Today’s second update! Next, we continue to make up for missed chapters. This late hour is a night filled with sorrow, yet one devoid of the sounds of conflict! Only the water flows silently in the heart!

The sky was slowly paling, and inside the tent, the light gradually brightened as well.

Mei Xueyan gazed hesitantly toward the breaking dawn, her expression filled with infinite reluctance, yet she finally drew a deep breath, her voice hoarse as she spoke: “Eight venerable seniors, Little Eagle, and all our brothers of the Eagle Clan… travel well on your journey! If you have leisure, you must visit Sky Punishment… We miss you all… Whether in heaven or on earth, in the depths of the Nine Springs, you are our family!”

Mei Xueyan slowly rose, her heart heavy, and bowed deeply. Two crystalline tears finally escaped her control, falling silently to the ground as she bent low.

The Crane King, Bear King, and Tiger King simultaneously knelt and kowtowed, suppressed sobs faintly audible.

“Enough, stop crying now. Let our brothers pass on this final journey with some peace.” Jun Moxie executed a deep bow, his eyes red-rimmed. “This is war. Wherever there is war, sacrifice and casualties are inevitable! And this great battle has only just begun. If that one person… comes, we will go to keep them company. I believe that if that day truly arrives, we certainly would not wish to see our brothers heartbroken by our sight.”

“Yes!” The Tiger King, Bear King, and Crane King straightened simultaneously, though their hearts were shattered, their faces assumed an air of stern resolve!

Jun Moxie waved his hand, and the countless spirit tablets within the tent, along with the Eagle King’s corpse, vanished instantly. They had been placed within the Hongjun Pagoda; only there could these relics be perfectly preserved and secured!

Mei Xueyan and the other three still lingered, pacing the empty tent with longing. The Bear King slowly squatted down, pressing his face against the ground where the Eagle King’s body had lain, holding it tightly, squeezing his eyes shut. The heartbreaking tears finally surged forth uncontrollably, yet he did not emit a sound; only his body convulsed violently…

Then, Xiong Kaishan slowly stood up, back ramrod straight, and walked out without looking back.

“Everyone keep a close watch on your respective teams, and await orders at any moment. The hostilities could resume without warning!” Jun Moxie took a deep breath, his expression suddenly chilling. He declared with finality, “If anyone dares to act without receiving an order from me or your Eldest Sister, they will be beheaded in the very spot where the three thousand Eagle Clan warriors fell, their heads displayed for all to see!”

Xiong Kaishan, who was the first to leave the tent, and the Crane King and Tiger King, who remained inside, both felt a tremor run through their bodies.

To be executed where one’s brothers died—this was the most severe form of punishment in Sky Punishment! Once dealt with in this manner, that person was effectively the shame of Sky Punishment! No one else in the entire Sky Punishment Forest would ever acknowledge them as a brother again!

This was an order Jun Moxie had been forced to issue, fearing that these hot-blooded men would recklessly rush out to avenge the Eagle King! Though he felt helpless and unwilling, it was the only means he had to truly restrain these Beast Kings who had been completely consumed by the fire of vengeance!

After a moment, the great Beast Kings had all filed out of the tent.

In the distance, several of the volcanoes had ceased erupting, though they still belched thick, black smoke.

Ying Bokong and Feng Juanyun led the remnants of the Soul-Devouring Corps, standing rigidly at the absolute forefront, their vigilant gazes fixed upon the situation on the other side of Tianzhu Mountain.

They had maintained this state of alertness throughout the entire night.

Because this entire night belonged solely to the Sky Punishment Forest!

Although Ying Bokong and Feng Juanyun had not participated in the vigil and mourning for the Eagle King and the Eight Revered Ones, they remained here, silently guarding them, ensuring that the Sky Punishment warriors, as they released their grief and bid their brothers a final farewell, would not suffer any disturbance.

“Are there any movements from the Alien Race side yet?” Jun Moxie asked.

“As of now, there have only been sporadic small patrols skirmishing; nothing substantial,” Feng Juanyun stood perfectly straight, like a javelin, and immediately answered Jun Moxie’s query.

“Yesterday, why were so many top experts and formidable fighters able to gather in such a short time? Logically, since such large-scale combat has already occurred here, the Alien Race should be constantly sending reinforcements. But why is it so quiet now? Something is completely wrong!” Jun Moxie frowned, his mind calculating furiously.

His gaze slowly swept across the surrounding peaks, and his heart suddenly jolted.

By this time, quite a few volcanoes had gradually stopped erupting.

And the ambient temperature in the area had dropped significantly, almost incomparable to yesterday.

“The Alien Race is waiting, waiting for the volcanoes to completely stop erupting!” Jun Moxie’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, and a cold, sharp light shot from his eyes. He exchanged a look with Mei Xueyan, recognizing the shared concern in the other’s gaze.

The Alien Race had suffered heavy casualties in yesterday’s battle. It was likely they realized that brute force assault was proving ineffective and had therefore changed their tactics accordingly. After all, the sacrifice of the Eagle and Bear clans clearly indicated that the strength of the Alien Race combatants yesterday was absolutely supreme!

Even the Eight Great Revered Ones had all perished, not one surviving. While Jun Moxie, Mei Xueyan, and the beasts of Sky Punishment were unwilling to accept this outcome, the Alien Race side would surely have suffered even worse! A total of thirteen Supreme Heavenly Ninjas, all annihilated in one battle; over three hundred Bottom-tier Earth Ninjas—all gone! For a battle resulting in such losses, even if Jun Moxie were beaten to death, he would never believe the Alien Race could remain completely indifferent! Such overwhelming power clearly aimed to break through in one swift move and then allow subsequent waves of troops to pour in ceaselessly.

Now, with such a vast number of Alien Race soldiers dead! The cost was surely one that the Alien Race could absolutely not afford to bear either!

Therefore, they were forced by necessity to change their strategy: forgo immediate warfare, wait until the volcanoes completely cease eruption and the climate returns to normal, thus removing the environmental burden, and then return in full force!

And this plan was utterly vicious!

Because the impassable barrier of Tianzhu Mountain had vanished permanently! If they were also to lose the threat of the volcanoes, the vast expanse of ten thousand miles would become a broad, smooth highway! At that point, once the Alien Race advanced in full strength, they could easily break through by choosing any direction!

Even if the Xuanxuan Continent possessed countless masters, they would simply be unable to defend everywhere!

The reason was simple: this frontline was far too long…

Moreover, the complete cessation of volcanic activity and the subsequent cooling required time.

During this period, the Alien Race could use the opportunity to complete the mobilization of their main army! Although the Xuanxuan Continent would also be assembling its forces, their distance was a disadvantage, and more importantly, Xuanxuan was in a defensive position. The Alien Race, however, completely held the initiative for attack!

They could launch a breakthrough from any direction, while Xuanxuan could only defend passively!

The difference between these two situations was as vast as heaven and earth!

Faced with this grim situation, how should they respond?

Jun Moxie paced slowly, deep in troubled thought, finding no clear path. Mei Xueyan furrowed her delicate brows, also contemplating countermeasures. After a long silence, both sighed heavily.

“Passive defense is certainly not advisable, but a proactive strike…” Jun Moxie sighed, “is also inappropriate.”

“Yes. That is, after all, the Alien Race’s homeland. If we rashly venture out, we might not find their vital weak points. And once we attack, the participating personnel cannot be few, and they must all be elite masters. This will naturally weaken our own defenses further. If the Alien Race attacks then, our strength will already be insufficient; with one side gaining and the other losing, defense becomes even more difficult,” Mei Xueyan conceded.

Jun Moxie nodded heavily, his expression growing increasingly grim.

Just then, both of them sensed something simultaneously in their hearts and looked up toward the distance.

In the distance, figures flickered and darted, rapidly approaching the Sky Punishment camp from several directions. The fastest one leading the group, with sleeves billowing like someone riding clouds and mist, was none other than the foremost figure of the Celestial Saint Palace—Gu Han!

The people from the Three Great Sacred Lands had finally arrived.

Jun Moxie’s expression darkened, and his eyes turned cold.

Mei Xueyan’s delicate face instantly paled, and a vast, surging murderous intent and endless rage erupted within her heart!

“To push outward, one must first secure what is within,” Jun Moxie murmured deeply, his eyes blazing with sharp light. He looked slowly toward the approaching group. “Concerns in the rear are like thorns in the back! Even if the world is destroyed because of this, it must be eliminated! It absolutely must be eliminated!”

He spoke this sentence with absolute resolve, sharp and unwavering!

Mei Xueyan started, turning sharply to look at him.

“Our brothers cannot have died in vain!” Jun Moxie stated calmly. “The Alien Race, as the primary murderers, must certainly pay the price, but those who stood idly by must at least give me an explanation! Otherwise, I will feel the Eagle King watching me from the Nine Springs! That gaze… makes me feel guilty, unable to rest peacefully!”

“Below, there are also the Eight Great Revered Ones and the three thousand Eagle Clan brothers, the two thousand Bear Clan brothers! They are all watching me! Their gazes are filled with trust, and I, Jun Moxie, cannot disappoint my brothers! Even if… it costs the entire continent, I must demand this accounting!”

“Otherwise, this sort of thing will happen again! And we cannot afford to lose even one more brother!”

Having spoken, Jun Moxie strode forward to meet them!

Behind him, the Tiger King, Bear King, and Crane King all displayed bright light in their eyes! They stared fixedly at Jun Moxie’s retreating figure for a long, long time without moving.

Mei Xueyan watched the back of the man she loved, her eyes suddenly misting over. Inside the tent, Jun Moxie sat boldly in the uppermost, central grand chair, his gaze sweeping over Gu Han and the others filing in, his look as sharp and cold as a blade!

Mei Xueyan sat down beside him, her seat close to his. The Tiger King, Bear King, Crane King, as well as Ying Bokong and Feng Juanyun, sat below Mei Xueyan. These seven figures were all extremely solemn.

Gu Han entered the tent first, a smile plastered across his face, but he instantly sensed the anomaly in the atmosphere and could not help but ask in surprise, “Lord Jun, may I ask what has transpired? Why is… why is the atmosphere like this?”

Behind him, the members of the Celestial Saint Palace, along with Xi Ruochen, Hu Yan Aobo, and Mo Wudao, entered in a line, all looking surprised. They did not understand the purpose behind Jun Moxie setting up such an imposing scene.

“Sit!” Jun Moxie raised a hand. His expression was hard as iron, and his gaze was cold as ice.