The Night Shadows were like shadows hanging over them, impossible to shake off. With the area where their young master resided covered by formations, the Swift Shadow Clan members had no way to send messages back. They could only inform their fellow clansmen hidden in various small illusionary formations within the forest space, urging them to be cautious.
Compared to before, the hidden Swift Shadow Clan members were now far more vigilant, alert to every change in their surroundings. They feared that those elusive black-clad figures might suddenly appear behind them.
They had initially believed that hiding within the illusionary formations would keep them safe. However, while observing their surroundings from within the formations, they noticed a green-clad figure standing on a sturdy branch of a spiritual tree, silently watching them.
The Swift Shadow Clan members rushed out, intending to attack the figure in green armor. But in the blink of an eye, the figure vanished. Compared to the opponent's speed, their once-proud agility now seemed like the crawl of a tortoise. Their former pride in their speed was utterly shattered.
When they decided to give up the attack, they saw the green figure reappear in another spot, silently watching them, saying nothing.
This situation left the Swift Shadow Clan members feeling extremely frustrated. They were used to being the ones who could hide and make others feel helpless. This was the first time they had experienced such suffocating frustration.
Suddenly, they noticed that the green figure watching them had disappeared. What they didn't realize was that as the figure left, they extended a hand and gave a subtle signal.
In the shadow of a nearby spiritual tree, a black-gloved hand emerged from the darkness, meeting the green figure's hand in a silent handshake.
The green figure left, and the illusionary formation around them quietly dissipated, though the Swift Shadow Clan members didn't know when it had been destroyed.
The exposed Swift Shadow Clan members felt a chill creep over them. Fearful, they activated their clan's innate ability to hide their presence and fled.
But one of them had barely moved when a black-clad figure, face hidden behind a dark mask and hood, suddenly appeared right in front of them. Those blood-red eyes, devoid of any emotion, stared at them.
"Ah!"
A scream echoed through the forest, lingering for a long time before finally fading away.
Elsewhere, another group of Swift Shadow Clan members, hurrying to provide support, kept glancing back, trying to see if the green figure was still following them.
When they no longer saw the figure, they sighed in relief. Little did they know what had befallen the comrades they were rushing to help.
Gales pinpointed the Swift Shadow Clan members' locations, using harassment to gauge their strength and habits before passing this information to the Night Shadows.
When the Gales left, it was the Night Shadows' turn to strike.
The seamless cooperation between Gale and Night Shadow perfectly executed Lin Qian's command: "Eliminate every hidden Swift Shadow Clan member in the forest space. Leave none alive!"
Given the Swift Shadow Clan and Formless Clan's plan to refine the humans and Sea Clans into blood essence, Lin Qian couldn't let them go unpunished.
While Gale and Night Shadow carried out their mission, Lin Qian and his group finally arrived at the human fortress.
From a distance, the grandeur and magnificence of the human fortress were unmatched among the four clans' buildings. Its footprint alone was more than twice that of the Swift Shadow Clan's fortress.
This was a testament to how powerful the human race had been on Soul Martial Continent during Yuan Xiang's time. However, the great war had severely weakened all the clans, especially the humans, who were now a shadow of their former glory.
In front of the vast human fortress, many people had already gathered. Small groups confronted one another, creating a tense atmosphere.
As for the fortress gates, they were slightly ajar, with only a narrow gap. It was clear that someone had opened the doors, but they hadn't been fully opened due to the standoff.
When Lin Qian's group arrived, they made quite an entrance. All eyes turned toward them as the nine blazing-hoofed warhorses descended from the sky, leaving a trail of flames.
The sound of hooves striking the ground accompanied by the hissing of scorched earth filled the air as Lin Qian and his companions stepped down from the carriage.
All the human elites present turned their attention to Lin Qian's group. A new force entering the scene meant everyone would be watching, concerned about how it might affect their own interests.
"Brother, it's him!" As soon as Lin Qian and his companions landed, a sharp, angry voice rang out from the front.
Lin Qian turned toward the voice and saw none other than the imperial-dressed woman, Qin Yiyi, the Fifth Princess of the Qin Dynasty.
Qin Yiyi's furious and piercing shout drew the attention of many others, who now looked curiously at Lin Qian. They had heard rumors that the Qin Dynasty's spoiled Fifth Princess had suffered some grievance, and her four attendants had all died. It seemed this young man was the one responsible.
Many onlookers grinned, eager to watch the drama unfold.
Standing next to Qin Yiyi was a young man dressed in a gold-embroidered robe, crowned with a golden headpiece, exuding an extraordinary aura.
Behind this young man stood five figures wearing golden masks, their presence formidable, each one at the Force Realm of the Life and Death Stage. As for the young man himself, he was a Heart Realm expert of the Life and Death Stage.
"That's Qin Feiyu, the Third Prince of the Qin Dynasty," Lin Qian's companion, Li Yunfeng, said gravely. "This guy is no joke. Even at the Breaking Void Realm, he could slaughter ordinary Life and Death Realm experts. Lin Laodi, be careful."
"Even though we are both in the Heart Realm, I can't guarantee I could beat him."
Li Yunfeng's words gave Lin Qian a clearer picture of Qin Feiyu's strength.
"With you and me here, he won't be able to do anything," Yang Tianhao, standing beside Li Yunfeng, said coldly as he stared at Qin Feiyu.
Li Yunfeng's eyes lit up with fighting spirit, his voice tinged with excitement. "Not just him—none of the people here are pushovers. This South Conference is really something!"
Qin Feiyu, standing next to Qin Yiyi, locked eyes with Lin Qian for a long time before sneering. "Get lost. This place isn't for the likes of you."
As Qin Feiyu's words fell, laughter erupted from the two groups beside him.
The other onlookers remained curious, eager to see how Lin Qian would respond.