Chapter 721: Chapter 196: Lord of the Undead_3
Listening to Ah Dai’s words, the Pope fell silent for a long time before saying, "In the war between good and evil, there will always be sacrifices. But these sacrifices have value. If the Undead Creatures are truly as powerful as you say, I fear that the people we have here may not be able to break through! We currently have eighty thousand heavy-armored soldiers at our disposal. Once we make our move, we should gather them to serve as back-up troops. If we can hold our ground against the undead, we won’t need their assistance. But if we lack the strength, we will need to call on these elite human soldiers to join the fight. Xuan Ye, you should immediately return to our territory in the Tian Yuan Forest and call all the experts and magicians from different factions. After taking a few days to rest and prepare, we will carry on with our mission."
Ah Dai’s brows furrowed slightly. He felt that something was amiss, but the Pope’s orders had already been given, so he didn’t say anything more.
It took a full day to gather eighty thousand heavy-armored soldiers, fifty thousand Sacred Knights, six hundred magicians from the two Mage Guilds, three thousand senior priests from the Church, and the experts from different factions in the Rotten Dragon Territory. The forces of over one hundred and thirty thousand people were tremendous. The barrier that the Pope and his people constructed could barely accommodate everyone, protecting them from the corruption of evil.
After another three days of recuperation, the eighty thousand heavy-armored soldiers built temporary defences using the surrounding boulders, setting up a provisional camp in the Rotten Dragon Territory for their large army. The leaders of the various factions and individuals like Ah Dai had also readied themselves. After nightfall, the Pope gathered the various faction leaders and the Four Sword Saints together.
"Everything is ready. Even though we’re still seven months away from the thousand-year Sacred Calendar, the journey ahead is fraught with danger. I’ve decided that we will make our advance to the eighth trial of the twelve-cursed undeads tomorrow. Ah Dai, could you please describe the characteristics of the Undead Fire Demons again to everyone, just so that they can have a basic understanding of them."
Ah Dai nodded and walked into the center of the group, speaking solemnly, "Respected seniors and friends, the Undead Fire Demons are extremely powerful undead creatures. They were originally divine weapons that appeared during the great battle between His Majesty God Feather and the Dark Demon Clan a thousand years ago. They came from the Divine Realm and possess great power. After falling in battle against the Demon Realm within the Death Mountain Range, their mighty souls lingered but were tarnished by evil and death, turning them into extremely evil creatures – the Undead Fire Demons. These fire demons are giant creatures standing about three meters tall, covered in dark armor, and wielding fire whips as their weapons. This is the death flame formed by the combination of the Demonic Fire from the Demon Realm and the fire of the Undead. It can directly burn a person’s soul. As for how powerful they truly are, no one knows. They are said to be extremely cunning and number around a hundred. These creatures are immune to all forms of magic, excluding potent Water Element spells. That is all I know."
After hearing Ah Dai’s words, everyone went silent. All the faces that looked at each other were filled with worry. Most of the people present already knew about Ah Dai’s strength, but even he described the scenario with such seriousness. This showed that the Undead Fire Demons’ power truly was, indeed, formidable. The Pope stood up and went over to Ah Dai’s side, saying, "Because the Undead Fire Demons possess great strength and are cunning. Therefore, I have decided to select top-notch experts from within us to proceed together to exterminate the fire demons. Anyone willing to participate can step forward now."
Xi Wen was the first to stand up, firmly saying, "I’m willing to participate in this operation." Following that, seven of the second-generation disciples from the Tian Gang Sword Sect also stood up one after another to express their participation. Seeing their determined expressions, the Pope gratefully said, "Thank you all for your tremendous support. However, Marshal Feng Wen won’t be participating in this operation. We need you to command the large army here. I can only rest assured if you’re leading the troops should we be invaded by enemies. The rest of you may participate in this operation."
Yun Ying gave a faint smile, saying, "The three of us old folks are definitely participating. We’re almost a hundred years old. It’s our wish to see and learn more before we die."
The Pope nodded, saying, "Alright. Thanks to the three of you. Is there anyone else willing to participate?"
Prophet Pu Lin of the Pu Yan clan, Yan Shi and Yan Li, Chairman Kali from the Continental Mage Guild and the two elders proficient in Water Element magic along with Olivia, Di Ya the clan leader of the Yajin Tribe and the four great elders, Lian Dan and Zhu Yuan from the Red Charming Mercenary Group, Moon Scar and Overlord from the Moon Scar Mercenary Corps, and Dai Ya from the Yalian Tribe, among others, all stood up.
The Pope put his left hand over his chest and his right hand on his forehead, fervently saying, "Our warriors, may the Sky God bless you all. We’ll discuss our battle plan for tomorrow."
Prophet Pu Lin stepped forward and said, "Tomorrow, let our Pu Yan Clan take the lead in the attack." As soon as these words were spoken, including the Pope and Ah Dai, everyone was stunned. They hadn’t expected Pu Lin to volunteer for battle. Ah Dai had accurately described the power of the Undead Fire Demons, but Pu Lin still insisted on leading the attack. This bravery alone was enough to put the other factions to shame.
The Pope pondered, "Prophet, the fire demons are not easy to deal with. I suggest we discuss this further."
Pu Lin shook his head and said, "I think it’s most suitable for us to lead the attack. As Ah Dai said earlier, the fire whip of the fire demons has the power to incinerate souls. I think the best course of action would be to confront them with warriors who don’t possess souls. Our Tilu fighters, they are the greatest heroes of our Pu Yan Clan. While they might not match up to the fire demons on an individual basis, they should be able to hold their own against them. Our Pu Yan Clan has always been willing to sacrifice for the peace of the mainland. Pope, all I ask is that if all our elite fighters fall here, please take care of our tribesmen. I have no other requests. As long as our tribe can continue to live in the land we occupy now, it’ll be enough."
