Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 650: The Battle of the North Gate Erupts Ahead of Schedule (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
The matter is not over; in fact, it has only just begun.

Zhao Qi and Su Muqing also heard the commotion at Li Yunjing's villa, and even learned about what had happened through the surrounding neighbors.

Although the two women were anxious, they knew that Li Yunjing was tired, so they did not go to the bedroom to wake him up.

While Li Yunjing was fast asleep, at dusk, the three major legions of the "Chang'an Dynasty" had completed the encirclement of "Zixiao City".

A million-strong army barely managed to surround the massive city that stretched for a thousand miles!

To the east was the "Mighty Army," to the west the "Imperial Guard," and to the south the Border Army, leaving only a lake to the north unmanned.

But the lake harbored hidden dangers. Various government agencies, including the "Heavenly Punishment Bureau," the "Heavenly Surveillance Bureau," the "Imperial Clan Court," and the "Hall of Worship," dispatched their best warriors to the front lines to serve the army.

The three-way encirclement is missing one!

Any attempt to escape by water is suicidal.

The imperial court's elite troops are by no means ordinary people!
Grand Tutor Zhao Wuji and Prince Li Zhao Wushuang are both top experts in the Chang'an Dynasty. They can't defeat Xiao Yuntian in a one-on-one fight, but if the two of them join forces, Xiao Yuntian may not be able to subdue them!
War is about to break out!

Xiao Yuntian convened a meeting of his trusted confidants at the city lord's mansion.

A map of light and shadow floats in the center of the hall, clearly showing the situation inside and outside the city.

"Today, we captured 23 imperial spies and killed 11."

Xiao Han reported, "Judging from their confessions, their main objective was to destroy the 'Nine Heavens Cloud Movement Wind and Thunder Formation,' and secondly, to disrupt the city's order and demoralize the people..."

"As expected."

After listening to Xiao Han's report, Xiao Yuntian nodded. "Have the Zhao brothers, Wuji and Wushuang, made any moves?"

"Reporting to my lord!"

The purple-robed elder in charge of intelligence stepped forward: "The Zhao brothers have been hiding in the army. Today, they tried to approach the protective shield three times to investigate, but were forced back by the starlight."

"Ha, those two old foxes."

Xiao Yuntian sneered, "Send down the order to strengthen the defenses of the 'Star Gazing Tower.' I suspect they'll target this place next."

Just as they were discussing the matter, a guard outside the door announced loudly, "Report! An imperial envoy requests an audience!"

The hall fell silent immediately.

Xiao Yuntian exchanged a glance with Xiao Han and the dozen or so Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, and nodded slightly: "Let him in."

Almost instantly, the dozen or so Nascent Soul Realm cultivators all got up and went to the secret room.

On the surface, there are still only Xiao Yuntian and Xiao Han.

For many years, the number of Nascent Soul Realm cultivators in "Purple Cloud City" has remained at five.

Whether or not the "Chang'an Dynasty" is believed is a matter for the imperial court.

Anyway, Xiao Yuntian believed it.

Before long, a middle-aged scholar dressed in a brocade robe slowly entered.

He had a refined appearance, held a jade tablet in his hand, and walked with an air of scholarly elegance, but the occasional glint of shrewdness in his eyes showed that he was no ordinary civil official.

"This humble official, Zhou Wenyuan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, greets Lord Xiao."

The scholar bowed with his hands clasped, his posture neither humble nor arrogant.

Xiao Yuntian sat upright in the main seat and said calmly, "Lord Zhou has come from afar. May I ask what advice you have for me?"

"Lord Xiao is a man of few words, so I will speak frankly as well."

Zhou Wenyuan smiled slightly: "His Majesty considers that 'Zixiao City' is an ancient city with a history of ten thousand years and that the people are innocent, and is unwilling to wage a major war. As long as City Lord Xiao removes the great formation and hands over the formation diagram, His Majesty promises to forgive and forget, and may even bestow upon City Lord Xiao the title of 'Duke of the State,' which will be hereditary."

A cold laugh suddenly rang out in the hall.

Xiao Han coldly looked at Zhou Wenyuan. If Xiao Yuntian hadn't remained silent, he would have torn this corrupt official to shreds!

You think you can get a big city for nothing with just a lie?
Where in the world can you find such a good thing?

What duke?
The title was bestowed today, and it can be revoked tomorrow!
Isn't it up to the old emperor Zhao?

The Xiao family has reached this point, and the entire family has reached a consensus: they have decided to rebel!

How can a few words sway us?
"Lord Zhou, let's not beat around the bush."

Xiao Yuntian remained unfazed: "If I, Xiao, truly believed this promise, I'm afraid I would 'die suddenly from illness' the moment I stepped out of the city gates, wouldn't I?"

"Lord Xiao is overthinking it."

Zhou Wenyuan's smile remained unchanged: "His Majesty's words are law, how could he..."

"enough."

Xiao Yuntian raised his hand to interrupt, "Lord Zhou has come a long way and must be tired. Why don't you rest in the city for the night and talk again tomorrow?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhou Wenyuan's eyes, clearly not expecting Xiao Yuntian to let him stay overnight.

After a moment's thought, he cupped his hands and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

"My lord, why spare him?"

After Zhou Wenyuan was taken away, Xiao Han immediately asked, "This person was clearly here to probe the situation."

"We're just playing along."

Xiao Yuntian's lips curled slightly. "I have already set up the 'Illusionary Mind Array' in the guest room. Every dream he has tonight will become 'intelligence' that we pass on to the imperial court."

Xiao Han suddenly realized: "My lord is wise!"

As night deepened, Zixiao City was shrouded in starlight, resembling a giant luminous pearl.

Zhou Wenyuan stood by the window of the guest room, gazing at the star map that moved across the sky, his brows furrowed.

"This formation is even more powerful than the imperial court anticipated..."

He muttered to himself, "The intelligence must be sent out as soon as possible."

Unbeknownst to him, a seemingly ordinary flower outside the window was swaying gently, taking in his every move.

Meanwhile, inside the central command tent of the Imperial Guard outside the city, two middle-aged men who looked remarkably alike were having a secret conversation.

One was dressed in white, with a cold and stern face; the other was dressed in black, with a sinister look in his eyes.

These are the two pillars of the imperial court!
The brothers Zhao Wuji and Zhao Wushuang.

Besides wielding real power in the imperial court, these two were also direct descendants of the Zhao family, the royal family, and were both core members of the family.

The two of them hated Xiao Yuntian to the core!
"Grand Tutor, the Xiao family has been preparing for many years; I'm afraid they will find it difficult to breach the city!"

Zhao Wushuang said in a low voice, "We must think of a way to get rid of Xiao Yuntian first!"
"Make the empty appear real, and the real appear empty."

Zhao Wuji stroked his long beard: "Xiao Yuntian is as cunning as a fox. If we want him to die, we must first disrupt his thoughts and set a trap for him before we can kill him with one blow."

"So you sent Zhou Wenyuan into the city to disrupt Xiao Yuntian's judgment?"

Zhao Wushuang's heart stirred, and he asked in a low voice.

"Act according to plan."

A cold glint flashed in Zhao Wuji's eyes. "At three-quarters past midnight, you and I will each lead a squad of assassins to simultaneously attack the west and south gates of 'Purple Cloud City.' Let Xiao Yuntian be constantly on the run!"

"I heard that the Grand Tutor arranged for a master of array formations to infiltrate Xiao Yuntian's inner circle."

Zhao Wushuang licked his lips: "Should we activate this piece?"

"Don't create unnecessary complications."

Zhao Wuji said coldly, "That chess piece is very important! We must not let anything happen to it. Only when it plays its role can we achieve our goal of destroying the great formation and create conditions for the general offensive of the three legions."

"All right!"

Zhao Wushuang shook her head, revealing her dissatisfaction.

Although they are from the same family, they are not on the same path.

If it weren't for this collaboration, they wouldn't even be willing to come together.

Zhao Wuji kept the secret from him, which made Zhao Wushuang feel uneasy.

As midnight approached, all was quiet within Zixiao City.

After the daytime riots, the people stayed indoors early in the morning.

Only the occasional sound of patrolling soldiers' footsteps echoed through the streets.

Inside the bedroom, Li Yunjing, who was fast asleep, twitched his eyelids slightly, as if he had sensed something.

"Boom!"

Before long, the West Gate and South Gate shone brightly!

The dazzling light attacked the starlight in the sky!
At this moment, at the west gate, twelve assassins clad in heavy black iron armor stood in a cone-shaped battle formation, each holding a crimson talisman.

The cinnabar patterns drawn on the talisman glowed with an eerie blood-red light in the night, as if they were slowly writhing with life.

"Sacrifice the talisman!"

At the command of the lead assassin, twelve talismans ignited simultaneously, transforming into twelve fire snakes that lunged at the starlight shield.

Wherever the fire serpent passed, the air distorted, and tiny cracks were scorched on the surface of the shield.

"It's a 'Formation-Breaking Talisman'!"

The commander at the west gate's expression changed drastically. "Quickly inform the lord! Archers, prepare!"

The archers on the city wall immediately drew their bows and nocked arrows, with special explosive talismans attached to the arrowheads.

"Whoosh whoosh..."

At the command of the garrison commander, a rain of arrows poured out, but they were deflected by an invisible barrier just a few feet away from the assassins.

Zhao Wuji hid in the shadows and personally erected a protective barrier for the assassins!
At the same time, the south gate also suffered a fierce attack.

Zhao Wushuang led eighteen assassins, each holding a black gourd. The gourd mouths were aimed at the protective shield, spewing out a sky full of silver sand.

"Star-Etching Sand!"

The south gate guard gasped, "Activate the backup array immediately!" Silver sand adhered to the surface of the shield, wriggling and eroding like living things.

The starlight dimmed at a visible speed, and the shield creaked under the strain.

News of the two attacks reached the city lord's mansion almost simultaneously.

"Sure enough, it's here!"

Xiao Yuntian slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "Xiao Han, take your men to the South Gate; Master Lü Hui, the West Gate is your responsibility."

"Yes!"

The two men took the order and left.

Xiao Yuntian quickly went to the "Star Gazing Tower," arrived at the central star chart, and placed his hands on the crystal ball-like control core.

As true energy was injected, the patterns of the Big Dipper and the Twenty-Eight Mansions in the star chart lit up one by one, and the three-dimensional projection of the entire terrain of "Zixiao City" appeared before our eyes.

"The Zhao brothers!"

Xiao Yuntian's gaze swept across the projection screen like lightning. "What exactly are you planning?"

This level of attack power is completely meaningless.

But they still launched the attack in the middle of the night. What was their motive?
Xiao Yuntian was a little confused.

Suddenly, his pupils contracted.

The projection showed that despite the seemingly fierce attacks from the east and west, the shield's energy loss was unusually slow.

In an inconspicuous corner in the north of the city, the starlight is dissipating at an alarming rate!

"Lure the tiger away from the mountain!"

Xiao Yuntian suddenly looked up, "Their target is the array's core at the North Gate!"

Just as Xiao Yuntian noticed the abnormality, a sudden change occurred inside the "Star Gazing Tower"!

"Pfft..."

The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh rang out, and the three array masters standing guard beside the "Horned Constellation" array eye fell to the ground simultaneously.

Fourth place: Array Master!

A middle-aged man with an honest-looking face held a blood-dripping dagger and grinned as he plunged the tip of the blade into the core of the array!
"Xu Ming! You..."

The old formation master next to him had eyes wide with rage.

"I'm sorry, senior brother."

Xu Ming, or rather, "Shadow Seven," a secret agent who had been working for the imperial court for many years, sneered, "They're just serving their own masters."

A flash of light, and the old formation master clutched his throat and collapsed to the ground.

Yingqi quickly took out a jet-black jade slip from his pocket and pressed it onto the damaged array eye.

The jade simplified into a viscous black liquid, which spread rapidly along the veins of the array.

The entire observatory shook violently, and the "Spica" area in the star chart on the dome suddenly dimmed.

At the location corresponding to the protective shield in the north of the city, the starlight shattered like broken glass, revealing a gap three zhang wide!
"Hahaha! It worked!"

"When I return this time, the imperial court will surely reward me handsomely. Perhaps one day, I will be able to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm!"

Shadow Seven laughed wildly as he crushed the teleportation talisman, his figure beginning to blur.

"Leave!"

Xiao Yuntian roared, and a beam of azure light shot out from his sleeve, striking Ying Qi's chest and killing him during the teleportation process.

"My lord! A breach has appeared in the protective barrier north of the city!"

At that moment, Mr. Qingming's "message talisman" flew in: "The three legions have begun to move!"

"I never imagined that despite all my precautions, I couldn't prevent the imperial court from planting a spy right next to me two hundred years ago!"

Xiao Yuntian's face was ashen.

He placed one hand on the star chart and channeled his true energy with all his might: "All Nascent Soul cultivators, immediately proceed to the north of the city! Show the imperial court what you've got!"

At this moment, Xiao Yuntian no longer cared about hiding his strength!
The command was instantly transmitted throughout the city via a "message talisman".

More than a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators, who had been hiding in the shadows, simultaneously set out, transforming into streaks of light and rushing towards the north of the city.

Outside the city, the vanguard forces assembled by the three legions were all experts at the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core stages!

These people have already rushed towards the breach.

When everyone united, their charge was like an iron torrent.

"Let's do it together!"

Before the imperial army's Nascent Soul Realm cultivators could arrive, more than a dozen Nascent Soul Realm cultivators from "Zixiao City" had already arrived and made their moves simultaneously.

More than a dozen Nascent Soul Realm cultivators joined forces, unleashing a torrent of magical power that illuminated the night sky.

"Boom!"

With a thunderous roar, a large area near the city gate was cleared out. The 30,000-strong vanguard army, except for a few Golden Core Realm cultivators, all perished on the spot!
"brute!"

Zhao Wuji, Zhao Wushuang, Mo Tianying, and more than a dozen other Nascent Soul Realm cultivators from the imperial court cried out in anguish as they watched the vanguard army be almost completely wiped out!
"Hahaha!"

Xiao Yuntian's voice boomed, "You think my 'Purple Cloud City' really only has five True Immortals in charge? Before, I was thinking of fighting you slowly, without rushing into a decisive battle, but you're courting death, so I'll grant your wish!"

Inside Li Yunjing's residence, the Grandmaster of Array Dao, who had been asleep for three days, finally opened his eyes.

"The protective shield is damaged..."

A sharp glint flashed in Li Yunjing's eyes, and he instantly understood the situation.

He flashed into the courtyard, opened his "Creation Eyes," and looked towards the north gate.

His gaze was extremely sharp, and almost instantly he saw the fierce battle between the thirty-odd Nascent Soul Realm cultivators on both sides!
"hiss……"

Li Yunjing couldn't help but change his expression.

He never expected the scene to be so grand!

It should be noted that whether it is the Xiao family or the "Chang'an Dynasty", their strength is above that of top-tier sects and families, but they are not behemoth sects after all!
There is no ultimate power!

The fact that both sides were able to gather more than thirty Nascent Soul Realm cultivators completely exceeded Li Yunjing's expectations.

In his opinion, this was the limit of the power of both sides.

This was the first clash between the two major powers!
Whether it's the Xiao family or the "Chang'an Dynasty," it's certain that they still have backup plans, and perhaps this force is no weaker than the strength they've shown so far!

For example, Li Yunjing noticed that there were no other twelve array masters participating in the arena!
Li Yunjing was absolutely certain that many of those twelve people had been recruited by Xiao Yuntian.

Why didn't they participate in the war?
That must mean Xiao Yuntian didn't let them make a move!

What should I do about my husband?

When Zhao Qi saw Li Yunjing come out, she couldn't help but ask.

At this moment, she and Su Muqing were at a loss and did not know what to do.

The duel between Nascent Soul cultivators has exceeded the comprehension of ordinary people.

Above the North Gate, more than thirty figures crisscrossed, each collision causing the heavens and earth to tremble.

Sword energy traverses three thousand miles, and the brilliance of magical treasures illuminates the nine provinces.

Even ordinary cultivators who only approach the edge of the battlefield would be annihilated by the aftershocks.

The army that launched the surprise attack from the "Chang'an Dynasty" suffered a terrible defeat. In just three or four breaths, the entire army was wiped out, with over a hundred Golden Core cultivators and thirty thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators among them!

The losses were devastating!
Li Yunjing narrowed his eyes slightly, using his "Creation Divine Eye" to its fullest extent to take in the entire battlefield situation.

He saw Xiao Yuntian fight the Zhao brothers, Zhao Wuji and Zhao Wushuang, alone, his white robes fluttering as he moved with the power of the stars; he saw Xiao Han move across the battlefield like a ghost, each sword strike resulting in the fall of a Golden Core cultivator from the imperial court; and he saw the battle formation formed by more than a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators from "Zixiao City" forcing the imperial court experts into a series of defeats.

"Lord Xiao is prepared, and the advantage lies with 'Zixiao City'."

Li Yunjing muttered to himself, then suddenly his expression changed, and he took out a communication talisman that shimmered with golden light from his bosom.

"Master Li, please go to the 'Star Gazing Tower' immediately to take charge and guard the core of the great formation together with the other grandmasters."

Xiao Yuntian's voice came from the talisman, calm and steady despite the fierce battle, "The imperial court must have a backup plan for this attack, the Starry Sky Shield cannot be lost!"

The communication talisman then transformed into a golden light, forming a route map in front of Li Yunjing, marking the safe path to the "Star Gazing Tower".

"My husband is going to war?"

Zhao Qi's face turned deathly pale, and her delicate hand unconsciously rested on the hilt of her sword at her waist. "I'll go with you!"

"Don't worry!"

Li Yunjing shook his head and waved to the two women, "Lord Xiao ordered me to go to the 'Star Gazing Tower,' which is relatively safe. You two stay in the house, activate the formation I set up, and do not go out no matter what happens."

He paused, then added, "If there's an emergency, send me a message and I'll come immediately."

"Don't worry, my husband, we will guard our home well."

Zhao Qi nodded, forcing back her worries.

"Fellow Daoist Li, be careful!"

Su Muqing also added her own words of advice.

Li Yunjing said no more, and in a flash, he transformed into a streak of light and sped towards the "Star Gazing Tower".

On the way, he noticed that the streets of the city were deserted, and all the people had taken refuge in their homes.

Only the patrolling city guards hurried along, heading to reinforce various strategic locations.

In front of the "Star Gazing Tower", twelve masters of array formations have gathered.

Li Yunjing glanced around and noticed that nine of them had solemn expressions, while three others had shifty eyes and exchanged glances from time to time.

(End of this chapter)