Daqin Zhentiansi

Entrance to Thunderfall Abyss.

The raging thunder was no longer a symbol of destruction, but instead became a natural training ground entrance.

Hundreds of millions of purple lightning bolts and silver snakes darted wildly across the dark abyss wall.

Deep purple lightning molten metal cascaded down like a waterfall, crashing into the boiling lightning pool below with a deafening roar and splashing up a dazzling rain of light.

"Form ranks—!"

With Zhang Yuan's order, the army, which was already fully prepared, bravely marched into the abyss, braving the terrifying lightning that crashed down from the sky!
"drink!"

The armored soldiers of Panshi Camp roared in unison, their giant shields snapping shut with a thunderous crash, their black jade gleaming as they instantly erected a solid barrier in front of them.

The Rift Abyss Camp nocked their crossbows, their sharp arrows poised but not yet released, their aura locked onto the surging thunderclouds ahead.

The giant ape roared, its muscles bulging, its massive, dark club pointing diagonally towards the sky, ready to shatter any incoming pillar of thunder at any moment.

The black-horned rhinoceros heavy cavalry pounded their iron hooves on the charred, lightning-struck rocks with heavy thuds, their dark iron armor gleaming with a cold, eerie light under the lightning.

The Ironfeathered Eagles, like a moving dark cloud, hovered low in the sky, their sharp eyes piercing through the thunderstorm, watching out for all directions.

"Boom—Crack!"

A bolt of purple lightning, as thick as a water bucket, tore through space and slammed into the advancing central army!

"Yu!"

With a slight thought, Zhang Yuan instantly condensed the power of the battle formation.

"Buzz!"

A gigantic phantom of a tortoise shell, covering an area of ​​hundreds of feet in diameter, appeared out of thin air!
Mysterious runes flowed across the tortoise shell, heavy as a mountain. It was the shadow of the "Black Tortoise" manifested by the fusion of the profound meaning of the "Mysterious Jade Returning to Truth Technique" and the will of the military formation!
"Bam—!"

The lightning slammed into the phantom tortoise shell, exploding into a sky full of blinding sparks.

The violent energy shockwaves scattered in all directions, causing the soldiers' armor to flutter loudly below, yet their formation remained as solid as a rock.

The Xuanwu phantom flickered slightly, and in the flow of light, it dissipated most of the thunder's power, while the remaining power was forcibly extinguished by the army's baleful aura!

"Good!" Among the observers outside the abyss, someone couldn't help but shout out in a low voice.

The defense of this Xuanwu phantom far surpasses that of ordinary battle formations!
As the army continued deeper into the territory, the view ahead suddenly opened up, but it was even more terrifying.

On a relatively open sea of ​​thunderous magma, a handsome young man transformed from Lei Zhen stood suspended in mid-air.

Behind him were dozens of enormous Kui Niu, their bodies crackling with terrifying azure lightning.

And some powerful thunder-attribute demons who are attached to the Kui Niu clan.

Further away, at the heart of the churning thunderous magma, one could vaguely see an old man in a green robe, transformed from the Thunder Prison, sitting cross-legged in the void. Before him, the phantom of a massive divine drum, reaching the top of the abyss and suppressing the sea of ​​thunder, appeared and disappeared—it was the Heaven-Shaking Drum!

Although it had not yet been struck, the majestic divine power it emitted and the endless thunder it unleashed already made the entire space tremble.

"Hahaha! Fire General, I, Lei, have been waiting for you for a long time!" Lei Zhen laughed loudly, his voice like rolling thunder, blending with the surrounding booming sounds. "My father has gone into seclusion to consolidate his strength, and has specially ordered me to lead the men of the clan to experience the unparalleled combat power of the Fire General's well-trained army!"

"Let me, Lei, see just how invincible your 'Great Qin Martial Guard,' which combines the will of humans, the strength of demons, and the bloodline of divine beasts, truly is?"

To outsiders, Lei Zhen is the young master of the Kui Niu army, who commands the Luo Lei Yuan army.

In fact, they didn't know that Zhang Yuan treated him with the respect due to a teacher.

At this moment, it was not a clash between the Great Qin Martial Guard and the Demon Clan army of Luo Lei Yuan, but merely a military formation drill between master and disciple.

Standing atop the wooden frame, Zhang Yuan laughed heartily upon hearing this: "I couldn't be happier!"

He waved his command flag sharply and said no more.

"Rock Camp, Black Tortoise Guards the Abyss!"

"Rift Abyss Camp, arrows pointing to the sky!"

"Giant Ape Camp, Earth Shake!"

"Black Horn Heavy Cavalry, break through the enemy lines!"

"Iron Feather Eagle Guards, swarm the enemy from the air!"

The order was like the clash of metal and stone, spreading throughout the entire army in an instant.

"Roar--!"

The giant ape Yan Feng roared first, and his giant club, accompanied by a piercing shriek that tore through the air, slammed down into the void in front of him!

It's not an attack on the Kui Niu, but rather an attempt to harness the power of the earth!

"boom!"

A tremendous force was transmitted through the air, and the hard rock layer at the edge of the Sea of ​​Thunderous Magma exploded with a roar. The violent shock wave mixed with the debris formed a devastating torrent of earth and rocks, simulating an enemy charge, and rushed straight towards the flank of the Kui Niu camp!

Almost simultaneously!

"Buzz—Sizzle!"

The Rift Abyss Camp unleashed a volley of arrows!
The arrow was not a physical object, but a dark golden stream of light condensed from pure true essence and a sharp, armor-piercing will!

Arrows pierced through the lightning-filled space, accompanied by a piercing whistle, and shot straight at the Kui Niu camp, instantly weaving into a dense net of death, blocking any escape space and simulating a long-range coverage attack!

"Moo-!"

The Black Horned Rhinoceros Clan's Venerable Xuanzhong let out a deep roar, and the Xuan Iron Heavy Cavalry roared into action!

The heavy iron hooves trampled on the hard ground at the edge of the thunderous lava, making the ground tremble with every step!
Instead of directly attacking the Kui Niu main camp, they formed a wedge formation and, with the momentum to crush mountains and rivers, crashed fiercely into the side of the torrent of earth and rocks stirred up by the giant ape!

This is a simulated flanking attack on the battlefield, disrupting the enemy's formation!
Above the sky, Tie Tang let out a long howl.

The Ironfeather Eagles suddenly dispersed, transforming into dozens of agile squads that sped and darted through the low sky like ghosts.

Feathers and claws tempered with the power of wind and thunder attacked the seemingly weak points in the Kui Niu camp and the demons responsible for guiding the thunder, simulating aerial harassment and precision strikes!
Faced with this overwhelming, multi-dimensional coordinated "attack," Lei Zhen's eyes gleamed: "Well done! Kui Niu warriors, Rolling Thunder Formation—start!"

"Moo-ang—!"

Dozens of Kui oxen raised their heads and roared in unison!
Their bodies blazed with azure lightning, and their enormous single eye locked onto all incoming attacks.

Without any complicated coordination, the resonance deep within one's bloodline is achieved instantly under the subtle guidance of the Thunder Prison Heaven-Shaking Drum!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Dozens of thick, dragon-like azure lightning pillars shot into the sky from above their heads, not directly striking each other, but suddenly converging and merging in mid-air!
In an instant, a violent thunderstorm covering half of the battlefield took shape!
Countless thunderous dragons writhed and roared within, baring their fangs and claws!

The torrent of earth and rocks crashed into the Thunder Prison, where it was instantly torn apart, melted, and vaporized by billions of electric snakes!
A dense barrage of arrows rained down, emitting a piercing "sizzling" sound. A large number of arrows were directly vaporized by the lightning, and the few that penetrated were greatly weakened and easily deflected by the lightning energy that automatically protected the Kui Niu's body!

The Black Horn Heavy Cavalry's spearhead struck the edge of the Thunder Prison, and the violent shockwave caused the leading heavy cavalrymen to shudder violently. Lightning crackled across their black iron heavy armor, and their charge was momentarily halted!
If it weren't for the practice of withdrawing force and Venerable Xuanzhong's timely use of the earth's power to deflect the force, there might have been injury.

The Ironfeather Eagle's harassing attacks were intercepted and deflected by the omnipresent lightning electric grid, making them ineffective.

"Change formation! Xuanwu Supports the Sky, All Laws Return to the Source!" Zhang Yuan commanded the flag to change again.

The soldiers of the Rock Camp roared in unison, and the Xuanwu phantom that was originally defending suddenly moved forward and crashed into the violent thunder prison!
"Thump—!" A dull, heart-stopping sound erupted!

The phantom of Xuanwu clashed fiercely with the thunderous dragon!
The luster of the dark jade and the azure lightning intertwined and annihilated wildly!
A violent energy storm exploded from the point of impact, forming a visible ripple of destruction that swept in all directions!
Space twisted violently, and countless tiny spatial cracks flashed by!
The waterfall of lightning slurry cascading down the abyss wall was blasted upwards by the impact, and the entire Thunderfall Abyss groaned in pain under the impact!

All the onlookers outside the abyss, whether human or demon, were horrified!
"This...this killing is so dangerous?"

A human cultivator's voice trembled; the aftershocks of the collision, even through the barrier, made his soul tremble.

"What a terrifying battle formation! The Xuanwu formation is primarily defensive, yet it can actually withstand the domain formed by the Thunder Prison's original lightning!" A powerful demon exclaimed in astonishment.

"The Black Horned Rhinoceros's charge, the Giant Ape's earth-shaking power, and the eagles' harassment were all coordinated so perfectly! Fire Commander, you are truly remarkable!" A powerful member of the Azure Dragon Clan stood in the Thunder Abyss, looking at the figure deduce the movements amidst the lightning, his heart filled with shock.

Because of the alliance, many powerful members of the Azure Dragon Clan have been quietly cultivating in the Thunderfall Abyss.

"Although Lei Yu has not yet made a move, the power of Lei Yu unleashed by this Kui Niu clan is no less than the full-force attack of an ordinary Venerable at the third level! Wu Wei is actually able to withstand it head-on!"

"The Xuanqiong Palace has probably really struck gold..."

The Xuanqiong Palace spies, lurking in the shadows, had their eyes gleaming. They quickly used a secret technique to imprint the scene of "the Wuwei Army formation clashing head-on with the Kui Niu Thunder Prison, evenly matched" and prepared to report it.

The earth-shattering collision lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

"stop!"

Zhang Yuan and Lei Zhen spoke up almost simultaneously.

The raging thunder prison instantly subsided, and the churning Xuanwu phantom slowly dissipated.

Within the Thunder Abyss, lightning once again enveloped the area, isolating it from the outside world.

Those probing divine thoughts were also blocked from entering by the lightning.

Within the Thunder Abyss.

In the center of the battlefield, a huge energy vacuum zone was left behind, with scorched marks crisscrossing the area.

Although the soldiers on both sides were churning with energy, their faces flushed, and a few with weaker cultivation even had blood trickling from the corners of their mouths, their eyes were burning with excitement and enlightenment.

This non-life-or-death confrontation allowed them to see their own strengths and weaknesses and those of their comrades more clearly than a thousand tedious training sessions, and to understand the essence of battle formation coordination!

Zhang Yuan rose into the air, his voice echoing across the surrounding fields: "This battle is not about victory or defeat! Just watch, everyone—"

He pointed his finger in mid-air, and streaks of light and shadow outlined by chaotic true essence appeared, which were the key points of the collision just now.

"The giant ape shook the earth, stirring up a torrent of earth and rocks, intending to disrupt the flanks—the timing was perfect! But its speed was far greater than that of earth and rocks!"

"If you encounter a truly powerful enemy, this move is easily countered. You should use the Abyss Arrow Rain to suppress their countermeasures, or have the Iron Feather Eagle harass the caster first!"

"The Black Horn Heavy Cavalry are incredibly brave and fierce in breaking through enemy lines! However, the force of their thunderous recoil is extremely strong, and an excessive charge can easily result in a backlash!"

"When coordinated with the Black Tortoise Formation of the Rock Camp, the Black Tortoise will deflect the force, allowing the heavy cavalry to gather momentum for another attack!"

……

"The Rocky Black Tortoise possesses unparalleled defense! However, its active collision with the Thunder Prison consumes too much energy! This is a last resort. We should consider a defensive strategy to lure the enemy deeper into our territory, and then encircle and annihilate them!"

Every comment hits the nail on the head.

Combined with the real collision scene just now, all the soldiers who participated in the battle, whether human, demon, or beast, suddenly realized the truth and nodded frequently, gaining a deeper understanding of the battle formation.

"The power of the demon race is innate, sometimes fierce, sometimes swift, sometimes unpredictable. However, their weakness lies in their individual strength but weak coordination, making them vulnerable to targeted attacks." Zhang Yuan's gaze swept over the giant ape, black-horned rhinoceros, iron-feathered eagle, and other tribes. "They can be integrated into our human race's battle formations, taking advantage of each other's strengths and compensating for each other's weaknesses!"

"The giant ape is the hammer that breaks through the formation, the black-horned rhinoceros is the charging iron spike, the iron-feathered eagle is the roaming blade, the rock is the unshakeable foundation, and the abyss is the deadly arrow! They complement each other and are linked together, which is the way to victory!"

Lei Zhen also spoke on behalf of the Kui Niu side, pointing out several opportunities for the Wuwei offensive to be exploited, for them to improve.

Both sides engaged in frank and open communication without reservation.

Zhang Yuan stood atop the wooden carriage frame, his black robe fluttering in the turbulent airflow.

"This battle is not about victory or defeat! However, the armor and weapons of our Martial Guard are still insufficient to completely withstand the power of such primordial thunder!"

His gaze suddenly sharpened, like a tangible blade piercing Lei Zhen:

"To conquer the malevolent land of the Burial Grounds, we need stronger protection and more powerful weapons!"

His words were resolute and carried an unquestionable determination.

His gaze was intense, locking onto Lei Zhen, the young master of the Kui Niu Clan: "Lei Zhen, draw upon the pure lightning power from the outer perimeter of the Thunderfall Abyss! Intensity—"

He paused briefly, then pointed to the airspace where the two sides had just clashed most fiercely.

"Continue the bombardment with 70% of the aftershock force from that attack!"

Immediately, he turned around sharply, his voice like the clang of metal, resounding in the ears of the master craftsmen accompanying the army and the abbot of Xuan Yan Temple: "Retrieve 'Thunder Pattern Iron' and 'Purple Thunder Crystal Sand'! Summon all those skilled in weapon forging—start immediately!"

"Here!"

The abbot of Xuanyan Temple responded in a deep voice, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. He immediately waved his hand, and several trusted disciples scattered like lightning.

The master craftsmen accompanying the army quickly retrieved various gathering tools and portable furnaces that shimmered with spiritual light from their storage artifacts, their faces filled with a mixture of solemnity and excitement.

Orders are absolute, and military orders are as solid as a mountain!
The army quickly changed formation, abandoned its attack posture, and regrouped in a relatively open area near the abyss wall, where lightning still flashed densely overhead.

The armored soldiers of the Rock-Solid Camp and the Rift-Abyss Camp slammed their massive shields into the ground, while the Rift-Abyss Camp warriors retreated to the center of their formation for protection. A deep shout rang out: "Black Tortoise Suppresses the Abyss—Rise!"

"Buzz!"

The phantom of the giant Xuanwu tortoise, even more solid than before, reappeared. The thick luster of the Xuan jade flowed, and the runes on the tortoise shell shimmered with a resilient light, enveloping the entire army formation like a giant egg.

The elite troops of the Giant Ape, Black Horned Rhinoceros, and Iron Feathered Eagle also tightened their formation, closely following the Xuanwu Formation, and began to practice the body-refining methods taught by Zhang Yuan, preparing to undergo the baptism.

"They're here!" Lei Zhen let out a clear whistle, his hands moving as if to summon dozens of Kui Niu behind him, which simultaneously growled and locked their single eyes on the sky above the Xuanwu Formation.

"Boom—!"

No longer a violent and chaotic lightning waterfall, but a "tempered lightning" that is precisely guided and whose intensity is stabilized on the verge of destruction!
One after another, thick pillars of lightning, as thick as water vats, deep purple in color, and containing pure destructive and regenerative power, crashed down relentlessly on the light screen of the Xuanwu Formation, like the forging hammers of the gods!
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Each impact caused the Xuanwu phantom to tremble violently, the Xuanyu light to flicker erratically, and a muffled, terrifying roar to be heard.

The scattered purple arcs of electricity, like billions of ferocious venomous snakes, instantly crawled all over the entire light shield, then pierced through the defense and lashed fiercely at every soldier below!

"Ugh—!"

"Ho-!"

Muffled groans and suppressed roars of pain exploded instantly within the formation!

The hard, black iron heavy armor was struck by the violent electric current, and its surface was instantly covered with spiderweb-like scorch marks, emitting a piercing "sizzling" sound and wisps of blue smoke.

The exposed skin was torn open by the electric arc, and the fine blood droplets that had just seeped out were instantly evaporated and charred.

The intense numbness and the searing pain that penetrated to the bone contorted the faces of every soldier, their muscles spasming uncontrollably. (End of Chapter)