Chapter 177: Chapter 177
The stars shifted, and three days passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, on the vast and boundless grasslands to the northwest of War King City, the massive armies of Dajin Country and Gray Wolf Kingdom were engaging in a standoff, with an atmosphere so tense that a war could break out at any moment.
On the side of Dajin Country, a million-strong army has gathered, consisting of those from Primordial Martial Realm, True Martial Realm, and even towering figures from Sect Martial Realm, all uniformly dressed in the standard armor of the Dajin military, majestic and solemn. Zhao Letian was also among the crowd.
With these three days of recuperation, Zhao Letian's injuries had completely healed, and his strength had improved a bit further, with his mastery of the Fire Element advancing to the second level.
Apart from the million Martial Artists, within the ranks of Dajin Country's army, there were colossal War Puppets scattered around, all emitting astonishing fluctuations of Primordial Energy and possessing formidable strength, also classified as a type of Spiritual Artifact. This was Zhao Letian's first encounter with them.
Additionally, hovering in the high sky were colossal Floating Battleships big enough to blot out the sun, emanating waves of terrifying presence, pressuring the entire scene.
On the side of Gray Wolf Kingdom, a similar million-strong army was assembled, but their attire was much more casual, with most wearing sturdy beast hides, with messy, untied hair, and their weapons were strange and varied: some individuals even directly wielded unrefined demon beast bones and claws as their weapons, presenting a savage and ferocious vibe.
In the ranks of Gray Wolf Kingdom's army, War Puppets were rarely seen; instead, there were numerous massive demon beasts, with surges of Primordial Energy that were equally startling in strength, not to be underestimated.
Of course, looming above the army of Gray Wolf Kingdom, there were also Floating Battleships. Their battleships, albeit less refined than those of Dajin Country and very rudely constructed with an unappealing appearance, possessed formidable might.
"Dajin brats, dare you face this king in combat!"
Suddenly, from the Gray Wolf Kingdom camp, a burly, wild figure, wielding a pair of large hammers, stepped through the void, pacing towards the frontline. Bearing his upper body, his muscles bulged like cast steel, exuding a tremendous oppressive force at first glance.
"Half-step Sect Martial Realm."
Zhao Letian's expression shifted as he thought to himself: the aura of this brawny man had not yet reached Sect Martial Realm, yet he was capable of stepping through the void, which meant he had mastered some abilities of the Sect Martial practitioners, making his strength far more formidable than a typical practitioner at the ninth layer of True Martial Realm.
"It is Prince Han Ba from the Thunderhawk Tribe."
"The Thunderhawk Tribe is one of the top three most potent tribes of Gray Wolf Kingdom. Their prince's strength is certainly not to be trifled with."
The crowd exclaimed in astonishment.
When Dajin Country and Gray Wolf Kingdom went to war, there was an unwritten rule: before the start of the actual war, both sides would send representatives with comparable cultivation to fight a few battles. The outcomes of these bouts, while not determining the final result of the larger war, could nevertheless influence the morale of both sides. Whoever won these preliminary fights would greatly boost their forces' spirit, which could be advantageous in subsequent battles. Conversely, defeat might lead to low morale and potentially an utter collapse in the end.
"Who will claim this victory over Han Ba for me?"
In the central army of Dajin Country, Young Master Ye sat leisurely on a grand throne, smiling calmly. Surrounded by a host of War Generals and young talents from War King City, he was the commander of this battle, with everyone obeying his orders. Co&nt*e^n*t [email protected] rel+e.a@s*ed on M*_VLE&M*_P&YR.$
"Brother King, let me go."
Ye Junrou, sitting beside her, gripped a silver spear and resolutely stood up, her eyes brimming with combat spirit. Her large red battle robe fluttered in the wind, rustling loudly.
Han Ba, the High-level True Martial Realm representative dispatched by the Gray Wolf Kingdom, and she, Ye Junrou, War King City's foremost prodigy, likewise possessed the cultivation of the High-level True Martial Realm. It was most fitting for her to take the field.
"Commandery Princess is a precious gem, not worthy to cross hands with that barbarian Han Ba. Let Shen take his place," stated Shen Qing, the young master of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, suddenly stepping forward to offer himself.
Although he was not certain of defeating Han Ba, Ye Junrou was the object of his affection. For her sake, he was willing to risk a battle.
"Dong is also willing to fight in place of the Commandery Princess."
"Chen, too. Just one word from the Commandery Princess, and Chen will go through fire and water without hesitation."
Dong Chao of Fengyue Building and Chen Feiyu of the Duel Arena were quick to follow suit. Along with Shen Qing and other young talents of the city, they all cherished the Commandery Princess Ye Junrou and were willing to risk their lives for her.
Moreover, Ye Junrou was the apple of Lord War King's eye; whoever could win her hand would dominate War King City. Hence, the scions of all the major families in the city were desperately trying to get close to Ye Junrou and curry favor.
"Fight on my behalf? There's no need. Han Ba's strength is extraordinary, and even I, as the Commandery Princess, am not fully confident of victory over him, let alone you, who have all been defeated by me. The chances of victory are slim; there's no need to waste your lives," said Ye Junrou, shaking her head.
She didn't care about the lives of Shen Qing and the others, but she did not want to lose this first battle due to them, lest it affect the morale of the army.
Shen Qing and the others immediately showed embarrassed expressions, shamefacedly lowering their heads. These proud men found themselves inferior to a woman, unable to stand up to the challenge of formidable foes. They could only hide behind the Commandery Princess, lacking even the qualifications to fight for her, which was an extraordinary disgrace.
But this was not really their fault, not because they weren't strong enough, but because the Commandery Princess's talent was too formidable. As for Han Ba, he was also a monstrous prodigy of the Gray Wolf Kingdom, who normally would not appear on such a battlefield.
This was also because the Gray Wolf Kingdom's Princess was seeking a Prince Consort, prompting prodigies of various tribes to show off and fight for attention, leading to almost all of them converging on today's battlefield.
By comparison, Shen and the others were merely prodigies within War King City. How could they compare to the talents of the entire Gray Wolf Kingdom? If other exemplary talents from the big cities of Dajin Country, as well as those from the Royal Capital, were called upon, there would definitely be those who could suppress Han Ba.
"Princess, what Young Master Shen and others said is reasonable. You are a noble member of the Dajin Royal Family, of precious lineage, and Han Ba is not worthy to fight you. Besides, to have a woman take the field in the first battle would surely be ridiculed by the people of Gray Wolf Kingdom as a showing of weakness among the Dajin men. Please sit down, and let others go," said Brother Ye, smiling as he spoke.
Ye Junrou's eyebrows furrowed, and a trace of displeasure flickered across her eyes. Her brother's words clearly held a mindset that valued men over women. Had it been anyone else, she might have already acted to teach them a lesson, but considering her brother's noble status, she had to hold back and sat down again.
"Young Master, under my command, there is one who can fight Han Ba."
It was then that General Deng suddenly stood up and spoke with a fist salute.
"Oh? Who might that be?" Brother Ye asked.
"Li, come and pay your respects to the Young Master," General Deng said with a slight smile to a young man beside him, with black hair and a black robe, bearing a cold demeanor.