Chapter 1537: One City, One Man (2)
The lush forest: there was a city made of rocks situated in the green trees. Its sharp edges could be seen among the treetops.
There were plants climbing all over Rock City. Blood colored, azure-colored, and white-colored vines were slowly wriggling as they wrapped around the relay post city.
Vines passed through vines, roots wrapped around roots, and leaves touched other leaves. Nobody knew how many natural killing mechanisms were hidden around this silent Rock City.
The relay post of Rock City was ten kilometers away from the nearest stronghold. If Eastern Wild Forest Stronghold City was the iron gates to enter New Moon Land, then this rock relay post city was the front door of the city wall. This small rock city was the center of the city wall that extended on either sides with the towering treetops. It protected the Eastern Wild Forest path that led to New Moon Land.
If people wanted to enter New Moon Land, they had to go through the city wall shaped relay post of Rock City. Otherwise, the great army would have to pass through forbidden regions which were the territories of other soul pet dynasties.
To a team of dominator or emperor ranks, ten kilometers was nothing. The existence of Rock City was but a mere fence. A great army would easily raze it to the ground.
However, was it really a city wall that existed in name only?
Chao Lengchuan didn't think this was the case because there was a person currently standing on Rock City. This person was Chu Mu!
Chao Lengchuan stood on Eastern Wild Forest Stronghold City's city tower. He was New Moon Palace Army's highest leader. He had to stand here to command the ten thousand armies.
From his position, he was able to see through the ten kilometers of forest and view the relay post city. He also happened to be able to see the back of Chu Mu's lonely and proud figure.
Once past Chu Mu's figure, he was even able to see a surging mass of dust even further in Eastern Wild Forest. It was majestic and boundless!
That was the coalition army. They had finally arrived!
Chao Lengchuan sucked in a deep breath. Despite being ten kilometers away, he said to Chu Mu in the distance: "Chu Mu, there's something I haven't told you."
"Don't worry, you won't die. You can tell me in the future." Chu Mu didn't even turn around as he spoke.
"I never said I would die," Chao Lengchuan forced a smile and continued: "When I was on the northern battlefront, I destroyed a small faction of Departed Spirit Palace,. Among the 1500 dominator army from Departed Spirit Palace, Ghost Faction's Faction Lord Dan Xie and her army of one thousand dominators is coming for me. They want me to pay for her son's life."
The reason why Departed Spirit Palace would participate in the coalition to partition New Moon Land was because of him. When he was training in Zhengming Continent, he had slaughtered Blood Ghost Gate of Departed Spirit in a fit of anger. This had implicated the even more powerful Ghost Faction from Departed Spirit Palace.
This event all started when Chao Lengchuan was training.
He had gone with Chu Mu to Zhengming Main City and the night he saw Chu Mu obtain the Outstanding Experts crown, he had entered contemplative thought for a long while.
In fact, he had thought about this thing for a long time, but it wasn't until that night when he made his decision.
He had suddenly left everyone and even left Xia Zhixian, who he could never feel reassured about.
He had entered Zhengming Continent's northern side where war was the most serious. As a nameless person, he wandered between the warring factions, families, independent territories and barbarian tribes. Any time there was a chaotic fight, it was almost always possible to see Chao Lengchuan.
It was also this time when he offended Departed Spirit Palace's Ghost Blood Gate, which was continuously expanding influence amidst slaughter and blood.
Ghost Blood Gate was neither a small nor large faction of Departed Spirit Palace. However, it was linked to Departed Spirit Palace. Its annihilation meant that Departed Spirit Palace had lost face. This gave Departed Spirit Palace enough reason and an excuse to take action against New Moon Land's leader, Chao Lengchuaun.
Chao Lengchuan didn't think this matter would implicate the coalition, but if he had the chance to choose again, he would annihilate Ghost Blood Gate. These were scum that used living humans as training tools!
"There are a lot of scum. I don't really care about this," responded Chu Mu.
Many familiar faces had appeared among the coalition. Divine Sect's Qin Guang, Fire Faction's Madam Huo, and Snake Dragon Faction's Zeng Long had all, aside from coveting over New Moon Land, come for the Monument Tear in Chu Mu's hands.
There truly were many scum in New Moon Land right now. It didn't matter whether Chao Lengchuan had provoked Departed Spirit Palace. Those greedy fellows would find another excuse to take a bite out of New Moon Land.
Instead of having them painstakingly find an excuse justify their attack on New Moon Land, why not just give them straightforward option! Thus, Chu Mu didn't feel that Chao Lengchuan had done anything wrong.
Chu Mu and Chao Lengchuan didn't use mental voices when conversing. Thus, while everyone was holding their breath and staring with rapt attention at the oncoming coalition army's boundless grandeur, they heard Chu Mu and Chao Lengchuan, their two leaders, talking.
If Chao Lengchuan didn't provoke Departed Spirit Palace, would the coalition army become only 7 armies?
No. New Moon Land had been targeted by a group of greedy people.
What did it matter if there was an extra Departed Spirit Palace?
Chu Mu's indifferent response gave the army an insight into what was the majesty of a king. This was much more rousing and moving than needless shouting.
"Departed Spirit Palace is at the very front with their Rushing Corpse Blood Ghost Army. How about I defend the relay post of Rock City?" said Chao Lengchuan.
Chu Mu wasn't standing by himself on Rock City because he was individualistic, but rather because he wanted to tell all of New Moon Land's defenders that, before the hidden Nightmare Army, Flower Demon Army, and Ocean Species Army appeared, that New Moon Land wouldn't lose!
The only way to give all the defenders the confidence to fight and beat the eight faction coalition was by using absolute individual strength to prove it in front of the stronghold's army.
Their heart of war could not collapse. As their king, Chu Mu needed to plant a seed of belief in everyone before the war broke out!
"It's fine. I won't command the army, but I'll help you take special care of Departed Spirit Palace." Chu Mu refused Chao Lengchuan's good intentions.
Chao Lengchuan nodded his head and didn't say anything further.
He still remembered in Wanxiang City when Chu Mu had slaughtered his way into the city, alone.
The Chao Lengchuan of back then was cowardly and had watched from behind. He was unable to use words to describe the shock and admiration in him.
In Demonic Burial Mound, in the face of Wupan Navy's legion that had humiliated Chao Lengchuan's armor, Chu Mu had firmly stood in front of Chao Lengchuan like a legion himself.
And now, he defended Rock City alone. The relay post Rock City looked empty, but Chao Lengchuan was confident that the defense of Rock City was even stronger than millions of dominators and emperors defending Eastern Wild Forest Stronghold City!
Chao Lengchuan had decided to go to the northern battlefront because he knew that he couldn't rely on Chu Mu dragging him up to increase his strength. He had to throw himself into a cauldron and withstand the tempering alone. From the tempering, he would repeatedly be born anew. This meant that when Chu Mu needed him, he would be able to stand behind him.
In the past, he had fought alongside Chu Mu. But now separated by ten kilometers, Chao Lengchuan knew that Chu Mu was gradually growing further apart.
However, he was even more certain that Chu Mu handing over the defense of Eastern Wild Forest Stronghold City to him was a form of complete confidence. Indeed, the entirety of New Moon Land lay behind Chao Lengchuan. Everything that everyone, including Chu Mu, was protecting, was behind him!
Perhaps it was as Chu Mu had said. That he wouldn't die and he could talk about this with him in the future. But what if... what if the what if happened... Chao Lengchuan would make his decision.
"Chief Commander Chao, the enemy's army has entered our territory," said Adviser Luo Yi.
"Ok. Without my orders I don't want to see any energy fluctuations inside the city," said Chao Lengchuan.
Adviser Luo Yi was Xin Guan's predecessor and had been taken back by Chao Lengchuan from the northern battlefront. After Chao Lengchuan had annihilated the cruel Ghost Blood Gate, Luo Yi, an old military adviser who had wandered the battlefield for tens of years, had pledged his life to follow him because there was nowhere else he could go.
"This subordinate is speaking too much, but a king shouldn't take such a risk. If he lives, New Moon Land's army's conviction will live," softly said Luo Yi.
"He doesn't fit your conventional traditions, nor does New Moon Land. Both will inevitably baptize the world with a storm." calmly said Mu Qingyi.
Among the commanders, Liu Binglan wasn't participating in this fight for now, meaning Mu Qingyi was the only female.
The reputation of the War Goddess had spread through New Moon Land for a long time. The people who knew her well also knew that she controlled the surrounding few border kingdoms as Divine Sect's new Master Official.
She had stripped her Divine Sect's holy and unblasphemable clothing and donned her signature New Moon Land silver armor. She was high-spirited and looked valiant and formidable!
There were people who told her that she should continue to wear Divine Sect's clothing...
However, she was a stubborn and idiotic person like this.
At least when she stood on Eastern Wild Forest's stronghold, there were many other commanders, generals and an enormous army with her... thus she was probably far from as idiotic as the man ten kilometers in front.
Mu Qingyi had almost forgotten the first time she met him, he was still a devil who was so lost he couldn't even find himself.
His eyes were a peculiar silver color. They were empty, alone, bewildered, and in pain...
Then how about his eyes now?
Mu Qingyi really wanted to know what his eyes were like now. Was there silver-colored devotion and calm? Or was there black colored arrogance, confidence and madness? Or perhaps there was both!
Unfortunately, Mu Qingyi could only see Chu Mu's back from the distance.
This back could also be seen by all of New Moon Land's defensive army. Before everyone saw the coalition army's terrifying wave, they would first see him.
One man and one city stood between the enemies and his territory.
There was no need to say anything more, nor was there a need to make a long-winded speech and pledge before the fight. This was enough!