Daqin Zhentiansi

“There is indeed some skill involved.” The Great Demon Qingyan said solemnly, “This person’s troop deployment is quite different from the scattered fighting style that human cultivators are used to. It has some resemblance to…ancient battle formations? No wonder Blood Fang’s scattered soldiers suffered a great loss.”

"Hmph, just a show! In the face of absolute power, they're all just chickens and dogs!" Although Qing Li was unconvinced, his eyes were also focused on the prototype of the "Chaotic Rock Array" composed of human cultivators and giant apes that flashed by on the light screen.

This display was not just a show, as he claimed.

At their level of cultivation, their perception of combat strength is already crystal clear.

This battle formation's power allows human guardians, whose individual strength is far inferior to that of the demon race, to possess enough combat power to fight against the demon race.

"Om-"

At this moment, a stream of light shot into the cave and was caught by Venerable Qingyuan.

It is a communication jade slip from the Black Horned Rhinoceros tribe.

As his divine sense swept over the area, Venerable Qingyuan spoke calmly, his voice flowing like a deep spring: "The Black Horned Rhinoceros Clan has also received Blood Fang's message."

"They also discovered signs of activity by unidentified elite human squads in the surrounding area recently, and suspected that it was Zhang Yuan's 'Wuwei' unit."

"Inquire whether our clan is aware of this person's whereabouts, and... what our opinion is on Bloodfang's actions."

The cave fell silent once more. All eyes turned to the two Supreme Elders.

The Azure Netherworld Venerable's emerald eyes flashed with a cold light as he looked at Qing Yuan: "What do you think? Zhang Yuan... and the human army behind him?"

Venerable Qingyuan slowly shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible mockery: "Zhang Yuan? He's nothing but a minor ailment. The one who truly stirs up the storm is the Celestial Being."

"Yu Cheng, the commander of the Patrol Guard, has been plotting against the Kui Niu clan of Luo Lei Yuan for more than a day or two."

"I have heard that Venerable Xuan Yue, the Palace Master of the Celestial Race's 'Xuanqiong Palace,' is about to celebrate his 10 millionth birthday. Yu Cheng wants to take the true horn of the Kui Niu Lei Yu and refine it into a precious treasure to present to the emperor in order to advance his career."

He paused, his gaze sweeping downwards: "We've been entangled in a fierce battle with the Black Horned Rhinoceros Clan and the human race here, stirring up conflict and keeping the main force of the Hundred Views Garrison firmly tied down along the Black Stone Plains. Isn't this all to cooperate with Jade City, allowing him to focus on dealing with the Kui Niu without any worries about his rear?"

“We fulfilled the ‘agreement,’ shedding blood and losing men… But what about Yucheng? After all this effort, using the elite of the Patrol Guard, and possibly even mobilizing other forces, how come we couldn’t even take down the stronghold of the heavily wounded Kui Niu? And we even had three commanders killed by an arrow?”

These words struck like a heavy hammer into the hearts of all the great demons present.

Even Qingli's eyes flashed with a hint of frustration and anger.

"That Kui Niu Lei Yu," Venerable Qing Yuan's voice was deep, "is a primordial beast, born to wield thunder. How powerful is its divine beast bloodline?"

"Furthermore, by firmly guarding its old lair in Thunderfall Abyss and taking advantage of its terrain, it has greatly increased its strength by borrowing the power of the earth's veins and lightning."

"Yu Cheng wants to seize its horn but doesn't want to suffer too many casualties... Hmph, is there such a thing as a free lunch? Can his patrol guards' silver armor withstand the divine thunder that splits the heavens and the earth?"

The Venerable Qingyuan's tone was full of disdain for the scheming and life-saving of the celestial beings.

For countless years, the Celestial Race has been doing this: driving the Demon Race and the Human Race to fight, and then profiting from behind the scenes.

I'm tired of this kind of trick.

"So we're just going to stay here and waste our time?" Qing Li couldn't help but roar, his voice echoing through the cave. "Fighting against humans every day, watching our men bleed and die in vain?"

"Just to wait for the Celestial Race to dawdle and pull out that old bull's horns? That's a terrible deal!"

No one responded.

Within the grotto, a sense of oppressive resentment and discontent towards the celestial beings permeated the air.

After a moment of silence, a fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the Azure Nether Venerable, and he made a decision.

He looked at Qingyuan and then at the demons below: "Elder Qingyuan is absolutely right. We have paid the price and fulfilled our obligations as 'allies.' However, the promise between heaven and man is elusive and hard to believe."

He stood up and said in a low voice, "Pass down the order."

"Reply to Bloodfang and Blackhorn Rhinoceros: Zhang Yuanwu Guard is wreaking havoc in their territory; we should join forces to encircle and annihilate them!"

"Tell them that this army is indeed capable, and they must be cautious. Gather a large force and crush them with overwhelming force!"

"If we can kill Zhang Yuan or severely damage his army, we will remove a major threat to the human race!"

"Second," his voice suddenly turned cold, filled with chilling killing intent, "order all units on the front lines of my clan to contract their defenses and temporarily avoid the main force of the Human Clan's Hundred Views Garrison."

"Once Bloodfang and Black Horned Rhinoceros have drawn their attention... if the Celestial Race continues to sluggishly advance in Thunderfall Abyss and makes no progress... hmph!"

The Azure Nether Venerable slammed his palm onto the jade armrest, leaving a clear claw mark: "Then let's gather our strength and ignore this bullshit mission of 'holding off the human race'!"

"Turn your attention directly to the Blackhorn Rhinoceros and Bloodclaw Wolves, and together we'll wipe out those three hundred small towns behind the Blackrock Plains... slaughter them all! Then..."

A cunning and ruthless glint flashed in his eyes: "...Escape into the 'Netherworld Death Domain'! Let the Celestial Race stay here and slowly clean up this mess, and suppress the torrent of subterranean fire that will inevitably erupt without our restraint!"

"We will obey the Supreme Elder's decree!" The demons below perked up and responded in unison. Their eyes no longer burned with resentment, but with a fierce light that seemed ready to break free from their restraints and wreak havoc!

……

Human region.

Chensha War Zone, Baiguan Town Garrison Frontline Camp.

The atmosphere inside the tent was equally tense.

Commander Ling Hao of the Patrol Division had a livid face, and the cold starlight around him fluctuated uncontrollably, revealing his extreme anger.

He stared intently at Elder Xuancheng, the guardian of the Thousand Views Hall, who sat upright in the main seat with a calm expression like an ancient pool.

This is a powerful human venerable, and even Ling Hao has neither the right nor the ability to suppress him.

"Elder Xuancheng!" Ling Hao's voice was almost squeezed out through clenched teeth, "I'll ask one last time! Where is Zhang Yuan and his 'Martial Guard' army, which claims to number in the tens of thousands and is composed of people from three different races?

"Within the jurisdiction of the Hundred Views Garrison, such a large-scale troop buildup and mobilization, how dare you, as the chief elder of the Thousand Views Garrison in this war zone, claim to know nothing about it? Who would believe that!"

On both sides of the camp, the human warriors from different garrison posts had different expressions. Some looked down, while others frowned slightly, but none of them dared to interrupt.

Venerable Xuancheng had white hair and beard, and a gaunt face.

Upon hearing this, he simply raised his eyelids slowly, looked calmly at Ling Hao, and spoke in a low voice, yet with an undeniable authority that clearly echoed in the tent.

"Commander Ling Hao, as I have stated many times, Zhang Yuan and his troops are not under the direct jurisdiction of my Thousand Views Guardian Hall."

"Our court has no responsibility to keep track of their whereabouts in real time, nor does it have the right to interfere. As for what you said about 'tens of thousands of garrison commanders gathering'..."

He paused slightly, then spoke with unwavering resolve: "As I sit in this central command, my divine sense covers the key points of the war zone, and I can clearly inform you: 'At this moment, within the defense lines of my Hundred Observations Garrison, there is absolutely no place where a human garrison army of the scale and organization you described exists!'"

"You—!" Ling Hao was so angry that veins throbbed on his forehead. He took a step forward, his finger almost touching the tip of Venerable Xuancheng's nose. "What a fine 'absolutely not'! I saw it with my own eyes outside Xuanyu Temple!"

"The camps stretched out in a continuous line, battle flags fluttered in the wind, three tribes were conducting drills, and the killing intent was overwhelming! There are also photographic records made by Zhao Kun and others as evidence!"

"Such actions, which violate the ironclad rule of the Patrol Division to 'separately govern and prohibit large-scale gatherings,' are openly protected by you, the garrison elder. You claim you couldn't sense them? Is it that you couldn't sense them, or... that you intentionally condoned them?!"

Venerable Xuancheng's expression remained unchanged. He even picked up the spiritual tea beside him and took a sip before calmly saying, "Commander Ling Hao, did you see it with your own eyes? Perhaps it was an illusion, or perhaps it was a deliberate fabrication by Zhao Kun and the others."

"As for the senses... I'll say it again: there are none. If you insist on your opinion, you may produce the official verification order from the Commander of the Patrol Division and act in accordance with the law."

"Your mere accusations and...some so-called 'light and shadow' of dubious origin and dubious authenticity are not enough to change my judgment."

He showed Ling Hao no respect whatsoever, directly characterizing Zhao Kun's evidence as "of dubious origin and of dubious authenticity."

The Thousand Views Guard Hall is not something that the Patrol Guard Division can usually mobilize.

As a Venerable Realm expert, Venerable Xuancheng is not obligated to obey orders from the Heavenly Patrol Palace.

Ling Hao was thoroughly enraged by this unyielding attitude, his eyes flashing with murderous intent: "Imperial Edict? Fine! This commander will request the order immediately! Let's see what you..."

Before he could finish speaking, a rapid, joyful shout suddenly came from outside the tent, growing louder as it approached:

"Reporting to the Elder! Reporting to Commander Ling Hao! Great news! Incredibly great news!"

Zhao Kun, his face contorted with barely suppressed excitement, practically burst through the tent flap, holding a recording crystal aloft, his voice shrill with excitement:
“Zhang Yuan! It’s Zhang Yuan’s guards! They…”

"They've come to hand in their mission! They're at the Hall of Merit outside the camp, collecting their merit points for eradicating the demon's lair on the outskirts of the Ancient Forest of Ten Thousand Miasmas!"

"Hahaha, Heaven is on my side! They... they have delivered the irrefutable evidence of their gathering of tens of thousands of troops, their dereliction of duty, and their disobedience to the Heavenly Palace's orders... right to my doorstep! Let's see how they try to deny it this time!"

As he frantically activated the crystal, a clear light screen was instantly projected onto the center of the tent:
Within the light screen were dozens of human cultivators clad in uniform, dark black battle robes, exuding a powerful aura and displaying impeccable discipline, along with several giant ape warriors and Iron-Feathered Eagle warriors whose physiques were clearly extraordinary!

"They stood in neat rows before the Hall of Merit, still bearing the lingering smell of gunpowder and blood."

"At the front of the queue, a human cultivator was handing a mission token bearing the aura of the battlefield and the mark of a demon core to the disciple in charge of the hall!"
This scene, together with the military formation Ling Hao had seen at the old camp of Xuanyu Temple and the blurry images provided by Zhao Kun, instantly formed an irrefutable chain of evidence!
Ling Hao was taken aback at first, then his face broke out with a fierce look that was a mixture of wild joy and ferocity.

He abruptly turned his head, staring intently at Venerable Xuancheng, who remained seated but whose brows were now slightly furrowed, as if he were eyeing prey. He then burst into a loud, maniacal laugh:

"Hahahaha! Xuancheng! Old man Xuancheng! What else do you have to say? The evidence is irrefutable!"

"Zhang Yuan and his guards disregarded the laws of the Heavenly Palace, privately assembled a large army, and arbitrarily provoked border conflicts. Furthermore, they defied orders! This is an unforgivable crime!"

"As the elder in charge of this area, you knew about it but failed to report it, and you even covered it up. Your crime is doubled! Today, I'll see how you explain yourself to the Patrol Division and the Governor of Yucheng!"

The camp fell into a deathly silence; you could hear a pin drop!

All eyes were focused on Venerable Xuancheng, whose expression finally changed slightly, and on the undeniable image on the light screen.

Zhao Kun stood beside Ling Hao, his face full of a sinister grin of triumph.

Inside the garrison's main tent, the atmosphere was as still as iron.

Ling Hao pointed at Venerable Xuancheng, his fingertips trembling slightly with extreme anger, and his aura surging erratically beneath his silver armor, which was shrouded in starlight.

Zhao Kun stood beside him, his face showing undisguised eagerness and incitement, as if he were just waiting for Xuan Cheng to confess his crimes and be executed.

Venerable Xuancheng remained seated, his face expressionless, seemingly oblivious to the finger that was almost poking his nose and Ling Hao's stern shout.

He slightly turned his head and nodded to a personal guard standing at the tent entrance, his voice calm and even: "Send word."

The guards received their orders and turned to leave the tent.

A moment later, the curtain was lifted again.

A middle-aged garrison commander, dressed in clothes stained with mud and grass clippings, clearly having just returned from the wilderness, strode in, exuding a travel-worn air.

His face showed the weariness of completing his mission, as well as a hint of nervousness at having an audience with the Venerable One.

His gaze swept quickly across the oppressive scene inside the tent, finally settling on Venerable Xuancheng, who respectfully clasped his hands and bowed.

"This humble servant, Wang Meng, the garrison commander of Panshi Temple, pays respects to Your Excellency! I have been ordered to complete the mission of 'clearing out the poisonous miasma vine demons in the southeast area of ​​Black Wind Gorge No. 3' and to receive the Heavenly Merit."

Venerable Xuancheng slightly raised his hand: "No need for formalities. Garrison Commander Wang, how was your mission?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency!" Wang Meng straightened his back, his voice booming, carrying a hint of triumph from completing his mission, "I have not failed you!"

"Panshi Temple dispatched an elite team of thirty people and hired twenty warriors from the local Spirit Wood Giant Ape tribe. After seven days, they have completely eradicated the Poisonous Mist Vine Demon Mother and the main demonic vines that were rampaging in the designated area!"

"Three thousand-year-old vine hearts and fifteen vine demon crystal cores have been seized and recorded in the merit jade slip."

As he spoke, he took out a warm, smooth jade slip from his bosom and presented it with both hands.

The attendant beside Venerable Xuancheng stepped forward to take the jade slip and examine it.

Thirty people? Hired by the demon race?

Before Xuan Cheng could speak, Ling Hao, who was standing to the side, could no longer contain himself and took a step forward, almost touching Wang Meng.

His cold, sharp gaze scraped across Wang Meng's face like a knife as he demanded sharply, "Speak! How many men have you gathered for this so-called 'mopping-up' operation?"

"Where exactly is it? Is it deep within the Ancient Forest of Ten Thousand Miasmas?!"

His voice carried an undeniable pressure, as he tried to find a flaw in the other person's eyes.

A heavy, oppressive aura pressed down on Wang Meng.

Wang Meng trembled, taken aback by the sudden imposing manner and questioning from the Celestial Commander.

He subconsciously took a small step back, his face instantly filled with confusion and innocence. He looked up at Ling Hao, his eyes filled with incomprehension and bewilderment, his voice tinged with grievance.

"Heavens, Heavenly Lord? What... what are you talking about? As I just said, it's thirty of my fellow disciples from Panshi Temple, plus twenty hired Spiritwood Giant Ape warriors, a total of fifty people!"

"Clear out the vine demons in the area on the southeastern outskirts of Black Wind Gorge, near the 'Bone Forest'!"

"That place is still far from the core of the Ancient Forest of Ten Thousand Miasmas! How can there be talk of a large army gathering there?" (End of Chapter)