……

As the Immortal Sovereign held back the pursuers, Wang Yingxuan, Wang Lici, and the others had already led the captives a long distance away.

Under the night sky, hundreds of ragged captives stumbled through the mountains and forests, supporting each other as they ran silently, not daring to pause for even a moment. Despite their utmost efforts and speed far surpassing that of ordinary people, they were still no match for the pursuing soldiers from the Demon King Fortress.

There was nothing they could do; the shackles on them restricted the flow of profound energy, and these shackles couldn't be undone in a short time. Even with Wang Lici and Wang Yingxuan using various means to assist, their speed couldn't compare to the elite soldiers of the Demon King Fortress.

Moreover, after traveling hundreds of miles overnight, their stamina was gradually depleting, and the negative effects of their injuries and weakened state were becoming more pronounced. Their speed was not only failing to improve but was actually slowing down.

Zhang Huaibing continuously infused profound energy into a Wind Spirit Pearl, using its power to help everyone speed up, yet he remained worried and couldn't help but send a voice transmission to Wang Yingxuan: "Yingxuan, are you really sure that Princess Suiyun will send someone to meet us? What if she doesn't understand the message you wanted to convey?"

This was demon territory, and the distance to the human defense zone was thousands of miles. If the Immortal Sovereign's projection was destroyed and there was no support, these captives would be doomed!

"Then it means Sister Suiyun is too foolish and unfit to be the next Immortal Emperor. I'll definitely stop her from ascending," Wang Yingxuan was using the War Manual's power to boost everyone's morale. Hearing this, she replied via voice transmission, "And if we have no other choice, we'll have to abandon the burdensome captives and escape on our own."

Wang Yingxuan had already considered all possibilities, including this scenario, which she estimated had less than a one percent chance of occurring.

"That's too heartless, isn't it?" Zhang Huaibing's face twitched.

"Brother Huaibing, full of compassion and righteousness, if you want to stay and die with them, I have no objection," Wang Yingxuan patted his shoulder admiringly, "I'll make sure to erect a monument in the Immortal Palace in your honor."

"Uh..."

After Wang Yingxuan's words, Zhang Huaibing's face twitched again, realizing he had let his emotions get the better of him.

Fortunately, Princess Suiyun did not disappoint.

As they were running desperately, suddenly, from a nearby mountain pass, an astonishing aura shot up into the sky.

Following that, dazzling streaks of light cut across the night sky, densely packed, shooting toward them like a meteor shower.

The aura was magnificent, the momentum earth-shattering.

Especially the three leading figures, who were as dazzling as the bright moon in the night sky.

These three were naturally the three Lingxu Realm big shots of the human race.

Clearly, they had detected the movements of the Demon King Fortress and the commotion from the pursuers, knowing the time had come, and immediately set out to provide support.

Creating such a grand display was naturally a signal to them, indicating "Our side has come to support, quickly make contact."

Seeing this scene, the captives, who were already nearing exhaustion, suddenly felt a surge of energy, their eyes lighting up with hope.

"It's the human cultivators! Our reinforcements have arrived!"

"Aunt Lici, shout quickly!" Wang Yingxuan also felt invigorated, "The reinforcements arrived faster than I expected."

"Roar~~"

Wang Lici immediately let out a loud roar.

In an instant, the roar was like that of an ancient beast, echoing through the forest, causing the surrounding dense woods to rustle.

However, after roaring, she realized something was amiss. Why did she roar just because Yingxuan told her to?

"Is that Yingxuan and Lici?"

Following the roar, the reinforcements shooting through the sky immediately spotted them in the forest, and their speed suddenly increased. In the blink of an eye, a group of experts descended from the sky.

Hundreds of elite human cultivators stepped on various streaks of light, piercing through the night, their overwhelming aura filling the sky, bringing an unparalleled sense of safety.

The scene truly felt like divine soldiers descending from the heavens.

Many of the rescued captives instantly had tears in their eyes.

They hadn't cried when they were tortured, hadn't cried when they were almost cooked, hadn't cried when they were exhausted from fleeing, but at this moment, they couldn't hold back any longer.

Not to mention them, even Zhang Huaibing felt a sense of surviving a disaster, his long-tense nerves finally relaxing.

Among everyone, the calmest were probably Wang Lici, Wang Yingxuan, and Lan Wan'er. Wang Lici and Lan Wan'er were always carefree, while Wang Yingxuan had everything under control.

The Demonic Realm Burrowing Rat, on the other hand, was startled by the sudden appearance of so many human cultivators and immediately shrank to Wang Lici's feet, not daring to move.

In just a few breaths, all the reinforcements landed, surrounding Wang Yingxuan and the captives. Some Purple Mansion Realm cultivators automatically spread out, taking up positions as guards.

"Hahaha!"

In the crowd, Wu Yinghao stepped out with the three Lingxu big shots, laughing heartily and giving Wang Lici and the others a big thumbs up: "Well done! I knew those explosions must have been your doing!"

"Yinghao, stop with the nonsense," Ancestor Weilong reminded sternly, "This place is too close to the Gluttonous Demon King Fortress, with two other Demon King Fortresses on either side for support. It's really not suitable to stay long."

"Yes, Ancestor."

Wu Yinghao immediately restrained his excitement and began to command seriously: "There are about three hundred captives here. Each Lingxu Realm cultivator will take twenty, each Divine Realm cultivator will take five, and the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators will take turns carrying the remaining rescued captives. We'll fly back as quickly as possible and reunite with His Highness's army."

"Carrying people while flying consumes a lot of energy, so don't be stingy with the pills and spiritual stones along the way."

At the Purple Mansion Realm, a cultivator's light could carry people in flight, but carrying people consumed much more profound energy than flying alone, and there were limits to the number of people.

Generally speaking, a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator could carry two or three people without much trouble, but more than that would be taxing and affect speed, which was the main reason Wang Lici and the others couldn't directly fly back with the captives before.

Fortunately, this time the reinforcements numbered in the hundreds, all above the Purple Mansion Realm, so taking all the captives was no problem.

However, even so, the distance to the human base was far, and long-distance high-speed flight would be exhausting even for Purple Mansion and Divine Realm cultivators without consuming pills.

"Wait."

Wang Yingxuan raised her hand to stop Wu Yinghao: "Don't be in such a hurry to go back. The situation has changed; many of the elite in the Gluttonous Demon King Fortress have already been killed or injured by explosions, leaving only a thousand or so defeated soldiers, and they're not far from us. The Immortal Sovereign's projection is currently sniping and delaying them. This is a heaven-sent opportunity. Instead of going back, we should take this chance to eliminate the Gluttonous Demon King's forces and maybe even save the Immortal Sovereign's projection."

Although the reinforcements were only a few hundred strong, they were all super elite, with the weakest being Purple Mansion Realm cultivators. The remaining forces of the Gluttonous Demon King, though numerous, were mostly low-level Lingtai Realm demon soldiers.

The Gluttonous Demon King, in its haste to retrieve the meat fungus, had no time to gather a large army, and the soldiers and generals following it were those originally in the Demon King Fortress, with hardly any elite among them. After all, most of the elite had been blown up.

She quickly shared the intelligence with Wu Yinghao.

Understanding the situation, Wu Yinghao's eyes lit up: "This is a major achievement. Let's do it! Wang Yingxuan, lead the way."

The Gluttonous Demon King was ruthless and cunning, having slaughtered countless humans over the millennia. The human side had long hated it, but had never managed to eliminate it. If they could seize this opportunity to take down the Gluttonous Demon King, it would not only be a tremendous achievement but also a significant morale boost for the human race!

Opportunities like this were rare and fleeting.

Without any hesitation, Wu Yinghao left a team of Purple Mansion Realm cultivators to care for the captives, then led the group back with Wang Yingxuan to counterattack.

They moved swiftly, reaching the battlefield in no time.

By then, the Immortal Sovereign's projection, which had stayed behind to delay the enemy, was already engaged in a fierce battle. It had slain hundreds of enemy troops but was now surrounded and contained by the Gluttonous Demon King and several demon lords.

As long as it didn't escape, its fate was sealed.

All it could do was consume more enemy forces and buy more time.

The dignified Immortal Sovereign had already decided to sacrifice this projection. As long as a wisp of its soul could escape, the loss would be within acceptable limits.

Just when the Immortal Sovereign thought it was doomed, powerful auras suddenly descended from the sky behind it, like divine soldiers from the heavens.

Majestic auras filled the sky, accompanied by Wang Yingxuan's domineering and commanding voice: "The three Lingxu big shots, each lead a group, form a triangle and surround the Gluttonous Demon King's forces. Today, we're going to annihilate the Gluttonous Demon King Fortress."

"Immortal Sovereign, I've returned with reinforcements to save you."

With the arrival of the human elite, the Gluttonous Demon King's forces immediately lost morale, and their formation fell into chaos. The Gluttonous Demon King, in particular, was so flustered that it didn't even care about its treasures, leading a group of demon lords in an attempt to flee.

But at this critical moment, how could the Immortal Sovereign let them have their way? It immediately engaged them, forcibly holding the Gluttonous Demon King in place.

Soon, the encircled Gluttonous Demon King's forces were slaughtered.

"When fighting deep in enemy territory, mobility is crucial. We can't leave any captives behind," Wang Yingxuan, holding a red-tasseled spear, floated in the sky, exuding the aura of a battlefield goddess.

The War Manual hovered above her head, and each time an enemy was slain, its light grew stronger.

Simultaneously, the manual emitted powerful waves, radiating golden light that shone on every soldier, strengthening their resolve, boosting their morale, and even significantly enhancing the recovery speed of their profound energy.

Unbeknownst to them, the soldiers' overall combat power had significantly increased.

This was the characteristic of the War Manual. In single combat, it wasn't as formidable as some other manuals, but on the battlefield, it could exert its greatest effect.

Moreover, it grew stronger with each battle.

In no time, the Gluttonous Demon King, as large as a small mountain, was jointly slaughtered by the three Lingxu big shots and the Immortal Sovereign, while its subordinates were swiftly being cleaned up and slaughtered.

The Gluttonous Demon King's forces were thus completely annihilated.

Everyone quickly and methodically cleaned up the battlefield, especially taking away the bodies of the Gluttonous Demon King and some lord-level demon kings, which were treasures with various uses.

"You little brat, you actually came back," the Immortal Sovereign's projection, though having consumed a lot of energy, was far from dissipating. It scolded with its mouth, but its heart was full of joy.

It turned out it hadn't misjudged; Wang Yingxuan and the War Manual were indeed a perfect match. Awakening the War Manual specifically for her had been the right decision.

Given time, this outer region battlefield might see the rise of another female war goddess.

"Hehe, I wouldn't really let the Immortal Sovereign be cannon fodder. This was a tactical retreat," Wang Yingxuan quickly changed the subject, lest the Immortal Sovereign hold her accountable later and make things difficult for her.

"Yingxuan, this move was slick," Wu Yinghao said with a smile, full of praise, "Your War Manual is impressive, beyond expectations."

How could he not be in a good mood? Not only had they rescued the captives, but they had also managed to annihilate the Gluttonous Demon King. This series of achievements certainly allowed Wu Yinghao to hold his head high.

"Oh, it's nothing," Wang Yingxuan said modestly, full of pride, "Thanks to Brother Yinghao's timely rescue."

The two exchanged compliments, making others around them break out in goosebumps.

"Alright, alright," the Immortal Sovereign quickly interrupted their shameless exchange of compliments, "Though the rescue was timely, we still need to leave enemy territory as soon as possible to avoid being cut off by the Giant Strength Demon King and Blackwing Demon King forces."

The Gluttonous Demon King had been first blown up along with its trusted and elite forces, then, in a fit of rage, charged out alone, giving them this opportunity.

The other two Demon King Fortresses, however, were intact, and this elite force couldn't withstand them. If they were encircled and cut off, it would be a big problem.

At that moment, a sharp whistle came from afar, and Wang Dingfeng, responsible for scouting, arrived at high speed.

He had been hovering nearby, waiting for the battle to end before approaching.

Wang Dingfeng looked anxious, and as soon as he landed, he reported the intelligence without even a greeting: "Immortal Sovereign, three seniors, and Yinghao. I just received news from the scouts on the front line. A few days ago, the Giant Strength Demon King and Blackwing Demon King forces dispatched elite armies, launching a pincer attack on the central route, seemingly intending to cut off our retreat and encircle this area."

"A few days ago? Which day exactly?" Wang Yingxuan's eyes flashed as she immediately inquired.

"To be precise, they left the fortress four days ago," Wang Dingfeng said gravely, "We need to speed up our retreat. If they form a blockade, it will be difficult for us to break through and return to the human defense zone."

"Hold on!"

Wang Yingxuan landed, casually striking the ground with her palm. Under the swirling profound energy, the sand and soil were instantly "shaved" away.

The sunken part was square, with faint outlines of mountains, winding rivers, and visible positions and fortifications, clearly a simple sand table.

The sand table depicted the rough deployment of both the demon and human defense zones.

Wu Yinghao was stunned, his eyes wide: "Weren't you in the recruit camp training? Where did you get a deployment map?"

"I'll explain later," Wang Yingxuan casually picked up the red-tasseled spear, pointing to the two fortress-like positions on the sand table, "This is the Giant Strength Demon King Fortress, and this is the Blackwing Demon King Fortress."

She then drew two lines on the sand table with the spear.

"These are their army's marching routes and supply lines."

"The army is large and moves slowly. Based on the demon army's normal marching speed, they should have reached this vicinity in four days."

She drew two circles, representing the approximate positions of the two demon armies.

"In less than a day, the two demon armies can successfully converge and form a blockade," Wu Yinghao glanced at it, his thoughts instantly clear, and a trace of seriousness appeared in his eyes, "Even if we rush back now, we can't break through the blockade before they converge. If we try to force our way through, the enemy will surely send experts to intercept us."

Our side can act with elite forces, and the enemy can naturally send elite forces to intercept and entangle, which is why everyone is anxious to retreat.

"Don't rush," Wang Yingxuan stared at the sand table, pondering for a moment, then asked Wang Dingfeng, "Ancestor Dingfeng, are you sure both Demon King Fortresses have sent out their elite forces?"

"Yingxuan, even if we're family, I have to be angry with you for saying that," Wang Dingfeng said with slight dissatisfaction, "You can question me about anything, but not about the intelligence capabilities of me and my men. Each Demon King has dispatched twenty to thirty demon lords, hundreds of demon generals, and a total of twenty to thirty thousand elite demon soldiers! Such a large-scale mobilization definitely counts as an all-out deployment."

"Great!" Wang Yingxuan was not frightened but delighted, her eyes beginning to shine, "So, the Blackwing Demon King Fortress and Giant Strength Demon King Fortress are both defenseless?"

"Wang Yingxuan, what are you planning?" The Immortal Sovereign immediately sensed something was amiss.

"Of course, I plan to capture the fortresses," Wang Yingxuan continued marking on the sand table, "The Blackwing Demon King is here, and the Giant Strength Demon King is here. By now, Princess Suiyun's main force should have already set out... Where is our Suiyun Division, can you estimate?"

"Our Suiyun Division's main force should be advancing from the front camp, ready to support us at any time," Wu Yinghao quickly marked the position, "It should be here, not far from the Blackwing Demon King and Giant Strength Demon King forces, but don't even think about a frontal assault."

"Under normal circumstances, our Suiyun Division should be able to take down one of the Blackwing or Giant Strength Demon King forces, but definitely not both combined. Moreover, many key elites in the army have been reassigned..."

"No need to fight, just contain them," Wang Yingxuan pointed out, "Our elite special forces are swift and extremely elite, making it the perfect time to strike quickly against the slow."

"We'll spend half a day clearing the remnants of the Giant Strength Demon King Fortress and burning all the logistics supplies to prevent the remnants from regrouping into an army. Then, we'll split into two groups and simultaneously launch surprise attacks on the defenseless Blackwing Demon King Fortress and Giant Strength Demon King Fortress."

"Note, it's a surprise attack, led by the Immortal Sovereign's projection or Lingxu big shots, to infiltrate the enemy fortress with lightning speed, destroying formations and gates from within."

"Once the fortress is taken, head straight to the treasure vault and armory, plundering as much as possible, while controlling all logistics supplies, cutting off the main forces of the Blackwing Demon King and Giant Strength Demon King from their supplies. Since the enemy's main forces have been deployed, let's seize the opportunity for a big operation."

The Immortal Sovereign's mouth twitched, glaring at Wang Yingxuan.

We're a righteous Immortal Dynasty army, don't use terms like plundering and pillaging so casually. It sounds jarring.

"Come on, let's quickly assign tasks. Aunt Lici, you'll go with me, and we'll rely on you for the location of the treasure vault. Immortal Sovereign, you'll team up with me to head to the Blackwing Demon King Fortress. Don't waste the energy of your projection," Wang Yingxuan swiftly took over command again.

Listening to her "waste utilization" tone, the Immortal Sovereign's face twitched.

Wang Yingxuan, oh Wang Yingxuan, it seems you won't be satisfied until you exhaust this projection of mine.

But he had to admit, Wang Yingxuan's strategy was bold yet highly feasible. If successful, the rewards would be substantial. The Immortal Sovereign and Wu Yinghao had no reason to refuse.

……

Two days later.

The Blackwing Demon King forces had completed their deployment as planned.

In the area under its responsibility, all strategic locations and critical points along the human elite's return route were manned by elite demon soldiers.

Twenty to thirty thousand demon troops formed an impenetrable blockade, sealing off this vast area. On their side, the human elite who dared to destroy the Gluttonous Demon King Fortress and rescue captives would not escape.

The Blackwing Demon King itself was riding in a floating demon king chariot, sipping fine wine served by several demon beauties.

Earlier that morning, news had already arrived from the rear, and it was in a good mood.

The foolish and greedy Gluttonous Demon King had suffered a devastating blow, leaving its territory as a large piece of fat meat. Once the Blackwing Demon King completed the Yincha Demon God's task, it could claim the Gluttonous Demon King's territory, doubling its own.

Its only competitor was the Giant Strength Demon King Fortress.

However, the Blackwing Demon King had always been craftier than the Giant Strength Demon King, and at this moment, it had already devised several strategies to delay the Giant Strength Demon King, preventing it from competing.

While it was secretly pleased, a demon scout suddenly flew in at high speed, hastily reporting: "Your Highness Blackwing, something major has happened. Our Blackwing Demon King Fortress has been attacked by enemy forces, and our logistics supply line has been destroyed."

"What?" The Blackwing Demon's expression changed, then it flew into a rage, "Impossible! There are no enemies behind us, and the Suiyun Division is stationed in front of us."

In warfare, the greatest fear is having one's home base attacked and supply lines cut. Now, with both nightmares descending simultaneously, no wonder the Blackwing Demon King was furious.

"Your Highness... the intelligence is accurate!" The demon scout reported mournfully, "It's the news our brothers risked their lives to send back."

"Someone, give the order to retreat and defend immediately!"

Almost instantly, the Blackwing Demon King made the decision to retreat and defend.

Having one's home base attacked was a grave matter, and even the Yincha Demon God would have nothing to say.

For any demon king, the Demon King Fortress was the most important, as all its wealth and power stemmed from it. Without the Demon King Fortress, how could it establish itself and support its numerous subordinates?

No matter what, the Demon King Fortress had to be reclaimed!

With the Blackwing Demon King's order, the demon army, originally spread across various strategic locations to form a blockade, began to rapidly retreat, regrouping into an army and heading back to defend the Blackwing Demon King Fortress under its leadership.

However, Princess Suiyun, who had also received the news and was ready to act, wouldn't let it have its way.

Seeing the Blackwing Demon King retreat, she immediately dispatched half her forces to pursue, not engaging in a frontal assault but continuously harassing from behind.

As the saying goes, "Advance when the enemy retreats, disturb when the enemy halts, attack when the enemy is tired." Under this series of tactical guidance, the Blackwing Demon King's forces were tormented and miserable, and the Blackwing Demon King was nearly exploding with anger.

The Giant Strength Demon King's forces received similar treatment.

Wang Yingxuan's strategy was bold, aiming not only to capture the two Demon King Fortresses but also to trap and contain the main forces of the two demon kings, naturally adopting a symmetrical combat plan.

Wang Yingxuan herself, along with the Immortal Sovereign's projection, True Lord Yunhe, and nearly two hundred super elites, had successfully infiltrated the fortress, destroyed the logistics, and entered the "plundering" phase.

The poor "Immortal Sovereign's projection" was dragged along by Wang Yingxuan for its first plundering journey.

The Blackwing Demon King Fortress housed many demon aristocrats.

In no time, one treasure vault after another was raided, resisting demon bandits were slain, and a continuous stream of wealth flowed into the [Wang Yingxuan Division], with one demon lair after another being destroyed.

For the first time, the Immortal Sovereign experienced a sense of "thrill."

In the past, fighting demons mostly involved defense, rarely resulting in satisfying victories.

As the Immortal Sovereign, he was primarily stationed on the battlefield, putting out fires wherever needed. When things went wrong, the Immortal Sovereign intervened. When a demon god attacked, the Immortal Sovereign intervened!

Every time, it was frustrating.

This feeling of charging into a Demon King Fortress, doing as one pleased, and plundering was something the Immortal Sovereign had never experienced in his life.

"Yingxuan, when we return, I'll personally commend you," the Immortal Sovereign said happily, "This is a great victory, a major victory!"

"Immortal Sovereign, can't you have a bit more ambition?" Wang Yingxuan, full of swagger, replied, "It's just a small Demon King Fortress. Give me time to develop, and more troops, and I'll help you take down the Yincha Demon God Temple."

"Yingxuan, you're boasting too much!" True Lord Yunhe laughed and scolded.

Wang Yingxuan, unconcerned, continued to smile: "Haha, when boasting, you have to go big. You never know, it might come true one day..."

But just as she was speaking, the sky suddenly darkened.

An incredibly oppressive aura spread across the sky.

The next moment.

Layers of spatial ripples appeared in the sky, expanding and fluctuating more and more violently, until finally, a massive spatial vortex rapidly formed in the sky.

From the center of the vortex, a graceful figure with enormous bat wings flew out.

It was a bewitching and charming demon.

Its appearance was similar to a human female, with large bat wings, thick and curved demon horns, and intricate and beautiful scales covering its body. Its entire being seemed to exude a deadly allure, irresistibly drawing attention.

With its appearance, a vast pressure swept out like a hurricane, instantly enveloping the entire Blackwing Demon King Fortress.

"A true form, this is the true form of a demon god!" True Lord Yunhe's face changed drastically, his voice trembling.

Without a doubt, the newcomer was the Yincha Demon God.

Moreover, this was its true form, not a projection.

"Uh..."

Wang Yingxuan was speechless.

The Yincha Demon God had personally appeared? That was too impatient, wasn't it?

Speaking of which, she had seen many projections of True Immortal Realm big shots, but this was the first time she had seen a true form of someone of this level.

She hadn't expected her first encounter to be with the Yincha Demon God.

"Wang Yingxuan, you truly have some skill, managing to completely outwit this demon god," the Yincha Demon God's face was dark, its demonic thoughts sweeping over to find Wang Yingxuan below.

It snorted coldly, and an endless pressure bore down on Wang Yingxuan, almost suffocating her.

"How... how does the Demon God know my name?" Wang Yingxuan's eyes were filled with confusion and innocence.

"Of course, this demon god knows you! It was you who made this demon god lose face and suffer great losses," the Yincha Demon God was furious, its enchanting and alluring face twisted, "You have now become this demon god's number one nemesis."

"Uh... shouldn't your number one nemesis be Sister Suiyun?" Wang Yingxuan shrank her neck, awkwardly saying, "Little Wang Yingxuan, what merit or ability do I have? How about I return this Demon King Fortress to you?"

"Too late!"The Yincha Demon God casually swiped its claw, and a massive black energy claw descended upon Wang Yingxuan.

It blotted out the sky and exuded an overwhelming demonic might.

Even though it was just a casual strike, it was from the true form of a demon god comparable to a human in the True Immortal Realm, and its terrifying power seemed capable of destroying the heavens and earth.

Wherever the black energy claw reached, even space itself seemed unable to bear it, cracking open with web-like fissures.

At the same time, its cold and murderous voice echoed from the sky: "Being personally struck down by this demon god is an honor for you."

Wang Yingxuan looked up at the scene, feeling both amused and exasperated.

Damn your so-called honor~