Chapter 60: Prisoner Among the Vengeful Spirits

Mao Tao, though clearly understanding, maintained the same blank expression as the others; the boy wasn't foolish.

"I don't know many Baling characters, so it's a bit hard for me to read," Mao Tao began. "However, Tao Bo requested that whoever unearths the notes send them to Baling Kingdom, promising a generous reward. He also seemed to imply that, judging from this illusion, a deity has indeed fallen."

He Lingchuan’s heart skipped a beat. "Mitian?" he whispered.

It seemed Baling Kingdom knew more details, which was logical, considering it had been a belligerent nation in those times.

"I can't make out those few characters," Mao Tao said with a wry smile. "Also, the Grand Flask might not be movable."

He Lingchuan's expression changed. "Are you certain?" he asked.

They had endured such hardships and risks to come here, all to retrieve the Grand Flask. If the flask couldn't be moved, wouldn't their efforts be in vain?

And what about the battle at Woling Pass?

The question had barely formed in his mind before it startled him.

Since when had he become so invested in Yuan Kingdom's military situation?

"I wasn't very sure, which is why I hesitated to say anything," Mao Tao mumbled. "I only attended school for three years. If I'd known this, I wouldn't have slept so much in class." He lamented the proverb: one regrets not having studied enough only when knowledge is needed.

"Anything else?" He Lingchuan stroked his chin, pondering. Grand Advisor Sun must have also seen those words but chose to remain silent.

Did the old man feel confident about retrieving the Grand Flask, or did he have other plans in mind?

"Also, Tao Bo believed there's a powerful entity within this realm," Mao Tao added, somewhat embarrassed. "I can't understand most of the other characters, so I shouldn't make wild guesses."

A powerful entity? "Are we talking about some peeping tom hiding in a corner?"

Mao Tao shrugged, having no answer. "Brother Chuan, why didn't the Grand Advisor mention any of this?"

"Perhaps he believes we don't need to know," He Lingchuan replied, changing the subject. "How long have we been setting fires?"

"Uh, a little over an hour?"

"It's time to head back."

"But the north is still..."

He Lingchuan cut him off. "The north might not be important."

How did the young master know the north wasn't important? "The houses to the north haven't burned," Mao Tao said nervously. "I'm worried the Grand Advisor will question it." Outside, Mao Tao would certainly follow He Lingchuan's lead without question, but in this place...

"Young Master, please don't get me into trouble."

"Let's go back first," He Lingchuan said with a smile. "If the illusion still hasn't broken, I'll definitely accompany you to the north. Are you afraid those two will devour you?"

This hit a nerve with Mao Tao, making him visibly shiver. As the weakest of the four, he needed to ally himself with someone if he didn't want to be the first one eliminated.

By then, all the alcohol, oil, and charcoal they had collected along the way were depleted. Mao Tao no longer objected, so they discarded the handcart and headed towards the South Gate.

"Young Master, shouldn't we just go straight?" Mao Tao asked. Why were they taking a detour, practically hugging the eastern city wall?

"Just follow me, and less chatter," He Lingchuan instructed. He couldn't explain why, but the further south they moved, the more his heart felt heavy and uneasy.

It felt as though a great calamity was imminent.

He chose this route because the buildings on the east side were tall and the river network dense, offering good cover for concealment.

With both the east and west sides of the city engulfed in flames, the air was thick with the scent of impending doom.

Outside the Thunder Summoning Formation, a vast, dark mass of heroic spirits stretched as far as the eye could see.

Common vengeful spirits had long since been pushed aside, leaving only the Great Wind Army to completely encircle the area. Their formation was disciplined, and they stood as still and profound as an abyss, the initial berserk appearance they had upon emerging from the well completely gone.

In life and death, they remained a formidable army.

Imagine the immense pressure on the living, being silently stared down by tens of thousands of the deceased.

The Blackwater City soldiers felt their scalps prickle, unsure if it was from fear or the electrical energy in the air. Could the formation truly protect them against such a vast host of military spirits? He Chunhua frequently had to raise his voice to encourage his men: "Fear not, worry not! The heavenly thunder is enough to keep us safe! Our steadfast stand here is our fight for the nation!"

Indeed, lightning serpents coiled and pulsed along the ground's rune formation, serving as a silent warning to both friend and foe of its formidable, latent power.

The earlier incident, where a small squad leader’s thrown spear was disintegrated by the heavenly lightning without harming anyone inside the formation, had reassured everyone. But now they realized that this force not only thought and assessed the situation but also knew to dispatch units to seek reinforcements.

The vast army now amassed outside the formation certainly didn't appear to be mere spectators. If their numbers continued to grow, they would likely launch an assault. This was everyone's greatest fear:

While the Heavenly Thunder Formation was undeniably powerful, it was ultimately activated by human effort, like a lever. If the heavenly thunder's power was a ten, their side needed to supply at least a one, didn't it? Could the morale of these hundred-odd people, combined with the Prefect's Imperial Decree, hold out until the Grand Advisor emerged?

Even He Chunhua felt his heart pounding with anxiety.

The heroic spirit army's assembly was clearly intended to overwhelm their opponents through sheer presence. As the adage goes, the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. This meant they surely had further tactics planned.

Additionally, He Chunhua was especially concerned about his eldest son inside the well.

Given that Nian and Sun harbored ill intentions toward the He family father and son, He Chunhua worried if his son, alone inside, would face severe danger. Though he had sent Zeng Feixiong and others in, he wondered how many perilous mechanisms lay within and whether He Lingchuan could manage them.

He Chunhua silently prayed that his eldest son, a fortunate general, would overcome all dangers, yet he couldn't shake off his anxiety. If He Lingchuan were to meet with misfortune, what would become of them then?

"What's happening?"

"Are there prisoners even among the vengeful spirits?" A sudden commotion among his subordinates broke He Chunhua's train of thought. He looked up, equally surprised.

The Great Wind Army parted, creating a path, and then pushed hundreds of vengeful spirits forward from behind.

These were the initial souls that had emerged from the well, some human-shaped, others bizarre, and over half of them were clad in military uniforms, appearing to be soldiers from other factions.

"Allied forces—they're the military souls of the Immortal-Baling Allied Army." Indeed, the war on the Panlong Wilderness had been stalemated for thirty-two years, and this meat grinder had claimed not only the lives of Xiluo nationals but also countless allied soldiers.

They too had long lain in eternal slumber on this blood-stained land, only to be collected by the Grand Flask, finding no peace even in death.

These vengeful spirits, originally wailing and hissing with resentment, were now driven by the Great Wind Army and appeared surprisingly distraught. The heavenly lightning coursing through the formation ahead made them sense their ultimate bane.

He Chunhua’s expression changed. "The Great Wind Army intends to drive them to charge the formation!" he exclaimed.

No sooner had he spoken than a command from the Great Wind Army reverberated across the plains. As expected, swords and spears were drawn, forcing the vengeful spirits to charge forward. These hundreds of spirits, their eyes glowing red, spun in place for a moment before, against all heavenly might, they surged forward.

The formation instantly activated; upon colliding with the heavenly thunder barrier, they were obliterated, their souls scattered.

Even so, the vengeful spirits continued to surge forward, one after another.

The living watched as the formation pulsed with light and thunder roared, while the Great Wind Army outside remained poised, leaving the onlookers deeply unsettled.

In battles or sieges, armies sometimes push prisoners of war to the front lines as human shields. Opponents hesitate to attack, giving the attacking side an advantage. This cruel yet effective tactic has been employed throughout military history.