War Erupts

"Woo, woo woo woo..."

The resounding horns blared as the Barbarians launched an all-out assault.

"Kill!"

The Barbarians' eyes were wild. Fearless of death, they surged toward the Human Race army like a tidal wave.

"Roar!"

Within the Barbarian army, several hundred Demonic Beasts let out earth-shaking roars.

Some of the Demonic Beasts were enormous, standing four or five meters tall. The mere sight of them made people's hearts tremble, leaving them without the slightest will to resist.

Every Demonic Beast possessed strength at least comparable to the Body Tempering Realm. With hundreds charging forth at once, the sight was horrifying enough to make one's hair stand on end.

"The Demonic Beasts are coming! What are we supposed to do?"

"Demonic Beasts are savage. We can't possibly be their match."

"Ah, I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

"..."

Watching the Demonic Beasts rapidly draw near, the Human Race's morale collapsed. The Conscripts' Camp was thrown into even greater chaos, panic spreading everywhere.

"Don't panic! Hold your ground!"

"They're just a bunch of beasts. What's there to fear?"

"Hold the line! Anyone who retreats without orders will be executed, and their families implicated!"

"..."

The supervisory squads acted in time, their sabers gleaming coldly as they shouted sternly and steadied the panicked troops.

"Roar!"

Amid the crowd's panic, a striped tiger leaped forward and charged straight at the defensive line.

It was more than three times the size of an ordinary tiger, radiating the terrifying aura of the king of beasts. It opened its bloodthirsty maw, and a foul stench washed over them.

"Don't... don't come closer!"

"Save me! Someone save me!"

"I want to go home! I want to go home!"

"..."

Facing the demon tiger head-on, even some Battle Soldiers were frightened out of their wits and utterly broke down.

"Whoosh!"

Just as the Human Race's morale was on the verge of collapse, a spear qi streaked in from several hundred meters away.

"Pfft!"

Before most people even knew what had happened, the demon tiger's head was pierced through. Blood sprayed everywhere as its massive body crashed to the ground.

"Roar!"

The demon tiger's body twitched as it let out a weak roar, then died moments later.

"It was Captain Zhou. He made his move."

After a brief dead silence, heaven-shaking cheers erupted.

Everyone looked toward Zhou Xingzhan. He still held the posture of having thrust his spear, its tip aimed directly at the demon tiger.

"How terrifying... Is this the strength of the Astral Qi Realm?"

Li Xuancang's eyes were opened wide, his heart shaken to the core.

From four or five hundred meters away, a single streak of spear qi had slain a demon tiger that was at least in the Bone Forging Realm. Such power was truly terrifying.

If Zhou Xingzhan wanted to strike at him, it would be no different from crushing an ant to death.

My strength is still far too weak. I can't afford even the slightest complacency.

A deep wariness rose in Li Xuancang's eyes, and the little complacency he had felt after becoming Squad Leader vanished completely.

He possessed some strength, but compared to true powerhouses, he was utterly insignificant. He still needed to lie low.

"Kill!"

With a single move, Zhou Xingzhan slew the demon tiger. The Human Race's morale immediately soared, and the military's wavering spirit stabilized as they roared and met the Barbarians in battle.

"Charge in and take whatever we want!"

"Kill them all! Everything belonging to the Human Race will be ours!"

"Food and beauties are waiting for us! Follow me and kill!"

"..."

Countless Barbarian soldiers carried ladders and pushed battering rams as they rushed toward the pass like a flood.

Body Tempering Realm cultivators led the charge, while Demonic Beasts roared and raced ahead, their claws and fangs tearing apart every obstacle.

"Loose the arrows! Stop them with everything you've got!"

The Human Race launched its counterattack, arrows pouring down like a torrential rain.

Rolling logs and boulders crashed down from the walls, smashing apart the Barbarian formations. Severed limbs flew through the air, and blood dyed the earth red.

The defending generals shouted harsh commands. Arrow formations fired in volleys, each round carrying off the lives of great numbers of Barbarians.

But there were simply too many Barbarians. When the front ranks fell, those behind immediately filled the gap. Fearless of death, they forced their way beneath the pass.

They began scaling the walls, and the two sides entered brutal close-quarters combat.

"Clang!"

"Aaah!"

"Crack!"

"..."

The clash of blades, the screams of soldiers, the roars of Barbarians, and the howls of Demonic Beasts drowned out Azure Cloud Ridge.

Smoke filled the air, and blood colored the heavens. An intense, indelible stench of blood drifted through the battlefield.

Using the terrain of the pass, the defenders held their ground without giving an inch. Every inch of wall became a battlefield of flesh and blood.

But the disparity in troop numbers was immense, and the Barbarians had Demonic Beasts charging alongside them. The defenders' casualties continued to rise.

The soldiers in the front ranks fell one after another. The defensive line was battered again and again, then desperately reclaimed time and time again. Corpses piled up like mountains, blood flowed into rivers, and slowly streamed down the mountain paths.

The front pass where Li Xuancang was stationed was the Barbarians' main point of attack, and the pressure there was immense.

Barbarian cultivators led fierce and battle-hardened Barbarian soldiers in unceasing assaults.

"Everyone, hold on!"

"Stop them! Don't let them get in!"

"Hold the line!"

"..."

Wang Xuanshan shouted himself hoarse, but the defensive line was still on the verge of collapse, liable to break at any moment.

"Kill!"

Li Xuancang held the pass alone, barring ten thousand men. By himself, he guarded the ten-meter area around him, making it impossible for the Barbarians to cross even half a step beyond the boundary.

He was drenched in blood. More than twenty Barbarians had already died beneath his spear, their corpses carpeting the ground around him.

"Who is that? What terrifying combat strength."

"This kid possesses boundless strength. Could he have been born with divine strength?"

"With such power, hasn't he surpassed most Squad Leaders?"

"..."

Li Xuancang's performance was far too dazzling, drawing countless sidelong glances.

Seeing his attire, they recognized him as a Squad Leader. Yet Li Xuancang's strength made many Squad Leaders feel ashamed of their own inferiority.

"Kill!"

Li Xuancang bellowed and charged out with his spear in hand.

"Pfft!"

Wrapped in terrifying force, the spear pierced straight through a Barbarian soldier's chest.

He swept backhandedly, the spear shaft smashing two men to the ground. Every movement was sharp and vicious, crude and ferocious.

It was as though he knew no fatigue. Even after killing dozens, he continued fighting valiantly, showing no sign of exhaustion.

"Kill him!"

Barbarian cultivators charged at him with bloodshot eyes. An Early Body Tempering Stage Barbarian slashed down with his saber, but Li Xuancang sidestepped at a speed the Barbarian found inconceivable, then drove his spear through the man's throat.

"Urgh!"

The Barbarian's throat had been pierced, blood gushing out. Instinctively, he clutched his throat with both hands, trying to stop the bleeding, but it was all in vain.

"Die for me!"

Several Body Tempering Realm Barbarians rushed in and surrounded Li Xuancang.

"Bang!"

Li Xuancang's entire body shook as he held back no longer, terrifying power bursting forth.

"Pfft!"

"Aaah!"

"Urgh!"

"..."

After a fierce battle, all four Body Tempering Realm Barbarians were slain beneath his spear.

Li Xuancang didn't stop there. Like a blood-soaked war god, he charged back and forth through the chaotic army.

Wherever he passed, Barbarians fell one after another. The soldiers under his command were infected by his fighting spirit, battling desperately as they held the defensive line with grim determination.