Chapter 0696 – Facing the Behemoth

"Those are feral wolves. Look—some of them have scales growing on their bodies and emit an intimidating aura. They're fiercer than ordinary wolves. The other wolves don't dare approach them easily—they must be a noble bloodline among the pack."

"I've seen records in the Scripture Pavilion—these wolves seem to possess dragon blood, likely from Western dragons. That allows them to grow dragon scales, which drastically enhance their defense and physical strength. They're called Draconic Scale Demon Wolves. Their bloodline is noble, far above that of common wolves. Their combat prowess is terrifying, and their nature is extremely savage. Among their peers, they're known to be the most brutal of all."

"I see wolf cavalry! These riders are all elite warriors of the Werewolf Race, mounted on massive war wolves. These war wolves have tough hides, powerful bodies, and astonishing speed. In battle, they tear through enemies. According to the records, Wolf Cavalry are like butchers on the battlefield—appearing and vanishing like the wind."

At the horizon, the first thing to appear was an enormous, dense wolf horde, as vast as mountains and oceans. Behind them came wave after wave of beastman troops.

Elite werewolf riders, Minotaur warriors, and leopardfolk gripping sharp claws moved stealthily through the formations. These were the deadliest assassins on the battlefield—striking suddenly like executioners.

Then came the Gnolls, countless and savage, each carrying bundles of throwing spears on their backs. Their destructive power rivaled that of archers—if not more terrifying. Each one had eyes like a predator—cold and deadly.

And then the Kobolds, as numerous as locusts in the fields. Their reproductive rate was horrifying. A single birth yielded an entire brood. They were cheap to raise and matured in less than a year—reaching full combat readiness almost immediately.

Even more frightening were the ratmen. Their numbers were beyond imagination. Rats reproduced even faster than kobolds—birthing dozens at a time and growing rapidly. A sea of ratman soldiers, wielding bizarre weapons—rat-headed maces, bone spears, flensing knives, and hand axes—marched forward, their bloodlust shining in their eyes.

And then came a monstrous tide of feral rats, sweeping across the land like a storm.

It was a sight that chilled the soul.

All the elite troops of the beastman tribes had gathered into a terrifyingly massive coalition. Their true power wasn't just in numbers—it was in the unmatched momentum they generated. Individually, each beastman race might not be terrifying. But together, complementing each other, they became a force of overwhelming destruction.

Excluding the feral beasts like the wolves and rats, the beastman coalition army alone numbered in the tens of millions.

Now, they stood in the open plains before the Ironblood Great Wall. Looking out, it was like gazing upon an ocean with no end in sight. The sheer presence of that army felt like it could flatten mountains and erase cities—an unstoppable force of annihilation.

No power could withstand the might of such an army.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The plains were too small to contain them. Forests and ancient trees nearby collapsed under the pressure of the advancing beastman army. The jungle turned into barren wilderness. In broad daylight, the enemy army stood before the wall.

This was a scene unseen in all of history.

In any world, any era, a battle with over ten million troops was unheard of. The shock it brought was indescribable. Even those who had mentally prepared themselves found their breath stilled, hearts racing toward collapse.

Yet, atop the Ironblood Great Wall, not a single soul retreated. Not a word was spoken. Every soldier stood tall like unyielding mountains, facing the overwhelming pressure head-on.

Zhang Fei stepped forward, a fierce gleam in his eyes, and approached a massive war drum.

The drum was forged from the hide of a Tier-2 ferocious beast, the White Jade Rhino. Its frame was reinforced with rhino bones, and the drumsticks were made from the rhino's horns. Ordinary people couldn't even lift the sticks, let alone beat the drum. But once struck, the sound could carry for thousands of miles.

This war drum was known as the Ironblood Battle Drum.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Zhang Fei struck the drum. The ancient, majestic sound pierced the heavens. With each beat, the invisible pressure from the beastman army was shattered.

"War! War! WAR!!"

Zhang Fei's hair flew behind him as he howled to the sky, each shout like thunder breaking through darkness. His voice reverberated in everyone's minds. The surging pressure from the enemy collapsed. Battle intent within every soldier ignited instantly. It was as if their blood began to boil.

From the depths of their souls, a collective battle will erupted.

One by one, the soldiers—and even the common people—raised their heads and joined the cry.

"Thunder drums the skies, the earth becomes a tomb, a crimson storm lights our path."

"Savage lands rage, enemies howl, but the human race will never bow."

"Heads may fall, blood may spill, but our iron will defends the realm!"

"Steel blade in hand, ninety-nine strong, not a single foe shall survive!"

Millions sang the Ironblood War Song, their voices shaking the heavens. With the song, their aura surged, forming a towering, indomitable presence. Each person's face was etched with fiery resolve.

Atop the Ironblood Great Wall, their collective spirit formed a true wall of flesh and blood, impossible to breach.

…

The war song echoed through the void, merging with the war drums and sweeping across the battlefield.

This was the Ironblood War Song of Xuanhuang City. Each line stirred the human soul, awakened the bloodline. With this one song, the human army's morale was fused into a single, indestructible force.

The aura crafted by the beastman army—completely shattered.

"Impressive city, impressive song… To break the momentum of our beastman coalition with a single chant—interesting. No wonder they dared to clash with all races and build this Xuanhuang City from nothing."

A voice echoed from the beastman ranks.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A path opened through the army.

From it stepped a towering figure—several zhang tall, cloaked in golden fur, with a regal face that closely resembled a human. The air around him radiated a natural-born authority.

Among the beastman army, he stood like a blazing sun—impossible to ignore.

This was a born king, his presence inescapable.

"Behemoth King, the Golden Behemoth King!!"

Yi Tianxing's gaze locked on the golden giant. He immediately understood—this was the Behemoth King, a royal bloodline among the beastmen. Around him stood elites from every beastman race, all following half a step behind.

None dared walk ahead. In the beastman hierarchy, bloodline was everything.

"Yi Tianxing, Lord of Xuanhuang City."

The Behemoth King's eyes fell upon Yi Tianxing.

There was no need to ask or search. Strong beings recognize each other instantly. It was a strange, instinctual truth.

"Release my son, Meng Wuming. Do that, and I will promise you this: we will destroy Xuanhuang City—but we will not attack any other human villages or towns. That is the price for sparing my son's life. Refuse, and we will not only destroy this city, but we will exterminate every trace of humanity within a thousand miles."

The Behemoth King stared blankly at Yi Tianxing, as if the chained young Behemoth pinned to the wall wasn't even worthy of his attention. His son's capture and public humiliation was a disgrace—a stain that could never be washed away.

"Your son wasn't captured by us, nor was he nailed to the wall by our hands. That nail is a strange treasure called the Shadow Spike. Once it pins someone down, their body is locked between reality and illusion. Without the proper method—or overwhelming strength—it's nearly impossible to remove. We won't take the blame, but if anyone wants war—Xuanhuang City will answer."

Yi Tianxing stared back coldly and said, "Try it, Behemoth King. Let's see whether you can shatter our Ironblood Great Wall and massacre Xuanhuang City—or whether we'll turn your beastman army into a sea of corpses. If you want your son back, make an offer. If you don't care for his life, I'll be happy to offer his head to our fallen heroes."

His voice was sharp—unyielding and direct.

On the battlefield, there was no need for diplomacy.

Diplomacy dulled the army's edge.

Whether the young Behemoth lived or died—war would happen. But if Yi Tianxing could use this chance to strike a profitable deal, he would.

"Bold of you. Are you threatening this king?"

The Behemoth King's eyes glinted coldly.

"Think what you will. Take it as a threat if you like. And if you don't want your son's life…"

Yi Tianxing grinned.

"…I'll help you end it."

He didn't flinch at the Behemoth King's anger. War was coming. No threat could change that. So he might as well make the most of it.