The situation was far too strange.
Killing one another wasn't the hard part—the strange thing was how it happened. Yi Tianxing had been observing the entire process and was well aware that no spells or magical powers had been used. The massacre had unfolded naturally and abruptly.
Whether it was the screaming or the killing, it all erupted without warning.
This road emanated a sinister and malevolent aura no matter how one looked at it. It was anything but ordinary.
"One thousand more. Send them in," Gou Buli ordered decisively, a frown tugging at his brow.
Another thousand kobold warriors rushed forward—fanatical, fearless, ready to die. Even if mountains of blades or seas of fire lay ahead, they would not hesitate.
This time, the gnolls were more cautious.
As they stepped forward, they heightened their alertness, concentrating their minds and wills. No one wanted to be manipulated like those before and fall into madness again.
"Who's there?!"
"Dammit! There's a ghost!!"
"Ambush! Die, you coward!"
Not long after they entered the road, some gnolls began howling in terror—yet clearly, they saw nothing. Amid the shrieking, a kobold suddenly swung his axe and stabbed his comrade in the chest. It was not an isolated incident. All across the unit, the warriors turned on each other with savage ferocity.
Every strike was aimed to kill.
Chaos reigned. Once again, they fell into fratricidal slaughter.
"Wake up!!"
Gou Buli's expression changed drastically. A black ancient bell suddenly appeared in his hand. As it rang out, a crisp, echoing ding swept through the area. His loud roar carried with it immense force, resounding in the ears of all the kobold warriors on the road.
The Soul-Shocking Bell released a clear chime that seemed to bypass the body and strike directly at the soul, rattling the mind awake.
In that moment, thousands of warriors abruptly ceased fighting, looking around to find their comrades lying dead or wounded in pools of blood. Their own bodies were also bloodied and torn.
Fear emerged on their faces.
They had no idea what had happened—only that their minds had been seized by some invisible force, causing them to attack their own brothers as if possessed.
"What did you see?" Gou Buli demanded loudly.
"I saw my comrade suddenly turn monstrous, like an evil spirit trying to kill me. I panicked and fought back."
"Me too. My brother turned to me grinning and said he wanted to eat me. I couldn't stop myself—I struck first."
…
Fear and horror clouded the eyes of the surviving gnolls.
The allies who fought beside them had transformed into demonic faces without warning. Under such conditions, even the calmest mind would snap. It was only instinct to retaliate.
This was how the blood-soaked fratricide had begun.
"It's definitely an illusion—a silent corruption of the mind," Gou Buli growled. "But I've seen through this trick. No illusion can stand before my Soul-Shocking Bell. If you think these petty tricks can stop me, keep dreaming."
Seeing the gnolls awaken from the illusion, he sneered coldly, raised his hand, and led the charge forward.
"Charge!!"
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The ancient bell rang out again and again, echoing along the path. The Soul-Shocking Bell resonated with clarity, keeping the kobold warriors fully conscious and sharp. No illusion could pierce their minds now.
"Haha! With no illusions to mess with us, this puny formation is worthless!"
"Chief Gou Buli is the strongest! Humans are nothing but trash!"
The dog-headed warriors roared with excitement.
With the Soul-Shocking Bell clearing the way, the road became safe once more. No one showed signs of being affected.
Clang!!
But suddenly, a crisp metallic sound rang out from the mist flanking the road—like iron chains clashing.
Without warning, a golden chain shot out of the mist like lightning. In an instant, it coiled around a kobold and yanked him into the fog.
"Ah!!"
"Save me!!"
Only a brief scream and a panicked cry echoed before silence fell. It was clear—the warrior was as good as dead.
No one had expected this.
From the white mist on both sides, a mysterious golden lock had appeared, snatching the warriors like prey. These chains emerged suddenly and vanished just as quickly, leaving behind a sense of helplessness and dread.
Clang!!
More chains flashed out like golden serpents, sweeping through the fog. Dozens—hundreds—of kobolds were snatched and dragged into the mist within moments.
It was a massacre.
No one could predict where the next chain would come from—or who would be its next victim.
The rattling chains became like a dirge for the dead, weighing heavily on the hearts of the gnolls.
"Stay alert! Attack the fog!" Gou Buli roared.
He hadn't expected this second threat to strike right after suppressing the illusions. The golden chains gave no signal before appearing—too swift and unpredictable.
Ding ding ding!!
The warriors didn't need more commands. They instinctively retaliated, slashing at the golden chains with their weapons. Their battle aura surged, forming protective barriers over their bodies. When they clashed with the chains, sparks flew—and some of the chains were even shattered, thrown back into the mist.
But not all could be repelled.
More chains appeared. Even warriors shielded in battle aura were bound and dragged away the moment they were caught.
The deaths continued.
A gleam of killing intent flashed in Gou Buli's eyes. The Blood Jade Sickle in his hand whirled through the air, slashing toward a chain lunging at him.
A flash of blood-red light!
With a clang, the chain snapped in two and shattered into particles of golden light, dissolving into nothingness.
"It's not real iron... It's some kind of condensed magical skill," Gou Buli analyzed. "But it's strong—just like a genuine artifact."
"Kill!"
With a snarl, Gou Buli slashed toward the fog on the left. A scarlet arc of blade light tore into the mist. A golden chain was cleaved apart—and then came the sound of steel biting flesh, a burst of blood, and a muffled groan.
"Humans… they're hiding in the fog!" Gou Buli's expression turned cold and vicious.
That groan had clearly come from a human. The blood—unmistakable.
It confirmed his suspicions: human troops were concealed in the mist, perhaps even the ones conjuring the golden chains.
"Despicable humans! Always hiding in the shadows! Come out and die!"
A furious kobold rushed into the fog, axe raised.
Clang!!
Golden chains surged forward. In an instant, they coiled around his limbs, neck, and torso.
Then—
Boom!!
The chains pulled tight from all directions.
The warrior was ripped apart—drawn and quartered. His body exploded into blood and meat, his organs splattering everywhere. A gruesome death.
"Don't approach the mist!" Gou Buli bellowed.
They didn't need to get close to attack. The gnolls began hurling axes and weapons into the fog. But it was useless.
The fog was bottomless. The weapons vanished without a ripple.
No impact. No resistance. As if nothing existed within the mist.
Only the golden chains kept striking.
One after another, warriors were bound and pulled away.
"Go! Move! Follow me—charge forward!"
Gou Buli knew they couldn't stay here.
He led the way forward at once.
At that moment, deep within the heart of the battlefield—at the center of the formation—there was a vast open space.
Inside stood the Shenjiying Camp, stoic and cold, guarding in all directions. There was no fog here.
Yi Tianxing stood within.
And for those within the core, the surrounding fog might as well not exist—they could clearly see through it, unhindered.