Forge a path to success.

Chapter 403 Blissful Heavenly Light
Ironthorn Crown of the West, the border of the city-state.

Brilliant, fiery scales rained down, creating a sea of ​​crimson flames stretching for miles. Countless demons thrashed and struggled within this sea of ​​scales, only to be consumed by flames before they could even act. Their illusory forms detached from their bodies, attempting to find new hosts to form new contracts, but were sealed and captured high in the sky.

Light and storm formed a seal against the demons, countless magic circles were generated one after another, vastly covering the entire border of the vein. The demons merged into the light, imprisoned as terrifying "cards". Tens of thousands of sealing cards surged in like snowflakes, piling up behind the makeshift defensive fortifications.

Ji Huaisu withdrew his power and leaned against the fortifications like a limp rag: "Block the third wave! Damn it, I've been working on the seals until my brain is about to explode, when are the reinforcements coming?!"

"The main force is with Xiaoye and the others on the front lines. It's so nice to have Grandpa leading them~" Qingxia interjected enviously while manipulating the scale powder, "I want to be on the front lines too!"

"This pass is just as important as the front line. Once the outer passage is breached, they'll head straight for Mansa Star Fortress, and then it will truly be too late to turn the tide." Vande rolled his eyes. "So you two better pay attention and don't miss a single one... There's a big one over there!"

Needless to say, the two also saw the anomaly in the distance: black mountains suddenly surged from the sea of ​​scales, countless tentacles flowing like maggots across their surface, oil-like blood seeping from their crevices. Fallen beings lurked within the demonic tide; these were the "Crescent Moon Chosen," comparable to a level 5 particle, second only to the Spider-like Holy Sons in the Black Moon system!

"Damn it, some heretics are starting to lose all shame! They're at this level and still acting like small fry!"

"Seriously, have you ever seen a shameless fallen person?! Damn, it even has the Dark Moon Blessed Clear Flaw's scale powder that can't burn through, Gulibo, quickly call the shop manager!"

Gulibo looked up from inside the cabbage fortress: "The manager is too busy gnawing on rainbow demons!"

Every location in the battle desperately needs reinforcements. The three veterans from the bookstore, having just finished helping to defeat Parriman, were teleported to the border battlefield. Upon hearing this, Qingxia grabbed Vande, the Eye Demon covered in slime: "You beast, what do you want to do?"

"I'll go there myself~ Ji Huaisu, please speed things up!"

"Alright!" Without another word, Ji Huaisu unleashed his Gale Cudgel and swung it powerfully. "Go, you black sheep!"

Qingxia used the Free Wind to accelerate her initial burst, flying at full speed, and almost instantly crashed through the demon horde to arrive in front of the electorate. She wielded the Qingkun Spear with all her might, clashing evenly with the electorate's tentacle strikes. The Crescent Moon electorate cast a tainted gaze, and Qingxia simultaneously raised her Vande!

"Vande. Use hypnosis!"

"Surrender! Surrender! Surrender!!" Vande screamed.

The Crescent Moon Chosen froze for a moment, as the devastating barrage struck, instantly vaporizing more than a third of their size. Simultaneously, the Death Will bullet struck a vital point, the spreading concept of death annihilating them on the spot. Qingxia, carrying Fande, leaped onto the Wheel of Judgment flying across the battlefield. Behind them, missiles fell like meteors, scattering countless bursts of annihilation.

"Being a sniper is so awesome!" Qingxia exclaimed.

“You won’t feel that way when you’re carrying a gun and fighting in close combat,” Shakes said.

He returned to the rear of the fortifications and parked the vehicle. The intense battle had caused the Wheel of Judgment to radiate intense heat, with nearly 40% of its components on the verge of disintegration. Several giant blades closed together, forming a temporary repair workshop. A stalk of repair bean stalks gracefully wrapped around the wheel, producing universal replacement parts and replenishing the special ammunition, restoring the Wheel of Judgment to its former glory.

This is a standard wartime workshop for the city-state. It can handle most repair situations below the Holy Grail Cup by consuming three seeds. Gulibo modified the design with its ingenuity, increasing efficiency by 34% on the basis of the standard functions and adding the function of producing soy milk.

It held a little whistle and blew it: "Repair complete in 10 seconds, I've prepared new plant bullets!"

Sarks silently picked up a string of pea-like things: "What's this?"

"The self-splitting pea bomb I developed with Fifeld can absorb enemy energy from a distance, boo!" Gulibo said cheerfully.

"Let's test the effect with the next attack." Shax took a swig of cold water. "Let's go. Something big is coming. Ji Huaisu, you go too!"

Several more terrifying phantoms appeared, including a bone dragon with hollow eye sockets that spread its wings, leaping across the sea and spewing poisonous mist. The funeral procession's assault team also arrived. Ji Huaisu summoned the Calamity Dragon, which, along with the Wheel of Judgment, charged towards the enemy. Gulibo quickly changed the seed: "The next batch is Death Heretics, everyone switch to physical-type seeds!"

"Received!"

The Gubo gardeners, with their short legs, scurried about, cultivating new war plants on the spot under Gulibo's command. They have always been one of the most conscientious races; even before the official orders were issued, a large number of Gubo had already spontaneously gone to support the front lines to defend their homeland.

At that moment, thunder roared in the sky, and the Great Seal Shopkeeper plummeted from the heavens into the sea, sending a Rainbow Demon to the world of anime in the most tragic way. The Otter Editor, perched on its back, looked up and said, "My little employee seems to be quite adept at navigating the battlefield for some reason."

"I guess it's a case of 'one is influenced by one's surroundings,'" said Manager Carp. "But the enemy is getting stronger and stronger! This small force is going to be stretched thin!"

"Just hold on a little longer. Until Vilbert succeeds..."

·
Not only around the military camps, but also along the borders of various districts, citizens were spontaneously participating in the fighting. After all, they were citizens of a city-state who lived and multiplied alongside the battle lines, and even if they had no desire to fight, the instinct to fight had become a shared collective memory.

At the moment of Parriman's death, the influence of the independence movement finally faded completely, and people's courage was roused. Those who were able went to fight alongside the soldiers, while those unable to fight did work in the rear, such as transporting supplies.

Surprisingly, the city-state's military strength was now sufficient to handle the war, thanks to the large number of autonomous combat plants produced by the independence faction... These modified plants, originally intended for the civil war, stepped onto the battlefield for the first time while protecting the city-state. Their love for the city-state manifested itself in another form.

A small number of citizens remained bewildered, mostly young people born after the war who had never experienced real combat. They hid in their homes, wandered the streets, and wondered, "What's the point of going this far?" The elders rebuked them, "Even a small island like Paradise has come to the front lines to provide support. How can we be cowards hiding like this!"

"But even the Divine Tree doesn't have the strength to protect us anymore..."

"It is because of cowardly voices like yours that the Divine Tree is weakening!" the elders declared with unwavering strength. "If you want to live, stand up! Even just praying to the Divine Tree is better than standing there dumbfounded!"

"Will the Divine Tree become stronger if this continues?"

"How would I know! But now is a time of life and death for the city-state, so it's worth a try!"

Thus, the faint voices of confusion were surrounded and assimilated by the many voices of unity. Thoughts shifted imperceptibly, with Parriman's death and the instinct for survival becoming the most direct driving force. Ironically, at this critical juncture when the city was about to fall, people's hearts were united as never before.

Their realization was genuine. If it had come sooner, perhaps the city-state would have truly had a chance to rise from the ashes. But now, war had broken out, and the gods had taken to the battlefield.

Therefore, some things are beyond redemption, and everything continues to fall into the abyss.

·
At the border of Jingsha, the otter editor suddenly gasped. The seal abruptly reared up and retreated back to shore. It roared towards the front lines, "Everyone back to the city! The light poison is coming!"

Ji Huaisu had just engaged the bone dragon in battle when she saw the illusory sea surface inexplicably begin to glow. She witnessed the seawater solidify, transforming into a muddy state. A murky light emanated from the mud, spreading in all directions and transforming the illusory sea within her sight.

Before the assault team sent by the funeral procession could even officially engage in battle, they were touched by the eerie sea of ​​light. They sank little by little into the light, like victims sinking into an unfathomable swamp. Without the slightest resistance, without the slightest fear, the remaining skeletons of these beings were melted by the light.

Their "bodies" writhed and expanded with specks of light and fire. Ji Huaisu saw with his own eyes that blurry phantoms floated out of the light and drifted into the sky with a gentle chant.

"Holy crap, I feel like... something's familiar..." She got goosebumps all over.

"Quick, quick, quick..." Vandal screamed, "Run, damn it, run!! It's God! The God of Destruction!!"

It all looked so familiar, so incredibly familiar. That inexplicably changing world, the faint singing, even the sky itself had subtly altered its appearance. At this moment, the sky was ablaze with radiant light, auspicious clouds floated in the glow, and angels with wings descended from the clouds to receive the souls drifting towards the sky.

Deep within the radiant, auspicious clouds, there lies a magnificent and solemn throne. The deity sits serenely upon it, holding a lotus flower and softly chanting.

"A thousand-year arduous journey will eventually come to an end. The compassionate light of heaven will baptize all beings."

"Divine light cleanses evil, crossing the boundless sea of ​​suffering. The body is liberated and the heart is elevated, enjoying eternal peace."

She hurled the lotus flower from her hand, and a sea of ​​light instantly spread, replacing the illusory sea. Rays of light descended, falling into the eyes of all living beings. The rules of the world shattered at that moment; the boundless expansion of the mind allowed the will of the gods to supersede reality!
"Divine mind reversal."

"Eternal Bliss, the Land of the Gospels!"

Without a word, Ji Huaisu turned and ran. She rode the Calamity Dragon, gathering all her forces, and flew recklessly into the depths of the city-state.

She finally remembered the source of this déjà vu: it was the exact same desperate experience. The chanting was the voice of the gods; she had just witnessed the mind of another collapsing god.

This time, the deity is no longer the reflection of point 2; she is the full-fledged point 7 Collapse God, whose will can reduce this continent to ashes!
·
"Faster...faster!!"

Deep within Mansa Star Castle, Old Thorn Robe stands atop the altar.

His face on the back had faded to almost nothing, leaving only the marks on his skin. His hands were raised high, his muscles taut, like a giant god in Earth's mythology holding up the sky. His back bore countless "weights," a microcosm of an entire nation.

The phantom form resembled a illusory floating continent, with countless tiny figures moving about within it. This was the manifestation of the concept of the Jing Sha city-state, a city-state that still relied on Jing Sha's own power to fly into the sky. If Jing Sha were to withdraw his power at this moment, the city-state would immediately lose its support and fall into the ocean.

Now, the city-state is gradually being swallowed by the sea of ​​light, and the pressure on Old Thorn Robe's back is increasing dramatically. If this continues, the city-state will be swallowed up by the Evangelical Kingdom before he reaches his limit. But Old Thorn Robe is unable to be distracted, because dozens of filthy mud chains bind him tightly to his back.

That was a divine spell cast by the king during the chaos; as long as these chains existed, Jing Sha would be powerless to take any real action.

Behind the thorn robe, thousands of pale blue spiritual energies were intertwined with the muddy chains. Velvet stood amidst the sea of ​​millennium worms, staff in hand, using hundreds of thousands of worms to form various calculating instruments, helping her decipher the curse of the throne layer by layer. The tips of her hair had turned a luminous blue due to the excessive concentration of spiritual energy.

"Level 876 breakthrough, current progress 96%... Deciphering expected to be completed in 1 minute and 34 seconds! Are you ready?"

“I can hold out for five seconds!” another voice said.

"Now, it's time to decide the outcome!" Old Jing roared. "Captain, you have 1 minute and 34 seconds left!"

　Double update tomorrow!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)