Beast Taming: My spirit beast bloodline is overloaded

Chapter 154 Hell Difficulty, Battle of Ling Mountain

Reiin clearly divided the timeline.

In the year 01 of the Great Beginning, the spiritual energy of Earth began to weaken. Humans did not initially perceive this until the demon race began to evolve.

Thirty years later, war finally broke out between the human race and the demon race.

At first, the human race suppressed the demon race, and almost never suffered a defeat.

Fifty years later, a demon king rose to power among the demon race, and humanity finally realized the crisis.

The period from 50 to 100 years is an era in which the human race and the demon race are at a standstill.

One hundred and one years after the beginning of time, the situation changed. The demon race suppressed the human race, thus beginning the darkest fifty years for the human race.

Those fifty years were extremely miserable for humanity, but it was also during this dark period that humanity began to discover a new method.

That is to abandon spiritual energy cultivation and instead adopt the method of beast taming.

At first, many people objected, thinking it was a wrong path.

As the spiritual energy of Earth grew weaker and weaker, humanity was forced to take this path.

Those who had been taming beasts from the beginning were now beginning to show their prowess.

Thus began the third great war between the human and demon races.

This war was the shortest in duration and the one with the most casualties. Because the human race started late, they were ultimately a step behind, so the ancestors of the Cangling Ancient Kingdom suffered repeated defeats, which led to the Battle of Lingshan.

The Battle of Lingshan was divided into three parts:

The first hurdle: getting out of trouble.

The second hurdle: breaking the deadlock.

The third stage: counterattack.

The Battle of Lingshan was the most difficult and dangerous, but the level of difficulty defined here is not the highest.

There are four types of war chessboards:

Normal, Hard, Hell difficulty, and in addition to that, there is one more:
Dead end.

The Battle of Ling Mountain is a difficult situation because our predecessors have already paved the way. So, if students want to enter, they only need to go in and fight to hone their spirit beasts' combat skills.

As for the deadlock, it is one that has not yet been solved.

For example:
The Battle of Cangshan.

Cangshan was the main base of the human army. Later, it was besieged by demonic beasts and suffered heavy casualties. Later, on the advice of the first national teacher, they fled to Lingshan.

Today, the Battle of Cangshan remains a deadlock.

Besides these, there are quite a few deadlocks, but they have been solved one by one over the years. Now, there are only seven or eight that can still be considered deadlocks.

"Which one would you like to try?" Ding Feng asked.

"Let's go for a hellish one," Lin Chen thought for a moment and said, "The Battle of Ling Mountain, escape."

“Getting out of this predicament isn’t really suitable for you right now,” Ding Feng said. “Our actual strength will be projected onto the real battlefield exactly as it is. If you go to this kind of battlefield with too low strength, you might not even get a chance to experience it before it’s all over.”

"Battle Chess is very helpful for cultivating mental strength and improving combat skills. I suggest you start with simple battles, since you can only use this Battle Chess once every three months."

Lin Chen said with certainty, "Legend has it that the first national advisor, Gu Wei, tested the demon army three times in order to escape from the predicament. He went against the flow of the Cangshan Mountains, traversed 90,000 kilometers, and ascended the Lingshan Mountain, thus preserving the last spark of humanity."

"The students have always admired him and have been eagerly looking forward to meeting him."

Upon hearing this, Ding Feng expressed his admiration, saying, "Now that we are moving towards peace, many people have begun to forget the cruelty of war, and even more so, the greatness of our ancestors. It is very good that you can think this way."

"Since you've made up your mind, then go and give it a try."

Lin Chen cupped his hands in greeting.

Ding Feng then led him into a room, where Lin Chen saw that there were leaves everywhere, which confirmed Lin Chen's guess.

Indeed, there is a World Tree in this spiritual academy.

"Just sit here," Ding Feng instructed, then turned and left.

After the door closed, Lin Chen felt drowsy.

"We can't give up until the very end!"

"Lingshan is our only hope."

Before Lin Chen even opened his eyes, he heard voices, followed by a loud slam on the table, and then an argument began.

"Gu Wei, who is the commander, you or me? You're only level 40, what right do you have to speak here?"

"If everyone here believes that military campaigns are only about strength, then I have nothing to say."

Lin Chen finally got a clear look at Gu Wei's appearance. He was unremarkable and not outstanding. Beside him was a level 55 spirit insect, which was the spirit beast that had evolved into a spirit dragon in the past.

From that time on, the spirit dragon became the symbol of the Grand Preceptor of the Cangling Ancient Kingdom.

Lin Chen knew that the plot had begun.

This is how the power struggle begins.

In military campaigns, appointing a commander-in-chief is of utmost importance.

The current context is that the human race is in the darkest period of its history, having just suffered a major defeat at Cangshan, 5,000 kilometers away.

This place is called Wushan, and the army of 50,000 people trapped here is also known as the founding ancestor army.

The man confronting Gu Wei was named Ma Xin, level 75, and his strongest spirit beast was level 85.

Ma Xin was the commander of this founding army from the very beginning.

They are now surrounded by an army of 500,000 demonic beasts, with no way to escape.

Therefore, Ma Xin began to consider surrendering.

In fact, Ma Xin was not a coward.

"I'm not surrendering, but pretending to surrender while waiting for the right moment to counterattack. I can tell the difference between being afraid of death and throwing my life away. Those brothers outside are all men I trained, and I won't watch them die in vain," Ma Xin said, his words resolute.

Unexpectedly, Gu Wei directly retorted:

"Fool!"

"Say that again?" Ma Xin snapped.

Gu Wei pointed to the sky, his fingers trembling as he said:

"Have you ever considered what the soldiers fighting bloody battles across the country will think if we surrender?"

"Cangshan suffered a major defeat, and now the whole country is watching us."

"Morale, do you even know what morale is?"

"The reason we have been able to contend with the demon race for so long is that our human race still has a breath left."

"Our 300,000 troops died on Cangshan Mountain. If they could die, why can't we?"

This sentence immediately silenced everyone.

Finally, a man spoke up: "Do you know that if you go the wrong way, fifty thousand people will die?"

Lin Chen recalled that this man should be one of Gu Wei's right-hand men back then:

Li Shan.

Everyone looked at Gu Wei, but his pupils remained firm as he said:

"The sins are committed in this generation, but the merits will last for generations. Even if we lose in the end, what does it matter if we bear the infamy for a lifetime?"

"If you decide to concede defeat, I will not object."

"But as I said, if we surrender, the morale of the entire human army will surely spread from there."

"The future of our Cangling Ancient Kingdom will be ruled by the demon race."

Clearly, everyone was stunned by Gu Wei's statement that "his sins are for the present, but his merits will last for generations."

Li Shan surveyed the entire room before finally speaking:
"Let's vote, as is customary."

Upon hearing this, the five men on the field exchanged glances. They were all generals of the rank of deputy commander or higher, and only they had the right to vote.

As for the Imperial Advisor Gu Wei, he is currently just a minor official and doesn't even have the right to vote.

As Lin Chen watched this scene, something suddenly occurred to him.

In reality, the game of war chess is not complicated; it's simply about putting your real character into the battlefield.

For example, Li Shan.

He was crucial in this battle; if Lin Chen had killed him, the game would have been different.

Because Li Shan was originally an important piece on the chessboard.

If Lin Chen were to kill a bystander who was unrelated to the incident, it wouldn't have any impact.

Therefore, changing the course of a war is not an easy task.

If Lin Chen wants to participate in a battle like this, he needs to gain the power to speak, just like Gu Wei is now, and vie for power.

Although Lin Chen had seen this passage recorded in history books, the details were not as comprehensive as those in the chess game.

With five people raising their hands, the final score was announced:

3:2.

Those who voted against it were Ma Xin and a trusted vice-commander.

Therefore, when he saw the voting results, Ma Xin stood silently to the side.

However, the trusted deputy commander standing beside him said:
“Lingshan is 100,000 kilometers away from here. We are surrounded by 500,000 troops. How can we get there? It’s utterly absurd.”

Everyone looked at Gu Wei, anticipating his answer.

Unexpectedly, Gu Wei said:
"Cangshan Mountain".

Everyone was stunned.

"Our only way to survive is in Cangshan."

"Are you out of your mind?" the adjutant shouted. "Cangshan is now the stronghold of the demon race. Do you really think that hiding in the dark will work? The demon race has countless information-generating demon beasts. We have nowhere to hide."

“This time, the enemy has dealt us a heavy blow and has ten times our strength. Deep down, they are somewhat underestimating us, which is our only advantage at the moment.” Gu Wei pointed to the map and said, “As long as we can break through, the Cangshan Mountains are littered with corpses and the air is thick with the smell of blood. If we put away our spirit beasts and hide among the bones, we may have a chance to survive.”

"Alright, how should we break through?" the deputy commander asked.

“Starting today, we will break out in batches. The third time, we will attack directly from the Cangshan side,” Gu Wei said very seriously. “After breaking through the defenses, we will march in six routes, heading straight for Cangshan.” Finally, Gu Wei said, “How many of us survive depends on our luck.”

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, and Li Shan was the first to speak: "I'm willing to give it a try."

No one else objected. Just as they were preparing their plan, Lin Chen glanced at Iron Palm Bear, and then Iron Palm Bear lifted him high into the air.

Lin Chen said loudly, "I have something to say."

Everyone turned around, their gazes all fixed on Lin Chen with hostility.

At this moment, a beast tamer who is only level 10 comes to cause trouble?

Lin Chen also knew that the opportunity was not to be missed, and said, "I agree with Captain Gu's point of view, but the best way to achieve the final effect is to use suicide soldiers."

Since we're already here, we should at least try out how this war chessboard changes the battlefield.

My senior classmates told me that the rewards would be even higher if the results were better.

Everyone looked at Lin Chen, and he continued, "We can't leave everything to luck. The suicide squad blocking the way can buy some time for the vanguard."

After saying that, Lin Chen raised his hand again and said, "I am willing to be this suicide soldier."

Little White, Little Black, and Little Red all stepped forward.

Lin Chen had already told them that death in this world wasn't real death, so they should go ahead and pretend!
The initially stunned crowd exchanged bewildered glances upon hearing Lin Chen's words.

Lin Chen knew that his words had worked.

If he merely proposed the idea of ​​suicide squads, no one would listen to him.

But if he categorizes himself as a suicide squad member, they will take him seriously.

As expected, Gu Wei spoke first, saying, "What he said makes sense, and I am also willing to become one of the suicide squad members."

Lin Chen broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this.
Not really.

He was just testing the variations in this war game; he certainly didn't want to kill the first Grand Tutor.

It’s over.

Could it be a negative score this time?
You see, if Gu Wei had died here, there would have been no subsequent Battle of Ling Mountain.

There was no founding of the Cangling Ancient Kingdom.

Forget it.

Anyway, it's not like I'm really dead.

Whether it was because they were infected by Lin Chen and Gu Wei, more and more people stood up at this time.

Just as Lin Chen was wondering how the ending would change, Gu Wei unexpectedly said again:

"My suggestion is that those who are weaker should become suicide soldiers. This will buy time for the human race and preserve their strength."

Before he could finish speaking, Ma Xin, who was usually silent, interrupted him:

"So, you are ultimately short-sighted."

Everyone looked at Ma Xin, and then they heard him say:
"What use would you be if you went?"

"Who are you? Do the demons know you?"

Gu Wei bit his lip, too angry to speak.

Although Gu Wei is now showing great talent, he is still young, only thirty years old.

Just as everyone thought Ma Xin's words were excessive, he changed his tone and said:

"If we really need to organize suicide squads, I will lead the team to intercept them; that will be the most effective approach."

Lin Chen was also stunned when he heard this, and looked at Ma Xin with disbelief.

After this battle, Ma Xin survived, but as Gu Wei's talent became more prominent, Ma Xin gradually lost power.

Later generations have offered mixed reviews of Ma Xin.

After all, history books evaluate people based on the achievements of the victors. When Ma Xin proposed to surrender, he was already considered a criminal.

But who would have thought that Ma Xin was not afraid of death?

He wanted to survive because he didn't want to lead his 50,000-strong army to their deaths in this place.

Strictly speaking, Ma Xin is the one who is guilty in his own time.

Lin Chen didn't know how the game of chess deduced a person's changes, but the game of chess changed so much after the plot changed, there must be a reason for it.

Perhaps the historical Ma Xin was just such a person.

“No!” Li Shan immediately retorted, “You are the commander of an army.”

"Li Shan, who is the commander-in-chief, you or me?" Ma Xin suddenly shouted.

Li Shan and the others fell silent once again.

In their previous impression, Ma Xin was such a person, possessing both domineering imperial power and a commanding presence.

But this time, they didn't seem to mind this domineering attitude.
Because he understood the meaning behind Ma Xin's words:
Only when Ma Xin dies can more people live.

Ma Xin took two steps to stand in front of Gu Wei, pulled him aside, and under Gu Wei's gaze, said coldly:

“Since you have already devised a strategy, then execute it to the end. I, Ma Xin, cannot execute your strategy.”

After speaking, Ma Xin ignored Gu Wei and addressed the crowd below:

"Horse Battalion, step forward!"

The ten thousand soldiers of the Ma Battalion marched out in unison, perfectly aligned.

Lin Chen watched this scene and felt his body tremble slightly.
This account of Ma Xin is quite different from what is said in history.

“Those who are willing to become death warriors, and whose rank is below forty, step forward.”

"Those who are unwilling, follow the main group!"

Finally, there was the headcount. Including Lin Chen, there were nearly three thousand people in total.

These three thousand men were the last remaining suicide soldiers.

Once the number of participants was determined, everything was settled.

That evening, Gu Wei began his operation, which was to test the demon army three times.

One attempt, a minor setback.

The second attempt ended in a crushing defeat.

After the first two tests, the demon race began to underestimate and become arrogant, and the human army took this opportunity to fight its way out towards Cangshan.

This battle was not difficult, because the demon race determined that this was the direction of Cangshan Mountain, and the human race would not leave in this direction.

Therefore, Lin Chen, the suicide soldier, was lucky enough to survive this war.

After breaking through the encirclement, it was time for them to split up. They would ambush each other in front of a mountain outside Wushan.

Li Shan and his men would split into six groups and proceed in different directions. Before leaving, all the deputy commanders, including Gu Wei, came to see Ma Xin.

"If you win in the end, come here, burn some incense for me, and tell me the final outcome," Ma Xin said.

Everyone knelt down on one knee, some with tears in their eyes, some even sobbing quietly.

Finally, the army departed.

Ma Xin turned around, looked at Lin Chen and the others, and remained silent.

It's clear that he's not a very talkative person.

He straightened a recruit's clothes and then patted him on the shoulder.

At this moment, silence speaks louder than words.

Subsequently, Ma Xin and his men ambushed in the bushes. Ten minutes later, when the demon army reacted and tried to give chase, this group of assassins appeared and charged out.

When the demons saw that Ma Xin had personally intervened, many powerful demons actually came to besiege him.
Lin Chen was not surprised, because everyone had anticipated this outcome the moment Ma Xin appeared.

Lin Chen, accompanied by three spirit beasts, personally went to the battlefield.

Unfortunately, the little fox and the polar bear were too weak and were killed as soon as the battle began. The little white bear held on for a while, but eventually it also died.

As Lin Chen was dying, he turned back and looked at Ma Xin one last time.

At this moment, Ma Xin and his spirit beast were being besieged by five great demons. In the end, his body exploded in mid-air, turning into a rain of blood.

Lin Chen thought of a sentence:

"History has not recorded a single page of his name, yet the vast land is filled with inscriptions of his refusal to kneel."

Even if Ma Xin did make a mistake in history, he did not betray his country later on. He fought bravely on the battlefield, killed countless enemies, and died on the battlefield.

With his last thoughts, Lin Chen's consciousness gradually faded.
Unexpectedly, a hollow voice appeared in his mind:

"Settling the chessboard."

"You have changed the game, losing one important white piece, but saving five thousand white pieces."

Rating: A

Lin Chen groggily opened his eyes and saw Ding Feng in front of him. He said cheerfully, "Very good, five thousand more people have survived."

Lin Chen understood that the so-called five thousand extra lives referred to the final number of survivors.

According to historical records, of the 50,000 who broke through the siege, only 20,000 eventually reached Lingshan.

The history that Lin Chen altered only improved the lives of five thousand people, and nearly half of them died along the way.

"If the evaluation is excellent, you can receive a reward; you can choose for yourself," Ding Feng asked.

This time, Lin Chen wasn't overly interested in the reward. Instead, he asked, "Senior, what about Commander Ma Xin?"

Ding Feng smiled and said, "The national document has its own history, and the outside world has its own history. What you saw before was the history outside the country."

"As for the official documents, they have never forgotten the achievements of Commander Ma Xin."

"However, the brilliance of the Imperial Preceptor Gu Wei is too dazzling, attracting all the attention of the world."

Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to ask, "Senior, what is the reward?"

Ding Feng paused, then burst into laughter, saying, "You're too honest."

(End of this chapter)