"..."
Lin Zhao gazed north. Though his realm was low and his sight limited, he could vaguely discern Mount Jiuzhang covered by a dense swarm of demons. Following them, the vast expanse of demons surged towards the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Shu Zhi, prepare to activate the Juque Umbrella. Mu Zha, Chu Yu, Xiang Ji, Xu Sheng, lead the Snow Domain cavalry down the mountain. Form ranks at the foot of the mountain, establish a shield formation, and use arrows to kill the demons. Try to prevent them from approaching the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool!"
"Yes, Lord!"
On the mountain, torches formed a continuous line. Lin Zhao personally led tens of thousands of Snow Domain cavalry to the foot of the mountain. As everyone reached the foot, the entire Snow Domain Heavenly Pool trembled. Immediately, a golden sword formation shot into the sky. Shu Zhi wielded the Juque Sword, raising the Juque Umbrella formation. It was as if a colossal golden umbrella piercing the heavens enveloped the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, with the colossal Juque Sword as its handle.
Golden barriers solidified at the edge of the forbidden zone. The lower fifth realm demons, who had been rushing forward, repeatedly slammed into these barriers, being repulsed and exploding, convulsing continuously. At the foot of the mountain, the Snow Domain cavalry drew their bows and loosed arrows, a dense rain of arrows splaying across the monster horde. Blood spurted in torrents, and the demons suffered unusually rapid casualties.
Lin Zhao rode his horse to the edge of the formation. Through the formation's barrier, he swung his sword wildly, unleashing sword skills like Sword Qi Cage, Departing Sword Style, and Breaking Sword Style into the monster horde. It had been a long time since he had "farmed" monsters, and this feeling was exceptionally satisfying. Further away, Yi Shi Cang Liang was also leading over 200 players from the Cang Long guild in farming monsters at the foot of the mountain. No one expected that the first guild to "taste meat" at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool would be Cang Long. In Yi Shi Cang Liang's words, the early bird gets the worm – it was that simple. What the Xing He, Xun Xian, Han Cheng, and other guilds disdained, Cang Long valued!
...
Less than an hour after the great battle began, the tide of demons attempting to attack the mountain retreated like a flood. A frontal assault was simply suicide. Rather than that, they decided to seek other routes southward.
Thus, countless demons, in large groups, moved east, intending to flank and descend south through Gu Xia Pass.
Lin Zhao could only watch from afar, feeling powerless. His Snow Domain Legion could only defend this small area of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Gu Xia Pass was truly beyond his reach, and even if he went, he wouldn't gain an advantage. Two hundred thousand demon cavalry loomed north of Gu Xia Pass, ready to annihilate any human army that approached.
On either side of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, figures of mid-fifth realm demon cultivators soared into the sky. They did not traverse the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool but flew directly over the Snow Range, reaching the southern lands. Some mid-fifth realm demon cultivators even started a business, carrying up to three demons at a time across the Snow Range for the price of one Flying Fish Coin each. In an instant, they reaped immense profits.
Furthermore, many demons who could naturally fly, such as certain Fire Crow demons, Falcon demons, and Sparrow demons, also began their businesses. Even those in the lower fifth realm could carry one to two demons over the Snow Range into the vast human lands. In an instant, the sky glittered with starlight as countless demons crossed the mountains – something the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool could not prevent.
Lin Zhao looked up at the scenery on both sides, his sword brows furrowed. Not long ago, he had learned of the demon ancestral mountain's "Universal March" from a mid-fifth realm demon cultivator captured by Mu Zha. Clearly, such a grand and meticulously planned operation could not have been conceived by Shi Jun Gang alone; it was likely the work of Yu Zhi!
This meant that demon forces would soon spread north of the Fusu Great Wall, and even south of it would be heavily infiltrated by demons. North of the Human race's Shanhaiguan and Yangping Pass would likely become a complex, checkered region. At that point, it would be even more difficult to incorporate the entire area south of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool into human territory.
Many things would probably have to be expedited.
"Damn it!"
Mu Zha looked back south, frowning. "The demon ancestral mountain's move is brilliant. From now on, our Snow Domain Heavenly Pool will be isolated in the northern region. How difficult will it be for human armies to reach the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool by ground?"
Chu Yu pursed her red lips. "This further proves how wise our Lord's initial decision was to build a teleportation array. If we didn't have this array connecting Shanhaiguan and Baidi City, the demons surrounding the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool would likely have trapped and killed us all."
Xu Sheng, holding his war blade, looked at Lin Zhao. "Lord, what do we do next?"
"Hold the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool first," Lin Zhao said, his brow furrowed. "Shu Zhi cannot maintain the sword formation indefinitely, so we must divide the Snow Domain Army into two parts, rotating between defense and rest, giving the demons no opportunity."
"Yes!"
Lin Zhao looked south. Now, he had to worry about his aunt. With so many demons descending south, could she hold them back?
...
At the Wash Sword River, the night grew deeper, and a thin mist rose from the river's surface.
Rustling sounds emanated from the distant forest, accompanied by low roars from demons. Soon, scattered demons appeared by the river, growing in number and forming a dense mass. However, the river current was swift, and many lower fifth realm young demons were swept away and perished as soon as they entered the water.
In the sky, a tenth realm demon sword cultivator flew across the river on his sword, attempting to cross.
"Ch! "
Suddenly, a strand of pale golden sword light shot out from beneath the water, cleaving the demon sword cultivator of the Star River realm in two. Immediately, the depths of the Wash Sword River glowed with a golden hue. A River Godess, clad in golden armor, emerged from the water. As the blade in her hand gently struck the water's surface, a manifestation thousands of feet tall rose up, standing above the river with an imposing aura. She was like a sovereign, looking down with disdain at the countless demons on the riverbank.
"Above the Star River realm, flying across the river is forbidden. Those who do will be killed without mercy," she said calmly. "As for other demons, if you have the ability to cross, then cross. I will not stop you, but if you drown in the river, no one is to blame, and I will not save you."
Lin Xing Chu laid down her decree. Instantly, countless demons hesitated. Only some mid-fifth realm cultivators at the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages cautiously flew across, sighing with relief after crossing the Wash Sword River. The River Godess indeed kept her word, only killing those above the Star River realm and the upper fifth realm. She did not pay much attention to demons of lower realms, including those at the Nascent Soul and Golden Core stages.
However, when a group of young demons huddled together and attempted to drift across the river, the giant waves in the river became even more turbulent. In an instant, another large group drowned. While the River Godess did not act, it did not mean the valiant spirits of the fallen Xia clan warriors in the Wash Sword River would not.
Amidst the clatter of hooves, a group of armored and weapon-wielding Xia clan heroic spirits, their faces blurred, rode their warhorses, galloping across the water. They continuously swung their swords, cutting down those demons attempting to cross the river and fall into the water. Those lower fifth realm young demons that Lin Xing Chu was unwilling to kill were killed by them. After all, they were already precarious lingering souls in the wind, thunder, and storm. Why worry about accumulating more karma?
"Everyone, don't rush!"
A sixth realm demon cultivator, disguised as a black-robed elder, raised his hand and shouted at the crowd. "The Xia clan spirits guard the river. We cannot underestimate them. However, these spirits will not dare to appear at dawn. We only need to wait until dawn, and then we can all cross the river together. We will surely overcome the danger."
"Good!"
A group of demons nodded, waiting by the banks of the Wash Sword River.
At dawn, streaks of sunlight pierced through the trees and into the river. The Xia clan spirits in the river retreated. Instantly, the demons began to cross the river again. Countless lower fifth realm young demons clustered together, like ants huddling together during a flood. They lightly floated across the river and appeared in the southern area of the Wash Sword River.
These were things Lin Xing Chu was powerless to prevent. She could indeed use her sword and magic to prevent these demons from crossing south, but the cost would be accumulating more karma, eventually triggering heavenly tribulations. At that point... her thirteenth realm golden body might not be preserved. If Lin Xing Chu were no longer in the thirteenth realm one day, the upper fifth realm demons would likely descend without hesitation and tear her to shreds.
...
Fusu Great Wall.
In a dilapidated council hall with wind whistling through its openings, Lin Wanhua stood on a broken section of wall. Not far away stood the old sword immortal Han Fang and several other upper fifth realm cultivators who had narrowly survived the great battle a century ago. Among them were the younger generation, including Qin Yu, Liu Xilong, and Ye Lin, as well as hundreds of mid-fifth realm cultivators and warriors from the Fusu Great Wall, all present.
"Not long ago, the demons crossed the Wash Sword River."
Lin Wanhua clasped her arms and said calmly, "Lord Lin Xing Chu can only slay great demons above the Star River realm, but she cannot stop countless lower and mid-fifth realm demon cultivators. Therefore, the demons who crossed the Wash Sword River must be resisted by us at the Fusu Great Wall. From today onwards, the battle merits for killing demons at the Fusu Great Wall will be doubled. All individuals above the sixth realm are permitted to leave the city to kill demons, but it is best to ensure you return alive. Otherwise, do not disgrace the Fusu Great Wall."
"Aunt."
Qin Ran, a ninth realm sword cultivator, frowned from the crowd. "Does this mean I can also leave the city to kill demons?"
"..."
Lin Wanhua frowned. "You cannot. Stay in the city and continue refining your sword."
"Why can't I?"
Qin Ran's eyes instantly reddened. "The demons are launching a universal march, and the entire Snow Domain Heavenly Pool is surrounded by demons. Big Brother Lin Zhao is fighting them fiercely at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, his life or death unknown. I, a Nascent Soul realm sword cultivator, am not even qualified to leave the city to kill demons. Aunt, is this fair to me?"
Lin Wanhua was speechless.
"Lin girl."
Old sword immortal Han Fang frowned. "Qin Ran's temperament is as it is. There's no need to suppress him constantly. If you are still worried... then I will take Qin Ran with me to kill demons. With me, a twelfth realm cultivator, here, surely no demon can kill him, right?"
Lin Wanhua gritted her teeth. "Since that is the case, I shall trouble Old Sword Immortal Han!"
"You are too kind."
Lin Wanhua raised her eyebrows. "Alright, that's settled. Everyone can leave the city to kill demons, but you cannot go beyond a thousand li from the Fusu Great Wall. Any further, and if you face a life-threatening situation, my sword from the Fusu Great Wall may not be able to save you."
"Yes, City Lord!"
Everyone clasped their fists and turned to leave, preparing to head out and kill demons!
...
The great battle is imminent. The descendants of the Xia clan are destined to prevail.
It has always been this way over the years.