I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

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Khotan City.

This majestic city, standing in the heart of the Yu Kingdom and having weathered countless storms, known as the premier cultivator city in the south, has now entered a state of full-scale war, displaying its imposing presence as the core and last line of defense of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance.

On the towering city walls, countless array patterns shimmered with spiritual light.

It flows slowly, like a living thing.

The massive protective array covering the entire city—the "Shangyuan Extinction Array"—has been fully activated. A huge, semi-transparent light shield, shimmering with pale golden light, resembles an inverted giant bowl, firmly protecting the entire city and radiating a terrifyingly powerful pressure.

Outside the light shield, the air itself seemed to distort, revealing its terrifying defensive capabilities.

Within a hundred miles outside the city, the number of patrolling cultivators has increased significantly. Teams of cultivators, dressed in various armors and at least at the Foundation Establishment stage, ride flying magical artifacts or spirit beasts, patrolling vigilantly and closely monitoring any unusual movements that may come from the direction of Mulan.

The atmosphere was somber and heavy, a stark contrast to the bustling trading city of the past.

After several days of non-stop flying, Zhou Yuan and his group finally arrived at the outskirts of Tiantian City.

Looking at the magnificent yet heavily guarded city, many Foundation Establishment cultivators from Tiantai Valley secretly breathed a sigh of relief, their tense nerves finally able to relax a little.

At the city gate, they were stopped and inspected by a group of elite Core Formation cultivators.

The elder at the head, dressed in the robes of an elder of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance, was clearly already aware of the situation and recognized Zhou Yuan and Bu Yunhe.

He quickly stepped forward, his face filled with undisguised respect, and cupped his hands, saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, Fellow Daoist Bu, you must be tired from your journey! The battle report from the front has been sent back; the great victory at Tiantai Valley has shaken the entire city! Fellow Daoist Wei has already instructed that if Fellow Daoist Zhou returns, please go to the Tian Ce Hall to meet him immediately."

"Thank you for your trouble." Zhou Yuan nodded slightly and gave Bu Yunhe a few instructions, asking him to arrange for the cultivators he brought to enter the city to rest and register their battle merits. He then flew directly towards the most heavily guarded palace complex in the city center, led by the Nascent Soul stage elder.

Inside the Tian Ce Hall, Wei Wuyai was still wearing an inconspicuous dark green robe, standing with his hands behind his back in front of the map in the hall, seemingly deep in thought.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around, a smile appearing on his face: "Fellow Daoist Zhou, you've finally returned. The battle at Tiantai Valley was brilliantly fought! Outnumbered, you annihilated the vanguard and even killed two Mulan Masters, greatly enhancing the prestige of the cultivators of Tiannan! Such achievements are enough to make you famous throughout Tiannan! On behalf of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance, I, Wei, thank you for your great help, Fellow Daoist Zhou!"

His praise came from the bottom of his heart.

Zhou Yuan's achievements in Tiantai Valley, after being detailed and relayed by Bu Yunhe and others, have already spread throughout the high-level cultivators of Tiantian City, causing a huge sensation.

The fact that such a brilliant victory could be achieved at such a low cost is undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the team in the face of the current widespread defeat.

However, faced with Wei Wuyai's high praise, Zhou Yuan slowly shook his head, his tone calm: "Fellow Daoist Wei is too kind. It's not two."

"Um?"

Wei Wuyai was taken aback, his smile faded slightly, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

Not two? Could the intelligence be wrong? Or... is there something else going on?

He knew Zhou Yuan's character; he was by no means someone who spoke carelessly or exaggerated his military achievements.

Since the other party said so, there must be a reason.

He suppressed his doubts and looked intently at Zhou Yuan, waiting for him to continue.

Zhou Yuan did not explain immediately, but calmly took out four jade bottles, each only an inch tall, pure white, and covered with several sealing talismans from his bosom.

He placed the jade bottles one by one on the jade table beside him, and then casually removed the seal from the first jade bottle.

At the mouth of the bottle, a flash of light appeared, and a miniature nascent soul, only an inch tall, pale blue in color, with a face identical to that of the tall and thin Master Mulan, but filled with fear and dejection, was lifted up by a gentle force and floated above the mouth of the bottle, trembling slightly.

The nascent soul's spiritual light was dim, and its aura was weak, clearly indicating that it had been imprisoned for a long time.

Immediately afterwards, the second, third, and fourth jade bottles were opened one after another.

The second nascent soul, yellowish-brown in color, belonged to the brown-armored master who was the first to be hunted down by Zhou Yuan on the border of Fengyuan Kingdom.

The third nascent soul, crimson in color, belonged to Master Mulan, who was killed by Zhou Yuan with the Myriad Swords Technique in Fengyuan Kingdom and was skilled in fire-attribute spiritual arts.

When the fourth nascent soul was lifted out, Wei Wuyai's pupils suddenly contracted!

This nascent soul was a pure light blue color, much more solid than the previous three. Although its spiritual light was also imprisoned and weakened, one could still feel the powerful soul force fluctuations that originally belonged to a mid-stage nascent soul cultivator.

Its face was that of an absolutely beautiful woman, none other than the Master Yue!

Four Nascent Souls!

Four Mulan Gurus!

This includes a Grand Master who is in the mid-Nascent Soul stage!

Moreover, they were captured alive!

A fully imprisoned Nascent Soul!

What does this mean?

This means that Zhou Yuan chose to capture Zhou Yuan alive rather than kill him outright, given that he had complete control of the situation and overwhelming strength! This is much more difficult and requires far greater strength than simply killing him!

"This...this..."

Even Wei Wuyai, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator with extensive knowledge and a firm will, was stunned by the scene before him. His mouth opened slightly involuntarily, and he was unable to utter a complete sentence for a moment.

Captured the Nascent Soul stage cultivators of four Nascent Soul stage cultivators alive?!

One of them was a mid-stage cultivator of the same level?! This is absolutely shocking!

Nascent Soul cultivators have numerous ways to protect themselves. Defeating them is easy, killing them is difficult, and capturing them alive is even more difficult than ascending to heaven!

Especially on the battlefield, when the enemy sees that the situation is not good, they will often self-destruct their nascent soul or use a secret technique to perish together with the enemy.

But Zhou Yuan actually captured four of them alive in one go! How did he do that?

"These four people," Zhou Yuan's calm voice broke the deathly silence in the hall, "were the ones I captured some time ago when I infiltrated Fengyuan Kingdom alone to hunt them down, and the ones I pursued on the way out of Tiantai Valley the day before yesterday. Since there was no other evidence, I captured their Nascent Soul stage alive as proof."

He paused, then continued:

"Including the two masters killed in the battle of Tiantai Valley, and the two black-robed demonic cultivators killed in Fengyuan at the beginning of the Mulan invasion a year ago, as well as the master who was dealt with incidentally when rescuing Lei Wanhe and others in Huangfeng Valley."

With each word Zhou Yuan spoke, Wei Wuyai's heart skipped a beat.

"So it is..."

Zhou Yuan calmly looked at Wei Wuyai, who was already petrified:

"Since the invasion of Mulan, in just one or two years, a total of nine Mulan and demonic Nascent Soul cultivators have died at the hands of Zhou."

Nine people!

Nine Nascent Soul cultivators!

A buzzing sound filled Wei Wuyai's mind, as if a thunderclap had exploded!

He only knew that Zhou Yuan was very strong and had made outstanding military achievements, but he never expected that his personal gains would be so terrifying!

Nine Nascent Soul cultivators!

What does this mean?

It should be noted that since the Mulan people launched their large-scale invasion and the war began in Tiannan, the total number of Nascent Soul cultivators who have fallen on the Tiannan side is only four!

This has already caused great distress to the leaders of the Nine Nations Alliance, who consider it a huge loss.

But Zhou Yuan alone wiped out nine of the enemy's Nascent Soul cultivators!

Moreover, it also includes two black-robed demonic cultivators from the Great Jin Dynasty with strange methods, as well as Grand Master Mulan, who is in the mid-Nascent Soul stage!

This casualty ratio... is simply insane!

No, this can no longer be described as a "casualty ratio"; it was a one-sided massacre and crushing defeat!

One person almost offset, no, far exceeded, all the losses that the Mulan people had caused to Tiannan at the Nascent Soul level!

In the cultivation world of Tiannan, in the past thousand years, when has such a fierce and efficient "Nascent Soul Killer" ever appeared?

Even the most notorious demonic overlords in history, known for their ruthlessness, probably didn't have such terrifying hunting efficiency against opponents of the same level!

Shock, disbelief, ecstasy, and even a hint of apprehension... a complex mix of emotions churned within Wei Wuyai's chest.

Even this seasoned cultivator, who had seen countless storms, found it difficult to calm down for a long time.

He took several deep breaths to barely suppress the turmoil in his heart, and the look in his eyes as he looked at Zhou Yuan had completely changed.

It was no longer about looking at a powerful rogue cultivator worth recruiting, but about looking at a living legend, a peerless weapon capable of changing the course of the battle!

"Fellow Daoist Zhou... "

Wei Wuyai's voice was somewhat hoarse. He swallowed hard, forcing a complex smile onto his face. His tone was filled with unprecedented solemnity and an indescribable awe. "Your feat this time... is truly astonishing! Not only now, but even in the past few thousand years in Tiannan, no one can match it! With your current achievements, calling you the 'Number One Rogue Cultivator in Tiannan' is by no means an exaggeration! After the Empress, Fellow Daoist Zhou... you should be the number one!"

This evaluation is undeniably high.

The title of "Number One Rogue Cultivator in the South" has always belonged to the mysterious and infamous "Old Monster of Heavenly Hatred".

The title of "the number one person after the Empress" is the ultimate affirmation of his strength.

Wei Wuyai's evaluation of Zhou Yuan in this way shows the shock and awe he felt.

Zhou Yuan's expression remained calm, as if he were listening to a trivial matter that had nothing to do with him.

He waved his hand, resealing the four weakened Nascent Soul cultivators into the jade bottle and putting them away. He then looked at Wei Wuyai: "Fellow Daoist Wei, we agreed that the heads of six Nascent Soul cultivators would be exchanged for the land of a country, which would serve as the foundation for my sect. Now, the proof is here. I wonder if the agreement still stands?"

"It counts! It counts naturally!"

Without hesitation, Wei Wuyai replied decisively, "Fellow Daoist Zhou has exceeded expectations in completing the mission and has achieved outstanding military exploits. Our Nine Kingdoms Alliance, and even the four major powers of Tiannan, have no reason to go back on our word! Once this war has subsided and the overall situation has stabilized, I, Wei, will personally oversee the selection of an excellent country for Fellow Daoist Zhou, complete the necessary procedures, and announce it to Tiannan. I will not let Fellow Daoist down!"

He made the most solemn promise.

The value demonstrated by Zhou Yuan has far exceeded the cost of a "nation".

As long as we can tie it to the chariot of Tiannan, it's worth it no matter how much more we have to pay.

However, Wei Wuyai changed the subject, his face showing just the right amount of solemnity and helplessness: "But... Fellow Daoist Zhou has also seen it. Mulan's attack this time is fierce, far from the small skirmishes of the past. Now their army has broken through several of our Yu Kingdom's defenses, and their advance is aimed directly at Tiantian City. What if... I mean, what if, the Nine Kingdoms Alliance is ultimately defeated, or even Tiannan is defeated, then the promise of 'the land of one kingdom' will probably become a mirage, impossible to fulfill."

However, Wei Wuyai changed the subject, his face showing just the right amount of solemnity and helplessness: "But... Fellow Daoist Zhou has also seen it. Mulan's attack this time is fierce, far from the small skirmishes of the past. Now their army has broken through several of our Yu Kingdom's defenses, and their advance is aimed directly at Tiantian City. What if... I mean, what if, the Nine Kingdoms Alliance is ultimately defeated, or even Tiannan is defeated, then the promise of 'the land of one kingdom' will probably become a mirage, impossible to fulfill."

He looked at Zhou Yuan and said sincerely, "Fellow Daoist Zhou is destined to establish a sect, pass on the Daoist tradition, and become a patriarch of a sect. The foundation of a sect is important for thousands of generations. If Tiannan falls or is severely damaged, even if we gain territory, it will be difficult to develop peacefully."

"Since you have such a deep connection with Tiannan and possess such profound cultivation, why not... do more to ensure the survival of Tiannan? It would also be an extra guarantee for your future lineage."

Wei Wuyai's words were clever; they pointed out the potential crisis while also linking Zhou Yuan's personal interests with the overall war situation in Tiannan, appealing to his emotions and reasoning with him.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He naturally understood Wei Wuyai's implied meaning: he wanted him to continue contributing to Tiannan, and to contribute significantly.

He had fulfilled his agreement and could have left, but the other party clearly didn't want to let go of this "weapon of mass destruction."

Seeing Zhou Yuan's expression shift slightly, Wei Wuyai immediately pressed his advantage, smiling, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, rest assured, I am by no means ungrateful. I will no longer arrange for you to venture out into danger, carrying out those perilous assassination or city defense missions. You only need to remain in Tiantian City, standing with me in the central command, stabilizing morale. In critical moments, you may be needed to intervene against the enemy's top combat forces. I wonder... what does Fellow Daoist Zhou think?"

This condition is relatively lenient.

Stay in the relatively safe base camp and only deal with the enemy's top experts when necessary.

For Zhou Yuan, the risks are manageable, and he can observe the battle situation up close and act when the opportunity arises.

Zhou Yuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

"Excellent! Fellow Daoist Zhou is truly righteous!"

Wei Wuyai was overjoyed, a weight lifted from his heart.

With Zhou Yuan, a powerful ally, agreeing to be stationed in Tiantian City, the city's defenses gained immense confidence and strength.

……

For the next two weeks, Zhou Yuan stayed in Tiantian City.

He did not go out again, but instead settled down temporarily in a secluded courtyard in the city where spiritual energy was abundant. While continuing to comprehend and improve his spiritual techniques and refine the newly acquired Yuanming Lamp, he also kept track of the battle situation at the front by reading the battle reports circulating in the city.

Battle reports came in like snowflakes, but the news was far from optimistic.

Although Zhou Yuan dealt a heavy blow to the Mulan people in Tiantai Valley, killing several Nascent Soul cultivators, this loss did not truly damage the Mulan army, which was invading southward with the full strength of its clan. Instead, it thoroughly aroused their ferocity and hatred.

The Mulan army launched an even fiercer offensive and advanced at an extremely rapid pace.

The second and third lines of defense along the border of Yu State were successively breached under the overwhelming force of the main army of Mulan.

The strongholds behind Huanglong Mountain fell one after another shortly after Zhou Yuan and his group withdrew, and the garrisoned cultivators either died or fled.

The Mulan people seemed to be holding back a strong desire to avenge their fallen comrades and sweep away all the resistance forces they encountered in the south along the way.

Based on the current pace of the Mulan army's advance, their forces will reach the gates of Khotan in three days at the latest!

At that time, this largest city in southern China will face the most severe test since its construction!

The atmosphere in the city grew heavier and more oppressive each day.

The lower-level cultivators were filled with anxiety, while the middle and higher-level cultivators were busy reinforcing the city's defenses, allocating resources, and preparing for the impending bloody battle.

On this day, the Tian Ce Hall convened another high-level meeting.

All attendees were Nascent Soul cultivators, totaling twenty-six people! This was almost all the Nascent Soul power that could be mobilized at this moment in Tiantian City.

Among them, about eighteen or nineteen people came from various factions of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance and were the main force defending the city.

The other seven or eight people came from the Righteous Alliance, the Six Demonic Sects, and the Heavenly Alliance, and were the vanguard of the first batch of reinforcements to arrive.

The main reinforcements from the three major forces are still on their way.

The atmosphere in the hall was solemn; you could hear a pin drop. Everyone knew that the battle that would determine the fate of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance and even Tiannan was about to erupt beneath the walls of Tiantian City.

"Gentlemen,"

Wei Wuyai sat upright in the main seat and spoke in a deep voice, breaking the silence, "Latest battle report: the vanguard of the Mulan army has reached the heart of Yu Kingdom, 'Fallen Eagle Gorge,' and the main force will arrive at the city walls by the day after tomorrow at the latest."

"Tiantian City is the foundation of our Nine Kingdoms Alliance and a symbol of Tiannan's resistance against Mulan! This city must not be lost! We must hold it to buy time for reinforcements to arrive!"

The Nascent Soul cultivators below nodded in unison, their faces resolute. Those who sat here were either deeply intertwined with the interests of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance or had come with missions from their sects; their determination to defend the city was beyond doubt.

"However," a Nascent Soul stage elder from the Nine Kingdoms Alliance said worriedly, "according to our scouts, the Mulan army besieging our city this time is unprecedented in scale, with a large number of Nascent Soul Grandmasters! There may even be more than one Divine Master in command! In our city, including the fellow Daoists from the three major forces who have arrived one after another, there are only twenty-six Nascent Soul cultivators, and only one late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, Fellow Daoist Wei... The enemy outnumbers us, and the disparity in strength is enormous!"

"Perhaps...we should temporarily abandon the city, preserve our strength, and regroup with reinforcements before launching a counterattack?"

Someone made a suggestion in a low voice, but it was immediately drowned out by more opposing voices.

Abandoning Tiancheng would be a devastating blow to both the prestige and actual control of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance.

The crowd was abuzz with discussion, some advocating for war, others expressing concern; opinions differed, but all revealed a deep anxiety about the future.

As Wei Wuyai listened to the crowd's discussion, his brows furrowed, but his gaze involuntarily drifted toward Zhou Yuan, who sat silently in the front seat.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou,"

Wei Wuyai suddenly spoke, his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears. The hall fell silent instantly, all eyes focusing on Zhou Yuan. "Regarding the current situation, I wonder if Fellow Daoist Zhou... has any insightful opinions?"

Recently, Zhou Yuan's titles of "Number One Rogue Cultivator in Tiannan" and "Number One Person Below the Yuanhou" and his series of astonishing achievements have been widely circulated in the Nascent Soul circle.

Although many people harbored doubts or envy, no one dared to ignore his existence.

Wei Wuyai's direct question at this moment clearly indicated that he wanted to hear the opinion of this "God of Slaughter".

Zhou Yuan met everyone's gazes with a calm and composed expression, as if he were simply stating a fact: "Reinforcements are not yet in place, and the enemy outnumbers us. With only the current strength of Tiantian City and the Shangyuan Annihilation Array, we can defend the city... for a while, but not for long."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like ice water being poured over someone's head, sending a chill down the spines of many cultivators in the hall who still held onto a sliver of hope.

"Is Fellow Daoist Zhou's statement too pessimistic?" A Nascent Soul cultivator from the Heavenly Dao Alliance couldn't help but speak up. "The Shangyuan Annihilation Array is an ancient and wondrous array with boundless power. How could the Mulan barbarians break it so easily? Holding out for several months and waiting for reinforcements is not impossible!"

Zhou Yuan glanced at him, did not argue, and simply said, "I hope so."

He knew the original plot: under the protection of the Shangyuan Extinction Array, Tiancheng faced the full-scale attack of the Mulan army, but ultimately fell in less than a month.

Now, the Mulan people are even more ferocious because of his previous hunting, and their attacks will only become more intense.

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuyai sighed deeply, his face revealing profound weariness and helplessness:

"What Fellow Daoist Zhou said may be unpleasant to hear, but it is the truth. Defending a city is not easy, and abandoning it is even more impossible. Although the four major powers in Tiannan have formed an alliance, Mulan's military force is first aimed at our Nine Kingdoms Alliance. The other three major powers... inevitably have the intention of preserving their strength and letting us be worn down first. It is reasonable that the reinforcements are arriving a little slower."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his tone regaining its firmness: "However, precisely because of this, we cannot retreat easily! We must rely on the restrictions of Tiantian City to wear down and delay the Mulan army as much as possible, buying time for reinforcements to gather and for the defensive line to be reorganized!"

"If we continue to retreat without a fight, our Nine Kingdoms Alliance will likely crumble and morale will collapse before reinforcements arrive. At that point, the situation in Tiannan will become uncontrollable!"

"Defend! We must defend! And defend it beautifully, defend it with the spirit of the cultivators of Tiannan!"