33: Shadow Demon Attacks the Fortress

He stopped bothering with those thoughts; it was enough that he could clearly feel his spiritual power growing stronger. He estimated that his advancement must be a data-driven one.

At this moment, in the Shadow Demon camp corresponding to Fortress 100, a figure shrouded in a black robe spoke.

“Three Innate Shadow Demons, plus the one mining, none of them returned?”

He spoke in human language.

The Shadow Demons below immediately chittered rapidly.

“It’s not good for me to act; the human Transcendent Realm cultivators would discover it. Besides, I am only here for inspection; you should report it according to the rules,” the robed Shadow Demon continued.

With that, the black-robed Shadow Demon leisurely departed.

Fortress 100.

The military merit board on the large screen in the fortress changed.

No. 99: Xun Xiuyuan (Commander of the Sixth Regiment) 6000.

Lu Wenxiu, in first place, had a military merit of 400,000.

This news spread rapidly throughout the entire fortress like wildfire.

Lu Yuwen also promptly reported to Commander Lu Wenxiu.

Lu Wenxiu didn’t express an opinion, thought for a moment, then asked, “Exactly 6000?”

“Yes.”

“Then he must have killed six Innate Realm exotic beasts. This Xun Xiuyuan is not simple.”

Five days later, Xun Xiuyuan’s team successfully mined for five days.

“Commander, after five days of non-stop mining, the soldiers have reached their limit. Should we return to rest and recuperate?”

Lin Tiankui came to report.

Xun Xiuyuan nodded after hearing this. Five days, and the exotic beasts had made no move.

“Alright, gather the soldiers. We’ll return to the fortress to rest first.”

“These are all the Soul Stones collected in five days, a total of over thirty thousand,” Lin Tiankui said, taking out a spatial ring and handing it to Xun Xiuyuan.

Xun Xiuyuan took it and put it in his pocket: “Keep it with me for now; we’ll distribute it later.”

Afterward, Lin Tiankui organized the team, and they returned together.

Less than an hour after Xun Xiuyuan and his team left the Soul Stone Mine, thousands of Shadow Demons appeared in the mining area.

Seeing that they had missed their target, the leading Shadow Demon let out a roar.

Xun Xiuyuan’s team quickly returned to the fortress for rest.

Immediately, people from other regiments came to inquire about the news. Before long, the story of Xun Xiuyuan single-handedly killing six Innate Realm exotic beasts spread throughout the entire fortress, along with the fact that he had occupied the Soul Stone Mine for five days with zero casualties, collecting over thirty thousand Soul Stones.

Just as the commanders of other regiments were visiting to get acquainted with Xun Xiuyuan, an ear-piercing alarm sounded in the fortress.

The alarm was identical to the one for exotic beast attacks on the surface.

Xun Xiuyuan knew without thinking that exotic beasts must have been discovered.

Having rested for five days, Xun Xiuyuan immediately excitedly ascended to the city wall on the back of the fortress.

Looking at the dense mass of Shadow Demons below, he almost drooled.

If he hadn't known that there were many Immaculate Realm and, with bad luck, even Transcendent Realm cultivators on the battlefield, he would have charged out alone long ago.

Just then, another torrent of exotic beasts rushed from the east side of the fortress.

They were all Aberrant Ghosts.

At this moment, Lu Wenxiu also stood on the city wall.

His face was grim: “Are the Number One Fortress of Jiaolong City all incompetent? Such a large number of Aberrant Ghosts have reached my fortress, and they didn’t even send a message.”

“Why do you say that?” Xun Xiuyuan, adhering to his usual style, asked when he didn’t understand.

The commander of the first regiment next to him said, “The Aberrant Ghosts’ lair is on the other side of the right mountain range. There are only two ways for them to reach our fortress: one is to cross the mountain range, and the other is to sneak under the nose of Jiaolong City’s Number One Fortress.”

“Look at the direction they’re coming from; it’s impossible they crossed the mountain range, because if they did, they should appear directly north of us, not to the east.”

Xun Xiuyuan understood: “Commander, how should we respond?”

Although Lu Wenxiu was in a bad mood, he still answered Xun Xiuyuan’s question: “Wait a moment, no rush. We’ll respond based on their actual strength. If it’s truly impossible, we’ll defend the city.”

A moment later, the exotic beast army was fully assembled, and Lu Wenxiu’s face grew even darker.

“Yuwen, request support from Outpost 99. Nearly a hundred Innate Realm, and four Immaculate Realm cultivators—it will be very difficult for us to hold.”

Xun Xiuyuan also felt a bit numb. He liked the nearly hundred Innate Realm cultivators, but those four Immaculate Realm cultivators were problematic. There was only one Immaculate Realm cultivator, the Commander, in the fortress. One against four would likely be difficult.

Soon, Lu Yuwen returned: “Commander, Outpost 99 is currently under siege by exotic beasts and cannot spare any personnel for support.”

Lu Wenxiu immediately cursed: “It’s all because of Jiaolong City’s Number One Fortress; otherwise, we wouldn’t be so passive.”

“Yuwen, go and request support from the city again. With nearly thirty thousand exotic beasts attacking, it will be very difficult to hold.”

Lu Wenxiu knew there was no retreat and ordered: “Commanders of each regiment, lead your respective units out of the city to meet the enemy. Stall for time, await support.”

Lu Wenxiu had no other choice. Innate Realm and Immaculate Realm cultivators could fly. If they didn’t go out of the city, and the Innate Realm and Immaculate Realm exotic beasts flew directly into the fortress to fight, then the tens of thousands of logistical personnel inside the fortress would be slaughtered in minutes.

Immediately, all combat personnel of the entire fortress exited through the northern gate, formed their ranks outside the fortress, and prepared to meet the enemy’s attack.

Xun Xiuyuan observed this combat method, which was similar to cold weapon warfare during the Three Kingdoms period.

Hot weapons were mostly ineffective in the Abyss; their power was even more diminished than on the surface, causing almost zero damage to high-level exotic beasts. Only this ancient warfare method could be used.

At this moment, a roar came from the exotic beast horde, and the exotic beasts charged towards the fortress.

Xun Xiuyuan was not skilled in this ancient formation and deployment, so he instructed Lin Tiankui: “You organize the men to hold this position. I’ll go to the front to tank a wave of damage.”

Lin Tiankui knew Xun Xiuyuan’s combat power, but he was still a little worried: “If you feel you can’t hold, return. Once the military formation is established, it will be difficult for them to form a siege.”

Xun Xiuyuan nodded, drew his Hundred Battles saber, and charged alone towards the torrent of exotic beasts in front.

The other commanders were all stunned by Xun Xiuyuan’s actions. Was this new commander really so fierce?

When Lu Wenxiu saw Xun Xiuyuan’s behavior, he was also taken aback. Was this guy a fool?

How long could he last against so many exotic beasts?

But he couldn’t go to his aid, because four Immaculate Realm exotic beasts were eyeing him menacingly.

Xun Xiuyuan didn’t care about much. All ten regiments were lined up outside, and there would definitely be heavy casualties during the upcoming melee.

By going out to tank damage first, he would gain more exotic beast value, and the pressure on the Sixth Regiment in the rear would be much less.

The Berserk Saber Technique, imbued with the power of heaven and earth, was incredibly powerful. Xun Xiuyuan faced the seventh-tier exotic beasts like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, instantly taking down a swath of them.

Originally, thousands of exotic beasts charged towards the Sixth Regiment’s position. After Xun Xiuyuan’s reckless charge, only a few hundred actually made it through; the rest surrounded Xun Xiuyuan, wanting to eliminate him first.

Xun Xiuyuan was not afraid of group battles at all. The Berserk Saber Technique danced wildly, and the constant dinging sounds in his ears never stopped.

The Immaculate Realm exotic beasts observing from the rear saw the situation here and immediately dispatched over a dozen Innate Realm exotic beasts to Xun Xiuyuan’s combat area.

For Xun Xiuyuan, as long as the Immaculate Realm cultivators didn’t come, no matter how many other exotic beasts arrived, they were just delivering themselves to him.

Xun Xiuyuan fought and retreated, slowly approaching his own position. After cleanly dispatching all the exotic beasts that had charged into the position, he once again charged towards those dozen or so Innate Realm exotic beasts.

He was like a tireless machine, a god of slaughter.

Xun Xiuyuan’s achievements had already shocked everyone.