After saying that, Long Haochen calmly strode through the air and left.
Behind him, a group of Douluo natives remained.
Whether it was Sword Douluo Chen Xin or Spirit Hall's Thousand Jun and Falling Devil, all of their expressions were ugly.
Yet they were remarkably in sync and didn't rashly attack. "We don't strike envoys" was bullshit; the main reason was the fluctuations hidden nearby.
Just as Long Haochen and Dugu Bo turned and flew away one after another, the auras of Chen Zidian and the other five, concealed within Sunset Forest, spilled out at the same time.
The warning was quite clear, and everyone's misgivings reached their peak.
The last time they'd fought in a six-on-six melee, they hadn't gained the slightest advantage.
Now the other side had gained a traitor and another young ninth-rank powerhouse. If they really fought, their chances of victory would be extremely low.
Even Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin, who were most eager to attack, hesitated. By the time they'd wavered, Long Haochen and Dugu Bo were already far away.
"Everyone, what do you think?"
There was no way they'd dare give chase, so Yu Yuanzhen decisively changed the subject.
He'd never expected the other side to pull this move, deliberately issuing a final ultimatum.
Those few simple words had barely affected the powerful figures present.
The problem was that the camp wasn't populated by Titled Douluo alone. Thousands of imperial soldiers were stationed below, along with a small number of Soul Masters from the Upper Three Sects.
Most of the rest were unaffiliated Soul Masters who'd come adventuring for the bounty, as well as numerous mercenary groups and the like. How would they react after hearing all that?
"Hmph. They're trying to undermine morale. The fact that they've resorted to such despicable tactics shows they aren't very confident in a head-on fight either."
"Perhaps. But I think we should focus on the information they just revealed. They called themselves the [Holy Demon Federation]."
"Two esteemed elders, Thousand Jun and Falling Devil, your Spirit Hall has a long history. Have you ever heard anything about this faction?"
At this point, dwelling on the matter was a pure waste of time.
Ning Fengzhi composed himself and carefully recalled their conversation.
He soon focused on the name, which was the first clue they'd heard about their enemy.
Both Dugu Bo and the young man had mentioned the four words [Holy Demon Federation]. It couldn't be a mistake.
"Sorry, I don't know either. I'll report this to Spirit Hall. If they're connected to Douluo Continent, we should have an answer soon."
Thousand Jun and Falling Devil looked at each other and shook their heads helplessly.
The topic ended abruptly, leaving an awkward silence.
Suddenly, a commotion rose from below, and everyone looked down.
In the camp, countless unaffiliated Soul Masters and mercenaries were fleeing in panic, some even fighting over things and causing destruction.
Final ultimatums were nothing unusual on Douluo Continent. Once the unaffiliated people realized danger was about to descend, how could they not panic and run?
"A rabble of fools!"
Chen Xin's face darkened as he let out a quiet sigh.
But there was nothing they could do. The group could only split up and act.
They gathered their respective forces and organized them under a single command, to keep them from being disrupted by outside interference.
They were divided into several main groups: the thousands of soldiers sent by the imperial family, the Soul Masters of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and a small number of Soul Masters funded by Spirit Hall.
The vast, mixed army was stationed outside Sunset Forest, and now assembled in orderly fashion.
It looked fairly impressive. Many of the unaffiliated people who hadn't fled far stopped in their tracks again.
They absolutely didn't have the nerve to join the battle, but curiosity could overcome fear when it came to staying and watching from a distance.
Everyone was fascinated by the mysterious faction within Sunset Forest, whose true name had only been revealed today.
Gradually, a huge crowd gathered. They stood far off on the hills surrounding the camp, waiting for the conflict about to erupt.
Evening soon fell.
The setting sun illuminated the distant horizon.
The atmosphere was strangely oppressive, but it wasn't merely a trick of the mind. The feeling came from the depths of the forest.
Trembling hoofbeats sounded in the distance, drawing closer. The unaffiliated people on the slope saw the approaching force before the soldiers in the camp did.
A vast sea of immaculate white figures came into view. At first glance they looked like warhorses, but each bore a distinct horn and was bathed in brilliant holy light.
"Unicorns?" the Soul Masters recognized them at once.
Douluo Continent had creatures of this kind as well.
Then everyone's attention fell on their backs.
A line of imposing, broad-shouldered figures rode atop them, armed with knightly lances and clad in full armor.
Though they couldn't see the Soul Rings, they could feel the pressure from afar. The power of heaven and earth was surging. How could these riders possibly be weak?
As everyone gaped in shock, another chorus of cries rang out in perfect formation, and hundreds of figures rose above the forest.
White Pegasi beat their wings, carrying knights armed with swords and crossbows. Smaller in stature, they guarded the sky above their comrades.
These were naturally the first legion of the human race within the [Holy Demon Federation].
They followed a traditional formation composed of knights, warriors, assassins, mages, priests, and summoners.
The knights marching at the front were divided into ground and aerial units. The former had contracted with Star-Glitter Unicorns, while the latter had contracted with Sacred Pegasi.
Close behind them came the more numerous warriors, striding steadily through the trees. A crimson glow emanated from each of them—the runes of the ancient elven era.
The comparatively smaller groups of mages, priests, and summoners appeared a moment later, arranged in separate formations. Black-cloaked, masked assassins stood scattered around them, guarding their companions.
"Th-this is the [Holy Demon Federation's] army?"
"Are you kidding me? How can they ride Soul Beasts?"
"This is terrifying! I feel like any one of them could beat me to a pulp!"
"Compared to this army, the elite troops of the Heaven Dou Empire look like a ragtag bunch!"
On the hillside, the many onlookers who hadn't left stared in terror at the orderly Federation army as it continued to advance.
The commotion grew even louder. Their voices carried down to the camp, where the Heaven Dou soldiers were now visibly uneasy.
They couldn't see the enemy army from where they stood, but the faint sound of hooves and footsteps felt like a death knell drawing near.
Above them, Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, flew through the air with her Swan Martial Soul transformed.
Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, Yu Yuanzhen, and the four Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall were with her.
The ordinary soldiers and low- to mid-ranked Soul Masters still hadn't seen the enemy, but their hearts had already sunk to the bottom.
What kind of faction could train such a terrifying army? Even Spirit Hall's own Soul Master legions couldn't meet this standard.
As for the so-called elite troops of the Heaven Dou Empire, the two sides might have been close in numbers, but once they truly clashed, their own side would likely be wiped out after just two or three charges.
"This battle can't be fought!"
Yu Yuanzhen was quick to call it a lost cause.
Yet not a single person contradicted him. Facts spoke louder than words.
With such a force arrayed against them, even if the few ninth-rank powerhouses stepped in, they might not escape unscathed.
"Your Highness, I suggest we withdraw immediately and have the ordinary soldiers hold them off, buying the Soul Masters time..."
Before you continue