5: Lin Ku appeared

Shen Xiaochuan stood on high ground, his hand tightly gripping the sky-rending blade, eyes locked onto the black stone city wall ahead. On the wall, several runes with flowing faint light appeared, moving slowly.

He narrowed his eyes and, with a sweep of his Divine Thought, quickly judged that the energy fluctuations on the eastern side were the weakest.

"Chen Yan."

At the low call, Chen Yan immediately ran out, his right arm wrapped in cloth, his expression solemn: "Lord God."

"Take two thousand men to the main gate and form a formation to put on a show of a forceful attack. Remember, it must only be a feint; do not actually break in."

Chen Yan nodded: "Understood, to draw their attention."

"Correct."

Shen Xiaochuan waved his hand, "The rest of you follow me in a detour through the eastern valley. The wall there is weak and easy to Breakthrough."

Once the order was given, the team quickly split up. Chen Yan led his unit forward, their footsteps booming and making the ground tremble slightly.

Shen Xiaochuan led the main force in a quiet detour, the light crunching of gravel underfoot sounding exceptionally clear in the silence.

Before the main gate, Chen Yan stopped. Two hundred paces away, a man stood atop the gate tower, clad in a black robe with a cold expression.

Lin Ku.

He stood in the center, hands behind his back, the corners of his lips curling slightly: "Shen Xiaochuan, you've finally come."

His voice wasn't loud, yet it spread across the entire battlefield like a cold wind.

Chen Yan looked up and roared: "Our Lord God has no need for words with you!"

Lin Ku sneered: "A mere grunt dares to speak?"

Before his voice had even faded, he slammed both palms onto the ground.

Boom—

The earth exploded, three deep cracks suddenly spreading, and fifteen skeletons crawled out from the soil. Their eye sockets burned with ghostly blue flames, hideous and terrifying, as they lunged straight for Chen Yan's vanguard.

"shield formation!"

Shen Xiaochuan's voice rang out in Chen Yan's mind.

Chen Yan shouted: "Plunge blades as shields! Archers, prepare!"

The frontline warriors plunged their long blades into the ground, forming a wall of blades. The rear-line Archers drew their strings and fired in unison, a rain of arrows pouring down.

Several skeletons fell to the ground, but even more continued to charge fearlessly. The sound of bones clashing against blade edges crackled.

"Hold the line!"

Chen Yan kicked away a skeleton that lunged close; the cloth on his arm was torn, and blood seeped out.

Just then, the sound of rhythmic footsteps came from the other side of the hillside.

The three thousand reinforcements Shen Xiaochuan had pre-deployed charged down from the flank, their blade light like silk, rushing straight into the skeleton swarm. Bone fragments flew, and in less than ten seconds, all fifteen skeletons were pulverized.

The battlefield suddenly fell silent.

Atop the gate tower, Lin Ku's expression changed slightly.

He stared down at the black rune mark on his palm and whispered through gritted teeth: "A mere B-rank deity dares to break my summon?"

He suddenly looked up, hands forming seals, a low chant escaping his lips.

The earth trembled once more.

This time, the crack was deeper, running straight through the center of the battlefield.

Crack—

A three-meter-tall skeleton slowly stood up. Ancient characters were carved into its skull, and it held a giant axe; with every step it took, the ground cracked and extended.

[Skeleton Commander], combat power 121.

The moment it appeared, the air turned cold. The legs of several frontline warriors went weak, and they knelt on the ground, their weapons slipping from their hands.

"What is that?" someone stammered.

Chen Yan gritted his teeth: "No matter what it is, block it for me!"

He raised his blade and charged, slashing at the Skeleton Commander's calf. The blade edge chipped, but the opponent didn't budge.

The giant axe swept across.

Chen Yan was heavily knocked flying, rolling several times upon landing, blood gushing from his right shoulder.

"Chen Yan!" Shen Xiaochuan's gaze sharpened.

He immediately opened the Faith Mall and quickly selected: [Instant Battle Energy Potion] x1.

System prompt: [Exchange successful, consumed 800 faith points]

He took out the small bottle and tilted his head back to drink it all.

A searing torrent flooded into his limbs and bones; his muscles tightened, and his bones crackled.

combat power increased from 128 to 138.

He stepped out with his blade, meeting the Skeleton Commander's second giant axe swing.

The sky-rending blade and the giant axe collided violently, sparks flying in all directions.

Shen Xiaochuan was knocked back three steps, his feet plowing two deep furrows into the ground.

"I can still move." He spat out a mouthful of blood and steadied himself.

The Skeleton Commander turned its head, its hollow eye sockets locking onto him.

Another axe blow came down.

Shen Xiaochuan raised his blade to block it head-on; his arms went numb, and the skin between his thumb and forefinger split open.

"I can't hold on... I'll definitely fall with the next strike," he thought to himself.

Just as the giant axe was about to fall, an image suddenly flashed through his mind.

A spear pierced through the air, stabbing straight at the Skeleton Commander's head.

A roar exploded in his ears: "Zhang Yide of Yan is here! Who dares to be so insolent!"

Golden seal scripts appeared on his body, their light flowing.

combat power +10.

148!

Using the momentum to leap, the sky-rending blade slid up along the axe handle, and he flicked it upward with force.

The Skeleton Commander's giant axe skewed, and its body swayed.

Shen Xiaochuan rolled upon landing and used the momentum to slash at its knee.

Crack!

The bone snapped, and the Skeleton Commander fell to one knee.

"It worked!" A sharp light flashed in his eyes.

However, the golden light lasted for only seven seconds before quickly dissipating.

As the power receded, exhaustion surged in like a tide.

He knelt on one knee, panting incessantly, only staying upright by leaning on his blade.

Atop the gate tower, Lin Ku's pupils constricted: "Impossible! You aren't a combat-type deity, where did that power come from?"

He formed seals again, preparing to summon a new wave of undead.

Shen Xiaochuan looked up, blood on the corners of his mouth: "If you want to kill me, then come."

Lin Ku sneered: "You think this is over?"

He cut his palm, letting blood drip onto the rune mark.

"Using my blood as a guide, I summon the sleeping general! Come forth, my trump card!"

The earth shook violently, five cracks exploded simultaneously, and black mist soared into the sky.

Shen Xiaochuan struggled to his feet and stared at the black mist.

"Want to add more people?"

He glanced at the Faith Mall.

The faith points were still continuously growing.

+1 per second.

Currently at 192,000 points.

"Enough," he whispered.

He clicked on the mall: [Basic Believer Warrior] x8000.

System prompt: [Summoning in progress, please wait 10 seconds... 9... 8...]

Eight thousand new Believers were being generated.

He had to stall for time.

"Chen Yan!" he shouted loudly.

"Here!" Chen Yan leaned behind a rock, half his body stained with blood.

"Once the reinforcements arrive, take the men and hold the front. I'm going to break in from the rear."

"You're going to attack the Temple?" Chen Yan's eyes widened.

"Yes."

Shen Xiaochuan wiped the blood from his face, "This thing is too tough to break from the front. Only by slaying the Origin can we cut off its summoning."

Chen Yan laughed: "Fine! I'll hold them off for you!"

Shen Xiaochuan nodded and turned to run toward the eastern valley.

Behind him, the Skeleton Commander had stood up again, its giant axe sweeping across, pushing back the remaining warriors.

Atop the gate tower, Lin Ku looked at his retreating back and suddenly laughed: "You think you can win by going around the back? I've set triple traps here; every step you take is a step toward death!"

He pointed toward the valley entrance.

A black light screen rose, blocking the path ahead.

"This is the first one."

He then pointed toward the granary behind the city: "A self-destructing talisman array is laid there; if your people dare to approach, they will be turned to ashes in an instant."

"The third one?" Shen Xiaochuan stopped and looked back.

"Is my life."

Lin Ku grinned hideously, "As long as I remain, the Divine Realm will not perish!"

Shen Xiaochuan was silent for two seconds, then suddenly laughed.

"Then you'd better lie down right now."

He raised his hand; the eight thousand Believers had completed their summoning and were lined up in formation, their blade tips pointing to the sky.

"First squad, follow me to break the light screen!"

"Second squad, detour and launch a surprise attack, target the granary!"

"Third squad, stay on standby and support at any time!"

The orders were given, and the eight thousand people immediately went into action.

Shen Xiaochuan was the first to charge toward the black light screen.

When he was still fifty meters from the light screen, he took out a piece of crystal ore and smashed it hard against the ground.

Boom!

The Ore exploded, and the light screen vibrated violently.

"Now is the time! Charge!"

He was the first to crash into the light screen.

His body felt as if it were being pierced by ten thousand needles, and beads of blood seeped from his skin.

But he didn't stop, gritting his teeth as he crossed through.

Five hundred Believers followed closely behind him; thirty fell, but the rest continued forward.

"We did it!" someone shouted.

Shen Xiaochuan wiped the blood from his face and looked toward the Temple.

"Lin Ku, I have already broken your first line of defense."

He raised the sky-rending blade, pointing it straight at the gate tower.

"Next, it's your turn."