The Divine Abyss City had a long history and was considered as a big city, but it was not a top super city on the continent. It had always been the headquarters of the Martial Union and was controlled by it for hundreds of thousands of years.
The Martial Union Merchant Association remained low-key. It had always been doing business and had good and inextricable relationships with every major faction. They never caused trouble and quietly dealt with those who provoked them. They kept such a low profile that the major fractions on the continent overlooked their presence.
For example, Feng Luan couldn’t instantly recall the Martial Union when Jiang Yi asked about it. Qing Yu even looked down upon the Martial Union and thought that it was no match to the fifteen Paragons, who could destroy it anytime. After all, the fifteen Paragons were closely connected to one another as if they were one; and they advanced or retreated together.
Hundreds of thousands of troops garrisoned the city without causing much disturbance to the Divine Abyss City. Qing Yu pretended to pass the Feng Luan’s order to turn on the shield around the city and to resist the attack from the Lion Chi Demon Thearch by all means. The soldiers in the Divine Abyss City were willing to cooperate. Troops were sent to the city wall at once, and the shield was turned on.
Slaughtering the Merman Great Emperor in the Black Phoenix Lake enhanced Feng Luan’s reputation to the highest level. Though this time, the one coming to attack was still a demon thearch, the soldiers and citizens of the city believed that their Thearch would never abandon them. She would show up at the crucial moment, killing the Lion Chi Thearch.
“What’s Feng Luan going to do?”
In a secret chamber in the palace of the City Lord of the Divine Abyss City, a group of martial experts from the Martial Union assembled and looked solemn. There were in total ten people sitting here; the majority of them were women, up to seven. However, the one at the head of the table was an old man.
The one who was speaking was Elder Gu. Her ruddy face was filled with confusion. She went on saying, “Hall Master, does Feng Luan notice something and force us to strike? Last time I went to Black Phoenix City, she didn’t see me. Jiang Yi was obviously alive, but Qing Yu said he was dead. Hey! She thought I was a three-year-old child?!”
A glamorous woman opposite her shook her head and continued to say, “It can’t be! Our Martial Arts Hall has always kept a low profile and never gets embroiled in anything. Besides, don’t we look useless in the eyes of Feng Luan? How can she pay any attention to us?”
“Does Feng Luan care about us because of Jiang Yi? Jiang Yi destroyed the branched halls on the Stellarsky Continent and knew quite a lot about our Martial Arts Hall. If he becomes Feng Luan’s soul slave or her male pet, it’s fairly normal for Feng Luan to notice us.”
An elder at the end of the table suddenly spoke, causing the crowd to ponder. All their face darkened as well. The Martial Arts Hall had always been very low-key and hid in the dark side as ordered by the Chief Hall Master. Unless on special occasions, the Martial Arts Branch Halls were absolutely not allowed to expose their true power.
Cough, cough!
At this moment, the Branch Hall Master at the head of the table coughed gently and said, “These are not the main point. The thing is the Lion Chi Demon Thearch is already on his way and will arrive at the Divine Abyss City in six hours! Whether he is lured here by Feng Luan on purpose, we have to fight!”
“En.”
Elder Gu and the group nodded. The Martial Arts Hall had run the Divine Abyss City for hundreds of thousands of years, and they couldn’t give it up. Otherwise, the power that the Martial Arts Hall preserved on the Phoenix Cry Continent would be ruined overnight, and all the people present now would die as well.
“Hall Master, please give the order!”
All the Elders got up and bowed with their hands cupped. They appeared serious. The Hall Master made himself very clear, they would fight first.
“Elder Chen, please turn on the Teleportation Formation immediately and go back to the Main Hall. Tell them everything about what’s happening here and about Jiang Yi in detail. If we all die, let the Main Hall send over new Hall Master.”
“Elder Gu, turn on the Heaven Fate Great Array and get ready!”
“Elder Liu, leave the city in secret and search the area around the city in a diameter of 500 kilometers, to find out where Feng Luan is hiding. If you find her, pass my words, that the Martial Union has no intention to be the ruler of the continent and will always remain loyal to the Feng Clan. If she doesn’t join the fight against the Lion Chi Demon Thearch, the Martial Union will leave the Phoenix Cry Continent.”
“Elder Heng…”
A series of orders were given out, and ten Elders walked out quickly. The plump Hall Master, who appeared to be a merchant at his 70s or 80s, sat alone in the secret chamber and contemplated. After a long time, he sighed. “Feng Luan, are you the one that thinks of this strategy… letting the Lion Chi and us fight so that you can reap the spoils? If you are, I have indeed underestimated you; you’re forcing us to fight. However, don’t you get too smug. If we lose, I won’t let you have a good time either… even if I have to destroy the Divine Abyss City…”
…
The Lion Chi Demon Thearch came very quickly. He looked at the giant city in the front sullenly. When he saw the shield shining with colorful light, his mood got even worse. He had realized the unusual thing about this shield. Even with his strength, it would hardly be broken in two hours.
Though it was difficult, the Lion Chi Demon Thearch only paused a while before starting to attack instantly. Jiang Yi and Feng Luan wrote a letter of challenge to him. He naturally wouldn’t stop until this city was razed and the killer of his son was dead.
Tsk! Tsk!
He shot a stream of light casually, which lit up the dim sky. The light flashed like a divine ray coming from the Nine Heavens and instantly smashed onto the shield.
Buzz!
As expected, the entire colorful shield glowed and swayed slightly; but obviously, it would be broken so easily.
“Hmph!”
The Lion Chi sneered and lit up the light on his hand again. This time, the stream of light was two or three times stronger than the one just now. As soon as it was shot out, the space around it oscillated, and even the wind stopped blowing under the horrible pressure.
Boom!
This time, the shield was emitting even stronger light and shook more violently. The Lion Chi Demon Thearch kept increasing the forces of attack. He remained upright in the sky leisurely and continued to strike more and more light streams.
Ss, ss…
As the shield went on shining, the troops and martial experts on the city wall grew paler and paler. Though they had the shield between them, the attack from the Lion Chi Demon Thearch was too tormenting. That kind of pressure made them hard to breathe as though every strike was hit on their hearts.
Time ticked by slowly, the shield on the wall was shining with dimmer and dimmer light. Feng Luan had not shown up yet, making everyone inside the city grow even paler.
“The foundation of the Martial Arts Hall is indeed strong. Feng Er, even your Feng Clan can’t build such shield, right?”
Inside a small forest on the north of the Divine Abyss City, Jiang Yi and two unparalleled beauties were hiding there. Feng Luan was already awake. Her spirit was much better after sleeping for two days and one night.
Upon hearing Jiang Yi, her eyes were flickered with cold light. She said in a deep voice, “The Martial Union has such strong power hidden? It appears that they are up to something?! Huh, if I get the chance, I’m going to cleanse the Martial Union for good. Hey… someone is coming from there, a Vajra Realm martial expert even? Young Master, what should we do?”
“Someone is here?”
Jiang Yi glanced over there with his sharp eyes and moved back quickly behind them two. He whispered, “Feng Er, ask Qing Yu to take him down immediately. Remember… don’t make much noise. We don’t want to alert the Lion Chi Demon Thearch.”