```
Zi Liyuan’s gaze swept across the twelve Lords.
These twelve, considered the most rapidly developing, strongest in combat, and with the highest potential among the Lords in the Land of the Dead.
"We follow the orders of My Lord!"
The twelve of them shouted in unison, each with a solemn expression on their faces.
In truth, they were woefully unprepared as they had only arrived on the first layer of the Sea of Realms over a month ago.
They had not expected a territory invasion war to break out so soon.
The time left for them to grow was simply too short.
Basically, the elite corps they controlled were only up to the Fourth tier, hence barely cultivated.
As for cultivating a Fifth-tier corps, that was just wishful thinking; there was no time for that.
You could say, among the twelve Lords, each had only three or four trusted aides who were Fifth-tier Epic beings, while the rest were all Fourth tier.
When compared to the deep-rooted direct forces of the old witch’s army, they indeed fell short.
However, Zi Liyuan also said that they didn’t need to take action, only necessary to follow behind and consolidate.
The job certainly seemed too easy.
As for extracting the mines, when the time came, they only needed to occupy the towns and then inquire a bit to know the whereabouts of the mines.
They would then report directly to Fan Yuer, the Chief Overseer.
The Lords under them would quickly transport the subjects and equipment over.
Mind you, Shen Yurou’s low-level Mechanical Army had been fully modified into various Resource Collection Robots.
With uninterrupted work for twenty-four hours, their mining speed was exceptionally fast.
"Alright, you can begin the operation now."
In the face of absolute strength, tactics were of no use whatsoever.
Especially as the tiers increased, the gaps widened.
Mo Yi stood immediately and in a flash, disappeared from the camp tent.
A flag, emitting a sanguine glow and shrouded in black mist, flew from her body, gradually expanding in the sky.
The long banner unfolded, a Blood River poured forth, and a Ghost Fiend stretched open as many Demon Souls flew out from the banner.
With eerie ghost qi and surging blood aura, the colossal Blood River Demon Banner descended like a towering flag towards Pan Shi City.
The ground trembled, and the vast power of earth gathered at Pan Shi City, forming a large pale yellow Barrier above the city like an upturned bowl.
The massive Demon Banner descended from the sky, piercing directly at the top of the Barrier.
The Blood River gushed from the banner, flooding the enormous City Defense Barrier.
The sinister Ghost Fiend gathered countless Demon Souls, coalescing into a hundred-foot Ghost King, viciously striking the Barrier below with its Ghost Claw.
"Roar~!"
A Dragon Roar echoed as a similarly hundred-foot Three-Clawed Blood Dragon descended from the sky.
It easily pierced the City Defense Barrier, wrapping around the hundred-foot Ghost King, engaging in a wrestling match between their Dragon Claws and Ghost Claws.
The Ghost King emitted pervasive death qi, while the Blood Dragon exuded a rising aura of vitality as they twisted and battled in the air.
You strike me with a claw, I retaliate with a bite, both exchanged blows, fighting intensely.
With every strike of the Ghost King’s claw, it tore off large chunks of scales and flesh from the Blood Dragon.
With every snap of the Blood Dragon’s jaws, it shattered a layer of ghostly black mist on the Ghost King.
For a while, the two were evenly matched, preventing the Ghost King from continuing its assault on the City Defense Barrier.
Even though the Ghost King was halted, the Demon Souls kept flying out of the Demon Banner, manipulating the ceaselessly flowing Blood River from the banner.
For the Demon Souls in the banner, the Blood River served as a nourishing pool, providing them with energy.
But for living beings, it was toxic, possessing corrosive and decaying power.
The Demon Banner clung to the Barrier’s top, with the torrential Blood River pouring down incessantly, splashing onto the City Defense Barrier.
The sound of "sizzle" corrosion echoed continuously.
The Blood River engulfed the entire City Defense Barrier, flowing in all directions before seeping into the earth.
The entire City Defense Barrier was enveloped by the Blood River, no gaps remaining, as it began to erode and extinguish the Barrier’s energy relentlessly.
Inside Pan Shi City at that moment, an army of three hundred thousand Professionals and five thousand Fifth-tier Epic Warriors had long been arrayed.
Using five thousand as the formation base and three hundred thousand Professionals as the meridians, they activated a Secret Technique, condensing a Three-Clawed Blood Dragon.
They maneuvered to counter the Ghost King in the sky.
There was no choice but to intercept it, as its emitted Dignity Pressure was significantly stronger than that of a Peak of Sixth Tier Legendary warrior.
The Blood Fiend Flood Dragon, condensed by the entire force of Professionals, could not withstand the might of the Ghost King.
However, with three hundred thousand troops and five thousand Epic Warriors tied in battle, how could the forthcoming city defense be managed?
Would they really have to rely on the old, weak, and disabled, those Second-tier ragtag soldiers?
Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.
Perhaps before entrusting them with critical tasks, they would open the city gates to welcome the rebels inside, leading to a change of governance.
Do not think it impossible; these soldiers, akin to the oppressed and exploited subjects, had long yearned to defect if not for their limited strength.
Did you really think they would not run?
They merely understood that even if they fled the city, they couldn’t escape the pursuit by the Death Lord.
Within the city, there was perhaps a slim chance of survival, but abandoning the city meant certain death!
And those officials, with any connections or seeking refuge above, had already submitted a resource inventory in exchange for a transfer from the Pan Shi City region.
Thus, anyone with connections in the Pan Shi City area had already fled.
```