Yu Haizhen did not know what deep grudge the Yan King harbored against the Xi Kingdom that required such complete extermination. Perhaps he feared that the Xi Kingdom would cause trouble when he eventually contended with the Wei Kingdom for supremacy over the world.

Yet the Pu Kingdom, which had truly offended the Yan Kingdom, had not been invaded. It was well known that the Pu King had a blood feud with the Yan Kingdom over the killing of his son, making him the most likely to cause trouble during chaotic times.

Naturally, the Yan King’s stubborn persistence would exact a price. In truth, the best choice for the Yan Kingdom would have been to accept the Xi Kingdom’s peace proposal, gaining both land and money while cutting their losses in time. However, the Yan King insisted on annihilating Xi, and debates about the advantages and disadvantages had never ceased in the Yan royal court. In the end, though the Yan King had silenced all opposition with his iron fist, problems arose during the westward pursuit of the Xi people, and some in the royal court used these issues to cause trouble.

What gave many Xi Kingdom intellectuals, including Yu Haizhen, a glimmer of hope was the harsh natural environment of the northwestern mountains.

It was worth noting that the Yan army had reached here three or four months ago, when it was only early autumn and the weather was just beginning to cool. The army’s clothing and bedding were appropriate for that season. But what about now?

Now it was early winter, and the northwestern mountains had high elevations and low temperatures. White-hair winds often swept through the mountains, and when it snowed, it could continue for three days and three nights. Describing the temperature here as “water freezing instantly” would be extremely gentle. There had been several instances in the Yan army where soldiers would rise in the morning to find that the previous night’s sentries had frozen into ice pops, their skin stuck to the ground. And this happened despite them being bundled up from head to toe—they had simply dozed off while standing still and had frozen to death.

The Yan army naturally possessed quite a few battle formation artifacts that could regulate temperature. However, these were limited in number and consumed spirit stones, only covering twenty to thirty thousand people. The rest still had to endure the test of bitter cold.

The Yan Kingdom was located at the southernmost and southeastern ends of the South Continent, with a humid climate year-round, and many places never saw snow. Upon entering this region, the Yan army faced not only life-and-death battles and complex terrain but also the approaching severe winter!

It was only early winter now, yet the temperature was already approaching negative twenty-five degrees. In another ten days, the true frigid winter would arrive, bringing super-low temperatures below negative thirty-five degrees!

To put it crudely, urinating while standing in the snow would freeze one’s vital parts.

If several more of the mountain region’s common blizzards were to come, the Xi people, protected by city walls, would manage, but how would the Yan army, living in tents, endure?

The Xi people had experience dealing with such a climate, but the Yan people had come from afar. Having less food was one thing, but if they lacked proper clothing as well, they would be waiting to die.

So the Xi Kingdom’s only chance to turn the tide now lay in a single word: “delay.”

If they could delay until the frigid winter arrived, a few major snowstorms would teach the Yan army what it meant to be human, and they would have to retreat. The Xi Kingdom would then gain at least half a year to recover.

As for next year’s situation, that would be addressed next year. National circumstances—which one didn’t change in an instant?

This was the single lifeline that Yu Haizhen had found after countless precise calculations. Originally, she had set up the Six Ao Formation to protect the land bridge of Ying Gong Lower City. This formation was a family secret, drawing power from six great demonic beasts combined with battle formation layouts to make the city as impregnable as a golden fortress.

Who would have known that today one of the demonic beasts would be off playing and not return? The weakness was discovered by the Yan army, who concentrated their fire on it. The Six Ao Formation was thus broken, leading to the catastrophic mountain collapse and turning the Xi Kingdom’s survival hopes into bubbles.

Of the six great demonic beasts, three were buried under billions of tons of giant boulders in the abyss, never to appear again. The Zhi and the giant armored beast had escaped and were still fighting for her. As for Hu Tian, his whereabouts remained unknown.

But the Yan army… the Yan army was not to be trifled with.

Just as she thought of this, a figure suddenly emerged from the Yan army, galloping directly toward the giant armored beast. Yan Kingdom cultivators had surrounded it, but this demonic beast’s skills were all in its scales, which were so thick and heavy they were no less formidable than a divine turtle’s shell—sword blades and fire attacks had no effect.

The giant armored beast had just curled up and rolled forward, but this figure didn’t confront it directly, instead flashing aside to avoid its momentum.

Though this strange demonic beast was nearly a perfect sphere when rolling, it had to unfurl itself to adjust direction before its next ground roll. The cultivators had targeted this weakness multiple times, but its head, feet, and tail were also covered with three layers of thick armor. Even its eyes were protected by bone membranes, making them difficult targets for arrows.

Overall, it was a mobile fortress. With it present, the Xi army could follow along and push toward the bridgehead position.

However, when the giant armored beast stood up again this time, the situation changed. That figure with a spear in hand and astride his horse had been watching it like a tiger eyeing its prey. As soon as it began to stretch out its body, he rushed in close and attacked its rear!

No matter how tall this person was, compared to the ten-meter-high giant armored beast, he seemed insignificant. The beast swung its long tail like a whip—two cultivators had already fallen victim to this move, and their bones shattered instantly.

Yet this person’s movements were agile. He feinted once to avoid the beast’s sweeping attack and instead dove beneath its tail.

Yu Haizhen’s gaze happened to sweep over this area, and her hand suddenly tightened on the railing: “This is bad!”

Sure enough, the man immediately crouched down and flung his arm—

The long spear in his hand shot out like an arrow leaving its string, carrying a cold gleam, straight into the center of the giant armored beast’s rear end!

The giant armored beast immediately let out a long screech, sounding like a steam whistle.

The pain in that sound made all living beings who witnessed this scene instinctively clench their backsides and squeeze their legs together.

No matter how powerful a demonic beast might be, it couldn’t make such a vulnerable area impervious to weapons. Struck in its vital spot, the giant armored beast went mad with pain, crashing about in all directions without discrimination, trampling many of its people to death along with the enemy.

At this point, even the Xi people avoided it at all costs.

The figure who had injured it earlier appeared again, grabbing the exposed spear handle protruding from the beast’s rear and yanking it out forcefully!

As soon as he appeared, Yu Haizhen, standing in her elevated position, could no longer restrain herself. She floated down toward the battlefield, ignoring her subordinates’ alarmed cries: “State Preceptor!”

The battle situation below was urgent and complex, but this man showed signs of sweeping across the entire battlefield. If she didn’t go to confront him, the bridgehead would likely be lost.

This person was none other than the Yan King!

Over the past three months, Yu Haizhen had crossed paths with the Yan King more than once and was well aware of his strength. Though these demonic beasts were powerful, they might not be able to match him in battle amidst thousands of troops.

“Snap!”

A thunderous sound rang out, crisp like the gunshot Feng Miaojun had heard before.

The Yan King moved with his spear and in an instant was over ten zhang away. Amidst the giant armored beast’s wailing, blood poured like water—its intestines had been pulled out more than ten zhang by the long spear!

Only then did onlookers realize that the spear tip had barbs that not only hooked out blood-soaked intestines but also fragments of internal organs and even two pieces of stark white bone?