"What just happened earlier?"
Everyone at the human base felt confusion and fear, an instinctive response to the unknown.
Some people started having thoughts of leaving, and things took a more deadly turn when those who wanted to leave found the passage to the alien battlefield closed, making it impossible to exit.
In an instant, panic spread rapidly throughout the human base.
"It's over, the space passage can't be used?"
"What on earth is going on?!"
...
Time shifts back slightly.
In a desolate wilderness area of the Guangshen Province, an altar made up of layers of cryptic symbols was on the ground, all carved and formed with fresh blood.
Situated at the center of the altar were not pigs, cattle, or sheep, but humans with vacant eyes, kneeling on the ground—men, women, elderly, and children alike.
"With our lives as a sacrifice, descend, O great deity!"
The altar was fully illuminated, and amidst the desperate, worshipful, and crazed shouts of the offerings, a terrifying pillar of scarlet light descended with a roar, towering to the skies and spreading a terrifying aura from its center.
In an instant, weather patterns changed dramatically, the surrounding space distorted in chaos, and a nearby alien battlefield's space passage was impacted, losing its functionality.
The South China Governor, Eighth Level Grandmaster Sikong Zhi, had a drastic change in expression upon witnessing the scarlet pillar. His usual calm demeanor was shattered.
"This is... the Demon God Pillar, how could this be, how could the Demon God Pillar just appear on Blue Star out of nowhere!"
"Could it be that a new space passage has appeared?"
The Demon God Pillar is a supreme weapon possessed by Ninth Level Aliens, and its appearance signifies that a Ninth Level Alien Race Demon God has descended upon the land of Huaxia.
"I am South China Governor Sikong Zhi, connect me to the Kyoto Celestial Capital, the Demon God Pillar has appeared in Guangshen Province, requesting Martial Saint support..."
"In the name of South China Governor Sikong Zhi, I now issue an emergency War Order at First Level readiness across the South China region of Huaxia. The Martial Artist Association, every Martial Arts University, and the army must immediately start emergency mobilization, coordinates..."
After issuing a series of urgent measures, Sikong Zhi handed over all affairs to his deputy.
In the alien races, Ninth Level martial artists are revered as Demon Gods, while on the human side, they are revered as Martial Saints. In the presence of such supreme beings, all below the Ninth Level are mere ants, including Eighth Level Grandmasters, with their lesser rank of one level making no difference.
But even so, as the Governor of South China, Sikong Zhi must personally attend to the scene, bearing the responsibility for the region's safety, and if he must die, it should be on the front lines of battle.
In Shenjiang City, Shenjiang Martial Arts University's President Qian Tai had an extremely heavy expression upon receiving the War Order, his heart churning in a storm. The Demon God Pillar had descended upon Huaxia Land; were the alien races intending to reignite full-scale war between the two races?
Not daring to delay, he began mobilizing for war.
"I am Qian Tai, President of Shenjiang Martial Arts University. I have now received a First Level War Order from the South China Governor. All Armed Department members within the school, instructors, and all staff must assemble within half an hour and join the 1955 Legion to follow the Governor's command. Any violators will be treated as deserters..."
"All students shall proceed to the alien battlefield, guarding the space passage..."
Alarms echoed across the campus, and this scene was repeated in various provinces of South China as the entire region operated like a wartime machine accelerating rapidly.
At an untraceable place, atop a peak in a Daoist temple, an elderly man in gray narrowed his eyes slightly.
"The Demon God Pillar has descended? These alien races are truly restless. I'll go see which old friend it is that's visiting?"
A streak of light tinged with killing intent shot out from the mountaintop.
Half an hour later, another towering blue pillar of light descended. On closer inspection, it resembled a towering treasure tower.
"It's the Martial Saint Tower, the Martial Saint has arrived!" South China Governor Sikong Zhi immediately breathed a sigh of relief, respectfully stepping forward to welcome him.
"Hmph, I was wondering which old friend was visiting. Turns out it's just a projection, but even a projection can't just appear out of nowhere. Sikong Zhi, as the South China Governor, you were derelict in your duty. I leave this matter to you to thoroughly investigate."
"You all may retreat for now, I'll handle this projection."
"Yes, Lord Li."
Sikong Zhi, who was lightly accused of dereliction of duty, dared not have any objections, urgently responding with compliance.
The civilians being escorted away by the army saw the towering blue treasure tower and showed reverence and exhilaration. "The Martial Saint Tower, that is the Martial Saint Tower, our Huaxia's Martial Saint has descended!"
"In my lifetime I can actually see the Martial Saint Tower up close with my own eyes, long live the Martial Saint!"
The cheers from the city's residents were like landslides and tidal waves, reverberating across the skies.
The elderly man in gray grasped at the void, his qi and blood surged like mountains and seas. A golden body descended under the empowering might of the Martial Saint Tower, as vast as Heaven and Earth, and with a grasp, the projection of the Demon God Pillar was shattered.
Everyone who witnessed this scene was immensely excited, for the vast majority, it was the first time seeing a Martial Saint in action. Even though the Demon God Pillar was only a projection, even from dozens of miles away, it instilled a sense of hopelessness they couldn't resist.
And yet, the Martial Saint destroyed it with a light strike—such is the power of a Martial Saint!
"Was all this effort to project the Demon God Pillar just for a few alien race battlefields?"
"Yet the space passage wasn't completely destroyed, just temporarily interfered with by the Demon God Pillar's power. What is the purpose behind projecting the Demon God Pillar in this way?"
The elderly man in gray frowned, harboring doubts in his heart.
...
Now cutting to another scene, within the alien battlefield.
"Uncle Wolf, what just happened?" The Little One climbed up from where they had fallen.
Su Mu frowned and shook his head, as it was his first time entering the battlefield, he was unsure if what happened earlier was normal or if something unusual had occurred.
But since there were heavy guards outside the alien battlefield, there shouldn't be any problems, right?
Yet despite thinking so, an unsettling feeling lingered in Su Mu's heart, needing to be more cautious before returning to the base. Su Mu took out a War Order; only two light dots appeared, indicating aside from him and the Little One, there were no other comrades nearby.
"Let's go, head back to the base first."
"Okay."
Earlier, during the sudden change, he couldn't even stand steadily—though partly due to panic—whereas the Little One noticed that Su Mu stood as still as a mountain, other than frowning, his expression remained calm.
The Little One thought, such a backer, I must hold onto tightly.
At the foot of the Little Mist Mountain Range, the Little One turned pale, spotting three green wolf-shaped fierce beasts emerging not far away. Judging from their adult-sized form and the aura they exuded, they were certainly Tier Two.
"We're done for, three Tier Two fierce beasts at that!"
"Wolf-shaped beasts are mostly skilled in speed; if we flee together, we'll surely outrun them."
"Uncle Wolf, if you can run on your own... just leave me be." The Little One spoke with a sobbing tone, their voice growing increasingly faint.
In the next second.
Su Mu took a deep breath, activating a Minor Success of his Breathing Technique, his heart beat strongly and his internal qi and blood flow speed increased.
Clang!
As the three wolf-shaped fierce beasts bared their fangs and claws, Cold Moon was unsheathed, the inscriptions on the blade all lit up, gleaming coldly under the infusion of qi and blood.
Su Mu stomped the ground hard, pebbles splashing as his body shot forward like an arrow.
The weakness of wolf-shaped beasts lies in their soft abdomen!
The power talent was also triggered instantly, showcasing the benefits of thousands of daily practice swings over recent days. Although lacking a sophisticated sword technique, his body had become accustomed to the motion of swinging the sword.
Now he instinctively and efficiently slashed out three consecutive times.
Pff, pff, pff.
The blade cut through flesh, severing bones and muscles, and blood sprayed out like a fountain.
The three green wolves didn't even have time to wail before they fell into pools of blood.
Ah?!!!
The Little One stared in disbelief, swallowing hard, looking at the three corpses on the ground and Su Mu back and forth several times before finally believing what had happened in a flash.
Su Mu was at the Third Level Peak, wielding a Third Level Weapon, and being a Talented Martial Artist, without hiding much strength, it was natural to instantly kill beasts one great realm below him.
Seeing the three green wolves fall, Su Mu himself was somewhat surprised. He thought it would take several more slashes to deal with these creatures, but they proved to be more bark than bite.
"Comprehensive combat power boost by 50 percent is indeed strong!"
Not allowing himself to be complacent, Su Mu attributed most of the credit to his new superpower.
After the kill, he placed the War Order near the corpses, instantly adding 450 points to it.
"Uncle Wolf, you're so strong!"
"What are you standing there for? Let's go."
"Okay, Uncle Wolf, I'll follow you from now on. In the future, should you direct the Little One east, I won't go west!"
Su Mu didn't want to waste time. In his view, the safest place now was the base, so he intended to get there as soon as possible. If an unforeseen situation arises, he could then promptly exit the battlefield.
He didn't realize that, at present, the space passage could no longer be used...