In the following years, he would be tasked with leading the defense against the Wildlands!
In the very middle of the city was a five-sided pagoda, a tower that stretched 30,000 meters into the sky. From the top of that tower, everything on either side of the Great Wall was clearly visible. The intense light which flickered inside of it was enough to shock anyone who laid eyes on it.
At the very top of the pagoda was a huge pearl fully 300 meters wide, inside of which was a mysterious, swirling mist that occasionally formed together into an eye with two pupils!
Anyone who that eye looked at would instantly begin to shake, as if the will of the heavens were focusing on them!
Even as Bai Xiaochun was looking at the tower in shock, Zhao Tianjiao whispered, “Starry Sky Pagoda!”
When Zhao Tianjiao looked at the pagoda, it was with utter fervor and deep respect.
“It’s a holy object of our Starry Sky Dao Polarity Sect. The Starry Sky Pagoda. I heard that sealed inside of that pearl… is a true spirit!”
“True spirit!?” Bai Xiaochun said, a look of shock appearing on his face.
“Even I don’t know what a true spirit really is. But my Master told me that with that true spirit in place, the Great Wall is no longer an inanimate object. Instead, it possesses a life force of its own.
“The pagoda not only possess all types of strange defensive powers, but also forms the heart of the Great Wall. All matters pertaining to battle credits and resource distribution are under the control of the pagoda.” Suddenly, Zhao Tianjiao took a deep breath and pointed his finger out.
“Xiaochun, look! Surrounding the Starry Sky Pagoda are the banners of the five legions!”
Sure enough, five banners could be seen flapping in the wind, a dazzling and eye-catching sight that made it possible to distinguish the five legions of the army, even from a distance!
The five banners were all a different color, and all had different sigils. All of them were very unique, but one of them seemed to stand out in particular to Bai Xiaochun. The sigil on that banner depicted a Wildlands savage that had been skinned alive!
The sigil was extremely lifelike, and it was even possible to see the skinned savage howling from the pain. Bai Xiaochun was almost sure that he could hear a bloodcurdling scream when he looked at the banner.
“Those banners represent the five legions that make up the Hall of Steel Veins, each one of which has accomplished incredible things during the wars throughout the years. The five legions are the Skin Flayers, the Black Demons, the Bane Stars, the Savage Butcherers, and the Soul Slaughterers!
“The Skin Flayers!” Bai Xiaochun said with a gasp. For some reason, that name really caused his mind to tremble.
“Each legion has their own banner, which not only represents what they’ve accomplished in battle, but also demonstrates how incredible they are. See the Skin Flayers’ banner? I’ve heard that their legion is incredibly bloodthirsty. Whenever they march to battle, they skin their enemies alive. Their name alone causes the savages outside the Great Wall to tremble in fear!” From the way Zhao Tianjiao’s eyes glowed with reverence, it was obvious that he very much wanted to join one of the five legions.
Bai Xiaochun swallowed hard. After seeing the five banners, he thought more than ever that he should keep his distance from them.
Zhao Tianjiao was almost breathless as he revealed everything he knew. “Xiaochun, did you know that beyond the Great Wall, the savages have something called the Execution List? Once your name gets on that list, everyone in the Wildlands will do everything they can to kill you!
“The generals of the five legions are all in the top 10 of that list, the highest among them being the general of the Skin Flayers, Bai Lin. He has the same surname as you, and is highest on the list at sixth place, surpassed by only the devas!”
The more Bai Xiaochun learned about the Great Wall, the more dangerous and unsafe it seemed.
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Chapter
467: The Skin Flayers
As the group neared Great Wall City, they reached a certain point where a rippling fluctuation appeared, surrounding them and locking them in place.
It was impossible to detect with the naked eye, and almost immediately surrounded them with indescribable restrictive power that made it almost impossible for them to move. Even Zhao Tianjiao suddenly lurched to a stop and couldn’t move a muscle!
The same thing happened to Chen Yueshan, Bai Xiaochun, and the others in the group. All of them were suddenly as stiff as boards, completely incapable of movement.
Next, the rippling power used some unknown method to examine their identity medallions and confirm that the medallions belonged to them. Even Chen Yueshan, daughter of three-eyed Chen Hetian, was examined thoroughly.
After that, another fluctuation passed through them, and they could sense their souls being examined!
It only lasted for a moment, but even that short bit of time left Bai Xiaochun and the others all trembling as if they had just had a brush with death.
After all, they had just been immobilized and scanned with divine sense; if they had harbored any ill intentions at all, they would have been killed beyond the shadow of a doubt!
After the rigid examination, the fluctuations locking them in place slowly faded away, and they regained the ability to move. Expressions flickering, they continued on toward Great Wall City.
Moments before, when the small group was being stopped and inspected, a door had opened somewhere in Great Wall City, and a middle-aged cultivator had stepped out, clad in a black suit of armor. He emanated the fluctuations of the great circle of Core Formation, as well as a bleakly murderous aura which grew more intense by the moment. The man took only four steps, and yet, that placed him right in front of the newly arrived group.
Even Zhao Tianjiao could sense that this man’s murderous aura was unusual and unique.
When his eyes fell upon Chen Yueshan, he immediately clasped hands and bowed. “I am your humble servant, Colonel Li Hongming of the Skin Flayers.
“The inspection you underwent just now was merely protocol. Great Wall City’s spell formation has a special function which strictly inspects every person who comes in. I hope you can forgive me for the unexpected inconvenience.” From the way Li Hongming was speaking, it was clear that he didn’t expect a response from any of them, but rather, wanted them to listen carefully.
“It is not permitted to tarry inside of Great Wall City, and in fact, the other trial-takers won’t even be allowed inside. They can only pass in and out of the Great Wall via a side gate, and must take no more than the time it takes an incense stick to burn to do so.
“However, the deva patriarch passed down orders that your group would be allowed in the city, albeit for only a single day. After that, you must leave…. I’ve been tasked with overseeing your stay, and therefore, you are not allowed to leave my sight. Please do abide by that arrangement.” With that, he turned and began to walk off.
When Bai Xiaochun examined Li Hongming, he could tell that the man’s cultivation base was only a bit higher than his own, and yet, his murderous aura was vastly more intense. Furthermore, his eyes seemed to radiate a feeling of blood, as though he had killed too many souls to even count.
The fact that a person like that was a mere colonel in charge of a thousand soldiers left Bai Xiaochun even more shaken regarding the five legions.