Daqin Zhentiansi

From the depths of the chaotic demonic clouds in the distance, a roar seemingly mixed with rage and astonishment came, but ultimately it dared not descend again.

At the core of the position, Zhang Yuan withdrew his divine sense from the battlefield and focused his gaze on the lit altar nodes on the array plate.

He tapped the edge of the array plate lightly with his fingertips, his whisper echoing in the command tent: "Three thousand six hundred altars, a long and arduous task. Next target, Black Wind Rift Valley."

……

Black Wind Rift Valley, as its name suggests.

The howling chaotic storm was no longer a wailing, but the roar of billions of ferocious souls, stirring up thick, blood-like demonic miasma that gushed out from the depths of the rift valley, dyeing the world a dark red of despair.

The steep, knife-cut cliffs on both sides are covered with huge scars left by the collapse of the ancient fortress, like the dying ribs of a prehistoric beast.

This place was once a crucial pass guarding the vortex of chaos, but now it is a long-silent abyss wound torn open by time and the clutches of evil.

Zhang Yuan stood atop a precipitous cliff at the entrance of the rift valley, his black Daoist robe fluttering in the raging wind, yet his figure remained as still as a boulder driven into the mountain.

Behind him was not a vast army, but the Rock Camp elites, numbering only two thousand, who had survived numerous bloody battles, as well as the Rift Abyss Archers, led by Lei Zhen and incorporating some of the remaining troops.

Their objective was clear and deadly—

Deep within the rift valley lies the massive altar node, now covered in filthy moss, its runes faded, and only its outline remaining.

That was the key link in igniting the beacon of the "Primordial Barrier" and connecting the will of Heaven.

"Whoa—!!!"

The demonic howl did not come from the front, but from all directions!

The rift valley, like a demonic lair awakening, instantly boiled over upon sensing the aura that intended to awaken its "natural enemy"!
The viscous, blood-red demonic cloud churned and condensed, transforming into ferocious "Corrosive Poison Lizard Demon" king beasts, spewing torrents of emerald green poisonous flames that corroded the space, crashing down on the flanks of the army formation!

In the shadows, countless "Bone-Eating Demon Generals" wielded bone-bladed scythes that shimmered with eerie light, swooping down like a swarm of locusts!

Even more chilling is that deep within the rift valley, several terrifying auras, comparable to the movement of mountains, are awakening and locking onto the area.

Those were the true "Heart-Eating Demon Lords," whose every breath caused the void to tremble and spatial cracks to spread like a spider web!
An invisible, terrifying pressure, like a massive, deep-sea wave, crashed heavily onto the Rock Camp's military formation. Even the heavy, illusory image of the Chaos Tortoise trembled violently, its light flickering erratically!
Zhang Yuan stood at the front of the formation, his black Daoist robe remaining motionless amidst the raging demonic energy. Only in his deep eyes burned a chaotic divine light like lava.

He had long anticipated the Demon Lord's arrival and knew that the crucial moment of the altar's restart would inevitably bring the most frenzied counterattack.

"Rock Barracks, heed my command!" Zhang Yuan's voice pierced through the deafening demonic roar, clearly imprinted deep within the souls of every warrior, carrying an unquestionable and absolute will. "Team A, guard the core node of the altar, protect the 'Wood Ancestor Core' fragment at all costs!"

"Team B, with Rift Abyss Archers providing support, suppress the diving demon swarm on the left flank! Team C, reserves, be ready to fill in at any time! Yue Zhenshan—"

His gaze fell upon the ruins of an ancient altar behind the army formation, covered in filthy moss and with dimmed runes. His voice suddenly rose, becoming resolute: "The altar must be rekindled! All troops—hold the line!"

The command is the clarion call!

The Rock Camp, this meticulously functioning war machine, responded instantly!

"Rock-like rock—return to its origin! Xuan Turtle guards the mountain!" Yue Zhenshan's voice tore through the demonic roar, carrying an iron-blooded resolve, echoing Zhang Yuan's will.

"Boom—Buzz!"

Two thousand rock warriors instantly formed a battle formation, their movements perfectly synchronized, and their heavy tower shields crashed into the scorched rock, embedding themselves deep within!
The rock runes on each shield shone with a dazzling earthy yellow light, resonating with the divine armor of the beasts on their bodies!
A vast and powerful primordial energy surged forth from the bodies of each warrior, no longer scattered points of light, but converging into a boundless torrent of earth-yellow energy that soared into the sky!

Amidst a burst of light, the colossal, incomparable phantom of the Chaos Tortoise materialized proudly.

The tortoise shell is composed of countless rune plates resembling chaotic rocks, flowing with a pale yellow luster like solidified earth, with wisps of chaotic energy swirling around its edges. Its head is ferocious like a dragon, and its eyes are like burning lava stars!

The enormous phantom of the tortoise shell not only firmly protected the two thousand warriors of the Rock Camp, forming a majestic mountain range that stretched across the front of the demonic tide's surging arrows, but also pressed forward fiercely with its boundless weight!
"Boom—crash!"

The earth let out a dull, painful groan!
With the Rock Camp's military formation as its spearhead, the ground within a fan-shaped area several hundred feet in front of them visibly dropped several feet!

The terrifying gravity in the field increased tenfold or even a hundredfold in an instant!
Those low-level demons who charged at the forefront, driven by the Demon Lord's pressure, were as if they had been struck by an invisible giant hammer!

The fragile body simply could not withstand the sudden and terrifying gravity. The sounds of bones shattering and internal organs exploding blended into a series of teeth-grinding "poof poof" sounds!
The surging momentum of the demonic tide was abruptly halted by the collision and suppression of the chaotic tortoise phantom!
However, the demonic tide is boundless!

The flanking attacks did not stop!
"Abyss Rift! Target, the diving demon swarm on the left flank! Demon-Slaying Arrow, Pierce Through the Clouds and Ripple Through the Wind!" Thunderous roar followed closely behind.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!"

The warriors of the Rift Abyss Camp drew their bows to full length. The arrows, tempered by Zhang Yuan's secret techniques and imbued with demon-piercing lightning patterns and a trace of primordial life force, shot like deadly meteors, precisely into the eye sockets, joints, and energy core of the diving Bone-Eating Demon General!
A dark blue light of magic-dispelling energy exploded, the demon's body shattered, and its blood rained down!

But this is just the beginning!
"Roar--!"

Deep within the rift valley, the Heart-Eating Demon Lord, resembling a moving mountain range studded with skeletal blades, finally could not contain himself and unleashed a roar that shattered the universe!
It swung its massive arm, powerful enough to cleave stars, carrying filthy blood flames and destructive gales that tore everything apart, ignoring the sluggishness of the gravity field, and slashed down fiercely towards the core of the Xuan Turtle phantom—the location of Zhang Yuan!
Before the giant arm even arrived, the terrifying wind pressure created by the pure force squeezing the air had already crushed the rocks below into dust!
The warriors of the Rock Camp groaned in unison, and the phantom of the Xuan Turtle trembled violently, its light flickering erratically!

The warriors maintaining the formation were bleeding from their mouths and noses, but none of them retreated a single step; their eyes were filled with a madness that refused to back down!
At this critical moment!
Zhang Yuan made a move!

He did not dodge, nor did he even look at the earth-shattering giant arm!

"Kill God!"

A cold, low shout rang out, and the monstrous bow that seemed to be composed of countless tiny lightning bolts and devouring vortexes—the God-Slaying Bow—instantly appeared in his palm!
The bowstring was frantically infused with the immense power of the Fifteen Hongs, the origin of the Chaotic Small World, and the will of the Great Qin Heavenly Dao!
“Boom——!!!”

The resounding bowstring rang out like the tolling of a death knell in hell!

A dark gold arrow, purely condensed from energy and entwined with chaotic energy and the Xuanhuang dragon pattern of the Great Qin Dynasty, tore through space the moment the bowstring twanged, surpassing the speed limits of time and thought!

It didn't shoot towards the Demon Lord's giant arm, but rather pierced through the front of the giant arm with unparalleled precision, at the most violent and unstable magical node where the Demon Lord's energy flow was!
"Pfft—Boom!!!"

After a faint piercing sound, a deafening energy explosion followed! The Demon Lord's terrifying giant arm was torn open from the inside by the violent force, and filthy demonic blood poured out like a waterfall!

The Demon Lord let out a deafening howl of pain and rage, and his downward strike suddenly became unbalanced and slowed down!
"Team A, spearhead clearing the way! Target—the altar core!" Zhang Yuan's voice pierced through the roar, carrying an undeniable decisiveness!
"Roar! Slay the demons and vanquish evil! Fight to the death, never retreat!"

The hundred most elite assassins of the Rock Camp, whose names were called, roared in unison, their eyes bloodshot!

They instantly broke away from the main formation, removed the tower shields, and gripped the Demon-Slaying Giant Cone tightly with both hands, its tip wreathed in unprecedentedly violent lightning!
Under Yue Zhenshan's personal leadership, like a red-hot dagger, taking advantage of the brief chaos caused by the Demon Lord's injury and the Demon Tide, they launched a desperate charge towards the silent altar deep in the rift valley!
"Cover them!"

Lei Zhen's eyes were bloodshot, and all the arrows from the Rift Abyss Camp were rained down in an attempt to stop the demons that were surging in from all directions to fill the gap.

"Qingyang Pure Land, open!"

In the distance, towards Lone Star Fortress, a condensed, auspicious, seven-colored beam of light pierced through space and crashed down, purifying the pervasive poisonous miasma and curses, and opening a relatively "clean" passage for the assassins!

charge!

Every step I took was treading on a bloody path torn open by the lives of my comrades!
Elite warriors were constantly being pierced by the Shadow Blade Demon Generals that pounced from the shadows, melted by the acid arrows of the Corrupting Poison Predators, and overwhelmed by the re-emerging demonic tide!

But before they fall, they will surely unleash their last strength, driving the Demon-Slaying Cone deep into the demon's body, or even using their bodies to block the demon's pursuit!

By the time the hundred-man squad reached the ruins of the altar, less than thirty remained!

Everyone was covered in blood, their heavy armor shattered, their breaths weak, but their eyes burned with fire!

"Set up the formation! Ignite the nodes!"

Yue Zhenshan was covered in wounds, one arm hanging limply at his side, but with his other hand he gripped a broken stone on the base of the altar, engraved with ancient runes, and roared hoarsely!
Ignoring their injuries, the surviving warriors rushed to the key points of the altar and pressed the "Primordial Fire Seed" crystals, which they carried with them and were personally refined by Zhang Yuan, into the pre-set grooves!
"Insects! Don't even think about it!"

Deeper into the rift, at the other end, the Demon Lord of the Heart-Eating Eye, flowing with lava and deadly poison, let out a shriek. Several extremely condensed filthy rays shot out from its enormous eyeball, heading straight for the core of the altar!
Their intention was to destroy everything at the last moment!
Just as the ray was about to annihilate the altar and the dozens of warriors who had desperately ignited the nodes!
Above the cliff, the chaotic divine light in Zhang Yuan's eyes burned to its extreme!

"Ice Phoenix Feather Armor! Silence!"

The ice crystal feather cloak and ice phoenix feather armor behind him emitted an extremely deep blue, bone-chilling light!
"Wow—!"

The clear, melodious cry of the Ice Phoenix echoed throughout the rift valley!
A visible absolute zero cold wave, centered on Zhang Yuan, suddenly erupted in a fan shape, instantly meeting the several filthy rays!
"Click! Click! Click!"

The filthy rays, powerful enough to melt even a Venerable One's physical body, emitted a teeth-grinding freezing sound the instant they touched the deep blue cold tide!

The curse runes and the manifestation of the laws of corruption that tumbled within the rays were instantly frozen in eternal ice!

Frozen in mid-air, they formed several strange and dangerous dark green ice crystal spears!
Although the cold wave was strong, it could not completely stop the power of the Demon Lord's all-out attack!

The ice crystal spear shattered under the immense energy impact!

The remaining shockwave still slammed into the altar!

"Fire General!!!"

Yue Zhenshan and his soldiers were filled with rage, but they were powerless to dodge!

At this very last moment!
"Om-!"

A vast, profound will, seemingly emanating from the deepest part of the earth, suddenly descended from the direction of Chentieling, traversing space!

The phantom of the Primordial Prison-Suppressing Divine Elephant flashed across the sky above the altar, and the huge phantom of the elephant's foot stomped hard on the remaining shockwave!
"boom!"

Spatial oscillation!

The remaining shockwave was crushed and neutralized!
Beneath the altar, the assassins of Team A seized this precious respite, ignoring the terrifying pressure from the several Heart-Eating Demon Lords above them, which was like a mountain collapsing, and slammed the last piece of the huge fire crystal, which also carried the power of the "Wood Ancestor Source Core" fragment, into the main array eye of the altar!

"puff--!!!"

It's as if a heart that has been dormant for ages has been revitalized!

A tiny, yet incredibly pure, golden flame suddenly shot up from the core rune of the main altar array!

Immediately afterwards!

"Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!..."

On the altar ruins, one rune node after another was lit up!
Like sleeping stars being awakened one by one!

Pure, scorching, and imbued with the ancient will of the primordial barrier, the aura of the Heavenly Dao erupted like a volcano that had been suppressed for millions of years!
A dazzling golden pillar of light, over ten feet in diameter and formed purely from the will of Heaven, shot into the sky from the core of the altar like an unyielding spine!

In an instant, it pierced through the filthy demonic clouds that shrouded the Black Wind Rift Valley!
Wherever the golden light passed, the churning demonic energy, like ice and snow being doused with boiling water, emitted a sizzling sound and quickly melted away!
The low-level demons swept by the golden light let out painful howls, their bodies emitting blue smoke as their demonic forms began to disintegrate!
Even the powerful Bone-Eating Demon General and the Corrosive Poison Lizard Demon King were burned by this pure power of the Heavenly Dao, and their offensive was halted!
It worked!
Black Wind Rift Valley, a deathly place that had been silent for countless years and regarded as the backyard of the Heavenly Demons, has once again rekindled the beacon towers symbolizing order and protection!

On the cliff, Zhang Yuan slowly lowered the God-Slaying Bow, his gaze piercing through the gradually dissipating demonic miasma and landing on the golden pillar of light that pierced through heaven and earth.

On his stern face, the taut lines finally relaxed slightly, and an indescribable sense of exhilaration, like a golden pillar of light, surged within him!
Zhang Yuan's tall and imposing figure, illuminated by the golden beam of light, resembled that of a god.

The altar has been reignited!

The beacon towers are lit!

Behind them, the remaining warriors of the Rock Camp and Rift Camp gazed at the golden pillar of light that dispelled the darkness and pierced through the demonic clouds, and listened to the painful howls of the demons in the golden light. Even though everyone was wounded and exhausted, their eyes burst with the ecstasy and pride of surviving a calamity and avenging their great hatred!
"Fire General's divine might! The barrier shines anew!" Someone roared out with their last ounce of strength.

"The fortress is restored to its former glory!"

"The fortress is restored to its former glory!!!"

Exhausted yet resolute shouts converged into an indomitable torrent, echoing throughout the Black Wind Rift Valley under the golden pillar of light and beside the newly lit beacon tower!

This is humanity's most powerful battle song, igniting the flame of hope in dire straits! (End of Chapter)