Chapter 647: Showing Cards

Nine chimes of the bell?

Gazing upward at the ripples spreading across the city's defensive sky, Xu Yuan's thoughts stirred with a flicker of hesitation.

At the border of the Great Flame Empire, the number of chimes sounded in response to any threat was governed by strict, unyielding rules. Three chimes signaled a minor raid; six meant full city alert; nine indicated an imminent army advance. And according to law, a high-ranking cultivator attacking the city should only trigger seven chimes.

"Third Prince, please follow me immediately to the magistrate's office," came Simi Jing's voice suddenly from beside him. Unseen until now, the head of the Black Scale Guard's Capital Division had stepped out of the tavern, now staring at him with stern seriousness.

"The Western Town Fortress is now part of the rear region. A sudden siege might provoke a cascade of chaos."

Xu Yuan furrowed his brow, glancing at the deserted streets.

"Isn't everything within the city already under military control?"

Under the organization of the Western Town Army, most of the streets along his route to this tavern had already been cleared.

Si Zi Jing spoke swiftly:

"Not enough. Time is insufficient. They came too quickly. Even if the military intervenes forcibly, within half a day they can only clear the lowest strata of the common folk—there’s no time left to do anything else. And let’s not forget that the entire Western Prefecture city is merely nominally under the jurisdiction of the Lady Chancellor; within it, there are spies from the sects and countless wavering factions."

Pausing at this point, Si Zi Jing’s voice grew urgent:

"You have now revealed your identity. In this most chaotic time, someone might well seek to harm you."

"."

The idea that someone might want to harm him—Xu Yuan was well aware of it.

After all, to certain people, even the combined presence of Li Junwu and Jia Yi might not be as valuable as himself, Xu Yuan alone. Thus, wandering the city alone could very well be a deliberate bait.

It was unlikely that the sects would send powerful agents to infiltrate the already-militarily-secured Western Prefecture city to assassinate him. Any such action would require the involvement of high-level spies within the Western Prefecture Army.

If someone dared to strike, then Tian Ye would simply handle it himself.

Yet, looking at the stern, subtle-faced man before him, Xu Yuan knew that the risk of continuing to play the bait had now become utterly uncontrollable.

After all,

the city's defensive weapons—capable of inflicting grievous wounds or even eliminating transcendent beings—had already been activated.

Even with Tian Ye's protective presence by his side, a direct hit would surely be disastrous.

As his thoughts reached this point, Xu Yuan gazed toward the towering walls at the horizon and exhaled a single word:

"Go."

The moment the words left his lips,

Si Zi Jing bowed respectfully, and with Xu Yuan in tow, they rushed toward the current safest location in the western prefectural capital—the prefectural hall.

The sudden tolling of the bells disrupted the common folk of the city, unsettled the noble clans, yet left untouched the watchful soldiers stationed atop the walls.

The Second Regiment of the Town West Army was not a reserve force stationed in the rear, but rather a seasoned elite unit rotated from the frontlines of the northern frontier, having just returned for rest and recuperation.

In the distance, on the horizon, a vast plume of dust surged forward like a primordial beast, bearing down upon the Town West Prefecture.

But atop the walls, many seasoned soldiers among the garrison were still chatting and laughing.

"Old Liu, didn't the upper command say the attackers were high-tier cultivators? Why is the prefecture's bell ringing nine times?"

A regimental commander, his fingers wrapped in armor, tapped the parapet in a rhythmic, odd pattern, asking with a strange tone, "Looking at the dust and the scale of it, it doesn't resemble high-tier cultivators at all—more like a beast tide."

The Xizhe Peninsula was long and narrow, bordered to the north by the Great Desert and to the south by the Wanheng Mountain Range. The Western Military's enemies weren't limited to the Tachao tribes. In times of urgent military affairs, troops were often dispatched southward to assist in the Wanheng Mountains region against the ancient abyss, and during patrols across the desert, they occasionally encountered wolf packs or insect swarms.

Beside the regimental commander, the Liu-named general, peering through the protective sky-screens at the vast, sweeping haze approaching from afar, spoke with a tone of serious gravity:

"Under clear skies, our defensive array can detect within a hundred li. Nine bell strikes must mean a beast tide—likely summoned by those sages."

The regimental commander stroked his chin, chuckling lightly:

"That's actually convenient. If only sages were attacking, the credit would mostly go to the high-ranking officers, not us common soldiers. Now that beastmen have come, it's just perfect—some credit is finally earned."

The Liu-named general clearly frowned, lowering his voice:

"Li Ma Zi, are you truly fearless? Do you know what sages truly represent?"

Hearing those words, the garrison commander replied without a moment's thought:

"Didn't the high command already tell us? We have a Saint on our side as well. Once the clash begins, all we need to do is channel our essence."

"You truly are naive."

"How the hell am I naive?"

"Use your head and think. We know full well the might of our battle formations and city defenses, so do you think those Saint-tier lords are blind to it? If the enemy dares to march upon us, they must be absolutely certain they can breach the walls!"

"Oh."

"Oh?!"

Officer Liu gripped the hilt of his waist-saber tightly. "Oh your head, oh!"

"Come now, why get so worked up? I know your mind usually spins fast, but on the battlefield, it is better if it turns a bit slower."

Pockmarked Li grinned, then suddenly stifled his smile, speaking with profound gravity. "I'll just pretend I never heard those words, brother. But you, Old Liu, know full well the fate of those who shake the army's morale on the eve of battle."

.“” The Liu-named general remained silent.

Li Mazi drew a token from his waist, briefly sensing it, then gently tapped his friend's shoulder, chuckling softly,

"The city defense array permissions have been delegated."

Before the words fully settled, Li Mazi's expression suddenly froze. He turned away from the Liu-named general without further words and leapt directly to the massive siege engine stationed atop the city wall.

At this sight, the Liu-named general instinctively opened his mouth, but after a shallow sigh, he turned and walked toward his own defensive sector.

City defense mechanisms were designed to counter high-tier cultivators—valuable targets—but their operators typically possessed cultivation levels too low to even glimpse the edge of a high-tier cultivator's robes. Thus, during combat, partial array permissions were issued to them for precise targeting.

"Tap."

"Tap."

"Tap."

Noise raged within the city, yet the walls remained still. Footsteps echoed through the silence.

After a few breaths,

the general of the Liu clan's figure suddenly halted.

He sensed something was amiss.

A dissonance in the sound.

That faint, rhythmic tapping did not come from his own footsteps—but from behind him.

A flicker of doubt stirred within him, and the general instinctively turned his gaze toward the city wall above.

Then,

his pupils dilated sharply.

In his vision,

Li Ma Zi had now rotated the massive trebuchet a full 180 degrees, aiming it squarely into the city below.

What does this mean?

The mind, once swift and nimble, suddenly went dead—yet his body moved instinctively.

He surged forward at the speed of his life, racing toward the city wall.

He didn’t know why Li Mazi had turned his aim toward the outside, but he knew with absolute certainty that such a heavy weapon must not be directed at the city itself!

The cultivation technique began to stir within him,

and the soldiers beneath him, sensing the shift, responded without hesitation,

their speed surging instantly.

The wind’s howl and the low hum of the crossbow charging filled his ears. The city wall grew closer in sight—but it seemed too late.

And then,

a figure flashed past him, a blur so fast it was nearly invisible, leaping across the ground beneath the wall in an instant, arriving just as the crossbow was about to fire.

The next instant,

the jade sword drew forth.

"Clang—"

A familiar head flew past the eyes of the Liu-named general, landing with a dull thud, rolling groggily to his feet, its crimson blood tracing an arc across the ground.

Time, as if halted, now surged anew. The general glanced at Li Ma Zi’s head, then at the shadow moving with the stealth of a ghost.

Zhou Chen wiped the blood from the jade sword, glanced down at the stationed general, and said coldly:

"This man has betrayed his country—still, he should be warned."

With those words, he sped away toward the next location, leaving the Liu-named general standing motionless.

A few breaths passed,

and only then did the general seem to awaken from a dream, his gaze dropping, striking the city wall with a single fist.

He could not comprehend why Li Mazi would betray them.

He could not understand why, moments ago, that high-ranked cultivator had seemed to know in advance that Li Mazi would turn traitor.

And when he lifted his gaze, he saw a scene that would remain etched in his memory forever.

The city walls rose upon the endless stretch of fortifications, and now, glowing points—like stars—connected in a single line.

Under the watchful eyes of the Liu clan's commander, many of the bright points dimmed swiftly, yet simultaneously, countless others surged toward the heart of the Western Town City, moving at a speed he could not possibly fathom.

As a commander of a garrison, he knew exactly what those points represented.

But as a commander, he had no idea what the Western Town City would face.

As the walls began to shift, Xu Yuan was being swept along by Si Zi Jing, flying swiftly at low altitude. Yet almost at the same moment, Si Zi Jing sensed something was wrong.

His transcendence beyond the mundane allowed him to see clearly what unfolded upon the city towers, but the distance made it impossible for him to respond immediately.

Gazing at the scene, Si Zi Jing instinctively cursed aloud:

"Huang Shiwei, that cowardly fool, what is he doing near the city walls?! Don't hesitate—kill those men operating the crossbows right away!"

At these words, Xu Yuan instantly turned his gaze toward the city walls. As his cultivation techniques stirred, faint glimmers came into view, and his heart sank instantly.

He had anticipated that agents within the city's administration might use heavy defensive weaponry to assassinate him, and had even made preemptive arrangements. Yet he had never imagined seeing half of the western town's heavy defenses precisely aimed at him.

"Third Prince Wen, I have stated that the entire western town is under our control. What could you possibly use against me?"

In the blink of an eye, a soft, amused female voice rose from below, echoing through the streets: "Now, may this gift from me satisfy you?"

A Wen family scholar?

At the moment he heard the voice, Xu Yuan instinctively turned his gaze toward its source—there, a woman of ordinary appearance, smiling gently upward at the sky.

Her cultivation level was low, merely at the Qi-Form stage.

Before she could speak again, a strange pattern shot from the palm of the Si Zi Mirror, instantly blooming across her face like a shadow.

The next moment,

The figure of the speaking woman collapsed like a block of tofu, her form drained and lifeless, snatched into the air by Si Zi Jing.

At the sight of this, Xu Yuan's mind spun instantly, with no hesitation, speaking swiftly:

"This is a doppelgänger—kill it immediately."

"Boom!"

Splattered flesh rained down upon the ground.

Almost as the woman died, the first crystal giant arrow launched from the city walls pierced the sky, aiming straight for the two fleeing figures.

Si Zi Jing hovered midair, forming a talisman in the void, shielding the path of the arrow's flight—but this delay lasted only a moment.

City defenses were built to kill advanced cultivators!

The arrowhead was etched with a magic array capable of shattering spiritual barriers—any ordinary spell would disintegrate upon contact.

Si Zi Jing knew this. He had formed the talisman precisely to create that fleeting delay.

In an instant,

delicate, interlacing purplish patterns had already clung to the back of his right hand. He raised it, striking the arrowhead with a forceful motion.

"Boom—"

A violent shockwave erupted from the heavens, spreading outward like a storm. Even its aftereffects leveled half a block beneath, while the price paid was the loss of half his forearm—gone without a trace.

Master Si Zi Jing racked his mind, his urgency blazing in his eyes.

What now?

The Lion-Wolf was currently guarding the Princess and the Desert Goddess within the magistrate's office, and would not arrive anytime soon.

Huang Shiwei had been pre-arranged by the Third Prince to take charge of the city walls, monitoring for possible traitors. Yet now it appeared that nearly every garrison commander within the city had turned traitor—there was simply no time to deal with them all.

And he himself was a practitioner of the Way of Law, his technique especially adept at concealment and assassination. Such a defensive weapon was practically invincible to him—no matter how vast his domain expanded, the crystal arrow could still pierce through it.

The only hope left might lie in the Princess, currently stationed within the magistrate's office, detecting the chaos unfolding upon the city walls.

Though the array patterns indicated that reclaiming control over the mutinous garrison commanders was already too late, they could still manipulate the city's defensive array to deflect the devastating impacts of the heavy siege weapons.

Si Zi Jing glanced toward the sky, watching as ripples began to form layer by layer across the heavens.

It seemed the Princess had already reacted. But forming a shield with the city's defensive array required time—unless they simply detonated the array patterns themselves, destroying the crossbow mechanisms at their source.

In the Prefectural Office, the Military Command Hall.

"Get away from me, Jin Shao! Do you want to die?!"

Li Junwu's roar echoed throughout the chamber, struggling to shake off the grip on his wrist: "We must destroy those crossbows immediately—or Xu Yuan will surely perish!"

The elderly general of the Jin clan did not loosen his hold; instead, he tightened it further, disrupting the flow of energy within Li Junwu's body, shouting back:

"Princess, with your temperament, how can you bear the future of a million people across the Western Command?!"

"With both Zhan Xian'an and Lu Bozhu dead, there is now no one in the city capable of commanding an entire garrison. If we destroy all the crossbows, what will we have left to face six sages descending upon us?"

"You've already sent Lin Lang away. There must be other hidden reserves in Xu San's hands!"

"Boom!!"

Another thunderous blast erupted into the sky, this time tearing away the entire right arm of Si Zijing.

Xu Yuan, standing behind him, swiftly spun his internal energy techniques while his mind raced—yet not in search of a way to break through. No, his thoughts were consumed by the motive behind the Wen family scholar’s actions.

These two isolated attacks by the crystal giant arrows had planted a seed of suspicion within him.

With the devastating power of city defenses, a single volley would be enough to annihilate Si Zijing—even if he died, he would be powerless to withstand it.

And if the Wen scholar chose to unleash this final reserve all at once, the number of traitorous generals capable of being neutralized by Huang Shiwu would plummet to insignificance.

Then, with dozens of machine crossbows firing in unison, he would be plunged into a certain death—within a heartbeat.

Si Zijing could not possibly survive such an onslaught.

Even if the Linn-Wolf came, he’d have to drink a whole pot of wine to face it.

Glancing at the female duplicate just exploded into blood and water, Xu Yuan's thoughts finally closed the loop at this moment.

The scholar named Wen's actions from the very beginning were not aimed at killing him, but at forcing him to reveal one hidden card before the battle—so he could save himself.

And from the extremely brief, uninterrupted barrage of crystal crossbow arrows, it was clear that the target was the domain where Tian Ye had paused his path.