Daqin Zhentiansi

The dark red patterns on hundreds of blood-patterned shields simultaneously glowed faintly, their energy subtly connected, forming a relatively simple but extremely resilient small defensive area.

The acid sprayed onto the shield surface, making an even louder hissing sound, but it failed to corrode the shield surface as quickly as before. A dark red halo flowed around it, forcibly neutralizing some of the corrosive power!
The immense force of the corpse vine puppet's impact was absorbed by the shield array's combination of force-dissipating techniques with the basic formation and the shield's own weight.

Although the impact caused many soldiers to have numb arms, split hands, and stagger, and some were even knocked down and injured, the entire defensive line was like a reef stuck in the mud. Under the command of the veterans and the formation, it was not broken!

"Stab! Pierce their joints!" an old soldier roared.

Spearmen and bone spearmen suddenly thrust out from the gaps in the shields, their sharp spear tips piercing the joints of the puppet's vines or the spider's limbs.

Blood splattered everywhere, the stench of decay filled the air, and the battle was exceptionally fierce.

The Riftwind Camp suffered dozens of casualties but withstood this elite assault, allowing the main force of the Rock Camp in the rear to readjust its formation and launch a more effective counterattack, relying on the light of the fortress and the fortifications, and clear out the scattered demon soldiers who rushed into the defensive circle.

Each blood-patterned shield, still gleaming faintly despite its blood stains, serves as a testament to the bloody growth of this new force.

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Just as the fierce battle raged in Rift Valley, news of the Dragon-Elephant Barrier isolating the poisonous miasma and Xue Dingyue's arrow slaying the enemy chieftain was relayed like a gust of wind by the special envoy team using special means to the half-demon settlement in Shadow Rift Valley, which was waiting for a decision in the Thousand-Foot Barrier.

Five hundred thousand half-demons are caught in an unprecedented storm of upheaval and difficult choices!

Riftwind Valley withstood the night attack by the elite forces of Blackrock Demon Cave!
The defensive resilience, the power of the commander, and the light of the bulwark protecting the weak that the force called "Great Qin" displayed far exceeded their previous expectations!

This means that Rift Valley is not a flash in the pan; it poses a real threat to the demon race and has the strength to fight against the elite demon generals!

Seeking refuge in Rift Valley is no longer a choice that guarantees certain death, but rather a possible glimmer of hope to escape the hellish chasm and return to order!

On the other hand, Black Rock Demon Cave's actions also prove that the demon race regards Riftwind Valley as their mortal enemy.

If they hesitate any longer, whether they are annihilated by the Great Qin as demons or forced by the demons to serve as cannon fodder in the attack on Rift Valley, they will face utter destruction!

"Can't wait any longer!"

Deep within the rift valley, a burly leader known as "Silverscale," with spiraling silver markings on his forehead, arms covered in fine scales, and a calm demeanor, suddenly stood up. His voice, like the clanging of metal, echoed above the noisy settlement.

Silverscale was a descendant of a guardian tribe of the human race, and faint marks of human battle patterns still remain on its body.

"What the Qin envoy said might be true! Only a strong order can give us a foothold! Black Rock has moved, Riftwind can defend it!"

"Those who wish to follow me, take up your weapons, and bring with you all the information we know about Blackrock, Rotten Vine Forest, and all the nearby demon nests, strongholds, passages, and weaknesses, and go to Riftwind Fortress! Join the Great Qin!"

There was a moment of silence in the rift, then it erupted into chaos!

Some people were afraid and retreated, some were full of doubts, but more people were ignited by the grief and indignation that had been suppressed for 100,000 years and the desire for the future!
"Follow Silverscale!"

"Rather than starve to death, freeze to death, or be devoured by demons, let's take a gamble!"

"Tell the people of Qin that we know the lair of those beasts!"

In the end, about one-third, or more than 500,000 half-demons, led by leaders such as Silver Scale, picked up simple bone spears, stone axes, or the few remaining broken iron tools, and, with their families, like a gray torrent bursting its banks, took advantage of the cover of night to leave the Rift Valley where they had lived for generations, and resolutely surged toward the only direction that radiated the light of order—Riftwind Fortress.

When this massive force, a mix of various mutated traits, with a chaotic aura yet a do-or-die determination, appeared in the sight of the sentries on the outskirts of Riftwind Valley at dawn, it shocked the entire fortress.

"Report! My Lord! Outside Riftwind Valley, approximately 500,000 half-demon tribes have come to surrender! Their leader, 'Silver Scale,' has brought a map of the demon tribe's defenses and a letter of surrender, requesting to submit!"

Upon receiving the news, Zhang Yuan, who was inspecting the battle damage and the progress of the purification of the poisonous miasma, remained calm, but a subtle glint of shrewdness flashed deep in his eyes.

He nodded slightly: "Okay. Proceed as planned: establish a 'naturalization zone,' conduct strict screening and observation, and properly resettle the weak and vulnerable."

"Receive their intelligence, order the Remnant People's Office to verify it in detail, and reward those who have made meritorious contributions. Bring Silverscale and other leaders to see me immediately."

The massive gate of Riftwind Keep slowly opened a crack amidst the sound of winches.

A fully armed guard led this large contingent into a special area on the flank of the fortress, isolated by a runic barrier.

Despite the weariness and fear still etched on the faces of many half-demons, for the first time, a glimmer of hope ignited in Silverscale and the hundreds of thousands of eyes behind him as they gazed at the towering battle banners and the light of the fortress, and felt the demonic aura that kept them at bay.

"Greetings, Lord Marquis—"

Countless voices rose up.

……

The smoke of the bloody battle in Rift Valley had not yet cleared when an urgent communication from the distant Northern Wall was transmitted with difficulty through the jade disc at the core of the fortress, after a brief signal fluctuation.

"Rendingwind Keep! Urgent report from Blackrock Fortress: His Highness Ying Rong has personally led the second batch of fresh troops—including 10,000 warriors, 3,000 sorcerers, and 50,000 reserve soldiers—and has set out! He is currently using the passage to teleport and should arrive to meet us in as little as three days!"

"The first batch of airships carrying supplies has broken through the central interference zone and is expected to... hiss... rustle... land at your unit within an hour! Hold on... rustle..."

Almost as soon as the intermittent communication ended, the edge of the light of the barrier above Riftwind Keep suddenly twisted violently!

A massive, floating warship, engraved with intricate defensive runes, resembled a colossal beast forcibly squeezed out of the folds of space. Its entire body emitted billowing black smoke and sparks from the erosion of demonic miasma and the forceful breaking through of spatial turbulence. The ship was riddled with wounds and emitted painful metallic groans!
It shook violently, its tail even dragging two dark green streaks of demonic poison, teetering on the verge of collapse, yet with astonishing precision and resolute attitude, it forcefully swooped down toward the newly cleared temporary take-off and landing field behind the fortress!

"Boom—!!! Boom—!"

The enormous airship crashed violently into the frozen ground like a falling meteorite, kicking up clouds of dust and ice!

The sturdy keel groaned under the strain, but thankfully it didn't completely disintegrate!

The hatch opened with difficulty amidst the smoke and dust. The escorting general, pale-faced but with a determined look in his eyes, rushed out with the help of his guards, holding aloft a bright yellow jade scroll with gold threads, protected by dragon energy and completely undamaged!

"His Majesty's decree! Summon—Marquis Zhang Yuan of Qingyang! All soldiers, receive the decree!"

Emperor Yuankang's decree of commendation arrived at a crucial moment when the most difficult battle had just subsided and the half-demons had come to surrender, accompanied by a battered but heavily laden airship loaded with urgently needed food, high-grade medicine, standard talismans, and some black iron ingots for repairing fortresses and recasting armor!

Zhang Yuan led his generals, amidst the billowing smoke and dust, the lingering stench of poisonous fog, the groans of the wounded, and the clamor of the newly arrived half-demon, solemnly donning their armor as they faced the dragon-patterned imperial edict that symbolized the will of the empire.

Despite a night of bloody fighting, Riftwind Fortress still stands, its bloodline is not extinguished, reinforcements have arrived, and the powerful enemy will surely be defeated!
The flames of war in Xuzhou burn even brighter at this moment!

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Inside Riftwind Valley, the light of the barrier poured down like an ancient boulder, purifying the smoke and filthy remains of last night's fierce battle.

Beside the massive wreckage of the airship, the craftsmen and talisman masters of the Ministry of Works were already busy as ants.

The massive amount of supplies brought by His Highness Ying Rong's reinforcements—mountains of black iron ingots, rune-inlaid heavy steel plates, array foundation stones, as well as ten thousand engineers with resolute eyes and three thousand heavy artillery sorcerers with sharp auras—seemed to have injected a completely new marrow into this nascent fortress.

"Hoo-ha!"

The deafening shouts echoed throughout the valley.

The newly arrived engineers went into battle shirtless, their bare muscles gleaming like cast bronze under the glow of the ramparts, sweat billowing into white vapor.

They joined up with the Ministry of Works masters who had arrived earlier. The rune masters floated in mid-air, forming hand seals and chanting incantations, unleashing a torrent of golden runes like a waterfall.

The most striking change is undoubtedly in Riftwind Keep itself.

The massive mechanical crane emitted a deep hum as it precisely lifted the heavy black iron plate and placed it over the rough black iron base.

Guided by the rune array master, the craftsmen's stardust pens gleamed as they inscribed intricate "Mountain Rock Rune," "Frost Condensation Array Pattern," and "Soul Splitting Restriction" on the runes.

The surface of the city wall is no longer just a simple metallic sheen, but flows with a layer of earthy yellow spiritual halo, connecting with the earth's veins and exuding a heavy, imposing pressure that is "as immovable as a mountain".

This marks the first qualitative leap in the defense system – the reinforcement of the city walls with runes.

New construction is also underway at the highest points on both sides of Rift Valley and at some hidden natural stone platforms.

The foundation was reinforced by tamping magic, and the huge pit left in the foundation resembled the gaping maw of a monster.

The heavy artillery sorcerers personally calibrated the positions and directed the "mountain-moving beasts" to pull the heavy rune cannons into the designated positions.

These newly arrived "Earth-Splitting Talisman Cannons" and "Frost Prison Crossbows" will become powerful weapons for annihilating the demon tide in the future.

Deep within the core of the fortress.

On the newly cleared land, a spire constructed entirely of deep purple "Mysterious Nether Crystal Cores" is rising from the ground.

The surface of the crystal core is covered with densely packed sealing patterns, and the base of the tower was cast with "Demon-Suppressing Mysterious Gold" personally supervised by Yuchi Changshan.

This is a large-scale demon-exorcising core jointly created by the Ministry of Works and the Talisman Masters.

When fully activated, it will release a pure purifying force field that covers the entire Riftwind Fortress and a wider area, acting like a giant filter that continuously weakens and repels the infiltration of low-level demonic energy, and provides an additional purifying barrier for the defense system.

The layout inside the fortress also became very orderly.

Closest to the area where the light of the fortress is strongest is the desolate "military camp" area, where the encampments of the Xuanjia Dragon Cavalry and the Rock Camp are clearly separated, with the neighing of warhorses and the sounds of training constantly heard.

Next to it was the "workshop area" where the furnaces burned and clanged, filled with the mixed smells of forging metal and refining elixirs.

The living quarters of the survivors were located on the relatively safe western side of the fortress.

The newly built, simple but neat wooden house has replaced the thatched hut.

The regional center is the ever-expanding "Enlightenment Hall".

The tender voices of children reading aloud became the most moving echoes of this land that had suffered so much.

In the northeast corner of the fortress, near the edge of the light of the fortress but separated by a tightly guarded array of runes, lies the "Hail Zone" for newly surrendered members.

The arrival of 500,000 half-demons seemed to inject new, mixed, yet vibrant blood into Riftwind Fortress.

At this moment, under the close supervision of the engineers, hundreds of strong and capable half-demon laborers are working hard.

Among them were people with sturdy carapaces and resembling lizardmen, who laboriously carried and transported huge stones with primal demonic patterns to their designated positions within the fortifications.

Several half-demons with strong arms or natural resistance to corrosion, led by the veteran, carefully cleared away the large areas of poisonous swamps and piles of rotting bones left behind on the outer battlefield.

Their own bloodline seems to be able to partially resist the erosion of the remaining evil, and participating in the transportation of heavy objects and the cleaning of contaminated areas is the first step in their integration.

An old half-demon with a sinister face, serpentine vertical pupils, and sharp claws was brought before the temporary military map.

His withered fingers slid across a map marked with complex terrain symbols, hoarsely describing the detailed defenses and fatal weaknesses of a hidden "Bone Forest" nest near the "Shadow Rift Valley" deep within the Thousand-Foot Barrier.

Yuchi Changshan, who was standing nearby, listened with growing excitement and ordered his adjutant, "Mark it! Notify the Eagle Guard that the patrol route of the Third Class has been adjusted, and this area should be closely monitored! Send an elite squad to investigate!"

The intelligence provided by the half-demon was verified for its value, and the defenses were adjusted accordingly.

The changes in Yicong District were equally dramatic.

Instead of bone fragments or tattered animal hides, the half-demons received thick coarse linen blankets and durable leather boots.

The long line in front of the distribution point was orderly, with the manager of Yu Yuan Trading Company personally in charge. The newly arrived salt, which they had never tasted before, made many half-demons excitedly lick their fingertips; the thick millet porridge had an enticing aroma.

A little girl, a half-demon, used a few strangely gleaming "mist stones" she found and some rare herbs she collected to exchange for a small piece of maltose and a small wooden comb at a temporary warehouse set up by a merchant guild. She played with the wooden comb with great curiosity, her eyes filled with unprecedented joy.

This is the enormous surprise brought by the resources in the early stages of commerce.

On the southern slope of the fortress, a relatively sheltered area where the frozen soil was nurtured by the rune array was opened up.

Several agricultural instructors brought by the Ministry of Works were bending over to instruct a group of remnants and skillful individuals selected from among the half-demons.

The land was meticulously cultivated into neat ridges, and cold-resistant grain seeds from the Qin Dynasty, a special crop called "Cold Jade Barley," were carefully sown.

At the edge of the field, several survivors, guided by officials from the Ministry of Works, carefully transplanted native ferns with thick veins, shaped like giant hands, and with swollen, knotted roots.

They were officially named "Cracked Wind Potato".

The old farmer stroked his beard, his eyes filled with anticipation: "This thing can survive here. Its root contains coarse grains and has extremely strong vitality. If it truly succeeds, it will be a gift from heaven!" (End of Chapter)