The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Above the dense clouds, lightning flashed and thunder roared.

Zhao Douan stood in mid-air, holding the Mystic Turtle Seal, his gaze sweeping over the lands below, with the towering Divine behind him moving as if an extension of his own arm.

Under the torrential rain, the flames within the city gradually began to weaken and extinguish.

However, it was still not enough.

The burning extended beyond the city to numerous scattered fields outside. Su Dan had evidently prepared in advance, dispatching soldiers to various farmlands. A few soldiers were enough to set an entire field ablaze.

"Still not enough." Zhao Douan raised his hand and punched the air. A hole immediately formed in the dark clouds, and the thick rainclouds rolled towards the four corners, while the rainfall within the city began to weaken. The stored water within the Mystic Turtle Seal started to disperse evenly over an area of dozens of miles around.

This action consumed unexpectedly little mana as, once the rain clouds had formed, merely moving the clouds would naturally bring rain.

"As long as the fields get a layer of rainfall, they can no longer be set alight," Zhao Douan quietly spread the clouds thinner, to prevent excessive rain.

If the rain were too heavy, it would also damage the soon-to-mature crops.

"Pay attention... experience... self..." Suddenly, Zhao Douan heard a stuttering voice from Pei Niannu in his mind.

Experience the self? A thought sparked in Zhao Douan's mind:

"Do you mean, let me experience what it feels like to be in the Heavenly Human Realm?"

At this moment, though he was not truly a Heavenly Human, he had already touched that threshold.

To him, this was a rare opportunity to experience the true essence of the Heavenly Human in advance, which could aid in future advancements.

"I recall, when chatting with Zhenbao in the Capital, we mentioned the Heavenly Human Realm, and Zhenbao described it as resonating with heaven and earth, a communion of celestial and human. Thus, every action can trigger celestial phenomena... Yet, the way magicians and martial artists commune differs. The former involves the spirit leaving the body, akin to an out-of-body experience... The latter believes that within the human body lies a small universe, or rather, that humans are themselves part of the universe..."

Many thoughts flashed through Zhao Douan's mind, as he entrusted the cloud movement and rain creation to Pei Niannu and focused on sensing that profound and indescribable rhythm.

At this moment, far away in the Taicang Prefecture City, Magistrate Sun Xiaozhun hastily ascended the city wall, staring in shock at the massive stretch of dark clouds on the horizon, where lightning was visible even from afar.

"Is this the work of Commander Zhao?" Sun Xiaozhun instinctively guessed.

As time slowly passed, Zhao Douan finally opened his eyes, feeling his body's control returning to him. In his ear was Pei Niannu's voice:

"There is still, one last, little bit."

The Red Flame Saint Armor on his body had returned to its red hue, and the Mystic Turtle Seal had dried up, no longer spinning.

Zhao Douan had not fallen. He immediately realized that the remaining bit of mana could only sustain the 'Half-step Heavenly Human' state for a few more dozen breaths before his power would be exhausted.

"The last bit of time must not be wasted." Zhao Douan glanced around, his vision locking onto the direction of the South City Gate, and with a step, he vanished from his original spot.

...

Under the city gate, a chaotic battle was unfolding.

As the rain fell, Xue Shence promptly led the main force in pursuit of the rebel army. Along the way, soldiers that had been dispatched to "extinguish fires" returned, gathering into a significant force.

They successfully clashed with the enemy forces. Su Dan, extremely decisive, left a detachment to use the South City Gate as a base to block the Capital Camp, while personally leading the city's garrison to retreat first, and the experts in the army commanded the soldiers to cover the withdrawal.

They quickly engaged Xue Shence and his men, almost continuing the earlier siege battle.

Lang Shiba targeted a martial general of the rebel army.

Tang Jinzhong was blocked by the monk Fan Long.

Xue Shence swung his Great Halberd, leading the charge towards Lu Tong.

This time, once they entered the foot battle, Lu Tong quickly fell into defeat, being pressed back repeatedly by Xue Shence's attacks.

However, the difference in combat strength between the two sides was not significant. With the rebels left behind fighting desperately like trapped beasts, as they had no escape, the standoff dragged on for some time.

"Fan Long! As a martial monk of the Divine Dragon Temple, how dare you meddle in secular disputes. As a poor Daoist, I should uphold justice for heaven."

Suddenly, a cold voice echoed.

On the extinguished street, the air rippled like waves, and an illusory moon appeared.

Then, two figures slowly emerged from the moon; one wearing a white-sleeved Daoist robe, eyes brimming with spiritual energy, and surrounded by a Green Jade Flying Sword.

The other, with long hair cascading past the waist, with fine star fragments flowing through the locks, held a Magic Wand with a golden single eye. The figure was slender and hovered in the air, having "transformed" into Jin Jian!

"Heavenly Master Mansion priest!?" Fan Long's pupils shrank, without any hesitation, he swung his iron staff fiercely. Golden swastikas brightened along the staff, and no longer concealing his Buddhist Law, Fan Long forced Tang Jinzhong to retreat, then turned and madly fled towards the outside of the city.

He fled!

"Pursue!" Yu Xiu's Flying Sword shot out from her hand.

The "transformed" Jin Jian extended a hand, grabbing her senior sister's arm, using magic to become starlight and headed outside the city. The girl seemed suddenly much more mature, speaking with confidence:

"Don't worry, he won't escape."

Fan Long's departure immediately unbalanced the scales. The sword-wielding rebel general was besieged by Lang Shiba and Tang Jinzhong, and soon fell, his body pierced by both sword and blade, blood gushing from his mouth.

Lu Tong's pupils narrowed, shouting angrily: "Retreat!"

At the same time, he suddenly turned and shot an arrow into the sky beyond the city, an arrow uniquely drawing a phantom "rope," pulling Lu Tong's body over the city wall, flying towards the southern sky.

He actually shot himself out!

"Not good—" Xue Shence's expression darkened, for he was a pure Martial Artist, his martial arts best suited for the battlefield, unable to stop Lu Tong.