The empty ground near the exit had long since been reduced to scorched earth, forcing us to watch and wait rather than rush in.

"To think a direct assault on the third level would result in such a fierce battle!" Yun Peng exclaimed in surprise.

"Indeed. Back then, we went to great lengths to lure away the Woma creatures garrisoned here precisely to avoid unnecessary casualties," Jian Li remarked. "However, with such a large contingent now, stealth infiltration is no longer an option."

"That might be for the best," Bi Yan said. "With this many people, a frontal assault isn't necessarily a bad thing. If we can't even clear these minor checkpoints, there's no point attempting the many levels beyond."

"Precisely," Lu Tong agreed. "The only reason I kept the secret of the map from them initially was to gauge their capabilities. It seems now that we have nothing to worry about."

"It's still too early to be certain," Gao Jing cautioned. "From the looks of it, they haven't even encountered the Woma High Priest yet. We don't know their true abilities."

"Be that as it may, we have assembled so many top experts now that even facing the Woma High Priest, we might not necessarily lose," Yun Peng countered.

"That's right. This is our opportunity as well. If we fail to breach the tenth floor of the Illusory Realm even with the strength of so many masters, then it must be fate," Lu Tong concluded.

......................................................

After a long while, the muffled roaring finally ceased. All around lay piles of bloody remains, with numerous monsters still twitching in pools of gore. Though I saw them for the first time, I instantly recognized the creatures from the Woma Temple in Legend: Feces Worms, Dark Warriors, Woma Warriors, Woma Generals, Woma Guards, and Fire Woma, among other Woma beasts.

Seeing the Woma creatures materialized, however, startled me with their grotesque and terrifying appearances. Compared to the 2D graphics in Legend, the sight of them here was far more shocking and impactful.

In the distance, a large army stood in organized ranks, their formation much larger than the contingent the Vermilion Bird Alliance fielded in the Yellow Springs World. By count alone, there must have been at least fifty thousand.

It was clear the initial assault group had secured victory. When our group of over a thousand emerged from the passage, the Azure Dragon Gang, White Tiger Alliance, and Black Tortoise Alliance showed a degree of surprise.

.......................................................................

"Haha, Old Sect Master Yun, I thought your Yun family wouldn't be joining this operation." Although the Azure Dragon Gang and the Yun family didn't share deep ties, the prior cooperation in rescuing Lu Tong had subtly brought their relations closer.

"Not at all," Yun Peng replied with a grave expression. "How could the Yun family miss such a grand occasion?" Yun Peng continued, "I gathered the disciples from our clan and rushed over."

"It's good exposure for these younger generations," Yun Ju added.

"Indeed. Such a monumental event is rare in a thousand years—a fantastic chance to hone talent that shouldn't be missed." Hong Tian heartily agreed, then swept his gaze over the Yun family disciples as if searching for someone.

It wasn't just him; the elders from the White Tiger Alliance and the Black Tortoise Alliance seemed to be looking for something as well.

Yun Peng seemed to realize something and quickly turned to me, "Bing He, why don't you step forward and thank the elders of the Hong family? If they hadn't given their consent, the Azure Dragon Gang might not have agreed to help."

"This junior, Bing He, pays respects to the esteemed seniors," I said, quickly removing my helmet and stepping forward respectfully.

"Haha, so you are Bing He," Hong Tian observed me with a look of deep sentiment. "Truly a young hero."

The elders from the Nalan family of the Black Tortoise Alliance also gazed at me searchingly, as if trying to discern something from my being. Meanwhile, the elders from the Luo family of the White Tiger Alliance made no effort to conceal their hatred and killing intent toward me. From the moment they saw me, they stared intently, their sharp gazes making me feel a prickling terror, as if needles were stuck in my back.

However, that was all they could do at the moment.

Truthfully, this wasn't my first time meeting Hong Tian and the other old timers; I had only accompanied Lu Tong previously. After Lu Tong announced the matters of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, he departed hastily, so I never had any substantial dealings with them.

Several other elders clad in black robes were also studying me with complex expressions. Judging by the markings on their attire, they belonged to the Demon Sealing Brotherhood. Their age and the profound energy fluctuations emanating from them suggested they were at least on the same level as my master, Jian Li. Since this was my first encounter with them, I couldn't help but stare, especially at two elders with completely white hair and beards whose gazes were piercing, seeming to look right through me. What astonished me most was that these powerful figures deferred to a golden-haired, blue-eyed woman.

"Ah! Qian Yue!" Upon closer inspection, I gasped in shock, almost shouting out loud! This woman looked exactly like Qian Yue—her features, beauty, hair color, and eyes were almost identical. The only differences were her bearing, and she appeared significantly older, projecting a far more mature aura than Qian Yue.

Damn! Could this woman be related to Qian Yue? I speculated silently. Perhaps like myself and Shen Yin, they were relatives separated by dozens of generations.

I quickly shook off those chaotic thoughts.

The six elders surrounded the woman like stars orbiting a planet, and she held herself with an air of arrogance—clearly accustomed to high status and commanding others. It suddenly occurred to me that the Demon Sealing Continent operated under an Empress system, unlike the other continents, and women generally held higher status than men there, suggesting a matriarchal society, which I found astonishing.

Yet, at this moment, this woman was also regarding me with ill favor. Strange, I don't recall offending them. But then I immediately understood the reason.

The Demon Sealing Empire founded its nation on magic, possessing the strongest Mage Corps across the four continents. Because of this overwhelmingly powerful Mage Corps, their mages were historically invincible on the battlefield—a veritable lion's phalanx.

Similarly, in the Ranger World, the Demon Sealing Continent harbored the largest concentration of mages. The people there seemed to possess exceptional magical talent, leading most Demon Sealing Continent Rangers to adopt the Mage profession. It could be said that Demon Sealing Continent mages accounted for nearly half of the entire Ranger World population.

Whether in inter-state warfare or the Ranger World across the four continents, the Demon Sealing Continent consistently held the position of absolute supremacy due to the vastly superior level of their magical cultivation compared to other continents.

On the Marfa Continent, in any melee battle involving a hundred or more combatants, an army or group of Rangers composed entirely of mages from the Demon Sealing Continent had never lost. Even now, I vividly recalled the shocking scene of collective bombardment unleashed by thousands of mages in the Zuma Temple and the Bone Demon Cave. Mages were forever the strongest troop in large-scale warfare, especially when they were the elite of the elite—both the armies and Rangers of the Demon Sealing Continent were the strongest.

Consequently, Rangers from the Demon Sealing Continent always held a patronizing attitude toward those from other continents.

And the Brotherhood? They were arguably the strongest guild on the Demon Sealing Continent, boasting the Ranger World's most powerful Mage Corps. In a great war of the Ranger World’s history, the Fengmo Brotherhood single-handedly crushed the combined assault of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise factions, illustrating the terrifying power of the Fengmo Brotherhood.

However, against me, these individuals were a different matter entirely. I could ignore all magical attacks—I was, quite literally, the bane of Demon Sealing Rangers. No wonder those elders looked at me unfavorably, and why this woman offered me a cold reception. But, considering she might be related to Qian Yue, I'd let it slide for now.

"Look! It's Bing He!" The younger Rangers surrounding us erupted in excitement, staring at me with undisguised fervor. If not for the presence of their elders, they might have already swarmed me.

I could feel the intense excitement radiating from these young Rangers. This atmosphere was all too familiar. The young are always prone to idolizing heroes, and having accidentally accomplished several earth-shattering feats, I naturally attracted their attention. But this feeling wasn't pleasant; the previous sense of elation had vanished. I felt completely exposed, as if countless eyes were fixed on my every move, which was quite vexing, yet I could do nothing about it.

Fortunately, I was somewhat accustomed to it. I quickly retreated to Yun Peng's side.

"What? With such a major event unfolding, is the Dragon Shadow Villa sending only you?" Hong Tian inquired, and the dozen or so elders from the White Tiger Alliance and Black Tortoise Alliance subconsciously looked toward me.

"Hahahaha." It was Jian Li and another dozen elders who stepped out. "How could the Dragon Shadow Villa miss an event of this magnitude?"

"Old Ghost Hong, thirty years since we last met, and you're still so robust," Bi Yan quipped.

"I thought you'd have kicked the bucket by now," Gao Jing added.

"They say good men don't live long, but scoundrels persist for a thousand years," Feng Yuanming laughed. "This fellow is full of bad ideas; he won't die so easily."

"Hahahaha!" Hong Tian boomed. "Many years have passed, yet your spirits remain enviable."

"Hmph!" Luo Xiao and the Luo family elders looked stern, scrutinizing Jian Li and his group with unpredictable expressions, clearly contemplating something.

"Nalan Qiushui's usually placid face flickered with a strange expression as he looked toward my master and the others."

"Brother Jian." It was the elders of the Demon Sealing Brotherhood who offered a slight bow in greeting.

It seemed these old masters all knew each other.

"Ah, it's the Dragon Shadow Sword God!" Several knowledgeable Rangers immediately recognized Jian Li, exclaiming in surprise.

"What? He's Bing He's master, the Dragon Shadow Sword God?" The younger Rangers cheered even louder. In the Ranger World, while the Dragon Shadow Sword God was only one of the Four Great Swords of the Biche Continent, my master had traveled across the four continents and performed many world-shaking deeds. Legends about him still circulated widely, and even today, he remained a grandmaster idol worshipped by Rangers across all four continents. On the Marfa Continent's Ranger World, the Sword God was an unattainable, godlike figure, and to see him appear before everyone now naturally caused immense excitement.

Reunion among old acquaintances led to a wave of emotion and pleasantries, but the conversation quickly turned to the main topic.

We learned about the progress of the main force over the preceding period. They had entered the third level ten days prior but encountered fierce resistance from the Woma Legion. Swarms of Woma creatures, like tidal waves, launched a furious assault on the invading allied army. While the Woma Legion’s individual attack power wasn't overwhelming, their sheer numbers were terrifying—it seemed they were endless, one wave followed immediately by the next. Even after ten days, this main force had only managed to clear an area spanning ten li around the entrance. What we had witnessed just now was their final, desperate counterattack from the last wave of Woma creatures they annihilated.

The tenacity of the Woma Legion was staggering, surprising both me and Jian Li. To spend ten days fighting without even seeing the main boss, the Woma High Priest, was hard to believe.

In the following days, the Yun family disciples were integrated into the joint army to participate in combat. As for me, Jian Li, and others, we were placed in the Vanguard Hall, only to be deployed if the situation became unmanageable.

It was here that I finally witnessed the formidable power of the Demon Sealing Brotherhood's Mage Corps. They deployed three thousand mages, supplemented by those from the Azure Dragon Gang, Black Tortoise Alliance, White Tiger Alliance, the six major families including the Yun family, and various smaller guilds. In total, the Mage Corps numbered over twenty thousand. Twenty thousand was a substantial number, yet they still seemed thin against the overwhelming, tidal surge of the Woma Legion.

Unexpectedly, the one commanding the Mage Corps was that woman who showed me such blatant disdain. Through Tong Lei’s introduction, I learned her name was Mo Ling, though many called her 'Little Demoness,' regarded as the strongest top-tier young master on the Marfa Continent—even a fierce character like Feng Qingtian would steer clear of her. Of course, her title of 'strongest top-tier young master' became invalid after my appearance, as I now held that title. This was likely the source of her intense dislike for me.

Not long after they set off!

Roar! Whoo!

Countless savage roars rose and fell. A vast, gray mass suddenly rushed out ahead, surging forward like a crashing tide.

"It's the Woma Legion!" the disciples in the front rank shouted.

"Mage Hall, attack!" Nalan Qiushui commanded loudly.

"Wave Cycle Attack," Mo Ling’s voice, though not loud, carried a clear penetrating quality that cut through the dull thunder of the assault, ringing clearly in everyone's ears.

"Yes!" All the mages responded in unison and immediately executed their synchronized attack sequence.

"Ice Roar." "Bursting Flame." "Fire Wall." "Light Speed Movie."

Nearly all area-of-effect spells were cast simultaneously. The twenty thousand mages of the Mage Hall were divided into five small formations, creating a pentagram pattern. The elite mages from the six major families unleashed Ice Roar. The mages of the Azure Dragon Gang cast Bursting Flame. The White Tiger Alliance mages deployed Fire Wall. The Black Tortoise Alliance mages waited until the monsters passed through the fire wall before casting Laser Movie. The formation of mages from the Demon Sealing Brotherhood remained on standby, withholding their attacks until Mo Ling gave the command.

All the mages appeared unhurried, as their division of labor was clearly defined. Each small square was responsible for its own sector, casting only a single spell—the sequence was extremely simple. The four spell formations unleashed four types of magic that merged like four colossal clouds, annihilating every Woma creature attempting to reach the front line in a death zone extending a hundred meters ahead. The giant white cloud masses were the Ice Roar cast by the six major families’ mages, while the red fiery clouds were the Bursting Flame dropped by the Azure Dragon Gang. The ground, glowing crimson, was the dense sea of fire ignited by the White Tiger Alliance mages. Even the few creatures that managed to pierce the hundred-meter kill zone were met by streaks of blue lightning—the magical attacks launched by the Demon Sealing mages. The five mage formations operated like a finely tuned war machine, running smoothly without any discernible flaw.

However, just as I thought the Woma Legion’s assault couldn't break through, a massive cloud of fire suddenly erupted from the sky! Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a fire cloud at all, but countless Fire Woma beasts with immense wings. They dove down like descending bombers, their sharp whistling and frenzied shrieks causing every face to pale slightly.

Damn, nobody told me Fire Woma could fly! But on second thought, if they couldn't fly, what were those wings for? Just decoration? Realizing this, I wasn't overly surprised. It reminded me of the countless giant moths soaring through the air in the Demon Dragon World, though the Fire Woma before me didn't instill the same suffocating sense of tension as the Demon Dragon Moths; there was still a discernible difference.

"Intercept!" Mo Ling roared.

"Yes!" Only then did the Demon Sealing Brotherhood mages display their astonishing combat capability.

"Great Fire Ball!" accompanied by rough shouts, countless fireballs shot out like dense laser artillery, moving with lightning speed toward the sky.

Whoosh! Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh!

Amidst the dense whistling, platter-sized fireballs struck the descending Fire Woma like precise surface-to-air missiles.

Boom! Boom! Whoargh!

Countless Fire Woma screamed as they plunged to the ground, leaving trails of crimson afterimages, resembling fighter jets hit by missiles, trailing smoke as they crashed. The only difference was that the smoke trailing behind them was red.

The entire world was dyed a hazy crimson by the pervasive blood mist. Even wearing my Black Iron Helmet, I could feel the thick scent of gore in the air. Not a single one of those incoming Fire Woma managed to breach their interception and strike the main army.

My god, what powerful magical control! This level of precise aerial interception surpassed my imagination—it was practically an anti-air battery for the Marfa World! It was truly unexpected that under her command, the Mage Corps could exhibit such astonishing combat prowess.

Under the Mage Corps’ heavy bombardment, the main army carved a bloody path toward the southeast. They advanced unstoppably!

Just as I thought everything was going smoothly, several hundred exceptionally tall monsters carrying great, serrated sabers burst forth from the dense Woma Legion. Their powerful frames, savage faces, and the dull thudding sounds allowed me to instantly recognize them as Woma Guards, the heavy hitters among the Woma creatures.

Roar! Roar!

Several hundred reddish-brown figures rushed forward like a gale. To my astonishment, the magic cast by the Mage Corps was failing to kill them instantly.

"Be careful, Woma Guards!" Azure Dragon was commanding the Battle Hall.

"Intercept," Mo Ling remained calm as ever.

"Ice Roar!" The mages of the Demon Sealing Brotherhood immediately unleashed a dense barrage of magic.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Sounds like muffled thunder accompanied countless whirling blades of profound ice that frantically swept toward the hundreds of reddish-brown figures.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

Amidst the hazy silver-white, flesh and blood flew. The massed Ice Roar formed a colossal meat grinder, tearing apart every Woma Guard that charged in, resulting in a scene indescribably bloody and brutal. Nevertheless, under the continuous bombardment of Ice Roar, a small number of Woma Guards, relying on their robust defense, managed to fight their way to the front lines. However, they were greeted by the waiting warriors, who, harboring pent-up aggression, dismembered the Guards with wild swings the moment they got close. Since entering this Illusory Realm, the warriors of the Battle Hall had had few opportunities to fight; now that they finally had their chance, they were certainly not going to be polite.

They really are formidable! Only now did I truly grasp what a real Mage Corps looked like. And Mo Ling, who commanded this corps, was surely among the very best masters.

Four days later, the team reached the southeastern limit. Beyond that lay the entrance guarded by the Woma High Priest.

The time had finally arrived for our Vanguard Hall to make its move.