Chapter 364 – The Rising Tianyuan Generals

Sophia, along with scouts from the two major factions of elves and giants, had relayed intelligence from the front lines. The marching direction of the monster army had shifted slightly, with the vast majority of the horde and war machines heading straight toward Tianyuan Territory.

From the very beginning, the enemy’s target had been Tianyuan City.

For overlords like Jackal Fang, capturing Wolfhead Mountain and capturing Tianyuan City held entirely different significance. Moreover… although Tianyuan City possessed more city defense weapons and structures, the city was far larger than a fortress and held no particular geographical advantages. Attacking Tianyuan City would be easier than assaulting Wolfhead Mountain.

Their previous feint toward Wolfhead Mountain was merely to conceal their true intention—that Tianyuan City was already in their sights.

Now, the situation had changed.

“This is troublesome.The two Legendary Realm figures from the elf and giant factions exchanged glances, both finding the situation tricky.

Tianyuan Territory had repelled the sneak-attacking monster legends, yet the crisis still loomed. The vast Tianyuan City was like a small boat in turbulent waves, at risk of capsizing at any moment.

Compared to their initial campaign strategy, they were now far too passive and constrained.

However, from the moment the monster overlords launched their assault, they had already lost the initiative.

“Regardless, we have no other choice now.”

…

The skirmish outside Tianyuan City subsided in the blink of an eye.

The slaughter in an unnamed swamp in the Wilderness also ended silently.

Yet, across multiple regions in the Wilderness, major battles erupted, with terrifying auras of the Legendary Realm rising. The legendary monsters that scouts had previously been unable to locate now appeared one after another.

Their targets were the elite squads operating in the Wilderness, tasked with sniping and destroying war machines.

“The enemy is exploiting timing differences.”

“What they fear is Dolai, but Dolai has already revealed its presence in Tianyuan City. At this point, their legendary units can act without restraint.”

Mu Yuan pondered.

He also found the situation somewhat tricky.

These monster overlords were completely different from the foolish monsters he had dealt with before. They were cautious and knew how to utilize any intelligence they had gathered.

Dolai was already an exposed trump card.

However…

He now possessed far more than just one trump card.

He sent a message to Dolai, “Pursue them! Sophia has already locked onto two legendary targets for you!”

Dolai excelled at large-scale monster annihilation, but it wasn’t suited for city defense. Not that it couldn’t defend a city, but if Dolai were to do so, both the city and the monsters would be obliterated—even the water mirror barrier couldn’t withstand it.

Having Dolai actively hunt enemies aligned better with strategic needs.

Dolai could destroy hordes of monsters with area-of-effect attacks while pursuing targets.

What environment was most suitable for Dolai’s capabilities?

Answer: One filled with enemies and devoid of allies!

At equivalent levels, Dolai’s speed was second only to Asun. In its ‘medalized wings’ state, its flight speed could leave Deadbone in the dust, truly worthy of being called Tianyuan’s top aerial expert.

It could easily catch up to monster legends.

Any exposed monster legends would be marked one by one by Sophia, as long as creation crows were present in the nearby area.

“Go, Dolai! I choose you!”

…Through the Spirit of the Hawk, witnessing Dolai riding the gale and rushing towards the location of their elven scouts, the elven legend Mirena let out a long sigh of relief.

Suddenly, she felt a pang of shame.

She had been weighing whether to lend a hand to Tianyuan Territory. When she ordered her scouts to snipe and spy, she had always emphasized hiding their tracks and prioritizing their own safety. Yet…

When urgent reports came from various regions, and all elite squads were being hunted by legends, Tianyuan Territory’s strongest warrior had unhesitatingly taken the risk to strike, choosing to rescue their Nature’s Garden elite squad first.

Even though Tianyuan Territory’s own elite squads were undoubtedly in crisis at this very moment.

Is this the magnanimity of the human Tianyuan!

…

In a certain part of the Wilderness, a Gnoll Legend appeared, standing over six meters tall and wielding a massive Wolf Tooth Hammer.

Dark crimson bloodlight flowed over his body, spreading outwards and staining the surrounding grass, trees, soil, stones, and even the sky with a bloody hue.

His Aura was as profound as an abyss; the very breath he exhaled became a violent storm.

He was a great, proud, and overwhelmingly powerful Gnoll Legend!

However, this Gnoll Legend was now staring with his enormous crimson eyes, pupils filled with fear and disbelief.

He lowered his head slightly.

In front of his chest, a tiny human, barely over two meters tall, maintained a punching posture. The fierce and domineering force of the punch had torn through his armor, fur, and Flesh, blasting a nearly one-meter-wide hole through his entire chest.

Through this gaping hole, one could see the distant land torn open into a massive trench, and further away, a mountain peak with a crescent-shaped gap.

“This… this is impossible.”

The elite squads of humans, elves, and giants were indeed composed of top-tier experts among the Fourth Order. They possessed power surpassing ordinary Fourth Order beings, moving without a trace, making it difficult for the common Gnolls to surround and kill them.

Thus, as one of the Jackal Fang’s Legendary Realm experts, he had locked onto his target and struck fiercely.

He grinned ferociously; he was the hunter, and he would tear his prey apart and devour them.

But,

the moment he made his move, he was detected by a human girl with a large white tail. The human girl transformed into a giant wolf, actually withstanding a blow from his Wolf Tooth Hammer without dying.

Immediately after, a Human Strongman roared with excitement, staring at him as if he had spotted some beautiful female jackal. The next moment, the strongman’s body erupted with red, steaming Qi, and the shadow of a roaring Dragon loomed behind him. He charged forth like a Meteor, breaking through the newly spread Domain, shredding the energy and everything blocking his path.

In the end, this fierce, invincible, and domineering punch pierced straight through him.

“Is this fucking Fourth Order?!”

The Gnoll Legend, unable to rest in peace, felt his consciousness sink into the Dark Abyss.

Before his consciousness faded, only one thought remained: Had their Jackal Fang’s assessment of the human forces been… just a tiny bit off?

“Huff—”

Uta exhaled a turbid breath, the steaming Qi around his body began to dissipate, and the violent Aura that raged like stormy waves gradually subsided, returning to normal… or slightly below normal levels.

“This Gnoll Legend wasn’t very durable.”

He scratched his head.He had been quite excited, ready to unleash his full power for an exhilarating physical brawl with the Gnoll Legend. This Legendary Realm expert clearly excelled in physical strength and power—exactly his favorite type.

Unexpectedly, this Gnoll Legend could only withstand a single blow from him.

“Perhaps this Legendary Realm expert is just weak? Dead Bone Boss also said close combat is our most likely way to challenge Legendary Realm foes.”

Rakshasa spoke.

Their generals now practiced the ‘Limit Cultivation Method’ and cultivation techniques obtained from the Hall of Knowledge, placing them at the absolute peak among Fourth Order experts. Their understanding of the Legendary Realm was no longer as limited as it had been months ago.

To deal with Legendary experts, one must be fast, precise, and ruthless.

The most suitable method was to disguise themselves as prey to lure Legendary Realm experts into attacking, creating the perfect hunting opportunity.

This was what defined a true master hunter.

Sickle Moon reverted to her wolf-girl form, glancing at the Gnoll Legend: So violent. No matter what, she would never agree to Uta’s sparring requests in the future. Too terrifying for a wolf, awoo.

She skillfully conducted a body search—a technique she’d mastered while traveling north with Sophia.

But…

“There’s so little in the storage ring.”

“The exceptional-grade armor he wore is shattered too. The most valuable item is this large spiked club… For a Legendary expert, he’s really poor.”

“What should we do next?”

Sickle Moon looked at Uta, then immediately shifted her gaze away in disdain. She was confident her brains were slightly superior to this muscle-brained guy.

She then looked at Rakshasa.

Rakshasa was the barely-brained one among the three, but his intellect wasn’t sufficient for sharp and accurate situational judgment.

Fortunately, Lord Mu would intervene.

The mental link spread like a vast net, meticulously gathering information from all directions. Everything observed by the created Black Crows’ eyes—creatures and terrain—was simultaneously transmitted to his vision.

Countless images and messages continuously converged in Mu Yuan’s mind, gradually forming a strategic map encompassing hundreds of miles around Tianyuan Territory.

He inquired about their individual conditions.

Uta grinned, his teeth gleaming in the sunlight, “No problems here. I’m in excellent condition. Just thinking about continuing physical combat with Legendary monsters makes my heart and blood burn with excitement.”

Mu Yuan: “…”

Uta wasn’t completely problem-free, but his ‘Flesh Shackles’ skill proficiency was already very high. After severing all shackles, he could voluntarily and prematurely relock them all.

As long as his shackle-severing duration wasn’t too long, he wouldn’t completely lose combat capability.

His current state had declined, but if he severed all shackles again, he could temporarily return to peak condition for several seconds or even over ten seconds.

“Given the right opportunity and location, Uta isn’t incapable of slaying another ordinary Legendary expert.”

“However, if Uta were alone…”

He might not return.

Mu Yuan assigned Rakshasa as Uta’s teammate, ordering them to advance to zone B25 to support the giant squad. Rakshasa’s mission was to retrieve Uta in time if he was about to die.

Sickle Moon was dispatched to another location.

Simultaneously, Tianyuan Experts like Xiliu, Asun, and Red Robe were also directed to specific zones under his meticulous command.

“What about me? What about me?”Shen Linglong could tell that Tianyuan had unique intelligence-gathering methods, far more efficient than the elves and giants who relied on tools for potentially delayed one-on-one communication.

Communication artifacts were already quite rare. If the elite squad’s experts were engaged in intense combat or fleeing for their lives, they might not even be able to transmit any messages back.

Moreover, with energy surging up from numerous regions at this moment, the entire world was thrown into chaotic disarray.

If initially, Legendary Realm experts could vaguely sense the situation at Tianyuan City over two hundred kilometers to the south, now even if major battles erupted outside Tianyuan City, those in the Legendary Realm would perceive nothing.

The whole world was in turmoil, with surging energy tides visible everywhere. Elemental particles gathered to form colorful ribbons drifting across the sky.

Earlier, Elf Mirena and Giant Asoro from Wolfhead Mountain had hurried toward the distance to assist their evacuating elite squads.

Shen Linglong naturally wanted to fight too. She brandished her over-two-meter-long giant halberd with eager grunts, thirsting for battle.

“Don’t rush. There will be plenty of fighting opportunities later,” Mu Yuan said.

However, Shen Linglong wasn’t one of his troops, so this reasoning couldn’t persuade her.

He paused before continuing, “Right now, Wolfhead Mountain and Tianyuan Territory only have you, Linglong Lord, as the remaining Legendary expert. If you leave too, our fortress will be in great danger. You are a crucial force in defending this stronghold.”

Venturing out at this moment carried significant risks.

He was already deeply grateful that Shen Linglong had come to assist in defending the city. How could he ask her to take on such great danger again?

It wasn’t that he doubted Shen Linglong’s capabilities.

Even though Shen Linglong was newly advanced to the Legendary Realm, as a member of the Taixuan Alliance, she must have utilized some of the Alliance’s secret realms and training grounds.

Similar training ground access passes could be exchanged for many types on the Taixuan Covenant Platform.

However, most lords wouldn’t spend large amounts of Contribution Points on such exchanges.

The improvements gained from cultivation, training, and treasure land blessings were too minimal. Lords would far rather spend that money purchasing outstanding-grade remnant souls or exchanging for treasures and potions that aid in breaking through realms.

Only when lords and generals had reached the Fourth Order limit with no further progress possible would they spend money on “training improvements.”

With such additional enhancements and her status as a lord, Shen Linglong likely wasn’t much weaker than epic-lifeforms of the same level.

However, Shen Linglong’s combat style was wide-open and aggressive, possessing a recklessness similar to Bone Two’s. She might be quite capable in fighting, but not as adept at fleeing.

She still had over a hundred elite troops who could form an incomplete war soul, but the advantage of the war soul needed to be used at critical moments.

Mu Yuan convinced Shen Linglong with various reasons.

“But many of your generals are still outside, aren’t they?” she said.

Mu Yuan didn’t deny it, pausing before responding, “I’ve organized them into teams. Besides, my Tianyuan generals are well-versed in the spirit of steadiness and the Tianyuan Will. They’ll evacuate safely without issues. Take Sickle Moon, for example—she runs faster than ordinary Legendary Realm experts. You can’t deny that.”

Sickle Moon was extremely fast, her full-speed bursts only second to Asun’s.

She coordinated with Red Robe and Xiliu.

Asun stood ready at all times to assist Uta and Rakshasa.

Both teams could escape without much difficulty.

However, there was one thing Mu Yuan didn’t mention: his elite squad wasn’t rapidly withdrawing like the elves and giants’ squads. His squad were hunters.They might only be able to briefly contend with the Legendary Realm or unleash power slightly surpassing it, but when utilized effectively, their efficiency in slaying legends could surpass that of legendary beings themselves.

……

Somewhere over two hundred kilometers outside Tianyuan City.

“Huff… huff…”

Several elven experts were panting heavily, leaping rapidly across mountain ridges.

Around them, hundreds of flying monsters were swiftly closing in for the kill, with at least a dozen Fourth Order BOSS-level monsters hidden among them, continuously launching attacks.

Within moments, the elven experts suffered more severe casualties.

All of them were Peak Fourth Order experts, each mastering at least four Advanced skills and one special talent. Individually, they possessed the combat prowess to swiftly eliminate ordinary Fourth Order opponents within ten moves. Under normal circumstances, they could have broken through the encirclement.

However, they had recently been ambushed by a Snakemen Legend, leaving two on the brink of death and the remaining four with minor injuries.

Their life-saving artifacts had been exhausted during the Snakemen Legend’s pursuit.

Had they abandoned the critically injured from the start, escape might have been possible, but now…

Tilly was a member of this elite squad. She shot down a flying monster with an arrow, only for a beam of light to suddenly streak toward her. She dodged awkwardly, but another blade attack followed, adding two more wounds to her face and arm.

Her injuries were accumulating.

Their room to evade was shrinking, and they were completely surrounded from all directions. Despair crept into her heart.

Suddenly—

Hum—

The sky darkened.

Daylight seemed to transform into absolute darkness in an instant. The darkness robbed them of their vision, and their hearing faded away, only to return the next moment.

The monsters surrounding them, however, suddenly fell into chaos, as if blinded.

“Nethercrow… Storm.”

A low murmur echoed.

They saw a figure treading a pitch-black Dao, emerging from the lightless horizon. Black feathers drifted down on both sides, as if heralding the arrival of a noble presence.

In the sky, countless black feathers fell like a rain of plumage.

The next moment, the black feathers transformed into black crows, the crows stirred up a storm, and the storm tore through the heavens.

Monsters were ripped apart, ignited by black flames, falling from the sky and rapidly turning to ash.

The horde of monsters encircling the elves was torn open in the blink of an eye.

“What are you waiting for?”

Tilly and the other elves snapped out of their daze, well aware that hesitation was not an option. They swiftly broke through the opening with their comrades.

“Continue along the mountain range ahead. There will be reinforcements waiting.”

Sophia said.

Tilly asked, “What about you?”

“I still have a mission.”

Sophia strode forward.

Gritting their teeth, Tilly and the others charged toward the darkest horizon.

Her form appeared blurred in their eyes, like a hastily sketched ink drawing, yet she spread her arms wide, unleashing a terrifying black storm.

Alone, she held back the monster horde, which included over a dozen Fourth Order BOSSes and numerous Third and Second Order creatures.

Sophia surveyed everything within the blackened sky.

The monsters were already adapting to the darkness and, under the command of intelligent BOSSes, were gradually diminishing the Nethercrow Storm.

Sophia pondered, “If given some time…”

She had the capability to annihilate this entire flock of flying monsters, including the dozen or so BOSSes among them.

However…No need, it’s not worth it. This isn’t my mission.

The previous ‘Nocturne of the Night’ and ‘Nethercrow Storm’ had already drained a significant amount of her energy. She still had hundreds of created Black Crows out there, requiring her constant control and maintenance.

Controlling the Black Crows and keeping a close watch on the enemy’s movements—that was what she should be doing.

She glanced beyond the sky, and the Black Crows faithfully transmitted their vision.

Tilly and the others had already fled far away.

Sophia nodded slightly, turned around, and vanished into the night.

…

“Huff… huff…!”

Excessive energy consumption and less than ten percent of her stamina left made Tilly feel utterly exhausted.

She couldn’t help but glance back.

She saw neither the horde of monsters nor that mysterious black figure.

“She must be one of Tianyuan’s generals.”

“Tianyuan Territory has several powerful generals. I wonder which one she is.”

Sophia was alone.

But having witnessed the prowess of Tianyuan’s generals, Tilly felt an inexplicable confidence that Sophia could easily shake off the enemy’s pursuit.

This was the might of a Tianyuan General!

Below the Legendary Realm, even the strongest of their Nature’s Garden, the Seeds of Legend, would likely not even rank in the top five if they went to Tianyuan Territory.

“I wonder how Lady Mirena is doing.”

“Lady Mirena is a Legendary Realm existence. Surely, she’ll be fine.”

Tilly thought to herself.

…

A few minutes earlier, the elven legend Mirena had timely intercepted Tilly and the other fleeing elven elites.

She confronted the Serpentfolk Legend.

She was an anomaly among elves, unskilled in archery but masterful in swordplay. Her fighting style could hardly be called elegant; the so-called ‘Pure White Sword Blossoms’ was merely a graceful title she had given herself.

As she swung her sword, sharp gusts of sword wind swirled around her.

Her Sword Domain hummed.

She slashed, she struck in rapid succession, her assault like a sudden storm, “Die, die, die, die, die, die, you bastard, just die!!”

The Serpentfolk Legend’s Domain trembled, blood blossoms blooming across his body.

He was clearly at a disadvantage.

There was a significant disparity in combat power between the two.

The Serpentfolk Legend showed no fear: “I have countless powerful reinforcements. What do you have?”

Monsters swarmed from all around.

And above the monsters, a Legendary Realm existence strode through the air, a faint draconic aura emanating from him.

This was a Dragonkin Monster Legend.

He spread his massive membranous wings, pillars of fire within his Domain shooting into the sky. His draconic might erupted violently, as if a dragon were roaring beside their ears, each sound reverberating fiercely.

Mirena’s expression turned grave.

The Dragonkin Legend’s Domain radius was similar to the Serpentfolk Legend’s.

However, this Dragonkin clearly possessed considerable dragon bloodline, placing him among the top tier below the Epic Rank. At the same rank, the Dragonkin Legend was undoubtedly far stronger than the Serpentfolk Legend.

This was becoming troublesome.

Mirena believed escaping wouldn’t be difficult, but under these circumstances, killing the Serpentfolk Legend would be as challenging as reaching the heavens.

She felt unwilling.

But just as the Serpentfolk Legend had said, he had powerful reinforcements. What did she have?

She had nothing, only herself to rely on.

“Roar!”

Another dragon roar echoed, a fiery breath tearing through the monster tide as a silver-white giant wolf trod upon the moonlight.

A dragon girl with spread wings stood atop the giant wolf.

Sickle Moon, Xiliu, and Red Robe had arrived on the battlefield.

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(End of Chapter)