Chapter 71
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Chapter 71: The Great Battle Began
The two locked eyes, their killing intent blazing fiercely.
Those watching from a distance felt as if an invisible fire were burning upon them.
“Mad dog, I have your people here. They wanted to see you,” Zhang Yang said, extending his finger slightly.
Led by Ling Yue and Xu Li, the Snow Guards emerged from the crowd, holding down more than ten people.
At the forefront was none other than Lord Yun, one of the seventy-one lords of the Great Xia Empire, along with Yun Dongli.
Behind them stood Jin Yuguan, Yun Luofeng, Ding Yunpeng, and several others who had accompanied Yun Dongli.
They were forced to kneel on the ground at the front of the formation.
The people of the Vast Forest were astonished by the sudden appearance of so many individuals.
A slight stir rippled through the members of the Demon Slayer Team as well.
Only the Seventh Prince sat on his horse like a wooden statue, his expression unchanged.
“Lord Yun,” Zhang Yang called as he walked over.
Lord Yun, Yun Dongli, still wore a puzzled expression as he asked, “How did you know I would come to rescue them?”
He had intended to save them, only to be ambushed and captured entirely by the Snow Guards.
With the combined strength of Ling Yue and Xu Li, they had swiftly suppressed Yun Dongli, leaving the others no chance to resist.
“I knew the moment you went to meet Yun Luofeng and the others last time,” Zhang Yang explained.
At that time, he had arranged for Ling Yue and Xu Li to keep watch.
Yun Dongli felt bitter. He had never expected that, as a martial arts lord of the Great Xia Empire, he would end up in such a miserable situation.
Even more tragically, the once-great Yun family, capable of holding a double title, was now worth nothing.
In just a few short days, the Yun family was on the brink of complete extinction.
Zhang Yang glanced at the Seventh Prince and shouted, “Mad dog, if you say the words ‘I am the mad dog,’ I will set them free.”
This caused a violent commotion.
These were elite members of the Demon Slayer Team, and even imperial martial arts lords were among them. Their lives held great value.
But could the Seventh Prince say that?
If he uttered those words, how could he maintain his authority over the Southern Region?
Zhang Yang intended to force the Seventh Prince into a dilemma.
If he treated lives as mere grass, then what about his own people?
If he regarded his own men as insignificant, how could he expect the members of the Demon Slayer Team to continue respecting him?
This was sowing seeds of contradiction within the Demon Slayer Team.
Of course, this was not Zhang Yang’s own idea; he preferred to solve problems with "simple" fists. It had been Yuluan who suggested this method.
The Seventh Prince’s cold face showed no sign of fluctuation as he looked down at the captives and said, “As a prince, I represent the dignity of the Great Xia, and my authority must not be infringed upon. You should know how to choose.”
The faces of the captured people changed dramatically, especially Yun Luofeng, who fell to the ground in despair.
As the leader of the Golden Guards and someone who had long served closely with the Seventh Prince, Jin Yuguan understood the prince’s character best. He showed despair and shouted, “Your Highness, I, Jin Yuguan, cannot serve you in this life. Let me be your blade in the next!”
He suddenly stepped back.
Thud!
His back slammed into the long spear of a Snow Guard aimed at him, the spear’s tip piercing through his chest.
His death made the scene even more tragic.
Yun Dongli laughed loudly. “I have brought shame upon the imperial name; I will die to atone for it!”
He also stepped back forcefully, crashing against the spear and perishing.
Ding Yunpeng, filled with grief and fury, was the third to take his own life.
The others quickly followed suit.
In the end, only Yun Luofeng remained, terrified to the point of losing control. He collapsed to the ground, where he was killed by the Snow Guards.
Throughout it all, the Seventh Prince showed not the slightest emotion, as cold as a piece of iron.
After a brief stir among the hundred thousand-strong Demon Slayer Team, the chaos settled.
Zhang Yang waved his hand.
Everyone retreated into the Vast Forest.
He took a square, golden tiger seal from Ling Yue’s hands.
It was the martial arts marquis seal of the Great Xia Empire.
“Second one,” he muttered.
Gripping it in his right hand, his fingers applied pressure.
This seal had already been cursed, just like the one in the Vast Forest.
With Zhang Yang’s current strength and mastery of divine power, it required no effort at all.
Crash!
The seal shattered.
This meant that, from this moment on, the Great Xia Empire’s martial arts marquis count was permanently reduced by one, now totaling seventy.
Zhang Yang pointed his finger at the Seventh Prince, beckoning him.
“Come. Let us battle in the woods!”
He stepped into the Vast Forest.
The Seventh Prince finally spoke again. “By my command, from this moment on, all beings, animals, and lives within the Vast Forest shall be considered allies of Zhang Yang. They are to be killed without mercy. We will trace their families and schools through their identities and backgrounds and erase them all, leaving not a single chicken or dog behind!”
The army of one hundred thousand roared in unison.
“Kill them all! Leave not a single chicken or dog!”
The force of their voices surged into the sky, shaking the heavens.
The Seventh Prince drew his sword and shouted, “Kill!”
He charged forward, leading the assault.
Among the one hundred thousand troops, over ninety-eight thousand soldiers were mobilized, while the remaining two thousand—experts above the Ascending to Heaven realm—were tasked with hunting down any who attempted to flee.
The army surged forward, shaking the earth. Fierce winds rose, and a chilling killing intent spread, threatening to freeze the world itself.
They advanced like a relentless tide of steel.
Zhang Yang and his companions quickly retreated, intending to assert control over the battlefield and allow the Demon Slayer Team to fully enter the forest.
They withdrew more than thirty miles.
This area became the battlefield.
Li Kunhai, Shang Zhu, Tang Zhuo, and Lang Yaozu, along with other top experts, quietly left the main formation, each heading to their designated positions.
The remaining forces formed the main strength of this battle.
—The Howling Wolf Palace, Wolf King Guard Squad: five hundred wolf cavalry.
—The Divine Forbidden Gate: nine men.
—The Snow Guards: seventy-one men.
—The Night Stalkers in aerial combat: five hundred, supported by six hundred purple-eyed spirit birds.
—The Ironback Blue Bull Army: eight thousand Ironback Blue Bulls.
—The Golden Apes: nine hundred.
At the forefront stood Zhang Yang, along with the unseen Xue Feishuang, Yuluan, Lang Xiaotian, Li Yuheng, the Night Stalkers, Ling Yue, Xu Li, Yuan Tong, the Ironback Blue Bulls, and the purple-eyed thunder bird.
They all stepped forward.
On the opposite side, the army advanced.
The first to act were the nine experts from the Divine Forbidden Gate, led by Chen Mo. Having already prepared their formation, they let out a fierce shout and charged.
The ground roared as light spread, quickly enveloping more than ten miles.
Flowers and grass grew wildly.
Ancient trees swayed.
“Kill!”
Chen Mo roared, unleashing forbidden laws of slaughter.
The earth erupted with sword light. Flowers and grass transformed into razor-sharp blades, and the branches and leaves of ancient trees turned into swords. It was as if a storm of sword rain descended upon the thirty thousand soldiers.
In an instant, a rain of blood fell.
Around five or six thousand people were killed on the spot, and nearly ten thousand were injured—only to be trampled into pulp by the surging army behind them.
This was the Demon Slayer Team, advancing relentlessly in slaughter.
Boom!
The storm of sword rain shattered in the sky.
The Seventh Prince, riding a striking warhorse, charged forward without hesitation, sword drawn.
At the Returning to Origin realm, he considered himself invincible, completely disregarding any dangers on the battlefield.
Close behind him followed a group of elite warriors from the Demon Slayer Team, who split into two columns and charged as well.
Zhang Yang could no longer restrain himself. He bellowed, “Kill!”
And led the charge.
The others swiftly followed.
In that moment, the roar of bulls and the howls of apes mixed with the wild cries of birds and men.
The two armies collided head-on.
The fastest among them were the commanders.
Zhang Yang and the Seventh Prince.
The two men locked eyes from afar, ignoring everyone else. A fierce killing intent surged within them, making them tremble with anticipation, driving them to move faster and separate themselves from the rest of the battlefield.
“Kill!”
They shouted simultaneously as they soared into the sky, rushing toward each other.
