The Monster is Coming

Chapter 409 A Desperate Turnaround, A New Guest on Earth (10,000-word update)

The war between Shuyan and the Mingwu tribe continues.

During this period, a large number of players flocked to the Ascension Sea, following the Mist Legion to devour the Ascension Clan's "legacy".

Many players made a fortune during this period.

A large amount of resources were consumed by players in different ways.

Building debris is generally given to the Emperor to be decomposed into sacrificial power, while the spirit remains, spirit root crystals, and other resource-based commodities of the ascended race are listed on the trading house.

Although the players did not contribute to this lavish feast.

However, they also enjoyed a lavish banquet.

The players also kept track of the great battle between Shuyan and the Mingwu Clan, with frontline reporters following the direction in which both sides retreated.

The camera zooms in from high above to provide a live broadcast of the water balloon.

This is how many players earn "sacrifice power" – a way to gain popularity and even donations from casual viewers.

In terms of the war experience of both sides, the Mist Clan has a significant advantage.

In terms of war system architecture, Shuyan holds an absolute advantage.

Before obtaining the Spirit Root Rules, Shuyan's legion structure actually had a serious problem.

Its story legion is entirely generated by ink power, an energy that grants creations infinite plasticity.

Shuyan can mold warriors into any form, weave any background story, and even simulate various attack methods and life structures at will.

However, the properties of ink only apply to the "shaping" level and do not provide any combat power enhancement.

It's like a piece of clay that can be molded into lifelike, complex forms of life.

For example, spawn a brutal dragon.

However, the power of this dragon's breath and the strength of its scales depend entirely on how much ink Shuyan puts into it.

It cannot endow creations with rule-level characteristics that transcend the very nature of energy.

In contrast to the Black Tide system, each type of unit is empowered by rules, including the Evil Moon rule, the Devouring rule, the Backlash rule, and so on.

Even the weakest Black Tide units have numerous buffs.

However, the Book Word Legion does not have any beneficial characteristics.

While its units possess systemic advantages, they also lack any special strengths and are generally mediocre in all aspects.

Soldiers merely alter life forms, but they do not possess the power to transcend those life forms.

The addition of the spiritual root rules completely solved this core flaw.

The derived energy of the spiritual root rules is itself a powerful rule-level combat power enhancer.

It can infuse life with an engine and energy circulation system with special attributes: the spiritual root.

The development model of the Ascended Clan revolves around the framework of spiritual root rules.

By combining seeds with spiritual roots, the clan members are able to receive the blessing of rule characteristics from birth.

This is a path of "innate talent".

By making the clansmen exist like beings derived from rules, they are born with great potential for growth.

Combined with the lower-level cultivation world, the cultivation and growth of the clan members were transformed into an industrialized assembly line.

After acquiring the rules of spiritual roots, Shuyan's choices became more direct.

The ink is used to sculpt the forms of "cultivators," and this part can be regarded as an empty shell.

The rules of spiritual roots are to generate corresponding spiritual roots (metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, ice, etc.) for the physical body.

This allows the cultivator's growth and combat methods to possess corresponding rule-based characteristics.

For example, gold is indestructible, wood is ever-renewing, fire can burn everything, and water is gentle yet strong...

Ink Power is responsible for creating the structure and background of life, while Spiritual Root is responsible for infusing it with soul and characteristics.

The combination of the two allowed Shuyan to completely make up for his shortcomings, and the legion he built achieved a qualitative leap in combat power.

This can be viewed as a simplified version of the stellar pulse system.

Players can combine different Souls to create an effect greater than the sum of its parts.

After acquiring spiritual roots, Shu Yan also created a legion that combined the characteristics of the two rules in a similar way.

Although it is impossible to achieve a fusion of rule characteristics, it does achieve a complementarity of rules.

On the fierce front lines against the Mingwu Clan, Shuyan's newly formed cultivation army displayed amazing adaptability.

Faced with the relentless encroachment of the Mist Warriors.

In the Shuyan Legion, when a sword cultivator with the Geng Metal spiritual root unleashes an incomparably sharp sword aura, it will be instantly empowered by the earth's power by his companion with the Earth spiritual root, transforming into a torrent of flying stones wrapped in solid rock shells that pierce through the mist.

The sharpness of metal and the weight of earth combine to create a wonderful complementarity.

While retaining its penetrating power, it also greatly enhances its durability against fog corrosion.

Furthermore, the blazing flames released by the Fire Spirit Root cultivators, under the control of the Water Spirit Root cultivators, were not neutralized by the water-fire conflict. Instead, they were restrained by the water magic, forming high-pressure, scorching rotating air currents, like ultra-high-temperature water blades, precisely cutting through the mist beasts.

The fury of fire combined with the control of water creates a chaotic and destructive force.

Although complete integration at the rule level was not achieved, resulting in entirely new features, a complementary relationship was achieved in the legion architecture.

They can also adjust their "ability combinations" at any time according to the battlefield situation, which greatly slows down the advance of the Mist Clan.

But Shuyan's ambitions go far beyond that.

While maintaining the situation on the front lines, its will has begun to operate wildly in the other pages of the "rulebook".

The powerful seed of "Spiritual Root Rules" is grafted and transplanted into other completely different story systems.

In a technological war narrative depicting a torrent of steel and giant mechs, the original energy core was modified and replaced.

A new type of engine called "Spirit Furnace" was created, the core of which was a modified "Lightning Spirit Root".

It can more efficiently extract energy from the air, providing the mech with surging power, and imbuing energy weapons with the paralyzing and penetrating properties of lightning.

The Tech Legion gained near-infinite endurance and war enchantments.

In a magical world permeated with elemental tides and incantations, magicians ushered in a new era, with an "elemental magic core" condensing in the heart of their bodies, which is essentially a variant application of spiritual roots.

This greatly reduces the mental energy they consume when casting spells, doubles the power of their spells, and makes it easier to trigger the resonance of the laws of the corresponding elements.

The foundation of the magic system has been greatly strengthened by the rules of spiritual roots.

On the fringes of a bizarre system that relies on bloodline-based superpowers, a type of creation called "Talented Spirit Seeds" flourishes. They discover that by implanting such substances into their bodies, they can gain powerful enhancements...

Shu Yan fought and retreated, not out of fear of the Mist Legion.

What it is conducting is a crazy experiment in systemic hybridization.

No longer content with possessing a powerful "cultivation army," it wants all the narrative power systems under its control to be fundamentally strengthened by the injection of "spiritual root rules."

In its hands, the spiritual root became an all-purpose basic rule plugin that could be embedded into any story framework it deemed suitable.

Become a power amplifier in the story.

Its war potential, in this way, snowballed.

The war against the Mist Clan became an excellent testing ground for it to test and refine this technology.

This is precisely the most fascinating aspect of the monster world in its eyes.

In a world where crisis and opportunity coexist, a pivotal victory or a successful act of plunder can become the catalyst for a leap forward in civilization.

It brought about a qualitative leap in war power.

For example, this time, it devoured part of the Ascended Clan's legacy, seized the Spirit Root Rules, and opened the door to infinite possibilities.

It is now confident of winning this war.

Its next task is to withstand the attacks of the Mist Clan.

In this process, its strength will grow stronger with each battle, and its system will become more and more complete with each fight.

Secondly, its tentacles have already reached into the small world of cultivation left behind by the ascended race.

There, the last remnants of an ascended civilization lie dormant.

These legacies are precious resources that the Ascended Clan once fought and extracted from the monster world, continuously nourishing the cultivation world like a blood transfusion.

Used to assist in the growth of the small world.

The legacy includes the accumulated spiritual energy, mature spiritual veins, and even countless spiritual seeds that have been dispersed.

These were originally military arsenals prepared by the ascended civilizations to perpetuate their glory.

The Ascended Civilization has now come to an end.

These sparks of civilization, having lost their creators, have lost their reason for continuing to exist.

Shuyan's consciousness swept over these small worlds.

It recalled the faint seed of light that Chi Yan had sent at the end.

It was less of a mandate and more of a desperate plea, asking if it would be willing to accept the last vestiges of an ascended civilization.

But it has already provided the answer.

What it needs to do now is to retain a few small worlds with high reading output, and then completely exploit the other worlds that do not have a reading system.

Send these small worlds into the Dharma-ending Age ahead of time, and transform all their spiritual resources into the purest ink power for use in war.

The continuation of civilization that Chi Yan longed for was, in Shu Yan's eyes, merely a supplement to the fuel for war.

This is the inevitable fate of the losers in the monster world.

At this moment, the battlefield in the Ascended Sea was still filled with violent energy, but the tone of the battle was quietly changing.

Shuyan's new army is progressing at a visible pace in the war.

The ink-powered creations, which would normally be easily corroded by the mist, are now able to resist the corrosive properties and fight back, thanks to the blessing of the spiritual root rules.

The advance on the front lines became increasingly difficult, and for every inch of territory they swallowed, the Mist Clan had to pay a price far exceeding expectations.

A hint of seriousness finally flashed in Ye Ming's eyes as he oversaw the rear of the army.

He has realized where the problem lies.

They finally understood why they could never find any trace of the "Spiritual Root Rules," the ultimate legacy of the Ascended Clan.

It was clearly Chi Yan who, at the last moment, used some kind of spatial secret technique to give it to Shu Yan.

This legacy is now becoming Shuyan's strongest weapon against it.

A strong sense of crisis rose from the depths of Ye Ming's heart.

It knew better than anyone how terrifying the "opportunities" in the monster world could be.

A single, opportune moment can be enough to propel a civilization to new heights and achieve upward mobility.

Back then, it gained a chance to turn the tide when its entire clan was defeated, precisely because it received an opportunity from the Fate Clan.

The book in front of us is clearly in a similar "leap forward" phase.

They digested and absorbed the ultimate legacy of the Ascended Clan and integrated it with their own bizarre story-based legion system.

Every moment of delay strengthens the power of the book and perfects its system.

We must never let it complete this process.

Ye Ming made a decision instantly.

Giving time to an opponent that is "evolving" is the greatest folly.

Even if it comes at a huge cost, even if it exhausts all the benefits gained from this battle.

We must press on with overwhelming force and crush it completely before it transforms into a real threat.

"Pass on the order!" Its will transformed into a cold command, instantly spreading throughout the entire Mist Army:
"Destroy the Book Word Legion at all costs and activate the Mist Death Whisper Array."

Having figured out the problem, Ye Ming no longer pursued cost-effectiveness, nor did he consider preserving his strength.

It intends to leverage the formidable resources of the Mingwu Clan to launch a costly offensive, forcefully interrupting Shuyan's journey of leaping over the dragon gate.

The instant Ye Ming issued the command, a majestic will emanated from the deepest part of the Mingwu Clan's territory, resounding directly within its consciousness:

"Ye Ming, calm down!"

This is the voice of the Emperor of the Dark Mist.

"Once this formation is activated, our clan's resources will be quickly depleted, and our clan will fall into a trough for some time to come. Don't forget that our greatest threat has always been the ancient god clan north of the Azure Star Sea. Perhaps they will attack when our clan is at its weakest."

"Although the Shuyan Legion has gained an opportunity, they are now like frightened birds and may flee far away. It is best not to pursue a desperate enemy. Is it worth risking the safety of the entire clan for a temporary gain?"

The Emperor of the Dark Mist's persuasion was based on rational analysis and focused on the safety of the entire clan.

But Ye Ming's will remained unshaken, and it immediately responded respectfully:

"Your Majesty, it is precisely because our clan's greatest threat is the ancient god clan north of the Azure Star Sea that we cannot let go of the opportunity before us."

"Indecisiveness and looking back and forth are the slow poison that will destroy the future of our race. Have you forgotten how our race struggled to escape the brink of extinction and finally returned to this sea area? It was by seizing that sliver of opportunity from the Fate Clan."

"The laws of the monster world have never changed. Risk and opportunity always coexist. If we let Shuyan go today, it will take the rules of the Ascended Clan and flee far away. When it returns in the future, it will surely become an even more troublesome threat. If we can capture it today and devour everything it has... our clan will not only gain the spiritual root rules of the Ascended Clan, but also Shuyan's infinitely potential story system."

"At that time, the Mist Clan, having merged the rules of both, will have limitless possibilities."

"Your Majesty, now that we have decided to fight the monster world again and vie for supreme power, we cannot be afraid of risks. Faced with the opportunity to advance, we must fight with all our might."

"If we win, our people will forge an unprecedentedly glorious future; if we lose, it will only be a premature confrontation with our predetermined fate."

"Is it better to choose temporary peace and perish in tranquility, or to gamble everything now for the possibility of our race's true rise...? My choice is war!"

Almost at the same time he responded, several more wills descended in succession, and the voices of other factions or powerful elders within the Mingwu Clan rang out.

"General, please reconsider. His Majesty is absolutely right. The Mist Death Whisper Array is the strongest power our clan has accumulated during its dormant period by utilizing the Death Whisper characteristic. Is it too high a price to gamble our clan's strategic reserves against the Ancient Gods for a result that is not yet certain? The outcome is still uncertain, and the risks far outweigh the benefits."

"General, impulsiveness will destroy everything." Another will intervened, carrying a warning:

“We have already gained a preliminary understanding of the strength of the Ancient Gods. They are like a blade hanging over our heads. Any major decision our clan makes must take their reaction into account. Activating the Death Whisper Array at this moment will inevitably alarm them due to the energy fluctuations it causes. If they take the opportunity to attack, and our clan is already mired in a quagmire of war with Shuyan... the consequences will be unimaginable. To be on the safe side, we should focus on deterrence and force Shuyan to leave. That is the best strategy.”

"General, this is a risky move..."

The persuasive will, like invisible shackles, bound Ye Ming's resolve.

Ye Ming knew that they were not cowards.

What they see is the survival of their species, and they want to avoid any risks that could lead to utter destruction.

These dissenting voices echoed in Ye Ming's consciousness, causing it to clench its fists involuntarily.

It understands the concerns of the clan's higher-ups, but the vision it sees is completely different from theirs.

Besides the potential risks, there is also a fleeting opportunity for leapfrogging that must be seized at all costs.

Once they miss this opportunity, the Mist Clan will lose a much brighter future.

Being in a monster world is the biggest gamble in itself.

Having decided to stay in the monster world, how can one be afraid to take risks?

However, the caution of the Mist Emperor and the clan's high-ranking officials weighed heavily on its decision-making.

But its fighting spirit did not die out.

The desire to lead the community to break free from the status quo and move towards a stronger future burns even more intensely.

It knew that persuading them would take time, but the evolution of the Book of Words was happening every minute of every second.

Under immense pressure, Ye Ming stopped refuting each point and instead channeled his resolve and conviction into a single, resolute request, which he presented to the long-silent emperor and the elders:

"Your Majesty, elders... I am well aware of the risks of this battle."

"But trust my judgment. If we avoid this battle, our clan will lose far more than it gains."

"I, Ye Ming, will bear all the consequences. If I am defeated, I am willing to shatter my own soul to atone for my clan."

"This opportunity... must not be missed! Your Majesty, please... grant permission to fight!"

Ye Ming's voice echoed in the consciousness space of the connected group.

It staked everything on it, just to fight for the future it believed it had to fight for.

The final decision on whether to fight or make peace was returned to the emperor.

Ye Ming's will, like a fully drawn bow, is poised to be released.

After a long silence, the Emperor of the Dark Mist sighed:
"allow."

Just as Ye Ming was about to act, Emperor Mingwu continued:

"But we cannot gamble everything. The Mist Death Whisper Array can only use 70% of its resources. We must reserve 30% of our strength to defend the core of the Azure Star Sea in case of unforeseen circumstances. This is our bottom line and also our backup against the Ancient God Clan's sneak attack... Night Mist, do not let fanaticism consume reason. Remember, this battle is to secure the future for our clan, not to destroy everything."

Hearing these words, Ye Ming felt helpless.

This is not the full support it had hoped for, but only a limited compromise.

The emperor allowed it to take the risk, but it had to leave the possibility of the tribe continuing.

A trace of unwillingness flashed through Ye Ming's heart. What it longed for was a full-force attack without reservation, to crush all variables with absolute power.

But this is the best result we can achieve right now.

"I will obey Your Majesty's decree."

After responding, it did not hesitate at all, suppressing all emotions, and its will instantly became deeply connected with the entire army of mist.

"Mist Death Word Array... Activate!"

As the command was issued, the Mist Rules and Death Word Rules, which were connected to the origin of the Mist Clan, vibrated simultaneously.

A tremendous energy erupted from the depths of the misty army, converging into a torrent of energy.

The pitch-black fog grew increasingly viscous, and within it, it seemed as if countless twisted faces were wailing and howling—the manifestation of the power that once belonged to the Death Whisperers.

Countless dark red runes, formed from malevolent energy and resentment, emerged from the sea of ​​mist, creating a massive array that covered the entire battlefield.

The moment the formation activated, the space seemed to be plunged into a deathly abyss.

The energy in the air seemed to be swallowed and assimilated by this endless void.

This is a kind of domain-based coverage, forcibly dragging reality into the death laws dominated by the mist and the whispers of death.

The Mist Death Whisper Array, at seventy percent power, instantly manifested like an ever-expanding black hole of death, carrying the power to crush all life and devour everything, slowly pressing down on Shu Yan's domain.

Ye Ming stood atop the array's core, his eyes filled with nothing but icy killing intent.

Even if it cannot achieve complete success, it will use this great formation to forcibly interrupt the evolution of Shuyan.

The black hole domain swept through, and the cultivation army that Shuyan had carefully constructed was the first to bear the brunt.

The dazzling celestial light rapidly dimmed within the viscous black hole. The Daoist techniques containing the power of rules bombarded the black hole, but they were like mud oxen entering the sea, only causing a few ripples before being swallowed by the endless void.

Countless cultivators, along with the spiritual veins of the immortal mountains beneath their feet, were rapidly dissolved and disintegrated, reverting to their most primordial ink power, which was then further eroded by the great formation.

After a brief encounter, the war turned into a one-sided and overwhelming defeat.

Shuyan's domain was forcibly compressed, and he retreated step by step.

Wherever the Mist Death Words Array passes, the entire story framework is rewritten into a final chapter of annihilation.

Ye Ming's decisive action brought an overwhelming advantage in the war.

But despite this seemingly insurmountable advantage, Shuyan displayed remarkable resilience.

Instead of confronting it head-on, it constantly adjusted its legion structure amidst the raging storm of the black hole, striving to keep the core of the domain intact.

In the deep space, Shuyan's sphere of will burst forth with dazzling light.

Hold the pen, write, and start simultaneously.

The myriad smaller worlds connected to it trembled violently at that moment.

They began to extract energy from different worlds to power their domain, although this would inevitably affect many worlds that produced power.

But faced with a life-or-death crisis, Shuyan had no choice but to do so.

During this period, a large number of small worlds began to decline rapidly.

Mountains and rivers lost their color, spiritual energy withered, and the earth cracked... These became the external batteries that Shuyan used to cope with the devouring of the Mingwu Death Word Array.

To provide continued support for Shuyan and buy time for the transformation of the story framework.

With energy continuously flowing into the domain, it barely withstood the endless devouring of the Death Whisper Array, gaining a precious chance to catch its breath.

The extreme pressure brought by the Mist Death Word Array accelerated its adjustment speed to the rule fusion system.

During this process, the data and experience gained from fighting the Mist Clan were instantly absorbed and analyzed by Shuyan.

More targeted "story-based units" were quickly developed and deployed during the retreat.

The battle lasted for five days.

During this period, the Ascension Sea was shrouded in the death domain of the Mist Death Whisper Array.

The domain of Shuyan suffered repeated defeats, its scope reduced to one-fifth.

Countless smaller worlds paid the price of devastation for this.

Five days of extreme pressure acted like a furnace, refining, purifying, and ultimately integrating Shu Yan's complex power system.

When the first glimmer of light on the sixth day attempted to pierce the thick fog, the one-sided balance on the battlefield was abruptly shattered.

The expansion of the Mist Death Array, which had been crushing everything like a black hole, came to a halt.

Deep within the realm of Shuyan, a completely different aura permeated the air.

A newly formed legion emerges from the depths of the realm.

The moment they appeared, the oppressive force of the mist on the domain vanished instantly; this legion was born to deal with this war.

Their forms are composed of flowing runes, each life form being an inlay of multiple rule elements. Wherever they pass, the viscous deathly aura melts and dissipates like ice and snow under the blazing sun.

When the attacks of the Mist Warriors landed on them, the rule-level bonuses were not weakened, but the pure blood and spirit energy had almost no effect.

This is the ultimate war system specifically designed to counter the Mist Clan: the Silent Mist Legion.

Shuyan's counterattack has begun.

Ye Ming, who had been standing at the center of the formation, suddenly contracted his pupils.

It discovered that the power of the Mist Army was being rapidly neutralized in an unprecedented way.

The new enemies that have emerged in the realm of Shuyan are like the natural enemies of the Mingwu Clan, with their life structures generated entirely in a way that counters the Mingwu system.

It knew that the greatest crisis for the Mist Clan was about to descend.

If His Majesty the Emperor hadn't held back those 30% of his power and had instead unleashed the full power of the Mist Death Array at full strength, Shuyan would never have succeeded.

But by then, it was all too late.

The price of indecisiveness is handing over the strategic initiative to the enemy.

Just as Ye Ming had predicted, the battlefield situation was instantly reversed.

The Silent Netherworld Legion's bodies flowed with constantly adaptive and adjusting restraining runes; wherever they passed, the thick, malevolent mist disintegrated and dissipated with mournful cries.

The Mist Warriors roared and swung their mist blades, unleashing attacks imbued with corrosive energy that slammed into the Silent Ones.

The power that could easily tear mountains apart and corrode everything has lost its strength and can no longer cause effective damage.

Conversely, the arm of the Silent One transformed into a flowing runic whip, lashing the Mist Warrior and causing its misty body structure to disintegrate as if it were sulfuric acid.

Wherever they went, the battle lines built by the Mist Army crumbled at a visible speed.

Ye Ming attempted to reorganize his formation.

But it was still in vain.

The newly formed mist array shattered instantly, like thin ice under the sunlight, as the Silent Nether Legion advanced indifferently.

The book, which leaps over the Dragon Gate, integrates numerous systems and adds a narrative of restraining the Mist Clan, writing a brand new story.

The battle lines collapsed backward, and countless Mist Warriors perished in the process.

Shuyan's domain took advantage of the situation and expanded wildly forward, with the Silent Nether Legion crushing forward like a flood breaking through a dam.

Faced with an overwhelming defeat, Ye Ming calmly made a decision.

As the commander-in-chief, it has seen the reality clearly.

Continuing to fight to the death will only lead to being completely devoured by this nemesis-like legion.

Its will generated a command that instantly swept across the entire army:

"Retreat, target: Azure Star Sea."

The order instantly overwhelmed the chaos on the battlefield.

The massive army of mist began to retreat, advancing towards the Azure Star Sea.

But Shuyan would not let it go.

The Silent Mist Legion pursued relentlessly, like a leech, constantly tearing at and devouring the retreating Mist Army.

This brutal pursuit lasted for several days.

The battlefield shifted from the Ascending Sea to the Azure Star Sea.

The flames of war eventually returned to Mingwu Island.

At this moment, Emperor Mingwu also realized the critical situation and led the elders to come to his aid.

Several vast streams of consciousness suddenly descended upon the Mist Array.

They channeled their power into the Mist Array, collectively directing their strength toward the Night Mist at the array's core.

This also includes the power of the Mist Emperor.

The vast, ocean-like source of mist and the pure essence of deathly whispers surged wildly into Ye Ming's body like a burst dam.

Ye Ming couldn't help but let out a suppressed roar, and his originally dim misty body suddenly erupted with towering dark blue flames.

It scorched and distorted the space around it, causing it to collapse.

Meanwhile, within the realm of Shuyan, the rulebook was being flipped through frantically.

A chapter titled "Godslayer" suddenly lit up, and countless narrative energies converged and poured into the Silent Nether Legion that was fighting on the front lines.

The power of the book's words descends along with the power of the narrative, and is applied to the protagonist of the chapter: Mist Slash.

The pressure surrounding Wu Zhan increased exponentially.

It slowly raised its head, looking at General Yeming who was attacking with the power of the Mingwu Legion, its eyes surging with boundless rage.

The next second, the two figures collided violently in mid-air.

Nightfall and Mist Slash transformed into two blurry streaks of light and shadow, and with the combined power of the masses, they engaged in a pure clash of individual might.

boom! boom! boom!
The collision transformed into a continuous, destructive roar.

Ye Ming threw a punch, and the dark blue flames transformed into a roaring dragon, freezing and shattering the space in its path.

With a flick of his fingers like a sword, the flowing runes condensed into a deathly gray-white beam of light, instantly cleaving the dragon in two and shattering it.

Ye Ming's figure flickered, appearing beside Wu Zhan. He made a grasping motion with both hands, drawing upon endless deathly energy to form billions of pitch-black spears that tore apart souls, which poured down like a torrential rain.

Without dodging or avoiding, the rune ring around his body spun rapidly, forming a domain. All spears that crashed into it melted away like ice and snow, but with each attack neutralized, the light of the rune ring dimmed slightly.

Two figures crisscrossed, collided, separated, and collided again at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow high in the sky.

Each contact can unleash an energy storm powerful enough to obliterate stars.

The eerie blue flames and the deathly gray light eroded each other, tearing countless dark cracks in the sky, which were then healed by the world's own processes.

The surging sea below was pressed down by the dissipating force, creating sinkholes that could not be filled out.

The two figures met again, and the dark blue fire fist and the gray-white rune palm collided with a thunderous crash.

The shockwave exploded outwards like a tsunami, instantly clearing away the clouds in the sky.

Ye Ming flipped his wrist, flames spreading along his fist, transforming into sharp claws that gripped Wu Zhan's throat, the deathly aura emanating from between his fingers sizzling and corroding the air.

Mist Slash's shoulders and neck suddenly sank, and the runes all over his body condensed into hard armor. He thrust his elbow forward, carrying deathly energy, and struck Nightfall's heart. The runic light trails left afterimages in the void.

Bang!
The sound of flesh trembling mixed with the sound of energy exploding rang out.

Ye Ming used the momentum to flip backward, his feet stomping in the void, each step leaving behind azure fire patterns. The fire patterns formed a ring array, from which countless fiery blades shot out.

With his toes touching the air, Wuzhan shot out like an arrow, his hands crossed into a cross, and a gray-white beam of light transformed into a giant shield to withstand the blade's edge. At the same time, he swiftly flicked his fingers, splitting the beam into thousands of fine blades that pierced through the fire array in the opposite direction, grazing the Nightshade Armor and leaving sparks.

Ye Ming's pupils contracted sharply, his body suddenly turned into mist, and after dodging the thin blade, he pounced out of the mist again.

His arms were wrapped in fiery chains, which wrapped around Mist Slash's body.

Under the blessing of Shu Yan's will, the rune rings around Wu Zhan's body suddenly expanded, and the gray-white light condensed into sharp spikes. The chains were melted inch by inch as soon as they touched the light spikes. Ye Ming took advantage of the melting fire to get close, his forehead veins bulging, and his forehead, which was covered in blazing flames, slammed into Wu Zhan's face.

Boom!
The dull thud reverberated through the air as the mist slash transformed into a streak of light, crashing into the seabed.

But it quickly shot back from the seabed and collided with the Night Sea again.

The azure flames and the gray-white death light collided violently, and the resulting shockwaves transformed into a hurricane that swept across the sea, even creating giant waves in the ascending waters.

Ye Ming's figure swayed slightly, and the dark blue flames burning around him dimmed a little.

Although it was instantly replenished by the power gathered from the Mist Army behind it, the rate of replenishment was already lagging behind the rate of consumption.

The mist slash amidst the intertwined scenes of sights and shadows, empowered by the will of the book, is like a tireless fighting machine, forever burning with inexplicable hatred.

Each time it is repelled, a powerful narrative energy surges from the rear, rapidly repairing the body's wear and tear.

In terms of combat skills and the application of power, Ye Ming has an absolute advantage.

They can always find the most tricky angle to launch an attack, maximizing the combined power of the masses.

The Mist Slash attack lacked variety in its eyes, making it easy to find weaknesses.

However, it is at a disadvantage in terms of its capabilities.

Mist Slash is like a shackle tailor-made for it by Shuyan.

A portion of the misty power it unleashes will be broken down by the gray-white rune domain.

It can even absorb some of the power of the Netherworld Mist and use it for its own purposes.

It was as if he possessed immense power but struck empty air; each intense collision consumed far more energy than it caused damage.

In terms of the energy expenditure competition based on the underlying logic of war, it has already fallen into an absolute disadvantage.

Ye Ming clearly sensed that he was gradually becoming more and more strained.

When moving at high speed, the feeling of confinement in space becomes stronger.

The attacks of Mist Slash were like an endless tide, wave after wave, consuming its power.

But the fighting spirit in Ye Ming's eyes did not diminish in the slightest; on the contrary, it became even more intense.

It cannot retreat, much less be defeated.

Behind them lay the last territory of the Mist Clan.

Meanwhile, the emperor and his clansmen are doing their utmost to maintain the army's formation, providing it with its last bit of strength.

This battle concerns the very survival of our people.

If it falls, the Book Word Legion will bury the tens of thousands of years of heritage of the Mist Clan, just like the Ascended Clan, and completely sink into history, turning into dust.

It became another stepping stone on Shuyan's path to the top.

It was neither the emperor's initial reservations nor the clan elders' caution that was to blame.

A group is a group precisely because it is a whole composed of countless individuals.

The emperor was the brain of the whole system, weighing the pros and cons.

The council of elders is the backbone and supporting structure of this whole.

Every Mist Warrior is part of the whole.

And it itself is the embodiment of this collective will.

This was a choice made collectively; there was no right or wrong, only the need to fully bear the consequences.

Roar!
Thinking of this, Ye Ming let out a low whistle.

At this moment, it chose to burn itself, completely abandoning its defenses.

The raging, dark blue flames transformed it into a martyred war god.

Its attacks became even more ferocious, with a do-or-die spirit, as it recklessly pounced on the Mist Slash.

Every attack burns away the traces of its existence.

Each collision dims its shadow a little, yet it continues its attack.

It is the general of the Mingwu tribe, the sharpest blade of the Mingwu tribe, who has expanded the territory for the tribe and killed countless powerful enemies.

At this moment, it is also the last shield of the tribe.

They used their own backbone, their own demise, to buy a chance for the rear to regroup.

To fulfill its ultimate duty as a great general.

The misty body that constitutes its existence has become so thin during the battle that it is almost transparent, and one can even vaguely see the life mark inside that symbolizes the demigod's status.

My strength is rapidly draining from my body, and my vision is becoming blurry.

Ye Ming knew that he had no chance of defeating Shu Yan.

The last glimmer of clarity appeared in my eyes.

It stopped trying to attack the mist slash, and with its last bit of strength, it forcefully pushed the mist slash back, giving itself a moment to maneuver.

The next moment, it made its final choice.

His almost transparent hands pressed sharply against his chest, a brilliant mark of life.

"Your Majesty...take your people...and go!!!"

The roar resounded in the hearts of every member of the Mist Clan; it was an order, but also a final plea.

At the same time, the life mark of a demigod on its chest suddenly erupted with a radiant light that devoured everything.

It wants to sacrifice itself in exchange for an ultimate explosion.

Create a cataclysmic energy storm to temporarily engulf the Silent Nether Legion and hinder their pursuit.

As long as the community exists and the flame is not extinguished, there is still hope for the future.

It is willing to remain silent to carve out the last path for the future of its people.

Just as the dazzling brilliance was about to reach its explosive tipping point, it suddenly froze.

The location where Ye Ming was located was covered by Shu Yan's domain, and the space seemed to have turned into an invisible amber.

Ye Ming, who was burning himself out and about to unleash his final destruction, was completely frozen.

Ye Ming's martyrdom posture was frozen in his final moment.

Only its thoughts and perceptions are still functioning weakly.

At this moment, Shuyan also released the power of time from the story chapter by burning his own essence.

However, this is not a true freeze in time; it simply means that all the energy within this part of the space has stopped circulating.

The gluttonous feast has not yet begun; it will not allow Ye Ming to end this war prematurely by burning himself.

The tragic grandeur of the night has nothing to do with it.

They certainly won't grant it.

The next second, the Silent Netherworld Legion surged like a burst dam, rushing towards the Mist Army that was trying to retreat.

The massacre began.

Without the protection of the Nightshade, and with the combined power of the masses causing severe depletion, ordinary Mist Warriors were like mere weeds in the face of the Silent Mist Warriors.

As the gray-white death ray swept across, swathes of Mist Warriors were disintegrated and dissipated, their retreating formation instantly collapsing into a hell of despair.

A heart-wrenching roar erupted wildly from Ye Ming's frozen body.

It wants to stop all of this.

But it can do nothing; it can only stand by as a pitiful bystander, watching its people perish before its very eyes.

In the distance, the Emperor of the Mist roared in grief and anger, attempting to tear through space and forcibly create a path to survival.

However, its previous alliance with Ye Ming to fight against Shu Yan had already exhausted most of its essence.

The spatial rift that was torn open with great effort only lasted for a moment before it was smoothed out by the power coming from within Shuyan's domain, as if it had never existed.

There was nowhere to escape, nowhere to retreat.

Despair is gradually engulfing the Mist Clan.

Shuyan responded to Yeming's sacrifice in the most cruel way.

Let it witness firsthand how the things it desperately wanted to protect were gradually crushed and devoured.

This was not something Shuyan did intentionally, but it was the cruelest punishment for Yeming.

boom!
Shuyan could not maintain the time-stop narrative, and Yeming's self-destruction still occurred.

However, the Mingwu Clan was already enveloped by the Shuyan Domain at this time.

The most violent three-round impact tore through the barrier of words and spread outwards, but the domain automatically closed the next second.

The entire territory of the Mist Clan was transformed into a closed hunting ground.

The subsequent self-destruction energy violently impacted the domain barrier, but like a trapped beast pounding its head, it could only cause the gray-white light screen to ripple violently, which was then forcibly suppressed, smoothed out, and absorbed by the surging narrative energy.

The moment Shuyan's domain completely enveloped the area, the outcome was already predetermined.

The roar of Ye Ming's self-destruction did not change the outcome; instead, it sounded like a tragic elegy, tolling the final bell for the demise of the Mingwu Clan.

The great battle is nearing its end.

Next up is Shuyan's gluttonous feast.

Players witnessed the entire battle, and the forums, live streams, and regional channels were filled with their discussions.

This battle was something almost all players believed.

The Mist Clan will be the ultimate victors.

But Shuyan pulled off an almost impossible comeback.

Despite having the upper hand, the Mingwu Clan was surprisingly defeated by Shuyan.

At this moment, all players realized that the landscape of the Azure Star Sea had been completely overturned.

A new overlord with unprecedented power ascends to the pinnacle of power in this sea, stepping over the corpses of the Ascended Clan and the Mist Clan.

Based on the guidance and battle reports provided by dedicated players, everyone felt that the defeat of the Mist Clan was a great pity.

More accurately, it was a great pity that General Yeming died in battle.

"Damn it, I'm so upset. General Yeming died such a tragic death."

"One god led a bunch of idiots. General Yeming's output, pressure resistance, and decision-making were all top-notch, and in the end he even burned himself out... And what a terrible teammate he was. Disgusting."

"If the old man hadn't been so indecisive and didn't dare to go all in, Shuyan would have been crushed long ago."

"That's right, General Yeming was completely dragged down and killed by his own people."

"I feel sorry for General Ye Ming. He was let down by his teammates back then, and when he restarted the game, it was the same group of teammates. Watching the whole thing, I felt like Ye Ming really tried his best, but he just couldn't carry the team."

"Alas, General Yeming lost to his incompetent teammates, not to Shuyan."

The players' discussions were all expressing their regret for General Yeming.

In the eyes of the players, Ye Ming demonstrated the demeanor of a top commander, both in terms of personal combat strength and decision-making ability.

Its tactics were flawless, and at one point it pushed Shuyan to the brink of despair.

Players generally attributed the defeat to the Emperor and the Elders' failure to carry out their plans.

This was also the turning point of the complete collapse.

If the high command of the Mingwu Clan had given General Yeming their full support and allowed him to act freely, it would have been better.

The outcome of this war will be rewritten.

Unfortunately, no if.

The Mist Clan are not players; they have no chance to start over.

General Yeming's miraculous turn of events back then cannot be replicated.

The future belongs to the old eunuch Shuyan, who wields the power of four rules.

It is certain that Shuyan is about to launch a war challenge against the ancient gods.

Players are also prepared to assist the ancient gods in defeating Shuyan.

Just as players were discussing the stunning reversal in the Azure Star Sea and lamenting the fall of General Yeming.

An invisible force silently descended upon the battlefield of the Azure Star Sea.

The force gently swept over, gathering and converging the countless scattered points of consciousness, which then instantly pierced through the dimensional barrier and vanished without a trace.

……

After one hour.

Earth, Night City.

A funeral home in the suburbs.

The atmosphere was somber, filled with the mixed smells of incense and disinfectant.

A farewell ceremony had just ended, and the somber funeral music was still echoing.

With red and swollen eyes, relatives and friends supported each other, immersed in grief.

Two staff members in dark uniforms, their faces calm and indifferent as if they had seen countless deaths, were preparing to push a body covered with a white shroud into the crematorium.

The deceased was a teenager whose youth had come to an abrupt end just one day earlier.

Just moments before the conveyor belt was about to start.

"Uh"

A soft groan suddenly came from under the white cloth.

The staff member who was about to press the button suddenly froze, their expression turning incredulous, their finger hovering in mid-air, trembling slightly.

The faces of nearby relatives and friends also showed expressions of disbelief.

The white cloth was then lifted, revealing the boy's pale face.

His eyes slowly opened, but his gaze was blank.

The boy looked around in confusion at the unfamiliar surroundings and the crying crowd... Then memories flooded back like a tidal wave.

Endless sea of ​​fog, fierce battles, the Shuyan Legion... The memory finally freezes in that solidified radiance.

A hoarse voice squeezed out from his dry throat:
"I am... Ye Ming?!"

　Here comes a long chapter of 11500 words!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)