During this time of year, the Saros Empire's western lands enjoyed a pleasant climate. The sky was a deep blue adorned with drifting white clouds, and gentle breezes swept across the plains. Using enchanted power to suspend his phone in midair, Wang Sheng projected the holographic map directly before his eyes. The viewing experience was flawless. At the very edge of the map, countless red dots flickered continuously, each one marking the advance of an enemy. There were at least five to six hundred vampires. Vampires naturally reproduced through normal sexual means. Before their bloodline awakened, they were hardly different from ordinary humans. After their bloodline awakened, they gradually evolved until they looked like bat fiends. In general, the stronger the vampire, the more dazzling their human guise, and the more grotesque their true appearance. It was more like a trait found in some fiendish cultivators, which was certainly a bit strange. Perhaps their ancestors were formidable, fiendish beings. Wang Sheng let his mind wander on the thought, but he did not neglect the task of replenishing his enchanted power. A small hand reached out from the side and pressed against his shoulder. Threads of pure yang enchanted power flowed into his body. Wang Sheng froze for a moment, then turned toward his senior sister with a warm smile. He absorbed every strand of the offered power, refined it briefly, and filled the emptiness within himself. Mu Wanxuan cultivated under the Dao of Balanced Yin and Yang, which gave her a natural advantage in restoring energy. Moreover, all she had done was fly with him, not fight. Hence, her own reserves were still full. Wang Sheng, on the other hand, had burned through much of his strength in a series of battles. Even with her help, he could barely fill the void within him. Given today's circumstances, more fights were inevitable. The fuller his reserves, the longer he could hold out. Their reinforcements, which consisted of his master and a few Daoist elders, were at least two more hours away. They had to endure until then. In truth, the problem was that a few hundred vampires could hardly last that long. With his Heavenly Ziwei Sword Art and Sword-Controlling Art, Wang Sheng could slaughter them in less than fifteen minutes. There was no way the fight would stretch for two hours; he and Mu Wanxuan would have long wiped them out before reinforcements arrived. He flicked a finger against Spiritless. The rainbow-hued celestial-grade sword and the sword spirit dwelling within had been a great help today. "Oh, uh, nothing. My hand slipped. You haven't gone to rest yet, Yaoyun?" "I fear you'll fumble with the formation in the heat of battle. I'm here to supervise," Yaoyun replied calmly. Wang Sheng smiled faintly. Perhaps this is her way of expressing concern for me and Senior Sister. Mm… probably. The next wave of vampires could include a prince, perhaps even one of the three ancient princes. Since they could not afford to let their guard down, Wang Sheng did not relax much; he kept himself tense and alert deep down. Oddly enough, even with an army of vampires approaching them, Wang Sheng felt no sense of urgency. Perhaps it was because of where they were. They were outside the Hua Republic, which meant he could unleash his full strength. Even if they lost, he and his senior sister could retreat at any moment. The Saros Empire's army had already formed a cordon seven or eight li away, yet no one had approached them for negotiation. Likewise, the empire had shown little reaction to the vampires trespassing across their border. Their neutrality was understandable, however. Saros had its own interests to protect, and in matters of cultivation, they were already somewhat behind. Choosing not to offend either side or interfere too much suited the circumstances they were in. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel·fire.net They had once prided themselves on being a warrior nation, capable of punching bears and kicking crocodiles. However, without a complete cultivation system, their influence had waned year by year. While the enemy forces were still far away, the martial siblings started chatting idly. They truly had nerves of steel. Mu Wanxuan's phone played a few sound effects as she showed her junior brother a line. Are we really going to keep fighting cultivators from other nations? "We aren't the ones who started this war. If they wish to fight us, then they can consider their wish granted," Wang Sheng replied gently. "Are you worried about this, too, Senior Sister?" She nodded lightly and typed another line. If war breaks out, peaceful days will be rare for us and for everyone else. "All conflicts will be contained within the cultivation world. Come to think of it, this battle is inevitable. The cultivation resources on Earth are limited. The shortage isn't apparent yet due to the abundant primal qi, but once the surge fades and it returns to normal levels, all kinds of conflicts will erupt. Instead of waiting for the shortage to ignite even greater wars, it's better to fight now, secure more resources, and pave the way for the future." Junior Brother, did you learn all that from swordsmanship? Wang Sheng scratched his head and nodded without hesitation. In truth, he had simply read far too many forum posts in his previous life. Looking back now, some of the keyboard warriors could truly be considered rare talents. "Senior Sister, I've fully recovered." "Mm." She withdrew her hand and typed another question. Do you think those two foreign girls deceived us? "I would've forgotten about them if you hadn't mentioned them again," Wang Sheng said, his spirit lifting. "One of them must have betrayed us." In a deliberately serious tone, he answered, "It's just my astonishing intuition." Mu Wanxuan couldn't help but chuckle softly, then quickly composed herself. Wang Sheng naturally couldn't keep his senior sister guessing. Hence, he smiled and explained, "First, we have to understand that the enemies aren't idiots. If the priestess and the knight were traitors, their families would have immediately come under suspicion, making them much more likely to be exposed. "To make the act more convincing and ensure the plan went smoothly, one of the two had to put on an act. Step by step, they led the other, the real victim, onto the passenger plane. How about a wager, Senior Sister?" "Let's bet on which one is the traitor." "Okay!" Mu Wanxuan began typing rapidly. Wang Sheng realized that talking with his senior sister didn't require topics of romance or contrived banter. Although she was reserved by nature, she had grown up in a modern environment, had used a phone for years, and was far from out of touch. She could hold a conversation on just about any subject. He glanced at the map again. The vampires were drawing ever closer. Unfortunately, blood would be spilled today. When black specks appeared on the horizon, Wang Sheng rose to his feet and once again shielded his senior sister behind him. "Senior Sister, follow the plan." He snapped his fingers. Flying Haze, serving as the formation's core, returned to his side. Stepping onto Ice Crystal, he shot forward ten li to meet the enemy head-on. His aura erupted silently. Sword intent pierced the clouds like the will of a divine spirit as he rested his left hand on the hilt of the sword slung across his back. He then clasped his right hand behind him, quietly waiting for the enemy to arrive. The vampires charging toward him were all roused to fury. The ones at the very front were all dukes. Behind them were several other exceptionally strong vampires, their crimson eyes fixed on Wang Sheng. The Vlad family had sent out their elite. Of the few hundred present, two-thirds were members of the Vlad bloodline. Since the Vlad family's main gathering place and hunting grounds were nearby, they were the only ones who could arrive in time. Moreover, their own prince had been killed. If they didn't come to settle the score and avenge him, they would no longer have the dignity to remain among the six great vampire families of the current age. The horde of vampires was now only two thousand meters away from the martial siblings. Flying Haze flew forward in a flash of light, plunging into the enemy ranks. Immortal light flared as it mercilessly killed vampires. The enemies were quick to counterattack. The two dukes accelerated as they hurled sphere after sphere of crimson light at Flying Haze. However, when the immortal light burst forth, the two vampires were forced to retreat in defeat. Without any means to defend against Flying Haze, they could only watch in horror as it cut everything in its path. The vampires relied purely on numbers. If they could just reach the sword cultivator, they would claim a small victory. Shrieks rang out one after another, making one's scalp tingle. Wang Sheng restrained himself from rushing in to engage. He simply used his sword-Controlling Art in midair as he quietly waited for the vampires to reach him. "That detestable cultivator from the Hua Republic must be ground to dust!" A corner of Wang Sheng's mouth twitched, yet he didn't abandon his position. Although he could not understand the exact words, he was certain that they were praising his elegance, refined bearing, and inner depth. Eventually, they narrowed the distance to two hundred meters. The vampires' formation was in disarray. Eager to seize the glory of killing Wang Sheng, they had crowded tightly. Only fifty meters remained between the two parties! Just as the vampires were seemingly about to overwhelm him, Wang Sheng finally moved. Ice Crystal radiated waves of cold qi as he flickered back toward his senior sister's position. The dozens of vampires leading their kin had no idea what was happening. Without realizing it, they had followed Wang Sheng straight into the grand formation that he and his senior sister had prepared. Even the cultivation world of the Hua Republic, which had only been back on the path of cultivation for just over twenty years, had very few true experts in the Dao of Formations. These vampires, who spent their days fretting over whether to drink blood or eat tomatoes, understood it even less. The grand formation did not immediately unleash its full might. While retreating, Wang Sheng sensed that a hidden presence was among the vampires. Perhaps it's a prince-level being, quietly waiting for the chance to strike… Mu Wanxuan stood before the dozen or so vampires who had been captured earlier. Her delicate and supple figure also drew the attention of quite a few vampires. From a few dozen, more and more vampires flew into the grand formation until there were hundreds. They swarmed Wang Sheng, who appeared as if he had forgotten how to counterattack. Even Flying Haze was nowhere to be seen. The vampires in the circular area, which had a radius of three li, continued to increase. Almost no one noticed any change in their surroundings, and the few who did couldn't wrap their minds around it. Finally, while moving within the narrow space, Wang Sheng roared deeply. Mu Wanxuan rapidly formed hand signs, and primal qi surged up from the earth. The wind and clouds in the circular area instantly shifted. The grand formation was activated!