...

Outer Demon Realm.

The air here is perpetually filled with a gray-black demonic energy, making the sky appear gloomy. Only the light of the blood moon illuminates the surroundings, casting an eerie and murderous glow over everything.

This demonic energy has a corrosive effect on human bodies, making it nearly impossible for ordinary people to survive. Only Qi Refining Realm cultivators can barely stay for a year or two, but they must rotate out to recuperate afterward.

Human Race Immortal No. 3 Base.

Eastern Line Defense Area.

Southeast Region.

A strategic pass stands at the treacherous terrain of the gorge.

This pass, adjacent to the Red Crystal Salt Flats, is surrounded by mountains, valleys, and soil, all tinged with a faint red hue, earning it the name "Red Gorge Pass."

Red Gorge Pass is one of the routes for the outer demon race's advance.

Due to the difficulty of marching through the Red Crystal Salt Flats, which are unbearably hot and barren to the point where even demonic plants struggle to survive, the supply lines are hard to establish, making it "easy to defend and hard to attack" from a defensive standpoint.

For countless years, Red Gorge Pass has firmly held back the advance of the outer demon race.

However, because of its defensibility, only one regiment is stationed at Red Gorge Pass in the Eastern Line Defense Area, known as the "Human Race Immortal Dynasty No. 3 Defense Base Eastern Line Defense Area Regiment No. 8."

The 8th Regiment is not a main force regiment. Its commander, Luo Yangyu, is a Divine Realm early-stage cultivator, leading a standard regiment of five to six thousand troops, with the lowest-ranked soldiers at the early Lingtai Realm.

In a small human nation, such a regiment would be considered elite, but on the true outer battlefield, it is merely an ordinary regiment.

At this moment, Red Gorge Pass is embroiled in a fierce battle.

A demon army of over ten thousand, disregarding the risks, has crossed the Red Crystal Salt Flats and launched a fierce attack on Red Gorge Pass, despite having few heavy weapons and no logistical supply lines.

An army without a supply line is extremely dangerous, attacking with a do-or-die mentality. If the attack fails or drags on, they often face the most tragic outcome.

Currently, the defensive formation has been breached by the enemy's demonic weapons.

The demon soldiers, driven by high morale and fearless of death, launch wave after wave of assaults on Red Gorge Pass.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

On the walls of Red Gorge Pass, the new "Divine Might Cannons" roar like thunder, with exploding shells blooming among the demon troops.

Even though the demon soldiers are physically strong, they are still blown apart, limbs flying.

These hundreds of Divine Might Cannons were acquired by Zhao Tingjian through shameless persistence.

Unfortunately, while the Divine Might Cannons are powerful, the demon race is even more ferocious. Driven by the supervising demon generals, they seem utterly indifferent to life and death, launching relentless assaults on the towering walls.

Yet, under the desperate resistance of the 8th Regiment's soldiers, they are reduced to corpses, falling from the walls.

Suddenly, elite demon generals fly up to the walls, and our side's Purple Mansion Realm generals fly up to intercept them.

Both sides are locked in a brutal battle, with the situation extraordinarily fierce.

"Where's the reinforcements? Haven't they arrived yet?"

Having barely pushed back a demon lord, Regiment Commander Luo Yangyu, covered in blood, roars.

"Commander, we've already urged them!" The deputy commander, equally hoarse, shouts back, "All fortresses and passes are facing relentless demon attacks, and manpower is extremely scarce. The command center has asked us to hold out for two more days, promising reinforcements will arrive by then."

"To hell with two days! Whether we survive today is still uncertain!" Luo Yangyu's eyes are bloodshot with rage, yet he is helpless.

He knows that the command center isn't unwilling to support them quickly; they simply can't spare the manpower. The human defensive line is facing an unprecedented crisis, with battles at all passes and strongholds. The overall human forces are stretched thin, and even when they want to support, they often can't.

The fact that reinforcements can arrive in two days is likely the result of many people fighting desperately.

However, knowing this doesn't change the outcome. The result won't change just because he knows.

Now, the only thing he can do is to give everything to hold this pass. Even if only one soldier remains, they must hold out until reinforcements arrive!

Wiping the blood from his face, Luo Yangyu once again charges into battle, his bloodshot eyes burning with fighting spirit as he roars, "Brothers! Kill, kill, kill!! Kill one to break even, kill two to profit!!!"

"Kill, kill, kill!"

The fierce cries of battle echo through the pass.

Under wave after wave of assaults, the human soldiers are already exhausted, yet no one complains of hardship or fatigue, nor does anyone shrink back. They continue to fight the demon race fiercely, with blood and courage, their morale high.

The demon race is naturally stronger and more courageous than humans. In open field battles, ordinary regiments often suffer heavy casualties. Only in defensive battles, with the advantage of high walls and weapons, can they barely achieve a one-to-one casualty ratio.

Unfortunately, the demon army of over ten thousand is led by three demon lords, with total combat power nearly three times that of the 8th Regiment.

Without reinforcements or a miracle, the defeat of the 8th Regiment is only a matter of time.

...

Meanwhile.

In the desolate Red Crystal Salt Flats, under the scorching heat and the strange light reflected by the salt flats, a five to six thousand-strong army is marching rapidly.

Every soldier in this army wears exquisitely crafted red armor, adorned with a red full moon emblem, and rides a tall, mighty spirit horse. These horses, specially bred, have immense carrying capacity and are fully armored, resembling flowing red flames from a distance.

Clearly, this is an elite unit of the Red Moon Demon Dynasty.

Each soldier exudes a deep and powerful aura, at least at the mid to late Lingtai Realm, with some squad leaders even reaching the Celestial Realm, and Purple Mansion Realm generals are abundant.

Even on the outer battlefield, such a well-equipped regiment is considered elite.

This regiment is one of the Red Armor Elite Regiments guarding the Demon Dynasty.

However, even such a regiment marches on the ground during rapid maneuvers, rather than flying through the sky.

After all, Lingtai Realm cultivators can only glide a short distance, and flying consumes a lot of energy. During long-distance marches, Lingtai Realm cultivators can't withstand such profound energy consumption.

At the front of the regiment.

Several particularly majestic seventh-rank red tigers are running among the warhorses.

These red tigers have strong, powerful limbs, with muscles bulging as they run. Their fur is sleek and shiny, and they too are armored, clearly well-bred and trained mounts.

Clearly, those who possess red tiger mounts have extraordinary status.

One of the red tigers has two saddles, one large and one small. The front saddle is very small, with a protective railing around it, where a delicate little girl sits.

This little girl is none other than the Demon Dynasty's Little Princess.

Due to the long march, her beautiful little outfit has become wrinkled, and her face is flushed from the heat and sun, looking slightly disheveled.

She grips the railing in front of the saddle, her face puffed up with anger, even pouting her lips, "Damn Shentu Jingming, bad Shentu Jingming, he promised to take me to see the outer battlefield, but made me suffer so much. I'm exhausted, and sunburned."

Behind the little girl, a woman rides, using her vast profound energy to create a transparent shield, protecting the little girl in front of her.

This is a middle-aged woman in a simple lotus-colored long dress, slender and tall.

She appears to be of some age, but due to good maintenance, she doesn't look old. Her demeanor is calm and composed, giving a reliable impression.

However, despite this, no one would dare underestimate her.

The faint Lingxu Realm aura she exudes is as deep and unfathomable as the vast ocean, making people secretly awed.

This middle-aged woman is the nanny specially arranged by the Demon Emperor to care for the Little Princess, responsible for her safety. Her original name is now rarely known, and those who know her mostly respectfully call her "Aunt Tianqin."

"Little girl, don't you know the order of seniority? Call me Third Brother!"

On the back of a nearby red tiger, Third Prince Shentu Jingming lazily glanced at her, his expression indifferent.

Compared to the little girl who was jostled about, he was much more at ease. Even though the red tiger beneath him was running at high speed, his posture remained relaxed, showing no tension.

"I'm not a little girl~ The Ancestor just conferred me the title of 'Princess Zhaoyu,' so you have to call me Princess Zhaoyu." The little girl protested angrily.

"Is having a title so impressive? As if no one else has one." The Third Prince rolled his eyes, "First, you begged me to take you to see the outer demon realm. Second, you said as a prince and princess, we should lead by example, not ride a flying chariot in the sky while the soldiers run on the ground, insisting on running with them."

"Now that you've suffered, you're unhappy. If you're unhappy, you can go back~"

"Shentu Jingming, I think you're just taking out your frustration on me because you lost to the Little Demon Lord at Demon No. 2 Base."

As the only Little Princess of the Demon Dynasty, Princess Zhaoyu grew up being pampered. She's not afraid of Shentu Jingming.

She glared at him, mocking, "It's because you couldn't beat the Little Demon Lord that we were sent out to support the Han Yue Immortal Dynasty, forced to march through this wretched salt flat."

"You heard Wang Fugui might be in the outer regions and wanted to see him, so you insisted on coming." The Third Prince retorted nonchalantly, "Also, I didn't argue with the Little Demon Lord at Base No. 2 for the greater good, not because I'm afraid of him. You're just a kid; if you don't understand, don't talk nonsense."

Recently, the Third Prince was "ordered" to sit at Demon No. 2 Base, where he ended up arguing with the Little Demon Lord during a strategic meeting.

According to the Third Prince, Demon No. 2 Base should spare troops to support Immortal No. 3 Base, further strengthening the cooperation between the Immortal and Demon Dynasties, aligning with the joint defense against the outer demon race.

However, the Little Demon Lord held a different view.

He believed that since the Immortal Dynasty had tied down many demon troops, it would be better to spare troops to raid the Blood Demon King Fortress and other poorly defended areas.

This would not only yield a wealth of resources and merits but also cut off the demon army's retreat and supply lines, indirectly supporting the Immortal Dynasty.

After sweeping the demon army's rear, they would gain the initiative. If the Immortal Dynasty was willing to pay the price, he wouldn't mind a pincer attack with the Eastern Line Defense Area, delivering a heavy blow to the demon army.

Clearly, his plan had the intention of using the demon army to weaken the Immortal Dynasty's forces.

However, his strategic plan won the support of almost all the bigwigs at Demon No. 2 Base, and even some who were more emotionally inclined towards Shentu Jingming felt the Little Demon Lord's strategy made more sense and aligned better with the Red Moon Demon Dynasty's position and interests.

Subsequently, the Little Demon Lord mocked the Third Prince, saying if he was so eager to support the Immortal Dynasty, he could lead his troops himself, demonstrating the Red Moon Demon Dynasty's sincerity in cooperation.

Provoked by this, the Third Prince, in a fit of anger, led his troops across the Red Crystal Salt Flats, heading alone to support the Immortal Dynasty's Eastern Line Defense Area.

Thus, the Third Prince and this elite regiment appeared here.

As for why Princess Zhaoyu was here, that's another story.

Throughout the journey, the Third Prince and Princess Zhaoyu, one big and one small, never stopped bickering, making them the most troublesome pair in the entire marching army.

On another red tiger mount not far away, Wang Long Yan, having listened to their bickering all the way, was somewhat impatient. She glared coldly at the Third Prince, "Aren't you too old to be arguing with Zhaoyu? Aren't you ashamed?"

"Yes, yes, if Ruobing doesn't want me to argue, I won't argue with her." The Third Prince was utterly obedient to Wang Long Yan. Upon hearing her, he immediately abandoned Princess Zhaoyu, eagerly urging his red tiger to her side, grinning and fawning, "It's all that little girl's fault, causing so much trouble at such a young age."

"Who's causing trouble?" Princess Zhaoyu was so angry she was trembling, her little face flushed, "Shentu Jingming, I'm warning you, I've been conferred the title of 'Princess,' and I have inheritance rights. If you push me, I'll compete with you for the Demon Emperor's throne."

"Oh, should I nip you in the bud then?"

"Come on, I'm not afraid of you!"

The two started bickering again.

Seeing this, Aunt Tianqin, protecting Zhaoyu, and Zhuo Lao, behind the Third Prince, both showed helpless expressions. This pair was born to be at odds, always quarreling when they met, giving everyone a headache.

Even Wang Long Yan rubbed her forehead in exasperation, too lazy to deal with them.

At this moment.

A squad of aerial scouts sent ahead returned.

The lead scout, with a grave expression, hurriedly reported to the Third Prince, "Your Highness, Red Gorge Pass ahead is under fierce attack by demon forces, and the battle is extremely brutal."

He then briefly described the situation and the military strength comparison.

Wang Long Yan frowned, looking at the Third Prince.

Upon hearing this, Third Prince Shentu Jingming lost all interest in teasing Zhaoyu.

"It seems the situation on the Immortal Dynasty's side is more severe than I imagined." He pulled the reins, immediately urging his red tiger mount towards Red Gorge Pass, shouting, "Brothers, accelerate the march, follow me to strike the demon army's rear, and let the Immortal Dynasty brothers witness the strength of our 'Red Tiger Regiment'!"

All the Red Armor cavalry responded in unison.

In the next moment, all the soldiers whipped their mounts, accelerating, and the five to six thousand elite regiment turned into a red torrent, surging forward.

In less than half an hour, the red torrent circled to the rear of the demon siege army, launching a fierce attack on the demon army's rear flank.

The Red Tiger Regiment, already an elite force of the Demon Dynasty, had formidable combat power. Charging with momentum, their might was astonishing, like a stormy wave tearing all enemies to shreds.

Amidst the constant cries of battle, demon soldiers fell one after another, and a gap appeared in the rear of the demon siege army.

Caught off guard, the demon siege army's orderly attack rhythm was disrupted.

This chaos was quickly noticed by the defending 8th Regiment soldiers.

Having defended Red Gorge Pass for so long, their physical and mental stamina was severely depleted. They thought they would likely die here today, but unexpectedly, reinforcements arrived at this critical moment.

The defending soldiers were invigorated, their nearly exhausted strength seemingly restored.

"It's the Demon Dynasty's army! It seems to be one of the renowned Red Armor armies..." The 8th Regiment Commander Luo Yangyu, watching from afar, was both surprised and puzzled.

Why would the Demon Dynasty's army appear in the Immortal Dynasty's defense area?

However, before he could figure it out, he saw an ice-blue figure soaring across the battlefield.

Amidst the gray-black demonic energy shrouding the sky, that figure was like a ray of light piercing through the fog, dazzling and captivating, instantly capturing all his attention.

It was a woman's figure.

She wore an ice-blue long robe with sword sleeves, unarmored, yet walked through the battlefield as if strolling leisurely, one person and one sword, like a thousand troops.

A demon lord, sensing something amiss, tried to intercept her but was no match. That demon lord, comparable to a human Divine Realm expert, was completely suppressed by her!

Luo Yangyu was stunned.

This figure, without a doubt, was Ancestor Long Yan.

Ancestor Long Yan, striking in anger, showed no mercy, slaying demons as if cutting through vegetables. Moreover, after a stint at the military officer training academy, Ancestor Long Yan had gained some experience in coordinating with regiments in battle.

Unknowingly, the Red Tiger Regiment's formation shifted, forming a wedge formation with her at the tip, increasing their efficiency in slaying demons significantly.

In just the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the demon lord attempting to intercept was swiftly killed by her. This was even with her holding back, not using her semi-immortal artifact or fully unleashing her bloodline power.

Seeing this, the defenders of Red Gorge Pass seemed to have been injected with a dose of adrenaline, not even feeling their fatigue, each becoming more fervent and fighting desperately.

Under Luo Yangyu's command, they even began coordinating with the Red Tiger Regiment, launching a counterattack against the demon army from both sides.

For a moment, the demon army, despite its numerical advantage, was encircled, their morale collapsing, and soldiers began to scatter.

"My Ruobing is unparalleled, truly a Valkyrie reborn~~" On the rear battlefield, Third Prince Shentu Jingming watched Wang Long Yan wreak havoc, his eyes shining, utterly infatuated, "Her every move is so enchanting."

"Ugh! Shameless simp."

Princess Zhaoyu, cradled in Aunt Tianqin's arms, half-sitting in her embrace, cast a deeply disdainful look at the Third Prince.

"What do you know, little girl?" The Third Prince said nonchalantly, "Being able to simp for Ruobing is my life's greatest fortune."

As he spoke, Third Prince Shentu Jingming had already urged his mount to follow Wang Long Yan's lead, joining the fray.

The rout lasted several hours.

By the end of the battle, the Red Gorge was littered with demon corpses.

The 8th Regiment soldiers, exhausted, still forced themselves to clean up the battlefield, with the Red Tiger Regiment soldiers assisting.

For a moment, ignoring the bodies, Red Gorge Pass seemed peaceful.

At this moment, a small aerial cavalry unit swiftly approached from the sky, led by a ninth-rank Yi Wood Green Dragon. Atop the dragon, a young woman in bright yellow armor sat.

This young woman, with striking features and a noble demeanor, was none other than Princess Suiyun.

She had learned of the urgent situation at Red Gorge Pass and, worried the defenders couldn't hold out for two days until reinforcements arrived, personally led her guards to rush to support.

Now, her phoenix eyes were cold, her entire being exuding a murderous aura, and even her bright yellow armor bore many unprocessed dried bloodstains, clearly just coming from another battlefield.

With the demon army's full-scale assault, Princess Suiyun had been rushing to support various battlefields, already exhausted.

Yet, under immense war pressure, she dared not rest.

The aerial cavalry circled once in the air before landing outside Red Gorge Pass.

Seeing the Demon Dynasty's banners flying above the pass, Princess Suiyun roughly guessed the situation and immediately inquired loudly, "Suiyun thanks the Demon Dynasty army for their timely support. May I ask which great general of the Demon Dynasty leads this force?"

"So you're the famous Princess Suiyun~" Having just fought a victorious battle, the Third Prince was in high spirits, immediately flying up to meet Princess Suiyun, "I am Shentu Jingming, Third Prince of the Red Moon Demon Dynasty."

"So it's Prince Anyao." Princess Suiyun hurriedly flew forward, bowing slightly, "Suiyun thanks Prince Anyao for his righteous support."

"No problem, just a small matter." The Third Prince waved his hand, appearing magnanimous and visionary, "We are both the next Immortal Emperor and Demon Emperor. We'll have plenty of time to interact in the future, so it's good to get acquainted and build rapport early."

The next Demon Emperor?

Princess Suiyun's eyes flashed with surprise.

Has the Red Moon Demon Dynasty's Demon Emperor successor been decided? Why hadn't she received any intelligence?

Seeing this, Princess Zhaoyu turned her head, burying it in Aunt Tianqin's shoulder.

So embarrassing~

This Third Brother is already embarrassing beyond words.