104: Zhenhai City, Military Supervisor and Technical Advisor

Outer Sea, Zhenhai City.

Teleportation Grand Hall.

This side hall, usually seeing only sporadic merchant caravans, was echoing with alarm bells today.

"Weng--!!!"

The ultra-long-distance teleportation array, previously in a dormant state, erupted with blinding light without any warning.

The violent spatial fluctuations even shattered several spirit lamps nearby.

"What's going on? No teleportation request was received!"

"Enemy attack?! Quickly! Activate the defensive Formation!"

The guards of Zhenhai City reacted extremely quickly.

Dozens of Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators wearing deep blue battle armor instantly rushed into the hall, their Magical Artifacts gleaming, locking firmly onto the center of the array.

The light dissipated.

"Ugh--"

Following a violent sensation of spatial tearing, over twenty figures tumbled out of the array in disarray, vomiting uncontrollably on the ground.

The strain of ultra-long-distance teleportation was immense.

Except for freaks like Zhou Wannian with powerful Divine Sense, even Young Master Ling, who was at the Foundation Establishment Stage, was currently deathly pale, his legs weak, almost spitting up his gall.

As for the Qi Refinement Stage subordinates brought by Li Feiyu, more than half had already passed out.

"Who goes there!"

The guard commander shouted fiercely, pointing his long halberd directly at the group, "Unauthorized intrusion into a vital military area is punishable by death!"

Killing Intent rushed toward them.

Zhou Wannian, enduring the dizziness in his Sea of Consciousness, immediately slapped a Vajra Talisman onto himself while simultaneously hauling the collapsed Young Master Ling to his feet.

"Show the plaque!"

He whispered urgently, "If you want to live, stop throwing up!"

Young Master Ling, having originated from a major Family, instinctively raised the purple token in his hand, which still retained a faint spiritual glow, upon hearing the word 'live'.

"Stop! I am Ling Yunxiao, the Young City Lord of Tianxing City!"

He roared with all his might, "Tianxing City has been suddenly attacked by the Yao Emperor! I am here to deliver an urgent warning!"

"Tianxing City... Young City Lord?"

The commander saw the token emitting unique Star Palace fluctuations, and his pupils constricted sharply.

This token could not be forged.

Moreover, the news of Tianxing City being attacked had actually reached the high-ranking officials of Zhenhai City through emergency channels about an incense stick's time ago, though it hadn't been confirmed yet.

"Quick! Notify the City Lord!"

The commander immediately waved for his subordinates to put away their weapons, but they maintained their encirclement, "Young Master Ling, please rest here for the moment, we need to verify your identity."

...Two hours later.

Zhenhai City, City Lord's Residence Annex.

Zhou Wannian stood by the window, looking at the gloomy sky outside and the surging sea in the distance.

The air here was filled with a salty, fishy smell and a faint scent of blood, completely different from the prosperous and peaceful Tianxing City.

"The verification is complete."

Young Master Ling pushed the door open and entered.

He had already washed up and changed into brand new silver armor provided by Zhenhai City, but the fear and grief on his face could still not be concealed.

"Old Man Han... Tianxing City is truly ruined..."

Young Master Ling's voice trembled, "The Zhenhai City Lord just told me that the Soul Lamp Hall over there... more than half shattered. Although my father's soul lamp hasn't been extinguished, it's dim and lifeless; I fear..."

Zhou Wannian turned around, his expression calm.

"It's good that you are alive."

"Young City Lord, save the grief for later. Now we need to discuss survival."

He pointed at the heavily guarded soldiers outside.

"We escaped. Although our identities have been verified, in the eyes of these local snakes in Zhenhai City, we are just a pack of stray dogs who have lost their Foundation."

"Moreover, the war in the Outer Sea is critical right now, and all Foundation Establishment Stage Loose Cultivators are being forcibly conscripted."

"I don't want to be cannon fodder on the front lines."

Zhou Wannian looked directly into Young Master Ling's eyes, "I believe the Young City Lord also wouldn't want your savior to be sent to die, right?"

Young Master Ling took a deep breath, forcefully calming himself down.

This escape journey had led him to develop an almost blind reliance on the mysterious 'Old Man Han' before him.

"Don't worry, Old Man Han."

Young Master Ling took out a new token from his sleeve and handed it over.

"I spoke with the Zhenhai City Lord just now. Although I've lost my actual authority in Tianxing City, this status as 'Young Palace Master' remains, so they dare not delay."

"To appease me, they gave me a sinecure position: 'Supervising Official of the Third Defense Zone'."

"This token is for you."

Zhou Wannian took the token.

The front was engraved with: [Third Defense Zone - Chief Formation Consultant].

The back was engraved with: [Ling].

"With this, you are nominally under my personal command and not part of Zhenhai City's regular combat sequence."

Young Master Ling said seriously, "You do not need to follow anyone's orders to charge, only responsible for maintaining the Formation core of the defense zone. As for your disciples, I have assigned them all to the 'Logistics Maintenance Team'."

"As long as I am here for one day, no one can send you onto the battlefield."

"Very good."

Zhou Wannian stroked the token, and a satisfied curve finally appeared on his lips.

This was exactly what he wanted.

It provided official cover while avoiding frontline combat, and allowed him to legitimately access various military supplies. This was the ideal post for someone dedicated to the path of hiding.

This was the ideal post for someone dedicated to the path of hiding.

"Young City Lord, this favor, this old man has noted it down."

Zhou Wannian put away the token, "In return, I guarantee the Formation of the Third Defense Zone will be impregnable. Unless I nod, not even a Rank Three Yao Beast can easily cross the line of demarcation."

...That night, the Third Defense Zone.

This was a defensive line built on seaside cliffs, where various Formation light screens interwove, blocking the surging beast tide a hundred zhang below.

Zhou Wannian's new 'home' was located inside a sturdy stone tower behind the defense line.

Li Feiyu was leading over twenty brothers downstairs, busy moving the supplies that had just been distributed.

"Venerable Master, although this place is dangerous, the 'oil and water'... is truly abundant!"

Li Feiyu ran up and whispered excitedly, "When I went to claim supplies just now, that quartermaster saw I was one of Supervising Official Ling's men and directly gave me ten extra boxes of Explosive Talismans! Saying it was for 'wastage'!"

"This is nothing yet."

Zhou Wannian stood at the top of the tower, the sea wind making his robes billow.

He looked down at the pitch-black sea surface, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"Fei Yu, tell the brothers not to focus only on supplies."

"Starting tomorrow, besides repairing the Formation, your task will also be responsible for 'clearing the battlefield'."

"Remember, only pick up valuable Yao Cores and Materials, don't be too greedy."

After speaking, he took out that familiar dark gold disk from his robes.

The time past midnight.

A new day had arrived.

In Tianxing City, he calculated to survive; here, he calculated to get rich.

"Dare to ask the Heavenly Secrets."

"For the Third Defense Zone tomorrow, what is the fortune and misfortune? Where is the wealth position?"

Buzz--

The Heavenly Secret Dao Disk slowly rotated, seeming even more active on this battlefield filled with Killing Intent than before.

A moment later, characters emerged:

[Divination Result: Moderately Stable (With alarm but no real danger)]

[Opportunity: Tomorrow at the third quarter of the noon hour, during a lull in the beast tide.]

[A heavily wounded 'Mutated Thunder Whale' (Rank Three Low Grade) will sneak in from the left reef area, attempting to ambush the base of the Formation.]

[Inside its belly is a thousand-year 'thunder spirit pearl', a rare treasure of heaven and earth.]

[Strategy: Set up a 'Dragon Trapping Formation' in the left reef area in advance. Once it enters the net, strike its air vents with a 'palm thunder tube' to safely retrieve the treasure.]

"thunder spirit pearl?"

Zhou Wannian's eyes brightened.

That was an excellent material for refining 'Heavenly Thunder Pills' or even strengthening a Lifebound Treasure, a treasure that money couldn't buy!

"A big gift package arrives just as I get here?"

He put away the dao disk and looked toward the dark reef area on the left.

"It seems I need to prepare a small welcoming gift for that long-distance 'guest' tomorrow."

Zhou Wannian turned and headed downstairs.

"Fei Yu, bring the gear, come with me to 'reinforce' the Formation on the left."

"And... set a net."