Deep in the night, a great battle unfolded south of Shanhaiguan Pass.
In the chilling evening wind, Lin Zhao and Wu Zhi halted in mid-air, overlooking the land below. A vast river, the Bei Xi River, stretched east to west across the northern border of Yunzhou. In some sections, its waters exceeded ten meters in depth, while others were relatively shallow, reaching only knee-high at most. Now, countless human cavalry, brandishing iron spears that gleamed with cold light, were wading through the river, charging towards the demon army.
The demon race had dispatched only one army camp, yet it still numbered a formidable 200,000. The demon soldiers, trapped in Shanhaiguan Pass for days without sustenance, had eyes reddened by hunger. They surged forward, weapons in hand, only to be met by the deep trenches, archer formations, and barrages of cannon fire meticulously laid out by Han Yetang and Chen Xi.
There was no suspense in this battle; it was merely a matter of how much the human side would have to sacrifice to repel the demon forces.
"Can't hold back any longer."
Lin Zhao's heart stirred. He descended like a falling star, drawing the Zhan Lu sword from his back. Sword intent, born from the Eternal Sword Scripture, enveloped him. With a powerful swing, he unleashed the Horizontal Sword Style, stunning a vast swath of the demon army. He followed with the sixth style, "Qi Chong Xing He" (Energy Piercing the Star River). Innumerable condensed sword intents, like starlight, rained down, instantly obliterating swathes of demon soldiers.
"Swish, swish, swish~~~"
Streams of milky-white experience flowed towards him. Though not abundant individually, they accumulated rapidly. In mere moments, his current level had gained 2% experience. Lin Zhao was currently level 203. To gain 2% experience in mere seconds was, in the eyes of other players, an unbelievable, almost fantastical feat.
Lin Zhao, however, felt nothing special. He certainly didn't lack the ability to level up. Which monster hordes on the main map could he not conquer? He simply lacked the inclination. Furthermore, he had heard that "Tian Xia" was about to introduce a dungeon system, with legendary S-grade equipment on the horizon. It was rumored that equipping a full set of S9 gear would make one comparable to a deity.
Thus, Lin Zhao had already made his plans. As soon as S9 was released, he would solo dungeons and obtain a full S9 armor set. Then, when he traversed the lands, which great demon would dare not show him deference?
"Kill!"
Ahead, a demon centurion roared, charging towards Lin Zhao with his sword. He was quickly vanquished, struck down by a fist aura from above, dissolving into a pool of blood. This was, of course, Yu Wanning's doing. She couldn't tolerate anyone shouting threats at Lin Zhao; it was simply impolite.
Chi Zhongyu swept his sword forward, a torrent of sword energy engulfing countless demons. Wu Zhi, after a long absence, also unsheathed her Demon Soul Sword. Ten Demon Soul Swords, like instruments of death, weaved through the demon ranks, laced with potent sword energy, slaughtering them in waves.
Lin Zhao wielded his sword, activating the fifth style, "Qing Tian Jia Hai" (Supporting the Sky, Sheltering the Sea). Immense ancient swords materialized in the air. Under Lin Zhao's will, these ancient swords charged forth. Their impact on the demon ranks was akin to nuclear bombs, thundering and exploding with fiery sword energy, shattering the demon formations and inflicting countless casualties.
In less than a minute, the combined efforts of Lin Zhao, Wu Zhi, Yu Wanning, and Chi Zhongyu had nearly dismantled a demon army of 20,000. The terrifying combat prowess of this group was beyond imagination.
...
"Let's go!"
Lin Zhao, sword in hand, rose gracefully. A brief engagement was sufficient. There was no need to completely annihilate this demon army for the human forces. After all, their main forces were present, leaving the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool vulnerable. They couldn't allow the demon race to fully ascertain their movements.
With that, he sheathed his sword and rode the wind westward along the Bei Xi River. Wu Zhi, Yu Wanning, and Chi Zhongyu followed without much conversation, at a steady pace.
A few minutes later, Lin Zhao descended into an open forest. This area was not far from the Bei Xi River and was the main battlefield where the Yunzhou cavalry had previously intercepted the demon and魔族 armies.
Within the woods, wisps of ethereal light flickered. To Lin Zhao, an eleventh-realm sword cultivator, these lights were visible as souls standing amidst the trees. Some sighed softly, others seemed to gaze wistfully towards something, while still others stood frozen beneath the trees, holding broken swords and spears, their faces pale and bewildered.
These were the lingering souls of the fallen Yunzhou cavalry from years past. Many of them, mere youths aged sixteen to twenty, had lost their lives in that great battle.
Lin Zhao slowly entered the forest.
The lingering souls seemed to sense the disturbance in the distance. As if drawn by an invisible force, they began to converge. Wu Zhi frowned slightly, a flicker of apprehension rising in her heart.
Yu Wanning clenched her fists, her beautiful eyes narrowing as she scanned the souls. These souls shared a karmic connection with Lin Zhao. It was Lin Zhao's strategy to make Yunzhou the battlefield that had led to their demise here. Perhaps it was this faint karmic thread that drew them involuntarily towards him.
In the blink of an eye, to the vision of cultivators in the Upper Five Realms, the forest was densely packed with tens of thousands of lingering souls. Lin Zhao, still in his battle armor with two swords on his back, walked amidst them. Looking at those blurred, pale faces, Lin Zhao felt a deep sense of guilt.
Especially among them, some young Yunzhou cavalry wore red scarves on their wrists, men who had bid farewell to their newlywed wives back home, never to return. Lin Zhao's eyes welled up. He couldn't comprehend why a game could be so real. Such subsequent scenes and visuals could easily have been omitted.
"Ah..."
Many of the lingering souls turned their gazes towards Lin Zhao, emitting low whimpers. Yet, none displayed any aggression. It seemed they all understood who the young general treading into the forest was.
He was Lin Baiyi, the supreme commander of the human forces, divinely appointed, a deity in the hearts of human warriors, hailed as the "God of War."
"Lin... Lin..."
An old soldier, carrying a tattered Yunzhou cavalry battle banner, extended a hand towards Lin Zhao, his voice trembling. "Marshal Lin?"
"It is I."
Lin Zhao's nose stung. He lightly clasped the old soldier's hand and said softly, "I have come to visit you all."
"Lin..."
"Marshal Lin..."
"He has come..."
"Marshal Lin has come to visit us..."
A group of lingering souls, their faces blurred and pale, mumbled fragmented words. Their minds had long been eroded by the elements and the divine trials of heaven and earth. But at this moment, as if in a final surge of life, they recalled who they were in life, and who stood before them.
"It is I."
Lin Zhao's eyes welled with tears, his body trembling slightly. He slowly cupped his hands, bowing to the circle of souls, his voice resonating with conviction. "I, Lin Zhao, have come to visit you all! Though we lost the battle at Yunzhou, and though Yunzhou City was breached, most of our elders and fathers were preserved. Your families have evacuated south. Now, the imperial cavalry of the Great Shang Dynasty has returned to Shanhaiguan Pass. The demon and魔族 races believe we are defeated, but time will prove that humanity will never perish. This prolonged war, we will ultimately win!"
"..."
A chorus of whimpers arose from the lingering souls. Their spiritual strength was exceedingly weak, making it difficult for them to even emit sound. Yet, they understood the meaning of Lin Zhao's words and knew their sacrifices had not been in vain.
"Marshal Lin..."
The old soldier carrying the banner choked back sobs, his voice broken. "We... we have died. The demon race gnawed on our bones... the hoofs of the魔族 trampled them... Some say we... say we were merely cannon fodder. Marshal Lin, we..."
"That is not true!"
Lin Zhao, his eyes red-rimmed, declared loudly to the multitude of souls, "Look to the north! Our two esteemed commanders, Han Yetang and Chen Xi, lead our hundreds of thousands of elite troops northward. The hundreds of thousands of demon soldiers in Shanhaiguan Pass are on the verge of collapse. All of this is thanks to your bloody battles back then. Without the great battle at the Bei Xi River, humanity would not have survived to this day! Therefore, every one of you is a heroic soul of the human realm. The human realm will never forget your merits!
"Since that is the case..."
Though the old soldier's face was blurred, a clear smile seemed to grace it. His body slowly began to dissipate.
The surrounding souls followed suit, their bodies gradually fading. Their spiritual strength was too weak to sustain their forms for long.
Lin Zhao finally couldn't hold back his tears, wiping them surreptitiously on his sleeve.
Yu Wanning, tears streaming down her face, asked softly, "What about them?"
Wu Zhi remained silent.
Chi Zhongyu held his sword, his expression solemn.
Lin Zhao gazed at the faint wisps of light in the forest and said softly, "May the wind carry them home..."
These words brought tears to Wu Zhi's eyes.
At that moment, she wished only that all goodness in the world would be treated with gentleness.
...
As dawn broke, Lin Zhao and his companions returned to the mountain-top villa.
Warm morning sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the mountain-top villa, bringing a sense of warmth to the heart. On the mountainside, the Mohist cultivators and artisans, having just finished breakfast, resumed their work. The Mohists' construction speed was remarkable. Overnight, wooden houses and small buildings had begun to take shape on the mountain-top villa, complete with inscribed patterns. These homes were cool in the summer and warm in the winter, even designed to harmonize with feng shui and gather spiritual energy – a unique characteristic of the Mohist ancestral temple.
At the foot of the mountain, inside a temporary tent of the Snow Domain Army.
Lin Zhao, clad in armor, convened a council, a rare occasion.
Beneath the tent, Wu Zhi, Yu Wanning, Chi Zhongyu, Xu Sheng, Chen Qi, and others, all generals, were present. Yu Wanning clasped her fists and reported, "Last night, the battle at Shanhaiguan Pass has concluded. The 200,000 demon troops who marched south were utterly routed by Han Yetang and Chen Xi and fled back to Shanhaiguan Pass, suffering heavy casualties. Feng Feiyu managed to send several messages from Shanhaiguan Pass to the northern regions, but unfortunately, we couldn't intercept all of them."
"The demon race is currently most in need of grain and supplies."
Lin Zhao smiled. "Currently, the demon race has three supply lines heading south, all circumventing our Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. However, we cannot allow them to proceed so smoothly. Yu Wanning, I order you to lead twenty thousand cavalry to intercept them day and night. You must sever these three grain routes and ensure the demon forces in Shanhaiguan Pass are completely starved."
"Yes!"
Yu Wanning rose, happily accepting the order.
Lin Zhao walked out of the command tent with her and looked north alone. After devouring those eight hundred thousand demon and魔族 soldiers, the next step would be to counterattack. Ascending the Ancestral Mountain and beating Nan Qingfeng would no longer be a distant dream!