Fire burned, smoke swirling and dissipating into the gloomy sky.
Cries and screams echoed incessantly as people clad in coarse cloth fled in terror.
Behind them, alien races riding fierce beasts wore savage expressions, their weapons in hand as they watched the people of the tribe with amusement.
"God, save your people," an old man knelt before the bronze statue of a god in the center of the tribe, his expression sorrowful yet devout.
He clasped his hands together, unfazed by the approaching alien races. Head bowed, eyes slightly closed, he prayed.
Tribesmen continued to run past him, staggering and struggling, only to be overtaken and pierced by the alien races.
The pleas and groans of women echoed through the tribe, accompanied by the triumphant laughter of the alien races. The entire tribal settlement was like a living hell, where cruelty and tyranny ran rampant.
The old man closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face. He was already very old, and even if he survived, it would only be to eke out a few more days.
"If I could exchange my life for redemption, then, gods, please take me away."
He slowly lowered his body, the sound of beast hooves gradually slowing beside him. A deep, hoarse voice rang out: "Old thing, your god can't save you."
"Nor will God spare you, villains of the alien race," the old man opened his eyes, his gaze murky yet exceptionally clear, like a clear spring in the desert. He looked at the fish-man face covered in tentacles, devoid of anger or hatred, only endless resignation.
This was a selfless priest, unafraid of death or survival.
"You're taking it well. Heh heh, we'll kill all the men in your tribe, and we'll take your women back and treat them well," the alien general turned his face. His subordinate dragged a tender young girl onto the beast, tearing open her cloth clothes.
He recklessly acted as he pleased amidst the girl's weak cries, displaying everything beneath the statue of the god.
"Your god can't protect you!" He said fiercely, staring at the old man.
"Sin will eventually receive its due punishment."
The old man no longer looked at the girl; he could not suppress the trembling of his fingers, the sorrow of the weak.
"Then I'll wait for the god to punish me!" The alien general looked at the statue, swinging his long blade and cleaving it into the statue's waist, a crack appearing in the bronze figure.
"Is that all!"
He turned to look at the old man on the ground, slowly walking over with the beast beneath him, raising his long blade as he watched him.
"Now, you can keep company with your god."
His face only showed composure in the face of death; the old man did not care about the approaching sound of death.
But at that moment, a strange horn sound came from afar.
The alien general stopped his movements, looking with some doubt towards the hillside outside the tribe.
A golden banner fluttered, the dragon totem raised high in the wind.
A blood-red cloak rustled, sturdy horses snorting as their iron hooves appeared in the alien races' view.
An overwhelming cry came, eclipsing even the raging waves.
The earth trembled at that moment, blood-red cloaks fluttering, long halberds held upright in rows. Countless black-robed, iron-armored cavalry surged down the hillside, like an unstoppable, vast river.
Hooves kicked up mud, grass tassels flew, distance turning into nothingness at that moment.
The alien races looked in terror at the cavalry rushing down, the horses beneath them neighing in fear.
They had never imagined that they would face death at their most joyous moment. Those never-before-seen attires, those peculiar weapons.
"Hold steady! Don't panic! Prepare to meet the enemy!" The alien general swallowed, his previously arrogant face now appearing somewhat pale.
The alien races barely steadied their formation, raising their crude weapons to prepare to meet the enemy.
Even with a leader suppressing the ranks, everyone seemed powerless in the face of such a rapid charge.
"The Ancestral God is watching us!" The alien general raised his long sword, roaring and urging his beast towards the black-robed cavalry.
"For the Ancestral God!"
Several thousand alien races followed, and in an instant, two massive currents converged.
Horses neighed, blood flew, and people constantly fell from their mounts, emitting tragic screams of death, returning to dust.
In just a few breaths, the alien general had already lost an arm.
He raised his sword with one hand, looking in disbelief at the unmoving cavalry before him. He had experienced countless life-and-death battles, but had never encountered such a despairing tribe. Their armor seemed incredibly hard, and the halberds in their hands were unbelievably sharp. In just a brief engagement, his subordinates had suffered heavy casualties.
The powerful physique, the incredibly calm coordination, and the discipline that even the alien races found unbelievable—this was simply the legendary Demon God.
Enduring the severe pain, looking at the corpses of his subordinates scattered on the ground, the other side had not lost a single person.
"Who exactly are you? There can't be such a powerful army in the Tai Cang. Who are you! !" He roared, unwillingly glaring at the silent cavalry.
The other side had already raised their halberds, their horses restless.
The alien general knew that he had no chance of survival. He had originally hoped that the elite troops he had brought out could tear open a gap and escape, but now it seemed like that idea was laughable.
He took a deep breath, raising his long blade in front of him. A few scattered people gathered around him, heads held high and chests puffed out.
"For the Ancestral God!"
Another charge, their faces full of blood and carrying their final despair.
"Give them a proper burial," the woman's gentle voice issued the command.
Countless crossbows sounded, the black-robed cavalry raising their bows and crossbows.
"Zheng—"
A dense rain of arrows fell, the few robbers turning into hedgehogs and falling to the ground.
Everything ended in a short time, leaving only the still-raging fire and the tribe's settlement filled with constant cries.
Exquisite boots stepped on the blood-soaked ground, a black cloak embroidered with dragon and phoenix patterns, wrapped around carved armor.
Jiang Wenji rested her hand on her sword, looking at the old man kneeling before her.
He devoutly saluted Jiang Wenji, his trembling lips wanting to speak but holding back. The old man's eyes watched this exquisitely beautiful woman, black hair fluttering in the breeze.
"Holy Kings, the Gu Yuan clan's tribal priest greets you."
The priest prostrated himself on the ground, kissing the earth, welcoming Jiang Wenji with the most solemn etiquette.
Such luxurious and extravagant attire, an incomparably powerful army—this could only be the great power of the Tai Cang Kings.
"Rise," a light voice sounded in the priest's ears, and he hunched over and crawled up from the ground.
Jiang Wen looked around the tribal settlement. Relying on the water source and fertile land, this could already be considered a large tribe, not only with excellent terrain, but also capable of building a city to house hundreds of thousands of people.
"Noble Kings, may I know your sacred name?"
The old man asked cautiously, with none of his previous fearless attitude.
"Impudent! How can the King's name be known by you barbarians?!" Before Jiang Wenji could speak, her red-robed guard shouted angrily.
Jiang Wenji raised her hand, signaling the guard not to say more.
Looking at the old man who showed no timidity, Jiang Wenji revealed a smile. One who holds the scepter does not lose their composure, the old man was not mediocre, but a talented person.
"I am Jiang of the Tai Cang Heavenly Kings. Are you willing to submit to me?"
