Daqin Zhentiansi

Countless eyes were fixed on the dark figure as he traversed the demonic tide, unstoppable and invincible!
Watching him, alone with his sword, cleave through the warrior formation, split open the body of the king beast demon, and suppress the demon horde with his words, watching the wounded but ferocious remnant army of Pan Shi behind him tear and strangle in the demon tide!

This wasn't a battle; it was a devastating massacre!

It was a crushing defeat, like a god descending to earth!
"Oh my god..." a new recruit murmured to himself, his long spear trembling, whether from fear or excitement, it was hard to tell.

"That...that's the power of the Fire Commander? One man can be worth a million soldiers?"

One centurion was mesmerized by what he saw, his blood boiling with excitement.

"Rock Barracks, is this the true Iron Army of the Primordial Era?"

The elite generals in the reinforcements had solemn expressions, their eyes filled with unprecedented shock and awe.

They prided themselves on being the best of humanity, only to realize now that there are always higher realms to reach!
The suffocating feeling brought by the terrifying demonic tide was actually suppressed by the mere two thousand people in front!

Yue Shanhe stood tall at the front of the battle, his steel-needle-like beard and hair fluttering slightly in the strong wind.

He slowly loosened his clenched fists, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force.

Looking at Zhang Yuan's unparalleled figure and the fearless charge of the Rock Camp, this human venerable man felt a storm churning in his heart.

Shocked by Zhang Yuan's terrifying combat power, comparable to or even surpassing that of a Venerable One, and impressed by the ferocity of the Rock Camp, an iron army that has survived countless battles.

"So, this is the source of his confidence to take on the responsibility of saving 300,000 lives..."

Yue Shanhe murmured to himself, his previous worries not completely gone, but replaced by a strong sense of shock and inexplicable hope.

He finally understood why the three thousand Rock Battalion had achieved such astonishing victories at Blood Millstone.

With such a pillar of strength in front of them, the 300,000-strong army may truly have a chance to rise from the ashes!
The human experts behind him also looked at each other in shock. The pessimism in their eyes faded, replaced by a deep awe of the dark figure and a glimmer of hope for the future.

Xuanlan Gongzi and other celestial elites were deeply shaken.

Born in the Heavenly Palace, they had extremely high standards, but at this moment they had to admit that the power and commanding presence that Zhang Yuan was displaying far exceeded their understanding of "human generals"!

That supreme power that merged the Heavenly Dao of the two realms, and that exquisite control over the rhythm of the battlefield, made them feel a deep and awe-inspiring respect for the "vassal races" for the first time.

The fierce battle lasted less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before the elite vanguard of the Demon Tide collapsed, retreating in panic into the depths of the Demon Clouds under the onslaught of Zhang Yuan and the Rock Camp.

"Clean up the battlefield!"

Zhang Yuan's icy voice echoed across the battlefield. He pointed the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow in his hand diagonally at the ground, and demonic blood dripped from the blade, rising in wisps of black smoke.

Xuanmo stood amidst mountains of corpses, seas of blood, and dissipating demonic energy, like a war god returning from a bloodbath.

The 300,000-strong army seemed to awaken from a dream, and responded with a thunderous roar!

This time, the "yes" was filled with fervor and conviction, without a trace of hesitation or fear!
Having witnessed the divine might of the Fire General and the unyielding spirit of the Rock, a fierce battle ignited in their hearts.

Half an hour later.

The core of the Blood Millstone defense line is located within the main fortress of Sunken Iron Ridge.

The enormous military tent was solemn and dignified, with the lighting crystals embedded in its top emitting a soft yet bright light.

The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder, blood, and freshly tanned leather.

In the center of the tent, a huge sand table with flowing light and shadow clearly outlined the three fortresses of Chen Tie Ridge, Eagle Beak Cliff, and Lone Star Fortress, as well as the three beacon tower nodes of Black Wind Rift Valley, Meteorite Gorge, and Northwest Rift Valley that had just been ignited. The red dots of the remaining demonic tide surged restlessly at its edges.

At the head of the main tent, Zhang Yuan sat in the commander's seat, which was made of black iron.

He had already changed out of his blood-stained Taoist robe.

He was clad in light, dark black armor, and his aura was as deep and solid as a mountain.

Between the opening and closing of his eyes, the chaotic divine light and the profound will of the Yellow Emperor were faintly visible.

Although it did not deliberately release its pressure, it naturally exuded a powerful aura that commanded this world and held the fate of 300,000 living beings in its hands.

The traces of the battle he had just experienced seemed to have been erased by his powerful regenerative abilities, with only his soaring fighting spirit and chilling killing aura still lingering around him.

To the left of the commander-in-chief's seat, Yue Shanhe, the Great Elder of the Human Race's Guardian Hall, sat majestically.

He was still wearing that black Qilin Devouring Heaven Armor, his face as resolute as ever.

The core generals were lined up on the left and right sides of the main tent.

Lei Zhen is the leader on the left.

The demonic blood on this fierce general of the Kui Niu bloodline had dried and solidified. He was covered in wounds but was still full of vigor. There was still a lingering aura of thunder around him, and his eyes were bloodshot, full of fighting spirit.

Following them were core generals of the Panshi Camp, such as Yue Zhenshan and Pan Yue, whose bodies bore the tragic and iron-blooded aura of surviving countless battles—silent medals.

To the right are the five most respected half-step Venerable Realm experts among the reinforcements!
They were all highly accomplished individuals nurtured by the Human Race's Guardian Hall. At this moment, they wore standard-issue but exquisitely runed black armor, their auras either as heavy as mountains, as sharp as swords, or as deep as the sea.

The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy and somber; you could hear a pin drop.

All eyes were focused on the commander-in-chief, waiting for the figure in black ink to speak, waiting for the Fire Commander's order to decide the fate of this newly built defensive line and the wall of 300,000 flesh and blood.

The sand table, with its shifting light and shadow, outlines the newly established three fortresses and three beacon towers, with the crimson tide of demons surging along their edges.

Zhang Yuan sat in the commander's seat, his dark black light armor heavy and imposing like a mountain. His eyes were slightly closed, seemingly resting, but in reality, his mind had sunk into the depths of his consciousness—Spring Mountain Grotto.

Now there's no need for a spring mountain gathering; everyone simply gathers in front of the courtyard.

Within the cave, streams murmured and the air was filled with the aroma of tea, yet the atmosphere was permeated with a strategic and warlike spirit even more intense than that of the front lines of the primordial wilderness.

A giant light screen floated in the air, clearly projecting a map of the Blood Millstone front line. Three dazzling lights of beacon towers shone brightly alongside the markers indicating the assembly of 300,000 troops.

Zhang Yuan's divine avatar stood before the light screen.

Zhao Yu stood beside him, dressed in palace attire, yet her brows held a sharpness reminiscent of that on the battlefield.

Wang Anzhi, Lu Jun, Sun Qi and other important ministers of the Qin Dynasty, as well as the phantom images of several powerful strategists from the Military Affairs Office who were skilled in deduction, were also present.

“My lord, the situation is clear now,” Zhao Yu said first, her voice clear and melodious.

Her fingertips traced across the three locations on the light screen: Chen Tie Ridge, Eagle Beak Cliff, and Lone Star Fortress: "The Heavenly Palace sits idly by, and Li Xing is hindering us. The 300,000-strong army may seem like a heavy burden, but in reality, it is the cornerstone that will shake up the primordial world!"

"Holding fast to the three forts and six beacon towers is neither a long-term solution nor a way to break the deadlock."

Wang Anzhi stroked his beard and pondered: "What the princess says is absolutely right. An army of 300,000 is a behemoth. If we only retreat and defend, the day our supplies run out will be the day we are overthrown."

"The Heavenly Demon will surely attack with the force of thunder; we can wear it down until it is defeated."

Sun Qi's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he pressed his finger heavily against the shadow representing the endless chaotic demonic realm at the edge of the map: "We must advance! But how? Three hundred thousand men are far more than three thousand elite troops. Traversing dangerous terrain would make us too conspicuous, and we'd easily get surrounded!" "Therefore, we cannot wander; we must establish a foothold!" Zhao Yu declared decisively, his fingertip touching the three newly lit beacon towers, then quickly tracing across the dim, silent ancient altar nodes on the map, as if lighting up stars on a star chart.

"By establishing a stronghold beyond the formidable pass, using the three fortresses and six beacon towers as initial footholds, we are like nails driven into the demonic realm. The next step is not to act rashly, but to—nibble away!"

Her words carried a grand vision: "Before the Heavenly Demons have gathered their full strength to counterattack, and while the legion is newly arrived and full of vigor, we will use elite small groups as the vanguard."

"Using the remnants of countless battles like Yuezhen Mountain and Panyue as our sharpest weapons, and guided by celestial beings familiar with the area beyond the Great Wall, such as Young Master Xuanlan, we do not seek to conquer cities and territories, but rather to find these abandoned altar nodes scattered beyond the Great Wall, forgotten or corrupted by demonic energy!"

Lu Jun's eyes showed a thoughtful expression: "Ignite them? Like the Black Wind, the Meteorite, the Northwest Rift Valley?"

"Exactly!" Zhao Yu's voice rose, filled with an almost fanatical certainty. "The altar is the lifeblood of the primordial barrier! Lighting one altar grants the protection of the heavens to the land, purifies the demonic miasma, suppresses demonic creatures, and even connects wills, resonating to generate power!"

"This is the true foundation of the Great Dao! A single beacon tower is a solitary lamp, but when ten or a hundred are connected, they become a prairie fire!"

She looked intently at Zhang Yuan's divine avatar: "Husband, this is exchanging space for time! Ten years! Giving humanity ten years to gather in this land of three fortresses and six beacon towers!"

"An army of 300,000 is not a expendable resource, but a seed!"

"Use war as training, beacon towers as shields, and the purifying power of the altar as a furnace!"

"Relying on the constantly ignited and interconnected altar network, we compress the demon realm space and advance step by step."

“Every time we clear a node, it is a real-world test; every time we light a beacon, it strengthens our will of Heaven.”

"Ten years of blood and fire tempering, supplemented by the ancient battle tactics and Qin skills passed down by my husband... these 300,000 soldiers will surely transform from 'new recruits' into a well-equipped, coordinated, and iron-blooded army capable of standing alone! They will become a true 'iron wall,' not just a wall of flesh and blood!"

"At that time, the 30,000 altars will be ablaze with flames, forming the foundation for the counterattack against the demon race and the reshaping of the primordial order!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Anzhi, Sun Qi, and the others' eyes flashed with shock.

Ten years of preparation, gradually eroding the foundation of the Great Dao, rekindling the thirty thousand altars...

This strategy, with its grand vision and profound intent, directly addresses the very origin of the primordial world!
Everyone felt that time was of the essence, but only Princess Yu Ruo dared to propose a ten-year period of recuperation.

At this time, let alone the prehistoric world, even in the Great Qin Dynasty, few dared to plan a ten-year strategy.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Sun Qi exclaimed, clapping his hands in admiration. "Using the altar as a point and the network as a surface, we've solidified our foundation step by step, turning the battlefield into a whetstone!"

"Ten years from now, when the 300,000-strong iron army is formed, it will be the sharpest dagger aimed at the heart of the Demon Abyss! This is a perfectly legitimate and open strategy!"

Zhang Yuan's divine avatar listened quietly, its eyes swirling with chaotic divine light, which eventually transformed into a profound approval like the flowing of starlight.

"Excellent! Let's gradually erode the enemy's defenses and forge an iron wall! After ten years of building up our strength, a 300,000-strong iron army is within reach! This strategy shall be the guiding principle!"

……

The main tent of the commander of Shen Tieling.

Zhang Yuan slowly opened his eyes, his chaotic divine light receding, and his gaze swept over the core human generals, including Lei Zhen and Yue Shanhe, who stood solemnly below the tent.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the black iron armrest, the sound deep and clear, carrying a sharp edge of reminiscence:

"If I only have my three thousand steadfast men..."

His gaze swept over the faces of Yue Zhenshan, Pan Yue, and other survivors of countless battles.

"I will lead them, transforming them into a sharp blade, traversing the most treacherous rifts in the Demon Realm, tearing and fighting like guerrillas amidst the demons' hunt."

"Every attack is like licking blood off a knife's edge, every rest is like walking on thin ice, all in order to find that fleeting crack in the road to survival."

He paused, then abruptly looked up, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the generals representing the 300,000 reinforcements below. A vast, overwhelming aura erupted from him:
"But today, this place is not three thousand, but three hundred thousand! It is Elder Yue who entrusted our human race with the hope of survival outside the pass, and it is three hundred thousand passionate lives willing to fight to the death with me and share in this great cause!"

He abruptly stood up, his dark figure seemingly merging with the three golden beacon towers on the sand table behind him. His voice was resolute and unwavering:
"With this army of 300,000 as our foundation, and with these three fortresses and six beacon towers as our support, I, Zhang, have the confidence to no longer undertake those extremely dangerous hunting expeditions!"

He slammed his palm down on the edge of the sand table, causing the entire scene to tremble.
"ten years!"

"Give me ten years! I hereby swear that I will forge this army of 300,000 into an indestructible, terrifying fortress that will make even the Heavenly Demons tremble!"

"Roar—!!!" The generals under the tent, whether they were Lei Zhen and Yue Zhenshan from the remnants of the Rock Army or the strongmen of the human reinforcements, were all filled with excitement. Their fighting spirit was like a volcanic eruption. They roared in unison, and the sound waves almost lifted the top of the tent!
Ten years of ironclad defense!

This is not just a promise, but a flame of hope ignited in everyone's heart!
"Lei Zhen!" Zhang Yuan's gaze locked onto the Kui Niu warrior.

"Your subordinate is here!" Lei Zhen stepped forward, his body crackling with lightning.

"I hereby order you to immediately take command of the weapon-forging workshop, sparing no expense! Use all the demon god bones, heavenly demon essences, and high-grade demonic materials captured from the battlefield! Combine the weapon-forging methods of your sect with the techniques of the Great Qin Dynasty, and forge them for me!"

"Thirty thousand sets of Rock-Solid Battalion-level Rune Heavy Armor!"

"Fifty thousand Rift Abyss Battalion-level Demon-Slaying Bows and specially made Thunder Star-Shattering Arrows!"

"One hundred thousand sets of the new Demon-Slaying Cone Tower Shield Combination!"

"And all weapons, armor, and chariot components must be upgraded! I want this army of 300,000 to be armed from teeth to toes!"

"Make every piece of armor on their bodies and every weapon in their hands a sharp tool for reaping the demons!"

"Understood!" Lei Zhen's eyes burned with excitement, as if he could already see a terrifyingly armed torrent of steel.

"Yue Zhenshan! Panyue!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"The 300,000 reinforcements will be placed under your command for training, according to their original organization!"

"Using veterans of the Rock Camp as the backbone, we will teach them survival techniques on the Blood Mill battlefield and the art of coordinating attacks in demon-breaking formations!"

"Be fast! Be strict! Be ruthless! Grind away the cowardice of the new recruits and forge their rock-solid will and combat skills!"

"I want them to get into the rhythm of the Blood Mill in the shortest amount of time!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Yue Zhenshan and Pan Yue clasped their fists together, their eyes gleaming with the determination to forge the seed into steel.

"The rest of the units!" Zhang Yuan's gaze swept over the five half-step Venerable generals. "Each unit should select its most elite veterans and bravest warriors, totaling eight hundred men!"

"You five will personally lead the operation, starting today, with the three forts and six beacon towers as the core, to conduct reconnaissance, clearing, and securing operations outwards!"

"No need for long-range attacks, but we must hold the area we control firmly like nails! Any demons that try to approach the beacon tower, kill them back!"

"At the same time, closely investigate the exact location of all nearby abandoned altar nodes and the monster's defenses! Pave the way for subsequent 'nibbling'!"

"As the Fire Commander commands!" the five powerful figures responded in unison. (End of Chapter)