Orion stood before the twenty powerful semi-saints, his gaze sharp, yet filled with caution.
"I'll make this clear: if you encounter anyone too strong, don't engage in a death match. Your first priority is to stay alive."
"Yes, Lord! Thank you for your concern!" the semi-saints responded in unison, visibly moved by his words. In their hearts, Orion's care was a rare blessing. A leader who valued their lives above reckless sacrifice? That was someone worth fighting for.
"Good." Orion nodded, satisfied with their response.
He wasn't taking any chances. The battlefield was unpredictable, and the possibility of encountering stronger enemies, even martial saints, could spell disaster for his forces. Better to keep his soldiers alive for future battles than lose them all in a futile clash.
His expression hardened as he turned to the rest of his troops. "Now, everyone, prepare to move out. We need to catch up with Yuan Zuozong and the others quickly." His voice was calm, but it carried a weight of finality. "The decisive battle is upon us."
In the distance, near the great walls of Chang'an City, a massive army gathered under the banner of the Empress. Orion knew she was preparing for their final confrontation—a clash that would involve millions. The thought of the upcoming carnage was daunting, but he couldn't let fear consume him. The battlefield would be a grinder of flesh and bone, a place where luck and strength might be all that separated life from death.
Orion took a deep breath, his mind focused. The battle ahead could either grant him a surge of power or see him meet his end.
Before heading out, he glanced at his personal panel.
[Host: Orion]
Strength: Middle Martial Emperor!Factions under his command: Yanyun's Eighteen Cavalry (slightly injured), 100,000 Snow Dragon Cavalry (enhanced), 50,000 trapped camp, Shadow Guard, Xiaoyu, 10,000 Beifu Army (disabled)!Guards under his command: Emperor Qingyun, Li Sandao, Xu Chu (Emperor-level enhanced version)!Luck value: 6,820,375!
"Huh? Why do I still have over 6.8 million luck points?" Orion muttered, puzzled. He had just spent a million on a saint-level lottery, and previously, his total had dipped to around 5.8 million.
Something was off.
A quick review of his recent luck acquisitions cleared up the confusion. "Ah, Gao Shun and Xie Xuan must've finished off Wang Hu's 300,000 soldiers at Yumen Pass." The realization hit him with a surge of delight. "No wonder. That battle's aftermath must've netted me an additional two million luck points!"
A wide smile crept across his face. "Good," he muttered. "Very good."
Now that the Yumen Pass battle had ended, Orion's forces could regroup with Yuan Zuozong's and launch a combined attack on Chang'an City.
"Yu Xiang," Orion called to his second-in-command. "Send word to Gao Shun. Have him return with his forces to join the main army."
"At once, my Lord," Yu Xiang responded, bowing respectfully. He raised his hand, and a carrier dove took off into the sky, racing towards the distant battlefield.
With everything set in motion, Orion felt a temporary calm settle over Medicine King Valley. The once-bloody battleground, littered with the remains of martial saints, seemed eerily quiet, as if the chaos had faded, leaving only the dead behind. It was a scene of devastation, a testament to the overwhelming force Orion had unleashed.
But it wouldn't last.
The twenty semi-saints, eager for action, grew restless. They hadn't been summoned to stand around idle. They were here to kill.
"Why does it feel like no one's coming?" one of them muttered impatiently. The silence was unsettling.
Suddenly, a dark, oppressive aura began to fill the valley. Evil energy surged, accompanied by ghostly wails and shrieks that made the very air tremble. The earth itself seemed to darken as the sky above twisted unnaturally.
A demonic presence had arrived.
The Third Prince and his followers had reached Medicine King Valley.
"Late again," the Third Prince hissed, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the empty battlefield. Orion's forces had already left. The prince could feel their lingering presence, but once more, his prey had slipped through his grasp. His frustration boiled over, his aura growing fiercer by the second.
He expanded his consciousness, reaching out across the valley, searching for any remaining trace of his enemy. Then, his expression shifted, eyes widening in shock.
"Eight martial saints… all dead…" The realization sent a shiver down his spine. In such a short time, eight saints had fallen.
"It's terrifying," he muttered. "Simply terrifying."
For a martial saint to be killed was no small feat. These were not weaklings. They were powerful beings with the means to escape almost any threat. Even a half-emperor like the Third Prince would struggle to kill one, let alone eight.
He inhaled sharply, catching the faint, lingering scent of something far more powerful than he had anticipated.
"Diwei…" His voice trembled. "There's been a Martial Emperor here."
The Third Prince's heart sank. He wasn't dealing with just any foe. Under Orion's command was a being of terrifying power, someone who could not only match but annihilate martial saints.
"How... how can this be?" His face contorted in disbelief. His earlier confidence crumbled as dread took hold. "Orion has a Martial Emperor?"
As the Third Prince grappled with this unsettling revelation, the air around him suddenly exploded with the sound of battle. The semi-saints Orion had left behind clashed with shadowy figures dressed in black. Their strikes were earth-shattering, shaking the valley with each blow.
But the enemy was resilient, their black-clad forms absorbing hit after hit with unnatural endurance. It was a brutal standoff, neither side willing to give an inch.
"Master, look!" said Hei Yi, the Third Prince's bloodthirsty follower. His eyes gleamed with violent intent as he gazed at the battlefield. "There are some… pests to squash."
He cracked his knuckles, ready to leap into the fray, eager to spill blood.
"Wait," the Third Prince ordered, his voice low and cold. His arm, covered in vicious bone spurs, blocked Hei Yi's path. He needed to think.
There was more to this situation than met the eye.