CHAPTER 530: 430 ZHANGG BLOOD EARN_2

But no matter what, with the end of this battle, the grim name of the ’Tyrant’ is now undisputed.

One man summoned tens of millions of the Undead Army.

One man faced the ’Coastline Alliance’ single-handedly.

One man battled ferociously for three days and nights with ease.

"Is this even human?"

"Is this still human?"

They could no longer muster any extra thoughts; each of them was shaken to the core by the power displayed by the ’Tyrant.’

"The Tyrant."

Even the various organizations observing the fight fell into complete silence.

Their original intention was to assess the strength of the ’Coastline Alliance’ and investigate the depth of the ’Virtual Arena.’

Ultimately, they got what they wanted—but found it utterly hollow.

Because, in this battle, the ’Tyrant’ had clearly become the sole protagonist, and the ’Virtual Arena’ changed ownership during the fight.

The grand and intense battle was brought to an abrupt halt.

One side achieved overwhelming victory.

The other side suffered utter defeat.

This time, the losses sustained by the ’Coastline Alliance’ were catastrophic.

Millions of soldiers perished in combat.

The cost of transporting twenty million troops.

The favors owed for inviting Immortals and Legends to join the battle.

And not only that.

The diversion of troops, Legends, and Immortals caused the defenses at other key locations to grow thin, allowing enemy organizations to exploit the openings; within just three days, four strategic strongholds fell.

Adding to that, the now-lost ’Virtual Arena.’

"A complete and utter defeat!"

The losses facing the ’Coastline Alliance’ were immense.

But the worst was still yet to come.

"Sixteen million troops."

"One hundred and ninety-six Legends."

"Fourteen Immortals."

Standing atop the Griffin Ancestor, Chen Jichuan looked down on Wusenuo and the others, and declared loudly, "Three days’ time—five hundred Holy Artifacts—or face the consequences!"

This battle was a resounding victory.

From this day forward, the ’Virtual Arena’ became part of the ’Summoning Cottage’ enterprise.

Yet Chen Jichuan was still not satisfied.

The ’Coastline Alliance’ resisted desperately and even boasted of annihilating the ’Summoning Cottage.’ He could not tolerate such arrogance—it would all be repaid now.

"Five hundred Holy Artifacts?"

"Why don’t you just rob us?"

Keen’s eyes flared wide, practically spitting fire.

"Apologies."

"I am robbing you."

Chen Jichuan shot Keen, the ’Dimension Walker,’ a sideways glance and smiled, "Had you stayed quiet, I might have forgotten. Your deeds in the Undead Realm greatly displease me—add twenty Holy Artifacts to the tally."

"Five hundred and twenty Holy Artifacts."

"Three days’ time."

"Not a single one less."

Chen Jichuan not only refused to take a step back but boldly advanced two steps forward.

"Benage!"

"You’re dreaming!"

Keen was so enraged he nearly ascended to the heavens, roaring, "Die together if need be!"

"Die together?"

"Are you even qualified?"

Chen Jichuan laughed.

He didn’t bother to argue with Keen; as he turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something and added, "The Mage Tower and Magic Formation on the island must be preserved carefully. Hand over the blueprints and control valves—don’t try any sly tricks. Losing the ’Virtual Arena’ was bad enough; petty schemes will only prove unworthy."

Having spoken, Chen Jichuan did not linger and swaggered off with Beirut and twenty-four Ancestors in tow.

By rights.

These nearly two hundred Legends and fourteen Immortals were all his captives, but Chen Jichuan had no need to control them.

He only needed to secure the sixteen million troops on the island, and Wusenuo and the others wouldn’t dare to defy him.

These were the lifeblood of the ’Coastline Alliance.’

Without these millions of stationed troops, the foundation of the ’Coastline Alliance’ would falter. And the longer the delay, the greater the losses they would suffer.

Chen Jichuan could wait.

But they could not delay.

...

Chen Jichuan’s prediction was correct.

The ’Coastline Alliance’ indeed could not afford to delay. Even if they wanted revenge, they understood that the ransom must still be paid first.

Vengeance was a matter for the future.

Even though Wusenuo, Keen, and others burned with fury and humiliation.

By the second day, the ’Coastline Alliance’ had already assembled five hundred and twenty Holy Artifacts, alongside the island’s blueprints, Mage Tower, and Magic Formation, all handed over to Chen Jichuan.

This was an old and established Immortal Organization.

It had a deep history, formidable strength, and boundless wealth.

Five hundred and twenty Holy Artifacts might sound like a lot, but since Chen Jichuan did not specify the Level, all five hundred were lower-grade, and most carried only a single Holy Mark.

The overall value was, in truth, relatively modest.

After all, seven or eight lower Holy Artifacts might not even be worth one upper-grade Holy Artifact.

But Chen Jichuan accepted them wholeheartedly.

All he truly sought was their Holy Marks.

Upper or lower grade meant little to him.

In this single transaction, he acquired five hundred and twenty Holy Artifacts. Since the ’Coastline Alliance’ had little time to exchange them, some items even held two or three Holy Marks.

"Five hundred and twenty pieces."

"Six hundred and seventy-six Holy Marks."

"Slightly more, and the ’Seven Emotions and Six Desires Map’ will have a thousand Holy Marks total."

Chen Jichuan counted the Holy Artifacts and was highly satisfied.

The ’Coastline Alliance’ paid their ransom without hesitation, and Chen Jichuan didn’t play dirty.

The sixteen million troops were released that very day for the ’Coastline Alliance’ to retrieve.

A clean, straightforward deal.

In fact, if analyzed further, this transaction wasn’t truly unprofitable for the ’Coastline Alliance.’

The sixteen million troops cost them only one hundred and sixty Holy Artifacts—an average of ten thousand soldiers per Holy Artifact. At this critical juncture, they had made a considerable gain.

Then there were the one hundred and ninety-six Legends.

Chen Jichuan didn’t demand much—a single Holy Artifact per Legend.

Where else could they find such a deal?

The ’Coastline Alliance’ also scored big.

Finally, there were fourteen Immortals. For the cost of defeating them once, Chen Jichuan calculated twenty-eight Holy Artifacts, highlighting their distinction and demonstrating respect for the Immortals.

Adding it all together, rounding off the numbers.

The five hundred and twenty Holy Artifacts were sufficient for all the redemptions—perhaps the ’Coastline Alliance’ might even be laughing inwardly now.

Though losing the ’Virtual Arena’ was a major blow, losing these millions of troops and hundreds of Legends would truly shake their foundation into ruin.

They were willing to pay the ransom of five hundred and twenty Holy Artifacts, willing to hand over the ’Virtual Arena’ they had operated for hundreds of thousands of years, just to secure the release of their captives and to hastily retreat.

And so the handover was smooth and quick.

Three days of combat.

Three days of negotiation.

Across six days, the ’Coastline Alliance,’ once rulers of the ’Virtual Arena’ for hundreds of thousands of years, formally relinquished ownership.

This battle, which drew the gaze of the entire Divine Throne World, officially concluded.

Three thousand five hundred years ago, in the battle outside the Star Cluster Graveyard, the ’Tyrant’ ascended to godhood.

And from this fight, his grim name became indelibly etched, making him feared across all of the Pan-plane!

...

Virtual Arena.

An eighty-thousand-mile island.

The Undead Army had withdrawn, and so had the millions of captives. The island was left eerily tranquil, its ground covered in mingled blood and bones, stretched across its mountains and rivers.

A landscape of devastation.

A stench of slaughter.

All remnants of war.

The stench of blood lingered, refusing to dissipate.

Chen Jichuan and Beirut wandered across the island. Beirut sighed, "War is cruel. The Immortals and Legends of the ’Coastline Alliance,’ in their quest to claim the ’Virtual Arena,’ sent legion after legion of soldiers to exchange their lives. They reaped the benefits even in defeat—none of the Legends died, none of the Immortals were harmed. Even their willingness to ransom sixteen million captives was merely to protect their interests at the top."

Such is the extraordinary world.

The lives of mortals as insignificant as blades of grass.

"War has no mercy."

Chen Jichuan understood the cruelty of war and the indifference of Wusenuo and the others.

But, in his heart, there was still a measure of righteousness.

As he walked, his fingers danced, teasing strands of gray energy into his fingertips and then into the ring on his index finger.

"Huh?"

"I thought I was dead."

"Ahahaha! I’m alive again?"

"Could this be the Netherworld?"

An expanse of gray, foggy skies summoned numerous beings. Black armored warriors appeared one by one, bringing vitality to a once lifeless world.

Skyscrapers rose from flatlands; mountains and rivers intertwined in harmonious shapes.

The millions who had died on the island, in this battle, their lingering souls now gathered instead of dissipating.

[Upper Holy Artifact: Death Heavenly Kingdom]

[Forbidden Curse Magic: Rebirth in Filth]

Holy Artifact combined with Forbidden Curse.

Chen Jichuan granted these fallen warriors and kings a new life. Within the ’Undead Heavenly Kingdom,’ they could live normally, whether peacefully or grandly, until they completed their new cycle of existence.

"You once fought for the ’Coastline Alliance.’ From now on, you may live for yourselves."

The most Chen Jichuan could do was this.

As for their loved ones and friends in the real world, or the sorrow brought by the separation of life and death—Chen Jichuan had no means to erase it.

...