Over the Ancient Continent, the heavens were obscured by thick, inky clouds, like dense, undiluted ink. The light that filtered through the gaps in the mist spilled down upon the world like bizarre, bloody water.
All of humanity across the continent, bolstered by support from powerful entities across various factions, was undergoing a massive evacuation. They retreated toward the Central Province from all directions, and at the core of the human stronghold lay Mount Bailing.
Spanning hundreds of light-years around Mount Bailing was the entirety of the human base—towering steel ramparts stood guard, encircling the populace as if they were livestock. These metal walls were equipped with numerous super laser cannons and nuclear artillery, more than enough to pulverize any minor probing monsters.
Gazing up at the dim sky, everyone felt an oppressive weight in their hearts, as if pinned down by an invisible stone, unable to draw a full breath.
The soldiers guarding the walls looked weathered; stubble beneath their helmets was unkempt, and each held a cigarette dangling from his lips, silently watching the sky during the mid-afternoon shift change.
What a vast, immense sky!
Everyone beneath it felt utterly insignificant and humble, yet could only stare silently at the world, awaiting the final judgment of fate.
Ye Chen stood in a border city, gazing into the distance. With his formidable senses, he could detect every single undead creature across the entire Ancient Continent, all gathering toward the southeast as if controlled, like countless streams slowly merging into a single, boundless ocean.
“Is the great war finally approaching…” Ye Chen looked afar. “Unseen for ages, Ancient God, has your power increased?”
He slowly turned, returning to Mount Bailing. Looking at the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Epoch Realm experts gathered in the Divine Hall, he spoke with a cold voice, “The Necromantic Army is currently mobilizing. Judging by their speed of advance, they will reach our forward garrisons within ten days. That is when the war will commence!”
Hearing Ye Chen’s words, every person present felt a deep tremor in their chests, as if a massive stone had suddenly dropped, causing their eyelids to twitch involuntarily.
Everyone had witnessed the terrifying might of the undead creatures and knew this battle concerned the very destiny of all humankind.
If they failed, humanity would vanish from this world!
And judging by the countless numbers of undead creatures rising from the vast, endless expanse of the continent, few were optimistic about this fight. After all, these creatures were as numerous as the stars, and among them were countless Headless Ancient Corpses, each possessing strength nearing the Void Heaven Realm!
Noticing the heavy atmosphere permeating the great hall, Ye Chen frowned slightly, a flicker of sadness crossing his eyes before quickly vanishing. He turned to Jin Huan. “Are the Seventy-Two Ancestral God Generals and the Martial God Guards ready?”
Jin Huan nodded respectfully. “They are prepared, War Venerable. The War God said he is in seclusion, preparing for the Ancient God’s arrival. The Ancient God himself will not appear in this conflict; at most, it will be his subordinate God Generals and the newly resurrected Great Dao. Therefore, this war has been entrusted entirely to the command of Blade Emperor Highness. The Seventy-Two Ancestral God Generals and the Ninety Thousand Martial God Guards are all under your command, awaiting your orders.”
“Does that include you?” Ye Chen suddenly asked.
Jin Huan paused momentarily, then nodded. “Yes, Jin Huan naturally awaits your command at all times.”
“I understand,” Ye Chen nodded slowly. “Deploy the Martial God Guards to lie in wait within the base, ready to strike at any moment. This war carries immense weight. If we lose, the entire continent will belong to the undead. No matter where you flee, the outcome will be death.” The last words were directed at the assembly below.
He had no desire for anyone to desert their posts in the face of battle.
The people in the hall naturally understood and remained silent; how could they not grasp the importance of this war?
Ye Chen swept his gaze over the crowd, said nothing more, and his figure instantly vanished from the hall, reappearing a thousand miles away. Looking back, the bustling human base city sprawled beneath him, while the majestic Mount Bailing, endowed with spiritual energy and lush greenery, was breathtakingly beautiful.
Yet, Ye Chen seemed to already envision it reduced to shattered ruins, a hint of sorrow and a heavy sigh in his eyes. Only he knew the outcome of this great battle, but he was compelled to lead everyone to face it!
Some things, even when the result is known, must be confronted with a straight back!
“Wait, ten days from now, the war begins.” Ye Chen watched the people walking the streets of the base city, sensing the fragile tranquility hidden beneath their palpable fear, and sighed inwardly. His form flickered, and he materialized within a base city, taking the appearance of an ordinary human. He casually entered a tavern, spending money hundreds of times what it would cost in peacetime to purchase a few small dishes and a bottle of wine.
Watching the street through the window, sipping his small cup of wine and eating his meager meal, Ye Chen savored the unique charm of human civilization.
Ten days later. Cloudy then clear.
The hazy sky seemed on the verge of a light rain, the dense black clouds stacked tightly together. Above the outermost steel fortifications floated countless tiny black dots, densely packed like birds, though they were in fact massive spaceships, warships, aircraft carriers, and super combat mechas.
On the steel ramparts below, stretching like the Great Wall for thousands of miles, stood countless dark human silhouettes. Over these ten days, under Ye Chen’s direction, Jin Huan had organized every person in the human base capable of fighting who had reached the demigod realm, forming them into an army to collectively resist the Necromantic Horde.
On the ramparts now, everyone bore their personal weapons—some were cold battle sabers, some were sharp snow swords, others hefted bulky cannons, indicating proficiency with technological weaponry. A few carried clubs, grappling hooks, iron claws, and the like.
Tension filled the heart of every person. This moment, which would decide the life or death of humanity, rested in their hands, upon the weapons they clutched!
If humanity was to have a future, this day would surely be recorded in human history!
Everyone participating in the fight would become a hero of mankind, scripting a legend for the ages!
The thought fueled a surging passion in everyone. Coupled with the fear of death and the sheer excitement, each individual erupted with immense, unparalleled fighting spirit, like young lions and tigers roaring.
Rumble...
On the horizon, where the dark clouds hung low, at the very edge where heaven met earth, a black tide slowly surged forward. As far as the eye could see, hundreds of thousands of kilometers stretched out, rolling forward like a colossal bulldozer. Surely, the same scene was unfolding in the north, south, and west directions of the entire human base.
A low sound, like ten thousand horses galloping, echoed across the vast plains outside the city walls. The black torrent rushed forth with an unstoppable, heart-stopping momentum, trampling forward as if intending to crush everything in its path!
Have you ever seen a herd of wild bulls charge head-on? This scene was terrifyingly magnified beyond count compared to that!
Everyone instinctively gripped their weapons tighter, cold sweat beading in their palms. Those who had never truly experienced the battlefield could never fully imagine how real this sight was—even the blowing wind felt like knives slicing their faces, stimulating every cell in their bodies.
The oxygen sucked into their chests seemed to ignite the blood, making every nerve leap and boil!
And for those with fainter hearts, seeing this spectacle nearly caused their hearts to stop, overwhelmed by the constantly approaching roar, scaring them half to death!
Within this torrent of undead creatures, towering figures, standing like giants, slowly emerged from behind the black tide, stepping forward deliberately. Their immense bodies were as majestic as gods; a single calf was as tall as the entire city wall. One stomp would crush tens of thousands of people into bloody pulp!
Hoo! Hoo!
Everyone’s breathing grew shallow. The intense sensation of impending death spurred every cell in their bodies toward frenzy. Retreat was impossible, or perhaps, there was simply no place to retreat to!
If the war was lost, all humans would be finished!
They had to fight! Fight to the death!
“Roar!!” Billions of people atop the ramparts roared up at the sky, raising their weapons. Their hair seemed to fly wildly, their eyes completely bloodshot. Roaring, they unleashed their individual powers and, under the command of an Ancestral God General, suddenly charged headlong into the oncoming undead torrent.
Swish-swish-swish...
From afar, it looked as if countless black meteors shot out from the ramparts, slicing through the dim sky before slamming into the heart of the undead army.
The ancient battle erupted in an instant!
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
Everyone went utterly insane. It was unclear whether it was intense fear or an inner craving for bloodshed, but their minds felt as if they had consumed stimulants, plunging them into a state of frenzy where only frantic slaughter existed in their thoughts!
“Die! Die! Die!”
Countless people threw themselves into the fray, clutching their weapons, heedless of their own cultivation level or the power of the creatures before them. They charged forward with roars, like tragic knights, like valiant warriors, advancing ceaselessly in wave after wave, as if ants attempting to push an elephant.
The creatures at the very front of the undead army were massive beasts resembling mammoths, covered in sharp scales, their bodies dozens of feet high, with ferocious tusks and four legs as sturdy as mountains. A slight charge sent those surrounding them vomiting blood, while some bodies simply disintegrated into a mist of gore.
The smell of blood further stimulated the rest. A surge of fierce resolve erupted in their minds, and they swung their weapons madly. Like a rainstorm, their attacks battered the giant beasts, and only through the combined efforts of countless people was a single massive monster felled. But then more monsters surged forward, instantly trampling those who hadn't reacted in time!
Ye Chen stood atop the majestic city wall, gazing past the black tide toward the rear, where several powerful auras were faintly discernible—likely the Great Generals under the Ancient God.
Watching the soldiers below the wall throw themselves into the battle ceaselessly, he frowned and asked Jin Huan beside him, “Send ten thousand Martial God Guards. Let six thousand disperse to the Northwest and South, and the remaining four thousand come here to the East.”
“Why?” Jin Huan asked, surprised.
“Their main commanders are concentrated in the East; clearly, they intend to launch a strong assault here,” Ye Chen glanced at her. “Just execute my orders.”
Jin Huan dared not ask further and immediately turned to carry out the command.
...
Finally, it is the last **. This chapter is just the opening; the real passion comes later. Today, there was a rather depressing development. I originally planned to release the book at noon, but I forgot it required review. So, based on the 24-hour review period, the new book should be searchable tomorrow morning.
My condition isn't great today. I spent the morning doing the final proofread of the new book, and the afternoon handling contracts and mailing them out. I’ll release just this chapter today; I’m utterly exhausted and my spirit can’t handle more. I’ll get up early tomorrow, write another chapter, and publish it in the morning, then continue writing in the evening.
Tomorrow, I strive to make up for today’s missed chapter by writing it in the morning, plus two more chapters, making it three chapters total. Additionally, I still need to write the second chapter of the new book. So, tomorrow will be four updates. I really need to push myself. Old Gu is heading to sleep now; I’m too tired. Forcing myself to write won't produce good material. I truly apologize for today. (To be continued...)