1074 Defensive Stand
"You couldn't kill such a weak Eternal," sneered Ao Shen. "I feel embarrassed for you."
Huo Fenghuang glanced at him, "Do you think I don't know you're weaker than me without your proving Dao Artifact? How about it? Want me to slap you around?"
"Who's afraid of you?" he retorted. Although he knew his current self was weaker, he knew she did not dare fight him since the Heavenly Emperor forbade any internal fight during this war.
Huo Fenghuang ignored him, paying attention to her assignment; she watched Qian Heng like a hawk while waiting for the War Room's next command after Li Jun's slaughters ended.
Near the Martial Hegemony World:
"We should do something," said Lightning Fist's soul, floating next to Qian Heng. She watched so many of her fellows die but was powerless to do anything; she had never felt so frustrated and useless since she started practicing martial arts at the young age of 5 years old.
"Don't you think I don't want to do anything?" said Qian Heng with clenched fists. He could sense the two eyes watching his every move. He knows if he dares move out of the formation's range, they bring the wrath of the Heavens upon him.
That's why he can only protect the retreating martial artists who reach near the formation's range.
"So, we're not going to do anything at all?"
"Just wait."
Li Jun slaughtered 95% of the people in his layer. The scariest part is he did everything with a smirk on the corner of his mouth, indicating he enjoyed this mindless slaughter.
"So, what's next?" he muttered.
"All Third Layer Immortal Venerables," ordered Tie Gang. "Get into a formation with a Dao Ancestor to support them. Li Jun: kill all the immortals in the third layer. Di Jiaying and the others, your task is to kill the legions in the first layer while we hold off the Immortal Commanders.."
"No problem."
Li Jun entered the third layer and started another slaughter. On that day, the people of the Myriad Emperor World watched as one of their own slaughtered immortals like they were nothing but dogs or chickens. So many Immortals shed blood on that day that this part of the Endless Void turned golden for decades.
The result of this first confrontation was evident to anyone - the Martial Hegemony World lost horrendously. Although they had only lost one battle and the war had just started, things were not looking great. Qian Heng was eerily quiet as he watched the last of his people rush to safety. Such a grand army of billions and less than 5% survived.
"Sir⌜"
Qian Heng raised his hand to stop her. "We are martial artists." His voice boomed in the void. "Our bodies and souls may fall, but our martial art will is eternal. Now, come, serve your home for the last time."
As soon as he finished this incantation, billions of black lights resembling tiny lightnings rushed from all four layers of the battlefield to fuse with the white shield surrounding the Martial Hegemony World, slowly turning it black-red.
"Stop him!" roared Tie Gang, and countless people attacked the World's Protective Shield, including the two Eternals, no, three Eternals, as Jian Sha also appeared to help. However, it was pointless. These people watched as billions of Martial Art Wills empowered this formation. Qian Heng calmly watched them behind the protection, his hatred almost palpable. He disappeared.
"What now?" asked someone.
"We can rest and resupply while I discuss our next step with the War Room," replied Tie Gang. The lower-tier cultivators could not stay in this environment for too long, so under his orders, a group of Weapon Refiners appeared and built resting artifacts in the void.
During this break, everyone is checking their Military Points and exchanging resources. Ao Shen exchanged rare resources with Wang Wei, and he fed Snake Saber's body to the Genesis Fruit. As expected, the Tier 11 Essence contained in an Immortal Sovereign's body did attract and accelerate its growth.
After a quick discussion, the War Room sent the Sea Race's Immortal Sovereign and more Insurgents to break the barrier as soon as possible. However, these people realized that it would take some time to open even with four Eternal Powerhouses. They still had to consider the slight time dilation between the Void and the Martial Hegemony World.
Martial Hegemony World:
Everyone in the court was absolutely silent; this war was a disaster, a fiasco, a wreck - it was all the synonyms of the word failure.
"So, what now?" asked someone. "These sacrifices brought us a short rest, but what now?"
"The only plan I have is to get more time," said Qian Heng. "We will rewrite the rules of the world to accelerate time. So, when these people eventually break our defense, we would have 100,000 or maybe millions of years to prepare."
"Have you thought of the consequences, your majesty? Trillions upon trillions of mortals will die as a result of chaotic temporal energy."
"Not just mortals, most Tier 1 to Tier 6 cultivators will not survive. Meanwhile, Tier 7 to 9 might suffer weird time-related injuries if they are not careful. This plan could turn catastrophic."
"We can take measures to save as many lives as possible," added Qian Heng. "But, yes, there will be casualties. However, our priorities should be gathering resources to cultivate one or two Immortal Sovereigns. Meanwhile, we must also help the Cult Leader from proving the Dao."
Qian Heng glanced at a young man with blood-red eyes and star-shaped irises. The Cult Leader smiled after seeing Qian Heng's gaze. Although he appeared gentle, no one would believe the leader of the Demon Cult to be a sane individual.
"Any more suggestions?" asked Qian Heng. "We need plans for the upcoming battle. We might not have the opportunity for a third battle."
"How about asking the demon race for help?" suggested someone.
"After what we've done to them, would they be willing to help?"
"The better question is, can we trust them?"
The demon race once ruled the world after the Null Era. However, after the creation of martial arts, their race was almost hunted to extinction. They had to run away to a few scattered islands in the east and could only survive until the current era because of the Sea Race's protection.
"I will talk to the Monster Sovereign and see if they're willing to help," stated Qian Heng.
"And if they don't?"
"No one can escape this war."
"Your majesty, what about that old turtle? He might be a real problem."
Qian Heng grunted after hearing this. "We'll figure out something. Any other suggestions?"
"I have a plan to give us a fighting chance."
"You are?"
"Golden Fist Liu Hu."
"Oh, the Alliance Leader during the Demon Catastrophe."
Whenever the Martial Hegemony World suffers a catastrophe, people worldwide call for establishing the Martial Alliance and electing a leader. This would have been the case if not for the appearance of the Heavenly Court. Such customs have existed since ancient times, and the Dragon Subduing Emperor was the Alliance Leader of his time.
Before the Celestial Demon Cult became the de facto leader of the demonic way, there was a catastrophe where these demons became too powerful and wanted to mess up the world. Golden Fist became the Alliance Leader because of his skills and strategic mind.
"That's me, your majesty."
"What's your plan?"
"I think we should....This would allow us to better concentrate our main power and increase our defense. We can....Although this will require a lot of movement, it's worth it. The only issue is whether the Peaceful Life Palace can pull off this plan?"
"No problem," replied Reverend Tranquility. "We can also add some modifications. However, I also need to warn of the issue of resources. We must maintain the world formation and do this, so please don't think we are greedy when asking for many resources."
"Don't worry about that," reassured Qian Heng.
"That's all I want to hear."
"Anyone else?"
"Is it possible to introduce a third party to this war to complicate it," asked the Cult Leader.
"What do you mean?"
"For example, we tell the Celestial Harmony World that we are willing to 'surrender' to them again only if they defeat the Myriad Emperor World and let them fight it out before facing them," said the Cult Leader. "Of course, that's assuming they won't join with the Myriad Emperor World to conquer us together."
"There is no chance for them to work together because of their connection to the Commerce Hub, but your plan will not work for another reason," explained Qian Heng.
"And what is that?"
"From what I know, the entire Commerce Hub fears the First Heavenly Emperor."
The room immediately became quiet. What kind of existence was the Commerce Hub? An alliance that spent more than a thousand world communities. Their world gained freedom from the Celestial Harmony World - one of their core members - not because of their strength but because of internal fighting. These Taoists had political enemies in the hub, and they used their fight with the Martial Hegemony World to weaken them. Otherwise, if the hub wanted to wipe them out, it would be more than simple.
But such a humongous power was scared of one man.
