Chapter 2092: Standing Up and Kicking

The intense battlefield suddenly fell silent, and everyone looked in that direction. Many demon soldiers wore confused expressions. What just happened? A moment ago, the Black-Furred Bat Demon was cackling like an arrogant overlord, and now it was like this? More importantly, what was that dazzling object? It couldn't have been a meteorite falling from the sky and coincidentally striking it dead, could it? That would be too unlucky.

At that moment, the Black-Furred Bat Demon's enormous fleshy wings suddenly flapped a few times, as if trying to get up. Unfortunately, its head was firmly pinned to the ground by a sword, and it failed after several attempts. Xie Daoyun and the others' expressions changed. To survive even that—how incredibly resilient was this bat monster? What if it truly broke free?

Just then, a figure descended from the sky, its toes landing precisely on the tip of the sword. Like the final straw that broke the camel's back, the Black-Furred Bat Demon fell completely silent.

"Brother Zu!"

Seeing the appearance of the person opposite them, Xie Daoyun and Murong Qinghe exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with delight. Xie Xiu, having escaped the bat's clutches, breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Zu An's heroic pose and the hearts in the eyes of the two girls, he muttered, "Damn, that's so cool. He really pulled that off."

Zu An smiled and nodded to the group. Ever since he had guessed the Second Prince's conspiracy, he hadn't wasted a moment, rushing directly south. He knew that the human race had sent troops to help the demon race out of respect for him. If their entire army were annihilated here, it would lead to an endless conflict between the two races. Such a devastating war, leaving corpses strewn across the land, would provide a perfect opportunity for the lurking demons. The more slaughter and bloodshed there was, the more easily demons would proliferate. Therefore, he had flown nonstop, almost without sleep, at the fastest possible speed towards this location. The Little Demon Queen and Yu Yanluo understood the gravity of the situation. Though extremely reluctant to part, they worried about hindering him and did not accompany him.

Instead, Jing Teng clung to him like a burr, with Black Jing Teng even pestering Zu An several times along the way to pay the remaining "remuneration." While the thought of the sisters' unique relationship stirred something within Zu An, he knew that the urgent matter at hand was paramount. After much persuasion, he convinced Black Jing Teng to grant him a few more days, allowing her to return to the jade coffin to sleep, which finally enabled him to travel at full speed. Arriving nearby, he sensed the battle and saved Xie Xiu in the nick of time.

"Reg... Regent King!" Some of the demon soldiers on the opposite side recognized Zu An, and a commotion immediately broke out. Just then, a black-armored general leading them roared, "What are you afraid of? No matter how powerful he is, he's just one person. Now that he's surrounded by our army formation, what is there to fear?!"

Zu An looked up and saw that the area spanning several kilometers was subtly enveloped by a magic array, with an army banner faintly visible at its center. This was a classic military formation. Within its range, all soldiers could form a cohesive unit, coordinating attacks and sharing defenses. It also significantly boosted each allied soldier's attack, defense, and speed, while simultaneously weakening enemies in various ways. This was why cultivators in the world were wary of armies, especially once caught within a military formation; unless one was exceptionally strong, survival was highly unlikely.

"So, it's the Second Prince's army," Zu An sneered, recognizing the insignia on the army banner. The black-armored general, seeing that many of his subordinates were still afraid, shouted, "Have you forgotten who forced us to fight to the death in the Sealed Land, to exhaust our last drop of blood?!" Hearing this, the soldiers' eyes reddened. As the Second Prince's trusted confidants, they had originally expected to gain merits by following him, securing promotions, wealth, and beautiful wives to reach the pinnacle of their lives. Instead, because of Zu An's sudden rise, forcefully placing the young prince on the throne, they had overnight become rebels! Furthermore, they had been sent to the Sealed Land to battle otherworldly demons, with no hope of return. Clearly, the royal court intended to exhaust every last one of them.

"Kill him, and we can return to the royal court."

"We don't want to be rebels anymore!"

The group, their eyes bloodshot, raised their shields and extended their long spears, gradually tightening their encirclement. They intended to use their military advantage to trap and kill him within the formation. Xie Xiu, Xie Daoyun, and Murong Qinghe hastily helped the Qin brothers to their feet and moved closer to Zu An. Facing such pervasive killing intent, many of their usual skills were useless.

Xie Daoyun took out a talisman, intending to forcefully activate it, but Zu An held her hand. "Your cultivation isn't strong enough. Forcibly activating Sun En's talismans will cause irreversible damage to your spiritual energy. Leave this to me." Hearing his gentle voice, and especially feeling his warm hand, Xie Daoyun's cheeks flushed. "Okay." Seeing his sister's shy demeanor, Xie Xiu thought, *Oh no, oh no, my sister's definitely smitten. I feel like I've lost out big time.* *Why doesn't Zu An have any older or younger sisters? So frustrating!* Rage points from Xie Xiu +555…

Seeing the approaching soldiers, Zu An said gravely, "Considering that you were misled by the Second Prince, if you surrender now, I can give you a chance."

"Don't listen to his sweet talk!" This time, it wasn't the black-armored general who spoke, but many soldiers crying out indignantly. Seeing their hateful eyes and the continuous stream of rage points appearing in his system, Zu An sighed. Around him, countless spectral Gatling gun barrels emerged.

"What is that?" the soldiers wondered, but in the next second, they knew. Each Gatling gun barrel spewed forth blue tongues of flame. The shields in front of the soldiers were instantly shredded into pieces as if they were made of paper, and then soldiers fell row after row. These Gatling guns might be insufficient against top-tier powerhouses, but against small detachments like this, they were like scythes through grass. While the army's shields could block some bullets, they couldn't withstand the sheer number of Gatling guns Zu An had deployed. The quantitative change led to a qualitative one. Some soldiers tried to organize a counterattack, but they were quickly met with an overwhelming barrage of bullets, instantly reduced to mist. The remaining soldiers finally broke and scattered in all directions.

Zu An considered that all the casualties in the Sealed Land were due to the Second Prince and his subordinates, and that if they succeeded in inciting a war between the two races, countless more would die. Therefore, he showed no mercy. Eventually, silence fell over the area, leaving only the pungent scent of blood in the air.

Murong Qinghe was fine; having seen many similar things on battlefields, she was accustomed to it. Xie Xiu and his sister, however, turned pale and eventually rushed to the side to retch. Clearly, having grown up in prominent noble families, they had never experienced such a shocking sight. Xie Daoyun recovered first; after all, she had experienced many things with Zu An. "We need to get back to the main camp as quickly as possible. Their main force isn't here!"

Zu An went to check on the Qin brothers, noting that while their injuries were not light, they were not life-threatening. After giving them healing elixirs, he said to Xie Daoyun and Murong Qinghe, "You two sisters lead the way. Brother Xie, the two Qin brothers are in your care." He had originally only planned for Murong Qinghe to lead, but seeing Xie Daoyun's pale face, he knew it would be too cruel to leave her there, so he decided to take her along as well.

Watching him ascend into the sky with an arm around each girl, Xie Xiu and the injured Qin brothers exchanged glances, then simultaneously declared, "He chooses women over friends!" Xie Xiu glared at the Qin brothers, annoyed. "Brothers Qin, you're his brothers-in-law, for goodness sake! Can't you control him? You just let him go around flirting." The Qin brothers' faces darkened. "I think you're not far from becoming his brother-in-law yourself. Why don't *you* control him?" Xie Xiu was speechless.

Meanwhile, in the human camp, in front of a distinctly styled tent, several fox clan soldiers blocked an old man's path. "Your Highness, our queen is already resting." The old man was naturally Prince Liang, who, frustrated by the two young Qin brothers, couldn't help but recall the seductive charm of the Qingqiu Queen. Unable to sleep, he decided to visit her directly, only to be refused. These fox clan soldiers were all women, each an exceptionally beautiful woman even by human standards, causing the personal guards behind Prince Liang to eagerly gaze at them. These fox women looked truly alluring; even their military uniforms couldn't conceal their appeal. The guards wondered how exhilarating it would be to entice one.

Normally, Prince Liang would have been enraged by such a cold shoulder, but thinking of Tu Shan Yu's beautiful face, his temper was much milder than usual. "Please inform your Queen that I have urgent military intelligence to discuss with her."

"Your Highness, please don't make things difficult for us." The fox female soldiers remained unmoved, exchanging glances that clearly conveyed their contempt. As fox women, they understood men's thoughts perfectly. They knew exactly what this lecherous old man was after.

Prince Liang finally grew impatient, his face darkening. "This matter concerns the friendship between our two races. A single misstep could lead to war. Can you bear that responsibility?" As he spoke, he attempted to push his way inside. The fox women quickly tried to block him, and Prince Liang's personal guards took the opportunity to move closer, seizing the chance to grope them.

Just as both sides were arguing, a soft, alluring voice drifted out. "What's happening here?" Immediately afterward, a graceful and charming figure emerged. It was none other than Tu Shan Yu, the Queen of Qingqiu. Prince Liang and his entourage stared, mesmerized. Her neck was fair and slender, her figure tall and elegant. Her entire being seemed to glow, making others feel self-conscious in her presence. Yet, there was a subtly teasing smile in her eyes that instantly bridged the distance between them, making her seem almost within reach. Seeing her ample bosom, her cream-colored slender waist, and the tantalizing glimpse beneath her skirt, everyone swallowed involuntarily. She was truly a stunner; seeing her immediately brought to mind a bed—the kind you would vigorously get up from.