They arrived early but didn't launch an attack immediately.
Instead, they concealed themselves underground, digging tunnels beneath the surface, waiting for the other alien armies to initiate an attack on the surface and draw Xuanhuang Town's attention. Then, the Scorpion Men would erupt from below, charging straight into the town via the tunnels they'd excavated, launching a devastating pincer attack from both inside and outside.
They had even paused to observe the battlefield, witnessing the sheer danger of the surface firsthand—rune bombs scattered everywhere, turning the serpent horde into a scene of carnage. In that moment, the Scorpion King even felt a sense of pride in his own decision to attack from underground, feeling it was brilliant and wise.
As soon as the battle began, he led his Scorpion army in digging toward Xuanhuang Town.
But he hadn't expected... hadn't expected that damn Yi Tianxing to be so utterly ruthless as to bury rune bombs deep underground, in large quantities, scattered unpredictably across unknown regions.
As the Scorpion army dug tirelessly, sudden explosions erupted.
And when one exploded, it triggered a chain reaction—the bombs had been planted so close together that they set each other off. Unlike the surface, where the bombs were spaced widely apart to prevent chain detonations, underground they were deliberately set close, forming deadly minefields. The resulting explosions were devastating—ice and fire burst forth, shredding countless Scorpion warriors into pieces.
Even the Scorpion King himself was caught in the blast radius of a large group of rune bombs.
If not for his immense strength—and a protective treasure he carried—he might've been reduced to ashes on the spot. Even so, he emerged from the explosion battered and humiliated.
Furious, he surged out of the tunnel, emerging outside the town and cursing Yi Tianxing to his face.
Who could have imagined that Yi Tianxing would be so mad as to bury rune bombs under his own town, seemingly unconcerned that such blasts might obliterate Xuanhuang Town itself? No one had ever seen such a deranged opponent.
Such an enemy was truly terrifying.
"Scorpion King, it was your idea to tunnel into my town," Yi Tianxing said with a sneer. "Let me be clear—if those rune bombs under Xuanhuang Town detonate all at once, the town will be destroyed... and your Scorpion army will be wiped out. Even if we perish, we'll take you down with us. The human race stands proud and unyielding! Even in death, we'll make sure the invaders pay in blood!"
On the battlefield, there was no good or evil—only victory or defeat.
"Hmph! You think a few little rune bombs can stop us?" the Scorpion King snarled. "Even the Windwing Dragon King is here now. Today, Xuanhuang Town will fall!"
With that, he dove back underground.
He wouldn't touch the surface—that was the battlefield of the Ogres and Direwolves. But underground was his domain, and he would reclaim his pride even if it cost the lives of countless Scorpion warriors. They would dig their way into the town, no matter the price.
Above ground: serpent hordes, direwolves, and ogres.
Underground: the Scorpion army.
In the sky: Windwing Dragon King leading a legion of vicious raptors.
In an instant, Xuanhuang Town felt like a battered ship in a storm, on the brink of being torn apart. The pressure was unimaginable.
"Haha! Yi Tianxing, you're dead meat now!" the Two-Headed Ogre laughed wildly, fangs gleaming coldly."Kill! Even if we suffer heavy losses today, we must tear out this poisonous fang called Xuanhuang Town!" roared the Frost Direwolf King. "If we miss this chance, we'll never get another."
All the alien forces were determined to wipe Xuanhuang Town off the map, knowing this might be their only opportunity. Letting it grow stronger would be a mistake they'd regret forever.
"This is bad," muttered Ye Zhiqiu, his eyes flashing with resolve. "Attacks from the sky, the ground, and below... Looks like it's do-or-die time."
Since becoming a guest elder of the Tongtian Pavilion, he had never planned to flee.
"This... is real war," whispered a visiting cultivator, heart pounding as he gripped his weapon tightly.
Such wars would become commonplace in the future—hundreds of thousands, even millions, of elite troops clashing. For now, though, this was already beyond what most could have imagined.
Both Xuanhuang Town and the alien races were showing unimaginable strength.
"Haha! A great war at last!" cried Young Master Hollow, hands trembling with excitement. "I've been hollow for far too long!"
All the cultivators began preparing for bloody, desperate battle.
It might well be their last.
Screeech!!
As the Windwing Dragon King led its raptor army down from the skies, a sharp screech rose from within Xuanhuang Town. A golden flash streaked across the air as Golden Roc soared upward, wings blazing like golden blades, slashing toward the Dragon King.
Compared to the Windwing Dragon King, the Golden Roc was smaller—its wingspan barely over a hundred meters, while the Dragon King's was several hundred. And the aura the Dragon King released clearly marked it as a Tier 2 beast.
Golden Roc, since entering Xuanhuang Town, had grown rapidly thanks to access to crystals, Heavenly Astral Pills, and the blood of powerful beasts. Its bloodline—that of the Golden-Winged Roc—had begun to awaken.
It had already reached Tier 1, Grade 9, and was now only a step away from a Tier 2 breakthrough.
Each tier transition for a fierce beast was a metamorphosis, a leap of life, often awakening new innate abilities or enhancing old ones. Everything depended on its bloodline and foundation.
Seeing the Windwing Dragon King, the Golden Roc was instantly filled with a burning desire to fight. This was its domain, and the enemy's presence was a blatant provocation—one it would not tolerate.
Screeech!!
The Windwing Dragon King responded with a cold, piercing cry, swinging its fleshy wings and sending a green hurricane slicing toward the Roc.
That wind—sharp as a blade—rushed down like a guillotine.
But the Roc didn't flinch. Its golden wings glowed and struck like twin blades, meeting the hurricane head-on.
BOOM!!
A thunderous shockwave blasted out. The Golden Roc was knocked backward by the impact, clearly overwhelmed by the Tier 2 strength. Yet, its strike split the hurricane cleanly.
Its wings were no less sharp than blades.
Still, in raw power, the Windwing Dragon King held the edge.
Screeech!!
With a cold glare, the Dragon King let out another cry. At that signal, countless raptors swooped down toward the defenders on the walls of Xuanhuang Town.
"Divine Machinery Battalion! Target the skyborne raptors! Free-fire mode! Ten-shot volley!"
Yang Yanping raised his head and gave the order.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!
The Divine Machinery Battalion had long been ready. At the order, they fired in unison—one bolt after another slicing through the air like thunder. And after each bolt, another immediately followed.