Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 241 Wolf Clan Half-Saint! A Million-Strong Alliance of Demons and Barbarians!
In the far north, in a bitterly cold land, far from the bloody battlefield of Mizhou Prefecture.

At the summit of the mountains, shrouded year-round in raging blizzards capable of tearing apart fine iron and thick, viscous demonic energy, lies the ancestral home and sacred ground in the hearts of the millions of wolf people of the Snow Wolf Kingdom—the Wolf Dwelling Sacred Mountain.

This place is where the demon saints of the Snow Wolf Kingdom have secluded themselves to cultivate and comprehend the universe, and it is also the core place where the fortune of the entire Snow Wolf Kingdom's demon race gathers.

On ordinary days, only the howling wind and snow and the howling of wolves rise and fall, filling the place with a wild and desolate atmosphere.

However, at this moment, a shrill, venomous wolf howl, powerful enough to tear the soul apart, suddenly erupted from the most magnificent and demonically intense cave deep within the sacred mountain! This howl pierced through the eternal howling wind and snow, soaring straight into the dim clouds.

The overwhelming grief and the fury that burned the entire world contained within caused all the wolf clan members within hundreds of miles of the Holy Mountain, regardless of their cultivation level, to tremble from the depths of their souls, trembling and prostrating themselves on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.

"Roar—! Who! Who killed my son?!"

Boom!

The heavy stone gate of the cave, forged from ten thousand years of black ice, was suddenly blasted into dust!

A figure, enveloped in a monstrous crimson demonic aura, soared into the sky like a bursting dam of blood!

This is a powerful figure with a burly build, maintaining a half-human, half-wolf form. He has a human body and a wolf's head, with exposed fangs and blood-red eyes that seem to drip blood!
The terrifying pressure emanating from his body distorted the surrounding space, causing visible ripples to spread!
He was none other than the biological father of the Snow Wolf King, who had just perished outside Mizhou City, and one of the pillars of the Snow Wolf Kingdom—the Blood Fang Wolf Saint, a half-saint!
He had just been abruptly awakened from his deepest seclusion by a heart-wrenching pain that seemed to originate from the very roots of his being!

Through the connection of bloodlines, he instantly understood the cruel truth—his beloved son, on whom he placed great hopes and who was expected to inherit the holy throne in the future, along with the 100,000 elite wolf army that the Snow Wolf Kingdom had built with countless resources, had been completely wiped out in that remote border region of the human race in the south!

The pain of losing his son and the hatred of the annihilation of his army were like the most vicious flames, instantly devouring his reason and almost driving him insane!

"Humans!"
Jiang Xingzhou!
Xue Chonghu!
This holy man will make you pay for your crimes in blood!
I want the entire city of Mizhou to be buried with my son!
"Let the blood of a million lives wash away the shame of my wolf clan!"

The Bloodfang Wolf Saint roared to the sky, and the sound wave shook the snow-covered mountains and caused them to collapse.

His body blazed with crimson light, his demonic aura soared to the heavens, and with a single movement, he was about to tear through the void, descending in his true form as a half-saint, heading straight for the Southern Northern Pass!

A single, enraged strike from a demigod is enough to change the very fabric of the land, leaving millions of corpses and rivers of blood flowing for miles!

"Bloodfang! Halt!"

At this critical moment, an even older, hoarse voice, as calm and profound as ten thousand years of ice, came from the deepest part of the sacred mountain, from the most ancient and magnificent cave that exuded a primordial aura.

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable majesty and a boundless holy aura, as if it contained the ultimate truth of heaven and earth, instantly calming the restless and turbulent demonic energy around the sacred mountain caused by the wrath of Blood Fang.

A slightly hunched old man, wearing an old wolf-skin cloak covered in mysterious runes, appeared silently in the air in front of Bloodfang Wolf Saint, blocking his path.

The old man had a simple, ancient face, his wrinkles etched like knife marks, and his eyes were as deep as an endless abyss, as if he had seen through the vicissitudes of time. He was none other than the most senior and unfathomably powerful pillar of the Snow Wolf Kingdom—the Old Saint of the Azure Wolf.

"Ancestor Saint! Why are you stopping me?!"

Although Bloodfang Wolf Saint was consumed by rage and almost lost his mind, he still maintained a deep-rooted awe for the old saint who had watched him grow up and whose strength far surpassed his own, and forcibly suppressed the urge to tear through space.

He growled, his voice trembling with extreme rage: "My son has died a horrible death!"
The blood of 100,000 wolf warriors cannot be shed in vain! This hatred is irreconcilable!
If we do not massacre Mizhou and uphold the sacred power of our wolf clan, how can the face of our Snow Wolf Kingdom be preserved?
How can I face my ancestors?!

The phantom of the Old Saint of the Azure Wolf slowly shook his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the endless void, seeing deep within the southern human territory, where a powerful aura, like a sleeping dragon, lay dormant and deeply feared him.

His voice was deep, carrying a sense of world-weariness born from a profound understanding of life's impermanence, coupled with the calm helplessness necessary for a decision-maker.

"Bloodfang, I feel your pain of losing your son and your burning anger.

This pain was truly excruciating, piercing to the bone.

"But you need to calm down!"

Once you descend upon Mizhou in your true form and attack that human city, it means you are unilaterally breaking the thousand-year holy covenant!
This means actively provoking a new round of holy war!

"The Holy Covenant?" The Bloodfang Wolf Saint's fangs clenched, his blood-red eyes filled with ferocity. "That was just a temporary compromise signed a thousand years ago during the Holy War between the human race, the demon race, the barbarian race, and the sea race, when all four sides suffered heavy casualties and were forced to sign it out of necessity!"
"Just barely clinging to life! Am I really supposed to endure this utter humiliation, a disgrace so profound it could never be washed away even by the waters of three rivers and five lakes, all because of this worthless, worthless agreement?!"

The old saint of the Azure Wolf suddenly sharpened his gaze, his illusory figure solidified, and he exuded a chilling sense of oppression: "Foolish!"

He said in a deep voice, "Do you think those old guys from the human race are vegetarians?"

Believe it or not, as soon as you set foot over Mizhou, within three breaths, a thunderous strike from a human sage will descend!
At that time, not only will we fail to get revenge, but our Snow Wolf Kingdom will also be plunged into an abyss of no return!
Although the annihilation of 100,000 troops was painful, it was not enough to shake the foundation of the nation.

But if either of us falls, Mount Langjuxu... may face annihilation!

The last four words were like ice water poured over his head, causing the enraged Bloodfang Wolf Saint to freeze abruptly. The calamity of annihilation… He had no doubt about the old saint's judgment.

"Could it be... could it just end like this?!"

Bloodfang Wolf Saint growled unwillingly, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, dripping golden holy blood.

"never mind?"

A cold glint flashed in the old saint's eyes, and his gaze toward the south became unfathomable.
"Of course we won't just let it go like that."

This revenge must be avenged!
But not now, and not in this mutually destructive way.

His illusory figure slowly raised his withered finger and pointed south: "That human brat Jiang Xingzhou was able to annihilate an army of 100,000 in such a bizarre way. There must be some earth-shattering secret or treasure behind him."

The human race is by no means a monolithic entity... We need to wait and plan.

The flames of hatred may burn our enemies, but they can also illuminate our path to victory.

Bloodfangs and endurance are the sharpest fangs of the strong.

"The covenant is not merely a promise!"

The old saint of the Azure Wolf's tone suddenly turned stern, like the unmelting ice of the North, carrying a cold-blooded understanding of the world, "and even more so, the chilling reality!"

Do you think those saints who sit atop the pillars of destiny are clay or wooden statues, and would sit idly by while a demon saint like you steps into their territory and slaughters them wantonly?

His illusory finger pointed south, his gaze seemingly piercing through the clouds: "Believe it or not, as long as your true body steps into the sky above Mizhou today, within three breaths, a thunderous strike from a human race demigod will cross the boundary!"

"At that time, it won't be a question of whether you can take revenge, but whether my Snow Wolf Kingdom's sacred land can withstand the wrath of a human semi-saint!"

The old saint's voice grew increasingly low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible apprehension: "It might even... awaken an even more ancient and terrifying being!"

Bloodfang, what we need to weigh is never the fleeting pleasure of revenge, but the life and death of the entire Snow Wolf Demon Kingdom and the continuation of its bloodline!

He paused, looking at the Bloodfang Wolf Saint's face, twisted with extreme anger and resentment, and his tone softened slightly, carrying a heavy and helpless sense of comfort:

"The fall of the Wolf King and the annihilation of 100,000 elite troops in one night is indeed a deep pain and a great disgrace that our clan has not experienced in nearly a hundred years."

The blood of millions of wolves is howling, and my heart is bleeding too.

"but!"

His voice became powerful again, "As long as the sacred fire of Langjuxu Mountain is not extinguished, as long as our old bones are still here, the foundation of the Snow Wolf Kingdom will never be shaken!"
We can reclaim the lost pastures with our fangs; the spirits of the fallen warriors will protect the new generation of wolf cubs and help them grow strong.

Temporary forbearance and lying low are for accumulating strength, waiting for the perfect opportunity to tear the enemy's throat.

"At this moment, the Wolf Kingdom is in turmoil and people are filled with fear. How could the surrounding demon tribes, who are eyeing us covetously, not make any moves?"
My Wolf Kingdom needs you to guard the Holy Land, stabilize the situation, and deter the villains!
This is your inescapable responsibility to your clan as the Wolf Saint!

The words of the Old Saint of the Azure Wolf were like ice spikes containing the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, piercing into the boiling brain of the Blood Fang Wolf Saint, forcing him to confront the cruel reality with his burning rage.

He clenched his fists tightly, his sharp nails digging deep into his palms, which were as hard as steel. Drops of golden holy blood fell, burning into the ice and snow and producing hissing white smoke.

He understood that every word the old saint spoke carried the weight of a mountain.

Once the holy war begins, it will be a catastrophe that sweeps across the world; there will be no winners, only destruction.

Personal blood feuds must give way to the balance of the continuation of the clan.

"Ah—!!! How hateful! How hateful!!!"

The Bloodfang Wolf Saint let out a roar that was suppressed to the extreme, a roar that was a mixture of overwhelming resentment and helplessness. The sound waves shook the ancient ice layers on the surrounding cliffs and caused them to fall in a rustling sound.

Finally, he stomped his foot hard, unleashing a torrent of demonic power that shook the entire sacred mountain violently, as if a major earthquake had struck.

He transformed into a blinding streak of blood-red light that tore through the sky, carrying endless resentment and anger, and stormed back into the depths of his shattered stone cave.

“Jiang Xingzhou…Xue Chonghu…the Wu clan of the Great Zhou…”

From within the deep cave, came his low growl, like a curse, filled with endless hatred. Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying the smell of blood, "This hatred... this grudge... is etched into my very bones!"
When the times change and the covenant loosens, and when our people usher in a new opportunity, we will make you pay for your blood debts a hundredfold!
roar--!"

The phantom of the Azure Wolf Saint hovered in mid-air, gazing in the direction where the Blood Fang Wolf Saint had disappeared. Listening to the suppressed roars coming from the cave, he sighed softly, and the phantom slowly dissipated into the wind and snow.

Outside the sacred mountain, the raging snowstorm continued, and the howling wind drowned out many other sounds.

But the deep-seated hatred and forced, suppressed violence ingrained in the blood of every wolf is like molten lava surging underground, temporarily covered by thick ice and snow, silently accumulating power, waiting for the day when the ice shatters and everything is burned away.

Just as the decisive battle beneath the walls of Mizhou City had concluded and the news of victory was being relayed to the Golden Palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a completely different scene unfolded far to the north of the northern frontier, on a vast and boundless wasteland swept by an eternally biting cold wind.

Here, an intensely dense demonic aura and a brutal, savage energy surged into the sky, intertwining and colliding, turning the originally gray sky into a strange and murky dark purple. As far as the eye could see, there were countless camps stretching as far as the eye could see, like ugly sores spreading across hundreds of miles of wasteland.

The banners fluttered and rustled, but they were not any human flags. Instead, they depicted ferocious tigers, sharp eagles, venomous pythons, cunning foxes, and various barbarian totems symbolizing power and primal nature!

This is a terrifyingly large army composed of a million-strong alliance of demons and a million-strong alliance of barbarians!

In the past, these demons and barbarians of different races, and even different tribes of the same race, would have been constantly fighting and killing each other for fertile grasslands, delicious blood food, and cultivation resources, with hatred lasting for thousands of years.

However, at this moment, driven by the common and immense temptation of dividing up the rich territory of the Great Zhou, they temporarily put aside their generations-old grudges and formed an extremely loose "Alliance to Conquer the Great Zhou".

In the central camp, inside a massive tent constructed with the white skeleton of an unknown behemoth as its framework and covered with thick fur, the atmosphere was almost frenzied with excitement.

A burly, menacing tiger demon king;

The Eagle Demon King, with sharp eyes and two wings on its back;
A seductive snake demon queen with icy eyes;
A cunning and scheming fox demon high priest wielding a bone staff;
Along with a group of demon kings and barbarian chieftains, including the muscular and wildly powerful Ma Man Khan, the Niu Man Chieftain, and the Yang Man Shaman, they sat together, tearing into large chunks of bloody beast meat and drinking large bowls of scarlet blood wine. The noise and laughter almost lifted the tent roof off.

They sat around a rough map of northern Xinjiang, arguing animatedly and talking about the bright future of moving south.

"Hahaha! That old bastard Snow Wolf King actually did something good this time, taking the lead to test the strength of Zhou's army!"

The Tiger Demon King's voice boomed like thunder, his sharp claws carving a deep gash across the map at the location of Mizhou Prefecture, sending splinters flying. "If they can breach Mizhou Prefecture, even just by tearing a small opening and taking over a prefecture, it will prove that the Great Zhou Dynasty is nothing but a paper tiger, all bark and no bite..."

"We will immediately march south! With the force of Mount Tai crashing down, we will crush everything in our path!"

Ma Man Khan chimed in, his rugged face gleaming with greed, as if he could already see the hundreds of counties and prefectures of the northern frontier, with their millions of people, endless grains, treasures, and fresh blood offerings beckoning to him, "enough for our various tribes to divide and enjoy for decades!"

“That’s right! The Snow Wolf Kingdom is leading the charge. They’re eating meat, so we should at least get the hottest soup and the fattest bones!”

The Eagle Demon King sneered, its wings flapping excitedly, sending up gusts of bloody wind. "The rules will remain the same. Everyone will rely on their own abilities. Whoever seizes the territory, city, and blood offerings will own them!"

Just as these demon kings and barbarian chieftains were dreaming of dividing up the Great Zhou and slaughtering indiscriminately, the atmosphere inside the tent reached its peak due to greed—

"Report! Urgent military intelligence! News from the northern front! News from the Snow Wolf Kingdom!"

Several spies of different races, covered in dust and grime, rushed into the noisy tent almost simultaneously, their voices distorted with extreme fear and disbelief, filled with panic.

All the noise and laughter inside the tent came to an abrupt halt!

The Tiger Demon King threw aside the golden cup filled with blood-red wine in his hand and roared impatiently, his voice shaking the four walls:
"Tell me quickly! Has the Snow Wolf King already reached the gates of Mizhou Prefecture?"

How many Zhou soldiers were killed?
Has the city already fallen?

His eyes gleamed with excitement, as if a grand feast was about to begin.

"Great! It seems the Snow Wolf King really didn't disappoint us!"

"A grand feast that belongs to us is finally about to begin!"

The other demon kings and barbarian chieftains also craned their necks, their faces beaming with anticipation and cruel smiles, as if they could already smell the "delicious" aroma emanating from the southern land.

However, the words that the spies uttered next, trembling and choked with sobs, were like a bucket of dark water mixed with Arctic ice, poured down on their burning heads and instantly freezing their souls!
"No...no! Your Majesty! Your Majesties! Something terrible has happened! The sky has fallen!"

"The Snow Wolf Kingdom...the Snow Wolf Kingdom's 100,000 elite troops were completely wiped out at the gates of Mizhou City! Not a single one escaped!"

"The Snow Wolf Demon King... he himself... was... killed in battle by Jiang Xingzhou, the new commander of the human race!"

"Human casualties...According to the scattered scattered demon soldiers...only a few hundred! Almost...almost zero casualties!"

"Bang!"

The golden cup that the Tiger Demon King had just picked up, which he was about to bring to his lips, slipped from his hand and fell onto the hard ground with a piercing sound. The rich blood wine inside spilled out, staining a small patch of the ground red, just like splashed blood, a shocking sight.

The entire skeletal tent was deathly silent.

The air, which had just been filled with greed, fervor, and clamor, seemed to have been instantly emptied, leaving only heavy and chaotic breathing, and the unconscious chattering of teeth from some demon kings and barbarian chieftains due to extreme shock and fear.

The entire army was wiped out... The Demon King was killed in action... The enemy suffered hundreds of casualties...

Every word was like a heavy hammer, striking their hearts hard!

Nima!

Is this...is this a human being?

"Clap!"

The massive, half-eaten, blood-stained animal leg slipped from the hand of the Great Khan Ma, who was gaping in shock, and slammed heavily onto the animal-hide-covered ground, splattering a few drops of oil.

The entire skeletal tent, which had been noisy and filled with greed just a moment ago, instantly became deathly silent.

The air was so thick you could hear a pin drop! The arrogant laughter and burning greed on the faces of all the demon kings and barbarian chieftains froze completely, like a lake surface instantly frozen, transforming into utter astonishment, disbelief, and... a chilling fear that spread uncontrollably from the deepest recesses of their hearts!

"What...what nonsense are you spouting?!"

The serpent queen sprang up abruptly from the soft-fur-covered stone seat, her shrill voice distorted and trembling with fear.
"One hundred thousand elite wolf warriors... wiped out?"
The Snow Wolf King…that son of a demigod…is dead in battle?

How could this be! This is absolutely impossible!

Even if there were 100,000 pigs, humans couldn't catch them all in three days!

"Hundreds of casualties... in exchange for the annihilation of 100,000 wolf soldiers?"

The fox demon high priestess gripped her bone scepter tightly with her thin fingers, her knuckles turning white from the force, and the dark gem inlaid at the top of the scepter trembled slightly.

Known for her cunning and intelligence, a silver-armored figure, like the Grim Reaper, flashed through her mind in an instant.

A thought that sent shivers down her spine uncontrollably surfaced, and she blurted out in a hoarse voice: "Could it be... could it be that the human race's fortunes haven't declined... and yet another... war god like Huo Qubing has emerged?!"

"Huo Qubing!"

These three words, like a forbidden curse that has been dormant for a thousand years and carries endless blood and fire, were uttered by the fox demon high priest with trembling voices. The air in the entire tent seemed to freeze instantly, and the temperature plummeted to freezing point!
Some very old people, who had personally heard their ancestors talk about the demon kings and barbarian chieftains of that era, such as the Tiger Demon King and the Bull Barbarian Chieftain, couldn't help but reveal undisguised terror in their eyes!
Their ancestors' memories of their youth are deeply imprinted with that dark and humiliating era, absolutely dominated by a terrifying shadow called "Champion Marquis"!

That godlike man once swept across the northern frontier with invincible power, leaving countless corpses strewn across the land and striking fear into the hearts of his people, who dared not look south on a large scale for a full century!

That profound fear of being crushed by absolute force, where even struggling seems futile, is an inheritance etched into our blood and genes!
"Jiang Xingzhou...Jiang Xingzhou..."

The Tiger Demon King unconsciously rubbed his sharp claws against the stone seat armrest, making a piercing noise.

He murmured the name that he had previously dismissed but now found incredibly heavy. His previous arrogance and contempt had vanished, replaced by deep apprehension and a barely perceptible fear.

"Who...who exactly is this person? Where did this jinx come from?!"

The "spoils-dividing meeting," which had been in full swing and was almost finalizing the route to the south, suddenly turned into a freezing point.

Panic spread silently and rapidly among the leaders like a deadly plague.

They were well aware of the Snow Wolf Kingdom's strength.

Their wolf riders' bravery and the Snow Wolf Demon King's power were by no means inferior to any other race present, and they were even subtly the leaders.

Yet such a powerful force was completely annihilated in such a short time in an almost mythical way, with even the commander-in-chief failing to escape!

This goes far beyond the scope of ordinary war; it represents a despairing, absolute gap in strength!
"It seems... the Great Zhou is too much of a piece of meat... its bones are too hard, it might break our teeth..."

Chief Niu Man said in a deep voice, subconsciously touching a huge, generation-old scar on his neck—a lasting lesson left by his valiant great-great-great-grandfather when he was nearly beheaded while fighting against the then-dominant "God of War Huo".

From then on, the descendants of the Niu Man royal family would cut a scar here as a totem to warn future generations.

"Let's retreat... or perhaps temporarily retreat to the northern deserts and beyond... and observe the situation!"

The situation is unclear; heading south rashly would be too dangerous!

Some of the weaker leaders, who were already harboring doubts, began to back down, their voices trembling noticeably.

"That's right!"

"The original plan is cancelled. Let's discuss it again!"

The alliance that had been aggressive and ready to fight, believing it had victory in its grasp, was thrown into a state of panic and strategic hesitation before it even officially clashed with the human army. The shocking defeat of the Snow Wolf Kingdom and the sudden rise of the name "Jiang Xingzhou" caused their morale to plummet.

The earth-shattering victory at the gates of Mizhou City had an impact like a super blizzard sweeping across the northern frontier, instantly destroying the once invincible Snow Wolf Kingdom's main force.

Furthermore, its terrifying victories severely dampened the morale and ambitions of the million-strong northern demon-barbarian coalition army to invade the south.

Jiang Xingzhou's name, like an invisible sword, swept across the northern frontier overnight, its fame so formidable it could silence even the most savage children at night!
ps:
I'll be working myself to the bone starting in November!
For every 500 monthly passes, I'll write 1 words straight out of my sleeve! Come on! Unleash your fury upon me!

(End of this chapter)