Chapter 78: A Single Battle Stirs the Ninth Heaven

The night passed without disturbance.

At dawn, the two armies arrayed themselves on opposing sides of the Mingtao River. On this day, King Wu Cheng Tang of the Shang was brimming with vigor; it was impossible to tell how the grief and fury of the previous day had transformed into such a spirited state. He rode into battle clad in golden armor and helmet, astride a Xuan Yi unicorn—a fearsome beast from the primeval wilds, exceedingly rare and difficult to capture. Behind him stood the allied lords of the Nine Provinces, along with the Six Heroes of Mount Song. Notably, the Six Heroes, upon learning of their seventh sister's death, had grown to loathe the Great Xia. Now only five remained, each armored for war, their six-pointed swords reduced to five. Deprived of their full arsenal, they could not deploy celestial arts in battle, but their mastery of Daoist magic made each of them a blade as sharp as any divine sword.

On the other side, before the Gates of Immortality, a million-strong host of the Great Xia lined the banks of the Mingtao, clad in their signature black cavalry armor. Nowhere else in the Nine Provinces could such might be found. Grand Tutor Ran Long spurred his steed forward, sword across his lap, and shouted, "Shang Alliance traitors! Here at Mingtao, we fight to the death!"

"Soldiers of the Great Xia, hear me! Defend our land with your lives—let no traitor cross the Three Gates!"

Behind him, the massed ranks thundered as one, "Attack!"

Thanks to Grand Tutor Ran Long's command, the wavering spirits of the Xia were revived.

Across the river, King Wu Cheng Tang saw the Xia's surging morale and their unexpected counterattack. At his order, the lords of the Nine Provinces and the Nine Tribes rallied their troops, and the eighty-thousand-strong Shang army raised a deafening battle cry, murderous intent surging skyward.

"Kill!"

Though outnumbered by tens of thousands, the Shang Alliance's morale did not falter—their killing intent billowed forth, as if war gods had descended to sweep over the Xia. Thunderclouds gathered overhead, lightning split the sky, when suddenly, from the distant mountains beyond the Mingtao, yellow sands rose and the earth shook. Dimly, one could make out an army of towering giants, each nearly three meters tall, charging toward the river.

As the armies of Shang and Xia clashed in chaos, only their leaders felt a chill—who were these foreign invaders arriving now, so far beyond their expectations?

It seemed Haodan's analysis the previous day had been correct: the giants were likely the result of a scheme by Yuan Ji, the national preceptor of the Seven Stars Tower. To command such a force of giants, only the Seven Stars Tower could possess such power.

At this moment, Bai Ling hovered in midair, gazing at the giants in the distance. Her heart trembled as she recognized them: the Cyclopean Giants! Legend had it that five hundred years ago, after their defeat by the Dragon Clan, these giants had retreated beyond the Eastern Lands, forbidden ever to set foot upon them again. Their sudden return could only be tied to the witches of the Seven Stars Tower.

Plainly, a vast conspiracy was at work—but for whom was this trap set?

As young Bai Ling glanced at Haodan, her suspicions grew. Yet if this snare was for Haodan, why did he remain unharmed? With his current strength, if they wished to deal with him, it would be child’s play.

Though she doubted someone, Bai Ling had no proof—it was only a woman’s intuition, perhaps a bit fanciful. If her suspicions were correct, surely even the Grandmaster of Tongtian would not stand idly by!

Back to the battlefield: the armies of Shang and Xia were locked in slaughter, yet the Cyclopean Giants did not join the fray. Instead, they halted to watch from the sidelines. The leader of the giants stood up straight, towering five meters high, with a small girl perched on his shoulder—the witch Yishen of the Seven Stars Tower.

This girl was skilled in illusions and dream-weaving. As Haodan and the others observed, they were startled to see that Yishen was not alone; three other witches appeared behind her—the famed leaders of the Seven Stars Tower.

The Sixth Mistress, Kara, stood tall and alluring, lips curled in a smile. The Fourth Mistress, Wu Tong, radiated a baleful aura, her red lips and pale face as cold as ice. The Fifth Mistress, Eight Lives Pearl, stood beside Kara, her beauty dazzling. With Yishen, the First Mistress, there were four witches present—a full display of the Seven Stars Tower’s power. The Shang Alliance members, Haodan among them, were left to wonder at their purpose.

If these witches led the Cyclopean Giants to aid the Xia against the Shang, now would be the perfect moment. The Shang Alliance would be trapped—caught between the Xia and the giants, defeat would be certain. Yet the witches made no move, instead holding themselves aloof, as if Haodan and the others were beneath their notice.

Meanwhile, within the palace of the Great Xia—

Today, Emperor Jie had the rare opportunity to meet the elusive National Preceptor, Yuan Ji, and hurriedly invited her into the Wolong Hall. For days, Yuan Ji had vanished without a trace; with the Three Gates defenseless and the Shang Alliance at Mingtao, Jie had slept neither day nor night, fearing for his throne. Then came the news from Minister Zhao Liang that Yuan Ji had returned, to Jie’s immense relief.

Yuan Ji now sat opposite the emperor with none of her former restraint, her arrogance unmasked. Calmly she said, "Your Majesty, for what purpose have you summoned me to the palace?"

Jie, aware of Yuan Ji’s extraordinary powers, still felt uneasy despite Ran Long’s efforts at the border. He naturally sought the preceptor’s aid—at a time of national crisis, how could she stand by? Seeing her manner, he did not take offense, but said, "Outside the gates, the armies clash. My heart is deeply troubled. I beg you to go forth and aid Grand Tutor Ran Long in opposing our enemies. The rebels of the Shang Alliance have not abandoned their treachery; until they are destroyed, I cannot rest easy!"

Yuan Ji nodded slightly, her elegant movements carrying a distant, unapproachable pride, as if an unbridgeable gulf separated her from those before her. "If that is so, then for the last time, I shall break through the encirclement for Your Majesty."

At these words, Jie was overjoyed. "Then I must trouble you, Preceptor!"

"And may Your Majesty preserve your imperial health and enjoy endless years!"

With that, Yuan Ji departed, leaving Jie with a nagging sense of unease. Something in her tone hinted at a hidden meaning.

Back at the front, the two armies clashed beneath a sky of blood and mist. Grand Tutor Ran Long stood atop the walls of the Gate of Immortality, watching the relentless tide of Shang troops below. His heart was gripped with fear—the Nine Tribes’ lords were formidable, having easily shattered the Xia’s thirty-thousand-strong vanguard to reach the walls. The Shang had seized the advantage; despite the Xia’s million soldiers, they were on the back foot. Without swift changes in tactics, the Gate of Immortality would soon fall.

The truth was, the Nine Tribes each possessed unique strengths—whether in air raids, heavy cavalry, or war chariots, all surpassed the Xia’s equipment. Had the Nine Tribes not changed sides before, today’s crisis would never have come to pass. Ran Long’s anxiety grew by the moment.

Just then, the witches led their giant army into the fray. The Shang, caught off guard, were forced to withdraw by order of their commander-in-chief, Chancellor Zhong Hui. The Shang retreated from Mingtao, abandoning their assault on the city.

Drums thundered as the Shang withdrew. Ran Long did not pursue, for with thousands of giants approaching from the mountains, and their allegiance uncertain, he chose to hold his ground.

Soon, the Shang generals saw the dust rising behind them—a thousand-strong company of giants was charging toward the Gate of Immortality. Such a strange race stunned the lords and soldiers alike; mere mortals, they could only marvel at the spectacle of these ancient Cyclopean Giants.

Compared to them, even Guo Jingyuan, the Four-Eyed, Six-Eared prodigy, was insignificant. The size of the giants was overwhelming; though few in number, their two-thousand-strong force could stand against tens of thousands of the Nine Tribes’ warriors. Thus, the Xia once again reversed their fortunes.

In the Shang camp, King Wu Cheng Tang stood at the forefront, Haodan and the Nine Tribes’ lords on his left, the Five Heroes of Mount Song and the Nine Provinces’ lords on his right. Before them stood the leader of the Cyclopean Giants, proud and unyielding at the Gates of Immortality, with the four witches of the Seven Stars Tower ranged alongside. The two sides faced each other across the river, cold and unyielding.

At this moment, young Bai Ling quietly sent her soul to the Lingjiu Palace, kneeling before its gates to beg the Grandmaster of Tongtian for aid.

"Master, I beg you to lend your disciple a hand!"

A moment later, a voice issued from within the palace: "The time has not yet come!"

With this, Bai Ling smiled, assured that her master had a plan, and her soul returned to Mingtao.

Now, Chancellor Zhong Hui stepped forward, proclaiming before all the lords and soldiers, "It is long rumored that the Xia’s National Preceptor is of otherworldly descent. Today, in the midst of battle, foreign races have come to our aid—this is fact! Such a kingdom is sure to fall. Let us unite as one; even should the enemy be strong, we are ready to die!"

The sheer size and strength of the Cyclopean Giants, their unbreakable armor, inspired fear on both sides. The only hope was to rely on superior numbers to overwhelm them.

Thus, the Shang Alliance could not falter—a retreat would be disastrous.

As Zhong Hui prepared to give the signal to reengage, a figure suddenly tore through the sky above the river. It was none other than Yuan Ji, the renowned National Preceptor of the Great Xia.

To reveal herself with sorcery before both armies was dazzling indeed. In the past two days, both camps had witnessed marvels beyond their experience—yesterday, a battle between celestial maidens; today, the arrival of the Cyclopean Giants; now, the descent of the Seven Stars Tower’s preceptor.

Confronted with such a dire situation, the Shang were filled with dread. Yuan Ji’s arrival at the Gate of Immortality meant that the true battle was about to begin. Haodan and the others would have to deploy their supernatural powers against the witches of the Seven Stars Tower. If such a conflict erupted, mortals would surely be caught in the crossfire—a prospect the Shang dreaded, though the opposing side seemed indifferent.

Thus, the Shang found themselves in grave peril. What had been a balanced contest now suddenly tipped against them. Most daunting of all were the witches of the Seven Stars Tower, who could act without restraint, while Haodan and his allies were burdened by the need to protect mortal lives.

A voice rang out: "I have heard that His Majesty the Eastern Emperor is here. I have come to pay my respects!"

Yuan Ji hovered in midair, a black rune array whirling beneath her feet—her presence as commanding as that of a deity.

Her words stunned both armies.

"Who is this Eastern Emperor? Why have we never heard of him?"

"It is said that the Eastern Emperor Taiyi was the overlord of heaven and earth a millennium ago, to whom all races submitted. Later, after the War of the Gods, he fell."

Since the time of the Great Yu, such ancient secrets had faded from common memory—now merely the stuff of idle gossip.

As confusion spread, Yuan Ji turned her gaze directly upon Haodan and spoke without preamble: "All of this—I have arranged for the sake of His Majesty the Eastern Emperor!"

"I imagine the celestial maiden at your side has guessed as much. There is no need for further concealment. From the moment you reincarnated into the mortal world, I began to weave this web. When you descended from your mountain and came to the Great Xia, everything was already in my grasp. Perhaps you wonder why I have gone to such lengths to target you!"

What happens next? To be continued...