Daqin Zhentiansi

"Zhaowu! Have you been blinded by this little bit of empty enthusiasm?"

Li Xing's voice was shrill, and his finger almost poked the newly brightened area on the sand table.

"Reclaim? Hmph! It's nothing more than snatching a few reefs on the edge of a raging demonic tide, which could be devoured at any moment!"

"And the price? Of the three thousand fierce soldiers of the Panshi Camp, less than one-tenth remain!"

"That Zhang Yuan only relied on brute force and some strange methods from who-knows-where to take risks and get lucky!"

"Use humans? A bunch of inferior bloodlines and limited potential cannon fodder. They won a few battles by luck. Do you really think they can shoulder the heavy responsibility of guarding key points?"

His gaze swept across the hall with a sinister intensity, and he deliberately emphasized his tone: "Don't forget! Behind them lies the long-forgotten mortal realm! Those who are not of our kind will surely have different hearts!"

"To entrust this strategic location, which concerns the safety of the entire Boundary Fortress, to a group of humans of unknown origin and questionable loyalty? What if they can't hold it, and the Heavenly Demons launch a counterattack to reclaim it, or even be deeply corrupted by demonic energy and turn against us..."

Who will bear this immense guilt?! Will it be you, Zhaowu, or... His Majesty Zichen?!

The last sentence subtly points the finger at the highest decision-maker.

The atmosphere inside the hall suddenly became tense.

Zhao Wu's eyes widened in anger, his body radiating a murderous aura, while Li Xing's faction stood firm, coldly confronting him.

The passionate elites who supported Zhang Yuan looked indignant, but were unable to interject due to their status and position.

The neutral faction, meanwhile, frowned and weighed the pros and cons.

Venerable Zichen sat upright beneath his jade crown, the beaded curtain trembling slightly. Beneath his calm, unwavering face, his deep gaze shifted between the golden light of the sand table and the conflict between the two factions, clearly indicating that he was also engaged in a fierce deliberation.

On one hand, there is the monumental achievement of expanding territory and boosting morale, and on the other hand, there is the urgently needed support at the front lines.

On the other hand, there are deep-seated suspicions, distrust of "other races," and a deep fear of potential risks.

A tense silence fell over the main hall.

Only on the sand table, the scarlet light and shadow representing the demonic tide writhe and churn restlessly at the edge of the golden light, foreshadowing an even greater storm brewing.

In that tense moment, when the air seemed to freeze—

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom..."

A series of deep, powerful rumbles, like the pulse of the earth, rolled from the depths of the vast passageway leading to the human settlement behind the boundary barrier!
This sound was not the sound of war drums, but the vibration of countless heavy footsteps striking the ground in unison, converging into an endless wave!
The entire floor of the central hall trembled slightly in this powerful rhythm!
Immediately afterwards, the high-pitched and urgent report from the guard outside the hall pierced through the heavy hall doors:

"Report! Your Majesties! The Human Race's reinforcements have arrived!"

"Three hundred thousand soldiers, along with countless logistical supplies, have arrived at Hou Tu Ping inside the pass and are now assembled and awaiting orders!"

"The leader, Elder Yue Shanhe of the Human Race's Guardian Hall, requests an audience!"

Three hundred thousand?!

Inside the main hall, all the arguments came to an abrupt halt!

Countless gazes suddenly turned towards the palace gate, filled with shock, astonishment, and an undisguised complexity.

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Venerable Li Xing's face instantly darkened, then erupted into a chilling laugh, as if he had found an outlet for his pent-up emotions: "Hmph! Three hundred thousand humans? Perfect timing!"

He suddenly turned to Venerable Zichen, his voice filled with undisguised contempt and coldness.

"Your Majesty! Since the human race is so 'loyal and brave,' volunteering to die, then grant their request!"

"Transfer all of these reinforcements to the three new locations: 'Shen Tieling, Yingzui Cliff, and Guxing Fortress'! Place them under the command of Zhang Yuan!"

He paused deliberately, each word like an icicle:
"Send word to Zhang Yuan that reinforcements have arrived. Order him to reorganize on the spot and defend the newly opened three forts and the beacon towers along the Black Wind, Meteorite, and Northwest Rift Valley lines to the death! He is not to retreat even a single step without orders!"

"Let him use human blood to...fill this defensive line for me!"

This order was full of malicious scheming.

Three hundred thousand human reinforcements, lacking experience in large-scale prehistoric warfare, were directly thrown to the front lines and the most dangerous new defensive lines; it was clearly a case of using someone else to do the dirty work.

Using their flesh and blood to weaken the demons, while testing Zhang Yuan's limits, could very well lead to the loss of this hard-won victory along with the reinforcements.

Venerable Zhaowu's face turned ashen, his fists clenched, about to unleash a furious rebuke, when Venerable Zichen's voice, unreadable in its tone, rang out from behind the beaded curtain, like the clinking of metal and jade:
"allow."

A single word sealed the fate of the 300,000-strong human reinforcement army, and like a boulder, it weighed heavily on the three newly lit beacon towers.

The dense dots of light representing the human reinforcements on the sand table slowly moved toward the golden, yet perilous, front line.

Outside the border pass.

In front of the main fortress of Chentieling.

The once somewhat empty scorched earth is now filled with a chilling torrent of steel.

Three hundred thousand human warriors, clad in uniform black armor, carrying rune tower shields, and wielding demon-slaying halberds, stood silently in massive square formations.

Their armor, though not as heavy and ancient as that of the Rock Camp, was still engraved with ancient runes from the human race's guardian temple, gleaming with a restrained light.

The battlefield was a forest of weapons, and the banners fluttered in the wind.

A slightly raw yet incredibly resilient aura of iron and blood spread out.

This aura briefly suppressed the oppressive feeling brought by the chaotic demonic clouds.

At the front of the battle, an old man wearing a black Qilin Devouring Sky Armor, with a face as resolute as a rock and hair and beard standing on end like steel needles, was leading several human generals with powerful auras, also wearing heavy armor, towards the black figure in front of the main fortress gate.

It was none other than Yue Shanhe, the Grand Elder of the Chongyue Guardian Hall of the Human Race, a powerful expert at the Venerable Realm!

Yue Shanhe stopped three steps in front of Zhang Yuan, his eyes, weathered by time and seemingly containing the will of endless mountains, sharply fixed on Zhang Yuan's young face, which already exuded boundless pressure.

Without any further pleasantries, Yue Shanhe clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice deep and resonant, like the beating of a war drum, clearly echoing throughout the entire army: "Commander! Yue Shanhe, the Grand Elder of the Chongyue Garrison Hall, has been ordered to lead 300,000 soldiers to await orders!"

His gaze swept over the remaining two thousand or so wounded but indomitable soldiers of the Rock Camp behind Zhang Yuan, a flicker of barely perceptible sorrow and respect in his eyes, which quickly transformed into an iron-willed resolve:

"I don't care how the Trial of the Three Thousand Halls goes!"

"But you, Fire General, are a once-in-a-millennium hero of our human race, a torch that illuminates our path forward!"

"These 300,000 men are the blood, courage, and backbone of our human race!"

"Today, by entrusting him to the Fire Commander, we are entrusting him with all the hope for the survival of the human race beyond the Great Wall!"

Yue Shanhe's voice suddenly rose, carrying a do-or-die determination, and resounded through the sky: "From this day forward, they will be the sword and shield in the hands of the Fire Commander!"

"Even if the road ahead is fraught with danger, a deep abyss of demons, wherever the Fire Commander's command points, three hundred thousand lives will form the city wall!" "Even if we all perish here, our blood staining the scorched earth, our souls scattered in the demonic clouds, we will still help the Fire Commander—to defend this land of war, bought with our lives! To glorify the prestige of our human race, and to live up to the name 'Fortress'!"

"Boom!"

The 300,000-strong army seemed to be ignited by this resounding oath. Without any command, as if by telepathy, they all knelt down on one knee in perfect unison!
"Clang—!" The heavy armor plate struck the earth, producing a thunderous roar that shook the mountains.

Three hundred thousand gazes, filled with awe for the powerful, uncertainty about their future, and unwavering resolve to protect the beacon tower, converged on Zhang Yuan, their roar sweeping across the land like a tsunami.

"Greetings, Fire Commander!!!"

The sound waves assaulted Zhang Yuan.

He stood before the main gate of the castle, his figure as upright as a solitary peak, his dark black Taoist robe fluttering in the raging wind created by the atmosphere of war.

His deep gaze slowly swept over the boundless steel jungle before him, and the three hundred thousand silent and resolute eyes.

Examine.

Their armor was mostly rough, and the runes were not nearly as thick and heavy as the Myriad Beast Armor of the Rock Camp, which was a limitation of the human race's resources.

Their eyes held a mixture of bewilderment at the cruelty of the new battlefield, the Demon Realm, and a sense of tragic destiny, but more than anything, they held a burning desire to prove themselves and protect what they had been suppressed for so long, a sense of almost devout entrustment.

They are humanity's desperate gamble, a wall of flesh and blood thrown into the meat grinder... and also the heaviest and sharpest chip in Zhang Yuan's hand at this moment.

At that very moment, the will of those 300,000 resonated with his commander's command!
"Buzz—!!!"

An indescribable, immense power suddenly descended from the sky!

It did not originate from the direction of Jielu Pass, but rather from this primordial world itself where the beacon fires had just been lit!

It was as if the dormant will of the Great Dao was stirred by the belief of these 300,000 living beings gathered together, and transformed into an invisible torrent that poured into Zhang Yuan's body!

Zhang Yuan's body jolted violently!
He could clearly feel that his own blood and qi, true essence, and even his connection with the chaotic small world were rising and growing at an alarming rate!
It was as if the entire landscape covered by the Iron Ridge, Eagle Beak Cliff, Lone Star Fortress, and the three newly lit beacon towers in the Northwest, including Black Wind, Meteor, and Northwest, had become part of his power!

The power of the Great Dao is like a gentle stream, flowing around the body. With every move, it can influence the terrain and resonate with the golden light of the Heavenly Dao.

This is the recognition and blessing of the Primordial Heavenly Dao for him guarding this place and ruling over all living beings!
It is the rudimentary form of the authority of the ruler of the territory!

However, this infusion of boundless power also brought with it an invisible, cold, and heavy shackle!

A clear will was imprinted in his mind.

This power of law originates from protection, and is also imprisoned here!
He, Zhang Yuan, has become the "anchor point" to which the destiny of this world is tied.

If territory is lost, if the defenses collapse, this infused power will instantly turn into the most terrifying backlash, and under the wrath of Heaven, neither body nor soul can withstand it!
This is power, but also a curse that will perish with this blood-stained land!
A chaotic divine light flickered in Zhang Yuan's eyes, and he instantly understood the weighty cause and effect.

Without the slightest hesitation, he met Yue Shanhe's resolute gaze and nodded heavily:

"it is good!"

The sound wasn't loud, but it acted like a stabilizing force, suppressing the clamor of the 300,000-strong army.

His gaze fell upon the imposing outline of the Jielei Pass, his voice as steady as a deep mountain:

"Since Venerable Mountain and River trust me, Zhang Yuan! And since 300,000 of my kinsmen are willing to entrust their lives to me!"

He took a sudden step forward, his dark figure seemingly merging with the golden light of the three beacon towers behind him, unleashing a vast and majestic aura of command:

“Then, I, Zhang Yuan, accept the responsibility for the safety of these 300,000 lives, and for the gain or loss of every inch of this land of three fortresses and six beacon towers!”

"Commander's order—!" The 300,000-strong army roared in unison once more, their voices surging into the chaotic demonic clouds, their fighting spirit ignited!
At this peak moment when fighting spirit soars to the heavens!

"Waaaaaah!"

A piercing, mournful horn of the abyss suddenly boomed from the depths of the chaotic demonic clouds!

More violent and more urgent than ever before!

"Boom—!"

The churning demonic clouds ahead, like a boiling sea of ​​blood, were forcibly torn apart by a terrifying force!

An unprecedentedly large and menacing army of demons surged forth like a black torrent bursting through its dam!
Its vanguard was no longer a chaotic mass of cannon fodder, but a formation of thousands of "skeletal tyrannical warriors" clad in bone armor and wielding massive blades, their heavy footsteps making the earth rumble!
Closely following behind was a horde of "Corrupted Poison Lizard Demons" war beasts that spewed poisonous flames!

Deeper still, demonic clouds surged, and the terrifying pressure of the Heart-Eating Demon Lord could be faintly felt!
The target is the newly assembled and still unstable 300,000 reinforcements!
Clearly, the plan is to take advantage of their unstable foothold, defeat them in one fell swoop, and recapture the beacon tower!

The recruits' formation momentarily panicked. The ignited passion froze instantly in the face of the overwhelming aura of destruction, and immense fear spread like ice.

Lian Yueshanhe and the several human experts he brought with them instantly became extremely solemn, their eyes filled with deep worry for this army that had not been tempered in the Demon Realm.

At this critical moment, when morale was wavering!
"Ah, just in time!"

"Gentlemen, behold—" A clear and resonant shout, like a thunderclap, instantly overwhelmed the demonic howl and the horn!
Before the main fortress of Chentieling, the figure in black ink took a step and was already in mid-air!

Zhang Yuan's black Daoist robe fluttered in the wind, his eyes were filled with the chaotic evolution and the Great Qin Xuanhuang will intertwined, and the "Great Xia Dragon Sparrow" in his hand, which was wrapped with chaotic thunder and Xuanhuang divine patterns, hummed and trembled, as if thirsting for demonic blood!

"I, Zhang, will first commit a killing spree! To send you off on your journey!"

Before he finished speaking, his figure had already transformed into a stream of dark golden light that tore through the chaos, carrying with him the remaining two thousand or so blood-soaked elites of the Pan Shi army, including Lei Zhen, and crashing into the surging torrent of demonic energy like a red-hot dagger!
"Kill—!!!" Lei Zhen roared like a furious bull, and the archers of the Rift Abyss unleashed a torrent of arrows, precisely targeting the monster nodes.

A direct confrontation to break the demonic tide!
The blade flashed!

A magnificent blade aura, vast as the sky, combining the golden light of the primordial barrier with the origin of the Great Qin Dynasty, erupted from Zhang Yuan's hand!
"Pfft—Boom!!!"

Wherever the blade passed, the skeletal brute warrior formation in front was like rotten wood and paper, its sturdy bone armor and demonic bodies instantly severed and vaporized!
This single strike forcefully cleaved a bloody, demonic path through the surging demonic tide!

The blade's momentum didn't stop; it cleaved straight at a Corrosive Poison Lizard Demon King Beast that spewed poisonous flames!

Before the demonic beast could even let out a wail, its mountain-like body split in two. Its filthy demonic blood gushed out like a waterfall, corroding the earth. However, when it touched the golden and black dual-colored aura woven around Zhang Yuan, it emitted a "sizzling" wail and quickly dissolved and purified itself!
Zhang Yuan appeared without hesitation, like a ghost, at the densest part of the demonic tide on the other side!

"town!"

With a single word of truth, chaotic divine light erupted from beneath his feet, resonating with the will of the ancient prison-suppressing divine elephant deep within the earth!

"Boom!"

Gravity within a radius of 100 feet instantly distorted and increased tenfold!
Large numbers of low-level monsters were plunged into the mud, their bones and internal organs crushed and exploded by an invisible force!

Even the high-ranking demon generals were slowed down!
The remnants of the Rock Army followed closely behind, moving with perfect precision. The Demon-Slaying Giant Cone transformed into a death whirlwind, precisely chiseling into the demonic object that had been slowed down by the gravity field. The ghostly blue Demon-Slaying Thunder exploded, splattering blood and broken bones everywhere!

The 300,000-strong army remained completely silent! (End of Chapter)