At the same time, urgent footsteps and the clash of metal echoed from outside the pier.

Xu Zhenshan was seen leading the Law Enforcement Hall disciples and the Yangzhou Captaincy troops, swarming in.

Each had a grim expression, with swords and spears drawn, firearms in hand glinting with a cold sheen.

"Form ranks! Open fire!"

The hoarse shout of a Captaincy officer rang out.

The heavy fog had long been dispelled by the river breeze, clearing the view.

The remaining pirates, having lost their cover of smoke, panicked at the sight of the approaching official army.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Amidst the dense and chaotic gunfire, bullets swept through like a violent storm.

Many pirates were hit, blood splattering like ripe berries bursting, falling in batches.

Those who resisted stubbornly were soon torn apart by the organized volleys of the navy.

Yet, there were still among the pirates those who were brave and skilled in strange arts.

Seeing the tide turn, several shadows swiftly darted toward the stacks of goods and reed beds by the river.

Among them, a few suddenly hurled several black shiny bullets.

"Bang! Bang!" The bullets hit the ground, not exploding but releasing large clouds of thick, pungent, vision-obscuring gray-white smoke.

Through the smoke, the shadows of ninjas could be vaguely seen flitting by.

When the smoke was partially carried away by the river breeze, those figures had disappeared, leaving only a few puddles and traces of broken reeds, clearly indicating they used the Escape Technique to vanish into the distant vast mountains...

......

The battle finally subsided.

However, the cost of victory was staggering.

The people of Yangzhou Prefecture had gathered at the high ground by the pier, looking at the scene before them. Even those accustomed to life and death couldn't help but gasp.

The once broad canal now resembled the churning fields of Hell.

The burning fire ships were the epicenter of the tragedy.

Several massive, formidable navy warships were completely set ablaze, their hulls like giant torches, with raging flames licking the pitch-black night sky, painting the river a blood-red.

From time to time, the keel of a ship emitted an ear-piercing snapping and collapsing sound in the fire.

"Boom! Crash——!"

Huge masts, with full sails aflame, smashed into the water, sending columns of water skyward.

The air was thick with the choking smell of gunpowder smoke, charred wood. More intense was the burnt stench of human flesh and the heavy blood scent over the river.

Thick smoke billowed upwards, intertwining with the low-hanging dark clouds.

Fragments of ship planks, floating corpses, and burning rigging covered the river's surface.

The soldiers who managed to escape were struggling and groaning in the shallows or on the banks, drenched and terrified, some severely burned ones writhing in agony in the mud.

Du Ting, the Yangzhou Prefect, looked at the scene with a hoarse and low roar:

"Madmen! What exactly do these lunatics want?! The navy... the navy's main force is almost…"

Chen Qianhu of the Captaincy gazed hollowly at the burning wreckage, muttering, "It's over..."

They knew this was no longer a simple matter of losing their positions.

The entire Yangzhou Pier fell into a brief dead silence.

As for Lv San and others, after securing their ship, they rushed anxiously towards the city...

......

In Yangzhou City, the dense fog had long dissipated, and the terrified people came out to look.

Lv San hurriedly led the group across the long street, arriving outside Wang Maode's residence, Jiyu Garden.

However, the scene before them made their hearts sink heavily.

In the empty street, a mass of Yin Sha Qi churned like ink.

At the center, Li Yan's figure no longer looked as usual.

He was surrounded by a humanoid black mist, standing three meters tall, with blue ghostly flames flickering.

"What's going on..."

Lv San felt incredulous at the sight.

He had seen many of Li Yan's methods.

This Divine Transformation Technique couldn't be used for long, lest it backlashes.

Yet now, the Yin God Transformation was still maintained!

And right in front of Li Yan, Wen Lingguan's avatar had transformed into a Thunder True Fire Melting Furnace, fiercely suppressing and refining a mass of terrifying black Qi underneath that kept shrieking and twisting.

With each strike of lightning and fire, the black Qi churned violently, emitting baby wails.

This piercing cry threatened to tear apart one's Divine Soul.

Beside him, Wang Daoxuan looked equally pale, with beads of sweat rolling down his temples, his breath somewhat unstable, clearly exhausted from the earlier spells and dealing with the Netherworld Stage.

Seeing the crowd rushing in, he immediately took a few steps forward, his voice hoarse, hastily explaining:

"Don't come any closer!"

After saying this, he looked at Li Yan, eyes full of anxiety: "Maintaining the Yin God Transformation to summon Wen Lingguan is already highly taxing on the Divine Soul, let alone using it to refine such a fiend!"

"Wen Lingguan's divine power is overwhelming, and Brother Yan, as the communicator, his physical body is the dam, with the 'Body Acupoints' enduring a double impact. Most people's three souls and seven spirits would've already been crushed by now…"

Everyone gasped at his words.

Fatty Lin swallowed hard, his lips dry.

Sha Lifei's expression grew gloomier, his fists clenching with a cracking sound.

They were anxious but couldn't offer any help.

"Ah—!"

At that moment, a low growl erupted from Li Yan's throat, tinged with a bloody aura.

A brilliant light flashed in his eyes, as if he regained a hint of clarity, and his right hand swiftly reached into his chest.

Everyone's eyes were drawn to him.

It was an ancient, pitch-black token, neither gold nor wood, the size of a palm, with intricate divine symbols carved along its edges, precisely the "living Yin messenger" Hook Paper.

Without hesitation, Li Yan formed a spell gesture, pointing towards the Hook Paper.

"Buzz!"

The Hook Paper trembled, and the Soul Hook that was on the verge of collapse instantly stabilized.

Wang Daoxuan's eyes lit up with joy as he muttered, "Almost forgot about this item…"

Starting from the Capital, Li Yan had completed several missions in succession; the Astral Orders were used in refining the Five Directions Luo Feng Flag, with three remaining for summoning the Yin Department Soldiers, while the other two Divine Astrals were unused.

The Soul Hook is also a Daluo Divine Power, which can be strengthened using Divine Astral.

By absorbing all the Divine Astral, Li Yan's Yin God's form became stable again.

And the power restraining the Infant Fiend also surged suddenly, making the eerie wails within the Thunder Fire even more sorrowful.

Of course, even this was challenging.

Li Yan's Daluo Dharma Body acquired several more cracks.

Time seemed infinitely extended, with every second like being tormented in a boiling pot.

Wang Daoxuan clenched his fist, reciting scriptures for mental protection.

Finally—

A thunderous roar echoed on the ground, mixed with a divine roar.

On the long street, the suspended Thunder Fire suddenly compressed towards the center as if collapsing.

"Rip——!!!"

The ghastly screech abruptly fell silent.

The vicious Yin Sha Qi was completely refined and annihilated.

As the Thunder Fire surged, it transformed into the shadow of a Divine General and dissipated.

With the air wave gone, a humanoid spirit, as condensed as black jade and about a foot high, quietly hovered.

No trace of malice surrounded it anymore; instead, a dignified Qi flowed.

The black mist on Li Yan's body swiftly dissipated too.

He was pale, his legs buckled, collapsing to the ground, "Daoist, recruit it into the flag as a Divine General…"

With that, he fainted, his eyes rolling back.

The "Hundred Ghost Yin Sha" was refined by Thunder Fire, turning it into an excellent Yin General candidate.

Seeing Li Yan was alright, the huge stone hanging over everyone's hearts finally dropped.

They hurriedly moved forward to support him, while Wang Daoxuan exhaled a long breath, rushing forward, unfolding one of the "Five Directions Luo Feng Flags" in his hand, and began reciting the Secret Spell of Collection aloud.

He certainly knew the magic method for rallying troops.

"Exorcise! Under Fengdu's command, return to my flag! Collect!"

As the incantation was chanted, the black shadow was absorbed, and the aura of the Five Directions Luo Feng Flag in hand instantly became heavy, austere, and harmonious, an invisible pressure faintly emanating from the flag.

The previously existing Five Camp Ghost Soldiers, with the "Divine General" as the commanding core, saw their might multiplied.

Their movements had already attracted many people.

Some citizens, thinking they were demons, ghosts, or immortals, began to burn incense and bow in worship.

"Let's go, back to the ship first!"

At Wang Daoxuan's command, everyone immediately departed, heading towards the pier…

......

Uncertain how much time passed, Li Yan slowly awakened.

He felt utterly exhausted, his vision constantly dimming.

This was a sign of overexertion of the Divine Soul, and even with a Daluo Dharma Body, he needed to rest quietly.

Once Li Yan calmed his mind, he glanced around, immediately frowning.

He was in a cabin aboard the Lin Family Treasure Ship, his own room.

More crucially, judging by the sounds coming from outside the window, they were still in Yangzhou.

"Brother Yan, you're awake?"

At that moment, Sha Lifei heard the stir and entered.

Li Yan frowned and asked, "How many days have I slept, and why are we still in Yangzhou?"

"You've slept for a full three days."

Sha Lifei replied, then bent down, shaking his head:

"Fatty Lin and the others have left early; we still have to remain in Yangzhou…"