"Good!" Zhong Liang nodded firmly. "It seems they understand the severity of the situation and haven't held me back. Pass down my orders—the full army advances. Once the Third Army's reinforcements arrive, tell them to head straight to the battlefield."
The four armies of Biluo Pass were stationed along the eastern, southern, western, and northern defense lines—a formation that had never changed since ancient times. It was exceedingly rare for any of the four great armies to require support from allied forces. In every battle, each army had always been able to hold its own line without allowing the Ink Clan to breach it.
But this time, in order to rescue Yang Kai from the chaotic battlefield, Zhong Liang could no longer afford to stand on ceremony. Just moments ago, he had sent messages to Ding Yao, Liang Yulong, and Shentu Mo, informing them of the situation and requesting they split their forces to come to his aid.
When Ding Yao and the others received the message, they were stunned. That kid Yang Kai had actually sneaked his way onto the battlefield and was now missing—no one knew whether he was alive or dead. How could this possibly be acceptable?
Yang Kai possessed the Purifying Light. His existence was of utmost importance to all of Biluo Pass and to the entire human race. He could not be lost.
The three commanders sent back replies that berated Zhong Liang mercilessly, blaming him for failing to keep watch, while simultaneously adjusting their battle lines. Each split off a portion of their forces, pulling them back behind the pass, then sent them rushing toward the Western Army's defense line to reinforce it and rescue Yang Kai from the western front.
This was the safest and most secure route. Otherwise, if the Third Army's reinforcements had to fight their way across the battlefield, it would be far too difficult.
Biluo Pass had a total of just over thirty thousand troops, with each army numbering slightly under ten thousand. Originally, this was more than sufficient to handle the Ink Clan's siege. But with forces now split off, the battle lines immediately grew strained.
The commanders of the three armies had shown remarkable resolve this time—each had dispatched roughly two to three thousand soldiers, nearly thirty percent of their respective forces. Combined, the reinforcements from the three armies amounted to nearly the strength of a full army.
At this very moment, these human powerhouses who had pulled back from the front lines were gathering in the central plaza of Biluo Pass. The lower-ranking soldiers did not know the purpose of this mission, but the commanders of each garrison had already received their orders.
At all costs, locate Yang Kai's traces on the battlefield. By any means necessary, bring Yang Kai back from the battlefield—safe, whole, and unharmed!
After splitting their forces, the eastern, southern, and northern armies gave up their previous advantages on the battlefield. They pulled back to the vicinity of Biluo Pass and, relying on the fortress's power, dug in for a desperate defense. For the time being, their lines would not be breached—but if this dragged on for too long, no one could guarantee that disaster wouldn't strike. This mission therefore had to be concluded swiftly.
The Ink Clan saw this development clearly. The Domain Lords commanding the Ink Clan's forces were thoroughly confused, unable to understand why the human forces had suddenly dwindled. But this was an opportunity, and they naturally spared no effort in pressing their attack. In short order, fierce battles erupted along the eastern, southern, and northern approaches of Biluo Pass.
On the western front, Zhong Liang—who had already confirmed Yang Kai's location—did not hesitate. He immediately charged out of the pass, Feng Ying in tow, and raced toward the designated area.
But the moment he made his move, a powerful aura from the Ink Clan's side rose to meet him. The approaching figure was towering and imposing, saturated with Ink Force—clearly a Domain Lord-level powerhouse.
Zhong Liang had anticipated this. If it were otherwise, he would never have asked the other three armies to send reinforcements.
Eighth-Order Open Heaven cultivators possessed tremendous deterrence and destructive power on the battlefield. The moment an Eighth-Order Open Heaven from the human side took the field, the Domain Lords stationed among the Ink Clan's forces would naturally not stand by idly—someone would always move to intercept. This was a clash between the upper echelons, one that those below could not possibly intervene in.
Conversely, when a Domain Lord from the Ink Clan's side made a move, the humans' Eighth-Order Open Heaven would respond in kind. After so many years of mutual warfare, both sides had developed an unspoken understanding in these matters.
Zhong Liang's gaze pierced through the battlefield, locking onto the Ink Clan Domain Lord heading toward him from afar. He turned his head and issued a single command to Feng Ying: "Go!"
Feng Ying nodded. She had killed an Ink Clan Domain Lord before, but that had been a stroke of luck against a weakened foe. If she were to face a Domain Lord at full strength, she would certainly be no match. Besides, she had a far more important mission—finding Yang Kai and bringing him back. She would not linger here.
"Be careful, Senior!" Feng Ying called out, then drew her sharp sword and plunged into the fray. Behind her, the sounds of devastating energy collisions erupted almost immediately. Looking back, she could see that in a void somewhere in the distance, Zhong Liang had already engaged the Ink Clan Domain Lord in combat—within the span of a heartbeat, it had become a battle of life and death.
Within a radius of several hundred li, neither humans nor Ink Clan dared to approach. This was their battlefield.
The entire Western Army surged forward. Warship after warship pressed toward the Ink Clan's ranks, flanked by powerful auras on every side. Under the Western Army's command, over a dozen commanders of the Eighth-Order level had all sortied.
The humans' aggressive offensive caught the Ink Clan off guard. Throughout history, the humans had mostly fought defensively, rarely taking the initiative to attack—except when they held an overwhelming advantage and went on the offensive to hunt down fleeing enemies.
But this was clearly not such a situation. What madness had possessed the humans?
Seeing the sheer number of human commanders taking the field, the Ink Clan naturally responded in kind. Numerous Domain Lords appeared one after another, their numbers actually exceeding those on the human side.
The gazes of powerhouses from both races collided across the void, igniting boundless killing intent.
Figures transformed into streaks of light and charged toward one another. In an instant, the Eighth-Order commanders clashed with the Domain Lords. Divine abilities and secret techniques erupted, making heaven and earth tremble.
However, due to the numerical disparity among the upper echelons, the humans were clearly at a disadvantage. Several commanders even had to face two opponents at once. The same was true for Zhong Liang—after the initial Domain Lord engaged him in combat, another Domain Lord suddenly burst forth from the nearby ink clouds to join the attack.