198: Chapter 198 The Seventh Battlefield is in Crisis

Since that day, Yuanwu Academy had completely changed.

The Ancient Desolate Secret Realm, from which Lin Yuan had drained all the malevolent aura, had now become a unique cultivation Holy Land for the entire Yan Country, and even the entire Blue Star.

The pure Spiritual Qi almost took on a physical form, surging continuously from the entrance of the Secret Realm to nourish the entire academy.

Yuanwu Academy, the premier institution that had been declining day by day due to hidden dangers, was revitalized overnight with a vitality that far surpassed its past.

Martial arts geniuses from all over the country scrambled to get in.

Countless students regarded this place as a Holy Land, if for no other reason than it being the alma mater of the "young god of the human race," Lin Yuan.

For a time, Yuanwu Academy was bustling with visitors.

As the Vice Principal, Mountain Sinking Deep Abyss became the busiest person.

His burly frame shuttled daily between mountains of documents and a constant stream of visitors; he had to time himself with a stopwatch even to take a sip of water.

In sharp contrast to his frantic state was the person responsible for it all.

Lin Yuan.

He was hiding in the bamboo forest on the back mountain, sitting across from the Azure Nether Sword Emperor playing chess, living a life like an immortal.

The chessboard had been casually carved by Azure Nether using Sword Qi, and the pieces were black and white pebbles picked up from the bamboo forest.

Azure Nether's chess style was just like his personality.

Simple and direct, every piece placed carried a sharpness that aimed straight for the core, radiating a murderous aura.

Lin Yuan's way of playing, however, was the exact opposite.

Bold and expansive, yet steady at every step, he did not fight over the gain or loss of a single city or territory. Instead, where his pieces landed, they wove an invisible net, slowly and firmly eroding everything of his opponent.

That posture didn't look like playing chess; it looked more like devouring.

Azure Nether placed a piece, cutting off the path of one of Lin Yuan's great Dragons.

He looked up at the excessively young face opposite him, his heart filled with a myriad of emotions.

"Your growth speed has already exceeded the bounds of common sense."

"I even feel that the Emperor Realm is about to be unable to restrain you."

Lin Yuan held a black piece, toying with it at his fingertips, and replied casually.

"It's not enough."

"Far from enough."

He had indeed become much stronger, but the corner of the Universe he had glimpsed from Galos's memory fragments gave him an unprecedented sense of urgency.

Above Demi-Gods, there are True Gods.

Above True Gods, there is an even wider world.

Just then.

Buzz—

A sharp buzzing sound broke the tranquility of the bamboo forest.

A red holographic projection shot out from the communicator at Azure Nether's waist, forming a light screen in front of the two.

The Military Supreme Command, a top-level top-secret communication!

In the light screen, a man wearing a dark green General's uniform appeared, his physique as robust as a mountain.

It was none other than one of the Dragon Country's pillars supporting the nation, General "Zhi Ge," Qin Zhenyue!

This military commander, who usually remained calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, now had an ashen face. His resolute eyes held an urgency and fury that almost overflowed from the screen.

"Principal Azure Nether!"

Qin Zhenyue's voice had a metallic quality, yet it betrayed an irrepressible urgency.

"Something has happened in the Seventh War Zone!"

Azure Nether and Lin Yuan glanced at each other, both seeing solemnity in the other's reaction.

For Qin Zhenyue to use the highest level of communication, the severity of the matter went without saying.

"Speak in detail," Azure Nether said in a deep voice.

Qin Zhenyue's fists clenched audibly in the image.

"An unprecedented and violent disturbance has occurred in the Nine Nether Demon Abyss of the Seventh War Zone!"

"The concentration of Devilish Qi has exploded exponentially by three hundred times within twenty-four hours!"

"The Deputy Commander-in-Chief responsible for guarding the north, Tyrant Martial Emperor Yue Qingtian, was ambushed by five Peak King Realm demons while inspecting the defense line!"

Qin Zhenyue paused, every word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.

"The Tyrant Martial Emperor... is critically injured and on the verge of death!"

"What?!"

A roar came from outside the bamboo forest.

The burly figure of Mountain Sinking Deep Abyss rushed in like a gale.

He shoved aside the bamboo in front of him and stared fixedly at Qin Zhenyue on the screen, his eyes bloodshot.

"Old Qin! Say that again! What happened to Qingtian?!"

Yue Qingtian, the Tyrant Martial Emperor.

He was Mountain Sinking Deep Abyss's close friend and his kinsman connected by blood!

Seeing Mountain Sinking Deep Abyss, Qin Zhenyue's expression grew even heavier.

"Brother Chenyuan... Qingtian... his situation is very bad."

"Even worse, the 'eternal mountain and river suppression stele' you left behind by sacrificing your own cultivation years ago—its sealing core is covered in cracks and could completely shatter at any moment!"

"Once the Seal fails, not only will the Seventh War Zone fall completely, but the entire defense line spanning tens of millions of kilometers in the north of Yan Country will face a total collapse!"

Mountain Sinking Deep Abyss's body swayed violently, the color draining from his face, which looked as if carved from rock.

He knew better than anyone what the shattering of that stele meant.

It would be the end of the world.

His eyes were nearly splitting with rage, and he wished he could rush to the front line immediately.

But as he raised his hand and felt the empty Dantian within his body, a profound sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.

He was now just a useless person who possessed the insights of the Emperor Realm but was inferior even to the King Realm.

Going there would only mean certain death.

Qin Zhenyue's voice rang out again. This time, his gaze moved past Azure Nether and Mountain Sinking Deep Abyss, locking firmly onto Lin Yuan.

"Lin Yuan."

His voice was incredibly solemn.

"Conventional forces can no longer reverse this defeat."

"In the name of the Yan Country Military Supreme Command, I officially issue the highest order!"

"I hereby appoint you as the Supreme Military Commander of the Seventh War Zone in this crisis, with full authority over all military and political affairs of the war zone!"

"During wartime, you have the absolute power to act first and report later!"

The entire bamboo forest fell into a dead silence.

Mountain Sinking Deep Abyss whipped his head around, converging all his hope and entreaty into the gaze he directed at Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan gently pressed the black piece at his fingertips onto the center position of the chessboard.

"Fine."

He stood up and brushed off the corners of his clothes.

"The Nirvana Demon Lord... should be coming out too, right?"

Azure Nether slowly stood up, the simple, unsheathed wooden sword at his waist letting out a crisp and chilling sword chime.

He looked at Lin Yuan and spoke calmly.

"Let's go."

"Let's go see which blind beasts dare to touch the territory of my Human Race."

As the words fell.

Speed was of the essence in war.

Lin Yuan didn't even choose to take a fighter jet.

The space around him distorted slightly; in the next step, he would directly tear through the Void Realm.

Azure Nether's movement was even faster, an invisible Sword Intent enveloping Lin Yuan.

In the next second.

Two streaks of light that pierced through heaven and earth ignored the obstacles of space and distance, instantly disappearing from above Yuanwu Academy and heading straight for the Seventh War Zone in the far north!

...

Seventh War Zone.

When the figures of Lin Yuan and Azure Nether appeared in the sky above this land, all they saw was Hell.

Thick Devilish Qi that blotted out the sun dyed the sky a desperate dark purple, to the point where not even a sliver of sunlight could penetrate.

The ground was stained dark red; that was coagulated, dried blood.

On the broken steel defense line, there were huge gaps and claw marks everywhere.

The bone-chilling wind carried smoke and stench into their nostrils, making them want to gag.

Behind the defense line were countless pairs of numb and desperate eyes.

The garrison soldiers were struggling to hold on in knee-deep snow; their ammunition was nearly exhausted, and the energy shields on their bodies flickered dimly.

Many disabled soldiers who had lost arms or legs sat on the edge of the ruined city walls, holding high-explosive charges in their arms.

They were waiting.

Waiting for the demons to rush up, and then they would ignite themselves in exchange for one last roar.

The figures of Lin Yuan and Azure Nether landed directly at the ruined supreme headquarters.

A strong smell of blood and medicine assailed their senses.

Inside the headquarters, everything was in a mess.

In the central medical pod, an extremely burly man lay inside, covered in blood.

It was indeed the Tyrant Martial Emperor, Yue Qingtian.

His powerful Physical Body, which was strong enough to go toe-to-toe with mountains, was now in tatters.

The most fatal part was a terrifying claw mark on his chest that was deep enough to see the bone.

At the edge of the wound, eerie purple-black Devilish Qi lingered, crazily devouring and corroding his last remaining life force.

On the life monitoring equipment, the curve representing his heartbeat was already so weak it was almost a straight line.