59: The Great War Breaks Out

Shen Xiaochuan stood in the center of the battlefield, his fingertips slightly raised. Everyone had seen the previous scene clearly—the streets of the North Gate were mottled with blood, enemy corpses lay strewn across the ground, and Yang Lie was treading upon a tattered war flag.

The coalition army was deathly silent.

Trump suddenly stood up and slammed his palm onto the armrest of his chariot. His face was as dark as iron, and his voice was low and suppressed: "Useless! All of you are useless! Twenty thousand men were wiped out before they even touched the city walls?"

No one dared to respond.

Shen Xiaochuan slowly lowered his hand, the light between his fingers quietly dissipating. He looked toward Trump, his tone as calm as before: "Now, shall we talk, or shall we fight?"

Still, no one replied.

A strange sound suddenly came from the distance. The ground trembled slightly as the clanking of metal and the low growls of beasts intertwined. From behind Trump's chariot, a row of iron cages was pushed out. The creatures imprisoned within were massive; some were covered in scales, others had spikes growing from their backs. Their eyes were blood-red as they frantically slammed against the iron bars, producing dull, booming thuds.

Trump's face was distorted, fury surging in his eyes. He gritted his teeth and let out a cold sneer, pointing sharply at Shen Xiaochuan: "Then let strength do the talking! I want to see how long you can hold out!"

The cage doors slammed open.

Ten figures charged out, lunging straight for Shen Xiaochuan. Each was accompanied by a battle pet: some rode giant wolves, while others were symbiotic with a Two-Headed Snake. Their speed was as fast as lightning, and they surrounded Shen Xiaochuan in an instant.

Shen Xiaochuan did not move an inch.

He slowly drew the long blade from his waist, the tip of the blade lightly tapping the ground. His pale gold eyes swept over the crowd as he uttered only two words: "Come then."

The first to charge was a Norse Deity, wielding an Ice Hammer, with a White Bear roaring and charging beneath him. The giant beast opened its mouth and spat out freezing air, causing the ground to freeze instantly. The god leaped into the air, raising the Ice Hammer high and smashing it down toward the top of Shen Xiaochuan's head.

Shen Xiaochuan's eyes narrowed. He kicked off the ground, his figure flickering as he shifted three steps to the right. The Ice Hammer, carrying a cold current, crashed down, cracking the ground into a deep pit. He swung his blade back, and a bolt of thunder split from the edge, striking the White Bear's hind leg. The giant beast wailed and knelt, and the deity on its back was thrown off, tumbling several times in the air before crashing heavily to the ground in a pathetic state.

Shen Xiaochuan did not pursue.

He turned to face the second person, who was controlling a Fire Python that spat out fierce flames. Before the flames could reach him, Shen Xiaochuan had already leaped into the air. His blade drew an arc of light, precisely slicing through the Fire Python's head. The Fire Python exploded on the spot, blood splattering everywhere.

A third person dived down from the sky, with bat wings on his back and a hooked scythe in his hand. He flipped in mid-air, the scythe blade sweeping across. Shen Xiaochuan lowered his head to avoid it and suddenly struck out with a bolt of lightning from his left hand, hitting the opponent square in the chest. The man fell as expected, twitching uncontrollably on the ground.

The remaining seven acted simultaneously.

One released poisonous smoke, two used long spears for a pincer attack, three summoned Stone Golems to block the path of retreat, and two others stood at the back whispering incantations, preparing for long-range spellcasting.

Shen Xiaochuan still stood in place.

As the poisonous smoke approached, he took a deep breath and then blew it out forcefully. Nearly half of the thick smoke was blown away. He took a step forward and struck a spearman's wrist with the back of his blade; the man's grip loosened, and the spear fell to the ground. He spun around and slammed the hilt of his blade into the other person's abdomen; that man doubled over and vomited, unable to move.

The Stone Golems raised their giant fists and smashed down.

Shen Xiaochuan leaped up, first stepping onto the shoulder of the first Stone Golem, then using that momentum to kick off toward the second. He jumped into the air, his long blade stabbing straight into the heart of the third Stone Golem. Lightning surged in, and the Stone Golem exploded with a boom, sending stone fragments flying.

Seeing the situation, the two casters in the back tried to flee.

Shen Xiaochuan had already landed. Raising his right hand, three bolts of thunder shot out, all hitting the legs of the three people. All three fell to the ground, struggling to get up.

In less than ten minutes, all ten were defeated.

Some were unconscious, some were heavily injured and couldn't get up, and the battle pets lost control, running wildly across the battlefield.

Shen Xiaochuan sheathed his blade and lightly brushed the dust off his clothes. He looked up at Trump, his voice calm: "Is this all your people are capable of?"

Trump sat on his chariot, his hands tightly gripping the armrests, his knuckles turning white. He stared fixedly at Shen Xiaochuan, his gaze as deep as an abyss.

He knew he couldn't stall any longer.

The twenty thousand troops at the North Gate were wiped out, and ten gods working together were still no match for one person. Morale was on the verge of collapse, and even the gods who originally supported him began to quietly retreat.

He couldn't wait any longer.

"All-out attack!" Trump suddenly stood up and roared sharply, "Everyone assemble! Release all battle pets! Target—the Skydome City Faith Center! Destroy it for me!"

The order was quickly relayed.

War drums shook the heavens.

The army of three hundred thousand began to advance, and over one thousand five hundred gods revealed their abilities, with various runic marks appearing in the sky. The earth shook, dust flew, and killing intent pierced the clouds.

Shen Xiaochuan still stood in place, quietly watching the enemy's movements.

He did not retreat, nor did he call for reinforcements.

He reached into his robes and took out a black scroll. The scroll was covered in complex patterns, with a faint purple halo flowing around its edges, pulsing slightly as if it were alive.

This was the shadow peacock summoning scroll he had exchanged in the Faith Mall.

At first, he thought it was a trap, so he had sealed it away and didn't use it. Later, he sensed something unusual—this item was not an ordinary summoning, but an existence capable of shaking the rules of heaven and earth.

He gripped both ends of the scroll with his hands and slowly pulled it open.

Click.

A soft sound, like glass shattering.

A crack suddenly split open in the sky, growing wider and wider as a wild wind howled out from the rift, making his robes flutter loudly.

Dark clouds gathered, obscuring the sun.

The Spiritual Qi became turbulent, and fine cracks appeared on the ground. The approaching enemy soldiers suddenly felt difficulty breathing, their legs went weak, and some even knelt directly on the ground.

Trump looked up at the sky, his pupils shrinking abruptly: "What is that?"

Shen Xiaochuan did not answer.

He stood with his feet apart, firmly on the ground, holding the scroll high with both hands while chanting an incantation in a low voice. With every word he uttered, the patterns on the scroll brightened. Black runes rose from his palms, climbing up his arms and entwining the scroll, wriggling like living things.

The pressure continued to climb.

The enemy formation began to waver. Many battle pets became restless, trying to flee.

Trump gritted his teeth and roared: "Ignore the sky! All forces press forward! Kill him before he completes the ritual!"

Dozens of gods rushed out of the ranks, heading straight for Shen Xiaochuan. They understood that as long as they interrupted the casting, there was still a glimmer of hope.

But just as they reached the halfway point—

Boom!

A bolt of Black Thunder descended from the sky, exploding in front of the group. A shockwave swept out, sending more than ten people flying several yards. The rest stopped in their tracks, looking at the charred deep pit with faces full of terror.

Shen Xiaochuan was still in the same spot.

His eyes were closed, sweat beaded on his forehead, but his hands were as steady as a rock, holding the scroll high without moving an inch.

The wind grew even fiercer.

The rift continued to expand, and a purple-black light shone through it. An ancient and powerful aura spread out, striking fear into everyone's hearts.

Trump finally realized something was wrong.

This wasn't just a summoning.

This was a power intended to subvert the rules.

He stared fixedly at Shen Xiaochuan, his voice raspy: "You... what exactly do you want to do?"

Shen Xiaochuan opened his eyes.

His gaze was like a blade, piercing straight into one's heart.

He looked toward Trump and said word by word: "What do you think?"

His voice was low, carrying an unquestionable majesty:

"It's your turn."

As his voice fell, the final Seal on the scroll suddenly disintegrated. The entire scroll turned into countless fragments of black light, rising and circling like stars. The points of light condensed in the air, transforming into a massive Black Peacock.

Its tail feathers unfurled, like a hundred-meter-long black cloud. The feathers were as black as ink, deep and dangerous. It hovered in the sky, and its eyes suddenly snapped open—red as flames, soul-stirring.

Heaven and earth fell silent.

Immediately after, a sharp cry pierced the sky.

The Black Peacock flapped its wings, and a wild wind swept across the battlefield. Enemy soldiers covered their ears and crouched down one after another. Chariots overturned, flags snapped, and even Trump's carriage was shaking violently.

Shen Xiaochuan stood in the center of the eye of the storm, his robes fluttering, and the copper gear between his sleeves clinking.

He looked up at the colossal creature and lowed his voice:

"It's your turn."