231: A huge change

Ning Mengqi smiled sweetly: "City Lord Xu, you are indeed shrewd. Not only has your Realm reached the Saint Realm, but your ability to command troops can also rival mine. But unfortunately, you are still too greedy."

Upon hearing this, Xu Chengyang's heart sank.

"This is a trap? You sacrificed so many Demon Race soldiers and all the camps outside the Demon Abyss just to lure us here?"

Ning Mengqi's smile remained sweet: "City Lord Xu is indeed a clever man. Although the cost is a bit high, our Demon Race has deep foundations and can afford it. But you humans are different; once the Demon-Rejecting Pass is breached, Demon Race soldiers can advance unopposed, attacking cities and plundering territories!"

Xu Chengyang was, after all, an old veteran who had seen many battles, and the supreme commander of the Human Race army, possessing immense resilience.

Facing Ning Mengqi's provocation, he did not panic, but merely said in a deep voice: "We have Her Excellency Xin Huo's protection. I'd like to see how you defeat my Human Race army."

Ning Mengqi snorted coldly, her smile fading slightly.

"Just a mere Kindling, wanting to contend against our Demon Race's millennial foundation? Isn't that a bit too naive!"

With that, she turned to a Demon Saint beside her: "Elder Deng, activate the Formation!"

Deng Jingwei nodded heavily, clapped his hands, and the Demon God Spirit Sealing Formation, which had been set up long ago, was activated.

The sky turned deep blue, and all Human Race warriors around the Demon Abyss felt a powerful oppressive force, their internal fighting Qi suppressed.

Originally, under the influence of the Power of Kindling Fire, everyone's combat power had doubled, but after being suppressed by the Demon God Spirit Sealing Formation, they couldn't even exert half of their original strength.

The Human Race army immediately fell into a panic.

"What's going on? Her Excellency Xin Huo's power has disappeared, and my fighting Qi is even weaker than it was originally!"

"How is this possible? This Formation of the Demon Race can actually suppress the fighting Qi of all of us!"

"The Demon Race actually has such a method, it's truly terrifying!"

"It's over, in this Human-Demon War, we won't lose, will we?"

Not only ordinary soldiers, but even the nine Martial Saint Experts present had their strength suppressed by more than half.

Xu Chengyang's heart sank to rock bottom.

He understood in his heart that he had truly fallen into a trap this time, and this erroneous decision to counterattack the Demon Abyss might lead to a disastrous defeat for the Human Race.

But he could not collapse yet!

He was the City Lord of Demon-Rejecting Pass, the supreme commander of the Human Race army, and had to make a final effort to preserve the Human Race's strength.

If the Demon-Rejecting Pass were truly breached, he would sacrifice himself for the city, atoning with his life.

Xu Chengyang said in a deep voice: "Ning Mengqi, your methods are truly ruthless, to have created such a desperate situation, pulling the rug out from under us."

Ning Mengqi smiled gently.

"So, Xu Chengyang, are you ready to die?"

Xu Chengyang said solemnly: "My personal life and death are irrelevant. But no matter how perilous the situation, Human Race soldiers will not give up resistance. This Demon-Rejecting Pass, you will not breach it!"

Immediately, he amplified his voice with fighting Qi and shouted: "Human Race soldiers, heed my command! Front army, become the rear army; rear army, become the front army. Abandon all occupied camps and immediately retreat to defend the Demon-Rejecting Pass."

He knew in his heart that Ning Mengqi had paid such a heavy price to lure the Human Race army into the Demon God Spirit Sealing Formation, and the effect of this Formation would certainly not be short-lived, lasting at least several days.

Now that the Human Race army's combat power was greatly weakened, only by relying on the defensive Spirit Formations and Spiritual Artifacts on the Demon-Rejecting Pass would they have a chance to preserve their living forces.

But his heart was already cold, and he was prepared to live and die with the Demon-Rejecting Pass.

Lin Wanqing was also startled by this sudden change.

The Human Race had just been counterattacking the Demon Abyss, and now they could only flee in disarray. This huge disparity was difficult for her to accept.

Lin Wanqing grabbed Lu Xingchen's arm, her voice filled with panic: "Big Strong One, what should we do?"

Lu Xingchen's heart was also cold. He said in a deep voice: "Obey City Lord Xu's orders! Only by returning to the Demon-Rejecting Pass do we Human Race have a glimmer of hope."

As early as when he heard that the Demon Race had changed commanders on the battlefield, Lu Xingchen felt something was strange.

But he had not expected that Ning Mengqi would lay out such a grand scheme. Her plan was to annihilate the Human Race army!

She truly lived up to her reputation as the acknowledged military Genius of the 36 Demon Pillars; such a grand strategy was indeed somewhat frightening.

The Human Race army was as excited when they came as they were dejected when they fled.

Despite Xu Chengyang's disciplined command, the huge disparity in combat power, due to the Demon God Spirit Sealing Formation's influence, still caused heavy losses to the Human Race warriors.

Ning Mengqi then shouted loudly: "Seniors, it is time to act! Seize this opportunity to slay the Human Race's Kindling, and it will surely affect the Human Race's Luck for a hundred years!"

The 12 Demon Saints from within the Demon Abyss all attacked, flying towards Lin Wanqing.

Lu Xingchen's heart suddenly tightened.

This Ning Mengqi was too vicious; not only did she want to breach the Demon-Rejecting Pass, but she even wanted to kill his wife.

But those who attacked were all Martial Saint Experts; what could he, a mere Martial Ancestor, do?

Lu Xingchen's fighting Qi was not affected by the Demon God Spirit Sealing Formation, just as he was not affected by the Power of Kindling Fire.

He guessed this might be related to his Transmigration.

But even so, he was too weak in front of a Demon Saint.

Xu Chengyang shouted: "Human Race Saints, at all costs, escort Her Excellency Xin Huo back to the Demon-Rejecting Pass. She is the hope of the Human Race; as long as Her Excellency Xin Huo is protected, the Human Race will always have a chance to rise again!"

The nine Martial Saint Experts of the Human Race all attacked, engaging in a great battle with the 12 Demon Saints of the Demon Race.

However, they were already outnumbered by the Demon Race, and their strength was also weakened by more than half. How could they possibly win?

The three Chosen Ones (of Heaven's Selection) simultaneously summoned the heavenly emperor seal, barely resisting the Demon Saints' attacks.

But the other six ordinary Martial Saints were in perilous situations, always on the verge of being slain.

Yet, even so, not a single person abandoned Lin Wanqing.

Because they all knew the importance of Kindling; the Demon-Rejecting Pass could be rebuilt if breached, but if Kindling died, the Human Race would have no hope.

Lu Xingchen could only watch as the nine Saints shed blood across the sky, unable to exert any strength.

At this moment, he was filled with boundless remorse.

Remorse for his weakness, remorse for his incompetence.

If he could enter the Saint Realm, he would be able to intervene in this battle, instead of being an observer.

By the time the Human Race army retreated to the Demon-Rejecting Pass, three of the nine Martial Saint Experts had already sacrificed themselves.

Two were besieged and killed by Demon Saints, and one directly self-detonated, taking one Demon Saint of the Demon Race with him.

Experts who had entered the Saint Realm were already able to communicate with the Power of Law of the Tianyuan Continent, forming a Law Domain.

The fall of so many Saints caused a drastic change in the weather; the gloomy, drizzling rain seemed to be wailing.

And half of the Human Race's ordinary warriors were also annihilated.

A trail of corpses marked their retreat.