Chapter 903: Overnight, the Swarm of Yellow Sparrows Moved

Yunlun Mountain Range, core area.

The Nine Dragon Veins were divided into nine mountain peaks, their coordinates marked on the trial jade pendants.

After one night, it could be said that all nine of these Dragon Veins were now occupied by a large number of people.

Among them, the First, Sixth, and Eighth Dragon Veins had already been declared fully captured by the trial participants via their jade pendants, and their coordinates had changed from gray to dazzling gold.

As long as a mountain was occupied for one day, the Dragon Lord and Dragon Guards of that Dragon Vein would receive corresponding point rewards.

Now, it remained to be seen if they could hold on...

The Fourth Dragon Vein.

This was the Dragon Vein closest to the Xu Gang.

Because the Xu Gang's forces had previously wreaked havoc in the surrounding areas, trial participants were still wary. Those with any sense at all dared not try to claim a mountain nearby, instead rushing to other locations to compete.

However, not all trial participants had joined the battle for the Source Stone of Dao Principles.

Many trial participants who were out of the loop still chose the Fourth Dragon Vein, which was closest to them, for the second round of the Royal City Trial assessment.

After a night of fierce fighting, the Fourth Dragon Vein was stained with blood across the mountain.

Yet, despite these circumstances, this Dragon Vein had still not been declared captured, and its true master had yet to emerge.

“Brothers, hold on!”

“Just two more ‘Dragon Guard Flags’ to pull up, and we can claim the ‘Dragon Lord Flag’ of the Fourth Dragon Vein!”

“Then, those who have distinguished themselves in this great battle will be rewarded according to their merits.”

“Those who should become Dragon Guards will become Dragon Guards. For those who cannot, I, Luo Yin, also have plenty of resources to support your future cultivation!”

On the peak of the Fourth Dragon Vein, Luo Yin, a burly man whose clothes were drenched in blood, roared at the top of his lungs as he heavily pulled out the sixth Dragon Guard Flag in front of him.

Luo Yin, the Tai Xu successor of the Luotian Palace in the Great Yuan Prefecture, possessed the Saha Sacred Body. Throughout his life, he had been uninhibited and rarely experienced defeat.

However, during the Tianluo Battle in the Eastern Heavenly Royal City, he encountered Xu Shao, the Half-Saint successor, and was defeated by his incredibly flashy swordsmanship.

This didn't bother him.

Luo Yin could accept that he had been defeated by a Half-Saint successor, so he composed himself and started anew.

When he regained his qualification for the Royal City Trial, he resolutely chose to battle in the Yunlun Mountain Range.

Everyone else was forming factions, but Luo Yin had no interest in that.

He only gathered a few trusted brothers and, relying on his formidable strength, managed to forcefully lead them to the forefront of the scoreboard.

At his peak, Luo Yin even entered the top five.

But he hadn't expected that the second round of the Royal City Trial would be a team battle!

Luo Yin had suffered a silent loss and had to recruit forces overnight. He finally managed to arrive just before the Fourth Dragon Vein was about to be captured, seizing the initiative for himself.

Pulling up the sixth Dragon Guard Flag and planting it on his back, Luo Yin surveyed his surroundings, his eyes blazing with killing intent.

The area was filled with clamor.

“Kill!”

“Slaughter these people, kill Luo Yin!”

“The Dragon Lord and Dragon Guards are all ours!”

The entire mountain echoed with shouts of killing. Various factions, numbering hundreds of people in total, were attacking the mountain.

Blood flowed like rivers across the mountain, but upon closer inspection, not a single corpse could be seen.

Luo Yin watched the scene of everyone going berserk, feeling a slight daze.

He didn't know how many trial participants he had sent away throughout the night...

Dozens?

Hundreds?

He didn't care about that.

He only knew that since he, Luo Yin, had arrived at this mountain, no one would be able to snatch the flags from his grasp!

Two more vibrant Dragon Guard Flags were planted around the sides of the mountain peak, while the golden Dragon Lord Flag, towering over ten feet tall, fluttered fiercely in the wind at the very summit.

The brothers by Luo Yin's side were fending off enemy incursions. Each of them had wounds, minor or major, but they were all gritting their teeth and holding on.

“Whoosh!”

As he was momentarily distracted, a slight rustle sounded by his ear. Another trial participant had broken through the blockade and was charging straight at him from behind with a longsword.

Luo Yin didn't even need to turn his head; with just a tilt, the spiritual sword behind him swept past his ear.

He bent his knees, arched his body, and struck backward with both elbows.

“Thud!”

The powerful attack from his Saha Sacred Body instantly blasted the sneak attacker into points of light, sending him out of the Yunlun Mountain Range.

“A mere grain of rice dares to shine?”

Luo Yin sneered.

With his strength, as long as he didn't encounter the first echelon of the Yunlun Mountain Range, these small ants couldn't even withstand a single punch.

Luo Yin didn't hesitate. After blasting away one attacker, he immediately rushed to the next Dragon Guard Flag without stopping.

The rules of the Nine Dragon Vein struggle were too brutal.

Pulling out a Dragon Guard Flag required a quarter of an hour.

During this quarter of an hour, the flag-puller could only continuously inject spirit essence and could not perform any other actions.

Luo Yin's disadvantage was that he had too few people he could rely on.

Generally, if a large number of people were used for defense, the flag-puller could proceed safely and without worry.

But Luo Yin only had dozens of people beside him, making it slightly difficult even to defend against the mountain attackers, and occasionally a few sneak attackers would slip through.

He could only rely on his Saha Sacred Body to pull the flag while simultaneously enduring the sneak attackers' assaults, waiting for his teammates' support.

Even with such a tough defensive battle, Luo Yin, relying on his Saha Sacred Body, managed to hold on until the seventh Dragon Guard Flag.

The battle was a grim one.

But victory was within reach.

“Come on!”

As Luo Yin activated his Saha Sacred Body, his eyes turned fierce, and he gritted his teeth as he gripped the seventh Dragon Guard Flag in front of him.

He was ready to endure the mountain attackers' frantic assaults that would follow.

“Kill!”

“Charge! Luo Yin is pulling the flag again!”

“He can't move for a quarter of an hour; this is our chance!”

Seeing Luo Yin's actions, all the mountain attackers' eyes turned bloodshot.

Hundreds of attackers from various factions combined, yet they couldn't take down the dozens of spirit refiners defending the mountain, all because of Luo Yin, their leader.

A Sacred Body was too powerful!

Luo Yin seemed immune to all damage, using his powerful physical strength to forcefully endure various Grandmaster spirit techniques and pull the flag.

For other Dragon Veins, attacking and defending relied on sheer numbers.

At the Fourth Dragon Vein, it was Luo Yin's sheer tenacity!

What seemed like an utterly impossible task, Luo Yin, relying on his Sacred Body, had managed to push the progress bar to more than halfway.

If he truly managed to pull out the seventh Dragon Guard Flag, it would likely mean that the hundreds of attackers would no longer be able to resist Luo Yin's individual might.

This was a disgrace!

Who could tolerate this?

“Charge! Damn it!”

The attackers charged like madmen, like tireless fighting machines, quickly tearing through the defenses around Luo Yin and allowing several sneak attackers to climb the mountain.

“Kill, kill, kill…”

The sneak attackers condensed their spirit essence and charged their attacks, all aiming to deliver a decisive blow to Luo Yin, who couldn't move.

But just then.

“Rumble, rumble, rumble…”

The mountain body of the Fourth Dragon Vein suddenly trembled slightly. A deep sound echoed from afar, like war drums being beaten or thousands of people marching, imposing and powerful.

“What's happening?”

Suddenly, both attackers and defenders were stunned.

What could have happened to make the towering Fourth Dragon Vein mountain, which reached into the clouds, begin to shake?

Even if the tremor was slight, it shouldn't be happening...

An earthquake?

Everyone was suspicious.

“Report!”

Just then, a scout from the attacking side climbed to the peak, his expression panicked, and even his shouts were trembling.

“What's happening down there?”

The leader of the attacking side temporarily halted all actions and asked in a deep voice.

The scout gasped for breath, yet dared not stop speaking, clearly indicating the urgency of the situation.

“A large number of trial participants suddenly poured into the territory of the Fourth Dragon Vein. They are marching and beating drums, looking imposing, as if they want to contend for the Dragon Lord position!”

Marching and beating drums?

The leader of the attacking side frowned.

That description sounded like two armies about to clash. Which spirit refiner would enter the Yunlun Mountain Range specifically bringing war drums?

Are they crazy?!

“How many of them are there?” the attacking leader asked.

“A mass of…” the scout panted.

“A mass? What kind of mass! Tell me clearly!” The attacking leader's tone turned impatient. “What kind of description is that? I ask you how many people, and you say ‘a mass’?”

The scout took a deep breath, paused, swallowed, and said, “A dense, dark mass…”

The attacking leader was speechless.

His expression immediately changed.

It wasn't just him; on the mountain peak, all the attacking factions had received intelligence from their own scouts, and their expressions all changed dramatically.

Even those around Luo Yin vaguely realized that the situation had become delicate.

Here, the battle was in full swing.

In the distance, it seemed another army had arrived, and their numbers looked quite considerable.

“So, how many people are there?”

One of Luo Yin's brothers, while parrying with his blade, asked the attacker in front of him. Seeing the other's grim face, he added, “We've fought, so we might as well get to know each other. Give me a hint, don't let us fight tooth and nail here only for someone else to reap the benefits.”

The attacker replied, “I'm fighting you here, damn it! How would I know something you don't?!”

With this little interlude, everyone simultaneously put down their weapons.

Everyone was smart.

No one wanted to lose what was rightfully theirs.

Since the spoils of victory were originally destined to be divided between their two sides, why should they fight all night only to hand the prize over to a third party?

“How many people?!” The attacking leader, seeing Luo Yin also stop pulling the flag and look over with an inquiring expression, immediately turned back and demanded of the scout.

They originally had no enmity; the deadly struggle was solely due to the rules of the Nine Dragon Vein competition.

Luo Yin respected the attackers' perseverance, and the attackers also admired Luo Yin's ability to defend the situation single-handedly to this point.

Neither side wanted to be the prey for a third party.

The scout was somewhat startled to see the battle suddenly halt because of his words, but after recovering, he immediately replied, “A dense, dark mass of people, countless in number! Just by estimation, there must be over a thousand!”

With a thud, everyone's heart sank.

Over a thousand people?

Damn it, how could there still be so many people?

An entire night had passed. If there were a large group of a thousand people in the Yunlun Mountain Range, they should have already captured the Dragon Lords and Dragon Guards in other areas.

Where did these thousand people suddenly appear from?

What were they doing last night?

Were they just wasting time?

“Are you sure you didn't see wrong?” The attacking leader was startled.

The scout rolled his eyes, not even bothering to answer.

“Though I'm only at the Innate Realm, I'm at least a Juwujing. Do you really think I'm blind and utterly useless?”

In the distance, Luo Yin, frowning and with six Dragon Guard Flags on his back, walked over.

“Over a thousand people? I doubt it!”

“As far as I know, the only team in the Yunlun Mountain Range with over a thousand members is the Xu Gang.”

“And a large gang like the Xu Gang would contend for the First Dragon Vein; after all, they care about their reputation.”

“Now that a night has passed, in this desolate place of ours, let alone the Xu Gang, not even slightly larger groups have come. How could a thousand people suddenly appear?”

Luo Yin completely ignored the previous conflict between the two sides and walked directly up to the scout, asking in a deep voice, “Are you sure what you saw wasn't someone's spirit essence clone, the kind that only adds to numbers but has no combat power?”

The scout looked at the two-meter tall, muscular man in front of him, knowing this was Luo Yin, the God of Slaughter of the Fourth Dragon Vein. He swallowed hard and responded with difficulty, “I definitely didn't see wrong. If not a thousand people, there must be eight or nine hundred. They are all real people, with actual presence!”

“Could it be other small groups joining forces?” One of Luo Yin's brothers walked over, glancing at the surrounding mountain attackers. “Like them?”

Luo Yin pondered.

That was indeed a possibility.

The situation on the mountain had reached a stalemate.

Both attackers and defenders suddenly stopped, and the atmosphere immediately became a little awkward.

After all, they had just been engaged in a fierce battle. Even if there was no deep-seated enmity, there was certainly some resentment between them.

But the sight of those thousand-plus people down the mountain was truly daunting, suffocating everyone. For a moment, no one dared to make a move.

“Alright then…”

Luo Yin opened his mouth, about to speak and voice his thoughts.

Suddenly.

From down the mountain, a clear, powerful shout rang out, ascending from below and distinctly reaching everyone's ears.

“Listen, people on the mountain! You have been surrounded by my Xu Gang! Obediently descend, lay down your arms, and surrender! Bow your heads in submission!”

“Young Master Xu promises that each of you will only have your trial jade pendant swiped once. We don't want anything more. You have ten breaths to think!”

“Life or death, you decide!”

—The Xu Gang!

Everyone on the peak of the Fourth Dragon Vein was struck as if by lightning.

How could it be the Xu Gang?

Why, of all groups, was it the Xu Gang?!

How could the Xu Gang, whom all trial participants regarded as a nightmare, appear here?

They hadn't appeared all night; shouldn't they have already captured the Dragon Veins in other areas by now?

Luo Yin hadn't expected this.

Neither had anyone on the attacking side.

After all, they were Grandmasters; however strong their reconnaissance abilities were, they had limitations.

Once the Nine Dragon Vein struggle began, everyone set out. Who would have the energy to send people to keep an eye on the Xu Gang?

Besides, even if they could keep an eye on the Xu Gang, how would they transmit messages?

Within the Yunlun Mountain Range, any communication methods within the Grandmaster realm were ineffective.

Sending someone to keep watch would only be a waste of manpower.

Everyone could only speculate that since a night had passed and the Xu Gang hadn't come to the Fourth Dragon Vein, they must have gone to other Dragon Veins to claim dominance.

That's why when they competed for the Fourth Dragon Vein, everyone exerted their full strength.

One day meant a million points.

Perhaps they couldn't hold it afterward, but holding it for even one day was worthwhile!

But now, the person shouting below had directly stated that the Xu Gang wanted the Fourth Dragon Vein. What the hell was going on?

“Have they already captured one Dragon Vein and started their second operation?” Someone thought of something, his face turning pale. “Young Master Xu wants to claim the title of ‘Lord of Nine Dragons’?”

“Impossible!” Luo Yin vehemently denied. “The nine great Dragon Veins are far apart, and capturing them takes time. Even the Xu Gang would have to expend time and effort. If they were embarking on a second operation, it would be impossible for them to set out with their full force; a light and streamlined expedition would be more likely.”

“But how do you explain the Xu Gang below? A thousand-plus people, could that be fake?” The leader of the attacking side was also baffled. This situation was too bizarre. Surely, the Xu Gang hadn't been resting all night, had they?

Who had such influence to make a thousand members of the Xu Gang halt their operations for an entire night?

Not even the trial officers could do that!

While everyone was still pondering, the counting voices from down the mountain began.

“Ten…”

“What do we do?” The people on the mountain panicked.

As of today, any trial participant who hadn't heard of the Xu Gang's reputation must undoubtedly be a reclusive old schemer who lived in hiding.

If the Xu Gang wanted the Fourth Dragon Vein, who could stop them?

“Let me think, we still have ten breaths of time!” The attacking leader took a step, intending to pace back and forth.

But just as his foot lifted.

“...Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!” The counting voices from down the mountain, after a brief pause, finished counting in one breath.

Then the shouting continued: “Time is up! Since you intend to resist stubbornly, then don't blame my Xu Gang members for being ruthless!”

People on the mountain: ???

What the hell was going on?!

It hadn't even been one breath of time, had it?

All ten counts gone?!

“Brothers! What's our latest slogan?!” Without a moment's pause, that devilish loli voice rang out again.

Immediately following, the Xu Gang members roared in unison amidst the clanging gongs and drums:

“When the Xu Gang marches, not a blade of grass remains!”“When the Xu Gang rides out, they'll crush them all!”“Kill, kill, kill!”