Yi Tianxing had originally intended to wait a little longer—until the dead of night, when Red Flame City would completely lower its guard, thinking the night would pass peacefully. He hadn't expected someone to suddenly arrive at this moment—and to arrive with such flair, activating a teleportation gate right outside Red Flame City. The radiance bursting forth from the gate was so bright that even a blind man could see it, let alone the garrison atop the walls.
The plan to launch a sneak attack was completely ruined.
If Zhao Li didn't start cursing, it would've been out of character.
"What the hell? Where did that teleport gate come from? Didn't I tell the men to sweep the surrounding areas clean? Everyone around here knows we're about to go to war with the Red-Robed Ghost King. No one should be wandering around at this hour!"
Zhao Li was fuming, glaring at the spatial gate.
Swish!!
A flash of light shimmered from the gate. From within, three figures stepped out.
"It's them? How is it them?"
When he saw clearly, Zhao Li's eyes flashed with a trace of strangeness. He recognized the newcomers. Who else could it be but Yi Tianxing and his party? But he had clearly informed them that the assault would commence three days later. Why had they appeared now? It made no sense.
In truth, Zhao Li hadn't wanted Yi Tianxing to get involved in this war.
He had long known Yi Tianxing's true identity. Precisely because of that, he didn't want him participating. If anything happened to him—it would be a catastrophe.
Yet here he was.
It must be fate.
Heaven itself decreed his involvement.
Still, he couldn't figure out why Yi Tianxing had come here now. What did he plan to do?
"Halt! This is Red Flame City. By decree of the Ghost King, all cultivators are forbidden from entering or exiting. Violators shall be executed!"
A ghost general atop the wall barked the command, brandishing a massive ghost-headed saber. Black murderous qi billowed from the blade, exuding a chilling aura as if it could erupt into a deathly blade light at any moment.
"Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!!"
A chorus of ghost soldiers shouted in unison from the walls.
The synchronized roar carried a terrifying momentum. Anyone lacking sufficient courage would instantly falter.
Before battle even began, one could already be demoralized.
On the battlefield, morale was everything. Without it, even seventy percent of one's power couldn't be brought to bear.
"I've come tonight to shatter Red Flame… and destroy the Red Robes."
Yi Tianxing stood tall in mid-air, coldly stating his purpose. Upon his body, the Chaotic Battle Dragon Robe writhed with five-clawed dragons roaring and coiling, radiating immense majesty and divine brilliance. He appeared as a heavenly emperor suppressing the void.
"Shatter!!"
In Yi Tianxing's hand, a sudden flash of light revealed a purple divine hammer. The hammer pulsed with a purple glow, its unique Dao rhythm flowing like a current. Countless purple runes flickered across its surface, forming ancient characters spelling "Starshatter".
Swish!!
The Starshatter Hammer flew from his hand, transforming into a stream of purple light as it hurtled toward the city gate like a shooting star, trailing a long purple tail across the sky.
"Stop it!!"
The ghost general's face changed drastically upon seeing the hammer. With a roar, he swung a dazzling blade light at it. Simultaneously, volleys of arrows rained down like a storm upon the hammer.
Ding ding ding!!
The blade light struck the hammer—only to instantly shatter into nothing. The Starshatter Hammer wasn't affected in the slightest, not even slowed down. Arrows shattered into dust upon contact, utterly ineffective.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
The hammer slammed directly into the city gate.
Light flared. Runes flickered. A powerful protective formation activated. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator would find it hard to breach.
A radiant black light surged.
But before the Starshatter Hammer, the black light disintegrated like paper touched by fire. In the next moment, the hammer smashed into the gate itself.
A thunderous crash shook the entire Red Flame City, as if struck by an earthquake. The impact was so intense it was almost unbearable.
Cracks spread rapidly across the gate, spiderwebbing out at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Crack!!
BOOM!!
In a series of sharp snaps, the entire city gate shattered into fragments—reduced to sand-like debris on the ground.
This was the power of the Starshatter Hammer—a divine weapon imbued with the power to break stars. It contained the Law of Shattering, a force of pure destruction and annihilation, capable of pulverizing all it touched.
Hiss—!!
The scene stunned the ghost army and ghost officials alike. Their eyes widened in horror. Souls trembled with fear.
"So strong! How can this be? The city gate was forged from Netherfire Black Xuansteel, refined in hellfire to be virtually indestructible. Even divine powers and magical weapons struggle to scratch it. Yet now it's been shattered with one strike?"
A ghost officer in the form of a little girl stood beside Zhao Li, her mouth agape in shock.
"Red Flame City also has a protective barrier, the 'Netherfire Heavenly Shield', with incredible defense. Like unending flames, it blocks all external attacks unless overwhelmed in one blow. That plus the Xuansteel gate... All turned to powder in one hit? Is he in the Yang God realm already? No, even a Yang God expert might not have this much destructive power."
From the shadows, Nalan Rou had appeared. Her gaze toward Yi Tianxing had turned to pure astonishment. She'd once valued him for his wealth. But now… his power was the real terror.
"It's not necessarily his strength. It's the hammer. That hammer embodies the Law of Shattering the Void. It's the destructive force inside it that broke the gate."
Zhao Li's sharp eyes saw the truth.
Power level alone wasn't the key. The nature of that power was what mattered. And that shattering force—it was too dominant.
"I know where the dungeon is. I'll lead the way!"
Even the Paper Craftsman was shocked by that blow. But more than anything, his respect for Yi Tianxing grew. Without wasting a second, he spoke quickly and took the lead.
Yi Tianxing followed without hesitation, charging into Red Flame City.
"Damn it! All troops, stop them! We can't let them into the city!!"
The ghost general had barely recovered from the hammer's impact. His head still spinning, he now saw the three intruders rushing straight in through the now-destroyed gate. With no defenses left, they were essentially walking into the city unimpeded.
"Kill!!"
A flood of ghost troops surged forward from all directions, determined to engulf the intruders.
"Dragon Guard of the Heavenly Emperor—kill! Anyone who dares oppose me shall die!!"
Yi Tianxing did not stop. Behind him, a massive portal opened, and beams of light shot forth—revealing giant soldiers clad in divine armor.
With the reverse-scale spears in their hands, the Heavenly Emperor's Dragon Guards charged in all directions.
Spear light pierced the night, shooting through the sky.
Direct. Ruthless. One strike, one kill.
Ghost soldiers collapsed one after another under the Reverse-Scale Spears.
Three thousand Dragon Guards charged in unison, slaughtering the ghost army like tigers among sheep. What had been an overwhelming tide was now being held off completely—and crumbling rapidly.
Yi Tianxing's advance was completely unimpeded.
Led by the Paper Craftsman, they rushed toward the dungeon.
"My god, those are Dao Soldiers, and they carry True Dragon Qi within! These aren't ordinary constructs. So powerful! Even the Red-Robed Ghost King's army, one of the strongest among ghost kings, is being crushed like insects! Unbelievable!"
Zhao Li was tongue-tied with amazement. He immediately gave the order:
"Notify everyone! The city gate is down. No more waiting. Now is the best time! Charge Red Flame City! Kill the Red-Robed Ghost King! Avenge our fallen brothers!"
He had been hesitating about how to break the city's defenses—but now, with Yi Tianxing acting as the vanguard and smashing the gates, it was too good an opportunity to waste.
"Charge!"
With a shout, Zhao Li pulled out the Soul-Extinguishing Spear from his thigh and bolted forward, leaving behind afterimages as he dashed into the city.
Behind him, hordes of ghost officials followed.
In their hands were terrifying weapons: Soul-Hooking Ropes, Soul-Slaying Blades, Soul-Extinguishing Spears, and more. These were standard ghost-enforcer arms—but highly scalable. If nurtured properly, they could evolve into spiritual treasures. Against ghosts and spirits, their killing power was immense.