Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Heavens Are Blind, and the World Is Ignorant

Page 1 of 3

Night had deepened, yet within Celestial River City the bustle only grew louder.

Zhang Jiufeng was being carried by a group of cultivators, receiving treatment for his injuries as they went, spreading news to everyone along the way.

Whether settled residents or cultivators from distant factions, all soon received the shocking news.

The Crow Army was abducting civilians.

As if that weren’t enough, they were targeting cultivators as well.

This was crossing a line!

“Fellow Daoists, my younger brother went out to buy wine and has not returned—surely he’s been seized by the Crow Army. I beg you, please stand up for justice and help me seek redress!”

“My uncle-master has also vanished. When we arrived at Tianjiao Valley he warned us to be cautious and never leave alone without notice, yet now he is missing.”

“Please, help me! My wife is gone as well. I was drunk a moment ago and, in a haze, heard her say she was going to have her hair done, but she hasn’t returned, and there’s no sign of her.”

“Outrageous! Does the Crow Army really think they can do as they please and act with impunity?”

“Let’s go! We’ll confront Qi Ming and the Crow Army and demand an explanation.”

“If they won’t return our people, this won’t end here!”

A crowd gathered, quickly swelling to nearly ten thousand strong, surging toward Qi Ming’s residence.

But when they arrived, they found it empty—the mansion was pitch dark, not a soul within.

“Everyone, it’s bad! Qi Tianjiao is at the city gate, he’s dispatched three thousand Crow Army soldiers to seal the gates!” a cultivator stumbled in, shouting in alarm.

“What? The city is sealed?”

“He’s dispatched all three thousand Crow Army soldiers to block the city?”

“Damn it, what is he planning?”

Though angry on the surface, anxiety and unease were already spreading in their hearts.

How dared Qi Ming do such a thing?

Celestial River City wasn’t just home to resident cultivators—disciples from factions across the Four Continents were present as well.

He might not fear a few factions, but dozens? No matter their size, together they formed a formidable force.

Was he not afraid of trouble?

“To the city gate!”

Someone’s voice rang out, and the massive crowd marched toward the gate.

By then, the three thousand Crow Army soldiers were already fully armed and assembled, occupying both the gates and the walls.

Qi Ming reclined calmly on a rocking chair, eyes fixed on the approaching crowd, which grew as more cultivators joined along the way.

“A rabble with no sense of their own mortality,” Qi Ming sneered, unconcerned.

His Crow Army was forged in battle—every soldier a hardened veteran. In formation, their strength was unmatched. They had once, three thousand strong, slaughtered tens of thousands of demon beasts on the battlefield.

The cultivators hastily gathered in Celestial River City were, for the most part, barely at the Qi Refining stage. Qi Ming did not regard them as any threat.

“General, with so many people, should we ready the Black Feather for action?” a deputy asked in a low voice.

Smack! In an instant, a red palm mark appeared on the deputy’s face. He hadn’t even seen Qi Ming move before his cheek was left burning and stinging.

“To deal with this rabble, you want to waste our warship’s fuel? Do you think fuel grows on the wind? Fool!” Qi Ming’s simmering anger erupted.

“Your subordinate acknowledges his mistake,” the deputy knelt on one knee, apologizing at once.

He’d only wanted to be thorough, to prepare for any contingency. After all, the council of the Four Continents knew nothing of their current operations. If word leaked, none of them would be spared.

“Look, the rabble arrives,” Qi Ming’s anger faded, replaced by a kindly smile.

He rose from his rocking chair, stepped atop the city wall, and gazed down at the throng below.

“Is it so late, yet none of you rest?” he asked with a smile.

Many cultivators halted, raising their heads to look at him.

One stepped forward, supporting the pale Zhang Jiufeng, and spoke in a deep voice: “General Qi, regarding tonight’s events—do you not owe us an explanation?”

“Many things have happened tonight. Which one would you like an explanation for?” Qi Ming replied, still smiling.

“There’s no need for pretense, General Qi. We all know why we’re here. The Crow Army abducted our people in secret and now has sealed the city gates. What are you truly planning?”

“Oh?” Qi Ming’s smile faded slightly. “No need for pretense? Very well.”

He drew a jade slip from his robes, inscribed with the four characters “Council of the Four Continents” and an official seal.

A wisp of spiritual energy flowed from his fingertip into the slip. Instantly, a beam of light projected into the air, forming lines of text.

Page 2 of 3

“Due to the weakening of Tianjiao Valley’s seal, Qi Ming is hereby ordered to lead three thousand Crow Army soldiers, transporting ten thousand death row prisoners as blood sacrifices, to Celestial River City to reinforce the seal…”

Upon reading this, the cultivators realized the Crow Army’s purpose in Celestial River City was not mere garrison duty, but to strengthen the seal.

“No! The council’s decree clearly states you were to bring ten thousand condemned prisoners for the blood sacrifice. Why have you been secretly seizing people in the city?”

Someone immediately challenged him.

Others’ faces turned ashen. “You’re taking ordinary folk and our fellow cultivators to serve as blood sacrifices?”

“That’s right. Is there a problem?” Qi Ming replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, openly admitting it.

The crowd was stunned, caught off guard by his bluntness.

Standing on the wall, Qi Ming shrugged. “Indeed, we had ten thousand condemned prisoners, but lost several thousand along the way. Now we lack enough for the blood sacrifice, and the seal in Celestial River City cannot be reinforced. What am I to do? Should I return to the council in disgrace and beg for more prisoners?

“You say you understand the situation. For years, peace in the Four Continents and Tianjiao Valley has depended on our defense at the borders, sacrificing our lives in battle against demon beasts. Now, with the seal weakening, what’s wrong with seizing a few people here for the blood sacrifice? Is that excessive? Is it a crime?

“The problem is you! You’re selfish, happy to enjoy the peace yet unwilling to shed a drop of blood. Do you even deserve to live in Celestial River City? Do you have the right to question me?”

Qi Ming’s voice thundered, righteous and indignant.

Many opened their mouths to retort, but no words came. Silence fell.

He continued, “I’ve already shown mercy. The blood of ordinary mortals is weak—it takes ten to equal one proper sacrifice. Tonight, we seized so many mortals precisely to spare you cultivators from paying with your lives. Yet you disappoint me, taking your advantage and complaining—do you really think I dare not kill you?”

With this, a tremendous aura surged from him, looming over the crowd.

Many cultivators quailed, unable to meet his gaze, a nameless terror rising in their hearts.

But some were enraged, unable to accept it, and shouted, “Qi Ming, do you intend to slaughter the city?”

He laughed. “You still don’t understand, do you? Tianjiao Valley is already sealed off. Until the Crow Army departs, no power or person from outside can enter. If I truly slaughtered the city and later claimed the seal broke and demons escaped to kill everyone, who would doubt me?”

He smiled. “But…I’ll give you a choice. Anyone who brings me a severed head and climbs this wall will be spared. Consider it your token of loyalty—your only chance at survival.”

Horror seized the crowd.

He wanted them to kill one another?

Fearful, many shrank back, wary of betrayal from those beside them.

“Fellow Daoists, don’t be deceived! We are more than ten thousand strong—should we fear his three thousand Crow Army soldiers? If we break through the gates and tell the world, tell the council, only they will die!”

But none answered him.

All avoided his gaze, turning away.

Some wished to respond but dared not be first.

Each told themselves: if one person takes the lead, I’ll join them.

But no one did. If they stepped forward alone, would they not be marked by Qi Ming and doomed?

Most felt only terror and despair.

“It’s hopeless. What use are numbers? Most of us are only at the Qi Refining stage!”

“Exactly, be realistic! With wards sealing the skies, we can’t fly, and the gates are blocked—how do we break through?”

“Besides, it’s the Crow Army at the gates—each one can face ten at once. We can’t possibly get past them.”

“They’re all battle-hardened killers, utterly ruthless. We’re no match for them.”

Voices of retreat and fear rose from the crowd.

A scream shattered the tense silence.

Someone had acted at last—a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator drove his sword through a Qi Refining cultivator ahead of him.

With a flash of sword light, the victim’s head tumbled to the ground, seized by the killer who darted to the base of the wall.

“Wang Hu, you killed my junior brother!” a cultivator shrieked from the crowd.

Bang! In the next instant, the shrieking cultivator was blasted away—his body flew, but his head remained, severed in a flash.

He had been outraged by his junior brother’s murder, but in a blink, his own head was taken.

Another success—another head carried to the wall.

“Kill!”

A cry erupted from the crowd.

In a heartbeat, spells blazed forth.

Everyone struck at once—spells cast, blades flashed, each targeting someone they had already marked.

The square was plunged into chaotic slaughter, spells raining in every direction.

Screams and roars filled the air.

On the city wall, Qi Ming folded his arms behind his back, watching as more and more people climbed the wall bearing severed heads, pledging allegiance—the corners of his mouth curled in derision.

Page 3 of 3

Fools—did you truly think bringing me a head would spare your lives?

…

“General, several people have come forward with severed heads, requesting an audience with you on urgent matters,” a soldier soon reported.

Qi Ming glanced over—just beyond the wall stood several cultivators, each holding a head.

The leader was familiar—he’d just been supporting Zhang Jiufeng and rallying the crowd to storm the gate.

Now, he and a few companions approached, heads in hand.

Most amusing of all, the head he carried belonged to Zhang Jiufeng himself.

“Well, isn’t this amusing—hahaha!” Qi Ming laughed, beckoning them over.

They hurried forward.

The one holding Zhang Jiufeng’s head dropped to his knees, crying, “I failed to recognize the situation earlier. Please, General Qi, forgive me!”

“For that head in your hand, I’ll certainly forgive you,” Qi Ming replied with a sinister smile.

“I dare not presume, General. But my companions and I have urgent information and hope to atone for our crimes with merit,” the cultivator replied hastily.

“Oh? Speak.”

“Reporting, General—Zhang Jiufeng previously confided to us that he escaped the Crow Army because a fiend appeared. Three Crow Army soldiers pursuing him were slain by this fiend.”

“What?” Qi Ming was startled—the three slain soldiers had been killed by a fiend?

“General, there’s more,” the cultivator continued.

“Out with it!” Qi Ming’s brow furrowed.

“Die, you monster!” The group had crept close; suddenly, they shouted, spiritual energy surging as they struck at Qi Ming.

Whoosh!

A streak of red light shot out, piercing through them.

Their bodies froze, spiritual energy dissipating, eyes glazing over.

“The seal…how…?” They were shaken to the core, unable to believe it.

“Fools. You dare ambush me?” Qi Ming sneered, flexing the red bracelet on his wrist. The red light returned, transforming into a tiny red bird with a hooked golden beak, no bigger than a thumb.

It landed on his wrist and bit down, piercing his veins to suck his blood before turning to red light and vanishing into the bracelet.

“A Spirit-Sealing Falcon? You…dare keep such a wicked creature?” the cultivators gasped in terror, still paralyzed.

The Spirit-Sealing Falcon was infamous, able to seal spiritual power and block meridians—a truly nefarious weapon.

“Ignorant fools,” Qi Ming spat, drawing his sword with a hiss and swinging it at their necks.

The leader’s eyes grew wet. He shouted, “Brother Zhang died for righteousness, and still we’ve disappointed him. Brother, I’m coming to join you! What saviors—what Tianjiao to rescue Azure Gift Continent—nothing but lies! Heaven is blind, the people are fools!”

Swish!

The sword flashed; heads fell.

“Fools, all of you,” Qi Ming muttered with disgust, flinging aside his bloodied sword and returning to his rocking chair, watching the carnage below with a smile.

Below the wall, a few cultivators watched the scene above, veins bulging with fury, eyes bloodshot.

“Brother Li…they failed,” a woman said tremulously.

“Brother Zhang died for nothing,” another whispered, tears of rage streaming down his face.

“As Brother Li said—heaven is blind, the people are fools, to believe those so-called heroes came to save Azure Gift Continent.”

“They’re the real plague!”

“Let’s kill them! If we’re doomed anyway, at least we’ll take some of them down with us.”

“Kill!”

Gripping their fists, they prepared to charge the gates.

Boom—

Suddenly, a thunderous explosion sounded outside the city, the very ground trembling.

All fighting ceased; cultivators stared about in shock and confusion.

On the city wall, Qi Ming’s face changed. He leapt from his chair, eyes sharp as arrows, turning toward the Black Feather warship anchored outside the city.

The great ship was already aloft, black sails unfurled.

From each side of the giant crow-shaped prow, a hundred immortal cannons extended, their muzzles aimed directly at the Crow Army on the wall.

“Damn it! Who’s moving my Black Feather warship?!” Qi Ming’s furious roar echoed across Celestial River City.