Chapter 97: The True Army

"Again, summoning out of thin air!" Ye Xin, standing beside Lin Qian, was astonished as she watched the scene unfold.

She had always been curious about how Lin Qian managed to summon such strange soldiers, and now she understood—he could actually summon them out of nowhere.

But Ye Xin noticed that the soldiers appearing now were completely different from the black-armored soldiers she had seen before. Those soldiers, who followed Lin Qian's orders, seemed to be dressed for agility and speed.

The soldiers that appeared now, however, were completely different.

The soldiers kneeling before Lin Qian were all clad in heavy armor, fully equipped for battle. Ye Xin could also distinguish between two distinct types of soldiers.

The ones closer to Lin Qian had a normal human physique and were equipped with fully armed spears, their soul power glowing a dull yellow, making it hard to discern their attributes.

As for the soldiers on the outer perimeter, they were hulking giants over eight feet tall, broad-shouldered with muscular frames, each carrying a massive shield on their back. Their soul power also glowed a dull yellow.

"This is simply..." Zhang Jun Cheng, the sect master of Dangyuan Sect, was utterly speechless. Despite the fact that these soldiers only had the aura of the ninth stage of Nirvana Realm, he could sense something extraordinary about them.

Their uniforms were standardized, their equipment was top-notch, and their gazes were cold and unwavering.

Upon closer inspection, Zhang Jun Cheng was even more astonished to realize that although their faces varied, their body sizes were identical.

Furthermore, the soul power attributes of these soldiers were unique, creating a sense of cohesion among them, as if they were a single, impenetrable force. This unity made it nearly impossible for any stronger force to overwhelm them.

"Identical physiques, identical soul power attributes, and a unique connection between them—this is the perfect army," Zhang Jun Cheng marveled, realizing that once this army engaged in battle, their combat strength would be unparalleled.

From the other side, Nan Xin's eyes flared with purple flames as he struggled to believe what he was seeing. "This is impossible! Where did you get these people from, you brat?"

"None of your business," Lin Qian scoffed with disdain. "All you need to know is that now, I'll show you what a real army looks like."

With that, Lin Qian ignored Nan Xin's darkened expression and waved his hand. "Charge!"

"Yes!" The soldiers stood and shouted in unison, then turned to face the army of undead, charging forward in a well-coordinated formation.

These soldiers, summoned from the Huaxia Empire, didn't blindly rush into battle. Instead, they moved in a disciplined, organized manner.

The burly shield-bearers hefted their massive shields off their backs, forming a circular formation at the edge of the protective light pillar.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The towering shields, even taller than an average person, were slammed into the ground, creating a wall of defense. The dull yellow soul power infused into the shields, linking them together and forming an impenetrable shield wall.

Not only that, once the first layer of shield-bearers had set their shields, a second group climbed atop their comrades' shoulders, creating a second layer of defense.

In the stunned eyes of Ye Xin, Zhang Jun Cheng, and Nan Xin, a solid double-layered shield wall took shape before them.

But Ye Xin noticed something odd. At the point where the shields connected, there were three circular openings. She couldn't figure out their purpose.

"Roar! Roar!"

The undead army on the other side of the shield wall grew restless, howling as they tried to ram into the shields.

However, the shield-bearers, with their immense strength, remained unmoved, their arms steady and unshaken.

"Brilliant!" Zhang Jun Cheng couldn't help but praise. "Your soldiers are incredible, young man. The way they've formed this shield wall, with each layer linked together like a solid mass, is impressive—truly impressive!"

Lin Qian nodded proudly, his expression a mix of arrogance and satisfaction. "Naturally. The army of the Huaxia Empire is unmatched in the world!"

Hearing Lin Qian's confident declaration, Zhang Jun Cheng couldn't help but smile. "You certainly don't lack confidence, do you?"

"I trust my men," Lin Qian replied with a grin. "Given equal conditions, they're invincible. I'm proud of them, and I don't need to pretend otherwise. Strength is strength!"

Zhang Jun Cheng nodded in agreement. "Well said. And I must admit, your men are strong indeed."

Clang!

As Lin Qian and Zhang Jun Cheng spoke, the spearmen moved into position. They approached the shield wall and thrust their spears through the circular openings between the shields.

The undead, unprepared for the sudden attack, were struck through their cores by the spears. The powerful thrusts infused with soul power shattered their torsos, destroying them instantly.

"So that's what those openings were for!" Ye Xin finally understood the purpose of the circular gaps in the shield wall.

The three openings, positioned at various heights, allowed the spearmen to strike with precision, maximizing their effectiveness in battle.

At that moment, more shield-bearers and spearmen descended from above, landing beside Lin Qian.

The newly arrived shield-bearers quickly positioned their massive shields, locking them together in preparation.

"Charge!" With a powerful shout, the shield-bearers already forming the shield wall surged forward, slamming into the undead army.

The impact sent the undead flying, opening up space between the shield wall and the rest of the undead horde.

As they advanced, the shield-bearers created gaps in their formation, allowing the next group to move in and fill the spaces seamlessly.

Within moments, the shield wall doubled in size, expanding to cover more ground. As soon as the second layer was set, the next wave of shield-bearers leaped atop their comrades, forming another layer.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The deafening clash of shields echoed through the battlefield as the double-layered shield wall took shape once again.

Then, the familiar black-armored soldiers—the rapid-response troops—appeared, swiftly moving into the newly cleared area. They pulled out small devices that emitted searing beams of light, reducing the undead to ashes.

If any undead had survived the initial attack, these soldiers quickly dispatched them with precision strikes, using their strange devices to cleanse the battlefield.

The speed and coordination of the rapid-response troops left Ye Xin and Zhang Jun Cheng in awe.

As Zhang Jun Cheng recalled Lin Qian's earlier words to Nan Xin about showing him a true army, he couldn't help but chuckle. "It's not just him—you've shown me what a real army is too."