I run a casino in the immortal realm.

the next day.

The banks of the Blood Soul River remained quiet, with only occasional patrolling cultivators hurling insults at the opposite bank.

Zeng Ming, accompanied by two Foundation Establishment stage disciples, strode into the Qingyun Sect's main tent.

He didn't even lift the curtain; he simply shattered it with his protective aura.

"Su Chenyuan, yesterday you made excuses that the formation hadn't been repaired, what explanation do you have today?"

Zeng Ming stood still, his gaze coldly fixed on the old man in the main seat: "The Seventh Elder, the commander-in-chief of the front line, has just issued a decree that the western front is launching a fierce attack and requires all units to launch a full-scale attack to contain the Demon Sect's forces."

"The Yunya Mine across the street is holding hundreds of captured disciples of my Xuantian Sect. The Qingyun Sect's mission is to capture the Yunya Mine and rescue the captured disciples."

Su Chenyuan sat upright on the futon, not even lifting his eyelids.

"Captain Zeng, war is not child's play."

Su Chenyuan’s voice was calm, revealing no emotion. “My disciples are new here and have not yet figured out the situation. Yesterday, I sent out ten scouts to cross the Blood Soul River to investigate the enemy’s situation. We have not yet figured out the deployment of the Blood Fiend Camp on the other side. A rash attack would only increase casualties.”

Stop making excuses!

Zeng Ming slammed his hand on the table, sending splinters flying: "I'm only asking you one question: to fight or not to fight?"

"Three days."

Su Chenyuan finally raised his eyes, his late-stage Golden Core aura faintly visible: "Within three days, I will devise a foolproof plan and launch a general offensive. If Captain Zeng can't wait, he can simply take his sword and cross the river himself."

Zeng Ming's face turned ashen; he knew he wouldn't come out on top if things really got out of hand.

"Okay, I'll give you three days."

Zeng Ming sneered repeatedly, "If we still haven't mobilized troops in three days, I'll have no choice but to ask the Seventh Elder to come in person!"

Walk away.

Turning around, Zeng Ming placed twelve hidden sentries on the high ground outside the Qingyun Sect camp, twelve pairs of eyes staring intently at the camp gate.

Two days later.

Noon, 3:45.

On the banks of the Blood Soul River, a fierce wind whipped up thousands of blood-red waves, and dark red poisonous mist churned on the river's surface.

Two thousand elite Qingyun Sect soldiers lined up on the shore, their murderous aura soaring into the sky.

Li Jianfeng, Wang Changsheng, and 25 other core disciples stood at the very front of the formation.

Last night, the Fifth Elder secretly summoned them and explained the entire plan. At this moment, there was no fear of death in their eyes, only a resolute determination to face the unknown mission.

"Set off!"

Su Chenyuan stood in mid-air, his late-stage Golden Core spiritual power transforming into rolling sound waves that reverberated throughout the entire army.

Two thousand sword lights shot into the sky, like a blue meteor shower, forcefully tearing through the poisonous fog above the Blood Soul River and rushing towards the Heavenly Demon Sect's position on the opposite bank.

"Enemy attack—!"

On the opposite bank, the mournful sound of demonic horns echoed through the sky.

Countless ghastly green demonic flames shot into the sky. The gates of the Blood Fiend Camp of the Heavenly Demon Sect burst open, and thousands of demonic cultivators, like mad dogs released from their cages, roared and charged forward.

In mid-air, Su Chenyuan stood with his hands behind his back, watching coldly.

His divine sense was firmly locked onto the camp on the opposite bank, and he would not interfere unless Tu Gang made a move.

On the high ground behind.

Zeng Ming stood on a piece of obsidian, his eyes slightly narrowed, watching the surge of spiritual energy erupting in front of him.

"Captain, a fight has broken out."

The law enforcement disciple beside him whispered.

"Hmph, at least Su Chenyuan knows what's good for him."

Zeng Ming's lips curled into a cruel smile: "Keep a close eye on them and see how long these useless trash from the Qingyun Sect can hold out."

In the center of the battlefield.

The two armies clashed violently.

"kill!"

Countless talismans exploded, and fire, lightning, and frost intertwined to create a dazzling spectacle of death. Flying swords and demonic artifacts collided, producing deafening metallic clangs.

The scene was extremely grand.

However, upon closer inspection, one can discover that this seemingly brutal battle is imbued with a strange tacit understanding.

Li Jianfeng unleashed a sword strike, its blade stretching ten zhang in length, its power terrifying. The demonic cultivator opposite him let out a strange cry, seemingly forced back by the sword energy, but in reality, the sword energy grazed his scalp and flew into the air, without even severing a single hair.

The demonic cultivator threw a ball of explosive demonic fire at Li Jianfeng's face.

Li Jianfeng dodged to the side, and the demonic fire slammed into the open ground behind him, blasting a large crater and sending dirt flying, which was quite impressive.

"Firing blanks? I'm a pro at that!"

Tu Gang stood at the rear of the camp, looking at the colorful spells in the sky, and grinned.

"Push those 'goods' up there!"

Tu Gang waved his hand.

Soon, dozens of ragged, dazed figures were driven to the front of the battle by the demonic cultivators.

These people were all dressed in the blue robes of the Qingyun Sect, and they were the Xuantian Sect prisoners who had been tortured to the point of being emaciated.

"Go to hell!"

The demonic cultivators wielded their swords without mercy, or unleashed wide-range destructive spells.

Blood and flesh flew everywhere.

The screams were incessant.

When the disciples of Qingyun Sect saw this scene, they were initially shocked, thinking that the Demonic Sect had broken its promise and was going to kill them.

But soon they discovered that although the people who were killed were wearing Qingyun Sect clothes, they were complete strangers and were not their fellow disciples at all.

The deacons leading the group immediately transmitted their voices: "Maintain formation! Keep casting spells! Those are scapegoats sent by the Demonic Sect!"

The disciples suddenly realized what was happening and unleashed their spells even more vigorously. Some even began to cooperate with the demonic cultivator's "performance," pretending to be blown away by the shockwave, rolling around on the ground a few times, and then getting up covered in dust to continue the "fight."

In the midst of a chaotic battle.

Dozens of thick, scarlet chains, like venomous snakes emerging from their holes, precisely pierced through the crowd and wrapped around the waists of Li Jianfeng, Wang Changsheng, and twenty-five other core disciples.

"ah--!"

Li Jianfeng let out a scream in perfect unison, and without even struggling, he was dragged backward by the chains and pulled deep into the Demon Sect's camp.

This scene was witnessed by Zeng Ming on a distant high ground.

Zeng Ming saw it clearly: those twenty-odd people were captured alive by the Demonic Sect, without even a chance to resist.

"Useless is useless; it couldn't even hold on this quickly."

Zeng Ming sneered repeatedly, but inwardly he was overjoyed. Being captured by the Demonic Sect would be worse than death, and the Qingyun Sect had suffered a heavy loss this time.

The fierce battle lasted for two full hours.

Until both sides had exhausted most of their spiritual energy, the light and shadow of the spells became sparse.

"Sound the retreat! Retreat!"

Su Chenyuan issued the order at the opportune moment.

The disciples of Qingyun Sect felt as if they had been granted a pardon and retreated hastily on their swords, appearing to be in complete disarray.

The demonic cultivators did not give chase; they simply stood on the shore, emitting arrogant laughter and insults.

Half an hour later.

Outside the main tent of the Qingyun Sect's commander.

Two thousand disciples who participated in the battle sat sprawled on the ground, all of them exhausted of spiritual energy, covered in dust, and many of them were also "wounded".

On the open ground, fifty-eight mangled corpses were neatly arranged.

Zeng Ming led his supervisory team and swaggered over.

Su Chenyuan's face was ashen, his eyes filled with grief and anger.

"Captain Zeng, are you satisfied?"

Su Chenyuan's voice was hoarse, "Our sect's two thousand disciples fought fiercely for two hours, with fifty-eight killed and over three hundred wounded. Furthermore, twenty-five core disciples were captured by the Demonic Sect and their whereabouts are unknown!"

Zeng Ming walked up to the corpse and looked down at it.

Each corpse was dressed in Qingyun Sect clothing, but their faces were all disfigured by sword energy or demonic fire, making them unrecognizable.

Zeng Ming squatted down, reached out, and probed the pulse point of a corpse.

A faint trace of spiritual energy remains.

Zeng Ming raised an eyebrow slightly. The residual spiritual energy was indeed from a righteous cultivation method.

He stood up, dusted off his hands, and a satisfied, cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Well played."

Zeng Ming said in a flippant tone, "Although the casualties were heavy, we still managed to show the spirit of our righteous path. Elder Su, let the disciples rest for a while. There are still tough battles to fight later."

After saying that, Zeng Ming led his men away, satisfied.

Watching Zeng Ming's disappearing figure, Su Chenyuan and Zheng Yifei exchanged a glance, a deep smile flashing in their eyes at the same time.

Meanwhile, on the opposite bank of the Blood Soul River, deep within the Heavenly Demon Sect's camp.

A small, jet-black flying boat silently took off and, under the cover of night, sped toward the headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

Inside the cabin of the flying boat, Li Jianfeng, Wang Changsheng, and twenty-five other core disciples of the Qingyun Sect had already changed into the black, close-fitting attire of demonic cultivators.

They looked at each other, their eyes filled not with fear, but with a fervent anticipation of the unknown mission.