An SSS-rank mission kept Lin Zhao grinding from morning till past eleven at night. He was still a bit short of the 30,000 kill quota. It was no wonder, the monsters were too high-level, making kills slow. By the end of the day, even his sword blade was noticeably worn.
“Beep!”
A message popped up from Chen Xue: “Haven’t finished your mission yet? We’re all getting late-night snacks soon. You in?”
“Sure, let’s go,” Lin Zhao glanced at his mission progress. “I’ll grind again tomorrow morning. The mission’s too difficult to finish in one day.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
…
All seven members of the Scarlet Moon Knights guild logged off, had their late-night snack, and went to sleep, putting aside their in-game matters.
Early morning.
Snow fell thick and fast, as if the entire northern region was blanketed in goose feathers. At Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, it was freezing. Xiang Ji shivered in the stone house Lin Zhao had built, clutching a tattered quilt. It was truly cold today. Beside him, Hua Zi and Old Fan huddled together for warmth, while Xiao Ou poked at the fire in the stone house.
“How about…” Hua Zi said, “we build a windbreak for the door tomorrow? It’s really too cold…”
Xiang Ji nodded. “I’ll go chop wood tomorrow. I’ll build it.”
“Great!”
Hua Zi snuggled deeper into Old Fan’s embrace.
About five miles north of Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, a figure, trailing a sword gleam, silently arrived above the area. He hovered amidst the wind and snow, his aura concealed. Even Xiang Ji, a ninth-rank martial artist, couldn’t detect him. Within a hundred-mile radius, only Bai Ye, an eleventh-rank demon sword cultivator, possessed such power.
Bai Ye narrowed his eyes, sensing the activity at Snow Domain Heavenly Pool in the distance. His spiritual sense probed, revealing everything. The ninth-rank martial artist Xiang Ji was present, along with three ordinary humans. The fifth-rank sword cultivators were absent. Within the camp, the Demon Suppressing Crossbow pulsed with a faint inscription aura. Two bronze beasts lay prone, surrounded by the aura of Mo Family’s mechanical arts.
Overall, the camp at Snow Domain Heavenly Pool was defenseless.
Bai Ye even considered a single sword strike to turn the camp to ashes. Yet, he dared not act rashly. His cousin, Yu Zhi, had warned that there might be something strange about Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, perhaps a thirteenth-rank Confucian scholar was hidden there. If he revealed his presence, his neck might be snapped before he could even draw his sword.
With this thought, Bai Ye vanished into the wind and snow. He would continue to probe, at a cost he could afford, and step into Snow Domain Heavenly Pool again. Last time, even a ninth-rank demon cultivator failed. This time, sending a tenth-rank demon would surely suffice. Demon races had formidable physiques; a tenth-rank Star River realm demon cultivator, in a frenzy, could contend with a human eleventh-rank True Returning realm cultivator without issue.
A smile touched his lips. The feeling of having everything under control was truly wonderful!
…
At half-past seven in the morning, a full thirty minutes before the Scarlet Moon Knights guild’s usual wake-up time of eight, Lin Zhao’s phone rang. With a “swish,” a holographic game warning appeared in the dark room.
“Ding!”
System notification: Please note, the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool camp you are guarding is about to be attacked. Attack countdown: 00:10:00!
Another ten minutes?!
Lin Zhao reflexively rolled out of bed, fumbling into his pants and throwing on a jacket. Slipping on slippers, he dashed out the door. Wang Ju, who was making porridge outside, was startled by Lin Zhao’s sudden appearance. “What’s wrong, Lin Zhao?”
“I’m under attack in the game. I need to log in immediately.”
“Breakfast will be ready soon. Have a bite to eat!” Wang Ju hurried forward, picking up the buns he had just bought. “Meat bun, vegetable bun? Or bean sprout and vermicelli?”
“Either one,” Lin Zhao grabbed a bun and headed upstairs. By the time he lay down in the game pod, he had finished the bun. The warmth spread through his stomach, much better than going in on an empty stomach. And this demon attack came so abruptly, without even waiting for him to log in. They were entirely shameless. This attack would likely be quite tricky.
Loading character data, log in!
A flash of light dispersed before his eyes. Lin Zhao found himself back in the forest where he had been leveling the previous day. Monsters had respawned all around him, but he couldn't afford to linger. He summoned his mount, leaped onto its back, and galloped towards Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. The camp was still rudimentary, and the teleportation array within it wasn't active yet. Otherwise, returning to Snow Domain Heavenly Pool with a recall scroll would have been much more convenient.
As he charged onto Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, he heard a cacophony of sounds from the north. When Lin Zhao looked back, beams of blue teleportation light appeared. Countless demon soldiers, like a swarm of insects, ascended the mountain. The sight was truly terrifying. Just a glance confirmed that the first wave of demon troops alone would surely exceed ten thousand.
What could be done? He was so worried!
He rushed back to the camp, where Xiang Ji was already standing on the wall, his brows furrowed. “Demon troops attacking the mountain?”
“Yes.”
Lin Zhao nodded, dismounted his warhorse, drew his sword, and leaped onto the city wall. He glanced at the dawn breaking in the east. It was almost daybreak, and the snow was still falling. Were the demons trying to sweep through this small camp at Snow Domain Heavenly Pool before dawn?
“This time, it won’t be easy.” Xiang Ji looked north, his eyes filled with gravity. “I sensed a powerful primordial spirit force. If I’m not mistaken, the demons have dispatched a Star River realm cultivator to attack.”
“…” Lin Zhao’s brows knitted. “Xiang Ji, if we can’t win later, I’ll hold them off. You retreat south. There’s no need to die here with me. I have the ability to be reborn, but you don’t.”
Xiang Ji frowned. “Can people from another world truly be reborn?”
“Yes, so don’t worry about me. Leave if you have to. There’s no need for a desperate fight.”
“Alright, I understand.” Xiang Ji took a deep breath, but his heart didn’t quite agree. If he truly encountered a Star River realm demon cultivator, he couldn’t win. However, with the ability of a ninth-rank martial artist to travel by wind, he should be able to take Lin Zhao with him. He didn’t want to, but he couldn’t not. Xiang Ji, a defeated general, had failed Marquis Wen’s expectations. Fifty thousand ironclad soldiers of the Purple Lightning Army lay dead at Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. His heart had long since died, but he didn’t want to see Lin Zhao die too. Such a young person, it would be a waste.
…
Soon, the sound of footsteps in the heavy snow grew denser. Countless armored demon soldiers wielding spears appeared in their sight. These demon soldiers were completely different from the monsters Lin Zhao had been grinding down the mountain. Those were randomly spawned common demons, while these were regular troops belonging to demon camps, the regular army of the demon race. Their combat effectiveness was naturally stronger. It showed that for monsters of the same level 87, these demon soldiers had about 25% more attack, defense, and health than those down the mountain. They were a group of strengthened Gold-tier monsters, and naturally, grinding them yielded more experience.
“They’re here!”
Lin Zhao stood guard at the pass, swinging his sword to cast a Sword Qi Cage over the front ranks of the demon crowd. Then, he used his qi to control his sword, launching flying swords to consume them from a distance. As the demon soldiers entered within 40 yards, the Demon Suppressing Crossbows above automatically fired. With “ch-ch-ch” sounds, arrows pierced through the monster horde, sometimes killing 3-5 sword-wielding demon soldiers in a single volley.
“Come on!”
Xiang Ji stood on the wall of stacked boulders, his longsword constantly swinging. He condensed sword qi with his martial energy, and streaks of horizontal and vertical sword qi swept through the monster crowd, killing monsters far more efficiently than Lin Zhao. The next moment, countless demon soldiers surged like a tide, quickly encircling the entire camp. Then, they launched attacks from all directions, crossing the wall and directly targeting the Demon Suppressing Crossbows!
“Damn it…” Lin Zhao cursed out loud in anger. These demon soldiers were too smart, knowing to strike at the vital points! He had no choice but to draw his sword and rush onto the high platform, guarding the Demon Suppressing Crossbows. He’d cut down any demon soldier that came, trying to draw their aggro. If this ten-thousand-gold Demon Suppressing Crossbow was destroyed, Lin Zhao would be heartbroken.
In less than ten minutes, the camp’s defenses became precarious. Although Xiang Ji was strong, swinging his sword and punching wildly, he was only one person. And Lin Zhao was merely a player, how much could he help? The camp’s defense was on the verge of collapse. Countless demon soldiers attacked fiercely. Xiang Ji’s true qi and health began to deplete, and Lin Zhao’s health bar also started to drop. More importantly, the durability of the Demon Suppressing Crossbows and the bronze beasts was also decreasing. Things were not looking good.
“With such meager strength, you dare to challenge Lord Bai Ye?” A young man with a long sword appeared outside the camp amidst the heavy snow. He had seductive, blood-red eyes and wore a ranger’s outfit, but with a greyish-white cloak draped behind him. A slight smirk played on his lips. “It seems I don’t even need to make a move. You two fools are about to be killed by our demon warriors. How boring!”
Lin Zhao frowned as he looked at him, a chill running down his spine. Things were truly dire.
The newcomer was named Yun Lang, a Star River realm demon sword cultivator. Not only was he a demon, but also a sword cultivator. If he were just a Star River realm cultivator, Xiang Ji might have been able to hold on for a while longer. But if he were a Star River realm sword cultivator, it would be truly troublesome. Xiang Ji might not even last ten moves under his sword.
No more holding back. Lin Zhao raised his hand without hesitation and unleashed his special skill, Sword Qi Hailstorm. Instantly, countless frost sword qi rained down, covering the entire camp. With a “crackling” sound, they bombarded everything. Although the actual damage effect was not significant, it instilled fear in the demon soldiers, slightly easing their assault. Xiang Ji also gained a small opportunity to recover, his true qi regaining a tiny bit.
It was still not enough, far from it! Lin Zhao felt his scalp tingle.
…
Just as he and Xiang Ji began to despair, a horn sound suddenly echoed from the south. The horn call was somewhat familiar, melodious and sonorous, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
“Hmm?” Lin Zhao looked back, hearing the heavy sound of horses’ hooves in the wind.
Human cavalry? How could that be…
Faintly, someone in the wind bellowed, “Marshal Chu commands! The three armies advance, kill the demons with all your might!”