Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Du Kun vomited blood at the bottom of the pit.

Wen Hu had trampled and shattered his sternum, spine, and organs.

Instead of protecting him, his armor had shattered into sharp blades that cut his body.

Du Kun’s eyes were anguished as he desperately looked upward.

He did not see Wen Hu, who had trampled on his body.

But he saw the figure that had enveloped Wen Hu.

The vague, majestic figure was like a deity who had descended into the world.

He had ended up in this state because of the person behind Wen Hu, not because of Wen Hu.

This person had neither once spoken to him right from the beginning nor made a move.

He had wiped out the army under Du Kun thanks to Wen Hu and these vagrants.

At this point, Du Kun still did not know his name or appearance.

He was really unresigned!

Hatred welled up in his heart.

Du Kun opened his mouth and summoned his last courage, wanting to say something as he looked at the figure that enveloped Wen Hu.

But before he could make a sound, the other party stepped on him hard.

Du Kun’s body shattered and exploded, turning into a puddle of flesh and blood at the bottom of the pit.

His eyes widened at the last second as he watched the other party leave nonchalantly.

Du Kun’s devastation was the last straw for the Eastern Tang Dynasty troops and dealt a severe blow to their morale.

The ordinary Tang Dynasty troops began to flee and even surrender.

The Xuanwu Central Army, who were all martial artists, mostly found their own way out and retreated in all directions.

Some of them fought to the very end.

But at this moment, Wen Hu was like a killing god to them.

And those who fled in all directions were unable to escape.

The old man in black projected by Zhang Dongyun rode the clouds and arrived outside the fortress.

Clouds of black mist caught the fleeing Tang Dynasty troops.

The scope of the system had expanded, while the size of the fortress had remained unchanged.

In the eyes of onlookers, it seemed as though an expert from the fortress had gone out to capture the enemies.

The battle came to an end, and light on Wen Hu and everyone disappeared.

All of them regained their freedom of movement.

They looked at each other and felt as though they were dreaming.

However, the numerous Eastern Tang Dynasty troops waiting to be captured and the dead body of the Great Xuanwu General Du Kun in the gigantic pit told them one thing.

Everything that happened just now was real.

Some people outside the fortress cheered and embraced one another, some bowed to Chang’an Fortress, and some still felt resentful and wanted to continue slicing the surrendered Tang Dynasty troops.

They lost interest in Zhang Dongyun. Their previous harrowing experience and the fact that the Tang Dynasty army was powerless to fight back aroused many people’s pent-up resentment and brutality. They wanted to destroy the corpses of the soldiers who had been hunting them for days and obliterate all traces of them.

However, the old man in black stopped these vagrants’ actions.

“They are His Majesty’s spoils.”

Everyone’s mind became clear, and they did not dare to act rashly.

All of them regained their composure and returned to the fortress one after another.

Wen Hu, who had a complex expression, followed along.

The people welcomed and applauded him for leading everyone to flee and showing his prowess just now.

But Wen Hu felt ashamed of himself.

Without Chang’an Fortress, all of them certainly would not have escaped from the besiegement of the Tang Dynasty army.

At that time, their fates would have been uncertain.

He would not regret it even if he lost his life with righteous ardor.

He was full of admiration and gratitude for being able to survive and the fact that everyone was saved.

But he was especially ashamed that he had projected his shortcomings onto another previously.

Wen Hu looked up ahead.

The old bloody shadow demon was expressionless with a calm demeanor as it traveled with the old man in black.

Hui Tianyu was right.. Wen Hu thought silently in his heart.

Thanks to His Majesty, no vicious Demon Dao experts would dare to do anything.

Upon thinking of this, Wen Hu had a blank stare.

He recalled that he had killed Du Kun under the other party’s control.

Not only had His Majesty manipulated him as he wished, but he had also strengthened him.

Wen Hu both admired and shuddered at such means.

Such an enigmatic expert should not be unknown, but why has he suddenly risen in the desolate mountains of Dragon Ridge?

Filled with doubts, he escorted the Tang Dynasty army captives into the fortress along with everyone else.

Everyone returned, and the fortress’s young and old as well as women and children were in constant cheers.

They praised the supreme authority of the Chang’an Fortress Lord.

In the Great Ming Palace, Zhang Dongyun was counting in joy.

35,677, 35,678.. The vagrants plus the Tang Dynasty troops had satisfied the system’s quest of needing more than ten thousand people.

Fortunately, he had prepared food crops, fruits, livestock, and cotton and linen clothing. The people did not have to worry about food and clothing.

Fortress Lord Zhang would be in charge of food in the current emergency. After this hurdle, everyone would have to be self-reliant and serve him instead.

Now that the battle had ended and Chang’an was giving relief to the vagrants, the next step was to divide all of them and examine and compare their strengths so that he could make the following arrangements.

The bold gamble of the Cold Mountain Sect had paid off.

Before getting Qinzhou Prefecture back, they would be first given important duties in Chang’an Fortress to manage and settle the vagrants.

Along with them was Wen Hu.

Zhang Dongyun was not worried about Wen Hu’s high prestige among the vagrants.

In any case, Wen Hu’s prestige was not as high as his.

He called for the old bloody shadow demon.

There was also the projection of the old man in black.

“Your Majesty, I am incompetent and have disturbed your peace. I am unable to atone for my sins even with my death.”

Despite being enraged that it had been defeated by Du Kun and lost its dignity due to its previous injuries that had yet to heal, the old bloody shadow demon only admitted to its sin and willingly accepted its punishment.

“I have seen everyone’s performance.”

Zhang Dongyun, who had the appearance of the Evil Emperor, looked indifferent as he flicked his fingers.

A bloody light flew forward and entered the old bloody shadow demon’s glabella.

The old bloody shadow demon was immediately overjoyed.

It was the Phoenix Blood Book that it had been yearning for.

“Meritorious deeds will be rewarded, and guilty deeds will be punished.” Zhang Dongyun added, “How can I not know you have worked diligently and tried your best this time?”

The old demon’s heart ached. “I do not deserve your praise. I will repay Your Majesty’s grace with my life.”

Zhang Dongyun let out a sign of acknowledgment and looked at the old man in black.

“I know that I am guilty. I should not have waited for it to make a fool out of itself and cause the enemies to invade the territory. Please give me a chance to atone with meritorious deeds.” The old man in black begged for forgiveness from Zhang Dongyun, who was sitting on the throne.

The old bloody shadow demon at the side felt rejuvenated, as though it was drinking iced water during a hot day.

The old bloody shadow demon had never felt as happy as today in the past decades. It was able to obtain the Demon Dao canonical text that it had yearned for and see its enemy being reprimanded by His Majesty.

Zhang Dongyun watched the old bloody shadow demon leave the hall and could not help but smile slightly.

He was obtaining more and more henchmen, and they were becoming increasingly impressive.

As for this Impenetrable Fortress..

Zhang Dongyun brought up the system interface.

[Fortress Lord: Zhang Dongyun]

[Current range: 4,000 meters east-west, 6,000 meters north-south, 2,000 meters above, 2,000 meters below ground.

Range of the fortress walls: 1,000 meters east-west, 1,500 meters north-south.]