Chapter 204: The Battlefield of Two Countries

Just from the way Zi Yan used that "reckless" form of address, Xiao Yan knew clearly that the former had a significant relationship with that mysterious Lin Elder whom Xun Er had spoken of.

At the same time, he felt shocked that Zi Yan had such a massive backer.

Good heavens, no wonder this girl could be called a tyrant in the Inner Academy; with the Inner Academy Great Elder plus an Elder who could casually produce so many good things, even he could fly if given that!

"Hurry up and process the medicinal herbs for them." Seeing Xiao Yan remain frozen in place without moving, Zi Yan immediately became unhappy and urged him.

"Fine, fine, fine!" Xiao Yan sighed in his heart about his own life of toil, turned around, and went back into the room to refine medicine.

Although there were many of these medicinal herbs, for Xiao Yan, who had the help of an Exotic Fire, it was completely not a problem.

Two hours later, watching Zi Yan leave while skipping and jumping, Xiao Yan felt a bit of helplessness; the things his father had given him back then were almost all used up, and now he was working himself to death for high-grade medicinal herbs, while Zi Yan treated these things like beans to be eaten.

The gap between humans and beasts!

The peaceful life of Jia Nan Academy formed a sharp contrast with the saber-rattling between the Jia Ma and Chu Yun empires at this moment.

Above an endless plain, two incomparably massive mountain ranges stretched across the area. And at the rift between the mountain ranges, a fortress reaching a hundred zhang in height guarded this throat-like strategic passage.

The pitch-black fortress walls emitted a ferocious aura like an ancient giant beast, giving people a chilling sense of déjà vu.

At this time, several hundred thousand Chu Yun Empire troops had already gathered beneath the city walls; they were boundless at a glance, and the sky-covering black mist and yellow sand obscured the figures of the army, also possessing a great deal of oppressive force.

However, to the Jia Ma Empire experts guarding the fortress here, those several hundred thousand Chu Yun troops had no deterrent power at all, and they even found it somewhat amusing.

This was a world where the strong stood above imperial power; top-tier experts could become an army of one. Ordinary armies were completely just offerings to Dou Wang and Dou Huang experts, existences that could be easily swept away.

The only use for this massive army was perhaps to bolster the momentum. What truly made the group of Jia Ma Empire experts wary were the Chu Yun Empire experts hidden within.

On the wide city walls, Jia Xingtian and the others were gathered together, watching the army below with stern expressions.

"How is it? Do those old things still have no intention of making a move?" Although the atmosphere of the battlefield was tense, Jia Xingtian's tone remained relaxed, because the current situation was in their favor.

During this period, although the Jia Ma Empire had not engaged in large-scale warfare with the Chu Yun Empire, small-team skirmishes had already occurred countless times.

However, the Jia Ma Empire, which possessed a large number of grassroots Xiao Clan experts, had always been pinning the Chu Yun Empire side to the ground and beating them on this front.

Judging from the current situation, unless both sides engaged in the final stage of the Dou Zong expert battle, the Chu Yun Empire could only grit their teeth and endure this stifling anger.

"Not yet!" Hai Bodong sighed helplessly, "I don't know what that old fellow Xie Biyan is actually thinking."

Having waited for so long, Hai Bodong had long wanted to have a go with Xie Biyan, but the other party wouldn't give him the chance! Now, he didn't even know where the Wanxie Sect experts were.

"Everyone, we might have trouble this time." However, Xiao Zhan did not have any relaxation now, and his expression was even quite grave.

"Oh?" Jia Xingtian and the others still attached great importance to the former's words, "What does Clan Leader Xiao mean by this? Could it be that there is some development we are unaware of?"

Xiao Zhan nodded and handed the investigation results from the recent period to everyone to read.

And as the latter's reading deepened, they became increasingly gloomy, "The number of experts on the Chu Yun side is constantly increasing?"

Everyone's expressions were horrified.

Recently, they had become somewhat slack due to the success of the war, and the weakness and powerlessness of Chu Yun had only reinforced their thoughts. However, the investigation results Xiao Zhan handed them at this moment gave everyone a rude awakening.

"That's right." Xiao Zhan said in a stern tone, "The Chu Yun Empire is very clever; they are like they are executing a 'fuel-adding' tactic, slowly mixing experts into the ranks."

"If it weren't for people reporting that the frequency of encountering experts was getting higher and higher, even I would not have discovered any traces."

At this time, Jia Xingtian raised a key question, "The point now is, where did the Chu Yun Empire get so many experts?"

The Jia Ma Empire and the Chu Yun Empire had been neighbors for so many years; except for a certain exception, they knew each other's situation like the back of their hands.

These Chu Yun experts appeared simply inexplicably.

Compared to the confusion of the others, Xiao Zhan instead exchanged a glance with Yun Shan, both seeing gravity in each other's eyes.

Although these experts were only ordinary Dou Huangs, for the forces of the Northwest Continent where a Dou Zong could dominate a region, they also belonged to a not-weak power.

Soul Hall Protector cannon fodder—this was Xiao Zhan's guess.

If it were just Soul Envoys, that would be one thing, but Soul Envoys were subordinates of Soul Hall Protectors, and the two were almost inseparable. The appearance of Soul Envoys naturally meant the arrival of Soul Hall Protectors.

If this war did not have the intervention of the Xiao Clan, even if all the Jia Ma Empire experts came out, they would absolutely not be the Chu Yun Empire's match.

"Senior Jia, please rest assured; those experts of the Chu Yun Empire will be left to us." Xiao Zhan volunteered.

Their Xiao Clan's experts had not been exposed all at once; cleaning up this group of small fry was still no problem.

"Then many thanks to Clan Leader Xiao." Jia Xingtian also went through the motions; well-versed in the ways of struggle, he had already realized that behind this war between two countries, which seemed to have a clear situation, there must be some special force hidden.

It was that force providing expert assistance to the Chu Yun Empire side; he was exceptionally grateful for the existence of the Xiao Clan, otherwise, the entire empire would only be waiting to die.

Chu Yun Empire camp.

Du Xiezi sat at the head in boredom, still playing with his Emerald Scorpion in his hand.

And sitting in company below, besides the two Dou Zong experts of the Wanxie Sect, there was also an old man in black with green hair.

"Ying Ye, I didn't expect the Hall to actually send you out this time." Du Xiezi said unhappily.

Venerable Ying Ye, a Four-Star Dou Zun, a Soul Hall Venerable, possessed special methods and could briefly erupt with power comparable to a Five-Star Dou Zun; he was only one step away in cultivation from being promoted to a Heavenly Venerable.

However, his relationship with Du Xiezi had always been bad, and because of this, the other party's tone was unkind.

"Lord Du Xiezi." Venerable Ying Ye said expressionlessly, "This time it is a mission issued by the Hall; please do not mix in too much personal emotion, and prioritize the mission of the Hall."

Although Du Xiezi was a Soul Hall Heavenly Venerable, one level higher than him, Ying Ye did not fear him.

Moreover, Ying Ye knew very clearly that this mission was not so easy.

That sect back then was able to force their Soul Hall to bow their heads, forcing them to have to shift their business scope outside of the Central Plains.

Now that they had appeared here strangely, one had to suspect whether the other party was aiming for them.

Now there was a Heavenly Venerable here plus himself, an existence close to a Heavenly Venerable, not to mention the other Protectors; the power was almost comparable to an ordinary Earth Fiend Branch Hall.

However, Ying Ye did not have the slightest sense of security; what he could do was use the existing power to try his best to complete the Soul Hall's mission, at least to save his own life.

If he couldn't complete it, even if he died here, no one would credit him for any merit; if he lived, even if he suffered punishment from the Hall, he could still save his life.

Du Xiezi had also figured out the joints of this matter not long ago, and did not refute Ying Ye's words much.

What their Soul Hall believed in never included loyalty to the Soul Hall; surviving was the only real thing.