Fantasy: After transmigrating, I effortlessly became a god.

Chapter 438 Star Chess Fortress

The Rock Spirit Armored Beasts were caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the magic circle. Their once indestructible armor began to crack under the light, as if being eroded by an invisible force. At the center of the magic circle, pure and powerful energy waves radiated outwards, each wave causing the surrounding air to tremble and making it difficult for the giant beasts trying to break through the encirclement to move forward.

"This is the Heavenly Gang Spirit Locking Array!" Zheng Qian's eyes gleamed as he recognized the ancient and powerful formation. He secretly admired Li Zun, whose martial arts were not only superb, but whose understanding of formations had also reached a pinnacle. Once this array was complete, it would not only greatly enhance the attack and defense capabilities of those within it, but also effectively weaken the enemy's strength, trapping them invisibly.

Zhao Mingxiu moved with ease within the formation, each swing of his greatsword accompanied by a thunderous roar, shattering everything in its path. Under his leadership, the morale of the Iron Blood Alliance members soared, each attack becoming increasingly fierce. The light from their magical artifacts and the brilliance of the formation shone brightly, illuminating the battlefield as if it were daytime.

The number of Rock Spirit Armored Beasts gradually dwindled, and despair and fear began to show in their eyes. Finally, after a long and mournful cry, the last giant beast fell on the blood-stained land.

The three races of demons became lambs to the slaughter, and even the defending legion was gradually annihilated. In this battle, two hundred people defeated one thousand demons from the three-race alliance and three thousand guards; it was a battle where the few defeated the many.

The power of two hundred Rank 3 magic artifacts cannot be compensated for even by a dozen times their number. The eight hundred elite Radiant Legion soldiers behind them formed a defensive formation, responsible for coordinating with the Southern Region geniuses in initiating the gate-blocking battle. They remained disciplined throughout the fight, neither seeking the limelight nor retreating an inch, consistently performing their duties as bodyguards.

"Well done!" Zheng Qianqiang shouted as he sheathed the Dragon Scale Void-Breaking Sword and strode toward Zhao Mingxiu with a satisfied smile on his face. At the same time, his eyes met Li Zun's without him noticing.

"Haha, that was awesome!" Zhao Mingxiu was having a blast. Carrying his greatsword, he glanced at each of his comrades, his eyes filled with satisfaction and pride. He shouted, "Let's rest for a moment, then storm the Star Chess Fortress and begin the gate-blocking battle!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's spirits lifted, and the fatigue of battle seemed to be washed away by the joy of victory. They quickly organized their equipment, the wounded treated their injuries, and the uninjured seized the time to recover their spiritual energy.

At this point, Zhao Mingxiu completely regarded himself as the leader of this team. He was the Minister of Strategy, an official personally appointed by Zheng Qian. He was doing his duty and there was absolutely no problem with it.

Li Zun stood silently to the side, his fingers gently caressing an ancient jade pendant at his waist, which contained subtle fluctuations of spiritual energy, seemingly providing him with a continuous source of strength and composure. He looked up into the distance, where the outline of the Star Chess Fortress was faintly visible, and he secretly planned his next tactical deployment.

“Minister Zhao, we need to be even more cautious in this attack on the Star Chess Fortress.” Li Zun’s voice was steady and powerful, penetrating the surrounding noise and attracting everyone’s attention: “Although the Three Races Alliance has suffered a setback here, there are stronger defenses and unknown traps waiting for us on the way to the fortress. Moreover, don’t forget that their reinforcements may arrive at any time.”

Li Zun was somewhat worried. If they wanted to start the gate-blocking battle, they still had one more battle to fight: the garrison on the way to the Star Chess Fortress. Their generals, according to the unspoken rules of both sides, were geniuses in the early stages of the Zen Demon Realm. The Three Races Alliance already knew that the human race had a third-grade magic weapon, and they would definitely send reinforcements and distribute magic weapons to their soldiers. What followed was bound to be a tough battle with uncertain life and death.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mingxiu frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed. He patted Li Zun on the shoulder and laughed, "Don't worry, I, Zhao Mingxiu, never fight an unprepared battle. We'll win with our wits, and with the help of our third-grade magic artifacts, we're sure to achieve even greater success!"

Zheng Qian looked at the Star Chess Fortress in the distance and said calmly, "We are guaranteed to win if we are at the same level. In addition, our equipment is a third-grade magic weapon. They will have difficulty distributing magic weapons to their soldiers in a short time, so we don't need to worry about the enemies on the way."

After a long pause, Zheng Qian, with deep concern in his eyes, continued, "If the powerful members of the Three Races Alliance do not participate in the war, we will be safe. If they do, we can only rely on the Radiant Legion and the powerful members of the Wise Alliance to resist them."

"Let's charge up first and start the gate-blocking battle." Zhao Mingxiu wasn't worried at all. His father, Zhao Huang, was in Youfeng Rift Valley, so how could he be afraid?

Zheng Qian also had the Eastern Gambling King secretly protecting him, but he had to consider the safety of the geniuses in the Southern Region and could not allow them to suffer any mishaps.

"If the powerful members of the Three Races Alliance make a move, you should retreat immediately according to plan. I will cover the rear." Zheng Qian instructed everyone to retreat according to plan, with one change: he would cover the rear.

Upon hearing this, Li Zun nodded solemnly, fully aware of the complexity and danger of this battle. He looked at Zheng Qian, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes; Zheng Qian's decisiveness and spirit of sacrifice impressed him. But Li Zun also knew that this arrangement meant Zheng Qian would bear enormous risks.

“Master, the task of covering the rear is too dangerous. Perhaps we should discuss other options,” Li Zun suggested. He couldn’t bear to see Zheng Qian fall into a desperate situation.

Zheng Qian shook his head slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Li Zun, as you and I both know, things change in an instant on the battlefield, and sometimes, a decision is a matter of life and death. I know what I'm doing, so just proceed according to the original plan."

Seeing that Zheng Qian was determined, Li Zun said no more, but secretly resolved to ensure Zheng Qian's safety no matter what. He turned to look at Zhao Mingxiu, and the two exchanged a firm look. No words were needed; they both understood each other's intentions.

Although Zhao Mingxiu was born into a noble family, everyone was a passionate young man. He would not take advantage of his birth to make unreasonable demands and ask everyone to sacrifice their lives for his dream of making a name for himself.

They all knew that Zheng Qian could break through to the Liquid Aperture Realm at any time. The reason Zheng Qian was still fighting alongside them was because he was waiting for the Spirit Aperture Solidifying Pill. Once Yun Youzi refined the Spirit Aperture Solidifying Pill, they would be separated into two battlefields.

"In that case, let's set off immediately and try to reach Xingqi Fortress before the enemy reinforcements arrive, and start the gate-blocking battle!" Zhao Mingxiu gave the order, and everyone quickly sprang into action, their morale high.

Zheng Qian was still in the lead, with Zhao Mingxiu and Li Zun on his left and right respectively. Next came two hundred geniuses from the Southern Region and eight hundred soldiers from the Radiant Legion, and finally Zhao Minghang and Li Ming's group.

Not only were Zheng Qian and his group prepared for the three races' powerful figures to take action, but Zhao Minghang and Li Ming were also prepared for a great battle. Duan Na and her group of powerful figures in the clouds were also prepared for a great battle.

To their surprise, despite their cautious journey, they encountered no demon soldiers or any traps, and arrived directly beneath the Star Chess Fortress.

Star Chess Fortress resembles a dazzling star embedded in the earth. Its walls are forged from a mixture of deep-sea black iron and rare ores meticulously refined by the Yuren race. The obsidian-like luster shimmers with a cold and mysterious light under the sunlight, exuding both indestructibility and an awe-inspiring aura. Scattered across the walls are the unique stealth runes of the Shadow Serpent race. These runes can be activated at crucial moments, rendering parts of the fortress invisible, catching any enemy attempting to spy or invade completely off guard.

The fortress's towers soar into the clouds, each crafted from firestone by the skilled artisans of the Flame Leopard Clan. These towers, resembling burning flames, not only illuminate their surroundings but also symbolize the Alliance's undying will and determination. Equipped with advanced observation and defense systems, the towers are capable of detecting and repelling any potential threats immediately.

The moat surrounding the fortress draws its water from a mysterious mountain spring nearby. After special treatment by the Yu Ren tribe, the water becomes both clear and imbued with a strange power, making it difficult even for the strongest enemies to cross. The occasional eerie light shimmering on the river's surface is a warning spell set up by the Shadow Serpent tribe; any unusual movement on the water's surface will immediately trigger an alarm, ensuring the fortress's absolute safety.

What's even more breathtaking is that the layout of the Star Chess Fortress cleverly blends the essence of nature and soul magic. Its intricate internal passages facilitate rapid troop deployment while effectively confusing invaders, trapping them in a labyrinthine predicament. Every defensive fortification and every secret passage is a testament to the unity and wisdom of the three-race alliance, together weaving an impenetrable defensive network.

Both the Star Chess Fortress and the Starry Sky Chess Formation rely on the terrain and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to construct formations for attack and defense. This is the arena where formation masters duel, and it is also their home ground.

Zheng Qian's name was already very well-known within the Three Races Alliance, so his appearance here prompted the Alliance's leadership to order a retreat for the soldiers along the way. As for the demon soldiers still engaged in battle, they were merely expendable pawns to slow down the Southern Region's genius and allow the soldiers behind them to retreat safely.

Boom boom boom… The drums of Xingqi Fortress, like the roar of an ancient god, pierced through the clouds and shattered rocks, shaking every inch of the land and echoing throughout the vast天地 (heaven and earth). This was not merely a clash of sounds, but an echo of history, the prelude to an ancient war song. With unparalleled power, it awakened the fighting spirit and boundless glory dormant deep within the bloodline.

Guided by this rousing rhythm, the warriors of the three-race alliance seemed drawn by an invisible force, rapidly assembling from all directions of the fortress like shooting stars. Their figures converged in the sunlight, like a surging torrent, unstoppable, rushing towards the city walls. There, they formed perfectly aligned battle formations, each unit exuding a chilling aura of killing intent, like children of the earth awaiting the call of destiny.

The Yuren warriors, clad in armor woven from turquoise and deep blue, their suits etched with intricate runes that shimmered with an eerie light that seemed to devour the surrounding light, wielded sharp bone blades. They formed an ever-changing, misty array. Their eyes were calm and profound, like the gaze of someone from the abyss, sending chills down the spine. Within their formation, they sometimes dispersed like mist, sometimes converged like a surging tide, displaying astonishing agility and coordinated combat skills, like nature's most elusive hunters, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.

The Shadow Serpent Clan are slender and graceful, their bodies clad in silver and black scales, moving silently across the battlefield like phantoms of the night. Their warriors wield long, serpentine swords, their blades gleaming with a cold light, arranged in a shadowy strangulation formation. Their movements are agile and precise, like venomous snakes in the forest, striking with deadly precision. Within their formation, they can swiftly shift positions, creating invisible chains that lock down the enemy's movements until they are completely swallowed by the endless darkness.

The Flame Leopard Clan are robust and muscular, clad in fiery red and gold battle robes that illuminate the battlefield like burning flames. The warriors, wielding heavy battle axes and shields, form an impregnable, fiery rock formation. Their eyes burn with an indomitable fighting spirit, as fiery and fierce as magma before a volcanic eruption. Within their formation, they are as steady as rocks, their coordination seamless. Whether in offense or defense, they display astonishing strength and resilience, like invincible fire gods, determined to reduce all obstacles to ashes.

Zheng Qian, Zhao Mingxiu, and Li Zun stood at the forefront, their figures appearing exceptionally upright in the morning light, their eyes gleaming with determination and fearlessness. Behind them, two hundred geniuses from the Southern Region and eight hundred soldiers of the Radiant Legion followed closely, each gripping their weapons tightly, their fighting spirit brimming, as if ready at any moment to spill their blood on this land they were protecting.

"The Three Races Alliance's formation is fraught with danger. If our thousand men rush in rashly, we will surely suffer heavy casualties," Li Zun warned. The enemy had already formed a battle formation, and we could not act rashly and charge in now, or we would fall into the Three Races Alliance's trap.

Who was Li Zun reminding? Of course, it was Zhao Mingxiu, who had given them over four hundred Rank 3 magical artifacts for free.

"Zheng Qian, how should we fight?" Zhao Mingxiu didn't try to save face by shouting and charging into battle. He sensibly asked the alliance leader, Zheng Qian, knowing that at times like this, one should obediently listen to the alliance leader's orders.

Zheng Qian smiled confidently and asked the two in return, "Without any casualties, can you break through the formation, kill their monsters, and fight your way in and out seven times?"

Zhao Mingxiu shook his head. As Zhao Huang's most beloved son, setting up and breaking formations was naturally part of his curriculum. However, commanding troops was his specialty, and commanding sect geniuses was not his forte. As for breaking the formation of the Three Clans Alliance soldiers, he had a method in mind, but to say that there would be no casualties was impossible.

"Breaking through the formation without casualties is very difficult." Li Zun said it was very difficult, not that it was impossible.

Zheng Qian's gaze swept over the Flaming Leopard Clan's battle formation, which was arranged like an impregnable fortress, and the other two clans' allied forces, which were faintly visible in the distance. A smile appeared on his lips.

"You've fallen into a misconception. Our goal is to block the gate, not to break the formation."