Victory in the First Battle

Dawn broke gradually, and mists coiled around Mount Cang. The Earth-Overturning Sword and Yuan Shuo had arrived during the night. Now, the army began to mobilize, pouring across the plains at the foot of Mount Cang like a surging torrent. Demonic beasts circled in the sky. The beasts that had emerged from Mount Cang clashed and traded blows with those under the Golden Eagle's command as they wheeled aloft. Even before the main armies met, casualties had already begun to mount. Along the outer fringes of Mount Cang, the trees shook. Faint shrieks of agony drifted out. Scouting detachments from both sides were already colliding amidst the mountain forests. Skirmishes broke out one after another, and bloodcurdling cries echoed through the trees from time to time. This battle had arrived in great haste. Neither side was fully prepared, nor did either truly grasp the other's depth. Now, in this dense forest, they engaged in their first formal clash in over a century. …… Deep in the woods. Wu Chao of the Silver City Demon Hunt Squad glided through the trees like a ghost. Gripping a pointed dagger, he drove the blade deep into a man's neck and ripped it across, tearing open the throat. In this final stretch of wilderness separating the two hosts, skirmishers traded blows in deadly silence. Fresh blood spattered the leaves. The intense, rapid maneuvering made Wu Chao's heart pound fiercely against his ribs. *What tough hide!* To his left and right, elite scouts from various divisions fought silently. Only the faint death rattles of the dying escaped now and then, fraying the nerves of everyone present. Before armies clash, scouts lead the way. Under normal circumstances in this supernatural era, such reconnaissance was rarely needed; combatants could simply survey one another from afar. This time, however, experts on both sides churned the surrounding elements and masked their movements, completely blinding the supernatural senses of their opponents. Ignorant of the other's exact strength and tactical methods, both chose to probe with a first wave. Wu Chao darted swiftly forward when his expression suddenly flickered. A sharp twang rang out, and a dark gleam flashed as an arrow tore through the air. All around him, whistling sounds erupted simultaneously! *Thud!* A distinct notch appeared on his armor. Wu Chao's internal organs jolted, and blood welled in his throat. His face darkened slightly. *Archers.* In Silver Moon—indeed, across the entire Heavenly Star Dynasty—archers were exceedingly rare. Ever since firearms emerged, archer regiments had been phased out of the armies entirely. Yet the opposing host fielded archers. How many were there? Thoughts raced through his mind. Leaping into the air, he dodged in zigzags and surged toward a patch of darkness in the distance where the archer was hiding. …… At the same time. Behind the forest, massive contingents of soldiers assembled. They hacked through briars and leveled the woods, inching forward while carrying out disciplined adjustments. The King of Dali had not rashly rushed his host down the mountain. Shrill cries echoed from the forest ahead from time to time, but no one paid them any heed. The King of Dali was not the reckless brute depicted in legend, throwing his armies forward without thought. Inside the central command tent. The King of Dali did not sit upon a magnificent throne. He sat cross-legged on the bare ground. The tent flaps hung wide open, and he gazed into the distance, his eyes seemingly piercing through the trees all the way to Silver City. A faint chill touched his lips. "Advance steadily. Peel away their defensive line piece by piece. It will also give our boys a chance to adapt to the Heavenly Star battlefield." Li Hao had not made any reckless moves either. Instead, he had chosen to probe step by step… and the King of Dali was more than willing to humor him. Beside him, an aide promptly departed to convey the order. The Temple Chief Priest also looked into the distance and spoke slowly. "Your Majesty, Heavenly Star is a tough bone to crack… Since our presence is already known, the maxim that speed is paramount in war no longer applies. We can slacken our pace and await news from the other three fronts. As long as we pin down Heavenly Star's forces here, Li Hao's faction will inevitably collapse from within." Time was actually on their side. The one who should truly feel anxious was Li Hao. Movement was stirring in all four outer realms, not just Dali; Dali was simply swifter and more efficient. The King of Dali said nothing more. He merely gave a slight nod, quietly awaiting the outcome of the skirmish. Having been away from the Central Plains for so long, he had no clear measure of the martial prowess of the present-day Heavenly Star Dynasty. He had his sources of intelligence, but reports could never replace firsthand experience. In the forest ahead, the screams never ceased. After an indeterminate time, a general clad in half-plate rushed back and reported in a deep voice, "Reporting to Your Majesty! The vanguard has engaged the enemy in the forest for two hours. The Heavenly Star troops possess solid strength and show none of the brittle will described in the rumors. Our side has suffered 197 casualties, and the enemy's losses are roughly equal… Their martial strength matches ours, and there is no sign of a rout!" Rumor held that Heavenly Star's armies were long rotten to the core and incapable of withstanding a single blow. Between warriors of equal tier, a Dali soldier was said to be able to fight ten. Some claims were even more absurd: certain experts who had visited Heavenly Star once bragged that a thousand Dali soldiers could chase a hundred thousand imperial troops like cattle. Yet when they clashed in the forest, Dali had failed to seize the upper hand. Beside the King of Dali, a burly brute flared with murderous intent upon hearing this. He bellowed, "Useless fools! Heavenly Star's forces decayed long ago, yet you suffered parity in casualties? Your Majesty, permit me to charge in and slaughter them all!" The King of Dali frowned slightly and barked coldly, "It was merely a probe. Does the enemy lack experts? Is it your place to show off?" The sharp rebuke silenced the warrior instantly. The King of Dali pondered for a moment before declaring, "Continue advancing. Rotate the vanguard units into the forest to trade blows with them. Heavenly Star has held the Central Plains for countless years; even if decadent, it is not so fragile. In the supernatural realm, the victory of experts decides the outcome of a war… yet if the rank and file are weak and collapse on contact, no number of experts can save you from being dragged into a quagmire and ground down!" Dali possessed a small population. If its army was not formidable, how could it ever hope to rule Heavenly Star? Since he had come, he naturally harbored grand ambitions. The million-strong host under his command was his capital for conquering Heavenly Star. If he alone were mighty… one man could never cow the entire dynasty. Only by advancing his armies relentlessly and breaking the will of every faction in Heavenly Star could the realm truly be brought to its knees. The surrounding officers fell silent, and the host advanced at a steady, deliberate pace. …… Across the plains north of Silver City. The frontline commanders were all present. Soon, Ninth Division Commander and the others received the scouting reports. Huang Yu let out a slight breath of relief. "The enemy's combat capability is formidable and their morale is high, but they are not as terrifying as legend made them out to be. Our casualties are roughly equal. Notably, they employ archers. As for the rest… they wear no armor or only partial suits. Though agile, individual agility counts for little once a full-scale battle erupts. Meanwhile, our armor is vastly superior!" They had always heard tales of Dali's ferocity, and those who returned from Dali spoke of it as if it were a dragon's den or tiger's lair. Yet in their very first clash, their side had suffered no disadvantage. Though they had sent elites, all scouts were elites, and Dali's were no exception. Fighting to a one-to-one casualty ratio proved that Dali was not invincible. Yao Si and the others nodded slightly, smiles touching their faces. Ninth Division Commander cautioned, "Take care that they are not merely feigning weakness to lower our guard." "That is possible," Huang Yu replied, offering his own perspective rather than blindly deferring to a division commander of the Battle Heaven Army. "However, they have marched from afar, and this is our very first contact. I believe the likelihood of them feigning weakness is low. Both sides need to assess each other's strength and bolster their own morale. The King of Dali has no reason to feign weakness at this juncture. They are the invaders, not the defenders!" Ninth Division Commander nodded and did not argue. Among the group, Hong Yitang merely listened in silence. He had only learned upon his arrival that Li Hao had appointed him supreme commander. He had been somewhat astonished and felt rather out of his depth. He concentrated on listening to their counsel rather than making grandiose remarks to flaunt his intellect. Once they had spoken their minds, he said slowly, "Then what do the generals think we should do next? The enemy has not yet descended the mountain… Should we launch a thunderous strike while they have yet to secure a firm footing?" "No!" Huang Yu shook his head immediately. "Commander-in-Chief may not realize this, but the soldiers of Heavenly Star have not fought a major campaign in years, particularly against foreign foes. Dali has always been reputed to be savage and overwhelmingly ferocious. At this moment, our troops are anxious and uneasy; they lack the confidence to mount an offensive on their own initiative! "This battle must also serve as a crucible to temper our army." He looked at Hong Yitang. "Any elite force is forged through bloodshed, not drilled on a parade ground! Only by fighting real battles, killing real enemies, and weathering real horrors can soldiers become true elites! In the process… heavy casualties are inevitable! "Yet only through this can those who survive become battle-hardened veterans and peerless troops!" Huang Yu continued in a steady voice, "Therefore… we cannot simply swarm forward and brawl all at once! We must cycle our units into the fray and grind them down slowly! When losses occur, draw elites from the three million reserve troops in the rear to replenish the ranks! Maintain a frontline force of two hundred thousand, constantly using the enemy as a whetstone! I ask the Commander-in-Chief to advise the Governor-General not to rush into a clash of peak experts… Give us time to temper the army! "This is their first time fighting a war of this scale, and the same is true for us! As long as we show an intention to hone our troops, the enemy will cooperate…" He explained, "Within Dali's borders, wars of this scale do not occur; they are accustomed only to small-scale skirmishes. If the King of Dali is truly an ambitious man, he will gladly cooperate in using this to temper his own soldiers!" Hong Yitang frowned slightly and considered the matter before saying, "However… time is not on our side." Huang Yu nodded; he was well aware of that. Yet he understood another truth even more clearly, and his voice deepened. "Commander-in-Chief, if we resolve this clash in a single rush—win or lose—we will gain no lasting benefit or experience from the war. It will all be in vain! If wars break out on the other three continental fronts after this… our armies will still be nothing more than scattered sand! "Sharpening the axe does not delay the woodcutter. Only by forging an elite army in the shadow of Mount Cang can we face the conflicts to come! Heavenly Star possesses one advantage that others do not…" A slight smile appeared on his face. "A vast population and countless supernaturals. Now that martial arts are being propagated to all, we will have a boundless stream of recruits! Countless people are rushing north with burning blood in their veins. If we grind the enemy down slowly, we can soon forge an elite army where not just two hundred thousand, but millions of soldiers have tasted major war! That includes the three million troops in the rear; among them, a great many are martial masters who have opened their apertures—at least a tenth of them, a full three hundred thousand! All of them can be brought to the front to sift the gold from the dross!" Hong Yitang considered the proposal and nodded. "Very well. I know little of military strategy. If Commander Yu deems it feasible… and the other generals have no objections, then so be it." Ninth Division Commander said in a low voice, "Without sufficient time to drill an army, this is indeed the only way to forge one quickly. Otherwise, we would have to spend years training them step by step; without that, it would be almost impossible to produce an elite force rivaling the Battle Heaven Army!" Those words solidified Hong Yitang's resolve. "Then it is decided! As for the other three continents… pay them no mind!" He declared firmly, "Since the war is currently in the north, our entire focus must remain here. If war erupts on the other three fronts, that is Governor-General Li's concern, not ours! How he resolves it is the responsibility of the Governor-General's Office. Though I do not understand warfare, I know that once battle begins, one must never be half-hearted!" The others nodded in agreement. Though he lacked military expertise, his willingness to listen was enough. Li Hao was present as well, and their greatest worry was that Li Hao might trust Hong Yitang above all others; if Hong Yitang acted rashly and Li Hao followed suit with reckless commands, that would be the greatest disaster. …… Daylight filled the sky completely. Across the plains. Small detachments constantly withdrew down the mountain slopes, swiftly replaced by fresh units heading up. The troops garrisoned along the front line were gripped by profound tension. Just then, a detachment of thirty-odd soldiers from the Demon Hunting Army pulled back from the front line, bathed in blood. Yet their leader, Wu Chao, looked radiant with excitement. Leading his men back in haste, he proclaimed in a booming voice, "A glorious victory for the Demon Hunting Army's Vanguard Battalion! We shattered an enemy vanguard detachment of a thousand men, slaying over half their number while losing fewer than three hundred!" Ahead, several soldiers grew agitated, their eyes wide with disbelief. *Dali… was this vulnerable?* *Weren't they supposed to be terrifyingly strong?* Trading three hundred casualties for five hundred enemy dead—did that not mean the Demon Hunting Army was even stronger? Though the Demon Hunting Army was an elite force, many had assumed they could not possibly match the ferocious warriors of Dali. Yet this was a military camp. Even having heard the news, none dared speak out of turn—especially with patrols from the Battle Heaven Army and Demon Hunting Army circulating among the ranks, keeping the uneasy supernaturals strictly in line. …… Toward Silver City. Li Hao, having returned not long ago, received the intelligence report as well. A slight smile crossed his face. Turning to those around him, he said, "A minor victory. The Demon Hunting Army traded three hundred casualties for five hundred of theirs." At those words, someone burst out angrily, "Three hundred dead already? Governor-General, why don't we simply charge up Mount Cang…" Li Hao frowned and looked at the speaker. "If you don't understand, hold your tongue. Though my understanding of warfare is limited, the generals all say this is a major victory… As for losing several hundred soldiers… this is war. I know that a general's glory is built on ten thousand bleached bones!" He drew a deep breath. "That is why I never wished to launch such a war. But since it has arrived, we must face it! The Demon Hunting Army consists entirely of my Silver Moon brethren. Its core was built from the Silver Moon Army, with parts drawn from the Martial Guard Army—the very foundation of Silver Moon's martial forest. Yet now that we have reached this stage, we must set sentiment aside!" He looked around at the gathering. "The plan at the front is to use Dali to temper our army. To achieve this, the rear must remain rock-solid! We may not understand war or military doctrine, but there is one thing we can do: maintain impeccable logistics! That includes the three million troops arriving from various regions—we must provide seamless supply and replenish personnel at all times! "Furthermore, the able-bodied youths, supernaturals, and martial masters arriving from every province must be organized into proper units without delay. Prevent chaos at all costs. This task will be difficult… Director Zhao will oversee it. Provide divine energy stones, Spring of Life, and sacred rice without stint! Now that the war has begun, every resource spent will be borne entirely by the Governor-General's Office… We will not have our men fighting on empty stomachs! "And… we have one more duty: keep our eyes locked on the King of Dali and his high-tier experts." Li Hao spoke with grave sincerity. "Drag this out as long as possible. Perhaps that is what they want as well." Hou Xiaochen spoke up. "What if war erupts on the other three fronts while we are pinned down here? Governor-General, you previously said we cannot allow the common people of the three continents to be plunged into misery…" Time was not on their side. Li Hao nodded. "I know. That is why we must temper an elite army here before the other three fronts arrive; otherwise, we will lose on both ends. If the worst truly happens, all of us may have to bear a heavier burden." With that, he rose. "The Dali host is about to descend the mountain. We are going too!" Without another word, the others fell in behind him. Outside, warships hovered in midair. Before long, the contingent sped toward the front lines. …… *Rumble!* Massive divisions poured down from Mount Cang, flattening every obstacle in their path. The ambush they had anticipated never came. To the mild surprise of Dali's experts, they descended Mount Cang smoothly without having to fight a bloody passage through the slopes. Many of them were setting foot upon the Central Plains for the very first time. Some warriors cheered with wild excitement. *Is this Heavenly Star?* Though it was merely a border region, they could already sense an aura of boundless wealth. Here lay flat, open plains—nothing like the rugged, jagged mountains of Dali. "This is the Heavenly Star Dynasty?" "This is Silver Moon?" "We have finally fulfilled the hopes of our ancestors and stepped onto the Central Plains!" The million-strong host erupted with ferocity, their vitality soaring into the heavens. Whether to intimidate the enemy or out of genuine frenzy, they suddenly roared in unison: "Long live the King! Long live! Ten thousand years!" "Kill! Kill! Kill!" A myriad warriors roared as one, projecting an overwhelming tide of force toward the army gathered several thousand meters away. Boundless vitality surged and roiled across the earth and sky. The people of Heavenly Star had actually left them ample room to deploy. Who knew what those fools were thinking! At a distance of only several thousand meters, those with sharp eyesight could even make out the timid expressions on the faces of the Heavenly Star soldiers across the field. This filled many Dali warriors with savage delight. Those Heavenly Star soldiers wore armor that appeared exceptionally sturdy and wielded sharp weapons. In their eyes, all of it was plunder. As for danger? What danger had the people of Dali not endured? Just then, the Dali warriors grew more fervent still. Ahead, golden light flashed, and a monarch materialized. A terrifyingly ferocious aura shook the heavens and earth, fracturing the surrounding space itself. The suffocating pressure made it difficult for many to breathe. Yet this only heightened their euphoria. This was their King! Their peerless, invincible King! At the same moment, Li Hao stepped out into the void behind the Heavenly Star army, gazing ahead. Before his opponent could utter a word, his voice boomed like a bronze bell: "King of Dali! From ancient times, Heavenly Star has loved peace, never crossing borders unprovoked. We uphold the way of a great nation; our people are self-sufficient and take no pride in plunder! "Yet Dali has mobilized ten million troops to invade our rivers and mountains and slaughter our people. Even the beast clans of Mount Cang, who lived in isolation from worldly strife, have been butchered in droves by your host. This is a crime that outrages both heaven and man! "Behind us lies our homeland; we will not yield a single inch! If you want war, then war you shall have!" As Li Hao spoke, his momentum mounted steadily until it blanketed heaven and earth. The might of the Great Dao erupted! It was like a deity descending upon the mortal realm! A monstrous force crashed forward, suppressing heaven and earth and setting the void trembling. It was as if two colossal dragons were colliding in midair. Ferocious, suffocating auras flared around both leaders. Expert after expert revealed their presence, unleashing overwhelming momentum! Li Hao's voice remained resonant and clear: "Since ancient times, evil has never prevailed over righteousness! Invaders never meet a good end! Yet considering that you were born in the wild wastes, knowing neither honor nor law, uncivilized, feeding on raw flesh and drinking blood—if you withdraw now, the heavens love life, and Heavenly Star, in the magnanimity of a great nation, will not exterminate you to the last man… King of Dali, what say you?" In the distance, the King of Dali's expression turned frigid, his aura violently churning as a towering wave of pressure bore down on Li Hao. Speaking with a distinct accent, he ground out each word: "The victor is king, the loser a bandit! Heavenly Star is rotten to the core. This King will see for himself just how sharp its teeth are!" "A single word more is a waste of breath!" Li Hao's aura surged outward, shaking the four directions and thundering across the plains: "The enemy invades our land and slaughters our kin! Soldiers of Heavenly Star, the time to slay the foe and win glory is now!" As his words fell, battle banners fluttered, and an army of ten thousand charged forward! Across the field, the King of Dali muttered something under his breath, frowning slightly as he looked toward the opposing line without offering further words. Soon, a fierce general riding an enormous demon beast vaulted forward from Dali's ranks, followed by ten thousand roaring warriors who surged onto the field! …… High in the air. Li Hao raised his eyebrows slightly. The commander leading the charge on his side was none other than Liu Long himself at the head of the Demon Hunting Army. Liu Long's cultivation was not particularly high; he had only barely crossed into the second tier of the Mountain Sea realm. The opposing commander, judging by his aura, possessed at least the strength of the second or third tier of Mountain Sea, and more importantly, he was mounted on a great supernatural demon beast. Sky screens spanned the heavens. This was the opening clash between the two hosts, and Li Hao had no way of knowing how it would end. He had actually preferred that the Battle Heaven Army take the field, but the commanders had conferred and decided to deploy only the Demon Hunting Army, holding the Battle Heaven Army in reserve. If the opening battle ended in defeat… the blow to morale would be immense. Especially now, when the Central Region and the north were watching. Even the other three continents were likely observing through the few functioning sky screens. Countless thoughts flashed through Li Hao's mind, but he suppressed them all. The King of Dali had clearly understood his intent. This seemingly rough-hewn monarch had not committed his entire army from the start. Both sides wished to temper their troops, and both sought an initial victory to crush the other's morale. …… The supernaturals from the Central Region, the warriors from across the north, and the millions of soldiers in the rear all held their breath in agonizing suspense. Sweat beaded on countless palms. Though they were not on the front line, the sheer atmosphere of the battlefield felt suffocating. Some felt their knees trembling. Further back, the impassioned youths who had rushed in from across the north turned pale. At a distance of several thousand meters, they could not make out the fine details, but the sheer pressure woke them from their romantic notions, leaving them shivering with dread. …… At this moment, the entire Heavenly Star Dynasty watched this battle with bated breath. Each side had deployed roughly ten thousand soldiers, while their peak experts held back. Who would prevail? Though the numbers were relatively small, this was the first clash between the two nations' armies in over a century. Hundreds of millions of citizens across the dynasty could scarcely draw breath. …… At the front. Cold sweat soaked Liu Long's back—the product of sheer nerves. Yet even as he sweated from tension, his speed did not falter in the least. He rode no demon beast; instead, he stepped through the air, short axe in hand, and roared, "Charge and kill!" "Hunt demons!" "Hunt demons!" "Hunt demons!" As though bolstering their own courage, as though proving their worth to the world, the Demon Hunting Army roared with deafening fury. Beneath their black armor, martial masters from Silver Moon bellowed at the top of their lungs. Among them were members of the original Silver City Demon Hunt Squad, martial masters from the Martial Guard Army, elite soldiers from the Silver Moon Army, and even the daughters of the Earth-Overturning Sword and Kong Jie… At this moment, they held only a single thought: *Victory in the first battle!* If even the elite Demon Hunting Army could not match the enemy… the blow to the dynasty's morale would be unthinkable. Aside from the Battle Heaven Army, they were perhaps the most formidable force the realm possessed. Nearly every one of them was a supernatural expert. A distance of several thousand meters vanished in the blink of an eye. Amidst the breathless anticipation of all who watched, the two torrents collided! War cries erupted instantly. "Kill!" *Boom!* Vitality exploded, martial techniques flared, combat arts detonated, and secret techniques lashed out… The center of the wilderness turned upside down. Forces of every kind manifested as battle techniques swept in all directions. At the vanguard, Liu Long swung his axe, pushing the Nine-Fold Forging Force to its absolute limit. Without the slightest hesitation, uncaring that his arms might tear apart under the strain, he roared and cleaved through everything before him. The strike forced the ferocious Dali general backward, while the great demon beast beneath him let out a shrill shriek as its skull was pulverized by the axe blade! "Kill!" Liu Long's spirits soared, fear and tension instantly forgotten. War cries erupted all around him. The sturdy Battle Heaven armor provided peerless protection, and centurions and chiliarchs charged at the forefront, slaughtering with unmatched ferocity! Among the ranks, Hong Qing, Liu Yan, and the others harbored no thought of being Li Hao's personal inner circle. On the battlefield, all were equal. If they fell here… Liu Long had already stated before departing that the experts in the rear would not intervene even if they died. Whichever side intervened first would lose the psychological advantage. Now, only one thought consumed every mind: *Kill!* *Slaughter every enemy warrior before us!* …… In the sky above. Li Hao felt a tightness in his chest. Had he stepped onto the field himself, he would never have felt this way. Yet watching this clash between warriors whose strongest were only at the third or fourth tier of Mountain Sea… he was gripped by suffocating tension. He had never experienced war on this scale. When he took the City of Supernaturals, he had fought alone, slaying a few top experts to settle the matter. He had never directed the clash of massed armies. His conquest of the Central Region had been smooth. The Demon Hunting Army under his command had suffered almost no major losses. Since its founding, fewer than a hundred men had died… even counting the ten thousand Silver Moon elites Huang Yu had brought. It had been nothing short of a miracle. The heaviest loss they had ever sustained was during the suppression of supernaturals in the City of Supernaturals, where several dozen soldiers had perished. Li Hao had never known true war. Yet today, a battle of barely twenty thousand men left him feeling breathless. His vision was too keen; by their auras alone, he could identify many familiar faces. Leaving Liu Long aside, every member of the original Demon Hunt Squad had gone to the front lines. The Demon Hunt Corps he had formed later—those several dozen warriors—had always been treated as his personal guard, kept far from mortal peril. Yet today… Liu Long had insisted on leading the Demon Hunting Army into battle in person and had brought those veterans along. Even Hong Qing was among them, and Hong Yitang had not raised a single objection. Li Hao understood their hearts. They were the foundation upon which he had risen. Though their strength could no longer keep pace with his, they wanted to prove to everyone that they remained his most loyal vanguard, his most dependable shield. *Where battle calls, we lead the charge!* Cries of "Hunt demons!" echoed endlessly. Li Hao's vision blurred slightly; all he could see were splashes of blood, the clang of blades, weapons plunging into flesh, and armor shattering under brute force. He felt dazed, his resolve wavering at this crucial juncture. *To temper the army… must they be the ones to fight?* These were the people closest to him. Yet… As conflicting thoughts caused his aura to fluctuate slightly, Director Zhao drew closer beside him without drawing attention and transmitted his voice: "Governor-General, the Demon Hunting Army is truly worthy of being the elite force that marched out of our Silver Moon… Their combat prowess is extraordinarily fierce; they have already gained the upper hand!" Li Hao snapped back to reality. Looking down, he saw Liu Long displaying divine might, his axe driving his opponent back step by step. With their commander dominating the duel, the soldiers' morale surged. Hong Qing and the others radiated fierce sword intent, shouting as they unleashed strike after strike, cutting down one ferocious Dali warrior after another. Blood showered the dirt, and corpses were trampled underfoot. The Demon Hunting Army had truly seized the upper hand, swiftly suppressing their opponents. …… Across the divide. The King of Dali frowned slightly. Everyone claimed Heavenly Star was far past its prime, especially after the rise of supernaturals, and that Dali's warriors were a hundred times fiercer than in the past… Yet in this very first clash, his side was being pushed back. The enemy was not stronger in raw cultivation. However… their fighting spirit was blazing, bearing none of the faint-heartedness described in reports. In the rear, the millions of Heavenly Star soldiers watched the scene unfold. Their spirits rose dramatically, fear and terror vanishing in an instant. Led by their respective commanders, they roared at the top of their lungs: "Hunt demons!" "Hunt demons!" "Hunt demons!" The cries pierced the clouds. Out on the barren plains, Liu Long roared and drew upon the vitality of several hundred surrounding soldiers in an instant, heedless of whether they might be slain in the interim. This battle had to be resolved cleanly and decisively—he had to strike down the opposing commander with absolute dominance! "Die!" Liu Long's aura surged wildly. With a furious roar, he brought his axe down! *Boom!* The mighty Dali general, who possessed supernatural strength and was no nameless soldier—being one of the commanders of the King of Dali's personal guard—let out a bloodcurdling scream! *Crash!* With a deafening roar, he was sheared in two by Liu Long's axe. "The enemy commander is dead! Kill!" Though his vitality was completely spent, Liu Long bellowed with all his might, his force manifesting as a towering ocean wave! The surrounding warriors shouted in unison, "The enemy general is slain! Hunt demons!" "Kill!" …… "Your Majesty!" Beside the King of Dali, several figures turned pale. The army deployed for this first battle was considered elite within their ranks… yet their commander had been struck down so quickly. Now, with their leader dead, although the ten-thousand-strong host had not routed, they had fallen into an absolute disadvantage. Men were being cut down continuously! Yet none dared retreat, for the King of Dali stood behind them. If this went on, however, their soldiers would only be slaughtered in greater numbers. Beside him, the Temple Chief Priest frowned slightly and said quickly, "It is not through any failing of their valor. The enemy is equipped with Xinwu battle armor, which grants formidable defense. If both sides fought stripped of armor, our army would surely prevail!" That was true enough, but it was also Heavenly Star's heritage—and who could blame them if Dali lacked such gear? He looked toward the King of Dali and asked swiftly, "Your Majesty… do we engage Heavenly Star in a full military clash here?" Or should they launch an all-out assault? Though the enemy had vast numbers, their rear clearly consisted of ordinary conscripts; an all-out charge might shatter them in an instant. The King of Dali remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "Chief Priest, tell me: if we cannot break the military soul of Heavenly Star and shatter their morale, can we truly take Heavenly Star City?" The Chief Priest fell silent. Dali's population was small… It would be exceedingly difficult to achieve that unless they pounded the enemy into such terror that they surrendered at the mere sight of their banners. Otherwise, conquering Heavenly Star's billions of people would never be an easy task. Yet suffering a setback in the very first battle was truly astonishing. "This is Li Hao's elite army… Send in the Tiger Guards! How many more elites of this caliber can he possibly possess?" Soon, following the King of Dali's command, another ten-thousand-strong legion mobilized. A fierce general riding a savage tiger gripped a massive battleaxe and roared, "Kill!" The army charged out! On Li Hao's side, the Battle Heaven Army still did not move. Instead, Yao Si let out a sharp cry and waved his arm, sending ten thousand supernaturals rushing onto the field! These were the troops of the Nine Departments and the royal family. Today, they too had been dragged to the front lines. The Battle Heaven Army could not be committed lightly. Over forty thousand warriors clashed on the plains in the blink of an eye. Shouts of slaughter shook the earth, creating an aura so ferocious that even seven-element experts entering the fray would have found it difficult to turn the tide. Murderous intent shook the heavens, and bloodline vitality pierced the sky. Both sides fought bitterly. Li Hao's forces did not even deploy their supernatural cannons; in this opening clash, neither side used weapons of mass destruction, each hoping to prove their might through sheer personal valor. …… Across Heavenly Star, countless observers let out a collective sigh of relief. "Dali… isn't all that terrifying after all!" "The Demon Hunting Army is truly formidable! I thought Dali was invincible!" "Exactly! I was scared to death a moment ago…" Seeing the tide turn in favor of the Demon Hunting Army, the anxious populace felt a wave of reassurance. Though they could see the enemy was formidable—even through the screens, the pressure felt suffocating—they were greatly comforted. They were not helpless; the Governor-General's Office possessed countless experts. Even now, Governor-General Li and his inner circle had not yet intervened, and their army was already suppressing the enemy. …… On the battlefield. Countless voices cheered as war drums pounded with deafening resonance! The sounds of slaughter never ceased. Li Hao gradually regained his composure, firmly suppressing the hesitation in his heart. *They can fight!* Seeing that the Nine Departments' troops were struggling against the arrival of Dali's second detachment and that the Demon Hunting Army was growing exhausted, Li Hao looked down. Below, Ninth Division Commander looked up to meet his gaze. In the next instant, Ninth Division Commander raised his hand! *Boom!* Three thousand soldiers of the Battle Heaven Army swiftly entered the fray, while another Dali legion joined from the opposing side. Yet within breaths, the Battle Heaven Army displayed peerless martial prowess. Their individual cultivation was not overwhelming, but they moved in absolute synchronization as a single entity, executing simple, brutal motions: draw blades and strike! *Crash!* The moment the three thousand Battle Heaven troops joined the battle, the chaotic battlefield shifted violently. Scores of Dali warriors were cut down on the spot. The opposing formations, which had managed to hold their ground, began to show signs of collapse. High above, the King of Dali glared coldly at Li Hao, his voice booming like a bell: "A Xinwu legion? Boy Li Hao, is this what your confidence rests upon? This King thought you would rely on yourself!" Li Hao gave a mocking smile. "King of Dali, how about this: dismiss the ancient civilization experts beside you, and the two of us will fight to the death without relying on anyone else. Let us see if Heavenly Star knows fear! You surround yourself with puppets of the ancients, yet you dare lecture me about relying on myself?" The King of Dali glanced at Li Hao and said nothing more. He was not a man given to idle banter. With the Battle Heaven Army's entry, Dali's lines were falling into disarray. Unless he committed more men, it would take twenty to thirty thousand soldiers to match those three thousand Battle Heaven troops. Ten thousand Battle Heaven soldiers could withstand a hundred thousand Dali warriors! By now, Dali's casualties had exceeded five thousand, while Li Hao's side had lost fewer than three thousand. If this continued and their losses topped ten thousand, their morale would suffer a devastating blow. "Sound the retreat!" The King of Dali chose not to push further. Beside him, a black-robed expert muttered in a low voice, "Your Majesty, why not commit the entire host? The Battle Heaven Army is small in number…" Withdrawing first at this moment was tantamount to conceding defeat. Losing the opening clash was no small matter. The King of Dali could not be bothered to reply. He simply repeated, "Sound the retreat!" The war drums shifted their rhythm, rumbling across the plains as tens of thousands of Dali warriors began an orderly withdrawal. The Demon Hunting Army and the Battle Heaven Army pursued them for a short distance, but as they neared the one-thousand-meter mark, their own drums sounded the recall. In the next breath, Li Hao threw his arm into the air and shouted, "Ten thousand victories!" Millions of soldiers roared in wild unison! "Ten thousand victories!" Morale soared through the clouds! Even the three million ordinary soldiers—decadent as they had once been, some having harbored thoughts of fleeing at the very start—cheered with wild abandon upon seeing Heavenly Star suppress the enemy, realizing that the Battle Heaven Army had merely added the finishing touch… The Heavenly Star Governor-General's own troops were formidable in their own right. Millions of soldiers erupted in celebration. Li Hao had once warned that if the battle went poorly, he would throw them onto the front line as cannon fodder… which had terrified them to the bone. Seeing Heavenly Star emerge victorious, they were overjoyed. Many forgot their earlier fears entirely, feeling only that Heavenly Star's elite forces were truly mighty, swelling with an indescribable surge of pride. Across the divide, the King of Dali said nothing. He merely observed Li Hao from afar before vanishing into the void. The supreme experts of both sides had not traded blows this day. …… Below, Liu Long and his men were panting heavily, drenched in sweat, yet their spirits were soaring. Though the Demon Hunting Army had suffered over a thousand casualties in this battle and several familiar comrades had fallen, they had no room for grief at this moment. Only one thought filled their minds: *We won the first battle!* *The Demon Hunting Army is forever invincible!* "We have not failed our mission!" Liu Long cupped his fists toward the commanding generals, a faint smile touching his pale face. Beneath his armor, his flesh was battered and torn, yet he stood straight as a spear, grinning broadly. "Ten thousand victories!" The wild cheers erupted once more! At this moment, from all directions, across the entire realm, the Heavenly Star Dynasty seemed to drown in euphoria. Dali was not so terrifying after all!