Chapter 1021: Inspection

Chapter 1021: Patrol

In the dark night, Ye Chen returned to Hengyue Zong.

As far as he could see, there were crowds of people bustling about, flying back and forth, all of them tense and busy.

"Watch the house for me, damn it, don't slack off." At the foot of a mountain peak, Xie Yun, Situ Nan, Xiong Er, and Huo Teng were giving their disciples a final pep talk.

The four of them had also donned their battle armor, which they wore for combat. Normally carefree, they now looked somewhat like generals in their armor.

Like them, most people in Hengyue Zong had put on their war gear and were giving instructions to their juniors before flying out of Hengyue Zong toward the walls of Nanchu City. Before leaving, they all turned back for a final glance, as this trip might end with them dying on the battlefield, never to return alive.

Ye Chen fell silent and quietly walked away.

This great war required Da Chu to muster all its strength; no one could escape it. Every cultivator would have to join the fight sooner or later. It was just that Xie Yun, Situ Nan, and their group were heading to the battlefield ahead of Gong Xiaotian and Wang Biao.

At the base of Jade Girl Peak, Ye Chen stopped.

Chu Ling'er stood there with her white hair fluttering, like a statue, completely still, quietly gazing up at Jade Girl Peak.

This elegant peak, like a beautiful woman, had been sealed by her. She had shed her colorful robes and put on cold battle attire, ready to head to the battlefield and contribute her strength to Da Chu's future.

"What about Ruoxi?" Ye Chen also looked up at Jade Girl Peak, his voice hoarse.

"I've left her in Tang Ruxuan's care." Chu Ling'er smiled softly and took Ye Chen's arm, resting her head on his shoulder. "Will we win?"

"Win or lose, I'll be with you." Ye Chen smiled and took her hand, stepping into the sky. Just like many from Hengyue Zong, Chu Ling'er turned back for a last look at this ethereal spiritual mountain before leaving.

The two flew through the sky and landed on the walls of Nanchu City.

"Greetings, Holy Lord!"

As soon as Ye Chen arrived, the Da Chu cultivators on the city walls bowed respectfully.

"No need for formalities!"

Ye Chen waved his hand lightly and turned his gaze to the outside of the city.

Looking far into the north, it was a pitch-black expanse. Even from over three hundred li away, he seemed to see the tidal wave of Tianmo, neatly arrayed in formations like a black carpet covering the entire earth, or a vast black curtain shrouding the vast heavens.

Suddenly, Ye Chen withdrew his gaze. A divine light flew from his brow into his hand, which he passed to Chu Ling'er.

It was a scroll, more precisely a miniaturized Jiuzhou Divine Map, a Tianjing-level artifact. With its protection, ordinary Mo Jiang couldn't harm Chu Ling'er, giving him peace of mind.

Chu Ling'er hastily refused, but Ye Chen pushed it back to her.

"I'm going on patrol!"

Ye Chen smiled and turned to leave.

Behind him, Chu Ling'er took a deep breath, accepted the Jiuzhou Divine Map, and headed in another direction—that was the section of the city wall guarded by Yang Dingtian and Liu Yi of Hengyue Zong, where Dao Xuan Zhenren and Feng Wuhen were also stationed.

"Greetings, Holy Lord!"

"Greetings, Holy Lord!"

As Ye Chen walked along the city wall, the most common words he heard were these. He said nothing in response, just waved his hand lightly. Those resolute eyes made his heart grow heavy.

He didn't know when he stopped, but he was looking at a young man in armor from afar. His back was straight yet somewhat desolate, with a few strands of striking silver in his black hair.

He was Wei Wenzhuo, an alchemist who hadn't gone to Dan City but had climbed the walls and put on armor.

That day should have been his wedding, but disaster struck from the heavens, and his bride died on his back.

Ye Chen shifted his gaze to not far away, where two women in battle attire stood. One was Haotian Shiyue, the other Haotian Shiyu. They were like ice sculptures, their eyes cold as they stared at the city outside.

Ye Chen remained silent and didn't approach, coming quietly and leaving quietly, wandering alone along the vast and imposing city wall.

He didn't know when he stopped again, this time seeing Shangguan Hanyue and Shangguan Yuer. They too had donned battle attire, like female generals.

In the war in Beichu, the Shangguan family suffered heavy losses; their ancestor Shangguan Xuanjiang died in battle, and their father was buried in a foreign land. What they wore wasn't just armor but also bloody vengeance.

Ye Chen lifted his foot but ultimately didn't go forward, walking past lightly.

He didn't speak, but that didn't mean they didn't sense him. Only after he had passed did they turn their heads, watching his receding figure, their beautiful eyes misty. After this war, they might never see that desolate back again.

Ye Chen's steps were unhurried, and he said nothing along the way, like a passerby. Whenever he saw familiar faces, he instinctively stopped, but never for more than three seconds before moving on. As the commander, he had no extra time.

On one section of the wall, he saw Bi You, with Dao Huang, Dugu Ao, Zhuge Laotou, and Fuling at her side, all wearing armor.

"The commander of Da Chu is indeed quite handsome." Zhuge Laotou clicked his tongue.

"It's rare to see you still in the mood to joke." Ye Chen smiled. He was probably the only one on the entire wall acting so carefree.

"As you say, I..."

"Let's go." Before Zhuge Laotou could finish, Fuling pulled him away. Not just them, Dao Huang and Dugu Ao also coughed awkwardly and walked off in unison, starting their own patrols of the wall, just like Ye Chen.

Their intention was simple: with a life-or-death battle imminent, who knew if they'd survive afterward? So, they left this precious time for the young ones.

This time, Bi You wasn't as awkward as expected. At a time like this, there was no need for awkwardness. She stepped forward lightly, cupped Ye Chen's face with both hands, and for the first time, took the initiative to kiss him.

Bi You said nothing, her beautiful eyes like clear water. She smiled at Ye Chen and turned to walk away.

Ye Chen watched Bi You leave, smiled slightly, paused for two or three seconds, and then silently turned away.

Patrolling the three million li of city wall was no easy task; it was like an endless road.

On the wall, over ninety percent were familiar figures: Gu Santong and Wuya Daoren busy inscribing array patterns, Wu Sanpao and Niu Shisan shouting loudly, Yan Shan and Man Shan carrying their battle axes, and Huang Daogong, who looked relatively normal for once.

The world was dim, with no distinction between day and night, only endless darkness. Da Chu hadn't seen the dawn's light for a long time.

Ye Chen didn't know how long he walked or how many days had passed.

It was only after over a million li that he stopped again. On the wall stood a graceful figure in battle attire, her cloak fluttering. She was still dressed as a man, her aura powerful, making the surrounding sky rumble and tremble.

Ye Chen walked up and stood shoulder to shoulder with Ji Ningshuang, quietly looking out at the city.

During this time, his gaze also swept to not far away, where over a dozen figures stood, all in armor, their backs somewhat desolate. Upon closer inspection, they were the nine great true disciples of the former Zhengyang Zong, including Hua Yun and Han Jun.

Now, the grudges of the past had faded with the wind. Even the generations of kings had united, let alone them.

Still, Ye Chen felt gratified in his heart. At least in Da Chu's time of crisis, they could step forward to contribute to defending their homeland—that alone was enough.

"What chance do we have of winning this war?" Ji Ningshuang spoke, her words soft and faint, almost inaudible.

"Not even one percent." Ye Chen smiled self-mockingly.

"This isn't the Ye Chen I remember." Ji Ningshuang turned her head slightly, quietly looking at his profile.

"Without reinforcements, I see no hope at all." Ye Chen's voice was hoarse. "The Tianmo are still pouring in forces to Da Chu endlessly. No matter how strong the walls are, they can't withstand their iron hooves. The longer this war drags on, the worse it is for Da Chu. If we can't even hold Nanchu, how can we fight back to Beichu and destroy that towering magic pillar?"

"Even the smallest hope, in the face of despair, holds infinite possibilities." Ji Ningshuang withdrew her gaze and spoke gently, her voice melodious. "That's what you've always said. As the commander of Da Chu, you should have unshakeable faith."

Ye Chen smiled self-mockingly again. The usually confident him now had dim eyes, without a trace of certainty.

The wall fell into a long silence.

The cultivators who had participated in the Beichu war had fully recovered and were still arriving on the wall one after another, gripping their killing swords, ready to face the Tianmo's overwhelming assault at any moment.

"Kill!"

Suddenly, the dim and silent world was broken by a cold and majestic voice, thundering like lightning across the land.

Boom! Boom boom boom!

Then came the sound of war drums, deep and prolonged, intertwined with the charging horns, carrying a mesmerizing demonic power.

The Tianmo are attacking!

Shouts echoed continuously on the wall.

No reminders were needed; the Da Chu cultivators on the wall could see it themselves. The vast tide of Tianmo was rolling in like a black ocean, devouring swaths of sky and earth, intent on flooding all of Nanchu.

Immediately, the killing arrays on the Nanchu wall activated, Tianjing-level weapons soared into the sky, and all destructive prohibitions were triggered together.

"Pass the order to the five domains: conduct a blanket search of Nanchu. If any teleportation portals are found, destroy them on the spot." Ye Chen's voice was resolute and commanding.

"You suspect the Tianmo are feinting an attack." Ji Ningshuang looked at Ye Chen.

"Or rather, openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing at Chencang." Ye Chen said coldly. "They're pretending to assault the wall to draw Da Chu's attention, all to secretly drop teleportation portals and reinforce their troops behind Nanchu, coordinating an inside-out attack to pincers our cultivators."

Boom! Bang! Rumble!

On the wall, billions of divine lights had already shot out, felling the charging Tianmo in droves.

"Kill! Kill for me!"

From behind the Tianmo army, the Tianmo generals stood in the sky, casually waving their hands, their lips curling into playful, bloodthirsty smiles. "Wait for it! Once the teleportation portals drop into Nanchu, it will be your day of bloody burial."