Chapter 482: The Yuanfu Alliance
Yumen Pass was located between two steep mountain ranges, making it a naturally well-defended fortress that was difficult to attack. Surrounding Yumen Pass was a scorching desert, where even an ordinary Dou Huang expert would avoid the dangerous, swirling winds that blew year-round. The mountains on both sides were as smooth as if cut by a giant axe, and their sheer size made it impossible for most Dou Huang experts to fly over them.
Yumen Fortress stood at the most strategic point of this pass. Within a radius of a thousand miles, this was the only path through. Even nearby cities had to use this route for trade and travel. Because of this natural advantage, Yumen Fortress held immense importance.
In the past, while the area was dangerous, it didn't attract much attention. But now, with the Western Alliance launching a large-scale offensive, this place had become a key stronghold in the resistance against the Western Alliance.
Beyond the fortress lay a vast desert. From the high vantage points of the fortress, one could observe any movement across the sands. Currently, however, the desert was filled with dark masses of soldiers, and the deafening sounds of battle filled the air. The oppressive killing intent emanating from the enemy army made the faces of those in Yumen Fortress grim with tension.
In the heart of the fortress stood a grand hall, surrounded by many other structures. Inside the central hall, a group of people sat in silence, the air thick with a heavy atmosphere.
At the head of the hall sat a man clad in black armor. He was built like a tower, his blood-red eyes radiating savagery. His imposing frame gave off a wild, untamed aura, and a blood-red lion-like silhouette seemed to loom behind him, scanning the room with a domineering presence.
This man was none other than Zi Huo, leader of the Lion Hall and the first hall master of Yuanfu!
"Everyone, the Western Alliance's army is pressing in. Today's attack is just a test, but in three days, they'll likely launch a full-scale assault."
Zi Huo's gaze swept across the room as he spoke, his voice calm but his expression serious. After receiving the order from the Black Lightning Flag team to relocate Yuanfu to Central Plains, Zi Huo had acted without hesitation. After many months of traveling, Yuanfu had finally arrived safely in the Western Region, where they quickly discovered how much stronger Central Plains was compared to the Black-Corner Region.
Unfortunately, Yuanfu had barely settled in the Western Region before the newly formed Western Alliance, which had been organized specifically to fight Mo Yu, learned of their presence and began to target Yuanfu with full force. Had it not been for Zi Huo's significant progress—thanks to the Primordial Thunder Ancestor and Sky Demon Phoenix blood left by Mo Yu—Yuanfu would have been in serious danger. Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin's timely assistance also played a crucial role in keeping them safe.
After repelling several Western Alliance attacks, other forces like the Tool Alliance and the Golden Stallion Clan, who also refused to submit to the Western Alliance, joined forces with Yuanfu to fight back.
To Zi Huo's left were several familiar faces from Mo Yu's past, including Xiao Yi Xian , Qing Lin, and old allies from Yuanfu and the Jia Nan Academy. They were all much more mature and stronger than before, having significantly improved their strength over the years. To his right sat Bing Lao, the old clan leader of the Golden Stallion Clan, Ma Chen, and the Iron Sword Sovereign, all leaders of forces that refused to submit to the Western Alliance.
After Zi Huo's words, the hall fell silent again. Seeing this, a gray-robed man on the right stood up with a sneer.
"The Western Alliance is too powerful. They have far more Dou Zun experts than we do. If we fight them head-on, we'll lose. When exactly will Mo Yu, the supposed champion of the Refining Tournament and the destroyer of Ice River Valley, arrive? If he doesn't come soon, we might as well surrender to the Western Alliance."
His words drew nods from some of the other leaders present. Although the Western Alliance was tyrannical, it still offered its opponents a chance to survive rather than annihilating them completely. The reason they had allied with Yuanfu was because of Mo Yu's reputation as an Eight-Tier Refiner and the man who destroyed Ice River Valley. But half a year had passed since the Western Alliance started its assault, and Mo Yu had yet to appear, leading many to question whether his reputation was truly deserved.
Just as the gray-robed man finished speaking, a chilling, gray-purple poisonous mist filled the hall. The poisonous mist radiated a deathly, ominous power. In an instant, it morphed into a giant, terrifying hand that shot toward the man's chest.
"Boom!"
The massive, ghostly hand struck with terrifying force, catching everyone off guard. The gray-robed man, a peak Dou Zong expert, paled in the face of this attack and was sent flying backward with a loud crash.
"Pfft!" The man struggled to stand, spitting out a mouthful of blood. When he looked at the white-robed woman on Zi Huo's left, his eyes were filled with terror.
"You're all just hiding under Yuanfu's protection. If you wanted to surrender to the Western Alliance, you would have done so long ago. Why waste time with all this talk? If you want to leave, fine, but leave behind what you've gained in the past six months."
Xiao Yi Xian stood up, her beautiful eyes coldly sweeping across the hall. At her side, another woman in green rose to her feet. Her slender figure and fiery curves caught the attention of many men in the room, but none dared express their thoughts openly. In fact, they showed her nothing but respect.
This was Qing Lin, a wielder of the rare Three Flower Eyes of the Green Snake!
Though Qing Lin was only a high-level Dou Zong, she controlled a Dou Zun-level serpent magical beast and had shown outstanding performance in the battles against the Western Alliance. Standing beside Xiao Yi Xian , she exuded an icy, intimidating aura that made the other leaders tremble.
Seeing this, the once vocal leaders of the other factions fell silent. Even those among them who were Dou Zun experts didn't dare act rashly in the presence of these two women.
A perfect wielder of the Calamity Poison Body! A master of the Three Flower Eyes of the Green Snake! Together with the ferocious strength of Zi Huo, they couldn't understand how a force from the Black-Corner Region had gathered such terrifying individuals.
This was also why many factions in the Western Region chose to ally with Yuanfu. It wasn't just Mo Yu's reputation; the fearsome strength displayed by Xiao Yi Xian and her companions had earned the respect and loyalty of many Western factions.
The Calamity Poison Body was already an extremely formidable power on the Dou Qi continent, and Xiao Yi Xian had fully mastered its abilities. Her combat strength was on par with that of veteran Dou Zun experts. While Qing Lin's strength was not as high, her Three Flower Eyes were feared by all who knew of them.
Without the support of Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin, even Zi Huo's impressive strength wouldn't have been enough for him to command Yumen Fortress.
"Hmph, are people from Central Plains always so cowardly? If we can't go forward or back, let's fight to the death!" The man standing next to Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin, exuding a menacing aura, spoke coldly. His familiar face belonged to none other than Mo Yu's cousin, Xiao Li!
Having broken free from the restrictions of the Soul Devouring Pill, Xiao Li had successfully advanced to Dou Huang and, with Yuanfu's resources, recently reached the Dou Zong stage. Even in Central Plains, he had become a force to be reckoned with.
Xiao Li's words made the people in the hall pause. Had it really come to this?
"Not yet," Bing Lao suddenly said, shaking his head as he broke the silence. His eyes lifted, and a faint smile appeared on his face. "According to what Xiao Yi Xian said, Mo Yu went to the Southern Continent for something important. He should be back soon."
"I agree. With Mo Yu's abilities, it shouldn't take him much longer to return," Ma Chen, the elder of the Golden Stallion Clan, nodded. He had a rough idea of why Mo Yu had gone to the Southern Continent, which was to resurrect an old friend.
Because of this, Ma Chen had never doubted Mo Yu's return and had firmly sided with Yuanfu rather than submitting to the Western Alliance.
As for the Iron Sword Sovereign, he remained silent and expressionless. He had joined Yuanfu out of gratitude to Mo Yu, who had restored his greatsword, and because he disliked the Sword Master of the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion, making it easy for him to fight against the Western Alliance.
Bing Lao's words instantly lifted the mood in the hall. Many of Yuanfu's members, including those who had joined later, had never met Mo Yu but had heard of his great achievements. The young man named Mo Yu was the true founder of Yuanfu.
Even though Zi Huo had taken over much of Yuanfu's day-to-day operations, many still regarded Mo Yu as their true leader. The mention of his name brought a glimmer of hope to the room.
The Western Region experts also fell silent at the mention of Mo Yu. After all, he had single-handedly destroyed Ice River Valley. Although the Western Alliance seemed unstoppable, Mo Yu's appearance could easily turn the tide.
As the hall buzzed with anticipation, Xiao Yi Xian smiled slightly and exchanged a glance with Qing Lin. Though they hadn't known each other before, their shared affection for Mo Yu had forged a deep bond between them.
Both women felt a quiet pride in their hearts, a pride that stemmed from the same man: Mo Yu.
"Boss, you've been gone for so long... It's time to come back."
Zi Huo gazed out into the night sky beyond the hall, murmuring to himself.
Thunder rumbled across the sky, and the thick, oppressive clouds hung over Yumen Pass. The low roar of thunder echoed through the air, spreading across a hundred miles.
Outside Yumen Fortress, the swirling sandstorms began to recede, revealing a seemingly endless mass of soldiers. The deafening sounds of war drums and the clamor of soldiers filled the air, shaking the very ground beneath the fortress.
On top of the towering fortress walls, the soldiers of the Yuanfu Alliance looked out over the endless sea of enemies, their expressions grave. Though Yuanfu had faced many foes over the years and even vanquished powerful adversaries in Central Plains, they had never before been under such intense pressure.
Every soldier took a deep breath, their eyes all turning toward the center of the fortress walls.
There, a black steel army, led by an overwhelming and fearsome presence, awaited their orders.
The black-clad army moved forward like an unstoppable flood, radiating an aura of pure savagery. Above them, the sky darkened as thick black clouds gathered, stirred by the violent energy of their march.
"It's the Lion Army, led by Commander Zi Huo!"
Shouts of awe and fear echoed through the ranks. Even the local Western Region forces were filled with trepidation.
The Lion Army.
This was Yuanfu's most powerful and ruthless fighting force, personally led by Zi Huo. Their reputation for total annihilation of enemies was well known. Wherever the Lion Army went, only corpses and rivers of blood remained.
In every major battle against the Western Alliance, the Lion Army had charged fearlessly into the fray, earning Yuanfu its fierce reputation. It was thanks to their efforts that Zi Huo had been appointed commander of Yumen Fortress.
As the Lion Army prepared for battle, the sandstorm on the horizon suddenly parted, and the sound of massive war drums filled the air. Figures emerged from the storm, hovering in the sky above, their powerful auras spreading across the battlefield.
Leading them was an old man in rough clothing. With a cold snort, he stepped forward, exuding a dominating sword aura that filled the air.
"If Mo Yu doesn't show himself, today will be the day Yuanfu is destroyed!"
(End of Chapter)
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