Chapter 196 – If the Jianghai Sword God Doesn't Act, Jianghai City Will Be Destroyed

Meanwhile.

On the main battlefield below the border,

The sky was a bloody struggle, and beneath the city walls was also a bloody struggle!

A vast beast tide surged forth, madly crashing against the edges of the City Defense Array.

The ground was piled high with the corpses of star beasts.

Savage hordes trampled over mountains of corpses and seas of blood, climbing to the summit, recklessly charging against the starry curtain until their skulls shattered.

Red and white brain matter splattered everywhere.

Not even death could make them retreat momentarily!

Roar—

A deafening roar echoed through the sky, igniting a ferocious bloodlust as countless star beasts fell.

But soon, they returned with renewed vigor…

Time and again, they charged with their bodies!

Repeated like this multiple times, the City Defense Array was on the verge of collapse, emitting a mournful chime like the evening bell of a mountain temple!

“An imbalance gap detected in the northern corner! Reinforcements to the front!”

“Star beasts descending from the western sky!”

“Long-range cluster rockets, loading in progress—”

Deafening roars reverberated along the city walls, where busy figures bustled about, holding guns and cannons, their firepower illuminating the night sky above the walls.

Crimson clouds drifted past,

The silent midnight began to boil…

People formed ranks with their guns, unleashing a barrage of bullets,

Boom—

The thunderous roar of cannons echoed,

But it was far from enough!

With the appearance of the Emperor-Level Star Beast, the efficiency of the artillery had begun to wane… The hordes of beasts strode forward proudly, like a black tide crashing against the shore, bursting into waves of flesh and blood…

On the city walls, everyone looked down at the beasts before the array, their hearts heavy with bitterness.

There was no other way…

There were simply too many!

Now, more and more star beasts swarmed the scene.

After several rounds of intense screening, the weaker star beasts had long perished. Those that could withstand the main cannons and reach the edges… were all elite among the star beasts.

Even if they couldn’t break through the City Defense Array, the repeated collisions inflicted significant wear and tear!

The array formation was limitless.

But humans had their limits…

Li Daoming, serving as the sustaining Array Eye, was depleting his spiritual energy at an alarming rate. After the devastation wrought by the Black Roc, few members of the Li Family who could stand guard on the city walls remained by his side.

Now, standing beside him…

Only Elder Li remained!

Crack—

Cracks appeared and were mended one after another.

In just a few seconds, the City Defense Array had teetered on the brink of imbalance multiple times!

“There are too many star beasts…”

Li Daoming traced faint array lines with his fingers, his spiritual energy depleted and his mind foggy. He turned to Elder Li beside him and asked:

“How much longer can you hold on?”

“It’s fine…”

Elder Li replied somberly, steadying his breath slightly and avoiding eye contact. “Behind us are the citizens of Jianghai. The city must not fall. With the perseverance of a swordsman, this old man can endure!”

“Thank you for your efforts.”

Li Daoming tugged at his fingertips, mending a disappearing array line as dizziness clouded his mind even more.

He opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn’t say what was on his mind.

In truth.

Maintaining the array formation wasn’t just a matter of endurance!

As the Array Eye, he bore the brunt of immense spiritual pressure draining him. There was no guarantee he wouldn’t go mad soon, becoming a mindless fool!

And worse still.

If he were to lose his mind, what would happen to Jianghai?

The City Defense Array would collapse instantly, and thousands of star beasts would flood into the city. The entire Jianghai would likely become a feast for the star beasts!!

But just as these thoughts crossed his mind.

Suddenly!

An unusual commotion arose from the city walls!

The clanging of footsteps grew incessant.

Elder Li and Li Daoming followed the sound, their pupils contracting sharply as they witnessed a scene both tragic and unforgettable.

There, beside the battlements.At the edge of the city wall, several Star Warriors brandished swords and spears, leaping down in unison as if descending from the heavens with an army of thousands, charging straight into the ferocious Star Beasts below!

“Blade Lure Tactics!”

They formed a human wall.

With Star Power imbued in their blades, they provoked the Star Beasts, drawing them all away from the frontlines to alleviate the pressure on the city’s defensive formation.

It was nothing short of madness!

But…

On the city wall, more and more Star Warriors descended to the front, voluntarily sharing the burden of the city’s defensive star barrier, curbing the Beast Tide’s momentum.

Wave after wave of Star Beasts scattered, chasing the decoys into the distant mountains like shooting stars vanishing into the ranges.

With Lin Mofeng fighting fiercely in the sky, they could no longer stand by idly and watch—they had joined the city’s defense.

…The battle for Jianghai was far more brutal than anticipated!

Though outnumbered by thousands, I march forth undaunted.

………

Meanwhile.

High above in the night sky spanning thousands of miles,

starlight draped like twilight,

Hum!

Li Zixuan gripped her Longsword, standing firm in mid-air. The sea of clouds had cleared, leaving not a wisp of mist behind.

Three strikes of the Draw Sword Art had been unleashed.

Such Emperor-Rank Martial Arts possessed immense power.

But at the same time!

The consumption was equally colossal!!

After a single strike,

the Star Power within her surged like a receding tide, depleting most of it in an instant…

Even for a Sword Dao prodigy like herself, using it was exhausting—far from achieving her master’s effortless grace, who wielded the sword as easily as drinking water.

“Zi Xuan, can you hold on?” Li Qinghe cautiously scanned their surroundings while maneuvering the Big Dipper Seven Stars Array. “That Emperor-Level Star Beast is hiding. We mustn’t let our guard down.”

“This is some kind of Emperor-Level secret technique. The beast is trying to wear us down to death…” Lin Mofeng added, standing back-to-back with the Commander, his gaze fixed on their surroundings. “Everyone, stay alert—don’t fall into its trap.”

………

Beneath the starlight,

the surroundings remained pitch-black…

Not a thing was visible beyond ten meters, as if they were trapped in an abyssal darkness.

The Emperor-Level Star Beast twisted its body, its feathers weaving through the night, agile and elusive, transforming into an untraceable specter lurking within the shadows.

Unhurried and deliberate.

It merely bided its time,

now flickering into view, now vanishing without a trace.

Within this domain, everything lay within its killing range.

“These humans are doomed to die!”

………

………

Inside Jianghai City,

“According to the latest frontline reports, the Beast Tide’s scale is being reassessed as… hell-grade… All citizens…”

The car radio crackled intermittently,

the host’s voice hoarse.

Faintly tinged with sobs.

Beep—

Traffic on the roads ground to a halt. People stepped out of their vehicles simultaneously, gazing toward the city wall where raging flames soared into the sky, illuminating the night.

News of Jianghai’s battle had spread far and wide through multiple broadcasts, reaching everyone’s ears.

It tugged at the heartstrings of every citizen in the city. More people organized spontaneously—women, children, and the elderly took to the streets, praying for the soldiers on the frontlines…

“Safety… ancestors protect them, keep them safe…”

“You must win!!”

“Jianghai will prevail!!!”

People prayed together,

In the face of disaster, humanity felt as insignificant as blades of grass.

Now, with the appearance of an Emperor-Level Star Beast, it signaled an escalation of the Beast Tide, far surpassing any previous calamity in Jianghai’s history.

Jianghai’s defenses were slowly crumbling with each passing moment!

Just then.

]

Whoosh—

A sudden gale swept through the streets!People looked up toward the sky.

Above their heads,

more Star Warriors surged toward the city wall, light as swallows, sweeping over the viaduct and gathering outside the city in unison.

Clad in armor or holding self-made crude cannons and clumsy short blades…

“Brothers! Everyone, get ready!”

“A fight to the death outside the city tonight, for all the citizens!!!”

“Jianghai will prevail!”

These Star Warriors marched shoulder to shoulder, shouting in unison.

They were ordinary people.

Their ages varied—portly middle-aged men, young students, individuals from all walks of life…

They were merely lone cultivators who had once retreated in fear, hiding in the corners of rented rooms… evading Jianghai’s call to arms.

But now,

the brutal scene in the suburbs had moved them, and they rushed toward the city gates together.

……

……

Fuhai Villa District.

Unlike the clamor of the city center, the streets were tranquil. Several patrol teams walked outside the streets, steadily maintaining order and preventing anyone from breaking in.

At home.

The TV screen flickered, broadcasting the live footage.

“Master, aren’t you going to make a move yet?”

On the sofa,

Xiaobai nestled in Qin Yang’s arms, looking up at him: “Your two disciples have entered the domain—they might lose their lives, you know!”

As she spoke, she turned to look at the TV.

On the screen,

beneath the city wall, humans and beasts clashed, while high above, an endless, silent darkness encroached. Li Zixuan had plunged into the dark domain, vanishing from the camera’s view long ago.

Not a trace of life remained…

“I can’t see anything. Is this the secret technique domain of that giant roc?”

Xiaobai hopped off the sofa, walked to the screen, and watched for a while, flicking her tail: “Master, your two foolish disciples have entered the domain. If you don’t act soon, they’ll…”

Before she could finish,

“Don’t rush.”

Qin Yang slowly opened his eyes, soothing Xiaobai’s agitation, his demeanor still composed: “Trying to kill my disciples is not so simple a matter.”

………….

At the same time.

High in the sky,

Whoosh—

The air currents churned chaotically, visible wind trails rippling through.

“Truly a bunch of ants.”

The Black Roc hovered above the four, as if transcending them, his eyes filled with mockery as he looked down.

After the earlier exertion,

these humans had reached their limits, teetering on the brink, soon to plummet to the ground.

And he hadn’t even used his full strength yet!

“Feeble humans!”

The Emperor-Level Star Beast spread its wings, its yellow pupils shifting and settling on Li Zixuan, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief.

Admittedly,

that human’s sword draw earlier was truly formidable!

Caught off guard, he had nearly stumbled!

But no matter how powerful the martial art, it still required a foundation of Star Power to sustain it.

With his Grandmaster late-stage strength, relying on his abundant Star Power, he could simply wear her down! Now, the situation was gradually clearing, the scales of victory tipping—almost entirely in his favor.

“However, why is that Sword God still hiding?!”

The Black Roc circled in the air, sensing the nearby aura, frowning slightly.

No powerful presence…

He had come on a mission, determined to eradicate the Sword God and eliminate the Divine Sect’s lingering threat once and for all, yet he still hadn’t shown himself.

Dragging it out this long had long since worn thin his patience.

“Fine, if he refuses to come out, I’ll just play you all to death!”

The Emperor-Level Star Beast contracted the dark domain, preparing to continue crushing Li Zixuan and the others…

……

Just then.A cold voice echoed for thousands of miles.

Suddenly resounding in its ear.

“Stop playing around.”

“Venerable?!”

The Emperor-Level Star Beast was abruptly startled and quickly withdrew its attack, only to hear the response once more in its ear.

“No need to hold back…”

“Since Jianghai Sword God refuses to show himself, then kill them all!”

(End of Chapter)