Chapter 1966: The Times Have Changed

"We're really doomed now!" Ji Dengtu's face turned ashen.

"What's wrong? Didn't Brother Zu have the upper hand just now?" Ji Xiaoxi asked, confused.

Ji Dengtu gave a bitter smile. "No matter how high one's personal cultivation, facing a massive army is different. With the various formations augmenting them, both their offense and defense become incredibly terrifying. It's a well-known fact that cultivators are usually countered by large armies, unless they're as powerful as Zhao Hao, who can largely disregard them. But this army under the War Priest... it's clearly not an ordinary army."

Even from a distance, he could feel the suffocating pressure.

The aura emanating from each soldier was close to that of an Eighth Rank master in this world, and the generals were all Grandmasters or above. How could such a powerful army exist in the world?

The most elite armies in this world usually have soldiers of only around Fourth Rank strength, and many aren't even cultivators—they're merely courageous. After all, once someone breaks through to the Fifth Rank, many choose to become minor officials in local areas. Who would remain a common soldier in the army?

Yet, this army before them was composed entirely of soldiers at Eighth Rank or above. How could they possibly fight this?

"Ah, then Brother Zu is in danger!" Ji Xiaoxi immediately became extremely worried. "Father, why don't we use poison to help him?"

Although poison wasn't very effective against top experts, it was perfectly suited for area-of-effect attacks.

Ji Dengtu shook his head slightly. "It's difficult to administer poison in this situation. Furthermore, these soldiers don't seem to be living beings; poison would likely be ineffective against them."

"What do we do then?" Ji Xiaoxi was so anxious she nearly jumped.

Ji Dengtu gazed deeply at Zu An's back. "We can only see if that young man has any other tricks up his sleeve." From the moment they met, this young man had given him too many pleasant surprises. He wondered if there was still some new method he hadn't revealed.

At this moment, Zu An surveyed the oppressive black mass of soldiers. "Is this your domain?" He was also assessing the army's status. Unfortunately, they weren't undead creatures, which would have made dealing with them much easier. He wondered how the War Priest had formed such a powerful domain. At the same same level, with such a formidable army, wouldn't enemies be at their mercy?

"Domain? So that's what you call it in this world. No matter. As the War Priest, countless worlds, races, and nations pray to me whenever there's a war. I bless them with victory, and in return, I collect a portion of their soul power. After countless years, I've forged this invincible army formation."

The War Priest was in no hurry to attack. He gazed at his magnificent and imposing army, filled with immense pride. It was his greatest creation, and not being able to show it off would be like wearing splendid robes in the dark.

"So, a wicked god," Zu An secretly acknowledged. In his memories, Eastern civilizations would often make offerings to the heavens and pray to the Celestial Emperor before battles, while Western cultures had goddesses or gods of war. He had never heard of a "War Priest" before; it must be a being worshipped in some unknown world. What exactly was it, then? A god?

"You dare offend me? I'll make you taste the pain of being trampled by a thousand armies and ten thousand horses!" The War Priest snorted coldly. The middle of his three hands produced a flag, which he waved towards Zu An.

The previously silent army on the ground immediately roared to life. Cavalry on both flanks began to charge, while the infantry phalanxes in the center lowered their spears and started running rapidly. Their footsteps made the ground tremble, and the sheer scale of the momentum was enough to drive any enemy to despair.

Ji Dengtu's face turned pale. Shielding his daughter behind him, he said in a deep voice, "Xiaoxi, I'll see if there's a chance to send you out of this realm in a moment. If there is, run as fast as you can, don't look back. Once you're out, find your aunt; she'll take care of you." As the academy's Second Master, how could he not possess some hidden trump cards? But these methods came at the cost of his life.

Sensing his almost final instructions, Ji Xiaoxi hastily said, "Father, if we go, we go together."

Seeing his daughter's anxious expression, Ji Dengtu was greatly relieved that she wasn't just thinking of that young man named Zu; she still remembered him, her father. "Be good, Xiaoxi. In this situation, it's a blessing if even one of us can escape. Don't waste the opportunity that both Zu An and your father are fighting for. Take the information about this place back to the human race so they can prepare."

Fearing his daughter might be too emotional to run later, Ji Dengtu specifically added the importance of their race's greater good. Sure enough, Ji Xiaoxi immediately felt the heavy weight on her shoulders. Her eyes blurred with tears, and she bit her lip, nodding firmly. "Yes, I will take the information out!"

At that moment, the War Priest in the sky burst into laughter. "Trying to escape? No one can leave my invincible army formation!" The entire space was his domain; naturally, nothing that happened within it could escape his notice.

"Hmph, I'd like to try." Ji Dengtu took a deep breath, a determined glint flashing in his eyes. His aura began to steadily rise.

Just then, Zu An's voice interrupted him. "Let me go first." He could see that Ji Dengtu's current state was off, much like how Chu Yan had used a forbidden move to perish with her enemy back then. Why do cultivators in this world all possess similar suicidal methods? Do they all have a death wish? He had been able to save Chu Yan when she used such a method, but how could he save a man like Ji Dengtu?

Ji Dengtu paused, then, sensing the calmness in Zu An's tone, he subconsciously nodded. "All right, you go first."

By this point, the massive army had already covered more than half the distance, and it wouldn't be long before it completely overwhelmed them.

Zu An nodded slightly, then gazed at the surging army. "You're still fighting wars in such an archaic way, yet you dare call yourself a War Priest? Times have changed, my friend!"

The moment he finished speaking, golden ripples suddenly appeared in the sky behind him. Then, an array of unusually shaped weapons slowly materialized from these golden waves. Ji Dengtu and his daughter looked bewildered. What kind of weapons were these? Why were their shapes so strange? And why did the row of things that looked like carriages have so many cylindrical tubes at the back, like firework launchers?

The Divine Weapon Manual could materialize and simulate all sorts of weapons Zu An had ever seen. Unfortunately for his opponent, having had television and the internet in his previous life, Zu An had seen far too many modern weapons.

Rows of Katyusha launchers fired in unison, thousands of rockets streaking skyward with trails of flame, illuminating the formerly dim sky with brilliant light.

The War Priest's expression shifted. He hastily waved his flag. There were clearly formation masters within the charging army below, as a pale blue light shield quickly appeared above the troops. Countless rockets slammed into the shield, exploding into dazzling fireworks. Unfortunately, no matter how many rockets hit it, the blue light shield, though it wavered slightly, remained as stable as a mountain.

The War Priest laughed heartily. "To think this world possesses methods of a technological civilization! What a pity, such a backward tech tree can never contend with my invincible army."

Zu An's expression also showed a hint of surprise. From the War Priest's tone, it seemed he had encountered technological civilizations before. Perhaps his previous assumption that he had merely transmigrated like in a novel was wrong. Could Earth also exist in this universe, just one of countless worlds? Had he simply been transported to this world for some reason, rather than truly transmigrating? Could he still have a chance to return to Earth? His heart suddenly pounded with excitement. Facing the War Priest's mockery, he remained completely unfazed.

"Father, what are those strange birds in the clouds?"

Ji Dengtu looked up and saw only dark, peculiar-shaped birds vaguely appearing and disappearing in the clouds, seemingly crafted entirely from special steel. "Are those the War Priest's subordinates? No, wait, they seem to be heading straight for his army!"

B-2 bombers. One by one, bunker-buster bombs were released. Bunker-busters were designed to target military objectives hidden in fortified bunkers dozens of meters underground. By concentrating their force on a single point, they were perfect for breaking through large defensive light shields like this one.

The War Priest clearly sensed the danger and hastily waved his flag, directing the army below to counter-attack and prevent the bunker-busters from approaching. Countless streaks of magic power shot into the sky, destroying the airborne bunker-busters one by one. They even began to retaliate, shooting down many B-2 bombers from the sky. Unfortunately, there were simply too many bombers in the sky, and the number of bunker-busters they dropped was countless.

Finally, some bunker-busters broke through their interception net and successfully reached the defensive light shield. The bunker-busters spun rapidly, causing the blue light shield to tremble faintly. However, this powerful army's defensive shield was indeed formidable. After the bunker-busters lost their momentum and fully exploded, the shield merely shuddered, showing no signs of damage.

Just as the War Priest was about to mock them, his eyes suddenly narrowed, as many more bunker-busters appeared. As if they cost nothing!

Countless bunker-busters struck the defensive light shield, and the entire shield finally began to shake violently. Eventually, countless bunker-busters exploded, and a crack appeared in one part of the shield, which then began to shatter into pieces. The entire defensive shield gradually vanished.

Zu An breathed a sigh of relief. It was a pity he hadn't been a military enthusiast in his previous life; his knowledge of modern weaponry was insufficient, which led him to materialize antiquated World War II relics like the Katyusha. While they would be effective against a normal army, this army was simply too powerful, and its various counter-attack and defensive measures were no less sophisticated than those of a modern army. In their brief exchange, the enemy had already destroyed a large number of B-2 bombers and his rocket artillery positions.

Fortunately, the Divine Weapon Manual allowed him to produce vast quantities of weapons at extremely low cost. Moreover, these weapons completely obeyed his will, eliminating any concerns about casualties. He didn't waste the opportunity. As soon as the defensive shield was breached and before the formation masters inside could reorganize their formations, he unleashed a torrent of thermobaric bombs, cluster bombs, and more—he materialized every type of weapon he had seen while scrolling through a certain video platform.

Inside the vanished shield, countless flashes of fire and surges of heat erupted. In that instant, the entire army formation transformed into a veritable inferno. Many formation masters were instantly obliterated. Normally, army formation masters were protected at the very core of the ranks, but Zu An had disregarded conventional tactics, launching an attack directly from the air and precisely "decapitating" the entire formation master team.

Without the formation masters' augmentations, what remained was a one-sided slaughter. Countless Katyusha rockets rained down on the army, and armed helicopters deployed to begin strafing. Gatlings of Great Mercy, Maxims that Save Lives!

The army, which had been incredibly powerful just moments ago, was annihilated in the blink of an eye.

The War Priest: "???"

(End of chapter)