Daqin Zhentiansi

Without wasting words, Zhang Yuan recounted everything that happened in the warehouse, including the arrogant words of the Golden Feather Envoy, the insults and threats against Elder Chen, and the process of forcibly intercepting the high-grade steel ingots and allocating inferior scrap materials, in its entirety without any embellishment.

His description was precise and calm, as if he were stating an observation report that had nothing to do with him.

But the details and sense of power contained within caused Ba Yue's face to darken visibly.

When Zhang Yuan recounted how the Golden Feather Envoy pointed at Old Chen's nose and berated him for "undermining morale and plotting treason," threatening to throw him into the "Black Water Dungeon"—

"boom!!!"

A deafening explosion rang out!

The heavy stone table in front of Ba Yue Zhenjun was smashed into pieces by his angry punch!
Pebbles flew like cannonballs, embedding themselves deeply into the animal hide walls of the tent!
The violent magnetic force surged out of control around him, and the air inside the tent became heavy and viscous, as if it were about to solidify!

"These bloodsucking parasites!!"

Ba Yue's roar was like that of a wounded lion, his eyes were bloodshot, his beard and hair were bristling, and his violent killing intent almost broke through the top of the tent!
"The soldiers on the front lines fought valiantly, their armor tattered, and the city's defenses in need of repair!"

"While they're sucking the blood of their soldiers in the rear, embezzling military funds, and trying to fool me with this junk?! They even want to frame loyal officials?! They deserve to die! They all deserve to die!!"

He was like a volcano about to erupt, his raging fury almost burning everything in its path.

However, just as his anger reached its peak, Ba Yue's tightly clenched fist, with its veins bulging, began to tremble slightly.

In his bloodshot eyes, deep within the raging fury, a trace of indescribable weariness and profound powerlessness quietly spread and emerged like a cold tide.

He stared intently at the pile of broken stones on the ground, his chest heaving violently, his heavy breathing unusually clear in the silent tent.

The clenched fist, in the end, did not swing into the void, but slowly and heavily fell down.

"Get out...all of you, get the hell out!"

Ba Yue's voice lowered, carrying a hoarse weariness. He turned his back and waved his hand. His broad, mountain-like back now appeared somewhat hunched and desolate.

Clearly, he had endured too much of this exploitation from "above," this frustration of having nowhere to voice his grievances, and had long since become accustomed to it, even... numb to it.

Even the fiercest rage can only be smashed onto an innocent stone table.

Zhang Yuan watched Ba Yue's retreating figure silently, without uttering another word.

He clasped his hands deeply and silently withdrew from the tent.

The sunlight outside the tent was a bit dazzling, so he squinted slightly. In the depths of his left eye, the slowly reversing chaotic star vortex seemed to have become even more profound.

His understanding of the corrupt nature beneath the glamorous exterior of the Heavenly Palace was far heavier and colder than the inferior steel ingots he had once carried on his shoulders.

……

The twilight, heavy as iron, pressed down on the towering walls of Tianyuan City.

Zhang Yuan's squad, the Hanyue Army, was conducting a routine patrol along the "Eagle's Beak" node.

In recent days, the embezzlement of military supplies and the endless demands from higher-ups have weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like a lead weight.

Even the sound of footsteps seemed more muffled than usual.

Zhang Yuan followed in the middle of the group. Under his black robe, the newly generated Chaotic Star Source Power flowed like deep, still water in his meridians.

He deliberately concealed his aura, only revealing his cultivation level as a Qi cultivator, as well as his formidable physique after diligently practicing the "Mountain Moving and Mountain Shaking Technique."

"Damn it, this lousy place, even the wind smells like the stench of those demon bastards!"

At the front of the group, Tian Hu, who had once sparred with Zhang Yuan, cursed under his breath and tightened his grip on the heavy shield.

He looked at Zhang Yuan, his eyes no longer showing the initial provocation, but instead an acceptance of fighting side by side.

"Brother Zhang, you have a keen sense of smell, can you smell anything?"

Zhang Yuan shook his head slightly, and deep within his left eye, the reversal of the Chaotic Star Vortex accelerated imperceptibly.

He did not rely on his sense of smell, but rather on the natural perception of negative energy derived from the chaotic divine and demonic body.

And the experience accumulated from countless life-and-death battles with demonic creatures in later generations.

A faint, yet incredibly pure, fluctuation of demonic energy was quietly seeping up from below the city wall.

It was far more ancient and violent than what he encountered in the Demon Realm in later generations.

“Something’s not right,” he said in a low voice, but it was clear to the ears of the team leader, Li Kui. “Commander, there’s movement down below. It’s very…clean.”

"Clean?" Commander Li Kui frowned. He knew that although this recruit was taciturn, his intuition and strength were exceptionally amazing.

He immediately raised his hand and shouted in a low voice, "Halt! Be on guard! Shield formation!"

However, the order had just been given!

"Boom! Crack!"

Just as Zhang Yuan had sensed the solid Starfall Rock at the base of the city wall, a large hole suddenly blasted open without warning!
The rubble shot out like cannonballs!
The intense demonic energy, almost solidified, surged forth like a flood bursting its banks!

Accompanied by a tooth-grinding roar, several swift, ghostly black shadows pounced out first, their sharp claws aimed straight for the throats of the nearest soldiers!

Immediately following, the highly corrosive demonic energy rained down on the formation!

"Enemy attack—!"

Li Kui's eyes were bloodshot, and his roar echoed across the city wall.

The squad was instantly thrown into chaos. The shield formation failed to fully materialize in the rush. A new recruit was unable to dodge in time and was hit on the arm by the magic energy. His heavy armor hissed and emitted white smoke. He screamed and retreated.

But this is just the beginning!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The heavy footsteps shook the earth like war drums, and three enormous creatures squeezed out of the hole!
They were nearly ten feet tall, with thick arms that reached to the ground, covered in dark, iron-like rock armor.

With each step, the sturdy city bricks groaned.

It is the primordial demon known for its power, the Earth-Splittering Demon!

Their scarlet eyes were fixed on the weakest point in the squad's defenses.

There, Tian Hu was desperately parrying the attacks of two Shadow Claw Demons, sparks flying from his shield, while a Rift Demon raised its millstone-sized stone fist, carrying a terrifying wind pressure that tore through the air, and slammed it hard into his back!

The ferocity of that power far surpassed any demon of the same level that Zhang Yuan had seen in his later lives!

Tian Hu sensed the shadow of death behind him, his pupils suddenly contracted, but it was too late to defend himself!

"Tian Hu!"

Li Kui and his teammates were unable to provide timely assistance and let out a furious roar.

At that critical moment!
A figure shot out like an arrow, tearing through the chaotic battlefield!
It's Zhang Yuan!
He did not use the chaotic sword intent that was powerful enough to burn mountains and boil seas. Instead, the purified power of the "Mountain Moving and Mountain Shaking Technique" within his body was running wildly, and the bluestone ground beneath his feet shattered with a "crack"!
He was like a wild, untamed elephant galloping at full speed, or a mountain suddenly moving!

"Earth Vein Sinking Pile! Mountain-Shaking Style!"

Zhang Yuan gave a low shout, his entire body transforming into a blurry, inky black afterimage, using the purest and most savage physical strength to crash into the Earth-Splitting Demon that was about to commit its attack! "Bang—!!!"

A deafening, heart-stopping bang exploded!

Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

The earth-shattering demon, weighing over ten thousand pounds and charging with ferocious momentum, was actually knocked off the ground by Zhang Yuan!

Its massive body, covered in rock armor, was struck head-on by a runaway battering ram, and it flew backward uncontrollably, crashing heavily into another Earthshaker that had just emerged from the hole!
The two giant beasts rolled together, letting out a deafening roar, blocking most of the breach in the city wall!
At the moment Zhang Yuan knocked the Earth-Splitting Demon away, he used the recoil to nimbly spin around, and his right leg swept across like a steel whip. With a kick containing the power to move mountains, he accurately kicked the waist and abdomen of a Shadow Claw Demon that was pouncing on Tian Hu!

"Crack!"

A sickening cracking sound rang out, and the Shadow Claw Demon howled as it flew through the air, crashing into the battlements and sliding softly to the ground.

In a flash, Zhang Yuan not only saved Tian Hu, but also single-handedly disrupted the most ferocious first wave of the monster's attack!
"Alright!!" Commander Li Kui roared, seizing this fleeting opportunity, "Form ranks! Kill!"

The morale of the soldiers of Hanyue was greatly boosted!
With tears in his eyes, Tian Hu glanced gratefully at Zhang Yuan, roared, and charged forward with his shield raised. He and his comrades instantly formed a solid shield wall and blade formation, firmly blocking the remaining Shadow Claw Demons and Filth Demons.

Zhang Yuan, like a ferocious humanoid beast, took the initiative to confront the remaining Earth-Splitting Demon that had not been knocked away.

He moved nimbly, dodging and weaving amidst the opponent's ferocious attacks. Every parry and every seemingly clumsy yet powerful counterattack caused the city bricks beneath his feet to shatter with a dull thud.

He relied entirely on his powerful physique honed by the "Mountain Moving and Mountain Shaking Technique" and his exquisite power exertion techniques to fight it off. Although he couldn't achieve a decisive victory with a single blow like he did with the first one, he firmly restrained it, buying precious time for the team to eliminate the other demons.

The battle did not last long.

Under the command of Li Kui and the valiant fighting of his squad members, and with the help of reinforcements who arrived on the scene, the elite demonic force that had launched the surprise attack was quickly wiped out.

The three-headed Earth-Splitting Demon finally fell to the combined attack of the Mountain-Shaking Army soldiers and the barrage of Demon-Slaying Crossbow bolts.

The battle subsided, but the air was thick with the stench of gunpowder mixed with demonic blood.

The team members were panting, many of them were injured, but their eyes were filled with the excitement of surviving a disaster, and undisguised admiration and gratitude when they looked at Zhang Yuan.

Tian Hu patted Zhang Yuan on the shoulder heavily, everything was understood without words.

Commander Li Kui walked up to Zhang Yuan, scrutinized him closely, his gaze sharp as a knife, and finally settled into a sigh of affirmation: "Good lad! If it weren't for you today, Tian Hu would be in grave danger!"

"This strength and courage are born for my Shan Yue Army!"

He paused, his voice lowering, "However, the timing and location of this monster's appearance are too strange."

Zhang Yuan breathed slightly, suppressing the chaotic star source power within his body that was slightly boiling due to the intense battle, and nodded, saying, "Commander, you are astute; there may be an inside accomplice."

The arrogant face of the military supply depot's envoy Jin Ling flashed through his mind.

While everyone was busy treating the wounded and cleaning up the battlefield, Zhang Yuan's gaze, like the most sophisticated scanner, silently swept across the chaotic battlefield.

With the blessing of the Chaos Furnace, his divine sense meticulously examined every inch of the destroyed city wall and every remnant of a demon.

As he passed the edge of the hole in the city wall that had been blasted open, beneath the corpse of a Shadowclaw Demon pinned to the wall by a magic-piercing crossbow bolt, his gaze suddenly sharpened.

In the cracks of the broken stones at the corner of the wall, half-hidden in filth and dust, there was a faint, warm luster that seemed out of place with its surroundings.

Zhang Yuan walked over calmly, pretending to bend down to examine the Shadow Claw Demon's corpse, his wide sleeves brushing the ground. When he stood up again, the faint light had vanished.

In his palm, there was a jade talisman fragment the size of a fingernail, with a broken edge.

The jade is of fine quality, and although it is incomplete, a distorted symbol that appears to be made of shadows can still be clearly seen carved on it.

It was exactly the same as the mark with the code name "You" in the jade slip he obtained from the transaction next to Yun Yixuan's corpse in his later life!
Could it be that the traitor in the shadows had already laid the groundwork a million years ago?

The cold touch came from his palm, and a cold glint flashed in the depths of Zhang Yuan's eyes.

His expression remained unchanged as he carefully placed the jade talisman fragment into the most hidden inner pocket of his robes, as if he had merely picked up an ordinary pebble.

--------------

The Mountain-Shaking Army, Forging Battalion.

The fire in the stove should have been blazing, but now it seemed dim and stifling.

Beside the enormous forging furnace, piles of "star-patterned steel ingots" were stacked up like small mountains.

These were the inferior goods that Zhang Yuan had carried back from the military supply depot.

Several old craftsmen, their hair and beards singed yellow by sparks, stood around a "Zhenyue Heavy Armor" covered in cracks and with its core runes almost completely worn away, their brows furrowed in worry.

"Damn it!" A young blacksmith with a face full of scars and arms as thick as iron pillars slammed his hammer down on the anvil, sparks flying everywhere. "This is what you call star-patterned steel?"

"It has more impurities than refined iron! It's as brittle as dried mud! I used every technique I could, and it collapsed on the third wave!"

"What are we going to use to repair armor? What are we going to use to forge weapons? Are we going to use our heads to withstand the demon cubs' blades?!"

The soldiers around him silently wiped their equally damaged weapons, and upon hearing this, their eyes turned bloodshot, and their fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

An old soldier with a missing arm clutched his cratered, massive shield, his knuckles white from the effort, his cloudy old eyes filled with grief and indignation: "General... the general's armor needs repairing too..."

"Without good steel...we..."

The old craftsman sighed deeply, his calloused hands stroking the cold, inferior steel ingot, his voice hoarse: "Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice, let alone this rice... it's poisoned rice mixed with sand!"

"No matter how exquisite the secret technique, without a good foundation, it's all just empty talk!"

"This steel is difficult to even smelt and purify; the impurities are tangled together, and even underground fire cannot burn it through!"

Despair and anger, like heavy leaden clouds, enveloped the entire forge camp.

The soldiers' indignation and the craftsmen's helplessness intertwined into a suffocating silence.

Just then, a figure in black ink parted the crowd and walked to the pile of inferior steel ingots.

It's Zhang Yuan.

He didn't speak, but squatted down and placed one hand on a piece of inferior steel ingot that was half a person's height.

Amidst the astonished and uncertain gazes of the crowd, a faint, almost imperceptible, chaotic gray light suddenly appeared in his palm before disappearing.

The next moment, something happened that left all the craftsmen and soldiers dumbfounded!

The huge steel ingot softened and collapsed rapidly, just like ice and snow under the scorching sun, at a speed visible to the naked eye!
It wasn't melting, it was more like... being forcibly "decomposed" and "purified" by an invisible force!
The impurities turned into wisps of black smoke, carrying a pungent sulfurous smell.

However, the faint essence of the stars within was forcefully extracted and condensed!
The entire process was silent, yet filled with a breathtaking sense of power.

In less than ten breaths, the huge, inferior steel ingot disappeared.

All that remained was a fist-sized ball of shimmering silver liquid, flowing with starlight, and exuding astonishing resilience and sharpness!

The pure stellar energy fluctuations far surpassed any "superior" star-patterned steel they had ever seen! (End of Chapter)