Very quickly, more than half of the demonic beasts among the horde were annihilated by the over one hundred Earth Giants. A few that managed to breach the city walls were effortlessly dispatched by the Earth Giants inside the valley. Though possessing low intellect, the demonic beasts, being living creatures, instinctively feared death. While overwhelming numbers allowed them to press an advantage, a significant setback inevitably led to a rout. Yet, the Earth Giants were unwilling to let them escape so easily, pressing their relentless assault upon the beast swarm. They even leaped from the walls, pursuing and slaughtering them for a distance. In the end, less than thirty percent of the demonic beasts managed to flee. Only then did the Earth Giants erupt in cheers of victory. The old and young of the clan crawled out from their massive cliff dwellings, joining in the collection of spoils. Various demonic beasts were all on the Earth Giants' menu. Even with their enormous appetites, this bounty of beasts would last them quite some time. Grins spread across their faces. After all, hunting expeditions into the Great Desolation were perilous endeavors, for that boundless expanse was never short of formidable adversaries.

Lei Dong had long heard tales of the Earth Giants' might from Lan Qisi, but seeing it firsthand made him realize their power was indeed monstrous—unquestionably worthy of their ancient giant lineage. This revelation made Lei Dong’s interest in them even stronger. However, he also knew that a mere ten thousand beasts posed no real threat to the formidable Earth Giant clan.

Retreating into the small cavern, Zhao Zhe and his subordinates began their strategic discussions. A plan was soon settled. In essence, the crucial element still lay with the beasts. A horde of merely ten thousand demonic beasts was just a meager scattering to the Earth Giant clan, which they could easily manage. But what about a horde in the hundred-thousand range, or even the million-beast level?

Lei Dong believed that a beast horde in the hundred-thousand range could inflict substantial damage upon the Earth Giant clan. As for a million-beast swarm, this small tribe of a few hundred giants would only face utter annihilation. Quantitative change often precipitates a qualitative transformation. Furthermore, a million-beast horde would certainly contain a significant number of Golden Core demonic beasts, perhaps even Nascent Soul stage ones.

Therefore, the force needed to pose a genuine, existential threat to the Earth Giants should be around two hundred thousand. That quantity would place the giants on the brink of extinction.

For an ordinary cultivator, attempting to redirect the path of such a massive beast horde would be an undertaking fraught with mortal danger. But for either Lei Dong or Tantai Bingyun, it was entirely feasible with the right approach.

Lei Dong and Tantai Bingyun set out simultaneously, searching the nearby region for a suitably sized beast horde. Within mere days, they located one boasting a population no less than two hundred thousand. This horde, in sheer area, covered dozens of miles, dense and thick like a raging ocean of beasts. Among them, one creature radiated an extraordinary aura, clearly a Nascent Soul demonic beast. Everywhere the massive horde passed, vegetation withered, leaving behind only barren desolation.

A few days were sufficient for Lei Dong’s subordinates to complete their preparations. After a brief exchange with Tantai Bingyun, they initiated the plan. Tantai Bingyun took the lead in the initial provocation. Having reached the early Golden Core stage, her endurance for sustained flight, utilizing her wings, surpassed Lei Dong's.

With a single teleportation, she intercepted the horde several miles ahead. To the melodious notes of her zither, countless green sword energies materialized, finally coalescing into a sword energy several zhang long, which she hurled toward the center of the horde. Simultaneously, her zither music brimmed with contempt and challenge.

Under normal circumstances, a Nascent Soul demonic beast, given its intellect, would exercise caution to assess the situation rather than succumb easily to provocation. However, this particular horde had formed due to intense agitation stirred by unknown energy fluctuations. The Nascent Soul beast within was significantly more volatile than usual, and suddenly commanding such a massive contingent of followers, it held nothing in regard. With such overwhelming power at its command, even a late-stage Soul Transformation expert would hesitate to engage head-on. Under the influence of the Nascent Soul beast’s will, and given the horde's already low resistance to provocation, the vast swarm slowly altered its course, surging toward the source of the zither music. Over two or three days, Lei Dong and Tantai Bingyun continuously shifted positions, provoking and stimulating the horde. It took immense effort, but they managed to lure this massive force to a spot roughly ten miles from the Earth Giants' valley entrance at Gaoluo.

Having achieved this, the two instantly vanished via teleportation. Yet, the enraged and berserk horde continued its relentless, forward momentum, intent on destroying any life in its path. The only minor surprise for Lei Dong was that this large horde had absorbed several smaller ones along the way; the total count now approached or exceeded two hundred and fifty thousand, nearly three hundred thousand.

Fortunately, upon regrouping with their subordinates, the preparations were thorough. Here, mention must be made of Zhao Ge, one of Lei Dong’s quieter subordinates. His cultivation talent was not top-tier, but he possessed an intense passion for formations. Back when the team hunted and earned money in the Endless Sea, he had already proven his worth. Afterward, the majority of his focus and wealth were channeled into researching formations and acquiring materials that were previously unthinkable.

Consequently, Old Zhao now possessed a respectable skill in formations. Before entering the Great Desolation, he had stocked up on countless array materials.

However, even with Old Zhao's high level of formation mastery, it was utterly impossible for him to completely repel these beasts with formations alone, let alone annihilate the horde. Facing such a colossal swarm, even Nascent Soul cultivators would be forced to flee in disarray. Old Zhao, giving his utmost effort, could likely only delay things slightly, perhaps granting the Earth Giant clan sufficient time to evacuate and relocate.

The Earth Giants had also detected the colossal horde from dozens of miles away. Though their intelligence was modest, they were not suicidal. Realizing they could not withstand such a force, the Earth Giant clan wisely chose to retreat. Although the giant tribe was situated amidst three encircling mountains, they had already excavated numerous escape tunnels. Even a cunning rabbit has three burrows; the Earth Giants had far more. But the horde approached with terrifying speed and ferocity. By the time the patrolling Earth Giants bounded back, reported the situation, and a decision was made, the horde was less than ten miles away. Organizing several hundred individuals to evacuate completely would require at least a quarter of an hour. Moreover, if they couldn't delay the horde even briefly, even if the entire tribe escaped, they would certainly be intercepted by the elite demonic beasts, and a slight entanglement would mean complete doom once the main army arrived.

Therefore, under any circumstances, they had to delay the horde for about half an hour. This was the swift decision made by the Earth Giant patriarch, based on his long experience of survival: he would personally lead two hundred elite clansmen to hold the line, swearing to fight to the death for that half hour, allowing the remaining clansmen the opportunity to flee, even if all two hundred perished.

As long as the young and experienced elders survived, the tribe would have a chance to continue its lineage.

Indeed, relying on those two hundred fearless giants to hold a defensive position might indeed delay the horde for more than half an hour, but absolutely zero giants would survive the ordeal.

Boom—The vanguard of the massive horde struck the thick city walls like a wave. All manner of innate magical abilities rained down, matched by the Earth Giants’ stone projectiles falling like rain. But those massive stones, thrown into the beast swarm, were like pebbles tossed into a river, creating only momentary splashes. Within this nearly three-hundred-thousand-strong horde, though most were low-tier demonic beasts, there were certainly powerful ones; especially those charging at the front, either swift or strong, having endured the long march. The entire swarm moved like a river, stretched out over a vast distance.

The conflict between the Earth Giants and the horde, upon initial contact, immediately escalated to its zenith. Unlike the previous encounter, the Earth Giants now faced the onslaught without ease or casual banter. Now, every giant radiated potent battle intent, even a will to die. Those who remained had no intention of survival. The horde’s advance was stubbornly blocked by a giant wall and two hundred Earth Giants. But where the two met, it was like a continuous grinder, with blood and gore splashing every second. Flying demonic beasts found it difficult to pass over the wall, many being dragged down by gravity spells.

Lei Dong remained motionless, continuing his observation. Soon, amid this brutal close-quarters battle, as time elapsed, the powerful Earth Giants began to suffer casualties. One by one, they collapsed like small mountains, crashing to the ground. Immediately, countless demonic beasts swarmed over their fallen bodies. The other giants, seeing this, let out sorrowful roars and fought even more desperately.

The sound of giants falling, the piercing shrieks of countless beasts, and the furious bellows of the giants composed a scene of ultimate cruelty. Lei Dong’s brow tightened slightly, but his expression quickly turned cold again. He had no right to offer sympathy to anyone; he himself was merely a struggling insect in this dangerous world. However, it was time to act. Lei Dong immediately commanded the flying vessel to emerge from its hidden position. The Fire Dragon Cannons roared into action, blasting the demonic beasts into bloody fragments. His subordinates also joined the fray without hesitation, launching their most powerful ranged attacks into the beast crowd. Yet, they all understood that while their small contingent was not weak, their impact on a battlefield of this scale was negligible.

The appearance of the flying vessel ignited a flicker of hope in the giants' hearts, but it quickly dissolved into disappointment. This reinforcement could not possibly save them; it might even drag them into ruin.

“Human friends, thank you for your assistance.” The Earth Giants recognized them as humans and, unwilling to see them consumed by the horde after intervening, shouted loudly while tearing apart a Golden Core demonic beast: “You cannot save us, leave quickly!”

...

The Ancient Desolation’s Solitude A