337: Establish dependent territories

"Nuo! Nuo! Nuo!" A thousand Star Scar Guards roared in unison, their survivor's fervor transforming into infinite Battle Intent!

The Centurion immediately commanded the team like a precision war machine, splitting them into several groups. One part lunged toward the nest, while another began clearing the battlefield on the spot, using captured corrupted crystal veins and purification runes transmitted from the Star City to rapidly construct temporary fortifications and purification formations.

Lin Yuan himself did not leave. He hovered above the battlefield like a stabilizing force, his gaze still firmly locked onto the depths of the Withered Star Ring, while his powerful Divine Thought delved into the star city lord token in his hand, communicating with the transformed ultimate core of Chaos Origin City in the rear—the grandmist dao source divine seal!

"Divine Seal, govern all lands! This place shall be an extension of my city!" Lin Yuan's will was like iron.

Buzz—!!!

Far away in the Chaos Star Core, the grandmist dao source divine seal erupted with unprecedented divine light! The ultimate authority of a Rank Ten Star City was invoked! A majestic, invisible Divine Thought containing the will to govern crossed the distant Void Realm and crashed down upon the area of the Putrid Swamp Nebula that the Star Scar Guards had just initially brought under control!

"In the name of Lin Yuan, the star city lord, I wield authority!"

"Consume merit points: 2 billion points!"

"Consume Plane Core (Corrupt Star Annihilation Core) Origin power!"

"Activate Divine-Grade Lord Authority: [Infinite Enhancement]! Target: Putrid Swamp Nebula region!"

"Activate Divine-Grade Lord Authority: [Slaughter Supremacy]! Invoke all Slaughter Marks in this place!"

Rumble—!!!

The entire Putrid Swamp Nebula region underwent an earth-shattering transformation!

First, the pervasive gray-green toxic miasma, as if meeting its nemesis, rapidly purified and dissipated under the radiance of the grandmist dao source divine seal's light and the Plane Core's Origin, revealing the long-polluted shattered stars and Void Realm!

The nauseating scent of decay in the air was replaced by fresh Chaos energy!

Next, the ground roared! Countless fragments of shattered stars were forcibly gathered and reshaped by an invisible, great power! The flowing corrupted pus was enveloped by the phantom of the myriad dao furnace, swallowed, and refined into pure Chaos Star Gold and Life Source Essence!

The temporary fortifications and purification formations being built by the Star Scar Guards, under the effect of [Infinite Enhancement], instantly skipped countless processes, transforming from basic prototypes into indestructible war fortress complexes composed of Chaos Star Gold and purification runes! Atop the fortresses, miniature versions of the gui xu annihilation turret automatically condensed!

At the very core, the Thousand-Headed Corrupt Star Dragon's massive, foul-smelling nest was washed over by the Divine Seal's power and the Plane Core, as if thrown into a purification furnace!

The rotting flesh, twisted bones, and Dark Abyss Demonic Energy that composed the nest were forcibly decomposed and annihilated amidst shrill wails! In its place, a towering Chaos Divine Crystal Base with a dark gold luster rose from the ground!

Upon the base, a miniature 'Chaos Sub-Monument,' sharing the same source as the Chaos Origin City's main monument, was rapidly taking shape! On the sub-monument, the three ancient divine characters for 'Chaos City' were vaguely visible!

The great power of [Infinite Enhancement] was frantically remodeling the environment and upgrading the buildings!

[Slaughter Supremacy], meanwhile, was efficiently converting all the Slaughter Marks accumulated on this battlefield! The slaughter aura from the Star Scar Guards' killing of exotic beasts, destruction of altars, and even the remains of the previously slain suicide squads, were forcibly extracted and condensed like a hundred rivers returning to the sea!

The majestic slaughter value transformed into a physical blood-colored torrent. Part of it was injected into the forming Chaos Sub-Monument, accelerating its stabilization and advancement, while another part turned into pure Slaughter Origin energy, sprinkling down like sweet rain upon the thousand Star Scar Guards!

[Chaos City (Subordinate Territory of Chaos Origin City) under construction...]

[Core: Chaos Sub-Monument (Under Construction)]

[Rank: Rank One Star Bastion (0/10,000)]

[Traits (Inherited from Main City): Great Dao Affinity (1000%), Spiritual Vein Diversion (Energy Recovery +500%), Sub-Monument Resonance (Buffed by Main Monument)]

[slaughter value Infusion: Sub-Monument Construction Speed +1000%! Star Scar Guards receive Slaughter Origin Baptism!]

Buzz!

With the infusion of a massive amount of slaughter value and the continuous output of the Divine Seal's power, that 'Chaos Sub-Monument' completely solidified at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Though the monument was not as towering as the main one, it nonetheless radiated a majesty that suppressed its surroundings! Mysterious Chaos runes were engraved upon the monument's body, its aura closely linked to the main monument of Chaos Origin City!

[Chaos City established successfully!]

[Core: Chaos Sub-Monument (Rank One Star Bastion)]

[Subordinate to: Chaos Origin City (Rank Ten Star City)]

[Traits Activated!]

[slaughter value Settlement: During the construction of the subordinate territory, a total of 800 million slaughter value points were converted and utilized!]

[Under the Slaughter Origin Baptism, the overall combat power of the Star Scar Guards has increased by 15%! 300 members have broken through to the Middle Stage of the Myriad Dao Realm! The ten Centurion Hongmeng Dao Soldier have broken through to the Peak of the Myriad Dao Realm!]

A grand heavenly dao announcement once again resounded throughout the Divine Domain!

[heavenly dao announcement (Global): star city lord · Lin Yuan has successfully established the first Star City-grade subordinate territory—Chaos City—in the 'Putrid Swamp Nebula' region on the outskirts of the Withered Star Ring! Pioneering a new mode for the Divine Domain Expedition!]

[Awarded merit points: 500 million points!]

[Merit Ranking Eternal Top: star city lord · Lin Yuan (merit points: 5 billion)]

"Subordinate territory! Chaos City!"

"Establishing a Star Bastion-grade outpost directly in enemy-occupied territory?!"

"Infinite Enhancement of the environment... slaughter value converted for construction... this... is this the authority of a Divine-Grade lord?!"

The entire 903 Divine Domain was in an absolute uproar! If the previous Rank Ten Star City was an awe-inspiring miracle, then this feat of establishing a Star Bastion-grade subordinate territory right at the doorstep of the Dark Abyss forces was blatant strategic crushing!

It proclaimed that Lin Yuan's sphere of influence was no longer limited to the Chaos Star Core; his war machine now possessed terrifying long-range projection and frontline construction capabilities!

"Bastard!!" In the core of the Withered Star Ring, the will of the Primal Blood Ancestor let out a roar of extreme rage! It watched helplessly as its 'front yard' was forcibly purified, occupied, and built into a bridgehead stabbing into its heart! The aura of that Chaos Sub-Monument was like a poisonous thorn stuck right under its eyelid! "Lin Yuan! This ancestor will fight you until death!!"

Cangqiong Imperial Dynasty, Star Fortress.

Heavenly Emperor Cang looked at Lin Yuan's still unattainable merit points on the ranking list and the detailed description of Chaos City's establishment. His face turned from iron-blue to pale white, finally becoming ashen. He had spent a huge price just to have his territory promoted to a Rank Five Star Bastion, and he had been feeling quite smug about it.

And Lin Yuan... could already casually drop a Rank One Star Bastion as an outpost in enemy territory? This gap made him feel a sense of deep powerlessness and despair. "Two Divine-Grade authorities... Damn it! Why isn't it me?!"

Life and Death Bone City.

The Kurong Saint had just barely managed to suppress the Gui Xu Backlash in his Sea of Consciousness, and his Dao patterns remained dim.

He looked at the towering Chaos Sub-Monument and the thriving Chaos City in the crystal ball, as well as the vague description of the two Divine-Grade authorities in the heavenly dao announcement. Jealousy and greed almost burned away his reason.

"Subordinate territory... frontline Star Bastion... slaughter value conversion... Lin Yuan! Everything you have... this Saint must obtain! No matter the cost!" A flash of crazy determination crossed his eyes. "Initiate the 'Possession' contingency plan!"

Life Sanctuary.

Su Yao's eyes sparkled with light. "Chaos City... a frontline outpost... Lin Yuan, your pace is truly breathtaking." She looked toward the Withered Star Ring, her worry slightly lessened. "With this outpost, he can attack or defend. The threat of the Withered Star Ring is at least thirty percent contained."

Imperial Dao Dragon City.

Mr. Yuan Mie Xu clapped his hands and laughed heartily: "Good! Brother Lin's Divine Might! This is a decisive posture! Send the order! All those belonging to Dragon City, accelerate your movement toward Chaos Origin City! Find a suitable area on the outskirts of the Withered Star Ring to establish a subordinate outpost for our Imperial Dao Dragon City! We shall coordinate with Brother Lin to jointly attack the Dark Abyss!"

Chaos City, beneath the Chaos Sub-Monument.

Lin Yuan felt the pulse of this newborn territory. Although the power of a Rank One Star Bastion was far inferior to the main city, it was like a wedge rooted in the enemy camp, continuously drawing energy from this place, converting slaughter value, and providing the main city with a forward view and a springboard.

A thousand Star Scar Guards with greatly increased strength guarded the bastion, their gui xu annihilation turrets glinting with a cold light.

In his hands, he still had 5 billion merit points and 500 million slaughter value. His gaze turned toward the inner layer of the Withered Star Ring, which was illuminated by the light of Chaos City but still shrouded in deeper darkness. The Primal Blood Ancestor's will lurked like a venomous snake.

"The Star Bastion is newly established; its edge must be sharpened." Lin Yuan's voice resounded through Chaos City, "Star Scar Guards!"

"Present!" A thousand warriors' Battle Intent soared to the heavens!

"Target: The 'Bone Star Belt' in the inner layer of the Withered Star Ring! Clear the outposts and pull out the eyes and ears of the Dark Abyss! Gather intelligence to pave the way for the next general offensive!"

"This battle shall be the First Expedition into the Blood Region! Let the blood of the Dark Abyss irrigate the glory of our domain!"

"Set out!"

"Nuo! Nuo! Nuo!!!"

The steel torrent started up once again. Under the leadership of the Centurions and carrying the buffs bestowed by the newly born Chaos City, they lunged like an unsheathed, blood-stained blade toward the even more dangerous inner layer of the Withered Star Ring! Where the Star Scars point, there the Blood Region's territory shall be!

Lin Yuan then took a step out, his figure appearing at the top of the Chaos Sub-Monument. He sat cross-legged, his Divine Thought sinking into the sub-monument, deeply resonating with the grandmist dao source divine seal in the main city behind him.

The phantom of the myriad worlds star gate slowly emerged beside the sub-monument, beginning to construct a stable channel connecting to the main city. Meanwhile, his powerful Divine Thought, like an invisible radar, used the extension of the sub-monument to more clearly scan the energy nodes and defensive layouts of the Withered Star Ring's inner layer.

"Primal Blood Ancestor..." Lin Yuan closed his eyes, his mind locked onto the viscous Dark Demonic Pool deep within the Star Ring. "Your slumber should end. This Withered Star Ring shall be the first great gift I sacrifice to the 903 Divine Domain!"