The Skeleton General reacted with astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, a layer of frost spread across his body and mount, forming a snow-white halo around them. From this halo, a deathly chill radiated outward, devoid of all life. It was the cold of death, a force that stripped away all vitality.
Divine Ability — Ring of Deathly Ice!!
This was a freezing power imbued with the force of death.
The two black and white giant serpents transformed from the Yin-Yang Shears slashed down, colliding directly with the Ring of Deathly Ice. This technique was not only a powerful offense but also a formidable defense. The ice it formed was completely lifeless, and the ring itself was incredibly durable, difficult to destroy.
Even touching it could freeze divine abilities on contact.
Crack!!
Yet, before the Yin-Yang Serpents, the aura of this deathly ice seemed entirely ineffective. Not even the cold could touch them. They were embodiments of pure Yin and Yang, and the Ring of Deathly Ice had no effect on them. The shears still radiated dazzling brilliance as they cut forward.
Yin-Yang Slices Dawn and Dusk!!
Crack!!
A sharp sound rang out as the deathly ice ring was split apart by the shears. However, it broke at a much slower rate than usual—an astonishing fact. The ring's resilience was such that even the Yin-Yang Shears struggled to cut through it. Still, it couldn't hold them back for more than a second.
Even the briefest delay was enough for a master to respond with deadly precision.
The Skeleton General, realizing the ring couldn't block the shears, had his eye flames flicker intensely. Without hesitation, he swung his warblade. The blade's flash severed the Yin-Yang Chains binding his mount. Freed from its restraints, the skeletal steed shimmered with a dreamlike black light, its body turning ghostly as it carried the general away from the shears with an eerie speed.
What the Yin-Yang Shears struck was only a fading illusion.
"He actually dodged it."
Yi Tianxing's pupils narrowed. The Yin-Yang Shears were terrifyingly fast. Among cultivators at the Divine Sea Realm, very few could evade them—and yet, the Skeleton General had.
The Yin-Yang Shears could even lock onto a target's qi signature. Once locked, escaping their edge was nearly impossible.
Clearly, during the escape, even his qi signature had vanished mysteriously, rendering the shears ineffective.
That speed—it came from the mount.
This steed was no ordinary creature. It possessed extraordinary powers.
It was incredibly strong.
If it launched an attack at full speed, its power would be a tremendous challenge.
"Such speed... and such strange divine abilities. This opponent won't be easy to deal with."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath. Black and white light flowed in his eyes as he locked his gaze on the Skeleton General, pushing his essence, energy, and spirit to the peak. A strong fighting spirit surged within him.
His enemy's strength didn't dampen his will to fight.
Whoosh!!
A layer of snow-white mist erupted from the Skeleton General's body. Moments later, countless bones materialized around him, forming circles of bone brambles that spread outward. Each bramble was lined with jagged bone blades, glinting with cold light. The aura of death from them was enough to wither all life.
Divine Ability — Bone Bramble!!
The terrifying brambles surged toward Yi Tianxing, turning the world into a forest of bones in an instant.
Woooooo!!
Suddenly, a deep and somber horn sounded from afar—without warning. It carried a sense of desolation and oppression, casting a shadow over the battlefield.
At the sound of the horn, the flames in the Skeleton General's eyes flickered. The Bone Bramble, which was closing in on Yi Tianxing, stopped mid-advance. It didn't move any farther.
"Retreat!!"
A cold voice echoed in the sky, seemingly piercing straight into the soul. The Skeleton General had spoken. His eye flames flickered violently as he stared coldly at Yi Tianxing. Reluctance lingered in his gaze, but he still lowered his blade, turned his mount, and began retreating along the path they had come.
Rumble...!!
The remaining skeletal cavalry still alive on the battlefield began to fall back. They didn't hesitate. Their obedience to commands seemed ingrained in their very souls. There was no resistance—just absolute loyalty.
They quickly regrouped around the Skeleton General.
Out of five thousand cavalry, fewer than one thousand managed to escape the battlefield.
Not a single one retreated unscathed.
They followed the Skeleton General, slowly vanishing down the path they came from.
Yi Tianxing didn't pursue. He simply watched the cavalry disappear into the forest.
"Hmph!!"
He snorted coldly, stomping the ground. A tremendous force burst forth, shattering the remaining Bone Bramble before him into pieces. The bone blades and spikes exploded into fragments. Even the ground shook and thundered.
"That was a retreat signal—something is summoning that Skeleton General."
Yang Ye approached Yi Tianxing with a grave expression.
It was clearly a signal for withdrawal.
But the horn's appearance cast a deeper shadow.
It revealed that the Skeleton General wasn't the true master of the Undead Army. Behind him stood a far more powerful force, an unimaginable entity. The army was part of a structured hierarchy—a terrifying faction. Even if the general didn't want to retreat, he had no choice upon hearing the horn.
That was not a good sign.
It meant a dreadful force lurked nearby. A powerful enemy.
"This wasn't a coincidence. There's definitely a secret behind the Undead Army. But now that they've withdrawn, there's no point in thinking too hard. This trial... should be over."
Yi Tianxing knew well that the army was tied to something far greater.
But even if there were secrets, he didn't have the strength to uncover them. Trying to investigate without the power to back it up would only bring disaster.
The appearance of the Undead Army was both a coincidence and an inevitability.
Besides, the battle had already cost the village dearly—far too many lives lost.
That was also why Yi Tianxing didn't give the order to pursue the Skeleton General further.
He simply didn't have the power to do so—nor could they afford more sacrifices.
He didn't want to lose more lives.
Surviving, accumulating strength, and growing stronger—that was the most important thing now.
In this new world, population was priceless.
To Yi Tianxing, his people were his greatest treasures.
Every death brought him pain. These were his citizens.
Yang Ye felt the same. This war had been about protecting Xuánhuáng Village. The enemy had withdrawn—there was no gain in chasing them. It would only lead to more casualties. To him, every soldier was precious.
"Clear the battlefield. Get the wounded to the Moon Well immediately—treat them with its waters to heal their injuries."
"As for the fallen... gather the bodies. Leave them to me."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, looking over the cold, lifeless corpses on the battlefield. They had given their lives to protect Xuánhuáng Village and its people.
They had faced death without fear.
They were true heroes and warriors.
He thought to himself, Death is not the end. You used your lives to protect the village and its growth. One day, the village will repay you—and on that day, you will return.
"The cavalry retreated—we won, we actually won!"
"Unbelievable! We defended Xuánhuáng Village! We stopped an undead army of hundreds of thousands and killed so many of them! It's like a dream!"
"This is the power of cultivators in war... It's incredible!"
"Look! The two arrow towers—they've grown taller again! Their aura is even stronger now. Have they grown stronger?"
On the walls and within the village, the people erupted in joyous celebration.
They knew all too well the psychological pressure that army of hundreds of thousands had brought. It was terrifying. Without a strong will and faith, many would have collapsed mentally.
No one could have imagined that today, they would inflict such heavy casualties on the undead.
And the casualties on their side had remained within acceptable limits—all thanks to cultivators and their powerful war tools.
Talisman arrows, flying spears, shields, ballistae—each had played a key role, combining to make the village's defenses so powerful that the skeletons never even reached the walls.
It was unbelievable.
Countless hearts surged with emotion.
This war marked a new era.
It had immeasurable significance.
And countless people now felt endless pride and confidence in being part of Xuanhuang Village.