Chapter 3682: Neighbours
“The war in the Star Boundary has been ongoing for the past dozen years. Fortunately, we’ve managed to root out the internal enemies. The remaining Demons in the Star Boundary were either killed or subdued by Chang Tian and the others. Demon Heavenly Dao was devastated as well. A few years ago, Can Ye, was injured by Senior Iron Blood, and he has gone into hiding since then. However, for the past ten years or so, it was also a buffer time for the Demons. It has been a long time since the Two Worlds’ Passage was sealed off, so no one knows what has been going on in the Demon Realm.” Li Wu Yi shook his head with a smile, “Maybe after we reopen the passage, we’ll realise that the Demons have also fully prepared as they await us to fall into their trap.”
Yang Kai nodded in agreement, “Senior is right.”
“So, we cannot storm into the Demon Realm immediately. At the very least, we cannot recklessly do it.” Li Wu Yi rose from the chair with his hands behind his back and shuffled towards the centre of the hall, then he turned to look at Yang Kai, “You know what the passage is like. The entrance is very narrow, so only a limited number of people can pass through it at any given time. If we just charge over without any preparation, we’ll suffer a loss, and the reverse is true as well; therefore, we plan to arrange a Formation around the passage and wait for the armies to familiarise with one another before we open the gates. When the Demons come over, we’ll be able to deal a heavy blow to them.”
Yang Kai nodded, “The Demon Realm is falling apart, so they’re more anxious than we are. If they realise that the passage is open, they’ll send some people over. It’ll be useless if there’s only a small number, but if there are many of them, we can kill them all in one fell swoop.”
Li Wu Yi grinned, “That’s right. They’re the ones who are supposed to be anxious. We just have to set up an impenetrable defence around the passage. As long as the line is intact, we can make any move at any moment as we please. When we gain the upper hand one day, it won’t be too late for us to strike back.”
After pondering on it for a moment, Yang Kai replied, “That will take a long time. Perhaps we’ll need several dozen or even over a hundred years to achieve this.”
“As long as we can ensure the Star Boundary’s safety, any sacrifice is worth it.”
“Understood.” Yang Kai rose from the chair and cupped his fists, “The Sixty-First Army has arrived on the battlefield, so if there is anything you need us to do, inform me straight away.”
Li Wu Yi nodded, “The other armies will assist in building up the formation, so you don’t have to worry about it; however, that doesn’t mean that your army has nothing to do. After the passage is opened, your army will have to face the Demons head-on. During this period of time, I’ll arrange a place for your army to stay, and then you just have to have them practice some military formations. The war between opposing armies is unlike a fight between two people. With so many people around, powerful cultivation isn’t the key to winning the battle anymore. Fortunately, even though your army has just been established, there are many veterans in your team. Just tell Yao Si to help you with it, and he’ll know what to do.”
“Understood,” Yang Kai said.
Following that, Li Wu Yi led him to the huge sand table and drew a circle on a particular spot, “With this spot as the centre, a radius of a thousand kilometres is where the Sixty-First Army will be stationed. You’ll handle the affairs in your army on your own. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can look for the other Commanders or come here to ask me.”
A moment later, Yang Kai stepped out of the hall and identified the direction before shooting into the sky. After one hour, he appeared in the sky above a desolate desert in the Western Territory. Looking down, he could still see some traces of the dilapidated Two Worlds’ Passage.
It was supposed to be the connecting point between the Demon Realm and the Star Boundary as well as the place where the Demons had gathered together in the past; however, since Yang Kai returned more than ten years ago and sealed off the passage, this place had slowly become desolate.
Even though there wasn’t anyone around now, everyone from the Star Boundary knew that if the Demons struck again one day, they would still come over through this place; therefore, with the location of the passage as the centre, those from Seven Mists Sea had begun arranging a Grand Array and Formation around it. All fifty-five armies had surrounded this barren place as they waited for the Demons to pass through the passage and fall into their trap.
Looking around, Yang Kai realised that a few thousand kilometres around the place, a lot of tents had been set up, and many people could be seen moving around. Apparently, they were the armies that had been stationed here. The bases of such a scale could be seen every couple thousand kilometres apart as they formed a gigantic circle around the passage.
While he was still observing, a beam of light suddenly shot out from the base on his right and flew towards him. The dazzling light broke through the air and reached Yang Kai in just over ten breaths’ time, after which an elderly man’s figure was revealed.
Yang Kai put on a smile and cupped his fists, “Senior Fu.”
The elderly man was none other than the Army Commander of the Fifty-Third Army, Fu Ren Jie, whom Yang Kai had come across in the hall of Seven Mists Sea some time ago. Initially, he was very stern with Yang Kai, so it was interesting that he became friendly to the young man in the end.
Fu Ren Jie guffawed, “I’ve always wondered why this place was empty and no army was stationed here. It seems that Supreme Commander Li reserved this place for you.”
Yang Kai took a look in the direction where the elderly man came from, then he arched his brow, “Is the Fifty-Third Army’s base over there?”
“That’s right.” Fu Ren Jie appeared jolly, “It seems that we’ll be neighbours from now on.” Then, he suddenly cupped his fists, “Please take care of me in the future.”
“I wouldn’t dare to.” Yang Kai quickly saluted him back, “I’m still a Junior in this place, so I am the one who will need you to take care of me. I know nothing about war affairs after all.”
Fu Ren Jie laughed, “That doesn’t matter because Yao Si is an expert in this field. Otherwise, what’s the point of you snatching him from me at all costs?”
Hearing that, Yang Kai put on a helpless smile and turned to look in a different direction, “Senior Fu, do you know whose base is there?”
Fu Ren Jie replied solemnly, “Cang Mo’s.”
Yang Kai became startled at that, but before he could come to his senses, Fu Ren Jie chuckled, “I’m just pulling your leg! I enjoy a good prank between friends. Please don’t mind it. Supreme Commander Li is aware that you’re on bad terms with Cang Mo, so he wouldn’t make the two of you become neighbours. Cang Mo’s Eighteenth Army is across from this place, which is very far from your base.”
At that, Yang Kai rubbed his nose and smirked, “Is it that obvious?”
Fu Ren Jie said, “I don’t know what the grudges are between you and Cang Mo, but I’m not blind, so it’s apparent to me that the two of you are on bad terms. I’m not fond of him either because of his arrogant attitude. If there are really grudges between you two, you have to be wary of him.”
Yang Kai put on a smile without replying to him.
Soon, Fu Ren Jie changed the topic by saying, “We’re now facing the Two Worlds’ Passage, so on your left this Old Master’s army. On your right, it’s the Thirty-Fifth Army. I’m sure you’re familiar with their Commander.”
“Senior Bing Yun?” Yang Kai became elated upon hearing that, then he turned to look at his right side. It seemed that Li Wu Yi was willing to look after him as one of his neighbours was his close friend, and the other was an elderly man that was easy to get along with. When war broke out in the future, they would be able to cooperate smoothly.
Fu Ren Jie replied with a smile, “That’s right.” He tutted, “Speaking of which, even though the Thirty-Fifth Army consists of mostly women, they’ve killed more Demons than most men. It seems that Bing Yun is an outstanding leader.”
Then, he arched his brow, “Brother Yang, since you’re already here, where’s your army? I’ve always heard that there are many top cultivators in your army, but I’ve never had the chance to meet them. Can you let me see them? I’m quite eager.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Sure. Please help me examine them.”
After he finished speaking, he summoned the Sealed World Bead and performed a hand seal. As the bead shot forward, Yang Kai quickly pushed his Divine Sense. In an instant, the void seemed to be trembling as a layer of ripples spread around. As the ripples expanded, the imposing figures of the soldiers, who were hidden in the bead earlier, were revealed.
The soldiers retained the formations they were in before Gun-Gun devoured them. All ten Divisions were in ten different formations. At that instant, three hundred thousand plus people seemed to have descended from the Heavens as murderous intent swirled around them.
That wasn’t the end of it though as Fu Ling shot out from the crowd and stood behind Yang Kai. As she swung her hand, the kilometre-long blood-coloured flag expanded and filled the sky. It was as though blood was dripping from the sky.
Three hundred thousand people cupped their fists and called out in unison, “Sir!”
The sound wave spread across the land, and even the world seemed to have paled.
Fu Ren Jie’s brow rose as he darted his gaze between his own army, which was a few thousand kilometres away, and the Sixty-First Army, his gaze filled with envy.
In fact, the Fifty-Third Army wasn’t weak. All fifty-four armies had killed countless Demons to reach where they were. That was what Fu Ren Jie thought in the past at least; however, when comparing the grandeur of Yang Kai’s army to that of his own, he felt like he was a King who had only occupied a hill. His army paled in front of Yang Kai’s. Then, he took a look at Yao Si and felt disgruntled.
Seeing his expression, Yang Kai knew that the elderly man must be frustrated, so he decided to stop showing off and quickly announced, “With this place as the centre, we’ll be stationed in a radius of a thousand kilometres around this area. All Division Commanders, divide the territories on your own and begin setting up camp.”
“Yes.” After all of them received the order, they hurriedly got to work.
Fu Ren Jie took a deep breath and praised the young man, “Good, good, good! The Sixty-First Army is like a tiger that has left the mountain or a Flood Dragon that has plunged into the ocean. You’ll make a name for yourself one day.”
“Senior Fu is too polite.”
Fu Ren Jie stared at the Sealed World Bead in Yang Kai’s hand and arched his brow, “I’ve always heard that Brother Yang has a storage artifact that can keep living creatures inside, but I haven’t had the chance to see it before. I think this must be that artifact, right?”
“En,” Yang Kai’s chest tightened as he subconsciously gripped his Sealed World Bead, thinking that the elderly man might want to snatch his treasure. Even though it hadn’t been a long time since they first met, Yang Kai knew that the old man was an easy-going and open-minded person; however, this kind of person also tended to be unabashed, which was why Yang Kai had to be cautious, “This is the Sealed World Bead, which was given to me by Senior Yang Yan in the past. Even though this item is profound, it can only be used by those who have cultivated Space Principles. It’s useless to anyone else.”
When Fu Ren Jie heard that, his gaze dimmed in an instant.
[This old man seriously wanted to snatch my treasure!] Yang Kai was torn between tears and laughter.
Undeterred though, Fu Ren Jie smacked his lips and said, “Brother Yang is a Master in the Dao of Space, so could you modify it and make it accessible to those who haven’t cultivated that esoteric Dao? Take the Space Beacon as an example. It also has something to do with Space Principles, but it’s widely used in the military now.”