Chapter 45: Out on Stage

Meanwhile, the sixteen-eyed monster's eyes also followed the movements of the Soul-Fixing Banner, its head even tilting slightly, watching with intense concentration.

After waving the white banner for a while, the two strong young attendants, Baishan and Qingshui, were drenched in sweat.

However, the sixteen-eyed monster stopped moving. Its inherent ferocity and suspicion were replaced by confusion. The Soul-Summoning Banner before it overshadowed other vital energies, emitting waves that pleased it. However, excessive focus on this banner consumed a lot of its soul power, making its already unclear mind even more muddled.

The item's effect on it was akin to a tranquilizer for humans.

After a while, the sixteen-eyed monster even scratched the back of its head in a very human-like gesture, then slowly turned and walked away.

As it finally dissolved into black smoke and ascended to the sky with the main group, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Baishan and Qingshui also put away the Soul-Fixing Banner, sat down on the spot, and tried to regulate their breathing, oblivious to the sweat pouring down their foreheads.

Just a short period of waving the banner had caused both physical and mental exhaustion.

At this point, the resentful souls emerging from the well were all massive. They were large in size but few in number, and each maintained a certain distance from the others, unlike the previous resentful souls that had crowded together without any sense of personal space.

Furthermore, they were often followed by a small group of resentful souls, trailing closely behind, appearing like attendants.

Seeing this, He Lingchuan understood that these entities held higher power and status among the resentful souls. Just like with humans, those with influence and status never lacked followers.

Fortunately, they weren't as perceptive as the sixteen-eyed monster, or perhaps they simply had no intention of looking down further. They ascended into the sky, surrounded by the swarm of souls.

Once they had all departed, the well fell silent, with no new resentful souls emerging.

At this point, the light of the Illusory Barrier also began to dim. Clearly, Sun Fuping's statement about its short duration was not an excuse.

Seizing this lull, Nian Songyu quietly said to Sun Fuping, "It seems they've all gone."

Sun Fuping, aiming for caution, shook his head, indicating, "Let's wait a bit longer."

While they were safe and could converse normally here, outside Panlong City, fierce winds were sweeping the ground, sending sand and stones flying, leaving no peaceful inch of land. The Soul-Dispelling Powder was still active, and everyone clearly saw the pillar of thousands of resentful souls erupting halfway to the sky before scattering in all directions. Each sesame-sized black speck was a resentful soul, and such specks filled the sky, carried by the fierce winds towards every corner of the Panlong Desert.

The Sandstorm Season had begun. This was the first time anyone had clearly witnessed its genesis.

In just half a day, the Sandstorm Season would sweep across the entire Panlong Desert, and for many months to come, it would obscure the sky and sun.

Witnessing this, the entire team silently lowered their heads.

He Lingchuan turned his head and saw the grave expression on He Chunhua's face.

Although it was only a few days until September, regular travelers of Red Cliff Road understood the Panlong Desert's unpredictable temperament and would mostly try to avoid it early. However, with Sun Fuping triggering the Sandstorm Season prematurely, many people must have perished as a result.

Not to mention other things, the post stations that had not yet been evacuated would surely be completely wiped out.

But they only learned of Sun Fuping's plan after entering Panlong City, and his rank was far superior to theirs. How could they defy him?

Fearing the old man was bearing too heavy a psychological burden, he quietly asked, "Father, are you alright?"

"Mm," He Chunhua replied subconsciously, staring intently at the well. "Protect me. The real danger is probably just beginning."

"Oh, alright."

For a while, no new resentful souls appeared from the well.

The group sought guidance from the Grand Preceptor.

While they all stood watching, Sun Fuping was not idle. He had already picked up a branch and was drawing a talisman array on the ground.

The array was large, encompassing everyone within it, and its drawing process didn't appear complex.

Despite being seemingly simple lines, He Chunhua found them increasingly fascinating, and couldn't help but say, "Grand Preceptor, is this a summoning array?"

"Yes, it is, just in case," Sun Fuping replied. He also felt they had waited long enough and stopped his work. "Alright, since nothing else is coming out of the well, we should prepare to..."

Before he could finish speaking, the calm well water suddenly exploded without warning, and another group of resentful souls emerged.

It was, strikingly, another army of the deceased.

Among them were infantry carrying swords and shields, and cavalry riding horses with spears raised. As soon as they appeared, they exuded an overwhelming aura of killing intent!

Even several yards away, He Lingchuan felt a chill run down his spine, raising goosebumps.

They still had the same mournful howls of indignation and eyes full of hatred, but observers felt there was something different about them.

They didn't appear any stronger or better equipped than other warrior souls. In fact, many soldiers seemed gaunt. Some soldiers had multi-colored fletchings on their arrows, clearly made from miscellaneous feathers. Some cavalrymen held newly sharpened ash wood spears, still rough with splinters and not yet smoothed. Most soldiers' armor was old, carrying the unique dusty aura of aged items. The plates varied in color and size, evidently patched and repaired repeatedly, perhaps even cobbled together from parts of different armors.

Yet their gazes were as resolute and cruel as a pack of mountain wolves.

Even the thinnest among them, when running, displayed a fearless, relentless charge.

The people of Blackwater City happened to be directly facing this army. Almost everyone immediately lowered their heads and closed their eyes, not daring to meet their gaze.

The sharpness honed through countless trials was something even the Blackwater City army, who had repelled enemies many times, and the fierce desert bandits who had tasted blood from their blades, dared not face directly.

These resentful souls were truly different from all the previous ones.

He Lingchuan quietly clenched his fists.

These must be the Dafeng Army, right?

Indeed, a standard-bearer appeared, confirming his thought.

This resentful soul rode a red-brown horse, holding high a large banner. On its bright red surface, there was only one boldly written character: "Zhong!"

He Lingchuan remembered that his own team also carried a "Zhong" banner, and a mix of emotions welled up within him. His team carried the "Zhong" banner to avoid disaster and ensure safety, while these people carried the banner to go to war and kill enemies.

This was the true Dafeng Army, a legendary force.

He could hear the heavy breathing of those nearby; clearly, everyone present was deeply stirred.

He Lingchuan, in particular, subconsciously widened his eyes, wanting to catch a glimpse of the two legendary figures.

He had already seen several generals in the ranks of the warrior souls. Did that mean Zhong Shengguang or General Hong would also emerge from the well?

Unfortunately, he strained his eyes searching through the vast procession, but couldn't find his targets.

Just then, Sun Fuping urgently exclaimed, "The barrier can't hold much longer!"

Nian Songyu and the others were greatly alarmed. Looking at the Illusory Barrier again, it indeed seemed on the verge of collapse, its earthy yellow light flickering on and off, much like the temperamental chandelier in the attic He Lingchuan used to rent.

He Lingchuan cried out, "Can't it last a bit longer?!"

The ones appearing now were the Dafeng Army! Whether alive or dead, they were equally ferocious killers.