Present!"
"The woman on the left side of the tower seems to have a talent for hearing and identifying positions. The Demon Suppression soldiers can never land a blow on her. You go and kill her!"
"Understood!"
The slim Yanshu immediately took flight. In mid-air, the shadow of a giant two-meter-tall rat appeared behind her, increasing her speed fivefold as she moved like a ghost.
The tall female traveler, whose talent was hearing and locating, easily dodged every attack. With her body refining at the eighth level, she had already slain more than ten Demon Suppression soldiers.
Just as she prepared to dodge again, she felt a rush of wind. The agile Yanshu dropped from the air, and with a sharp screech from her rat-like shadow, the traveler's eardrums shattered from the powerful sound. Blood poured from her ears, and her head throbbed violently.
"Aaahhh…" she screamed in agony.
Yanshu descended, her sword slashing through the woman's neck, decapitating her with one strike.
...
Inside the Taiyin Palace, in the room of Lingyin.
Lingyin didn't expect that while she was bathing, Qin Ming would suddenly appear behind her. Her face flushed red as she lowered her head, not daring to look at him.
"Lingyin, you've been in the bath for over an hour. The water must be cold by now!"
"Huh? The water... is cold?" she asked, confused.
"Are you afraid of getting into bed? I'm not a beast, what are you afraid of?"
"No... I'm not afraid of anything. Qin Ming, go rest first. I'll join you soon."
Qin Ming leaned in close, whispering in her ear, "How about I help you and join you?"
Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her arm and lifted her out of the bath. Lingyin yelped in surprise.
"Ah~ Qin Ming, stop messing around!"
He held her in his arms and walked towards the bed. "Qin Ming, I... I'm afraid. My mother said that if we do that, I'll get pregnant. And being pregnant here in Taiyin Palace is..."
"Lingyin, then let's find another way."
"Huh? There's another way?"
"There are many!"
...
The Tang Daoist finally charged out of the main hall, accompanied by ten elite subordinates. Each of them had reached the Spirit-Connecting realm.
"These Demon Suppression soldiers are really courting death, daring to invade East Buddha Mountain!" he shouted. "Warriors, use your talents and skills to slaughter them all! Go!"
On a distant tower, the Grand Princess raised her jade hand.
"Twelve Zodiac, kill!"
The cute Rabbit, charming Goat, red Snake, pheasant, winged Monkey, Black Tiger, and others all rushed out. Each one was tall, graceful, and powerful, their cultivation impressive. Behind them, terrifying beastly shadows appeared!
Three-eyed Spirit Rabbit!
Unicorn Demon Goat!
Ghostly Wood Black Tiger!
Golden-scaled Dragon!
Blood Refining Red Snake!
Swift Wind Feast Rat!
...
Each of these beasts was more imposing than the last.
"Roar~!"
Their combat strength had increased by more than three times!
In an instant, the elite travelers were being driven back!
The traveler with the "Mountain Crushing Fist" talent was kicked in the heart by the cute Rabbit, and his body exploded instantly!
Two elite travelers were strangled to death by the red Snake's serpentine shadow!
The number of fallen travelers kept rising!
Tang Daoist, holding his Black Snake Staff, flew in from a distance. He shouted from afar:
"Who brought you here? Such audacity! Daring to become enemies of my Tiandao Sect!"
He waved his Black Snake Staff in the air, and instantly, nearly a hundred Seven-Headed Vipers surged from the surroundings.
"Talent: Snake Control, activate!"
"Good! These Demon Suppression soldiers will all be bitten to death! Kill them, now!"
Hundreds of black Seven-Headed Vipers flew down from the air.
However, in the next breath, the Grand Princess, from the tower, extended her delicate hand from her sleeve, gently lifting it.
The snow in the sky instantly melted into countless ice crystals, each one sharp and deadly.
With a light flick of her hand, she commanded, "Kill!"
In less than ten breaths, hundreds of venomous Seven-Headed Vipers were all impaled and killed by the ice crystals!
Tang Daoist was utterly shocked.
"Who? Who did this?"
He turned and saw the Grand Princess ascending from the tower.
Tang Daoist was stunned, trembling with fear.
"The Grand Princess is here!"
"This native boss has come personally!"