Hee Lingchuan was startled, a lingering fear rising in his heart. Sunx Fuping’s plot had almost wiped them out. If fortune hadn’t been on their side, this day next year would have been the anniversary of the Hee father and son’s deaths.

Still, he wasn’t worried about Sunx Fuping turning the tables now. ’After casting so many spells and taking so much damage, that old geezer must be completely spent, right?’

Situ Han added, "Our coordination with the Black Flood Dragon has Nian Songyu just about ready to spit blood from frustration."

Hee Lingchuan glanced down and saw it was true. The tide of battle below had turned. The Great Wind Army, coordinating with the Black Flood Dragon, was viciously suppressing Nian Songyu. From atop the city walls, the Black Water City Army would even fire a few rounds from the Crossbow Cannons from time to time to provide support.

"Is that still a Flood Dragon?" Hee Lingchuan had also noticed something unusual about the Black Flood Dragon. "That’s a Dragon, isn’t it?"

The last time he had left, the Black Flood Dragon, though called a "Flood Dragon," was really more like a great, horned serpent. Looking at it now, it had actually grown four legs, its sharp horns had forked into branches, and a long fin had even sprouted along its spine.

In short, this was a Dragon!

Even though he had come to this strange new world, Hee Lingchuan had never expected to see a real Dragon with his own eyes in his lifetime.

They were said to be creatures that lived in the Spirit Mountain Marshes, and no one had encountered one in nearly a thousand years.

"How did it change?"

"The Great Wind Army was absorbed into its body—thirty thousand troops in all," Situ Han said, scratching his head. "And then it turned into this."

After becoming a Dragon, the great serpent’s form actually shrank by a size, making it appear far more agile.

However, its main task was no longer to engage in melee combat. Instead, it chanted one Talisman after another, stacking various Divine Technique buffs on the Great Wind Army and summoned creatures like the Demon Apes that were besieging Nian Songyu.

There were buffs to make its allies as light as swallows, grant them Infinite Strength, or give them thick, durable hides... It threw auras all over the battlefield, causing individual combat power to skyrocket. A soldier who could originally fight one opponent could now take on at least three.

And don’t forget, they had only one opponent. As the army’s strength grew, his waned in comparison. For Nian Songyu, every second felt like a year.

This whole spectacle left the living people on the city gate utterly dumbfounded.

Situ Han couldn’t help but remark, "Isn’t it doing the National Preceptor’s job now?"

Isn’t this exactly the kind of work the National Preceptor does on a battlefield? This type of mass-buffing spell was called a Blessing Technique. The more people it covered, the higher the consumption of Magical Power. Even at his peak, Sunx Fuping, as the National Preceptor, would be utterly exhausted after casting it three or four times—and that was just to cover a force of a thousand men.

It was no match for this Black Dragon, which cast spells as easily as drinking water. Its Magical Power seemed limitless.

Looking at Nian Songyu from this perspective, Hee Lingchuan found himself admiring the man, despite him being in constant peril and barely holding on. ’If I were in his place, swarmed by the Great Wind Army like that, I’d probably be turned into paste under their hooves in the very first clash, wouldn’t I?’

Yet Nian Songyu had maintained this high-intensity battle for over a quarter of an hour, unleashing every unimaginable technique in his arsenal. It was hard to say whether they were Martial Arts or Divine Techniques, but in any case, the people on the wall were left dazzled.

The ground of the South City Gate Square had been gouged out to a depth of nearly ten feet, though it was unclear whether this was the work of one side or the result of their struggle.

Nian Songyu himself was drenched in blood, wounds large and small gushing without pause, yet he was forced to continue the intense fight. Earlier, he had healed Sunx Fuping’s injuries with a mere wave of his hand, but now he couldn’t use the same ability on himself. Clearly, the high-intensity battle had drained the last of its reserves.

The Black Dragon was trying to persuade him. "Your flesh-husk is about to collapse. Why not come out and surrender? You can avoid any more suffering."

Nian Songyu shattered a giant Demon Ape with a backhand blow and gritted his teeth. "So it was a trap! You intended to lure our Clones down all along."

The words had barely left his mouth when the Commander of the Great Wind Army broke through with his saber and severed his left arm!

Blood spurted like a fountain. Nian Songyu staggered back two steps, feeling dizzy, his vision blurring. He had to use his blade as a crutch just to stay upright.

He had been fighting with Dual Blades this whole time. Now, with an arm severed, his combat power had plummeted by far more than half.

He was now completely drenched in blood, having lost more than half of it. Forget continuing the fight—even if he lay down for emergency treatment, his life could not be saved.

Nian Songyu’s body was ruined. Its gaze swept over the living people on the wall, but none were usable. These human bodies were all too fragile. Even if it were to forcefully possess one, the body would collapse within a few dozen breaths, let alone be able to withstand high-intensity combat.

And then, it saw Hee Lingchuan.

He was even less of a consideration. Its gaze didn’t linger, moving directly to the Black Dragon. "Don’t think your arrangement was flawless. If I hadn’t suffered two serious injuries in quick succession when I descended, our positions would surely be reversed!"

The Black Dragon looked down on him from above. "There are no ’if’s’ in battle."

"Fine." Nian Songyu threw down his weapon and spread his hands. "To think I would actually admit defeat to a mere Artifact Spirit!"

His surrender was remarkably clean-cut. He sat down cross-legged as if nothing was wrong, paying no mind to the blood still gushing from his wounds.

This wasn’t its body to begin with.

The Black Dragon, by contrast, remained very cautious. "Don’t get any funny ideas. You can’t escape from here, not even if you sprouted wings."

Outside, a Celestial God might be able to come and go as it pleased, but this Illusion Realm was like a sealed jar. If the Black Dragon didn’t lift the lid, no one could get out.

Nian Songyu’s face was as pale as a dead man’s—in fact, he wasn’t far from death—yet his expression grew calmer. "You must know what I want to ask. Since I’m dying, what’s the answer?"

The Black Dragon paused for a few seconds. "There is no answer. We are carrying out a final wish. We only want revenge."

Nian Songyu asked it, "Do you know who I am?"

"I don’t know, and I don’t care." The Black Dragon drifted closer, its massive head lowering. "Do you have any last words?"

"I do." Nian Songyu suddenly turned his head toward the city wall. "Hee Lingchuan, I say this on behalf of this flesh-husk: you’re not far from death. He will wait for you. And as for the rest of you—"

He was speaking to all the living people. "Only when the Black Dragon dies can you get out. You know that, don’t you?"

The bystanders were shocked.

Fuzzy Peach cried out, "How can that be? Didn’t it say..."

Hadn’t the Black Dragon already promised to let them out of the Illusion Realm?

Before he could finish speaking, his eyes suddenly glazed over. He reached out, snatched the saber from Hee Lingchuan’s waist, and viciously chopped down on the battlement!

The attack was so sudden that no one had time to react. Fuzzy Peach had already chopped down three times in rapid succession before Hee Lingchuan could even roar, "Stop!" Soldiers behind Fuzzy Peach rushed forward and firmly pinned his arms.

Only then did everyone realize that Fuzzy Peach had reversed the blade and was striking with its spine. Even so, he had managed to smash several gashes into the tamped-earth battlement, the deepest of which was over three inches.

He was truly using every ounce of his strength; his Tiger’s Mouth was torn from the impact. A normal person likely couldn’t even hold the saber steady with both hands after that.

Fuzzy Peach’s eyes were bloodshot, and he was panting heavily, HUFF, HUFF, struggling with all his might. Two or three men couldn’t even hold him down.

He brandished the Treasure Saber with one hand, and everyone else, wary of its Sharpness, dared not get close enough to snatch it away.

Meanwhile, the Black Dragon opened its massive, blood-red maw, swallowed Nian Songyu in a single gulp, and even gave a few vicious chews.