This Place Is Formally Taken Over by Fan Domain

Closer, closer—it was getting closer and closer! Lying in the courtyard, Ghost Emperor Jiuwu instinctively rolled over and shrank into a corner. Though his colossal frame made the movement look rather comical, the searing white glare in the sky was bearing down toward him with terrifying speed. He saw it clearly now. They were beams of incandescent white light radiating horrifying auras, trailed by bursts of blue-and-white lightning that crackled like the wrath of the Thunder God. Dozens of these brilliant beams ripped through the night sky, streaking into the far distance. He could sense with absolute certainty that if even a single one of those white beams struck him, it would end his life. That was not a power he could withstand. Yet dozens of such monstrous forces stretched across his field of vision, flashing over his head in an instant before disappearing beyond the horizon of the night sky! They were not aimed at him. "Something's happened!" Ghost Emperor Jiuwu sprang up from the courtyard, his face pale. He was well aware of Fan Domain's hidden reserves; it was this exact method that had annihilated the ghost tide he had sent to sneak across the Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line back then. The memory remained burned into his mind. And now, Fan Domain had deployed this measure once more. The direction it was heading was... Eternal Night Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1! "Strategist! Strategist!" he bellowed toward the outside of the courtyard. Before long, the aged ghost hobbled into the courtyard with a cane, stumbling along. "Your Majesty, I am here! I am right here." Before he could even steady his footing, he began rapidly analyzing the situation. "Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1 is a Level-9 defense line. Under normal circumstances, the situation would never deteriorate to the point where Fan Domain needs to expend its foundation reserves to reinforce it—unless an unforeseen variable has emerged. And the most probable variable is last year's rainy season. "The higher-ups handed down orders commanding Your Majesty to infiltrate and eradicate Fan Domain, the root source of the trouble. "An unexpected shift has occurred within the Habitat. "Our leaders have secured powerful reinforcements. Where those reinforcements came from remains unknown, but they deliberately chose the moment right after the rainy season—when all the defense lines let down their guard—to launch an all-out offensive. Tonight... the Ghost Clan may have initiated its final assault." "So soon?" Ghost Emperor Jiuwu's expression shifted slightly. He had not anticipated this general offensive arriving so quickly. He had originally left a group of ghost creatures in the waters off Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1, but he had lost contact with them since last year. "How does this affect us?" "It will not affect us much," the ancient ghost said tremulously. "The Ghost Clan already held the upper hand, and now with additional reinforcements, the Eternal Night Continent should fall completely before long. "When that time comes, we need only return to the Ghost Clan." "I see..." Ghost Emperor Jiuwu hesitated. "Then should we launch a full-scale assault on Fan Domain's Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line right now? That way, when we return later, we'll have an achievement to show for it." "Absolutely not." The old ghost shook his head in rejection of the idea. "Even though the general offensive has begun, the Eternal Night Continent is vast; it cannot fall overnight. But if we commit to an all-out assault on Fan Domain's defense line right now, those white beams will do far more than just fly over our heads." "I'll listen to you." A flicker of lingering fear flashed through Ghost Emperor Jiuwu's eyes. He had nearly forgotten that danger. Letting out a long breath, he looked down at the decrepit creature before him, his expression turning complex. "All these years, I'm fortunate to have had you by my side. Once this war ends, let's both retire for good. "Once our Ghost Clan has its own Heavenly Dao, we will finally be acknowledged by this world. When that day comes, we can marry and have children freely. I'll definitely find you a beautiful wife so you can pass down your lineage." The old ghost smiled. "From the moment I first opened my eyes, the only thing I saw was Your Majesty. As long as I can remain by your side, anything suits me fine." "Well, I'm definitely finding myself one regardless," the Ghost Emperor grinned. "Every time I see humans with their own children, you have no idea how envious I get. I want a child of my own too. Once the war is over, I'm formally stepping down. "In the past, I always thought that after the war, I needed to control a huge swath of territory, hold high standing in the Ghost Clan, and get my fair share when dividing the spoils. "Over the past year, I've pretty much figured things out. "A warm hearth, a wife, and kids—that's enough for me. "All this killing and fighting is rather pointless. "If the brothers who have fought beside me all these years can secure a decent end, then being called their King wasn't in vain. I'll have lived up to that title." "It will be soon," the old ghost said, his whiskers trembling slightly. "The Ghost Clan's general offensive will essentially bring this war to a close." Just then— At the far edge of the night sky, dozens more beams of incandescent white light radiating terrifying auras tore through the darkness once again. The Ghost Clan sought to conquer the Eternal Night Continent completely. However... Someone refused to let that happen. *** Eternal Night Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1. Under the concerted assault of three Ghost Emperors, a breach was torn open in the defensive wall within moments. Nearly boundless hordes of ghosts braved the cannon tower fire, heedless of death, and surged through the gap to slaughter the logistical personnel stationed behind the defense line. In an instant, casualties mounted beyond count. The line teetered on the brink of total collapse. Yet right at that critical moment— Amidst the dense dark of the Eternal Night, a searing beam of white light ripped across the sky at a speed almost imperceptible to the naked eye. Arriving from the distant north, it split into three Heaven-Reaching Pillars just above the earth and plunged straight into the breach with pinpoint precision. *Boom!!* A tremendous detonation rang out. The deafening roar echoed between heaven and earth as countless blue-and-white serpents of lightning roared without end. The ghost tide at the breach was obliterated entirely. For the first time, a glimmer of terror appeared in the blood-red, furious eyes of the nearest Ghost Emperor wielding a giant greataxe. Yet before he could even curl his body to brace himself, his colossal frame was blown to smithereens. The pillar had detonated practically right over his head. Survival was impossible. "Hold the line! Hold the line!!" Atop the wall, the commander-in-chief caught sight of the strike. A flicker of desperate hope flashed through his bloodshot eyes as he shouted hoarsely at the top of his lungs, "Architects near Sector 77, get over here and repair the wall! Wall defense units, do everything you can to eliminate the ghost creatures that breached the line!" Architects rushed forward one after another. Though fear filled their eyes, they forced themselves to stay calm. Behind them, logistical personnel swiftly hauled over crates of high-grade ghost stones. As the stones melted into liquid, walls woven from countless white lines rapidly materialized over the breach. The gap was sealed. Right then— From the edge of the sky, dozens more blinding beams of white light arrived. Their blistering brilliance banished the Eternal Night, crashing down almost simultaneously across every zone outside the 108-kilometer-long Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1. *Boom! Boom!!* The entire earth groaned, rocking and trembling violently! The whole horizon ignited into a blazing line of fire. Countless orange-red flames mingled with blue-and-white lightning serpents to surge straight into the clouds. The ghost tide was reduced to a sea of fire, and piercing shrieks echoed like death knells summoned from the underworld. That was Fan Domain's reinforcement. "It... it's held." The frontline commander held his breath instinctively as he looked beyond the defense line. The other two smaller Ghost Emperors had been reduced to ashes as well. Without Ghost Emperors to batter down the walls, the remaining ghost tide would be far easier to manage. He hastily raised the voice transmission talisman in his hand and barked urgently, "All Martial Kings near Sector 77, report for reinforcement immediately!!" That sector had just fallen briefly, allowing many ghost creatures to pour inside. They had to be purged as quickly as possible. Yet in a place hidden from his sight, deep within the Eternal Night and at the very center of the ghost tide, a diminutive creature draped in a black robe gazed impassively at the defense line before him. Even the instantaneous destruction of three Ghost Emperors elicited barely any reaction from him. He merely raised a wooden branch in his hand. His lips murmured incantations in an incomprehensible tongue. The next instant— A crimson radiance expanded outward from him, swiftly covering the surrounding area. Its scale was immense, engulfing the entire ghost tide across the 108-kilometer zone. It spread so rapidly it arrived in the blink of an eye. The fresh batch of ghost creatures that had just crawled out from the seabed in full charge suddenly halted. Every single ghost creature threw back its head and roared as though subjected to excruciating agony. A few breaths later, the aura of every single ghost creature surged upward! The murderous glint in their crimson eyes intensified! The Ghost Kings within the horde began ballooning in size, swelling until they stood dozens of meters tall—transformed into Ghost Emperors! Though they were merely Ghost Emperors forcefully stimulated through a secret art—their strength far inferior to those three peak Ghost Emperors, and weaker even than Ghost Emperor Jiuwu—a Ghost Emperor was still a Ghost Emperor. Even an inferior one was far beyond the reach of an ordinary Ghost King. Throughout the tide, the Ghost Kings simultaneously transformed into Ghost Emperors. One after another, Ghost Emperors rose up from the ranks of the horde. One, two, three... At a glance, it was impossible to count how many Ghost Emperors had just been born. The ghost tide charged once more! And this time, its momentum was utterly unstoppable. "We're finished!" Seeing this, the frontline commander's hand slackened on the voice transmission talisman. A trace of despair flashed across his eyes. He stood frozen in place, staring at the towering Ghost Emperors rising beyond the line, and let out a wretched laugh. Just within his sector alone, he could already count four Ghost Emperors. Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1 stretched 108 kilometers. Along such a vast line, there was no telling how many more had emerged. It could not be held. Even with Fan Domain's support, they could not hold it. The firepower along Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1 was exceptionally dense, with cannon towers standing practically wall to wall. But those towers were primarily designed to thin out ghost tides; weapons meant to counter massed Ghost Emperors had never been part of the original construction plan. After all, prior to this, only a single Ghost Emperor had overseen this sea region, and it had never taken to the field to lead a charge personally. Now, the single-target cannon towers along the line opened fire in unison, picking off those Ghost Emperors one by one. They inflicted considerable damage, but they could not kill them quickly. Had there been only one Ghost Emperor, they could have held. Yet there were simply too many! Even though he could tell these Ghost Emperors had been artificially elevated by a secret art and lacked the crushing oppression of a genuine Ghost Emperor, they were still beyond what his line could withstand. Staggering near the edge of the parapet, he looked down at the charging horde as if already witnessing the fall of the front. Right then, a pair of heavy, powerful hands reached out from behind, steadying him. The deputy he had always trusted stood there, speaking in a raspy, flat voice. "Allow me to introduce myself anew. "Chu Xiu, operative of Fan Domain's Shadow Pavilion. By order of the Domain Lord, I am assuming emergency wartime command of Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1 with full authority." Without further explanation, he took the voice transmission talisman from the commander's grasp and rasped into it, "All sectors along the defense line, report the status of Ghost Emperors in your area and relay your exact coordinates to me." The next instant, voices crackled through the talisman. "Sector Section 37, Area 2: two Ghost Emperors." "Sector Section 47, Area 1: two Ghost Emperors." As Chu Xiu received each transmission, he quickly forwarded the intelligence to the Domain Lord through his own voice transmission talisman. The commander-in-chief stared blankly at the deputy he had promoted just a few years ago, suddenly feeling that this man was a complete stranger. It had never crossed his mind that someone who had served on the front lines for years was an undercover member of Fan Domain's Shadow Pavilion. Yet at this moment, he felt not the slightest resentment over having his authority seized. Instead, seizing a brief lull in the man's speech, he asked hurriedly, "What can I do right now?" "Go steady the troops' morale." Chu Xiu glanced sideways at his superior. After a brief pause, he said raspily, "Your composure is shattered. You must have faith that we can win. We are fighting a victorious battle, not a defeat." The sole reason he had taken command was that the commander had mentally broken down, rendering him incapable of transmitting intelligence calmly. *** Fan Domain. The Jiangbei Temporary Defense Line built over the past year—a 170-kilometer-long Level-5 defense line—now stood along the Jiangbei coastline, replacing the original Jiangbei Defense Line. Meanwhile, that 170-kilometer-long Level-10 Jiangbei Defense Line was currently driving south through the night toward Jiangnan to reinforce Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1! *(Lights of Ten Thousand Homes: The wall itself possesses a ghost fire radius determined by the highest-grade ghost fire placed upon it. This qualitative upgrade can take effect across connected walls. Rare.)* This qualitative upgrade allowed the Jiangbei Defense Line to surge southward along the coast like a colossal dragon at tremendous speed. Standing atop the Jiangbei Defense Line, Chen Fan stared at the missile launch panel before him, listening impassively as reports from Shadow Pavilion members on the front line poured into his ear. This time was different from the last. When the Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line was attacked previously, he lacked specific intelligence and could only rely on continuous carpet bombing with Heaven-Reaching Pillars, expending a great number of them in the process. But this time, he had precise coordinates. Behind Nameless Mountain in Fan Domain, within the long-silent Missile Storage Base, Heaven-Reaching Pillars rose from the ground one after another, decoupling in midair before vanishing into the Eternal Night to reinforce Front No. 1 at blistering speed. He had not received further news from the Eternal Night Hall and remained unaware of the conditions at other defense lines. For now, he could only prepare for the worst. First, hold the front line. Ensure that this front did not collapse, then transport all civilians and resources from the hinterland behind it back to Jiangbei as quickly as possible, preparing to hold Western Desolate Isle to the death—or even retreat into the New Continent. Ghost stones shattered in massive batches, providing ample propulsion for the Jiangbei Defense Line's advance and driving its speed even higher. After an unknown amount of time had passed, the Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line began sinking into the ground to clear a path for the Jiangbei Defense Line. As the 170-kilometer dragon-like wall rolled into the Yellow Springs Mouth region, a voice echoed between heaven and earth: "Fan Domain marches. Clear the way." The moment the words fell, the ghost tide residing in the Yellow Springs Mouth area scattered frantically toward both sides as if fleeing for their lives. This was the max-level effect of his wall: *Voice Like a Great Vow: Any sound uttered while standing atop the wall can resonate between heaven and earth.* In the Yellow Springs Mouth area, Ghost Emperor Jiuwu stared in utter astonishment at the Jiangbei Defense Line advancing swiftly through the night ahead, its length seemingly endless. This was the first time he had ever witnessed the defense line on the move. Fan Domain's reinforcement effort was unprecedented. And that meant Front No. 1 was truly facing a formidable foe. War had truly erupted. This was genuinely an all-out offensive. For some reason, a faint sense of unease gnawed at his heart. He felt that life over the past year had been quite pleasant; if that peaceful routine could have continued indefinitely, it would have been wonderful. He had no desire for upheavals. Yet events rarely unfolded as one wished. Immediately after, he caught sight of the elevated rail lines in the sky. High-speed rail trains from Fan Domain sped past in rapid succession, followed by hundreds of flying boats advancing in formation at full speed. This was the largest deployment Fan Domain had mobilized all year. *** Eternal Night Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1. Hidden in the darkness, the diminutive robed ghost creature watched as the Ghost Emperors elevated by his crimson light were picked off with pinpoint accuracy by the searing white beams falling from the distance. For the first time, a ripple of emotion stirred in his deadpan eyes as he turned toward the north. A sneer curled at the corner of his lips. "Fan Domain... "For a Grade-1 continent to produce a faction like this is rather amusing. "If memory serves, a Grade-1 continent shouldn't possess authorization to use Heaven-Reaching Pillars, should it?" Yet that was as far as it would go. He tapped his forehead lightly. The skin split open, and a drop of crimson essence blood floated out from the wound, hovering gently in midair. "Go!" he barked softly. The next instant, an even more dazzling brilliance expanded outward with him at the center, once again enveloping vast swaths of ghost creatures. This time, it did not elevate their ranks; instead, the skin of every ghost creature began to swell rapidly, sprouting gross nodules. Immediately after, dense popping and bursting sounds began detonating beneath the defense line. Upon crashing against the wall, the artificially primed ghost creatures burst open. Their innards were already rotten like spoiled crabs, splashing thick, foul-smelling, brownish-red blood across the fortifications to corrode the stone. This was a Level-9 defense line. Yet beneath the assault of this viscous, brownish-red blood, the surface of the wall began flaking away. At this rate, thick though the line was, gaping holes would be eaten through it before daybreak. This was not localized corrosion in a single section. It was corrosion spanning the entire 108-kilometer length. A single breach could be mended. How could an entire falling front be repaired? "All architects, await my command!" The frontline commander noticed the transformation in the creatures below almost immediately, realizing the line was being steadily eaten away. Gritting his teeth, he prepared to issue orders: once the corrosion reached a certain threshold, they would have to clear a sector rapidly and dispatch architects down to repair the wall. "No need." Beside him, Chu Xiu shook his head lightly, checking the commander's move. "What do you mean, no need?" the commander asked instinctively. "Because..." Chu Xiu gazed toward the north, watching in silence. He had not seen the Domain Lord in a very long time. In the past when he was still in Fan Domain, he often saw the Domain Lord zoning out atop the wall. After leaving Fan Domain and losing sight of that scene, he had always felt an emptiness in his chest, as if his pillar of support was missing. The next moment— The ground began to tremble faintly. Faintly visible at the horizon, a dragon-like defense line crushed through the ghost tide at tremendous speed, sliding along the coastline to interpose itself directly in front of Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1. Simultaneously, a voice resonated between heaven and earth: "All personnel, stand down. "This place is formally taken over by Fan Domain." The voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. In the blink of an eye, the defenders saw the two-hundred-meter-tall defense line roll in from the distance, sweeping past them and charging straight ahead into the flank! At the same time, Chen Fan's voice sounded through the voice transmission talisman in the commander's hand: "You've worked hard. "Fall back. Leave this place to Fan Domain. Please lead your personnel to quickly organize the evacuation of all civilians and resources from the rear. Fan Domain has already dispatched high-speed rail and flying boats to receive you. "Fall back and defend Western Desolate Isle." Chen Fan's voice sounded exceedingly composed, devoid of panic. Like a potent tonic, it restored the flustered commander's composure almost instantly. Taking a deep breath, he regained his customary steadiness. Looking at Chu Xiu, he said in a deep voice, "I leave this place to Fan Domain. I will head to the rear to organize the evacuation." "Understood." Chu Xiu smiled. Seeing his superior return to his usual steady self, he turned to gaze upon the swiftly moving Jiangbei Defense Line. The God-Slaying Cannons mounted along the wall were already primed. Crimson orbs of light slammed heavily into the ghost tide, purging every creature caught between the Jiangbei Defense Line and Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1. Countless crimson blood-serpents tore wildly through the horde. "Domain Lord..." Chu Xiu murmured, looking at the approaching wall in a daze. "Operative Chu Xiu of Fan Domain's Shadow Pavilion requests permission to return home." No one heard his whisper. In his heart, he granted his own request. It was not that he was inherently calmer than others; rather, he simply knew Fan Domain would come. He believed Fan Domain would win. Every miracle he had witnessed in his life had been born within Fan Domain. He firmly believed Fan Domain would create even more miracles in the future. As a witness to it all, he chose to believe. *Clang!* When the front end of the Jiangbei Defense Line slammed into the continuous mountain range, it locked firmly into place like a precision latch, standing resolutely along the coast. By now, the ghost tide caught between the two defense lines had been completely eradicated. The thousands of God-Slaying Cannons stationed atop the Jiangbei Defense Line opened up with roaring salvos, lobbing crimson shells into the horde like expendable pebbles. The viscous blood from the self-destructing creatures caused virtually zero corrosion against this wall, and the few minor crevices etched into its surface were restored to pristine condition in the blink of an eye under the work of the copper pipes. The Jiangbei Defense Line was not merely a Level-10 defense line. It was a Level-10 line whose Ghost Blood Patterns had absorbed ghost blood for years; its actual durability vastly surpassed that of ordinary Level-10 fortifications. "Made it in time at last." Standing atop the wall, Chen Fan gazed impassively at the ghost tide ahead. He had arrived just before Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1 could collapse. This ghost tide was stronger and far more numerous than previous ones. However... According to the Shadow Pavilion operative's report, this horde was periodically bathed in flashes of light, growing stronger each time. Deep within the ranks lurked a creature resembling a priest that was empowering the entire horde. Chen Fan had already deduced its approximate coordinates. A wide-area enhancement buff would most likely originate from the center of the horde facing the defense line—namely, Sector 77. That position ensured the buff enveloped the greatest possible number of ghost creatures. He looked down at the control panel before him, his fingers shifting slightly. Far away on the rear mountain behind Nameless Mountain in Fan Domain, more than a dozen Heaven-Reaching Pillars launched into the air with a roar, decoupling in flight. Their target: the midsection of Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1, Sector 77, covering several hundred kilometers of the Eternal Night waters beyond the ghost fire's reach with blanket bombardment. He needed no exact coordinates. An approximate location was enough. The Heaven-Reaching Pillars would handle the rest. *** "This has gotten far too interesting." Deep within the ghost tide, the diminutive creature sat upon the shoulder of a towering ghost, watching the line of fortifications that had sped over from the distance while waves churned around him. His face remained expressionless. A Level-10 defense line. It seemed this front could not be taken tonight. He would wait until tomorrow night. He was stationed extremely far from the wall and was not worried about the Heaven-Reaching Pillars reaching him. Despite the vast distance, his gaze seemed capable of piercing through countless ghost creatures to observe the wall clearly. Just then— He saw a searing white beam descend, not upon the ghost tide outside the defense line as before, but directly into the open waters deep within the Eternal Night. "Pfft." He could not help but let out a sneer. So they had come looking for him. He was a hundred li away; if they could actually find him here, he would concede defeat. "Recharging Heaven-Reaching Pillars takes quite a bit of time. "I hope you still have this many pillars to burn tomorrow night." The robed creature rose slowly, raising his right hand like an elegant gentleman to order a withdrawal. Continuing the charge tonight was pointless; they would wait for tomorrow night's reinforcements from above. However— The next instant, a flicker of sheer horror suddenly seized his normally indifferent eyes. At the edge of the sky, more than a dozen scorching pillars of light spread out, hurtling straight toward him! This volley was more than sufficient to saturate the entire area. The enemy truly did not know his location. Instead, they had opted for... carpet bombardment. Without time for another word, his expression twisted, stripping away all former composure. He vaulted from the shoulder of the giant creature into the sea, thrashing his arms and small tail frantically as he dove into the depths. At this moment, his only hope of survival was to burrow as deep into the seabed as possible. Yet it was already too late. Every single one of those dozen-odd pillars split into three in midair, blanketing several hundred kilometers of ocean! The next moment, waves surged skyward! Shattered remains of countless ghost creatures rained over the sea amidst deafening explosions! Deep in the Eternal Night, hordes of ghost creatures were wiped out by carpet bombing before they could even make landfall. As for the diminutive creature, only a fleeting glimpse of utter despair flashed through his eyes before the searing white light engulfed him completely. How could this be... How could he... die on a Grade-1 continent?! The Heaven-Reaching Pillars offered no answer. He perished. Immediately following his demise, the ghost tide outside Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1 froze in place. Moments later, their bodies melted away in rapid succession, decaying from the inside out like rotten crabs. The price of their forced elevation had been their very lives. The crisis was averted. "Looks like the guess was right," Chen Fan murmured atop the wall, looking down at the melting piles of ghost creatures. The priest-type entity had indeed been blasted to death. This wave of ghost creatures had truly been extraordinary. He had never seen priest-type creatures appear before; such entities could drastically enhance a horde's combat strength. A ghost tide with a priest and one without were two completely different threats. He stood atop the wall in silence, watching the scene unfold below. After an unknown amount of time had passed, dawn broke. The Mother-Child Stone in his robes grew warm, and Old Qiu's voice crackled through. "Chen Fan. "I just received word that Fan Domain went to reinforce Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1. On behalf of the Eternal Night Continent, I thank Fan Domain for all it has contributed over these past years. "However... I regret to say that this war is over. "Last night, the Ghost Clan launched an all-out offensive. Its intensity and numbers vastly exceeded anything we've seen before. Except for Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1, nearly every Level-9 front across the Eternal Night Continent has fallen, and three Level-10 fronts have collapsed. "The remaining Level-10 lines will not hold out much longer either. "Massive hordes of ghosts have already landed on the Eternal Night Continent and begun a slaughter. "Within seven days at most, every front on the continent will fall. In fourteen days, the Eternal Night Continent will cease to exist. "It is a bitter shame... that we never got to see the day of victory. "Let us meet in hell, carrying our regrets." Chen Fan listened impassively to the message from the Mother-Child Stone. Never before had he heard such visceral, palpable despair in Old Qiu's voice. After a brief pause, he spoke softly: "This is Chen Fan of Jiangbei's Fan Domain. "Relay an important message to the world. "I am Chen Fan, the sole Heavenly Dao architect of the Eternal Night Continent. "No matter the blueprint, I can comprehend it in an instant. In constructing any building, my resource consumption is far lower than ordinary architects, my success rate is one hundred percent, and my construction speed is vastly superior. "Fan Domain is now initiating the 'Spark Plan' and requests the Eternal Night Hall's full cooperation. "From this moment on, please direct all populations and all resources across the Eternal Night Continent to Fan Domain without limit. "Fan Domain will forge the final line of defense on Western Desolate Isle. "The war is not over. "Humanity will not lose. "The Eternal Night Continent will not fall. "Fan Domain... will defend Western Desolate Isle to the death." Silence lingered over the Mother-Child Stone for several breaths before a new voice spoke—not Old Qiu's, but one Chen Fan had never heard before. "I am Ye Xun, one of the Twelve Hallmasters of the Eternal Night Hall. "Are you truly the sole Heavenly Dao architect?" Before Chen Fan could reply, the speaker quickly added, evidently realizing the question was redundant: "The Eternal Night Hall acknowledges your message. "We still have time. Even if the fronts collapse, there is still time to evacuate the hinterland. I will arrange to transport all people and resources to Western Desolate Isle as swiftly as possible. "How many people can Fan Domain take in at most?" "Everyone," Chen Fan replied calmly. "Jiangbei's Fan Domain possesses a New Continent untouched by ghost tides. It can accommodate the entire population of the Eternal Night Continent, provided they can retreat to Western Desolate Isle. "Even if Western Desolate Isle cannot be held, we can retreat into the New Continent." "Good." The other party agreed without hesitation, asking no further questions. "The Eternal Night Hall will fully support Jiangbei Fan Domain's Spark Plan. "The fronts will hold out as long as possible to buy time for the hinterland's evacuation. "The rest... we leave to Fan Domain. "If possible, try your best to hold Western Desolate Isle. As long as Western Desolate Isle does not fall, the Eternal Night Continent has not truly fallen, and our Heavenly Dao will not perish. "If the Heavenly Dao dies, we will all become water without a source; all methods belonging to architects and cultivators will be stripped away, leaving no hope. "As long as Western Desolate Isle is held, we still have hope for a counteroffensive. The Eternal Night Continent will still have hope." The moment the communication ended, a brief conference concluded among the Twelve Hallmasters at the core of the Eternal Night Hall. Orders were issued in rapid succession, directing every faction across the continent to coordinate with Fan Domain in executing the Spark Plan. An unprecedented mass evacuation swept across the Eternal Night Continent as the morning light first broke. The entire foundation of the Eternal Night Hall was mobilized at all costs. Faction after faction swiftly gathered their resources, taking along as many people as possible as they marched west toward Jiangbei's Fan Domain. Yet amidst the westward surge of people, solitary figures stood out starkly as they walked east against the tide, blades in hand and expressions cold. That way lay the front lines. Someone had to hold the front lines. Only then would the rear have time to evacuate. For every extra day the front held, more people and resources could reach Western Desolate Isle. *** Eternal Night Western Black Tortoise Front No. 7. This Level-9 defense line had nearly fallen the previous night, held only after seven Nightwatchers made their final stand. The wall lay in ruins. Dozens of architects dashed back and forth across the ramparts, rushing to repair damaged sections, while throngs of people outside desperately gouged ghost stones from fallen carcasses—tonight's ammunition. Along such a massive defense line, not a single person spoke. Though packed with people as far as the eye could see, the silence was deafening. "Not going back?" Old Qiu sat perched on the wall's edge, smiling at Tian Yi beside him. "It's a fair distance to Jiangbei's Fan Domain from here, but you definitely have enough time to pull back. You'd be far safer on Western Desolate Isle, and in the worst case, you could retreat to the New Continent." "No," Tian Yi replied softly, his great blade slung across his back as he gazed out toward the sea. "There are no other Nightwatchers nearby. With us here, this line can hold for one more night. One more night means many more lives saved." "True enough." Old Qiu chuckled. "I haven't even seen what a fully activated Firewalker Sun looks like yet." "Neither have I," Tian Yi shrugged. "Still, Tian Yi, when you think about it, will activating our powers really make that much of a difference? What if it's just a drop in the bucket?" "We have to try." "True enough." Tian Yi said nothing more, merely gazing toward the distant waves. Perhaps... he would never make it back to Sunset City to farm the fields alongside Qi Sheng. That period spent planted in the soil had been somewhat humiliating, but bickering with Qi Sheng every day had actually been quite pleasant. He truly loved the atmosphere of Fan Domain. If victory could be won in this war, he really wanted to return to Fan Domain, tend the fields, and live an ordinary life. "Right." Remembering something, Old Qiu looked up at Tian Yi from the edge of the wall. "You stayed in Fan Domain for so long—didn't you know they had teleportation arrays? Fan Domain is using teleportation arrays to move huge crowds from the hinterland to Western Desolate Isle right now." "I really had no idea." Tian Yi let out a helpless laugh. He finally understood why Domain Lord Chen had asked him back then whether the Eternal Night Continent had teleportation arrays. He had been bewildered at the time and asked if Fan Domain had them. It turned out Fan Domain really did. To think they had even pulled out something like teleportation arrays. Perhaps Fan Domain truly could hold Western Desolate Isle. *** Fan Domain was now running at full capacity. The Array Pavilion, established barely a year ago, was mass-producing teleportation arrays behind Nameless Mountain. Members of the Commerce Pavilion scattered in all directions, boarding flying boats to deploy teleportation arrays across various regions. Yet the cost of building teleportation arrays was astronomical. A single array spanning a thousand kilometers required twenty million ghost stones. An array spanning one hundred kilometers, however, required only one million. The longer the single transmission distance, the steeper the construction cost. For instance, the two-point array connecting Fan Domain to the New Continent had to be built as a long-distance array because there were no intermediate footholds. Commerce Pavilion members pushed deep into the hinterland of the Eternal Night aboard flying boats, setting down one teleportation array after another. They needed to establish networks extending into the eastern, southern, and northern reaches of the Eternal Night Continent as far as possible. Western Desolate Isle lay on the continent's westernmost edge. Those near Western Desolate Isle had an easy path. Those farther away, however—especially people in the southeast—were separated by immense distances. Even with the front lines intact, reaching Western Desolate Isle would have been arduous, to say nothing of the current reality, where defense lines had collapsed and the continent was being rapidly devoured. At this juncture, Fan Domain was their only hope. Teleportation arrays could only transport people, not cargo. High-speed trains sped past the skies above the Yellow Springs Mouth one after another, packed with diverse supplies: blueprints, ghost stones, and heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Vast formations of streamlined flying boats took off and landed continuously like flocks of wild geese.