Zhongshan Shenzhu Chi

Chapter 88 Unrestrained

Yongning Main City.

After marching for nearly ten days, the army finally came into view of the majestic city wall.

Even a colossal and ferocious creature like the Golden Ape King appeared extremely small in front of that city wall, which was hundreds of meters high.

"These humans think they're safe just because they build a turtle shell to cover themselves up?"

The Golden Ape King, with its six offspring, followed at the very end of the army, gazing at the majestic city wall in the distance.

The cold wind blew by, but it couldn't smell even the slightest hint of human stench in the city.

"Are they all dead?"

A tall, slender figure flew out from the ranks of soldiers.

The mountain lord landed in front of the golden ape king and asked, "Golden ape, can you smell anything?"

"I really don't know why you wanted to become human—"

Upon hearing this, the Golden Ape King sniffed again, then turned and exchanged glances with its six offspring.

"We can't smell anything at all, not the smell of people, birds, or livestock, nothing at all."

"How's it going? Did you find anything?" Zhao Ying followed along.

"There are no living people left in Yongling City," Shan Jun replied.

"Should we attack the city directly? Or should we scout ahead again?" Zhao Ying asked.

"I haven't found any trace of the Fog Demon's activity. According to Li Zhengyuan's intelligence, shouldn't it have enveloped the entire city?"

Shan Jun frowned, his eyes sharp as knives, scrutinizing every detail of the majestic city wall inch by inch.

Although she has become human, she has lost many of the sensory abilities she had when she was in her beast form.

But the instinct within me is still there.

The feeling that Yongning's main city gave her now was like the gaping maw of the giant crocodile, waiting for them to enter.

"How about I lead my troops into the city to test the waters?" Li Zhengyuan said as he walked over.

The two city lords, surnamed Li, left one young man behind to manage logistics in Xia'an City.

Among so many people present, he was the weakest in cultivation, and the demonic beasts of Zhongshan were unlikely to take the lead.

"Where is Tu Die? Where is that woman now?" Shan Jun asked.

"I don't know, but Master Tu said that as long as we start a war, she will appear on the battlefield," Li Zhengyuan replied.

Shan Jun pursed his extremely pale lips, his face as cold as frost and snow.

As a being who cultivates military formations, she especially despises such reckless people, who either possess a vision like Zhu, capable of encompassing the entire Yongning Continent. All the actions of the Zhongshan demon beasts unfold under Zhu's planning and expectations.

"Then let's ignore her and press the army to within fifty miles of the city walls." The mountain king, having no other recourse against the woman, offered his opinion.

"I'm fine." Zhao Ying nodded.

"Let's leave it at that for now." Li Zhengyuan turned around, about to return to the army.

Suddenly, huge gray waves surged up from all four sides of Yongning's main city.

The giant wave engulfed the main city, and then crashed against the Yongning Allied Forces like a tsunami.

Upon closer inspection, it was fog, and within the fog teemed with countless creatures.

Their bodies were intertwined; the man had the beak of a bird, but the pig had the head of a dog.

"Hmph, bastard!" The Golden Ape King exhaled two streams of scorching white breath from his nostrils.

The snowflakes melted instantly, still steaming as they landed.

"Mountain Lord!" it roared.

"You will stand in front of the army formation, linked with our infantry, and not move an inch!"

Zhao Ying suddenly remembered something and called out to the Golden Ape King.

The fierce demon scoffed and was about to retort, but was glared at by the mountain lord and had no choice but to do as he was told.

Seven enormous, ferocious beasts leaped up, blocking the army formation like mountains.

Zhao Ying and Shan Jun led Li Zhengyuan back to the army.

A thick fog rolled in, obscuring the view.

"If I had taken a tougher stance earlier and confronted the Crimson Immortal Sect, allowing the faith in the Zhongshan God to spread throughout Yongning Continent, these strange mist ghosts would never have proliferated."

Under the protection of Zhao Ying and Shan Jun, Li Zhengyuan felt somewhat guilty.

"No one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes," Zhao Ying comforted her.

Surrounded by soldiers, all of them seemed to become a part of her spirit.

Thirty thousand was the limit she could bear.

The remaining 20,000 were carried by the mountain king.

Each soldier receives a wisp of their aura. And the soldiers' courage and bravery, in turn, amplify their aura.

In an instant, shouts of battle erupted from the thick fog that covered the sky.

Each time the soldier drew his sword, he could kill a fog demon.

But the number of fog ghosts is so vast that it cannot be counted.

For every one that is killed, dozens more will take its place.

"This fog feels very familiar to me; I've seen it before in Zhongshan," Zhao Ying said, turning to Shan Jun.

"At that time, it was a mirage-type dragon that released mist to confuse people. It wanted me to lead that frog and that black raven out of Zhongshan."

"The mirage dragon—" Thunder seemed to roar from the mountain lord's throat.

"Roar—" A deafening roar suddenly came from ahead of the thick fog.

The golden thunder unique to the Golden Ape could not be concealed even by the mist.

The thunder even contained the aura of the great sun.

Only a ferocious creature like it could wield such violent power.

The mountain lord drew his sword.

Under the crimson light, the fog demons within a radius of a hundred meters seemed to have encountered their natural enemy and all scattered.

"We can't keep being bothered by the Mist Demons. We need to find that demonic dragon," Mountain Lord said in a deep voice.

Soldiers had already been lost in the army, while the fog demons seemed endless.

"How about we let it attack us? I'll be the bait," Li Zhengyuan said calmly, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

"Huh?" Shan Jun and Zhao Ying turned around in surprise.

"I am the most suitable candidate. My cultivation level is not high, but my status in the army is similar to yours."

"The old demon of the Four Methods also needs the cooperation of the demonic dragon and the mist ghost to suppress the fifth-realm immortal in Yongning City who possesses immortal techniques."

"And that demonic dragon certainly didn't come here in its true form. It wanted to eliminate us before its energy was exhausted and the human forces of Yunxi Continent noticed it."

Li Zhengyuan spoke softly, but his eyes burned with a light that made Ling Shanjun and Zhao Ying look at him with disdain.

"Gentlemen, we now hold the strategic initiative. The East Sea Dragon Clan cannot yet become enemies with the human race!"

'

"If that demonic dragon finds out that I know it cooperated with the Four Dharma Gates to conquer a major human city on a continent—it will definitely come to kill me! It has no choice but to come and kill me!"

"My surname is Li. As long as I live, that demonic dragon will never have peace of mind!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a look of surprise and doubt flickered in Shan Jun's apricot-yellow pupils.

It wasn't a wavering, but rather a heightened sense of vigilance that was pried open by a single remark.

Long ago, Zhu said more than once—

Human beings are able to establish dynasties and dominate the world, and their talent for cultivation can only account for half of the credit.

The remaining half is what humans are proud of, but which they, the demons, disdain.

wisdom.

She used to dismiss it, but now it seems...

"You need to think this through." Zhao Ying's brows were furrowed with gloom, her voice low and resolute. "You really are going to die."

"We're in a hurry too, aren't we?"

"Being constantly haunted by the Mist Demons, the situation of that Fifth Realm Immortal in the city is becoming increasingly dangerous."

"If something happens to him, and he dies, we will all die here."

"The key to this game is whether we can quickly decide the outcome against that demonic dragon, not my life or death."

Li Zhengyuan smiled wryly.