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

He originally intended to return as soon as possible, then leave the sect's territory to find a place to cultivate in seclusion and break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and collect materials for the teleportation array.

"This... Senior Brother, we've just arrived. Should we report back to the sect first...?"

Zhou Yuan tried to persuade him in a tactful way.

The senior student shook his head, his tone resolute: "In wartime, everything should be simplified and done quickly."

"Junior Brother's warrant has stated 'Await the camp's arrangements after the handover.' This is also the intention of the sect leader and all the senior uncles. The manpower of the Golden Drum Plain camp is indeed stretched thin, so please prioritize the overall situation. As for returning to the sect, there are dedicated communication channels, so Junior Brother need not worry."

Having said all that, Zhou Yuan knew there was no point in making excuses anymore.

The other party was one of the frontline management personnel, representing the Allied Command and the sect's wartime orders. If I were to force my way out now, it would be disobeying military orders, tantamount to desertion in the face of battle.

The charges are far more serious than refusing a mission before, and he will immediately become a target of law enforcement.

"...Yes, junior brother understands. We will follow the allied forces' arrangements."

Zhou Yuan suppressed his helplessness and a hint of irritation, and bowed in response.

The four Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining disciples behind him reacted differently upon hearing the news; some were nervous, while others were bewildered.

But no one dared to voice their opposition.

And so, Zhou Yuan and his group were left behind and incorporated into the ranks of the Yellow Maple Valley's garrison cultivators at the Golden Drum Plain camp.

The senior brother pointed out the main gathering area of ​​the Yellow Maple Valley cultivators to Zhou Yuan, and then hurriedly left to attend to other matters.

Zhou Yuan, along with his somewhat dejected teammates, headed towards the west side of the camp.

The area around Huangfeng Valley was also chaotic, but at least some familiar clothing and faces could be seen. The cultivators each occupied a small area, hastily setting up makeshift temporary dwellings using wood or earth magic.

Zhou Yuan found a relatively quiet corner near the edge of the camp and cast a simple fossil spell.

The ground churned and hardened, quickly coalescing into a simple stone hut just big enough for one person to sit and rest. He then set up several simple warning and soundproofing barriers inside and outside the hut, thus securing a temporary place to stay.

Once inside the stone house and the door closed, shutting out the noise and tense atmosphere outside, the calm on Zhou Yuan's face finally faded.

A bitter smile appeared on his face.

He sat down cross-legged, his mind churning.

Escort the spirit stones and leave them at the front lines.

This sudden change completely disrupted his original plans and rhythm.

Originally, he planned to return to his cave to tidy up before quietly leaving to pursue his late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation and gather materials.

Now they are trapped in this perilous frontline camp, not knowing when they will be able to escape.

What about the promise I made to Han Li a year and a half later? What about the material gathering plan to repair the teleportation array?

"Plans really do always go awry..."

Zhou Yuan rubbed his temples.

If I had known this would happen, I would have...

That dangerous thought kept popping up again.

"If I had known, should I have just robbed them of the spirit stones on the way and run away? That would have ended it all..."

He muttered to himself, his tone tinged with self-deprecation and frustration.

Of course, this was just an emotional complaint after the unexpected situation disrupted the plan.

Even if he had to do it all over again, given his personality and sense of judgment, he would probably still make the same choice—to honestly complete the task.

Complaints aside, reality must be faced. Now trapped in the front-line camp, the primary task is to ensure personal safety, and only then can one look for opportunities to escape or complete one's plans.

He must be more careful and adapt to the rules and environment here as quickly as possible.

"Since we're here, let's make the best of it. Let's see how things go first." Zhou Yuan composed himself.

Begin adjusting your mindset to prepare for any tasks or unexpected situations that may arise at any time.

The front line at Jinguyuan is not a place where one can live a leisurely life.

……

The following morning.

Zhou Yuan was meditating in the simple stone house, pondering how to find out about frontline rotations, mission assignments, and possible "legitimate" ways to leave the camp without attracting attention.

Suddenly, a deep and penetrating bell rang out, like an invisible wave, instantly sweeping across the entire Jingu Plain camp!

The bell tolled three times in succession, urgent and solemn, carrying an undeniable sense of summons.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Renowned author Han Paopao from the Luanxinghai community has joined Cola Novels with his new work, "I Have an Equipment Slot in Huangfeng Valley!"

The previous noise in the camp fell silent, followed by even more hurried footsteps, shouts, and the sound of magical artifacts cutting through the air.

The tense atmosphere in the air suddenly reached its peak.

Zhou Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately stopped meditating. He knew that this was a signal for an emergency assembly, and something big must be about to happen.

Almost the instant the bell tolled, the simple warning barrier he had set up outside the stone house emitted a clear vibration.

"Junior Brother Zhou, are you there? Come out immediately and assemble at the combat readiness zone! No delays allowed!"

A slightly hurried but authoritative voice came through the barrier.

The senior brother stood not far away with a solemn expression, accompanied by several other Foundation Establishment cultivators who had also received the notification.

"Senior brother, what happened?" Zhou Yuan stepped forward quickly and asked in a low voice.

"Specifics are unclear, but three bell rings signal an emergency combat readiness call! All cultivators on leave or without urgent missions must immediately proceed to the combat readiness zone! Follow me!"

The senior brother spoke very quickly, and after he finished speaking, he turned around and transformed into a streak of light, flying towards a certain direction in the center of the camp.

Zhou Yuan followed closely behind, his mind racing. He had just arrived yesterday, and today he was already facing a major battle? What luck… He took a deep breath, suppressed his distracting thoughts, and adjusted himself to his best state.

The war preparedness zone is located slightly east of the center of the camp, directly facing the direction of the Cheqi Kingdom. It is a huge open space that has been specially cleared out.

When Zhou Yuan arrived, the scene before him moved him slightly.

On the open ground, a dense mass of over a thousand cultivators had gathered!

From the Qi Refining stage to the Foundation Establishment stage, the clothing was a mix of various styles, belonging to the seven schools of the Yue Kingdom.

Everyone stood solemnly in formation, and the air was filled with a sense of impending doom and impending storm.

Above the crowd, more than ten feet above the ground, seven or eight figures were suspended in mid-air.

Their auras were as deep as the sea, some as steady as mountains, some as sharp as swords, and some as ethereal as clouds. Just by standing there quietly, the invisible pressure they exuded was enough to make thousands of cultivators below feel breathless—all of them were experts in the Core Formation stage!

These seven or eight Core Formation cultivators, belonging to different sects, their robes fluttering, their eyes sharp as lightning, scanned the assembled group below. They were the decision-makers and pillars of this operation.

Zhou Yuan quickly located the area where the cultivators from Yellow Maple Valley were gathered and silently blended in. His gaze swept across the area, trying to assess the situation. Although there were quite a few cultivators gathered, it didn't seem to be the entire force of the main camp; rather, it appeared to be elite troops or mobile units that had been drawn from elsewhere.

The wait didn't last long.

In the air, a middle-aged cultivator, dressed in a moon-white robe from the Hidden Moon Sect, with a refined face but sharp, eagle-like eyes, stepped forward.

He was one of the leaders of the Hidden Moon Sect at the Golden Drum Plain front line, and his cultivation had reached the mid-stage of Core Formation, making him highly respected.

The middle-aged cultivator's gaze swept over the crowd below with lightning speed. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears: "Those demonic villains have been harassing us for days, trying to probe our strength..."

According to reliable intelligence, one of their main forces is assembling 300 li to the northwest, intending to eliminate our outer outposts and cut off our flank. This time, our seven-faction allied forces should take the initiative, strike head-on, blunt their momentum, and uphold our prestige!

He paused, then his tone suddenly turned stern, his voice echoing across the surrounding area:

"Disciples, heed my command! Set off!"

"Move out—!" Several late-stage Foundation Establishment level leaders from various factions below responded in unison.

The moment the words fell, the massive protective barrier surrounding the camp suddenly opened up, creating a huge gap tens of feet wide!

As the sunlight streamed in, it also brought with it a more frigid sandstorm and a murderous aura from the desolate wilderness outside.

"Set off!"

Commands were passed down through the ranks.

Thousands of cultivators, led by their respective team leaders, transformed into torrents of light of various colors, rushing towards the gap in the great formation in an orderly and extremely swift manner!

In an instant, the air was filled with the sound of something breaking through the air, spiritual energy surged, and the scene was magnificent.

Zhou Yuan was in the Yellow Maple Valley's group, and flew out of the camp's light barrier with the flow of people.

A cold, desolate wind swept over me, carrying the smell of gunpowder and dust.

He glanced back at the massive camp's protective glow, which was gradually receding into the distance and shimmering with various colors of light under the sun, and then looked at the vast, boundless wasteland ahead, where countless dangers lurked. A complex emotion welled up in his heart.

"It's true... plans can never keep up with changes."

Zhou Yuan shook his head inwardly, but his eyes quickly became sharp and focused.

Complaining is useless. Since we are on the battlefield, the most important thing is to survive.

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