Chapter 1024: Sweeping Across a Thousand Armies

The next day.

Lei En sat on the bridge of the Aixingge Star Destroyer, looking down at the endless land below. The pale green evil energy had polluted almost every inch of soil, the air was thick with a malignant aura, the sky was shrouded in perpetual dark clouds, and streaks of evil‑energy flare rose skyward.

As far as the eye could see, every few miles on the ground there was a demon nest, and countless monsters roamed.

Demons, Evil Beastmen, Demonkin, corrupted goblins, ram beasts… and so on, constantly clashed with each other, hardly any different from the true Abyss.

This is Sheng Fei Nando, the future Luoshengdu.

"Such fine land taken by monsters, what a pity," Li Fulin said, standing beside him, looking at the Evil Energy Wasteland, her face full of regret.

"Indeed."

A tall, slender wizard with gray‑white beard and hair nodded; he was Sa Luman, the lord of Aixingge.

Next to them stood a tall dark elf, skin smooth as black jade, features delicate and beautiful, a simple yet daring magical robe highlighting a seductive figure, silver hair flowing to the ankles, exuding a wild beauty.

Moon dancer, one of the Seven Sisters, Kuilu.

Since boarding the Star Destroyer, Kuilu kept glancing at Sa Luman; she felt this mysterious Holy Soul wizard was odd—though it was their first meeting, she felt oddly familiar, his power unfathomable, his aura very obscure.

Yet she could find no flaw.

Lei En chuckled inwardly; the perception of a double Chosen Champion and Grand Mage was sharp, and he casually replied, "So we have arrived."

At this moment, the Aixingge Star Destroyer was nearing full capacity.

Four hangars held twenty‑four armored warships, each filled with soldiers; the Duke's Guard's three divisions were fully staffed with ten thousand men, all deployed; accompanying them were the Extreme Warrior Fifth and Sixth Companies, and four battalions of the Holy Spear Knight Corps, totaling over two thousand.

Dean Ze Wei'er of the Academy of Truth piloted the Getan Star Destroyer, following behind.

The Getan carried the Duke's Guard Fourth Division, as well as an equal number of Extreme Warriors and Holy Lance Knights, with the Extreme Warrior Corps' Marrius commander aboard.

Both Star Destroyers were equipped with five Sky‑Piercing Colossi.

Each Sky‑Piercing Colossus possessed combat power comparable to a Saint Rank strongman, but they relied on the Iola Core for power transmission; their maximum operating range could not exceed fifty li from the Star Destroyer, which was sufficient.

One full division, twenty‑four armored warships, two Extreme Warrior Companies, two Holy Lance Knight battalions, five Sky‑Piercing Colossi, three hundred Thundercast Celestial Soldiers tasked with Star Destroyer maintenance and ready to fight, and a Grand Mage piloting the Star Destroyer—this is the current standard combat configuration for a Star Destroyer.

All four Star Destroyers were configured alike.

Now the Duke's Guard has expanded to five divisions, but the Fifth Division has not yet formed sufficient combat power and currently has no Star Destroyer to transport it, serving only as reserve force.

Today, to retake Luoshengdu, Lei En deployed nearly half of his Supernatural Legion.

The Kalanos was stationed at Albert Bay, guarding against Demonkin raids;

The Glamorgan returned to the Mist Mountains to support Ailuo Tixiya, the Demon Legion could engage in battle at any moment and could not leave even for a moment; yesterday was a special circumstance.

A moment later.

Ahead on the ground rose a rough yet massive black stone fortress, conspicuous on the flat plain, situated right at the center of Luoshengdu. Within the fortress a pale green evil‑energy beam shot straight upward, forming an evil‑energy vortex dozens of li in diameter high in the sky.

Sa Luman slowed the Star Destroyer's speed and lowered its altitude, drawing nearer to the black stone fortress.

"We have arrived."

Li Fulin and Kuilu's expressions were both solemn.

Sheng Fei Nando spanned a vast area; the city ruins and surrounding hundreds of li were mainly held by three factions. The strongest were a legion of Demons, numbering over a million, whose members were primarily Destruction Demons, led by a Demon Lord who was a Destruction Demon King.

This Destruction Demon King built the black stone fortress outside the Abyssal Gate, entrenched himself within, and over a million Demons radiated outward from the fortress in layers, seizing the main city district of Sheng Fei Nando.

The other two factions were the Evil Beastmen and the Netifu Demon.

The Evil Beastmen's territory lay to the north and northeast of Sheng Fei Nando, near the Rokchis Mountains, ruled by an Evil Beast King commanding several hundred thousand ferocious Evil Beastmen.

The Netifu Demons occupied the eastern side of Sheng Fei Nando.

The Demonkin ruler was a Chosen Champion of the Plague Lord; his tribe of Demonkin were also followers of the Plague Lord, so these Demonkin's Supernatural professions differed from other Demonkin.

Mainly 'Rot Knights' and a considerable number of 'Plague Messengers'.

Plague Lord's followers were less effective in direct combat than the Lord of Darkness, but excelled at spreading deadly toxins and plagues; their terrifying appearance emitted a nauseating stench, and a moment's lapse could cause poisoning or mutation, making enemies even more fearful.

Beyond the three major factions, thousands of demon nests nurtured countless monsters.

Sheng Fei Nando was the most heavily polluted region of the New Continent, with the highest quantity and density of monsters; therefore, although the leaders of the three factions were not top‑tier, all powers on the New Continent were helpless, coveting Sheng Fei Nando yet unable to act.

Until today, Lei En arrived.

He had set the battle plan last night: simple, defeat them one by one.

The first target was the Destruction Demon King within the black stone fortress and the Abyssal Gate inside the fortress; a single strike would destroy the Abyssal Gate, severing its link to the Abyss.

Lei En rose to observe the black stone fortress; the All‑Seeing Eye pierced through, instantly revealing a massive Abyssal Gate.

This Abyssal Gate was slightly smaller than the one Lei Silin destroyed ten years ago; the circular gate's diameter was about eighty meters, endless evil energy spewed from it, so dense it nearly solidified, soaring into the clouds to form an evil‑energy vortex.

Near the Abyssal Gate's exit, a hulking Demon was snoring loudly.

It resembled a humanoid Demon ten meters tall, with a pair of massive devil horns on its forehead, gray‑white skin like rock, stout limbs, bulging muscles, a red dragon hide wrapped around its waist, and a heavy great axe leaning beside it as it slept.

Destruction Demon King!

Demons constantly entered and exited the Abyssal Gate, but none dared approach the Demon Lord, carefully skirting around it.

Because it was too far, Lei En's Soul Eye could not verify the Destruction Demon King's soul state, but judging from the aura, it was likely near a mid‑tier Demon.

Lei En ordered the Star Destroyer to hover at high altitude and wait.

Several tens of li away, the Getan Star Destroyer continued its course northward toward Luoshengdu.

After more than half an hour, Dean Ze Wei'er sent a magical transmission, reporting that the Evil Beast King's tribe had been located and its position locked.

Lei En's mind was synchronized with his clone's, already fully aware of the situation.

"Prepare to attack!"

Lei En issued the order; the armored warships in the hangar fired up their engines, gently lifting off as the soldiers performed a final check of their weapons.

At the same time, the Star Destroyer's main cannon began charging.

From a hundred li away, the Getan also targeted the Evil Beast King's tribe; runes on its main cannon flickered, massive energy surged from the Titan Furnace, the barrel brightened, the whole Star Destroyer emitted a low hum, but all sound and light were masked by the Invisibility Field.

Ten seconds, twenty seconds, twenty‑five seconds…

In the final seconds of the countdown, the Destruction Demon King within the black stone fortress suddenly awoke, opening his eyes.

Panic and bewilderment flashed in its huge crimson eyes; it quickly gripped its great axe, scrambled to its feet, looked upward, but the fortress walls blocked its view, leaving it unable to locate the source of danger.

Boom!

A massive bolt of lightning pierced the fortress, skimming the top of the Destruction Demon King's head and striking the Abyssal Gate.

The Abyssal Gate exploded instantly.

The Star Destroyer's main cannon, a Ten-ring Spell, was already terrifying; with the Abyssal Gate's destruction followed by a second blast, the combined force shook the ground for dozens of miles, and a mushroom cloud surged skyward, reaching a kilometer high.

Blackstone Fortress was flattened within the first seconds of the explosion, and the tens of thousands of Demons inside were turned to ash.

Countless Demon souls were siphoned by Lei En from afar; having prepared, he converted all the energy of his soul pool into Soul Diamonds, stored in the Pixel World.

Half a minute later.

When the explosion subsided, Blackstone Fortress had vanished, leaving a massive crater whose soil and rock had melted into magma, like a volcanic mouth.

Demons far outside the blast radius were stunned, then spotted the Star Destroyer aloft. When the main cannon fired, the Invisibility Field vanished, exposing it to the Demons; four hangar doors opened, and armored warboats flew out.

Amid a roar, four hundred scout flying motorbikes surged out, each ridden by fully armed scouts, scattering rapidly in all directions.

Li Fulin led the Holy Lance Knights, riding bronze flying horses, circling in the sky.

Bang, bang, bang…

One hundred twenty Extreme Warriors touched down.

A towering colossus was launched from the side of the Star Destroyer; when it hit the ground, its tens‑of‑thousands‑of‑pounds metal body made the earth tremble.

Armored warboats rose over the battlefield and a Title: Duke's guard was airdropped. The soldiers, well‑trained, found their units, assembled into a front centered on the massive crater of Blackstone Fortress, spreading outward to eliminate the charging Demons.

In an instant, the ground for dozens of miles became a battlefield; from sky to earth, Demons were torn to pieces every second.

Lei En stayed on the bridge to watch, converting Demon souls into Soul Diamonds.

Kuilu did not intervene.

It was her first time witnessing the Star Destroyer's might; her eyes were filled with awe, and now seeing Lei En's forces obliterate Demons effortlessly left her speechless, thinking that if Lei En could lend a hand, she could easily seize the Shadow Realm.

After a long while, Kuilu finally asked, "Lei En, how are things on the Getan ship?"

"Smooth sailing," Lei En replied with a smile.

Evil Beastmen were weaker than Demons; a single blast from the Star Destroyer leveled the tribe where the Evil Beast King dwelled, wiping out tens of thousands of Evil Beastmen, including the king. The troops descended from the Star Destroyer, now encircling the Evil Beastmen.

Kuilu gave a slight nod, unsurprised.

"That guy still isn't dead?" Lei En looked toward a spot in the crater; after the lava churned, the Destruction Demon King's body rose from it.

On closer inspection, it was gravely wounded.

Half its body had been blown away, the entire left arm vanished, the broken legs struggled to support the torso, the bleeding had ceased, and the injuries were healing rapidly.

Roar…

The Destruction Demon King hauled its great axe from the magma, unleashing massive evil energy and bellowing skyward at the Star Destroyer.

Kuilu's complexion shifted; when the Destruction Demon King was uninjured, even she would have struggled, but now she had no reservations.

She volunteered, "I'll take care of it."

"No need to trouble you, Ms. Kuilu; I'll handle this Demon," Sa Luman said calmly, his figure vanishing from the bridge.

It was Lei En's order.

In fact, neither Lei En nor Sa Luman needed to act; the Star Destroyer's secondary cannon would have sufficed, but it would have destroyed the Destruction Demon King's corpse, and Kuilu might not have retained the whole body—such fine material would be wasted not being used to cultivate Black Soul Mushroom.

Sa Luman appeared above the Destruction Demon King's head and shouted loudly, "Evil Demon!"

Divine Word: Law Spell Shock!

Because the Destruction Demon King was gravely wounded, its Willpower was shaken by the Star Destroyer's terrifying power. This Nine-ring Law Spell Shock instantly rattled its spirit, leaving it rigid on the spot, eyes filled with boundless terror, its combat will nearly destroyed.

Thick black chains sprouted from the void, binding the Destruction Demon King.

Sa Luman pointed at it, unleashing three consecutive Nine-ring Mind Blasts; the Destruction Demon King's mind was blown into a blank, completely abandoning resistance.

Immediately, a cyan great sword over five meters long materialized and cleaved its head.

Puff!

The Destruction Demon King was immobilized; the unmatched sharp Rending Sky Sword pierced its crown, drove into its brain, and the blade tip emerged from below, transfixing it.

Sa Luman tossed a soul stone, capturing the Destruction Demon King's demonic soul and transmitting it back to the bridge for Lei En.

"This is its demonic soul."

Lei En examined the soul stone; only three or four transcendent professions could fuse a Demon soul without contaminating it, such as Holy Swordsmen and Demon Hunters. Other classes couldn't use it, and a Saint Rank demonic soul held little value without a market.

Kuilu showed little interest in the demonic soul, instead continually scrutinizing Sa Luman.

The Holy Soul Wizard was far stronger than she expected; all five spells she cast were Nine-ring, each instant‑cast, mastering both spirit energy and Arcane, truly unfathomable.

"Lord Sa Luman's magical prowess truly impresses me," Kuilu couldn't help saying. "May I be so bold as to ask if I might have the honor of consulting you?"

"You're always welcome, madam," Sa Luman said with a smile.

Kuilu nodded delightedly, yet for some reason found Sa Luman's expression oddly strange, though she couldn't pinpoint why.

The battle lasted over two hours.

The Demons were too numerous and widespread to be eradicated in ten days or half a month; Lei En ordered the troops to withdraw to the Star Destroyer for a brief rest, then fly east toward Luoshengdu. Simultaneously, the Getan ship recalled its forces toward the same target.

Soon after, the two Star Destroyers converged above a Demonkin tribe.

(End of Chapter)