Chapter 208: Zhou Tian Xingdou Great Array

"His achievements cover three kingdoms, his fame becomes the Eight‑Array Diagram. The river flows, the stone does not turn, lingering regret for failing to swallow Wu." — Du Fu, "Eight‑Array Diagram"

The sword is like a dragon, the finger like wind.

Not far from the third defensive line, Zhang Xingyu was swiftly setting up the formation.

He was laying a simplified version of the Zhou Tian Xingdou Great Array.

As he set the array, he muttered words.

"Damn bear, the tiger isn't showing its might; you think I'm a sick cat. Today, I'm going all out. It's just high‑grade spirit stones, I've got plenty. Today, I'll be a Zhuge Liang for once; I'll make the Zhou Tian Xingdou Great Array famous worldwide!"

Though he mutters, his hands are not slow.

High‑grade spirit stones are piled and set into the array plates, each plate being buried into an array node.

Third defensive line, on the city wall.

Squad Leader Li leans against the wall, gasping heavily.

His magic blade has been severed; only a hilt remains in his hand.

"Looks like today my over a hundred jin will be spent here."

He looks at his feet; blood flows like a river, four streams spread across the ground.

He looks toward the base of the wall, a plume of black smoke rushing toward them.

"Huh, that kid Zhang Xingyu—didn't he run away? What is he doing down there? Dancing? Is he scared stiff?"

Squad Leader Li does not hate Zhang Xingyu.

He is just a child.

A child of that age should simply live well.

Squad Leader Li thought so.

On the city wall, the celestial warriors grew fewer.

The demon tribe battalion surged onto the ramparts.

White‑faced Second Lieutenant slashed a demon soldier dead and approached the Major Camp Commander.

"Camp Commander, we have few left. This time we may not hold!"

"Hmm. Then we'll fight to the last moment! If there is a next life, we'll kill the enemy together again."

"Alright, kill the enemy together!"

On the city wall, the celestial soldiers leaned on each other for support.

By this point in the battle, the entire camp's remaining troops total fewer than a hundred.

Each of those hundred is exhausted and wounded.

The final moment has arrived.

Someone, unknown, began to hum the Volunteer Celestial Army anthem softly.

Soon, the bold, stirring Volunteer Celestial Army anthem echoed through the canyon.

"Come, my human warriors, let us defend peace together. Cross the towering snow mountains, protect the motherland and home. Come, raise your battle‑blade, slay all vile foes......"

The warriors sang while cutting down foes.

Zhang Xingyu also hummed softly.

His blood boiled with fervor.

A quarter hour later, just as the demon reinforcements were about to arrive, the simplified Zhou Tian Xingdou Great Array was finally set up.

Zhang Xingyu took the array banner from his chest and drove it deep into the center of the great array.

"Commence the array!"

His words command the formation.

Inside the canyon, a light shield rose.

Above the canyon, countless stars twinkled.

"Celestial King Constellation, engage!"

"Heaven Altar Constellation, engage!"

"Heavenly Dragon Constellation, engage!"

"Engage! Engage! Engage!"

Zhang Xingyu launched the array's attack.

In the sky, streaks of starlight shot toward the demon tribe.

A single strike killed all the demon soldiers on the city wall.

"Squad Leader Li, Lieutenant Colonel, Captain, everyone hurry into the array!"

While launching the attack, Zhang Xingyu shouted at his comrades on the wall.

Seizing the gap after the demon tribe was wiped out on the wall, the Lieutenant Colonel Camp Commander led the warriors back into the Zhou Tian Xingdou Great Array.

Within the array, Squad Leader Li stroked his broken blade with his blood‑soaked hand.

"Old comrade, I never thought I'd still be alive. It's a pity for you; I failed to protect you."

At that moment, a storage bag was thrown in front of him.

"The storage bag contains one hundred thousand high‑grade spirit stones. Squad Leader Li, please take men to replace the discarded spirit stones on the northwest corner array plates."

Sixteen storage bags were tossed in succession, and Zhang Xingyu's heart bled.

Sixteen bags, 1.6 million high‑grade spirit stones, 160 million low‑grade spirit stones.

To finish the defense mission, I gave it my all.

The demon tribe kept pouring in, and the great array kept unleashing its power.

In the canyon, the bodies of demon soldiers piled up like a mountain.

In the demon army's center, several high‑ranking demon lords gathered beneath a pitch‑black flame banner.

That banner was the emblem of the demon‑race vanguard general Mo Luo.

Beneath the banner, General Mo Luo swung his black greatsword with force.

"You idiots. Quickly organize the soldiers to break that damned formation. The human army is closing in; if we don't shatter the array now, we'll all die here!"

"As you command, Lord Mo Luo."

The demon lords shouted their assent.

After a brief discussion they decided to form suicide squads from each of their high‑ranking demon cultivators and launch a full‑scale attack.

On the third defensive wall, snarling, aura‑radiant demon cultivators lined the ramparts one after another.

They were all above demon‑head rank, clad in fifth‑tier or higher high‑defense demon armor, wielding fifth‑tier or higher high‑attack demon weapons.

A demon lord brandished his long spear and shouted, "Warriors, by Lord Mo Luo's command we must break the formation within fifteen minutes. Success or failure hinges on this moment! Victory means life, defeat means death! The demon lords and I will hold the front here for you."

"Advance!"

"Kill!"

This suicide squad, composed entirely of high‑ranking demon heads, charged the Zhou Tian Star‑Array.

The array's shield took the blow, and the star‑river above quivered.

"What the heck!"

Zhang Xingyu activated the formation; starlight turned into several great swords that slashed at the demon heads at the front.

Where the blade light passed, the demon heads turned to ash and vanished.

Yet the demon army's suicide squad kept attacking without pause.

The array's shield grew dimmer, and the star‑river's shaking intensified.

"Quick, replace the spirit stones!"

Zhang Xingyu shouted loudly at Squad Leader Li and the others.

Hearing him, everyone hurried to swap the spirit stones.

After a flurry of frantic activity, the array revived its vigor.

While directing the starlight attacks from above, Zhang Xingyu also commanded a fire dragon to blaze forward.

Starlight plus fire dragon.

Front attack plus side ambush.

In no time the demon army's suicide squad suffered over half casualties.

The situation had become highly unfavorable to the suicide squad's assault.

The demon lords holding the rear line saw this and raised their weapons, personally leading troops forward.

With the demon lords joining, the suicide squad's attacks grew even sharper.

The tide turned again against the defending side.

The array shuddered as if it could collapse at any moment.

We cannot let the demon lords keep attacking; we must disrupt or eliminate them.

After a moment's thought, Zhang Xingyu handed the formation's main flag to the lieutenant‑colonel camp commander.

"Camp commander, you take over the formation. I'll go harass those leading demon lords."

The lieutenant‑colonel camp commander nodded and took the flag.

"Be careful, stay safe!"

Zhang Xingyu nodded, drew another flying sword.

Azure Dragon!

Today, he will rely on the fire dragon and Azure Dragon to harass a Golden Core‑level demon lord.

Ahead of the formation, a demon lord brandished his demon spear, thrusting it fiercely toward a star hanging overhead.

Zhang Xingyu timed his move and ordered the flying sword to strike.

"Azure Dragon, go!"

The Azure Dragon instantly appeared before the demon lord.

Blade light formed a cage, instantly devouring the demon lord.

"Fire Dragon, advance!"

The sword streaked like a meteor, seizing the chance to attack.

Moments later the demon lord let out a mournful wail.

The fire dragon's ambush succeeded.

A stream of black blood spurted from the demon lord's chest.

The demon lord clutched his chest in pain, roaring angrily.

"Damn it!"

As his roar faded, another beam of starlight shot toward him.

The starlight struck his head.

The demon lord's head burst open, scattering dust in unwilling resignation.

It turned out the lieutenant‑colonel camp commander seized the moment and launched an attack on that demon lord.

Zhang Xingyu retracted the flying sword.

He glanced at the camp commander, then aimed at another demon lord.