Chapter 140: Initial Arrival at the Battlefield

February 20th, morning, around 8:45 AM.

On the towering inner city walls of North River Pass, two hundred soldiers were stationed long-term, rotating every two hours to ensure peak alertness. North River Pass had twenty thousand mortal soldiers, making routine watch duties quite easy. However, when the demon forces launched a full-scale assault, it became a brutal and bloody affair. Conscription led to extremely high mortality rates, with many survivors left disabled, a testament to the conflict's savagery.

The soldiers meticulously watched the world entrance, not daring to show the slightest carelessness. Military disciplinarians stood nearby, observing their every move, as laxity or distraction would be severely punished.

“Hmm?”

One moment, nothing was visible; the next, thirty-five terrifying figures simultaneously entered the world entrance.

This stable world entrance could allow a maximum of thirty-five Third-Heaven demon kings to enter simultaneously!

“The demon kings are here!” The soldiers jolted, many shouting out.

“Boom, boom, boom.” A soldier drummer vigorously pounded on a large drum. The deep, muffled beats reverberated, quickly spreading throughout North River Pass.

Inside a mansion.

Meng Chuan was practicing his saber, honing the ‘Heart Saber Form’ strike by strike. Liu Qiyue had gone to the archery range to practice her arrows; as a Great Solar realm Godfiend Archer, the mansion didn't have enough space for her to train.

“Boom, boom, boom.”

The deep drumbeats sent a jolt through Meng Chuan.

The drumming was a signal for a major battle. He had waited too long; while on the mountain, he had yearned to descend and fight.

“Finally!” A fierce glint flashed in Meng Chuan’s eyes. He shot forth like a bolt of lightning, instantly appearing on the outer city wall near the mansion, then vanished again, heading straight for the inner city gate.

“Again?” Zhang Yunhu, who was practicing spear arts, suddenly stopped. With a flick of his hand, he slung a large bundle of short spears onto his back and shot off like a streak of light towards the city wall.

“Brother-in-law!”

Yang Xingwu also leaped gracefully, a large bundle of short spears on her back, soaring towards the city wall.

Shi Xiu, still nestled in a gentle embrace, suddenly opened his eyes at the sound of the deep drumming. He shot out of the pavilion, his robes and boots already on him. The woman in the red *dudou* on the perfumed bed was still groggy, having just woken up. But hearing the “boom, boom, boom” that seemed to pound against her heart, even she, a renowned courtesan, became perfectly sober.

“Are the demon forces attacking North River Pass?” She got out of bed, draped on her robes, and walked to the outdoor railing, gazing into the distance towards North River Pass’s city gates.

On the city gates, soldiers were being urgently deployed, and streaks of light, revealing themselves as Godfiends, rushed towards the fortifications.

“They must win, they must win.” The renowned courtesan clasped her hands together and silently prayed.

“It has begun.” Countless people on the streets looked towards North River Pass. That place would become a bloody battlefield, where Godfiends and mortal soldiers would firmly hold back the demon forces.

“They must win.”

People hoped, though they encountered demon attacks two or three times a year, the common residents of North River Pass felt nervous every time. They knew that if North River Pass could not hold, it would be a disaster affecting the entire region.

A flash of lightning, and Meng Chuan landed on the inner city wall.

Meng Chuan was the first to arrive on the wall. Dressed in deep green robes, with his demon-slaying saber at his waist, he looked down at the world entrance below. The thirty-five demon kings were struggling to slowly pass through the world entrance channel.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!

Other Godfiends arrived one after another.

Zhang Yunhu, Liu Qiyue, Mu Qing, Yu Chiyan, Yang Xingwu, Shi Xiu, and Fan Cheng—all seven of them also arrived beside Meng Chuan.

“The world entrance channel itself is dozens of *zhang* deep, and passing through it is hindered by the world's void,” Zhang Yunhu explained. “Although this stable world entrance is large enough to allow Third-Heaven demon kings to enter, a single Third-Heaven demon king can pass through quickly in one breath. But when the maximum of thirty-five Third-Heaven demon kings enter simultaneously, the obstruction is much greater, requiring ten breaths to pass through.”

Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue both nodded.

They were newcomers, but they understood.

The stronger one’s power, the greater the obstruction.

“If just one or two rushed in, we’d kill them effortlessly. But with thirty-five Third-Heaven demon kings entering together, it’s a tough fight,” Zhang Yunhu said with a smile. “According to our established plan, move out.”

“Let’s go.”

“Go kill the demon kings.”

Immediately, they all leaped down from the inner city wall. Meng Chuan glanced at Liu Qiyue, gave a slight nod, and then descended with Zhang Yunhu and Shi Xiu.

Only Liu Qiyue and Fan Cheng remained on the city top. At that moment, two other Godfiend Archers also arrived.

“Senior Sister Liu, Senior Brother Fan.” The two Godfiend Archers were quite humble. They were both Yuanchu Mountain disciples, Indestructible realm Godfiends! However, as archers, their arrows were sufficient to threaten Third-Heaven demon kings.

“I will protect you well,” Fan Cheng said, holding a large shield in one hand and a large hammer in the other.

Boom!

The large shield landed on the city wall ground. Fan Cheng’s true essence permeated the surroundings, and the power of the four elements—earth, fire, water, and wind—formed a hundred-zhang domain around him.

Fan Cheng, having perfected the high-grade Godfiend body, the ‘Four Symbols God Body’, possessed innate divine strength and a profound Godfiend foundation. Skilled with shield and hammer, he alone could withstand ten ordinary Third-Heaven demon kings. With his ‘Four Symbols Domain’, he was naturally the best at protecting others. He was the most crucial link responsible for protecting the Godfiend Archers. Of course, Liu Qiyue herself was also extremely powerful.

“A-Chuan, be careful,” Liu Qiyue said, holding her divine bow, overlooking the scene from the high city wall, silently hoping.

Leaping down from the top of the towering eighty-zhang city wall, six Great Solar realm Godfiends landed below. The ground below was covered in water, looking like a shallow lake, though it was only one and a half *chi* deep.

“Mhm.” Stepping onto the water’s surface, Meng Chuan nodded slightly. So much water was sufficient.

“Everything according to plan,” Zhang Yunhu said.

“Yes,” the other five immediately responded. In wartime, orders must be obeyed; no one could act recklessly.

Meng Chuan, Senior Sister Mu Qing, and Senior Brother Shi Xiu were all on the outer perimeter.

Senior Sister Yang Xingwu, Senior Sister Yu Chiyan, and Senior Brother Zhang Yunhu were being protected.

“Swish, swish, swish.” Countless azure threads rapidly pierced through the void, drawing the power of heaven and earth to converge, making the azure threads multiply until they quickly formed an azure silk domain spanning a *li*. Yang Xingwu had devoted her life to the study of domains, cultivating them to an extremely profound level. Other Godfiends at North River Pass significantly lagged behind her in this aspect. For instance, Zhang Yunhu, Liu Qiyue, and Fan Cheng all possessed domains inherent to their Godfiend bodies, but their domains were smaller in range and had different focuses. Liu Qiyue’s Flame Domain, for example, was primarily for killing enemies and far less effective in assisting allies. Meng Chuan’s Fiendish Qi Domain was similar. Fan Cheng’s Four Symbols Domain, however, excelled at defense!

“They are about to emerge,” Zhang Yunhu said in a low voice.

Meng Chuan also stared intently.

Whether the Godfiends below or the Godfiends and soldiers on the city wall, every single one was incredibly solemn.

“Among the thirty-five demon kings, seven are unfamiliar,” Zhang Yunhu said. “Everyone, be careful.”

Meng Chuan had already reviewed the scrolls; he knew the details of the demon kings they had encountered before, but those they hadn’t fought were unpredictable.

“They’re here.”

Meng Chuan felt his blood boiling, yet his mind remained exceptionally clear.

The moment the thirty-five demon kings simultaneously emerged from the world entrance channel...

“Attack.” At Yang Xingwu’s thought, countless razor-sharp azure threads attacked the demon kings, who skillfully responded.

Three streams of fire shot from the city wall, streaking across the sky, reaching the demon kings in an instant. The large group of Third-Heaven demon kings each employed their own methods: two tree demon kings had countless vines grow from them, a tiger demon king let out a roar that unleashed a black demonic wind, and other demon kings, with a wave of their hands, conjured toxic mist that swept over like dragons. There were also black spikes, and tentacles burrowing into the ground...

In an instant, over ten Third-Heaven demon kings simultaneously unleashed their attacks; only those specialized in close combat held back.

Liu Qiyue’s three long-prepared arrows immediately put the demon kings at a disadvantage, as they had just emerged from the channel and lacked perfect coordination.

A rhino demon king carelessly swatted at an arrow with its massive palm! However, the extremely penetrating arrow pierced an *chi* deep into the rhino demon king’s palm, and flames hissed as they burned. The rhino demon king was surprisingly unable to extinguish the fire, watching as one of its hands was about to be crippled! Moreover, the flames were rapidly spreading towards its body.

As it panicked.

“Boom.”

Zhang Yunhu then threw a short spear with all his might. The spear transformed into a golden streak, distorting the void, moving with eerie speed. Just as the rhino demon’s palm was pierced by the arrow, the spear reached its face. Its remaining left hand tried to block but only met empty air! The short spear, with a *thud*, pierced straight through its skull.

This tough-skinned Third-Heaven rhino demon king died on the spot.

After all, his skill realm was comparable to a Marquis. Zhang Yunhu could easily slay a Third-Heaven demon king given an opportunity.

“Be careful.”

“That archer is Liu Qiyue; she cultivates the Phoenix God Body. Do not let her flames touch you,” the demon kings cautioned. They had intelligence, though they didn't know Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue had arrived at North River Pass. They knew Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue’s general strength and what they excelled at. They also had their portraits.

“Whoosh”

Countless vines and branches grew, spreading to envelop the surroundings.

And black winds howled.

Moreover, layers of tough silken threads formed around the thirty-odd demon kings, and various domain abilities began to take shape. Only at the beginning, with Liu Qiyue’s three sneak attack arrows, while the enemies were unaware of her presence and before their defensive domain abilities had fully formed, could such remarkable effectiveness be achieved.

The three arrows, combined with that spear, resulted in one demon king losing an arm and another losing its life.

“Excellent.” Senior Brother Zhang Yunhu and Senior Sister Mu Qing, among others, showed delight. It was a rare achievement to kill a Third-Heaven demon king right at the initial confrontation. After all, demon kings also cooperated with each other, making it truly difficult to slay one.

“Kill,” Zhang Yunhu commanded.

“Junior Brother Meng, don’t worry, we will help you,” Senior Sister Mu Qing and Senior Brother Shi Xiu transmitted their voices, telling Meng Chuan to relax. They were responsible for protecting Meng Chuan.

Each person was responsible for one side of the three-sided formation.

Mu Qing and Shi Xiu had already mentally prepared themselves to assist Meng Chuan more in his initial battles. He would adapt later.

“Understood.” Meng Chuan was also exceedingly cautious, his Nascent Soul Domain carefully sensing the surroundings as he advanced with the team.

The distance between the human Godfiends and the demon kings was too short.

Almost in the blink of an eye, both sides clashed. Meng Chuan could even hear the demon kings’ breathing, like rolling thunder.

“They’re here, they’re here!” Meng Chuan felt the blood in his body growing hotter, his fighting spirit surging. He gripped his demon-slaying saber, watching the massive demon kings charge towards them.