"Very well," Lanling said seriously. "This is the Dragon Heart, sufficient to unleash the forbidden spell, Dragon Flame. Once we secure it, we are certain to take Yuncheng."

"Excellent! We have this war won already," Moluo Aotian exclaimed, his excitement mirrored by a surge of morale among everyone present.

"It is time to launch the final assault," Moluo Aotian commanded.

"Previously, the Church dispatched ten Red-Robed High Priests, along with your Aotian Bloodthirsty Foxes and twelve hundred Yanlong Masters who are at the peak of the Crimson Moon realm. That is more than enough to establish the Dragon Fire Grand Array and unleash the forbidden spell, Dragon Flame, utilizing the Dragon Heart," Lanling added, his voice brimming with fervor. "I can hardly wait to witness the sight of Yuncheng, that iron-clad fortress standing for a thousand years, reduced to a pile of rubble."

"Hahaha, indeed it will be. Victory is undeniably ours this time," Moluo Aotian declared with confidence.

"Fengmo shall prevail! Fengmo shall prevail! Fengmo shall prevail!" All those present roared with unrestrained excitement.

"Good, very good," Moluo Aotian stated. "Generals, receive my order: commence deployment for the final assault immediately."

Under the cover of night, I crept along the military road, making my way southwards, successfully evading nearly a dozen patrolling squads along the way. Finally, I reached the harbor of Cicheng, known as Cixiang, located in the southern part of the city. The entire port blazed with light; countless Fengmo soldiers were unloading massive crates from colossal warships, moving them onto waiting carriages parked on the shore, ready to be transported into the city.

It appeared these must be supplies, provisions, or similar goods transported from the heartland of the Molong Empire.

Those warships moored near the shore were truly enormous—easily two hundred meters long, with structures rising nearly twenty meters above the waterline. Due to the viewing angle, I couldn't gauge their exact width, but more than ten of these massive battleships packed the harbor so densely that it looked cumbersome and congested. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I never would have imagined that the Mafa World could possess such gargantuan vessels. They were practically the equivalent of modern aircraft carriers.

I struggled to fathom how the shipbuilding techniques of a magical world could produce such terrifying behemoths. For so long, I had assumed the Mafa World was relatively backward compared to the modern world I came from; however, reality proved that my understanding of the Mafa World was far from complete.

On board these immense warships, numerous patrol guards, armed and alert, moved back and forth, cautiously surveying their surroundings. Though the soldiers transporting the cargo were numerous, they moved with great efficiency under the direction of their officers, never descending into chaos.

Hiding in the corner of a wall, I observed closely. It seemed they would require a significant amount of time to finish unloading all the supplies from the ships, which left me feeling somewhat helpless for the moment.

It was certain that they would not leave the harbor to return to the Fengmo Empire until all cargo was unloaded. I needed to devise a way to conceal myself; otherwise, if dawn broke, I feared I would have nowhere to hide.

With that thought, I cautiously retraced my steps, searching diligently for a suitable hiding place.

Soon, I was drawn toward a pile of ruins beside the military road.

It was evident this site had once been the Grand Church Hall of Cicheng. The remnants—shattered, broken statues scattered throughout the rubble—clearly depicted famous heroes from the history of the Holy Word Alliance, figures I had seen in the main halls of the Holy Word Churches everywhere else.

Now, however, Cicheng had become occupied territory. For the occupying force, a rival religious alliance, the most satisfying act after seizing control would surely be the desecration and destruction of their opponent's most sacred religious edifice. For the enemy, it served as the best means to crush morale, while for their own troops, it was a massive morale boost. Consequently, destroying the enemy's church hall after conquering a city had become an almost mandatory step for the victor. This was a tradition spanning centuries.

The collapsed cathedral's once opulent main entrance was now concealed beneath heaps of earth and fractured walls, revealing only a dark, gaping void.

Heh, the iron shoes sought everywhere turned out to be found without effort. This was the place. I was certain no one would think to search within this pile of debris.

Carefully, I slipped into the opening revealed in the ruins of the main door. For added security, I used another section of broken wall and a door panel to block the exposed opening facing the outside. In doing so, I was almost completely buried within the rubble.

Even if daylight came, I wouldn't need to worry about being spotted by the patrolling Fengmo soldiers.

Having secured my refuge, I settled down with a sense of calm. All that remained was to wait patiently for the fleets in the harbor to finish unloading their cargo, and then seize an opportunity to sneak aboard a warship.

Inside the Marshal's Residence of Cicheng!

"His Holiness the Pope demands that we conclude the war on the Molong Continent before the start of next year," Lanling stated, sweeping his gaze around the room. "This war is not about occupation; it is about annihilation—the complete destruction of every city on the Molong Continent, slaying every creature that dares to resist my Fengmo Empire. Even if we ultimately fail to occupy the Molong Continent, we must reduce the entire land to ruins. That is precisely why the Church has gone to the extent of deploying the Dragon Heart and sending ten Red-Robed High Priests as auxiliary forces for this operation." Lanling continued, "Bich and Cangyue have taken advantage of our attack on the Molong Empire by launching frequent offensives in Misbi. The three legions stationed in Misbi are already struggling immensely to hold them off. The war on the Molong Continent must end quickly. We must withdraw to Misbi before the spring of next year, no matter what, so that we can free up our hands to assist the other three legions against Bich and Cangyue."

"Understood," Moluo Aotian replied gravely. "Once we have the Dragon Flame, I believe no number of Molong armies will stand against us." Moluo Aotian paused. "The only ones we must truly guard against are their Demonic Warriors, the Sky Rainbow Archmage, and the Heavenly Venerate Daoist."

"You need not worry about that," Lanling assured him. "I trust that the Molong Royal Family will not stand idly by while we unleash the Dragon Flame." Lanling went on, "If my guess is correct, they will inevitably deploy the Demonic Warriors before we can fully activate the Dragon Flame, aiming to destroy our Dragon Heart."

"That is precisely what concerns me," Moluo Aotian admitted. "The Demonic Warriors, the Sky Rainbow Archmage, and the Heavenly Venerate Daoist are not ordinary warriors or mages. If they converge their attack on our Cicheng, we may not be able to hold out."

"Marshal, do not overthink it," Lanling soothed. "Before we even departed, we devised a strategy. It is best if they do not come; however, should they arrive, we will ensure they never return."

"Ah, you have a plan?" Moluo Aotian was delighted.

"Indeed," Lanling confirmed. "The fundamental goal of this war is to strike at the living strength of the Molong Royal Family, and killing their Demonic Warriors, Heavenly Venerate Daoists, and the Sky Rainbow Archmage is the most crucial element. The primary reason for summoning the Dragon Heart now, beyond mass destruction of the Molong Empire's regular army, is to lure out the Demonic Warriors. I trust that facing the terrifying power of the Dragon Flame, they cannot simply stand by. Whether they want to or not, they must send their strongest forces to destroy our Dragon Heart. Therefore, the subsequent strategy is designed precisely around this anticipation."

"What is this plan that gives you such certainty?" Moluo Aotian asked, surprised.

"Heh heh, actually, I don't know the exact plan myself," Lanling revealed with a mysterious smile. "My mission is to utilize the Dragon Heart to summon the Dragon Flame, conquer Yuncheng, and assist you in pressing toward the Imperial City. As for dealing with their Demonic Warriors, Sky Rainbow Archmage, and Heavenly Venerate Daoist, the Church and the Royal Family have another arrangement."

"What? Another arrangement?" Moluo Aotian and everyone else present were stunned. "Even you, High Priest, don't know?"

"Correct, even I do not know," Lanling chuckled sinisterly.

"Hahaha, I understand now," Moluo Aotian realized with sudden clarity. "Truly a masterful stroke. If even you are unaware, then who possibly could be?"

"An unseen enemy is the most terrifying kind," Charles V murmured.

"Precisely," Lanling agreed. "I believe this alone will give the Molong Royal Family quite a headache."

"It seems we need to make proper arrangements," Moluo Aotian grinned. "It won't be long before the Molong Royal Family's Demonic Warriors make their move."

"Heh heh," Lanling said. "Once we deploy the Dragon Heart, the moment such terrifying magical fluctuations spread out, I don't believe they can remain unmoved."

"Hahaha, you are truly devious to the extreme," Moluo Aotian laughed. "You are blatantly digging a pit for others to jump into, but even if they see through it, they will still have to risk entering the Dragon Fire Grand Array to destroy the Dragon Heart."

"That is exactly the effect we desire," Lanling confirmed. "There is no time to waste; let us prepare quickly."

Soon, a vast magical map was unfurled upon the table.

"Yuncheng is a textbook military fortress, surrounded by high city walls. The open area just outside the South Gate, near the wall, is the most suitable location to deploy the Dragon Fire Array," Moluo Aotian noted. "This way, no matter what direction they attack from, they will be fully exposed, and this terrain is also ideal for long-range magical attacks by the mages."

"Well said," Lanling complimented him. "With this setup, even without the Church and the Royal Family's secondary forces, the ten of us Red-Robed High Priests alone stand a chance of annihilating any attacking Demonic Warriors."

"That is the intent," Moluo Aotian dryly agreed.

"Good, if we are doing this, let’s aim high. If the situation remains within our control, the hidden forces need not expose themselves prematurely, allowing them to serve as surprise troops for our next phase of action," Lanling proposed. "Even better, if we succeed in wiping out the attacking Demonic Warriors this time, it will be a monumental achievement!"

"Haha, exactly so," Moluo Aotian chuckled.

"Now, begin deployment," Lanling instructed. "Set up the Dragon Fire Array in the center of the plaza. Assign two Red-Robed High Priests to each of the four cardinal directions, leading three hundred Crimson Moon Mages each to form a joint defensive formation. Once intruders are detected, initiate the magical assault immediately." Lanling stated sternly, "Within the Dragon Fire Array, even an ordinary Crimson Moon peak mage can wield the terrifying power equivalent to a Sky Rainbow Archmage. I refuse to believe we still cannot conquer Yuncheng."

"Hahahaha!" Both men burst into knowing, triumphant laughter, and everyone else in the hall cheered repeatedly. While this scheme might not be the most elegant, it was certainly enough to throw their opponents into disarray.

In the face of absolute power, all conspiracies and stratagems are futile, and the Dragon Heart was the Aotian Legion's most potent shield this time.

"Generals, hear my order!" Moluo Aotian, radiating dignity, sat firmly at the head seat and drew a command flag. "Moluo Jingtao!"

"Your subordinate is present!" Moluo Jingtao rose respectfully.

"Order your First Battalion: lead twenty thousand cavalry, twenty thousand spearmen and shield bearers, five hundred repeating crossbows, five hundred catapults, five hundred tortoise-shell chariots, and five hundred scaling ladders. Launch the 'Swift Wave Assault Formation' against the North Gate. Use the catapults to bombard the city walls, initiating ten rounds of attack to first break their morale, and then use the repeating crossbows to cover the advance of the siege ladders. Remember, you must adhere strictly to the sequence!"

"Yes!" Moluo Jingtao accepted the flag and withdrew.

Moluo Aotian seized the second flag. "Feiyun, Feihong, hear my order!"

"Your subordinates are present!" Two young officers, strikingly similar in appearance, rose simultaneously.

"You two will lead twenty thousand cavalry and twenty thousand spearmen and shield bearers to guard the crossbows, catapults, tortoise-shell chariots, and siege ladders, guarding against surprise attacks from enemy mobile units!"

"Yes!" Moluo Feiyun stepped forward and took the flag.

Moluo Jingtao drew the third flag. "Moluo Jiongxiong, hear my order!"

"Your subordinate is present!" Moluo Jiongxiong stood up.

"Order your contingent to attack the South Gate!"

"Yes!" Moluo Jiongxiong stepped forward and accepted the flag.

Moluo Aotian drew the fourth flag. "Zhanfeng, hear my order!"

"Your subordinate is present!" Zhanfeng stood up.

"Order your Third Battalion to attack the West Gate!"

"Yes!" Zhanfeng stepped forward and accepted the flag.

Moluo Jingtao drew the fifth flag. "Tianmeng, hear my order!"

"Your subordinate is present!" Tianmeng rose respectfully.

"Order your Fourth Battalion to attack the East Gate!"

"Yes!" Tianhe stepped forward and accepted the flag.

"Moluo Zhantian, Moluo Zhanyun, Moluo Zhankong, Moluo Zhanying! Moluo Zhanlong, Moluo Zhanchong, Moluo Zhanxiong! Hear my order!"

"Your subordinates are present!" Seven warriors clad in Demonic Armor stood up at once.

Everyone in the main camp changed expression slightly, looking outward. These Demonic Warriors, their faces severe, understood clearly: the key to conquering Jincheng this time rested with these seven Demonic Warriors!

"Seven Generals! You will remain with this Marshal to oversee the East Gate! Assist High Priest Lanling and the others in activating the Dragon Flame. You must ensure the safety of High Priest Lanling and the others."

"Yes!" the seven Demonic Warriors responded in unison.

"Intelligence indicates that the Demonic Warriors garrisoned in other Black Sea towns have all retreated into Yuncheng. This battle will be an exceptionally brutal melee among the Demonic Warriors. Therefore, you must exert every effort to prevent the enemy Demonic Warriors from reaching the Dragon Fire Grand Array. Once we unleash the Dragon Flame, victory will be ours!"

"Yes!" the seven Demonic Warriors replied in unison. Though their expressions remained composed, the coldness in their eyes revealed a dense killing intent, surging like a terrifying tidal wave through the tent, chilling every general present.

Moluo Aotian surveyed the camp, a hint of satisfaction crossing his face, before his expression turned solemn. "For this siege, the East Gate will be the main thrust; the other three gates are responsible for attracting and diverting enemy forces. You only need to maintain the offensive pressure. The fundamental objective is to prevent enemy troops from leaving the city to attack us. Once the Dragon Flame is activated, we are guaranteed victory."

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

The assembled generals responded in chorus.

The September sky remained dreadfully overcast!

Thud-thud-thud. Suddenly, a series of rapid hoofbeats shattered the stillness of the wilderness, kicking up plumes of soaring dust.

Hee! With a rough shout, over a dozen wild horses galloping at full speed reared up onto their hind legs, then slammed their front hooves down onto the broken stones of the road with a thundering crash, scattering sharp fragments everywhere.

The horses were massive Forge Steeds, but the riders upon them were clad in golden armor, sporting twin flags resembling wings on their backs. This was the Demonic Armor, the ultimate battle gear coveted by every warrior on the Mafa Continent.

The leader, silver-haired and silver-eyed, possessed a sharply chiseled face that looked as though carved from rock, and he stared grimly ahead.

"Yuncheng is just ahead," Jidu said solemnly.

"We must hold Yuncheng this time," Yueyao affirmed.

"Let them come," Fire-Yao's bronze-like eyes shot out terrifying killing intent. "Before they can activate the Dragon Flame, we will slaughter them to the last man."

"En!" A look of resolute determination flashed across Jidu’s somber face. "What is the Dragon Flame to us? As long as we utterly destroy the Dragon Fire Array before it is unleashed, we can nullify it."

But would things truly be that simple?