The night was deep.
Xue Yu Tian Chi was illuminated by artillery fire, as if it were daytime.
On the city walls, about a thousand heavy cannons roared in unison. Cannonballs were fired as if they were inexhaustible. To fight this battle, Lin Zhao had long since ordered his entire arsenal to be emptied, all the stored cannonballs brought out, sparing no expense to delay the offensive of the demon and devil races.
Moreover, from the Great Shang Dynasty, spiritual boats and convoys incessantly transported cannonballs and heavy cannons from the south to Xue Yu Tian Chi. These were all gifts, causing the main roads of Bai Cheng to be filled with transport teams, continuously delivering all sorts of supplies to the northern city wall, supporting this unprecedented great war.
Outside the city walls, Chen Xue, wielding the Human Emperor's Battle Spear, commanded a group of melee players from the Scarlet Moon Knights. They formed a shield wall, fiercely resisting the onslaught of the demon army. Especially the Boss-level cultivators of the Five Realms within the army, who were quite troublesome.
Chen Xue's beautiful eyes swept across the battlefield, filled with worry. Behind her, the ranged teams from guilds like Scarlet Moon Knights, Star River, Victorious Heaven, and Envious Fish in the Abyss continuously unleashed various AoE spells, single-target spells, and arrows into the monster horde. However, it seemed insufficient, unable to completely halt the demon's advance.
In addition, streaks of fiery red cannonballs whizzed overhead, landing outside the city, creating deep pits in the northern region of Xue Yu Tian Chi. Especially when bombarding the devil cavalry, they were torn to shreds, men and horses alike, a scene so tragic it was unbearable to witness.
Yet, with these alone, the defenses could not be held. The demon and devil armies attacked like madmen. The demon soldiers were brutal, and the devil cavalry was formidable, constantly breaking through the lines of smaller guilds, trampling over the corpses of players, and reaching the edge of Bai Cheng, wantonly attacking the spiritual energy barrier of the Ten Directions Array.
Frankly, players fighting outside the city was merely a temporary measure, a delay. It could not change the tide of the battle. The demon and devil units constantly respawned, their numbers far exceeding those of the players. They no longer adhered to the game's troop data. For instance, the devil cavalry, despite only deploying 400,000 troops to attack Xue Yu Tian Chi, the actual number that spawned was far greater.
There was no choice but to do their best.
Chen Xue raised her spear and shouted towards the front, "Hold the line! No one retreats! Our alliance leader is still trapped under Wuwang Mountain, his fate unknown. We, the Scarlet Moon Knights, have dignity. We must be the ones to kill our way to Wuwang Mountain and rescue him!"
"That's right!"
Ding Chi, Lu Han, Bu Su Li Ren, and others had bloodshot eyes. The thought of Lin Zhao being trapped under Wuwang Mountain made this battle no longer just about the nation's grievances, but also countless personal vendettas!
...
In the sky, the disheveled man Tang Guangjun, clad in armor with a tattered cloak fluttering behind him, ascended into the heavens with his immortal sword. His eyes surveyed the land below, witnessing the surging masses of troops, the clashing armies, and the roaring artillery. His chest swelled with pride. As a practitioner of the Military Arts, to command such a battlefield was a life's ambition fulfilled!
He continuously swung his long sword, sending waves of sword energy filled with military intent across the battlefield. With his thirteenth realm cultivation, he repelled the invading great demons and the surging demon armies and devil cavalry on the ground.
On the left flank, Xu Zhi, wielding the sword Cheng Xin, unleashed ten demon soul swords imbued with dense demonic energy, which shot down into the chaotic masses like shooting stars, decimating the demon army. Simultaneously, she guarded against the great demons attacking from the air, continuously deflecting countless assaults on Tang Guangjun from the flank.
On the right flank, the thirteenth realm Confucian sage Gu Lingyu stood upon a sea of books, manifesting a Dharma image tens of thousands of feet tall. Golden characters emanated from him, exuding an aura of divine decree. He held a bamboo slip, his gaze fixed on the northern border. With a mere thought, golden bamboo slips appeared above the Sky Pond, continuously blocking the devil cavalry that charged towards them.
The devil cavalry were valiant, charging in formation. However, upon colliding with Gu Lingyu's defenses, these heavy cavalry, weighing hundreds of kilograms with their horses, instantly turned into a rain of blood, their bodies shattered by the impact. At this moment, Gu Lingyu not only possessed the foundation of a thirteenth realm Confucian but also received partial blessings from the Ten Directions Array, making his combat power even greater than usual!
...
In the early hours of the morning.
Though Tang Guangjun, who had forcefully sustained the Ten Directions Array and fiercely battled the demons, was incredibly valiant, slaying countless demons and devils with his ascending sword, he was ultimately outnumbered. His injuries continued to mount. Although his killing intent was strong, his sword intent gradually thinned. In the end, only a powerful killing intent sustained his tattered body.
"Puff..."
Ji An, a fourteenth realm great demon, swung his steel fork, its power engulfing the entire Xue Yu Tian Chi. When Tang Guangjun swung his sword to push it back, he could no longer hold on, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Hatred filled his eyes; he regretted not killing enough demon cultivators, regretted not being able to kill Ji An, Chen Feng, Yu Zhi, and Long Zheng with a single sword strike each!
"He's weakening!"
From afar, in the clouds, the Demon Ancestor Qing Kui, clad in a grey robe, appeared ethereal. He frowned and said, "Everyone, attack together and suppress Tang Guangjun. Killing this thirteenth realm sword cultivator from the ancestral court of the Military Arts will cause Ding Muchen, Lu Zu, and the others much pain for some time!"
"Kill!"
Upon receiving the Demon Ancestor's command, the great demons attacked in unison.
Tang Guangjun's brow furrowed, his heart filled only with surging killing intent, unwilling to think of anything else. He abruptly looked up, seeing a group of great demons, and quickly spotted Lu Hai among them. Lu Hai, who had recently broken through to the thirteenth realm on the Ancestral Mountain, was now an early-stage thirteenth realm great demon. Though only in the early stages, it was enough for him to look down upon the other demons. A vast Dharma image surged behind him, displaying a rather arrogant demeanor.
"Hmm?"
Tang Guangjun frowned and sneered, "The Mountain Lord once told me that the person he hated most on the Demon Ancestral Mountain was not the old Demon Ancestor, nor that little girl Yu Zhi, but you, Lu Hai. You have committed too many heinous acts, not only killing Zhang Liucheng but also a large group of good people like the old Sword Immortal Han."
He raised an eyebrow lightly. "Scoundrel, taste my sword?!"
The next moment, a surge of majestic sword intent erupted from Tang Guangjun's body. This sword intent was stronger than before, as if he had deliberately held back a move. This move could be used for escape or for a death-defying exchange.
But at this moment, Tang Guangjun had no intention of escaping. If he escaped, what would happen to Xu Zhi, Huang Tingyu, and the others? Wouldn't Little Jiu'er have died in vain? Tang Guangjun could commit any wicked deed in this world, but he would not betray the Mountain Lord's expectations.
"Shua!"
Tang Guangjun unleashed his sword!
"Ah?!"
Lu Hai, who had just returned to the thirteenth realm, was greatly shocked. Tang Guangjun's sword was no ordinary sword; he had "merged" one of his natal flying swords into this strike. On the surface, it appeared extremely ordinary, yet it was extraordinarily powerful. The moment the sword was unleashed, Lu Hai felt a sense of impending death.
"Not good!"
Lu Hai roared and immediately revealed his true form as a flood dragon, his clothes tearing apart to reveal his draconic body. Scales with a faint golden luster were enveloped by a robust aura. The defensive power of a thirteenth realm great demon of the flood dragon lineage was unimaginable. His ferocious claws danced wildly, condensing a vast torrent of water that formed a barrier in front of him, attempting to intercept Tang Guangjun's sword.
However, the moment the sword light descended, Lu Hai's heart sank. He frantically looked back at the Demon Ancestor, "Demon Ancestor, save me!"
It was too late!
The Demon Ancestor Qing Kui frowned. Lu Hai's longevity lamp on the Ancestral Mountain had already been shattered by a sword. If Lu Hai died now, he would be truly dead. But there was nothing he could do. Although Qing Kui could save Lu Hai by sacrificing a natal item, it was not worth it. Conversely, exchanging Lu Hai's life for Tang Guangjun's life was still a profitable transaction.
Even though Tang Guangjun had already killed countless demon cultivators...
"Everyone, attack!"
The Demon Ancestor waved his sleeve and issued a swift command.
The next moment, the sword light descended!
"Chii!"
Tang Guangjun's magnificent sword descended in a straight line, directly cleaving through Lu Hai's water barrier. Then, the sword light fell with a crisp sound. Lu Hai's flood dragon body was directly split in two, like the famous dish "Dry-fried Pangolin Eel," cut from the spine, his body divided into two halves.
Furthermore, the intense sword intent contained within the sword light exploded completely, grinding Lu Hai in the air into fine powder. Neither the flood dragon bones nor the flesh and blood remained, all turning into dust in the wind. This showed how deep Tang Guangjun's killing intent towards Lu Hai was!
Simultaneously, with a series of "puff, puff, puff" sounds, Tang Guangjun's entire left arm instantly turned into a mist of blood, torn apart by a strand of the Three Realms Wind from the demon king Chen Feng. At the same time, the great demon Ji An's steel fork descended like a meteor from the sky, piercing directly through Tang Guangjun's heart. Ning Yuan Sheng's palm descended from the sky, nearly crushing Tang Guangjun's head.
A barrage of attacks fell upon this thirteenth realm sword cultivator of the Military Arts. Even his robust body could no longer withstand it.
"Die!"
Chen Feng, a twelfth realm sword cultivator, with a ferocious expression, thrust his sword fiercely into Tang Guangjun's forehead.
This sword could kill a thirteenth realm sword cultivator!
A smile filled Chen Feng's eyes. This merit of killing Tang Guangjun would fall to him. Perhaps after the war, his thirteenth realm would be more stable.
However, as Chen Feng's sword pierced Tang Guangjun's forehead, he saw the ugly, disheveled man curve his lips. Although his body was on the verge of shattering, he still wore a terrifying smile.
"You..."
Chen Feng's heart tightened instantly.
At this moment, Tang Guangjun condensed a left arm with his sword intent and grabbed Chen Feng's sword-wielding hand. With his left hand, he drew his sword Deng Tian and swiftly thrust it out, laughing, "Damn demon dog, I can take another one down with me before I die. Worth it!"
"Peng!"
Tang Guangjun's sword had an extremely heavy killing intent. As he thrust it out, Chen Feng's body exploded under the pressure of the immense sword qi, leaving only his head. The rest of his body turned into a mist of blood.
"Satisfying..."
Tang Guangjun, with only his last breath, sighed. His body swayed precariously in mid-air. His sword Deng Tian returned to its sheath. He held the head of the great demon Chen Feng in his right hand, appearing like a remnant leaf on a treetop in late autumn, ready to fall at any moment.
"Everyone..."
His voice was hoarse as he looked back at Xu Zhi, Gu Lingyu, Huang Tingyu, and the others, smiling mournfully. "Tang Guangjun departs... I shall take my leave first... to the Nine Springs, where I shall build a city for the Mountain Lord and continue to guard that gate..."
...
Before his words had even finished, Tang Guangjun's physical body, as if weathered by time, gradually disintegrated into dust. All his cultivation and physical strength had been completely depleted. His sword Deng Tian behind him was levitated away by the great demon Ji An. His tattered armor and cloak fell into the wilderness in the wind.
"Sigh..."
In the wind, a sigh seemed to echo. A faint, wispy glow attached itself to the armor that had fallen into the wilderness.