Chapter 85: The Vermilion Sovereign Emerges from Seclusion, Yet Still Cannot Turn the Tide—The Nation Is Doomed

A vast torrent of steel surged like a black tide.

At a glance, the entire horizon seemed drowned in human figures.

The generals of the Vermilion Ancient Nation didn’t need to look closely to guess.

The allied forces of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise nations numbered at least ten times that of the Vermilion Ancient Nation.

They numbered at least a million troops.

Merely in troop numbers, they utterly crushed the Vermilion Ancient Nation’s mere hundred thousand soldiers.

In terms of high-level cultivators, the Vermilion Ancient Nation was still completely crushed.

The Vermilion Sovereign remained in seclusion.

Yet the three sovereigns of the allied nations were all sages.

Not to mention the mysterious force aiding the Azure Dragon Ancient Nation.

If that force intervened, the Vermilion Ancient Nation would be as precarious as a pile of eggs, ready to collapse at any moment.

Even if Bai Yuer was determined to resist, her eyes betrayed faint despair as she gazed upon the endless army.

Boom!

From the distant horizon, roughly two hundred thousand troops advanced in overwhelming force.

“It’s the Black Tortoise Ancient Nation’s army.”

A middle-aged man clad in crimson battle armor spoke on the Vermilion side—he was the Vermilion Ancient Nation’s Grand General, a Void Spirit cultivator.

After the Divine Flame realm came the Void Spirit realm.

Yet on such a battlefield, a single Void Spirit cultivator could hardly turn the tide.

After all, the Void Spirit realm was still vastly inferior to a sage—even compared to a pseudo-sage.

“What does the Black Tortoise Ancient Nation want?” Bai Yuer’s eyes flashed.

At the front of the Black Tortoise army, a general spoke: “Vermilion Ancient Nation, I am the Black Tortoise Grand General. I offer you this advice: lay down your arms and surrender, and avoid futile slaughter.”

“Black Tortoise Ancient Nation, why are you submitting to the Azure Dragon Ancient Nation?” Bai Yuer could not help but ask.

This was her greatest confusion.

A mighty ancient nation—even if defeated—could never so easily surrender completely.

The Black Tortoise general sneered: “We submit to the Young Master. His identity and origins are not for ordinary people to know.”

“Bai Yuer, you are the Young Master’s chosen one. Surrender yourself and become his concubine, and hand over the Compass Fragment—your Vermilion Ancient Nation may yet be spared.”

“What?”

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuer was stunned—and furious.

She was stunned because the Young Master was clearly some divine figure capable of subduing all three nations with ease.

And furious because that Young Master intended to take her as his concubine.

Her beautiful face darkened with fury, her expression icy.

Beside her, the Vermilion Grand General roared: “Insolent! How dare you suggest our Vermilion Ancient Nation’s princess become another’s concubine!”

All Vermilion Ancient Nation soldiers were filled with righteous outrage.

This was an outright humiliation to the Vermilion Ancient Nation!

“Hmph, becoming the Young Master’s concubine is your fortune. Resist, and blood will flow in rivers!” the Black Tortoise general coldly said.

“I am under the protection of the Jun Family’s Divine Son. Do you not fear offending him and facing annihilation by the Jun Family?” Bai Yuer retorted coldly.

At these words, the general’s expression changed involuntarily.

After all, the Jun Family and the Jun Family’s Divine Son were too renowned.

For the Jun Family to obliterate the Black Tortoise Ancient Nation would be as easy as flipping a hand.

Even all four Elemental Ancient Nations combined could not withstand a single sweep of the Jun Family’s power.

Yet remembering the power of the mysterious Young Master behind him, the general calmed down.

He sneered: “Vermilion Princess, don’t try to hide behind the Jun Family’s name. The Divine Son would never care for a nobody like you—if he did, he’d have come to your aid long ago.”

“Besides, even if you are connected to the Jun Family’s Divine Son, the Young Master still fears nothing.”

The Black Tortoise general’s words pierced Bai Yuer’s heart.

Indeed.

To Jun Xiaoyao, she was merely a disposable pawn.

Even if she perished, Jun Xiaoyao likely wouldn’t care.

“But the Divine Son may not care for me—I still care for him. I swore to serve him for life, as slave or maid—how could I become another’s concubine?”

Bai Yuer’s eyes hardened with resolve.

“I will never become that Young Master’s concubine. If you want war, then fight!”

In her hand, her long sword pointed to the sky, radiating lethal brilliance.

“Ah, what a nuisance. Can’t you even capture a woman?”

The Black Tortoise Grand General gave the order.

The Black Tortoise army of two hundred thousand moved as one.

“All commanders, listen! Protect our ancient nation—kill!” Bai Yuer cried out sharply.

Boom!

The two armies collided like raging torrents, instantly entangling in bloody combat.

Limbs flew, blood sprayed.

Shouts, screams, and the clash of weapons wove into a horrific, bloody tapestry.

The two hundred thousand Black Tortoise troops surged like an unstoppable steel beast.

The hundred thousand Vermilion soldiers fought desperately, yet their lines steadily retreated.

Over the years, the Vermilion Ancient Nation had sunk to the bottom of the four Elemental Ancient Nations.

Its equipment and combat strength lagged far behind the other three.

Not to mention the overwhelming numerical disparity.

Under these conditions, how could the Vermilion Ancient Nation possibly win?

“All commanders, capture the Vermilion Princess—Bai Yuer!” the Black Tortoise general shouted, waving his hand.

Bai Yuer was the Young Master’s chosen one—they could not let her escape.

“Protect the Princess!” the Vermilion Grand General roared.

A group of commanders rushed forward, engaging the Black Tortoise general in battle.

One by one, Vermilion commanders fell—they were still outnumbered by the Black Tortoise forces.

“My comrades…” Bai Yuer’s heart ached as if torn apart.

These commanders died because of her.

“Hmph, what a nuisance. Can’t you even capture a woman?”

At that moment, a cold sneer echoed through the void.

A sage-level aura spread outward.

Every Vermilion commander and soldier trembled, choking on the pressure.

Above the heavens, a figure clad in black imperial robes appeared.

It was the Black Tortoise Sovereign.

“It’s over…”

At the sight of the Black Tortoise Sovereign, every Vermilion Ancient Nation soldier’s face turned ashen.

If even a sage had appeared, how could they possibly fight?

Despair spread through Bai Yuer’s heart.

Facing a sage, she could not even resist—or kill herself.

“The Young Master’s chosen one cannot escape. Come here.” The Black Tortoise Sovereign reached out, forming a massive magic hand that seized toward Bai Yuer.

At this critical moment, a long roar erupted from deep within the Vermilion Ancient Nation’s capital.

Terrifying flames surged skyward, taking the shape of a vermilion phoenix.

A figure clad in red imperial robes broke through his seclusion, stepping forward atop a sea of fire.

“Who dares invade my Vermilion Ancient Nation!”

The one who had broken through was none other than the Vermilion Sovereign.

“It’s the Sovereign! He’s broken through to the sage realm!”

Seeing the Vermilion Sovereign appear, every Vermilion soldier cried out in tearful joy.

Bai Yuer’s face lit up with overwhelming relief, as if reborn from the brink of death.

The Vermilion Sovereign struck with one palm, shattering the magic hand.

Seeing this, the Vermilion soldiers were certain: their Sovereign was indeed a sage.

Their ancient nation was finally saved!

Yet before Bai Yuer and the soldiers could rejoice—

On the horizon, the remaining armies surged forward again like a black tide.

Simultaneously, two more sage auras erupted.

They were the Azure Dragon Sovereign and the White Tiger Sovereign.

At that moment, even the Vermilion Sovereign’s face changed.

Even if he had broken through to the Saint realm, facing three Saints now, he could do nothing to turn the tide.

The spark of hope that had just risen in Bai Yuer’s heart was extinguished once more.

Grief shone in her eyes.

What could be more cruel than despair, then hope, then despair again?

“Is it truly Heaven’s will to destroy my Zhuque Ancient Nation?” Bai Yuer bit her jade lips until blood welled.