Chapter 104: The Onslaught of Yellow Sands

Seven days later, the Yellow Sand Empire’s massive army stood at the doorstep. Among their formidable ranks were two top-tier combatants at the Nascent Soul stage, supported by nine others from various sects led by the Quicksand Blade Gate. With eleven Nascent Soul stage experts in total, their overwhelming military and sectarian strength far eclipsed that of the Great Xia Empire.

In stark contrast, the Great Xia defense was pitifully thin, consisting only of the imperial military and Chen Mu’s small entourage. The atmosphere was heavy with despair; the soldiers felt no confidence in the formation Chen Mu had deployed, especially when faced with the unprecedented sight of eleven Nascent Soul experts marching against them.

As the two armies faced off, the Yellow Sand Empire scoffed at the sight of only two Nascent Soul experts—Emperor Xiahou Longchen and General Li Huai—defending the Great Xia border. They felt their overkill was justified, mocking the fact that a nation so weakened that its own Emperor had to take the field was surely at its end. Chen Mu, despite being present, was ignored due to his seemingly low cultivation level at the peak of the Yuanji stage, his name known but his face unrecognized by the invaders.

General Dizhe of the Yellow Sand Empire stepped forward, sneering, "Has the Great Xia truly run out of men? I hear your nation has been plagued by chaos and internal strife, losing several Nascent Soul experts to a mere whelp. And now, the Emperor himself? How amusing. Surrender, and perhaps we shall show mercy."

Li Huai, his face dark with fury, retorted, "Do not be so arrogant, Dizhe! We are the sons of Great Xia, and we shall fight to the last drop of blood! You have shattered the peace treaty that has held for so long between our three nations; you are nothing but opportunists preying on our misfortune!"

Dizhe laughed coldly, "To the victor go the spoils. We seek only survival for our people, who wither in the harsh sands while you enjoy the bountiful lands of the Great Xia. It is a matter of necessity."

"Then I, too, fight for the survival of my people," Li Huai replied. "Enough talk. Let the battlefield decide."

Dizhe signaled the charge, and the Yellow Sand army surged forward. The Great Xia forces resisted desperately, but it was a one-sided slaughter. To maintain the ruse, the Great Xia army retreated toward the pre-arranged entrapment formation, drawing the enemy in. Emperor Xiahou Longchen engaged in brief skirmishes before retreating, feigning defeat to lure the eleven Nascent Soul experts deep into the trap.

Once all eleven experts were within the formation’s perimeter, Li Huai, stationed at the eye of the formation, activated it. Chen Mu had entrusted the control to Li Huai—not out of complete trust, but as a tactical safeguard to keep his own cards hidden from the Emperor.

Inside the formation, Dizhe realized they were trapped. "A mere formation?" he scoffed. "We shall crush it with our combined might!" But as they advanced, thick mist swallowed them, severing their connection to one another.

Panic set in as they realized the danger. Suddenly, lethal energy blades began to sweep through the formation. Thousands of soldiers were shredded instantly, and several Nascent Soul experts were severely wounded, with two suffering the loss of limbs. The realization dawned on them: this was not just a containment formation, but a terrifying killing array.

One arrogant expert attempted to force his way out, only to be instantly obliterated by the formation’s blades. Dizhe, now terrified, dared not move. He realized with dread that this must be the work of Chen Mu—the same man who had wiped out the Dao Alliance’s experts. He had underestimated the threat, never believing Chen Mu would reconcile with the Great Xia.

Outside the formation, the remaining Yellow Sand troops were in chaos. A barrier prevented anyone from escaping, and all attempts to attack the formation from the outside proved futile, as if their power were being swallowed by a bottomless void. The once-mighty invaders were now trapped in a nightmare of their own making.