The reinforcements of Tiandao Alliance have arrived

The sky had not yet fully brightened.

Yet, the wind on the outskirts of the Yanshan Secret Realm already carried the scent of blood.

Outside the Great Zhou encampment, the sound of horns suddenly tore through the sky, one after another, like iron nails hammering into everyone's eardrums.

Enemy attack!

Thirty miles to the northwest, a large group of martial artists is approaching!

Heavenly Dao Alliance banners confirmed!

There are also unorthodox rogue cultivators and miscellaneous troops from hidden sects mixed in, and their numbers are still increasing!

The camp instantly sprang into action.

The imperial guards donned their armor and formed ranks, the agents of the Eastern Depot shuttled about like ghosts, runic cannons turned their muzzles, and the royal ancestors took to the sky. The entire camp was like a dormant beast of steel that had finally opened its eyes.

Inside the central command tent, everyone had already gathered.

Wang Hao sat in the main seat, holding a cup of hot tea. He blew on it unhurriedly, as if the people charging outside were not over a thousand formidable enemies, but a group of local squires coming to deliver gifts.

The scout knelt below, speaking at a rapid pace.

Reporting to Your Majesty, the enemy forces have gathered on the periphery. Their banners read: Punish the Tyrant, Save Our Comrades, Protect the Fortune.

Their leader is Han Qianyue, the Northern Line Deacon of the Heavenly Dao Alliance.

This person is at the sixth level of the Skysoar Realm and is skilled with a heavy halberd. He once beheaded seven sect experts in a row during a battle in the Northern Wasteland.

Aside from him, we have confirmed a total of seven Skysoar Realm experts, twenty-three half-step Skysoar cultivators, and the rest are all experts above the sixth realm of martial arts, the True Intent Realm.

They seem to believe that someone transmitted the coordinates of the secret realm's core last night. Now, under the guise of receiving their inside man and jointly exploring the Martial God Origin, they are pressing toward our defense line.

As his voice fell, the atmosphere in the tent grew slightly heavy.

Seven Skysoar Realm experts.

This lineup was no longer a simple probe.

They truly intended to take advantage of the chaos to pull off a massive heist.

A Wang Family Ancestor said coldly, Your Majesty, it seems that the transmission bone talisman from last night really did attract the wolves.

Another ancestor's eyes were icy, Perfect. Since they delivered themselves to our door, it would be a waste not to kill them.

Yun Meng stood to the side, crossing her arms with a cold sneer, This bunch is certainly anxious. The news was just released last night, and they've already rushed to our doorstep this morning, terrified that the Martial God Origin might grow legs and run away.

Ren Mingyue said softly, They might not fully believe it, but even if there is only a ten percent chance, no one is willing to miss out.

Shen Xue did not speak.

She merely looked at Wang Hao.

Others thought this was a normal reaction of enemies lured out by rumors, but she knew very well that all of this was a trap meticulously cultivated by the bastard in front of her.

From the mole, to the message transmission, to the external enemies pressing on the border.

The situation looked perilous, but in reality, ninety-nine percent of it was within his calculations.

The only question was how he planned to use it next.

Sure enough, the next moment, Wang Hao set down his teacup and spoke indifferently.

Seven Skysoar Realm experts, twenty-three half-step Skysoar cultivators. Not a small number.

Just enough to divide up.

Everyone was stunned.

Divide up? Yun Meng raised an eyebrow. What do you mean by that?

Wang Hao raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Shen Xue, Yun Meng, Ren Mingyue, and the ten temporary workers standing in the back row, smiling very gently.

It means that this battle is not just about killing the enemy.

It is also a test of stance.

The hearts of several people in the tent skipped a beat simultaneously.

Here it comes. This dog emperor is at it again.

Wang Hao stood up, walked to the military map, and lightly tapped a few defense lines with his fingertips.

The six ancestors will be responsible for intercepting the enemy's main Skysoar Realm forces.

As for the rest of you...

He turned around and looked at the three women, his smile growing even more radiant.

Miss Shen, Fairy Yun, Miss Ren, I plan to have each of you lead a unit to face the enemy head-on.

And while you are at it, lead this batch of... outstanding young talents that I have newly recruited.

The ten temporary workers were speechless.

Outstanding young talents, your ass.

Now, whenever they heard Wang Hao speak in such an amiable tone, a chill ran down their spines.

Because this usually meant one thing: they had to do dirty work again.

Yun Meng was the first to blow up, Are you crazy? You want us to lead them into a head-on clash against the Heavenly Dao Alliance's charge?

What, do you not dare? Wang Hao looked at her.

Who doesn't dare! Yun Meng instantly lost her temper. I just don't want to be used as your weapon!

Oh. Wang Hao nodded. So you don't dare.

You...

Alright, you don't need to explain, Yun Meng. Wang Hao sighed, his tone even carrying a bit of I-can-understand tolerance. The Illusory Sea Immortal Sect is far away in the Eastern Wasteland Sea, after all. Although they sent you here and are willing to ally with us, they don't have deep ties to the Great Zhou's situation. It is excusable that you don't want to take risks. I don't blame you.

As soon as these words came out, Yun Meng's face darkened completely.

Don't blame me, your ass!

This dog was clearly putting her on the spot in public!

What did he mean by not having deep ties to the Great Zhou? What did he mean by it being excusable not to take risks?

If she really backed down now, after today, everyone would assume that the Illusory Sea Immortal Sect cowered at the critical moment and was afraid to get involved. They would also assume that she, Yun Meng, was just a showpiece who talked tough but dropped the ball when it mattered most.

She almost crushed her silver teeth from gritting them so hard. Who said I'm not going?

I'm going!

Not only am I going, but I'm going to fight the vanguard unit!

Wang Hao revealed a satisfied smile. Good, I appreciate Fairy Yun's courage of a heroine who outshines men.

Yun Meng was speechless.

Right now, she really wanted to sew this bastard's mouth shut.

Watching this scene, Shen Xue couldn't even be bothered to comment.

Shameless. Too shameless.

In less than three sentences, he had directly forced someone onto his war chariot.

Sure enough, Wang Hao soon looked at her.

What about Miss Shen?

The Ice and Snow Divine Palace has always prided itself on upholding the righteous path. Today, the Heavenly Dao Alliance is forcefully intruding into the secret realm under the banner of justice, but on the inside, they are greedy for fortune, snatching benefits, and waiting for a chance to seize treasures. As the Holy Maiden of the Divine Palace, you surely won't just sit back and watch, will you?

Shen Xue looked at him coldly. You don't need to provoke me.

I was planning to make a move anyway.

That's even better. Wang Hao nodded with a beaming smile.

Subsequently, his gaze fell upon Ren Mingyue.

Ren Mingyue blinked, her expression delicate and obedient. Your Majesty, I will naturally listen to you. It's just that my strength is shallow, and if I charge head-on, I'm afraid I will hold everyone back.

She spoke softly and gently, as if she were truly afraid of ruining things.

But no one present would actually believe it.

Especially Wang Hao.

This two-faced, black-hearted lotus was most skilled at this kind of half-retreating, half-advancing act.

Her mouth said I can't do it, but the subtext was: Are you going to coax me, give me some special arrangements, and make me look unique while you're at it?

Wang Hao looked at her and suddenly smiled.

You're right.

Ren Mingyue was slightly taken aback.

The next second, she heard Wang Hao say in a serious tone:

With your cultivation level, you are indeed not suited to take charge of a side on your own.

Then how about this, I will assign the two most capable fighters to you.

He raised his hand and pointed.

Xiao Chen, Rong Xiaotian, they are yours.

Xiao Chen: ?

Rong Xiaotian: ???

Ren Mingyue was speechless.

She almost couldn't maintain her composure.

What she wanted was special care, not two troublemakers who looked like they would cause problems and be hard to manage!

Wang Hao, however, acted as if he completely missed her momentary stiffness, saying earnestly, Although Mingyue's cultivation is slightly weak, she excels in being meticulous and is good at dispatching forces. Xiao Chen is steady, and Rong Xiaotian is brave. The three of you complement each other and will definitely succeed.

Xiao Chen's mouth twitched.

Steady?

Your Majesty, before you praise me, could you touch your conscience first?

Rong Xiaotian had an even more horrified expression, as if he had seen a ghost.

He would admit that he was brave.

But asking him to take orders from a woman, how was that any different from stuffing a wolf into a sheep pen and calling them complementary?

Wang Hao continued to divide his forces.

Yun Meng led Ye Guyun, Bai Zhantang, Su Lie, and three hundred elites of the Eastern Depot on the left wing.

Shen Xue led Gu Han, Zhao Feng, Qin Zhiming, and three hundred elites of the Western Depot on the right wing.

Ren Mingyue, accompanied by Xiao Chen, Rong Xiaotian, and a highly mobile unit of Brocade Guards, was responsible for holding the center line and filling in any gaps.

Meanwhile, Wang Hao took Wei Zhongxian and Yu Huatian to provide artillery support from amidst the 120,000 imperial guards.

After the arrangements were made, the ten temporary workers looked at each other in dismay, almost simultaneously having the same thought: We are screwed.

This was not a normal battle. This was a test of loyalty.

Whoever fought the hardest would essentially be publicly submitting their pledge of allegiance to the Great Zhou.

If anyone dared to slack off, this tyrant would absolutely have a hundred ways to hold a grudge and settle the score later.

For all they knew, those runic cannons and muskets were already aimed right at their backs.

"What?" Wang Hao looked at them. "None of you are speaking. Do you think My distribution is unfair?"

The crowd shook their heads in unison. They did not dare, they truly did not dare.

"Good." Wang Hao stood with his hands behind his back, his tone suddenly turning grave. "Remember, today's battle is not about a momentary victory or defeat."

"It is about attitude."

"Who is truly in the same boat with Me, and who is physically here but mentally elsewhere—I am watching it all."

As soon as these words fell, the tent became dead silent.

Even people with temperaments like Yun Meng and Ren Mingyue could hear the unavoidable sharpness in his words.

Wang Hao had laid his cards on the table.

They could choose not to submit. But starting today, they could forget about sitting on the fence anymore.

A moment later, the camp gates opened wide. The three divisions marched out together.

The horns sounded again, and the war drums roared.

In front of the Great Zhou camp, within a broad valley, the Heavenly Dao Alliance's grand army was already pressing forward.

Their leader, Han Qianyue, clad in black armor and wielding a heavy Heaven-Piercing Halberd, stood at the very front. His voice boomed like thunder.

"Wang Hao is tyrannical and unjust! He hoarded the fortuitous encounters of the secret realm and slaughtered his peers! Today, I shall enact justice on behalf of the Heavens! I order you to immediately surrender the secret realm and release those who were captured last night, otherwise—"

"Otherwise what?"

A crisp yet impatient voice directly interrupted his speech.

Yun Meng stepped forward with her spear. Her emerald dress fluttered wildly in the wind, making her look as beautiful as a figure walking out of a painting, but her mouth was not polite at all.

"If we are going to fight, then fight. Why spout so much nonsense?"

"If you want to rob us, just say it. Why do you have to stick this dog-skin plaster of enacting justice for the Heavens on your face? Does your Heavenly Dao Alliance have to recite The Self-Cultivation of a Hypocrite before leaving the house?"

The entire battlefield fell silent.

The next second, several people on the Great Zhou side nearly burst out laughing.

Rong Xiaotian held it in so hard his shoulders were shaking: "Well scolded!"

Han Qianyue's face instantly turned ashen.

"Insolent!"

"A mere woman dares to—"

"What about a woman?" Yun Meng flicked the tip of her spear and sneered. "Beating a piece of trash like you who relies on lip service to hold up a facade, even a mere woman would consider it using too much force."

"Come, get down here."

"This lady will teach you how to be a proper human today."

Han Qianyue flew into a rage. He stomped his foot, causing the ground to explosively crack, and shot forward like a cannonball!

"You are courting death!"

Almost simultaneously, the three-pronged battle fully erupted!

The left wing clashed first.

Yun Meng's long spear danced like a swimming dragon. Her moves were grand and sweeping, yet astonishingly fast. She had always been the type who looked like a fairy but fought like a madman. The moment she entered the fray, she pierced straight into the enemy formation. Wherever her spear tip passed, three Heavenly Dao Alliance martial artists at the Astral Qi Realm had their throats ruptured, sending them flying backward in a spray of blood.

"Stay close to me!"

"Whoever dares to drop the ball today, I will whip them first when we get back to camp!"

Ye Guyun kept a cold face, his sword strikes as swift and white as snow.

Bai Zhantang used his light footwork to glide through the air, weaving through the crowd to deliver finishing blows.

Su Lie went even further, hefting a giant broadsword the size of a door and viciously hacking into the enemy group, every strike cutting deep to the bone.

For a time, the left wing actually managed to suppress the enemy.

On the right wing, Shen Xue's style was completely different.

She was not as flamboyant as Yun Meng, but her attacks were colder and steadier.

With a thrust of her palm, freezing energy instantly locked down the lower bodies of three enemies. Gu Han followed closely behind, piercing their throats with his sword cleanly and efficiently.

Zhao Feng roared as he charged, while Qin Zhiming stood in the backline, constantly dismantling the enemy's formations.

Between movement and stillness, the right wing was like a slow but deadly blade of ice, steadily pushing forward.

The center line was the most chaotic.

Ren Mingyue stood at the rear, directing the battle. Her voice was soft, but her logic was terrifyingly clear.

"Young Master Xiao, thirty steps to the left to fill the gap."

"Brother Rong, do not chase too deep, it is a lure."

"Frontline, contract. Let them crash in, then close the door."

Rong Xiaotian viciously knocked down an opponent and shouted back, "Did you come out of the Ren family, or did you grow up in a military camp?"

Ren Mingyue offered a shallow smile. "Brother Rong overpraises me. I am just afraid of dying, so I calculate things a bit more meticulously."

Xiao Chen's eyelids twitched at her words.

Afraid of dying?

If you were truly afraid of dying, would you have lured the enemy's vanguard unit step by step into an encirclement?

This woman looked delicate, but her heart was pitch-black.

Meanwhile, on the higher battlefield, the six Wang Family Ancestors had already explosively collided with the six Sky Realm experts of the Heavenly Dao Alliance!

Astral winds swept out, and mountain rocks shattered.

The clashes of Sky Realm experts were too fast and too fierce. Every strike carried the oppressive weight of shattering mountains and severing peaks; ordinary Grandmasters could not even get close.

Han Qianyue had originally intended to forcefully break through the center army to capture the leader first.

But just as he was about to ascend, he was intercepted mid-air by a Wang Family Ancestor.

"Your opponent is me."

Han Qianyue shouted furiously, "Get lost!"

He swept his heavy halberd, sending out a tidal wave of air.

Yet the Wang Family Ancestor did not retreat a single inch. He met the attack head-on with a punch, the impact so hard it made the void emit a muffled boom.

The two sides instantly took their fight high into the sky.

The entire battlefield completely boiled over.

And just as everyone was fighting until the sky went dark and the earth grew dim...

What about Wang Hao?

Wang Hao was at the rear.

He had even brought out a chair.

Beside him was a small table holding hot tea, dried fruits, military reports, and a recording crystal. He looked less like he was here to supervise a battle and more like he was here to watch a play.

Wei Zhongxian bent over and whispered, "Your Majesty, the three young ladies have already pressed the attack, and the ten temporary workers are also putting in a lot of effort."

Wang Hao nodded. "Mm, I see it."

"That Ye Guyun has the foulest mouth, but his sword is quite fast."

"Xiao Chen looks like he is bearing a deep, bitter grudge, but he is fairly reliable when it comes to an actual fight."

"Rong Xiaotian might be reckless, but he is recklessly valuable."

Saying this, his gaze fell upon Yun Meng, and he suddenly chuckled.

"Yun Meng is rather interesting."

"She curses the fiercest, and charges the hardest."