Chapter 31: Military Strength

"Ancestor Mo Zhu?"

Seeing the towering bamboo that soared ten thousand zhang, Ji Ning guessed that there were only so many great powers in the Three Realms. If the other party hadn't revealed his methods, Ji Ning wouldn't have been able to guess, but once he showed a bit of his power, it wasn't hard to figure out.

According to what he had heard: Ancestor Mo Zhu was renowned for being 'undying'. His true form was a ink-green bamboo, filled with endless vitality. With such means, even the great tribulation that shattered the primordial era had failed to kill him.

"That's the legendary Ancestor, isn't it? Even seeing him from afar, my heart trembles. That black light he emits... I feel that if I touched it, I would surely die."

"This is my first time seeing an Ancestor."

"An Ancestor who controls the Heavenly Dao!"

The entire Eight Dragons Cloud City buzzed with discussion.

After all, the majority within Eight Dragons Cloud City were loose immortals. Back when Ancestor Chi Ming had summoned a million celestial immortals, the celestial immortals of the Chi Ming territory had seen an 'Ancestor' and broadened their horizons. But countless loose immortals... few had ever had the chance to see an Ancestor, and this time, they witnessed Ancestor Mo Zhu with their own eyes.

"I heard that in this territory war, our side's Ancestor Chi Ming will also descend."

"I wonder what Ancestor Chi Ming looks like."

Everyone was eagerly anticipating.

...

Three months after Ancestor Mo Zhu descended upon the Grand Xia, Ancestor Chi Ming also descended.

On this day.

The Xia Emperor had long led Ji Ning and the others in respectful waiting. Even the proud and aloof Eternal Sword Immortal and the others were all deferential.

"Boom!"

The entire heaven and earth trembled.

Then, a massive rift, tens of thousands of zhang high, tore open in the sky above. Following that, an old man with green hair stepped through, and with another step, he was already at Eight Dragons Cloud City.

"Master."

"Ancestor."

The Xia Emperor first called out respectfully, then Ji Ning and the others all bowed in reverence.

With just one glance, Ji Ning had already etched it deeply into his memory. Ancestor Chi Ming... was very ancient and very silent. Looking at him was like looking at a tree that had existed for endless years.

Ancestor Chi Ming swept his gaze and also noticed Ji Ning: "Bodhi has such a strange temper. He clearly trained a group of disciples himself, yet he doesn't lead them, letting them scatter across the Three Realms. This youngest disciple of his, Ji Ning, clearly has great potential, and Bodhi cares about him, yet now Ji Ning ends up following me." Ancestor Chi Ming didn't understand his old friend.

Bodhi's temper was strange, or rather... too aloof!

He clearly had a group of very powerful disciples. If Bodhi gave the order, all his disciples would gather under his banner, and he could immediately amass a force no less than the 'Four Ancestors of the Source River'. If Bodhi managed this force, he might even surpass the Four Ancestors of the Source River.

But Bodhi had no intention of leading his disciples.

Ancestor Chi Ming didn't understand, and many great powers in the Three Realms didn't understand. To many great powers, the feeling toward Bodhi was one of 'mystery'. He was recognized as the most mysterious Ancestor in the Three Realms.

"Rumble~~~"

After Ancestor Chi Ming descended upon Eight Dragons Cloud City, the tens-of-thousands-of-zhang-high rift in the sky remained. Now, an endless stream of celestial immortal armies began to fly in. At a glance, they were densely packed, like countless torrents, flying out from the rift and heading toward Eight Dragons Cloud City.

One army after another...

Far, far more than the original armies of the Grand Xia world!

"Whoosh."

"This is..."

"Too, heavens..."

Ji Ning felt breathless, while the celestial immortals and loose immortals of the original Grand Xia, who were ordered not to leave their barracks and could only watch from the doors, gasped in shock.

Boundless!

Like an ocean!

All were immortals and divine demons!

"Compared to this, the so-called heavenly soldiers and generals of the Heavenly Court are nothing. I heard the Heavenly Court has several legions of heavenly soldiers, like a hundred thousand or a million. The weakest of those soldiers are at the level of Primordial Daoists. A celestial immortal can hold a high position in the Heavenly Court, and a Heavenly God or True Immortal would have the Celestial Emperor desperately trying to curry favor. If these armies before us marched over, they'd sweep the Heavenly Court in an instant."

"Yeah, from what I can see, there must be at least several million immortals."

"Several million? Definitely over ten million."

"And those divine demons, also over ten million."

The immortals of the original Grand Xia, including the Northmoon Legion, were truly broadening their horizons. In fact, the power of the Heavenly Court could be matched by the Grand Xia world alone. The forces mobilized by Ancestor Chi Ming with a single command for this territory war were the true power that a hegemon of the Three Realms could command, far beyond what the Heavenly Court could match.

But such large-scale mobilization and war only occurred during a true 'Great Tribulation'.

...

Darknorth City of No Return.

The tall, thin Ancestor Mo Zhu stood on the city wall, with a large number of Heavenly Gods and True Immortals behind him, all gazing into the distance at Eight Dragons Cloud City.

"Quite a few celestial immortals and loose immortals," Ancestor Mo Zhu said with a smile.

"Ancestor Chi Ming is just putting on a show. Our side's immortal and demon armies are no fewer than theirs," said the three demon gods standing closest to Ancestor Mo Zhu, the three of Mount Tunlong.

The three great demon gods of Mount Tunlong.

The eldest, 'Tunlong the Great Sage'.

The second, 'Tunhai the Great Sage'.

The third, 'Tuntian the Great Sage'.

Their titles were grander than the last. In the primordial era, these titles were a joke, as they were imitating the Seven Great Sages of the Demon Race. The Seven Great Sages were outstanding among Heavenly Gods in the primordial era, and their strength was now unfathomable. But the three of Mount Tunlong grew stronger over time, and no one dared mock them for overreaching anymore.

All three were top-tier existences below the Ancestors.

"Second brother, our immortal and demon armies are no fewer than theirs, but many haven't been mobilized yet," said the 'Tuntian Demon God', who had a lion's head, rubbing his mouth.

"Our No-Form Sect's military strength is somewhat weaker than the entire Nuwa Camp, so mobilization is more difficult," Ancestor Mo Zhu said calmly. "We must use our intelligence advantage to deploy troops from various places."

Their intelligence was formidable.

With a third of the troops, they could achieve the effect of ten-tenths.

Fortunately, the great powers of the Nuwa Camp also had formidable means and could gather intelligence, otherwise the struggle for fortune would have been lost long ago.

"Though we are weaker, we are strong enough to hold our ground," said Qinghu with a smile.

"Mm," Ancestor Mo Zhu nodded. "Even if they attack, we'll hold first, wait for our forces to fully assemble, and then fight them. In ordinary conquests of a major world, victory or defeat isn't so important. But in this territory war, you all know... you have only one path: you must win."

Including the three demon gods of Mount Tunlong, everyone nodded solemnly.

Once a disastrous defeat occurred, escape would be very difficult. The losing side would see many Heavenly Gods and True Immortals die.

The winning side's losses would be relatively smaller.

Because true slaughter only happened after one side completely collapsed, and that was when the most Heavenly Gods and True Immortals died.

Want to avoid collapse?

Then you must win!

...

The vast immortal and divine demon armies gathered at Eight Dragons Cloud City. Fortunately, the city was ten thousand li in size and could be made even larger, so it could accommodate them.

"These tens of millions of divine demon troops will be divided into seventy-eight Pangu battle formations," Ancestor Chi Ming, seated high in the main hall, said with a smile, issuing orders directly. "They will be led by Heavenly God Fufang, Heavenly God Zhuanshui, Heavenly God Liusi... a total of twenty-six Heavenly Gods, each commanding three divine demon legions."

"Yes."

Immediately, twenty-six Heavenly Gods stood up and responded respectfully.

No one disobeyed the Ancestor's command.

The twenty-six Heavenly Gods each had to use their clone technique. Heavenly Gods could produce countless clones. But in actual combat... the fewer clones, the stronger the combat power. Each of these twenty-six Heavenly Gods had to split into three, each leading three divine demon legions. Although splitting into three weakened their strength, and leading the divine demon armies also reduced their power, a clone of a Heavenly God leading was still far better than a Void Return divine demon leading.

Moreover, the three legions led by one Heavenly God could coordinate more perfectly.

"As for those sent by Ancestor Yinglong, you eighteen Heavenly Gods and True Immortals will continue to lead the eighteen Yinglong Armies as Ancestor Yinglong instructed," Ancestor Chi Ming said.

Immediately, eighteen Heavenly Gods and True Immortals stood up and acknowledged.

They were reinforcements from Ancestor Yinglong... In fact, it was because the 'Three Demon Gods of Mount Tunlong' had gotten involved in this war, combined with the Xia Emperor's influence, that Ancestor Yinglong provided support.

"The remaining celestial immortal armies will be divided into three hundred and twenty-six Xingtian formations," Ancestor Chi Ming said with a smile. "This Xingtian formation is even more battle-worthy than my previously created 'Chi Ming formation'. Three hundred and twenty-six generals, these immortals are entrusted to you."

"Yes."

Immediately, twelve Heavenly Gods and True Immortals and three hundred and fourteen celestial immortals (including Ji Ning among the celestial immortals) stood up.

"As for other means like Heavenly God puppets, Xiamang will arrange them," Ancestor Chi Ming said. "Alright, the No-Form Sect is now holding their ground. I expect they still need some time to deploy their troops. I estimate... within a year, the great battle should begin. Those who previously led the 'Chi Ming formation', quickly familiarize yourselves with the Xingtian formation. Now, all of you may withdraw."

"Yes." Everyone rose.

They all began to leave.

Even the Xia Emperor left. After exiting the main hall, the Xia Emperor transmitted to Ji Ning: "Ji Ning, my master has given me an order: transfer another two thousand celestial immortals and two hundred thousand loose immortals under your command."

"Oh?" Ji Ning was puzzled.

"This way, you'll have three thousand celestial immortals and three hundred thousand loose immortals under you. You can form a more powerful Xingtian," the Xia Emperor said. "You excel at commanding the Xingtian, so naturally you need more celestial immortals and loose immortals."

The perfect Xingtian formation consisted of one commander, nine thousand celestial immortals, and eight hundred and ten thousand loose immortals.

"Alright," Ji Ning said with a smile. In fact, even if the Xia Emperor hadn't mentioned it, Ji Ning had been thinking of asking after this army arrived. Because during the nearly year-long ceasefire, Ji Ning's Heartforce Soul Technique had improved somewhat. With just a thousand celestial immortals and a hundred thousand loose immortals forming the Xingtian, he could already exert its full power.

...