Outside Tianren City, on the great road, the dense army was deathly silent.
All eyes were focused on Ye Ling, filled with disbelief.
Some soldiers were so stunned they forgot to breathe!
Tian Xiong... was dead just like that?
Many present could not accept this fact, especially with how swiftly Tian Xiong had died!
There was no time for anyone to react!
In the midst of the army, Guan Hu, mounted on his warhorse, saw the headless corpse lying before Ye Ling. He was so terrified that he fell from his horse, his face ashen.
Ignoring the astonished gazes of the soldiers around him, he pointed at Ye Ling's figure and stammered, "I, I told you... he, he's a great demon! We can't afford to offend him!"
"Everything is over now! Tian Xiong is dead! We are all doomed!"
Guan Hu cried out in alarm, and like a stone thrown into a calm lake, his words stirred up a massive uproar in the army!
All the soldiers snapped back to reality at that moment, finally understanding that Tian Xiong was dead!
With no leader, the disciplined army descended into chaos. Many even began to discard their armor and flee the scene!
In the Nine Heavens Realm, there were countless beings beyond their imagination. Those figures could manipulate clouds and rain, move mountains and fill seas with a mere flick of their fingers.
Whether it was a hundred thousand or a million soldiers, in their eyes, they were no more than a puff of wind!
And now, Ye Ling, who had killed Tian Xiong with a single hand, was clearly one of those supreme beings!
Such a person could not be defeated by sheer numbers.
For a time, the morale of the Tianren City army plummeted, and they no longer wished to fight.
At this moment, A Yu, standing at the entrance of the inn, watched the fleeing army and couldn't help but rub her eyes. She looked at Ye Ling's retreating back with disbelief and asked in a trembling voice, "Little Ye Zi, you just..."
However, Ding Dang, who often slept with Ye Ling, was not surprised that Ye Ling could do such a thing. It walked out of the inn with an air of pride, rubbed its head against Ye Ling, and then looked at A Yu, as if seeking credit.
If it hadn't insisted on carrying Ye Ling back three months ago, they wouldn't be so glorious today.
Ye Ling smiled and stroked Ding Dang's head, then said to A Yu with a smile, "A Yu, although I know you have many questions right now, let me finish dealing with these matters first, and then we'll talk properly."
A Yu nodded subconsciously, "Oh."
Ye Ling patted Ding Dang's head again and instructed, "Ding Dang, go protect A Yu."
"Roar!"
Ding Dang roared excitedly, then retreated happily to A Yu's side, baring its teeth at the army ahead.
A Yu asked again, "Tian Xiong is already dead, why do you still need to protect me?"
Ye Ling replied, "Naturally, things aren't over yet! You just watch obediently from behind."
With that, Ye Ling strode towards the Tianren City army ahead. With every step Ye Ling took forward, the nearly ten thousand soldiers of Tianren City retreated a step, daring not to confront Ye Ling!
The rogue cultivators rushing from behind were unaware of the situation on the front lines. Seeing the Tianren City army constantly retreating, they were filled with surprise.
"What's going on? Why is the Tianren City army retreating?"
"The atmosphere in the front lines seems a bit strange. Can anyone go to the front and see what's happening?"
"Damn it, who dares to go to the front lines? Are they tired of living? Didn't you see Tian Xiong kill someone as a sacrifice before the expedition? If Tian Xiong mistakes us for trying to snatch the Bloodstone Ganoderma now, ten lives wouldn't be enough to lose!"
A group of rogue cultivators whispered amongst themselves, retreating to the sides of the road, leaving a clear path for the Tianren City army's retreat.
When the army retreated to the gates of Tianren City, the rogue cultivators who had retreated to the sides of the road finally saw that it was only one person who had forced back the Tianren City army!
And Tian Xiong was nowhere to be seen among the Tianren City army.
"Holy cow! What's going on? One person forced back over ten thousand troops from Tianren City? Where is Tian Xiong?"
"I see him! At the entrance of Youjian Inn! Tian Xiong's body is at the entrance of Youjian Inn!"
"Is that true? Tian Xiong was killed? How is that possible? I didn't even sense any signs of a fight!"
"Does this mean Tian Xiong was killed instantly?"
When the rogue cultivators discovered Tian Xiong's body, their hearts were all stirred by immense waves. They all craned their necks to look at Ye Ling, wanting to know who Ye Ling was!
After the Tianren City army retreated to the city gates, the gates could no longer accommodate such a large flow of people. With nowhere else to retreat, the soldiers began to scatter to the sides of the road like the rogue cultivators.
Soon, the ten thousand strong army dispersed to both sides of the road, as if to specifically welcome Ye Ling into the city!
Ye Ling stopped at the gates of Tianren City, scanned the surrounding soldiers, and finally fixed his gaze on Guan Hu, who was hiding in the crowd.
Guan Hu met Ye Ling's gaze, and goosebumps erupted all over his body. He quickly shifted his eyes away, praying in his heart that Ye Ling wasn't looking at him!
However, Guan Hu's prayers were of no use.
Ye Ling smiled, beckoned to Guan Hu, and called out in front of all the soldiers and rogue cultivators, "Guan Hu, come out!"
As soon as Ye Ling spoke, the soldiers around Guan Hu scattered like mice encountering a cat, leaving Guan Hu standing alone, bearing everyone's gaze.
Guan Hu was drenched in sweat, but he dared not pretend not to hear Ye Ling. He could only brace himself and walk towards Ye Ling.
However, the closer Guan Hu got to Ye Ling, the greater the pressure he felt.
When Guan Hu reached Ye Ling, he could no longer bear the immense pressure and knelt before Ye Ling, trembling, "Senior, this is truly a misunderstanding! I tried my best to advise Tian Xiong, but he insisted on marching, and I was insignificant, unable to persuade him!"
Guan Hu wept as he kowtowed to Ye Ling, "Senior, you must believe me! I truly do not wish to be your enemy. Tian Xiong and Tian Yuan are both scoundrels, and these were all their ideas!"
"Senior, you must see clearly!"
Guan Hu no longer cared about his reputation. In front of all the soldiers and cultivators of Tianren City, he repeatedly kowtowed to Ye Ling, begging for mercy, utterly abject.
However, despite Guan Hu's abject behavior, none of the cultivators present mocked him. Instead, they felt that Guan Hu's current actions were only natural.
From Youjian Inn to Tianren City, Ye Ling had completely conquered all the cultivators of Tianren City!
Ye Ling smiled at Guan Hu, who was kowtowing and begging for mercy, his smile growing wider. He then asked Guan Hu, "Does your Tianren City have an auction house?"
Guan Hu, who was kowtowing and begging for mercy, suddenly froze and looked at Ye Ling with confusion, "Senior, you mean..."
Ye Ling chuckled lightly, "I have some treasures to sell and need your help to promote them."