Translator: Reverie_ Editor: Henyee

In the world of martial artists, it was very hard to imagine the existence of an army.

Martial artists were used to being alone and fighting alone, only occasionally fighting in groups, but those were also very small, with only a few people joining hands. If there were any more of them, they instead wouldn’t be able to unleash the battle prowess that they should have, because they wouldn’t know how to cooperate, and also wouldn’t have someone to command them.

When Ling Han and the others received a transfer order, they felt it somewhat strange. These students actually became soldiers, and were going to move out with a great army to go on a punitive expedition against the Purple Moon Empire.

“Even the five great sects are moving out?” Ling Han was astounded. It looked like he still underestimated Ma Duo Bao, for him to be able to be taken so seriously by the five great sects. However, thinking about it, it was rather normal. Power of the nation was a good thing that could drastically increase a martial artists strength, and the Rain Emperor previously was a clear proof.

More importantly, the power of the nation was not decided by martial artists, but by number of subjects within a country. The more subjects, the stronger the gathered power of the nation.

If the Purple Moon Empire were really to take down half of the middle state, then with the blessing of the power of the nation, how powerful could Shattering Void Tier martial artists become? Would they reach the Eighteen-Eyed Corpse King’s level?

Besides, Deity Transformation Tier and Heaven Tier forces were all utterly defeated by the Purple Moon Empire, so only Shattering Void Tier powers could be dispatched. How many Shattering Void Tier warriors in the world could there be? Other than Feng Po Yun and a meager lot, weren’t they all in the five great sects?

However, would Feng Po Yun and the others listen to the orders of the five great sects? Of course not! Then other than the five great sects personally taking the field, who else could be sent out?

The disciples of the Restore Heaven Academy were also conscripted, and the reason stated was to let them learn and gain experience through actual combat; this actually received the approval of the majority.

The geniuses of the younger generation spent too much time on cultivating, and actually participated very few times in actual combat, so many people were extremely excited, itching to try.

Ling Han contacted the Rain Emperor and Mu Rong Qing, and decided to passively participate in the war, only seeking to defend oneself, and never hurt others.

“It’d be best to meet Ma Duo Bao once. Since he’d long said he would open the skies and pointed out that the god realm was the origin of the ten millennia turmoil, he presumably understands more about the matter of opening the skies and definitely knows more than Zi Xue Xian.”

“However, he’s an emperor now, and wanting to see him probably wouldn’t be too easy.”

“Let’s see if there’s a chance.”

Ling Han was quite confident. He had the Black Tower in hand, and had the ability to save himself even standing against Shattering Void Tier elites, which allowed him to dare venture deep into the Purple Moon Empire.

There were only two days of preparation time before all the students had to be on their way, and after joining with the five great sect’s army, they set out towards the Purple Moon Empire.

In the end, this great army was also divided into three portions, separately meeting Purple Moon Empire’s three-way army, and at last gathering at the capital to utterly annihilate this “fake empire”. Restore Heaven Academy’s students weren’t actually separated into three groups. They followed the western army, and were obviously attacking Purple Moon Empire from the western side.

This army’s general was obviously a Shattering Void Tier elite, but it wasn’t the Azure Phoenix Divine Empress, the Sword King, or some important figure that entire world knew; instead, it was an unprepossessing old man.

However, a Shattering Void Tier elite was after all a Shattering Void Tier elite, and just standing there, his presence was like a mountain, with measureless divine light intertwining. No one could approach a thirty-meter-range of him, or else they’d definitely be busted by that aura.

Unless he intentionally suppressed it, even Heaven Tier warriors couldn’t approach, or it’d just be courting death.

Ling Han was apprehensive. The five great sects had deep secrets as expected, and Shattering Void Tier elites were as if they could be thrown out casually. However, this was also related to martial arts settling for ten millennia and welcoming a great outbreak. Now, it was a super prosperous age that blossomed after all the dull monotony of ten millennia, and there being countless experts wasn’t a rare thing.

The great western army was called a great army, but actually only had ten thousand people. One-third was the disciples of the five great sect, and two-thirds were the subordinate forces of the five great sects, in addition to the Restore Heaven Academy’s nearly 2000 students.

They might be few, but this great army’s entire strength was shockingly formidable. The lowest tier was Spiritual Pedestal Tier, and the majority were in the Flower Blossom Tier. There were quite a few Spiritual Infant Tier elites, and Heaven Tier ones were in the hundreds, and only Shattering Void Tier cultivators couldn’t be seen as of now, but one commander should be enough. No one believed that the Purple Moon Empire could have more than a palm of Shattering Void Tier elites.

Perhaps, there was only one.

“The Purple Moon Empire, the Thousand Corpse Sect, the Asura Demon Emperor, the Third Killing Formation, all mixed up together,” Ling Han muttered to himself. It would be even more chaotic if the great silver spider in the desolate north were to be added. It was not known what had been buried there, but the Vial of Curses alone made Ling Han understand the scariness of that place.

The five great sects might not be able ward it off!

Ling Han had seen that great silver spider attack. Its aura was truly too powerful, and compared to the Sword King and the Azure Phoenix Divine Empress, Ling Han still thought that the great silver spider was stronger.

Perhaps, the moment that great Corpse King broke into Eighteen-eyes leve, only then would it be able to compare with it.

Thinking about it now, it was truly horrifying that such an existence was actually tolerated in the world. Shouldn’t it be repelled out of this realm?

After over ten days, they arrived at Cotton Sun City. The army didn’t continue to advance, and halted here.

Because one of Purple Moon Empire’s armies were arriving here within a few days, the first battle was going to start here!

At this moment, the city was tranquil; not many people knew that a battle was imminent. Each day was still a celebration of peace with singing and dancing.

In some sense, the five great sects did considerably well. The entire world’s environment was quite peaceful, and the lives of average people were adequately provided, rarely seeing the phenomenon of selling one’s sons or daughters ED

/N: In times of hunger in older China (or Japan for that matter), it wasn’t that rare for parents to sell (some of) their children because 1) money and 2) once sold, they at least had a chance to get fed.… it did occur, but it was generally those who committed grave crimes and implicated their families, were into gambling, or suffered losses in a business.

Basically, there weren’t floods of refugees because of natural and man-made calamities.

However, once the war started, there would definitely be many people that would become destitute and homeless.

Ling Han sighed, but immediately strengthened his conviction.

uch peace and tranquility were a pretense, and it was only the five great sects breeding livestock for their own use. One wouldn’t see anyone that raised chickens torture the chickens, only giving them food and water. When eagles or weasels came, they’d chase them off, but this definitely wasn’t because they cherished them, but instead protected them for slaughter in the future.

Now, the entire vast land was a gigantic barn, waiting for the advent of slaughter.

Taking advantage of the time before the war started, Ling Han and the others wandered in the city. Perhaps this city would be engulfed by the flames of war and no longer exist in a few more days.

… The strength of their army as a whole was too powerful, and any person chosen randomly could flatten this city. The difference would only be the length of the time spent on such an endeavor.

As they walked, Ling Han suddenly halted, and said, “Get out, don’t hide in the dark!”

“Hehe, such keen perception!” A slender figure walked out from within the dark. He was an extremely handsome man, and although he’d reached middle age, his charisma hadn’t been concealed. There were probably quite a few young ladies that would kneel under his mature qualities.

“This lord is Hu Jian Yi, Wind Moon Sect’s sect master!”