The Sanctuary of Heaven! The sky was clear and vast!
A sudden, urgent roar broke the silence! Vast swaths of hazy gray shadows swept over everything in a whirlwind rush!
Strips of dry fallen leaves were lifted high into the air! Under the blazing sun, they cast dappled shadows below.
Bursting forth from the scattering leaves were Orcs with ferocious visages! There were at least a thousand of these Orcs, clad in heavy armor, wearing steel helms, and wielding battle-axes or maces, with many others carrying longbows and quivers—none other than the Dragon Knights of the Orc tribe!
Behind them thundered a host of powerfully built and rugged warhorses, the Dragon Warhorses! At this moment, they were galloping northward at an astonishing speed!
It was high noon; the sun blazed overhead, and the open wilderness appeared unnaturally empty, with only this frenzied cavalry troop looking starkly out of place. In the blink of an eye, the charging Dragon Knights plunged into a sparse woodland, yet their pace did not slacken in the least.
The leading Werewolf Commander let out a fierce cry! He whipped his horse's reins high into the air, making them whistle in a circle before bringing them down hard on the horse's flank!
The mighty Dragon Warhorse shrieked in pain and shot forward like an arrow, charging toward the far side of the woods. The other Dragon Warriors roared in unison!
A thousand-plus riders flashed past like lightning, evoking a sense of brutal grandeur that stole the breath away. Almost the instant they burst from the trees, hundreds of Black Vultures perched on nearby boulders, startled by the sudden thunder of hooves, flapped their wings and shot into the air!
However, before they could gain altitude, the Dragon Archers, riding hard, yanked their horses’ heads, drew their bows, and nocked arrows! Whoosh!
Dazzling streaks of light flashed out like rainbow lightning! The entire maneuver was executed seamlessly, flowing like water!
Wail! A sharp cry of agony erupted.
The Black Vultures, not yet fully airborne, were instantly pierced by this sudden volley of arrows. The power of the terrifying barrage did not diminish even after penetrating the Vultures’ bodies; the shafts vanished high into the sky!
Thud! After a moment, the hundreds of dead Black Vultures crashed heavily onto the ground.
But the thousand-plus riders had already sped far ahead, shrinking into several blurry black dots in an instant! Staring at the corpses of the Black Vultures that had just landed at their feet, Long Xin and the others, who had been hiding behind the large boulders, broke out in a cold sweat!
“Good thing we weren't spotted,” everyone muttered, still nursing lingering fear. “Swift as the wind!
Every arrow finds its mark! These Dragon Warriors are terrifying!” Even the battle-hardened Xiang Tian was considerably shocked.
Jidu’s expression was grim! If the warriors of the Orc Dragon Legions possessed the skill displayed just now, then the might of the human armies would stand no chance against them!
What shocked him even more was that the leading Werewolf Commander—Jidu, Xiang Tian, and the others recognized him immediately—was Tuli, one of the top masters among the Orcs! Shortly after entering the Sanctuary of Heaven, Jidu and his companions realized that the situation within was not right, and soon after, they discovered the presence of the Dragon Cult Master.
Jidu could not begin to fathom what had transpired to lead to the current state of affairs! However, the prudent and seasoned Jidu did not act rashly.
Under his leadership, the group chose to temporarily conceal themselves and observe the unfolding situation. They witnessed the great melee that subsequently erupted in the Land of Heroes.
This made them acutely aware of the severity of the incident, increasing their reluctance to reveal themselves! The Sanctuary of Heaven was vast and boundless.
With Jidu and his party determined to remain hidden, even the Orc armies stood no chance of finding their tracks! They remained concealed for over a month until the Thousand-Mile Telepathic Link was established.
By then, Jidu and the others had contacted Xing Chen and his group, gaining a detailed understanding of the situation within the Sanctuary of Heaven! The intelligence report specifically mentioned several terrifying masters among the Orcs, including the only surviving Werewolf Commander, Tuli!
“General, they headed north,” Xiang Tian reported. “Isn't that where the Land of Heroes is located?” “It seems the Orcs intend to guard the entrance and prevent us from entering the Land of Heroes,” Jidu observed.
“What should we do now?” Long Xin asked. “Follow the plan: rendezvous with the Prince and the others,” Jidu instructed.
“Maintain strict stealth.” “Yes, sir.” The so-called Land of Heroes was actually an ancient ruin situated in the very heart of the Sanctuary of Heaven. Even though it had been abandoned for ten millennia, one could still discern from afar that it was an immensely magnificent ancient city!
It covered a vast area, featuring imposing halls, pavilions, and terraces, all built into the mountain landscape, backed by the towering High Ridge stretching for a thousand li! Before it lay five imposing and precipitous peaks, named the Five Fingers of the Celestial Gods on the maps—resembling the five fingers of a colossal hand!
Orc soldiers were patrolling back and forth along the city walls, their auras murderous as they scanned their surroundings! As for the scene within the walls, Jidu and the others could not see clearly at all; they could only wait anxiously!
“Do you think the Prince will come?” Xiang Tian sounded somewhat anxious. “He will,” Jidu asserted grimly.
“Nothing can stop the Prince.” The sun was already beginning to dip in the west! The towering ancient walls and palaces appeared even more majestic and grand under the sunlight.
In the central plaza of the city stood a colossal statue! It depicted a human warrior holding a broad saber and clad in armor.
Even though it was only a lifeless carving, one could still feel the surging, fierce killing intent radiating from it! This was the legendary Hero Statue, the hero who had defeated the Dragon Cult Master over ten thousand years ago!
At the foot of the statue, the elite commanders of the Orc race were gathered. The little fox Daji, holding a feather fan, along with the Beast Emperor Dalong and Elder Tianmu, were all present!
In addition to them were the Werewolf Commander Tuli, who had just arrived, and the Bearman Commander Dagadawang, who had been waiting for a long time! The little fox appeared somewhat pale; her health was clearly delicate.
The final cold-star sword qi that Xing Chen unleashed as he retreated had nearly pierced Tianmu, Dalong, and the little fox directly! Fortunately, at the critical moment, Tianmu managed to shove the little fox away, allowing her to avoid a fatal strike to her heart!
Nevertheless, her left shoulder was pierced. Although her life was saved, she had suffered greatly!
This incident made the little fox hate the human named Xing Chen to the bone! As for Dalong and Tianmu, they were also wounded significantly.
Thankfully, both were robust and strong, and they had recovered after some recuperation! However, the escape of Xing Chen and his party left them deeply unwilling to accept the outcome, and the little fox’s injury enraged them all to the point of spitting blood!
Fortunately, the little lass had great fortune, which allowed everyone to breathe a sigh of relief! At this moment, the little fox fanned herself, looking curiously at the massive statue before her.
“So big. Is this the hero who defeated Daboo?” “Likely so,” the others stood respectfully to the side, seemingly afraid to disturb her pleasant mood.
Though this little princess was exceptionally clever, she was ultimately still a young girl, possessing a young girl's curiosity and playfulness, and the statue before her had captured her interest! “Heh heh, if Daboo were here, he’d smash this statue to pieces,” the little fox said mischievously, clearly imagining the embarrassed look on the big fellow’s face if he were enraged.
Her large eyes narrowed into a thin slit, and the mouth that split open revealed rows of neat, white little teeth, making her indescribably adorable! “Perhaps,” Dawang muttered, scratching his massive head with a simple and honest look.
“But wouldn’t it be a terrible waste to smash it? This statue could be traded for quite a bit of barley wine.” Remembering something, Dawang added, “The last statue this size,” Dawang gestured to indicate the statue's scale, "about as tall as a person," “only fetched ten barrels of barley wine.” “Barley wine,” Tuli grumbled from the side.
“Can’t you think of anything else, you oaf?” “I can’t,” Dawang rumbled stubbornly. “I, Old Bear, love barley wine most in this life.” As Dawang spoke, he stared intently at the huge statue before him.
“No, Daboo absolutely cannot see this. But how are we going to haul one this size back?” Thump!
All the Orcs felt a collective flush of exasperation. “Enough!” Beast Emperor Dalong desperately wanted to kick the big, clumsy bear away.
“Business, business, let’s discuss business.” “Oh, right, business.” The little fox and the big clumsy bear snapped back to attention! Tuli dared not delay and quickly spread out the map, laying it flat on the table.
“Given the current situation, we only need to guard the entrance to the Land of Heroes,” the little fox continued, adopting a serious demeanor. “They are the ones in a hurry now, not us.” “That’s true,” Tianmu nodded slightly.
“Taking the Hero Site before Dalong returns is their last opportunity.” “So they will definitely come!” A flash of shrewd light appeared in the little fox’s playful eyes. “We absolutely cannot let that Xing Chen escape this time.” “Tianmu will certainly capture him,” Elder Tianmu stated gravely.
“Provided he dares to show himself.”