Chapter 233: The Ten Commanders of the Black Tiger Guard! The Territory's All-Star Lineup Mobilizes!
Deng Hong.
A descendant of the Deng Clan of Xinye.
Although he had been born in the Age of the Abyss,
he was now already nearly a hundred years old.
The former clan head, Deng Zhi, had been his paternal uncle, while the Xinye Evil Infant, Deng Ai, had been his cousin.
Aside from the former clan head Deng Zhi, he had been the most powerful and influential member of the Deng Clan.
Deng Hong had not been born into the clan's main line, but into an inconspicuous branch family. From childhood onward, he had never received much attention, and the support and resources he obtained had been far inferior to those given to his uncle Deng Zhi.
Even so, through sheer effort, he had still become the Deng Clan's second strongest expert!
This alone showed that his cultivation talent had likely surpassed even Deng Zhi's.
Although Deng Hong possessed tremendous strength, his branch family background had prevented him from ever entering the true core of the Deng Clan. Instead, he had always been regarded with suspicion and caution by the clan head and the main lineage.
To avoid unnecessary conflicts,
he had voluntarily distanced himself from the center of Xinyuan's political power for many years.
He had consistently led the clan's younger generation in guarding Nieyang, one of Xinyuan's six cities.
Only during the Day of Absolute Darkness had he personally led the clan guards to reinforce the frontline fortress.
He had never harbored ambitions of challenging the main lineage or competing for power.
That remained true until the recent upheaval in Xinyuan.
Overnight,
City Lord Zhang Xiu had been killed.
Both the Deng Clan and the Han Clan had been implicated.
The Deng Clan's leader, Deng Zhi, had been executed by the Lord, while Jia Xu, the Acting City Lord of Xinyuan, had thoroughly purged the Deng Clan.
This great aristocratic family, which had endured from the Old Era into the Age of the Abyss, had found itself facing total collapse and extinction within only a few days.
With the clan standing at the brink of destruction,
Deng Hong had no choice but to step forward and shoulder the burden of the crumbling Deng Clan.
Not only had he surrendered the wealth and resources accumulated by the clan over many years,
he had even presented his Soul Plaque to the Founder of Extreme Yin.
Only then had he managed to save the Deng Clan from complete ruin.
That day,
Deng Hong summoned his eldest son, Deng Yao, to Xinyuan.
"Father summoned me specifically. Is there something important you wished to instruct me about?"
Although Deng Yao was Deng Hong's son, he was already a man in his sixties or seventies himself. However, thanks to his late Tier-2 cultivation, he appeared to be only in his forties or fifties.
As for Deng Hong...
He was already a Tier-3 powerhouse!
Judging from his appearance alone, he did not seem much older than his eldest son.
Deng Hong said gravely, "Several days ago, I received a summons from the Founder of Extreme Yin. Beginning today, I must represent the clan in serving with the Territory Guard. From this moment onward, you will serve as the Acting Clan Head of the Deng Clan of Xinyuan."
Deng Yao was greatly alarmed.
"Father, why must you go personally? Let me and the other clansmen go instead!"
Deng Hong shook his head.
"The Founder of Extreme Yin assigned every clan a fixed recruitment quota. If I refuse to go, then over half of the clan's young and middle-aged men will have to take my place. The clan is already in a difficult situation. It is better to leave everyone here to rebuild the family."
Deng Yao could not help complaining.
"That Founder of Extreme Yin is far too overbearing. Not only did he seize the clan's accumulated wealth through force, now he's even forcing us to risk our lives for the Lord..."
"Silence!"
Deng Hong roared.
Realizing he had spoken recklessly, Deng Yao immediately shut his mouth.
"Never say such things again. I do not know what kind of temperament our Lord possesses, but everyone in Xinyuan knows just how ruthless the Founder of Extreme Yin is. Never think of provoking him."
Everyone knew of Jia Xu's terrifying methods.
Yet even such a terrifying individual had been subdued by the Lord.
There was therefore no need to question how unfathomably powerful the Lord truly was.
"Yes!"
"The war on the territory's frontlines is urgent. I cannot remain any longer. The affairs of the clan are now in your hands."
An enormous weight settled upon Deng Yao's shoulders.
Although he himself was already quite elderly, he had always been a rather insignificant figure within the clan.
Now, in an instant, he had become the clan head of Xinyuan and inherited a family teetering on the verge of collapse.
His father had been forcibly conscripted into military service and would henceforth become a member of the Territory Guard.
No one knew what awaited him next.
Deng Hong himself was equally uncertain about the future.
But he had no power to resist the Founder of Extreme Yin, nor any ability to oppose the mysterious and unfathomable Lord.
If the Deng Clan wished to survive,
they could only obey every arrangement made by the territory.
A quarter of an hour later,
Deng Hong led more than two hundred carefully selected elite clansmen to the Blessing Point in Xinyuan.
Every one of the chosen clansmen possessed at least Tier-2 strength.
Seeing everyone looking gloomy,
Deng Hong quickly comforted them.
"Everyone, although our Deng Clan is currently in a very difficult situation, the Lord is a benevolent ruler. I believe he will not deliberately make things difficult for us. As long as we perform well and redeem ourselves through merit, our family will surely regain its former glory!"
At that moment,
a cultivator dressed in the robes of the Extreme Yin Sect approached them.
Deng Hong dared not be careless.
Ever since Xinyuan's power structure had been reshuffled, countless major and minor families had fallen from grace.
Only two factions had seen their status rise instead.
The first was the Wen Clan of Xinyuan.
Because Wen Pin had firmly opposed Zhang Xiu's campaign against Luoshui, he had been placed under house arrest by Zhang Xiu.
As a result, the Wen Clan had never participated in the war and had instead benefited from the disaster.
Now, Wen Pin had earned the Lord's trust and was reportedly serving as the commanding general of the Territory Guard on the frontlines.
The Wen Clan had consequently become the undisputed number one family in Xinyuan.
The second was naturally the Extreme Yin Sect.
The Extreme Yin Sect likewise had not accompanied Zhang Xiu on the expedition to Luoshui.
Moreover, because the Founder of Extreme Yin, Jia Xu, had been appointed Acting City Lord,
the authority of the Extreme Yin Sect now surpassed even that of Zhang Xiu's former City Lord's Mansion.
Since Jia Xu had effectively become Xinyuan's true ruler,
his disciples and followers naturally enjoyed extraordinary privileges.
They were even more intimidating than the Wen Clan.
"Wen Xiu greets General Deng."
The cultivator of the Extreme Yin Sect cupped his fists.
"I have been ordered by my master to receive you here."
Wen Xiu of the Extreme Yin Sect.
He was not only the disciple of the Founder of Extreme Yin,
but also the adopted son whom Wen Pin had accepted many years ago.
With such dual backing,
his future status in Xinyuan would undoubtedly be extraordinary.
Deng Hong hurriedly replied,
"This guilty general has come under the Founder of Extreme Yin's orders, leading the elite disciples of the Deng Clan to the main city to join the Territory Guard and atone for the family's crimes through military service."
"The one who committed the crime was the former head of the Deng Clan. It had nothing to do with you, General Deng, so there is no need for self-reproach."
After a pause, Wen Xiu continued,
"As for joining the Territory Guard, that is by no means a bad thing. Countless people wish to join but lack the qualifications. There is no need to explain further—you will understand soon enough."
"Yes."
Deng Hong could only smile bitterly inwardly.
"We shall depart for Luoshui immediately."
Wen Xiu wasted no words.
"Since all of you have already sworn loyalty to the territory and become members of it, there is no need to make the long journey to Luoshui Main City. Simply spend 800 Contribution Points, and the Blessing Point will teleport you there instantly."
Eight hundred Contribution Points?
Deng Hong could not help but freeze.
Teleportation from Xinyuan to Luoshui crossed regional boundaries, making it extremely expensive.
Each trip required a full 800 Contribution Points.
With over two hundred members of the Deng Clan,
the total came to nearly two hundred thousand points!
"Since all of you have been conscripted into the Territory Guard, this teleportation fee can be paid on credit."
Wen Xiu smiled.
"That said, General Deng should not be lacking in Contribution Points."
"Although the Deng Clan surrendered a great deal of family wealth and resources as atonement, the Lord was generous enough to compensate your clan with a large sum of Contribution Coins at the same time, was he not?"
"That is indeed true."
"Then congratulations."
"One Contribution Copper Coin may be exchanged for 1 Contribution Point."
"One Contribution Silver Coin may be exchanged for 100 Contribution Points."
"One Contribution Gold Coin may be exchanged for 10,000 Contribution Points."
"I do not know how many Contribution Coins you possess, General Deng, but considering the Lord's generosity, it should be a considerable amount."
"This is an enormous blessing and opportunity."
"You must make good use of them."
So that was how it worked?
Deng Hong indeed possessed a large quantity of Contribution Coins.
These Contribution Coins did not physically exist.
Instead, they appeared as digital data on his interface.
Because they belonged exclusively to the Deng Clan,
they were bound to members of the Deng Clan and could only circulate internally.
The Lord had issued them to the Deng Clan as compensation after learning that the Founder of Extreme Yin had confiscated their family assets.
However,
the entire clan had clearly not taken them very seriously.
Now it appeared these coins were far more valuable than anyone had imagined.
Deng Hong immediately asked how they were used.
Wen Xiu explained,
"Contribution Points have countless uses."
"They may be used to access all kinds of miraculous territorial facilities, including the Blessing Points."
"They can also purchase services from Forging Specialists, Alchemy Specialists, and Chefs from the Starsea."
"They can even be used to hire the Lord's Scourge Army to carry out tasks..."
He briefly explained the various functions of Contribution Points.
Deng Hong listened with mixed belief and skepticism.
Under Wen Xiu's guidance,
he quickly exchanged twenty Contribution Gold Coins worth 200,000 Contribution Points,
then paid the teleportation fee.
The next moment,
the Blessing Point shone brightly.
Deng Hong and the more than two hundred members of the Deng Clan suddenly felt their vision blur.
When they regained their senses,
they were astonished to discover that their surroundings had completely changed.
"This..."
"This is Luoshui Main City!"
"The Lord's main city!"
"We've arrived at the main city!"
"What? In a single instant, we've crossed a thousand li!"
The Deng Clan members had appeared directly within the teleportation plaza of Luoshui Main City.
Before them stood the magnificent Lord's Fortress.
Behind them lay the Revival Plaza and the main urban district.
Although Luoshui Main City itself was not especially large,
it was bustling with traffic and people.
Thousands of newly recruited Scourge Army soldiers continuously resurrected, teleported, and ran back and forth completing quests.
The civilians who had gathered from every region likewise busied themselves with their assigned work.
The entire territory overflowed with vitality and energy.
"This..."
Deng Hong's jaw nearly dropped.
He simply could not imagine what kind of supreme power could instantly transport him from a distant foreign region to this place.
Contribution Points truly were extraordinarily valuable.
The teleportation function alone possessed astonishing worth.
According to Wen Xiu,
the main city contained countless miraculous Starsea facilities.
As long as one spent Contribution Points,
one could obtain unimaginable benefits.
But...
Where should he even begin?
Everything here was completely unfamiliar.
Then he suddenly remembered.
His interface seemed to possess a quest publishing function.
Wen Xiu had also mentioned earlier that Contribution Points could hire Scourge Army soldiers.
Since the Scourge Army served as one of the Lord's直属 forces, they undoubtedly knew this territory extremely well.
Deng Hong opened his interface
and submitted his request through the Quest Publishing Assistant.
Under Xiao Ba's guidance,
he quickly created his first quest.
Its objective was simple:
Find a guide.
The guide would escort them through the necessary enlistment procedures and familiarize them with the services available in Luoshui Main City.
Xiao Ba automatically set the quest duration to twelve hours.
Finding no issue with that,
Deng Hong published the quest.
As for the reward?
Having no idea what was appropriate,
he casually entered 30,000 Contribution Points.
Less than a minute after the quest was published,
more than a dozen Scourge Army soldiers nearby came charging over at full speed.
"General Deng!"
"Which one is General Deng?"
"Was it you who posted the quest?"
"I'm here to accept it! Please choose me!"
"This quest belongs to me, Scallion-Braised Ribs! I got here first, so nobody steal it!"
"Get lost! You're just a rookie! What right do you have to compete with me? I've been in the territory for an entire month! This quest is mine! Please give me this opportunity, General Deng!"
"Everyone make way! I actually have a tour guide license! General Deng clearly needs a more professional guide!"
"Damn it! Let's settle this outside with a duel! Winner gets the quest!"
"Bring it on! Whoever backs down is a coward!"
"..."
The Scourge Army soldiers argued until their faces turned red,
looking ready to devour one another alive over a single quest.
The Deng Clan members could only stare in utter bewilderment.
In the end,
Deng Hong selected the player who claimed to have served in the territory the longest.
This so-called veteran...
was only Level 9.
Thirty thousand Contribution Points!
That was an astronomical fortune!
The Scourge Army player nearly fainted from happiness.
At the current market exchange rate,
those Contribution Points were worth enough to buy a fully paid apartment in a second-tier city back in China.
The quest was easy.
Safe.
Simple.
It was practically free money.
The player immediately adopted the most enthusiastic service attitude imaginable.
First,
he led the Deng Clan members to the Lord's Hall to complete their enlistment procedures.
The Deng Clan members were divided into two groups.
The thirty strongest joined the Black Tiger Guard,
while the remaining two hundred or so all entered the Iron Eagle Guard.
Deng Hong himself
was Level 21.
He possessed Tier-3 Commander-level strength.
Among the current experts of the Xinyuan Region,
his combat power unquestionably ranked within the top fifteen.
Naturally,
he was assigned to the Black Tiger Guard.
His exact position, however, remained undecided.
Over the next three days,
Deng Hong and the others were permitted to rest.
They were free to move about the main city, cultivate, and purchase supplies.
Under the guide's leadership,
the Deng Clan members quickly learned how the territory's various facilities operated.
When they discovered the functions of the Talisman Tower, Skill Tower, Enlightenment Tower, Training Tower, and others,
every one of them stood dumbfounded.
Take the Training Tower, for example.
One day of cultivation inside it
was equivalent to one hundred days of bitter cultivation outside!
Then there was the Skill Tower.
No matter how profound or complicated a skill might be,
once the Skill Stone was inserted into the Skill Tower,
anyone could instantly inherit and master that skill,
then rapidly cultivate it to perfection using Essence.
Then there was the Enlightenment Tower.
Anyone could experience sudden enlightenment there,
comprehend entirely new techniques and arts,
create even more powerful skills or even cultivation methods,
establish their own schools,
or even found entirely new sects.
Everyone possessed limitless potential.
These three towers alone
formed a perfect cultivation cycle.
First,
cultivate in the Training Tower to obtain large amounts of Abyssal Essence Points.
Then,
head to the Skill Tower to learn and improve skills.
Finally,
enter the Enlightenment Tower to integrate everything and develop entirely new techniques.
After growing stronger,
earn even more Contribution Points,
then continue cultivating.
The cycle repeated endlessly.
Nor were cultivation facilities the only marvel.
The territory's service industries were equally astonishing.
Forging.
Alchemy.
Cooking.
All were unbelievably miraculous.
Whether one was a Scourge Army soldier or a native inhabitant,
as long as one possessed Contribution Points,
they could enjoy the services provided by these Starsea production professionals.
Besides cultivation facilities and territorial services,
Contribution Points had countless other uses.
For example,
renting Spirit Horses,
or exchanging various special territorial items at the Lord's Hall.
Broadcast Stones.
Brotherhood Pacts.
Essence Contracts.
Territory Maps.
Nearly every Scourge Army player activated these functions.
They were roughly equivalent to in-game world chat, friend systems, party systems, and map systems.
But do not think only players could use them.
Even the "NPCs" in the players' eyes could access these functions.
Deng Hong was astonished to discover
that after purchasing a Territory Map,
the entire territory's geography and layout appeared on his personal interface.
Likewise,
once he purchased a Brotherhood Pact and established a friendship with someone,
they could communicate privately over any distance.
What incredible value!
Yet these functions were unbelievably inexpensive.
The Deng Clan general was completely speechless.
He could afford to activate the online communication function for every single member of the Deng Clan.
To natives,
such abilities were no different from miracles.
Even spending mountains of gold would have been worthwhile.
Yet to this territory,
they were merely the most basic features.
Only now
did Deng Hong finally experience complete enlightenment.
Wen Xiu had not exaggerated in the slightest.
This territory remained in a period of rapid development.
Who knew how many more miraculous facilities and functions would appear in the future?
Yet even its existing services alone
were enough to grant Contribution Points immeasurable value.
Every Contribution Point bestowed by the Lord was an invaluable treasure beyond price.
If all of them were exchanged within the territory for goods, services, or cultivation opportunities,
their value would easily surpass the confiscated clan assets by a hundredfold.
"The Lord truly is magnanimous and benevolent!"
"Our Deng Clan originally bore criminal guilt."
"Even if we had been exiled to the frontier and died upon the battlefield, we would have deserved it."
"And yet the Lord has instead bestowed such boundless grace upon us."
"We remained completely unaware."
"What shame!"
"I even complained about the Lord in my heart."
"So did I."
"We are no better than beasts!"
"Now it seems that allowing me to join the Territory Guard, while providing fixed Contribution Points every day, is truly a blessing from Heaven."
"My abilities may be limited..."
"But I am willing to give my life for the territory!"
"..."
In less than two days,
the attitudes of these Deng Clan members,
who had originally been full of resentment,
underwent a complete transformation.
Deng Hong was naturally no exception.
Once he truly understood the miraculous blessings of this Starsea territory,
he finally comprehended the Lord's generosity and kindness.
His heart now held only gratitude and anticipation.
This Starsea territory
was nothing less than a miracle bestowed by the heavens.
If they fully utilized the territory's resources,
why would the Deng Clan not surpass its former glory?
Leaving everything else aside,
Deng Hong himself was certain he could change his destiny,
break through the limits of his talent,
and reach heights he had never before dared imagine.
Contribution Points!
He absolutely had to earn more Contribution Points!
Deng Hong spent two days resting with his more than two hundred elite clansmen.
They activated the friends system,
purchased Territory Maps,
and rented Spirit Horses.
Some forged new equipment,
others learned new skills,
while Deng Hong personally led dozens of elite clansmen into the Training Tower.
Every member of the Deng Clan experienced tremendous improvements in strength.
However,
Contribution Points vanished at an astonishing rate.
If this continued,
the clan's gifted Contribution Coins would soon be exhausted.
"Contribution Points are far too precious!"
"We need more Contribution Points!"
"Does the clan still possess any remaining family assets? Why not hand everything over to the territory in exchange for more Contribution Points?"
"Having only us join the army isn't enough!"
"Every member of the Deng Clan should join the Territory Guard!"
"Only then can we earn enough Contribution Points to restore the Deng Clan and make it even stronger than before!"
"..."
Many influential members of the clan immediately proposed sending even more family members into the Territory Guard.
If they wished to change their own destiny,
or the destiny of the Deng Clan,
then they simply needed to devote themselves wholeheartedly to serving the Lord.
Deng Hong, however, found himself in a difficult position.
It was not that he opposed the idea.
The problem was that recruitment into the Territory Guard followed strict quotas.
His current contingent had already used up the Deng Clan's entire allotment.
Even if the others desperately wished to enlist,
they would have to wait until the next round of expansion.
Deng Hong could only sigh in regret.
If he had known serving the territory was this rewarding,
he should have begged the Founder of Extreme Yin for additional recruitment slots.
Now that he realized it too late,
most of the available quotas had probably already been taken by the Extreme Yin Sect and the Wen Clan.
If this continued,
the gap between the major powers of Xinyuan would only grow wider.
Deng Hong almost felt his hair turning white from worry.
He even considered personally kneeling before the Lord to plead for more recruitment quotas,
yet feared that someone of his current status would never even be granted an audience.
After all,
the Deng Clan still carried the stain of guilt.
Just then,
a notification suddenly appeared on the interfaces of Deng Hong and the others.
It was an announcement from Xiao Ba:
【All troops that have completed their preparations in the main city are to proceed immediately to Wo Niu Mountain. Any unit that reports to Shansang City within six hours will receive 1,000 Contribution Points per person!】
It turned out that,
at this very moment,
the battle in the northern region of Wo Niu Mountain,
at Shangting Hamlet,
had just concluded.
Nearly ninety percent of the Scourge Army's four thousand main force soldiers had been captured alive by the Corpse Lich Territory.
Without waiting for the players to request assistance,
Hang Yu had already begun mobilizing the territory's forces in preparation for the next battle.
Deng Hong and the others had spent two days in the main city.
They had purchased everything they needed
and experienced the territory's various services.
They had already been eager to officially enlist and begin earning Contribution Points.
Upon seeing the announcement,
they wasted no time.
They first teleported to northern Luoshui through the Blessing Point,
passed through the Abyssal Fog Gate north of Luoshui,
then followed the Territory Map's guidance,
riding Spirit Horses at full speed until they arrived at Shansang City.
The 235 elite members of the Deng Clan officially entered military service.
"This subordinate, Deng Hong, greets General Wen!"
Deng Hong met Wen Pin, who was stationed in Shansang City.
After all,
both had been renowned experts of Xinyuan,
and they had fought together against the Abyss many times before.
They were already acquaintances.
"General Deng, please rise."
"I have been waiting for you."
Wen Pin had now been appointed General of the Black Tiger Guard.
He was authorized to establish and command ten Black Tiger Guard companies.
Each company consisted of one hundred soldiers,
with one Captain serving as company commander,
alongside two deputy captains.
Deng Hong was appointed commander of the Second Company.
Among the more than two hundred elite Deng Clan members he had brought,
over thirty joined various Black Tiger Guard companies,
while the remaining two hundred, who were somewhat weaker,
were assigned as officers within the Iron Eagle Guard.
Deng Hong quickly arrived at his new unit.
"This subordinate, Wen Dai!"
"This subordinate, Zhou Ji!"
"Greet General Deng!"
The two deputy commanders stepped forward and saluted.
Deng Hong was greatly surprised to see Wen Dai.
This was Wen Pin's eldest son.
His strength was already quite formidable,
yet even he served only as a deputy commander.
Clearly,
Wen Pin had not shown favoritism toward his own family.
As for Zhou Ji,
he was no ordinary figure either.
He had originally served as the City Lord of Shansang City,
had rendered tremendous service during the conquest of Wo Niu Mountain,
had now advanced to Tier 3,
and possessed considerable strength.
If even the deputy commanders were this powerful,
just how strong must the commanders of the other nine companies be?
It was not long before Deng Hong encountered Zhao Xian,
commander of the First Company of the Black Tiger Guard.
"Sect Master Zhao, I never imagined you would also join the Black Tiger Guard. This truly surprises me!"
The commander of the Black Tiger Guard's First Company
was actually Zhao Xian,
the Acting Sect Master of the Extreme Yin Sect.
He too possessed Tier-3 Commander-level strength.
Yet now,
he had abandoned even the position of Sect Master,
choosing instead to serve under Wen Pin as a mere Black Tiger Guard Captain.
Zhao Xian smiled.
"The position of Acting Sect Master of the Extreme Yin Sect is hardly worth mentioning."
Serving as Sect Master of the Extreme Yin Sect earned no Contribution Points.
On the other hand,
the salary of a Black Tiger Guard Captain
was extremely attractive.
Even he had been unable to resist such temptation.
Without hesitation,
he handed the sect over to his junior brother
and came to Shansang City to become a Black Tiger Guard Captain.
Commander of the First Company of the Black Tiger Guard:
Zhao Xian.
Commander of the Second Company:
Deng Hong.
This alone demonstrated
the extraordinary prestige carried by every Black Tiger Guard Captain.
Each one was a Commander-level powerhouse who had risen from the Xinyuan Region.
The Black Tiger Guard consisted of ten companies totaling one thousand soldiers.
Every company commander possessed Tier-3 strength.
Not merely ordinary Tier-3 cultivators,
but genuine Commander-class powerhouses.
The two deputy commanders were all peak Tier-3 elites.
Even the ordinary Black Tiger Guards were primarily Tier-3 elites,
while the weakest among them were still top-tier Tier-2 elite experts around Level 20.
The strength of this force
was self-evident.
The Ten Commanders of the Black Tiger Guard had all assembled.
And at this very moment,
a great war was about to erupt.
This newly established force
would immediately receive its first opportunity to prove itself.
………………
Hang Yu had now dispatched Jia Xu to Shansang City.
Although Jia Xu had been granted supreme command authority,
military command still rested primarily with Wen Pin,
with Zhou Cang serving as deputy commander.
Jia Xu acted in the role of military strategist.
This arrangement intentionally reduced Jia Xu's visibility within the army.
If the Lord of the Corpse Lich Territory learned of the situation,
he would likely become overconfident
or make an incorrect judgment.
Considering the coming battle,
Hang Yu knew that the newly formed Territory Guard would participate.
To minimize casualties as much as possible,
he also dispatched Zhang Zhongjing to Wo Niu Mountain as the army physician.
Thus,
all of Hang Yu's principal talents
had been mobilized.
Jia Xu.
Wen Pin.
Zhou Cang.
Zhang Zhongjing.
In addition,
there were one hundred Azure Dragon Guards,
including the original eight Dragon Guards,
the newly established one thousand Black Tiger Guards,
at least eight thousand Iron Eagle Guards,
along with a small contingent of the Scourge Army.
The total force numbered roughly ten thousand.
Such a lineup
could only be described as extravagant.
Placed anywhere,
it would have been capable of standing on its own.
The territory had never before launched a military operation of such scale.
Hang Yu possessed absolute confidence in his subordinates.
Even without mentioning Jia Xu, Wen Pin, Zhou Cang, and Zhang Zhongjing,
the ten newly appointed Black Tiger Guard Captains alone
were all Tier-3 Commander-class combatants.
They possessed enough strength to shake the entire Corpse Lich Territory.
He eagerly anticipated the performance of this new army in the coming war.
Of course,
the enemy could not be underestimated either.
Even Hang Yu had been surprised that the Corpse Lich Lord, Xie Ming, had personally entered the battlefield.
Judging from this Lord's previous schemes and methods,
he had never seemed to be an impulsive or reckless ruler.
During the past seven days,
although the Corpse Lich Territory had gained little advantage at Wo Niu Mountain,
its true main force—the Corpse Fiend Legion—had never entered battle.
The forces fighting the human territory had always been the relatively expendable Dead Bones Legion.
Even though their losses had been significant,
they had hardly damaged the Corpse Lich Territory's true strength.
Xie Ming had by no means been driven into a corner.
Given his personality,
he should never have risked personally descending into Wo Niu Mountain.
Yet he had done exactly that.
Such abnormal behavior clearly indicated something unusual.
Whenever something unusual occurred,
there was almost certainly a hidden reason.
Hang Yu suspected that Xie Ming possessed some special hidden trump card.
This trump card would both ensure his own safety
and lure Hang Yu into making an incorrect strategic decision.
It was precisely because Hang Yu had considered this possibility
that he dispatched Jia Xu to deal with the situation.
On one hand,
Jia Xu would investigate and sabotage the Corpse Lich Lord's plans.
On the other,
he would rescue the trapped Scourge Army soldiers.
Whether in strategy or underhanded methods,
Jia Xu stood among the very best.
With him directing the frontlines in Hang Yu's place,
the overall situation would remain firmly under control.
Even if the enemy truly possessed some unforeseen move,
it would never threaten Hang Yu,
who remained safely behind the scenes.
"The new army has finally taken shape."
"Now let me see..."
"Just how much power this force can unleash with the territory's all-star lineup supporting it."
The primary duty of the Territory Guard
was to defend the territory.
Naturally,
when necessary,
they could also cooperate with the Scourge Army,
take the initiative to strike invading enemies,
or even launch counterattacks against enemy strongholds.
(PS: It's Monday! Please support the novel with recommendation votes! Today ended up being another overwhelmingly busy day, but tomorrow should finally be free, so I'll most likely post an extra chapter in the afternoon.)