It was three in the afternoon.
With Lin Zhao's sword piercing the throat, the thunderous edge effect of the Thunderclap Sword was triggered. A wisp of lightning sword energy instantly consumed the body of a first-realm demon soldier. He retreated repeatedly, his body scorched by the lightning. The moment he fell, Lin Zhao's quota of 5,000 monster kills was full. His inventory was also stocked with a considerable amount of white iron, gold, and black iron grade equipment, which he could take back to Old Fan for a trade.
He returned to the camp.
Passing by the mountainside, he spoke with Xiang Ji and immediately received his quest rewards.
"Ding!"
System prompt: Congratulations on completing the main quest [Break the Formation First Strike i] (S-class). Rewards: Current level experience +35%, Gold coins +1200, Reputation +800, Charm +1!
...
The moment he received the quest, Lin Zhao leveled up to 83!
Speaking with him again, he received the next stage of the quest early.
"Ding!"
System prompt: You have accepted the main quest [Break the Formation First Strike 2] (SS-class)!
Quest objective: Travel to the Ninth Legion Camp of the Demon Race, kill 15,000 demon soldiers of level 90 or above, and defeat 15 quasi-bosses of level 90 or above. Upon completion, you will receive extremely generous rewards.
...
As usual, he would grind this out slowly. However, if he continued to grind like this, he would inevitably have to enter the demon's main camp to slay demons. Wouldn't that be too audacious? He feared that Bai Ye might not tolerate him...
Lin Zhao felt uneasy and rode back to the camp.
Shu Zhi was sitting cross-legged on a small bed in the stone house, warming her sword intent while simultaneously refining her flying sword in the Sword Lake. Perhaps because the stone house was built by Lin Zhao himself, Shu Zhi felt a sense of profound peace here.
"Hoo..."
Lin Zhao took a deep breath and, without disturbing Shu Zhi, spoke with Old Fan, selling off the miscellaneous items in his inventory. He then surveyed the camp. A portion of the human army of over 50 pawns, petty officials, and ruffians from the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool were training outside, while others stood guard around the encampment, looking quite organized. Lin Zhao took out the Bronze Beasts from his inventory and placed them one by one. The Demon Suppressing Crossbows and Demon Binding Ropes were also positioned at higher vantage points. The Demon Suppressing Crossbows were placed on the outer perimeter with clear fields of fire, while the Demon Binding Ropes were placed in the center of the camp, so that he could personally operate them if any great demons of the fifth realm were to arrive, giving him greater peace of mind.
After finishing everything, he repaired his equipment and bought some potions from Hua Zi before continuing down the mountain to slay demons.
...
The Ninth Legion Camp.
Bai Ye and Shi Jun Gang, who had just arrived from the Demon Ancestor Mountain and hadn't had time to rest, immediately convened their assembly. Inside the grand tent, a multitude of demon leaders from the eleventh, star river, and nascent soul realms stood in attendance, their expressions solemn as they looked at the two commanders. Bai Ye, Yu Zhi's cousin, held a transcendent position within the demon race. The other, Shi Jun Gang, was equally formidable, one of the Demon Ancestor's strategists, a figure not easily seen by ordinary demons.
"Greetings, Lord Bai Ye! Greetings, Lord Shi Jun Gang!"
"Rise."
Bai Ye raised a hand and said, "Please be seated, everyone."
"Thank you, my lords!"
Shi Jun Gang frowned and sat down beside Bai Ye.
"Has anything significant happened recently?" Shi Jun Gang asked.
"No, just some minor matters."
A star river realm demon cultivator clasped his fist and said, "These past two days, that sword cultivator of the lower five realms has descended the mountain. This person is cunning and insidious, using the blizzard as cover to constantly ambush our scouting parties."
"Oh?"
Shi Jun Gang's delicate brows rose. "A scouting party consists of at least a hundred people, and the demon leading them is at least third or fourth realm in cultivation. How could so many people be unable to deal with a mere sword cultivator of the lower five realms?"
"That sword cultivator of the lower five realms is very strong. He possesses an unbreakable flying sword and has many tricks up his sleeve."
"Hmph~~~"
Shi Jun Gang smiled faintly. "Speak plainly. How many demon scouts on patrol have fallen by that brat's sword?"
"Approximately, less than five thousand..."
"Five thousand?!"
Shi Jun Gang suddenly stood up, her beautiful eyes flashing with anger. "An entire legion has only twenty thousand troops in total, and you're calling it a minor matter that this individual from the lower five realms has taken out five thousand soldiers?! You scoundrels, do you think the lords in the Ancestral Mountain's council hall are easily fooled!?"
Immediately, the assembled legion leaders knelt down, many trembling. They had heard of Shi Jun Gang's methods; she was extremely cruel. Killing people within the tent was a common occurrence. For those she deemed deserving of military law, she would directly take off their heads herself. Moreover, this woman was skilled and of high cultivation. Her eleventh realm was very stable, and she was a favored figure before the Demon Ancestor. Who dared to provoke her?
Bai Ye's brow also furrowed. "Such a major issue, and you should have reported it to me and Lord Shi Jun Gang immediately. What have you all been doing?"
"We beg your forgiveness, both lords!"
The demons trembled.
"Forget it, it's not your fault. The opponent is simply cunning."
Shi Jun Gang looked at the demons and sneered, "If you truly had brains, you wouldn't be in such a predicament now. Wouldn't you all have started at the eleventh realm?"
The demons dared not speak.
Bai Ye also did not dare to speak casually. He respectfully said, "Sister Shi, you are now the strategist of our legion. Please devise a plan on how to crush the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool with the least amount of strength."
"Mm."
Shi Jun Gang stood up and narrowed her beautiful eyes, looking at the sand table of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. A jade-like hand rested on the edge of the table. She smiled and said, "Everyone, I have already familiarized myself with the situation in the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool before arriving. Currently, the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool is divided into two forces: one is a ragtag group composed of the eleventh realm sword immortal Shu Zhi, the ninth realm martial artist, and the sword cultivator of the lower five realms. They are few in number, and aside from Shu Zhi, they are all insignificant. The other force is the remnant army of the Great Chen Dynasty led by the self-proclaimed 'Marshal Chu,' Chu Yu. This remnant army is strong and numerous. Therefore, my suggestion is to break them one by one."
Everyone's eyes lit up.
Bai Ye asked, "How do we break them one by one?"
Shi Jun Gang smiled. "The remnant army led by Chu Yu is very cunning. She never directly confronts our main demon forces. She knows what we desire most and understands her own disadvantages, but she will never know her true weakness. As for the plan, we can take our time. I naturally have a way to lure Chu Yu into a trap. Her head will undoubtedly become one of the tributes sent to the Demon Ancestor Mountain."
Bai Ye clapped his hands and smiled. "Sister Shi, you are so confident, which is truly comforting."
Shi Jun Gang glanced at him, her gaze indifferent. She had no fondness for Yu Zhi's cousin. It was a shame that such a handsome face was on someone like him. As an eleventh realm demon and the commander of a legion, he had lost so many troops without even realizing it. If he weren't Yu Zhi's cousin, Shi Jun Gang would have long wished to rush forward and bite his throat.
...
Late at night, Lin Zhao was still leveling in the Jiuzhang Plain area. The outer scouts had all been killed. With no other choice, he began kicking down doors one by one and entering camps to slay demons. He swept through one tent after another. Fortunately, the wind was fierce and the snow was heavy, so the demons barely reacted. He moved from one ravine to another, killing countless demons.
The next morning.
Lin Zhao killed his 15,000th demon soldier and returned to the camp to turn in the quest. The snow had stopped that morning, and the sunlight fell on the snow, giving him the feeling of soaring through the spring breeze on horseback. Logically, the monsters he had killed today counted towards the legion's strength. He had killed 20,000 in the past two days, meaning Bai Ye's legion was no longer at its full strength of 200,000, but rather 180,000.
The thought made him grin. The advantage of being a player was quite evident!
Today, Xiang Ji was not on the mountainside but in the camp. So, Lin Zhao went directly back to the camp and found Xiang Ji by a bonfire. After speaking with him, he collected his quest rewards.
"Ding!"
System prompt: Congratulations on completing the main quest [Break the Formation First Strike 2] (SS-class). Rewards: Current level experience +50%, Gold coins +2000, Reputation +1600, Charm +2!
No extra rewards, but it was enough!
...
After turning in the quest, Lin Zhao took out a piece of catfish demon meat from his inventory, skewered it on his sword tip, and began to roast it. After eating it, his experience would increase by 50%, and he should reach level 84. The leveling speed these past few days was truly extraordinary!
As he was roasting the fish, Shu Zhi emerged from the stone house, sat down with a smile, and took the sword from Lin Zhao's hand to help him barbecue. Xiang Ji, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them and said, "By the way, my lord, I almost forgot something very important. Perhaps this matter is extremely important to you."
"Oh?"
Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Xiang Ji said, "In the years I've traveled between Fusu Great Wall and the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, I've often passed through the area north of Mirror Lake. I heard that someone on the mountain is establishing a sect called the Invincible Fist Sect. The sect leader is a seventh-realm martial artist, and his fist... is quite strong. He was once defeated by me with three punches. This Invincible Fist Sect not only teaches people to practice fist techniques but also organizes disciples in groups to raid and pillage. It is said that over the decades, they have gathered about a thousand people, all of them martial artists. Their sect leader's fists are powerful, and no one on the surrounding mountains dares to provoke the Invincible Fist Sect."
"This..."
Lin Zhao frowned. "When I returned this time, someone seemed to want to intercept me, but I scared them away. If I recall correctly, they called themselves members of the Invincible Fist Sect."
"Outrageous."
Shu Zhi pursed her red lips. "They dare to ambush my lord? Are they tired of living? Shall we go and cut them down?"
"No need to cut them down."
Lin Zhao smiled. "We'll win them over with virtue. If we can gather these thousand-plus martial artists of the Invincible Fist Sect, it will be a force to be reckoned with!"
"Yes!"
Xiang Ji said, "That's exactly what I was thinking. If we can subdue the people of the Invincible Fist Sect and transform these martial artists into a human cavalry army, the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool will truly have the capital to contend with the demon race."
"My lord."
Shu Zhi's eyes brightened. "Do you think it's feasible?"
"Feasible."
Lin Zhao's lips curled into a smile. "We'll set off after I finish eating this fish."