CHAPTER 574: CHAPTER 521: KING OF THE SECRET REALM? THIS IS A MISUNDERSTANDING_2

Everyone was armed and ready, never letting go of their weapons even during rest.

Outside...

The patrols were layered three thick, turning the place into a man-made steel fortress.

All was silent.

Until the moonlit sky was shrouded by dark clouds.

A tense and murderous aura began to fill the air...

The Demon Beasts made no attempt to hide their killing intent. Even from a distance, the Holy Cross Army felt that hair-raising chill.

Caesar raised his hand, saying, "Here they come, everyone, stay alert!"

Ranked first on the Holy Hall List.

Though his strength resided in the Grandmaster Realm, his prowess was already infinitely close to the Creation Realm.

Caesar naturally exuded confidence...

Even if it was just instinct, at times like these, it could serve as evidence.

Everyone instantly stood up, those with firearms carefully loading their weapons, while those in cover drew their melee weapons, cautiously scanning their surroundings...

Suddenly!

In the blink of an eye.

Hundreds of massive dark shadows suddenly appeared in the sky.

Ghostly Grey Wolves, Saber-Toothed Tigers, Claw-Splitting Leopards, Iron-Maned Lions, Blood Wolves, Thunder Eagles, Cloud Falcons...

Various Demon Beasts descended from the sky, from mid-air, and from the wild, simultaneously attacking the humans.

"Heh, indeed they’re just beasts."

Caesar shouted, "Everyone, attack..."

The word "attack" had barely left his mouth.

The ground beneath his feet suddenly shook violently.

The previously solid earth instantly collapsed into a soft quagmire, swallowing hundreds of unsuspecting warriors.

The troops, though quick to react, promptly used their Light Body Technique to leap to distant grounds...

But amid this chaos.

The Demon Beasts had already bypassed the initial potential fire suppression, charging straight into the depths of the enemy lines.

A Level 8 Demon Beast possessed terrifying strength on par with a Grandmaster... even a Level 7 Demon Beast was a challenge for an ordinary Profound Realm Martial Artist.

Especially since they had received the augmentation from Xu Lingjun’s Cultivation Technique, their power had greatly increased.

This formidable group of Demon Beasts thus charged into the midst of the army.

However elite a warrior might be, in the moment they lose footing, chaos ensues...

In just a few breaths.

The battlefield was filled with the sounds of tragic wails echoing one after another.

"Everyone, up the trees, jump!"

Caesar, after briefly sinking into the quagmire, leaped up, standing on the mud as if it were solid ground.

He shouted loudly.

Drawing from behind him a giant sword, as wide as half a person and as tall as a man.

With a resounding clamor.

He slashed the giant sword down onto the muddy ground.

The searing Holy Light Qi poured into the ground like a blazing flame.

The terrifying Qi Force instantly sent mud splattering...

In just a few breaths.

The ground was burned into a thick, solid layer.

Like stone bricks.

And amidst the scorching.

The Holy Cross Army followed the orders of their commander, leaping up immediately... upon landing, their muddy feet found firm footing on the ground.

In contrast, the Demon Beasts were scalded, hopping frantically.

"Kill!"

Amid the furious roars.

Even though caught off guard, suffering heavy casualties...

The Holy Cross Army, truly the most elite warriors of the Baoxue Empire, reacted swiftly, surrounding the Demon Beasts instead.

While their absolute strength might be inferior.

They made up for it with their numbers and coordinated efforts.

In just a few dozen breaths, they regained the upper hand.

"What formidable humans, the giant earthworm is a Level 8 Demon Beast, yet it can’t withstand a full-on strike from that human!"

In the distance.

The Ancient Tree couldn’t help but sigh softly, shaking its head, "It seems I can’t stay hidden either."

Saying this.

Countless vines and tendrils extended toward the humans.

Wrapping around key points where the Holy Cross Army was most concentrated, dragging the struggling soldiers back into the depths of the jungle, like snakes seizing prey, retreating with their quarry.

This time, without Caesar having to say anything...

The warriors of the Holy Cross Army instinctively avoided those plants, focusing instead on the Demon Beasts.

Yet against their expectations.

These Demon Beasts proved far stronger than they had initially estimated.

Even though they were gradually gaining the upper hand, their supposedly lethal assaults only wounded but did not kill, failing to take the life of these creatures.

"This time, the Demon Beasts seem far stronger than other beasts of equivalent level."

In the distance.

Uther and the others, who had quietly maneuvered away at the onset of the war, watched the fierce battle, their eyes filled with solemnity.

"It seems they sensed a threat, so this time they’re giving it their all."

Aemon suddenly sneered, "Going all out? Where are the Secret Realm People?"

His point struck home, and the other three fell into silence...

The Ancient Tree had already dragged hundreds of Holy Cross Army troops into the jungle, promptly snapping their necks.

Then repeatedly attacked.

Despite the unalterable tide of battle.

She helplessly watched the fierce struggle between Demon Beasts and humans...

The Holy Cross Army suffered heavy casualties, but the Demon Beasts also began to fall.

Clearly...

If not for Xu Lingjun providing the Cultivation Technique that vastly enhanced these Demon Beasts’ powers, they might have already seen defeat.