On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

"boom--,,,"

There was a terrifying roar like the creation of the world.

Shattered the dead silence of Yinshan Mountain,

Tearing the leaden sky,

The entire Valley of Broken Souls seemed to be grasped by an invisible giant hand, shaking, twisting, and groaning violently.

The earth trembled and cracked madly underfoot,

Huge rocks rolled down from the thousand-foot cliffs on both sides, like doomsday meteorites, smashing into the valley floor.

Smoke and dust rose into the sky, mixed with the flying snow, forming a gray-white chaos that covered the sky and the sun.

Burning Heaven Furnace,

The terrifying furnace that stood like a hill, spewing ominous dark red smoke, now exploded from the inside like a ignited gunpowder barrel.

The furnace roof, which was tens of feet high, was instantly blown away by an unimaginable violent force.

It transformed into countless huge fragments burning with flames, like a meteor shower, with a shrill scream, shooting wildly in all directions,

The hot golden-red molten liquid gushed out from the huge gap like a torrent of magma breaking through a dam.

It was no longer a controlled outpouring, but a devastating explosion.

The boiling, sticky molten metal, emitting a pungent sulfur stench and terrifyingly high temperature, roared, rolled, and devoured everything in its path like an angry fire dragon.

"Fuck-"

"what--"

A shrill howl that was not like a human voice instantly resounded through the valley.

It was the desperate cry of being instantly enveloped by the boiling molten liquid, vaporized, and not even a bone was left.

The slaves, Zoroastrians, and even the remnants of the Eagle Tribe who were closest to the furnace and had no time to retreat, were like snowflakes thrown into boiling water. Without even a chance to struggle, they instantly turned into a wisp of green smoke and a pool of charred marks.

Those who were a little further away were hit by the splashing molten liquid or burning fragments, and instantly turned into burning firemen, emitting heart-wrenching screams, rolling wildly on the snow, and finally turned into charcoal.

The air was filled with the nauseating smell of burning flesh, sulfur, blood, and a pungent odor of molten metal.

The heat wave swept across the entire valley like an invisible tsunami.

The snow melted and evaporated instantly.

The permafrost was cracked and smoking, and the rocks made a crackling sound.

The entire Valley of Broken Souls instantly turned into a huge furnace burning with hellfire.

A living, life-devouring crematorium,

"Protect His Highness——" Cheng Xuan's shrill scream was almost drowned out by the loud noise of the explosion.

She pounced on Lin Zhen and used her body to knock him behind a huge rock that had just rolled down.

"Boom," a piece of furnace debris, burning with flames and as big as a millstone, slammed into the place where they had just stood with a shrill roar.

Gravel splashes,

Mars is shining,

The scorching air wave almost knocked people over.

"Puff," Cheng Xuan groaned as a piece of flying gravel hit her back, and a trace of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.

"Chengxuan," Lin Zhen held her tightly, a trace of anxiety flashing in his eyes.

"I'm fine," Cheng Xuan gritted her teeth and stood up straight, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes still as sharp as a knife, "Your Highness, please leave quickly, it's too dangerous here."

"Mao Mengji, Chu Xiling," Lin Zhen shouted sharply, searching in the chaotic sea of ​​smoke and fire.

"I'm here," Mao Mengji's skinny figure flashed out from behind the burning ruins like a ghost, his face covered in soot and blood, but his eyes were still fierce. "Damn it, I almost got roasted."

"Lord Chu," Cheng Xuan pointed with sharp eyes at a relatively intact boulder groove not far away.

Chu Xiling was tightly protected by two Jinwu Guards. Her face was pale, her hair was disheveled, and her indigo work clothes were covered in dust and sparks. However, her cold eyes were unusually bright as she stared at the ruins of the Burning Heaven Furnace, which was still spewing flames and thick smoke. She muttered to herself, "The pressure inside the furnace is unbalanced... The core area is extremely hot... The explosion equivalent... far exceeded expectations... This... This is not an ordinary furnace explosion... Something... Something has ignited..."

"All troops, listen to my command," Lin Zhen's voice was like thunder, piercing through the chaotic explosions and screams, with unquestionable majesty and decisiveness. "The Jinwu Guards' shield formation will cover the retreat to the valley entrance. The Shenji Camp's musketeers will guard the rear and kill any living creature that approaches. The border troops will rescue the wounded and bring those who can move with them. The seriously injured...will be placed on the spot."

His voice paused slightly, with a barely perceptible heaviness in it. "Hurry up, the valley could collapse again at any time."

"Yes," the order was like a magic needle that instantly stabilized the chaotic morale of the army.

"Shield formation, rise," the Jinwu Guard heavy armored infantry roared in a low voice.

The huge tower shield was erected again,

Forming a moving steel wall,

Covering the team's retreat to the valley entrance,

"Bang, bang, bang, bang——" The musketeers of the Shenji Camp quickly formed a formation and fired three rounds of shots.

The dense lead bullets were like the scythe of the god of death, harvesting the scattered Zoroastrians and the remnants of the Eagle Tribe who rushed out of the sea of ​​fire and tried to pursue them.

"Hurry, help him up, and go!" The border soldiers braved the scorching air and flying gravel, desperately dragging the injured comrades and retreating to the valley entrance.

Screams, shouts, explosions, and the sound of falling rocks merged into a hellish symphony.

The retreat was brutal and difficult. Huge rocks kept rolling down the cliffs, hitting the crowd and causing a bloody storm.

The hot molten liquid flowed and spread at the bottom of the valley like a maggot on the tarsal bone, devouring everything.

Thick smoke billowed, blocking out the sky and the sun, making it impossible to open your eyes and difficult to breathe.

The scorching air waves burned people's skin and made their armor burn.

Soldiers were constantly hit by the splashing molten liquid or burning fragments, fell down screaming, and were instantly engulfed by the sea of ​​fire.

The whole valley is like the entrance to purgatory.

When Lin Zhen finally rushed out of the Broken Soul Valley's mouth, which looked like the fangs of a giant beast, under the desperate protection of his personal guards, he looked back and saw that the entire valley had been completely engulfed in smoke and flames.

Dark red flames shot up into the sky, illuminating the lead-gray sky with a blood-red hue.

The huge column of smoke was like a demonic pillar connecting heaven and earth, rolling and twisting, carrying the remains of the Burning Heaven Furnace and the ashes of countless lives, straight into the sky.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of burning and death.

The Valley of Broken Souls, as its name suggests, has become a hopeless place.

"Count the number of people and treat the wounded," Lin Zhen's voice was a little hoarse and tired, but still steady.

He dismounted, his black dragon armor covered in smoke and dark red blood (whether it was his own or the enemy's, he didn't know). A corner of his scarlet cloak was burnt, fluttering in the cold wind.

He glanced at the remnants of the army outside the valley who were still in shock and in a mess, and a trace of regret flashed in his eyes.

"Your Highness," Mao Mengji said, his voice hoarse, the scar on his face looking even more hideous in the firelight. "The Jinwu Guard lost 187 men, with 63 seriously injured. The Shenji Battalion lost 21 men, with 15 seriously injured. The Border Army lost 342 men, with 195 seriously injured... The Bandit Suppression Battalion lost nearly half its men."

His skinny fingers trembled slightly, and his eyes burned with anger and bloodthirst.

"Mrs. Chu," Cheng Xuan came over, supporting the pale-faced Chu Xiling.

"Prince..." Chu Xiling's voice was a little weak, but her eyes were unusually bright, even filled with a kind of fanatical excitement. "The temperature at the core of the explosion far exceeded expectations. The Burning Heaven Furnace is more than just a smelting furnace. It is refining a... an extremely unstable mixture of substances, sulfur, saltpeter, refined coal powder... and... and some special catalyst. The ratio is extremely delicate. If you are not careful... it will..."

She took a deep breath, a trace of fear flashing in her eyes. "It will trigger the devastating explosion just now. This is not 'Heaven-Burning Fire' at all, this is 'Heaven-Burning Thunder', a terrifying explosive far more powerful than black powder. Gu Beichen doesn't want to create fire... but thunder, a divine punishment thunder that can blow down city walls, tear apart the earth, and destroy everything."

"Burning Sky Thunder?" Lin Zhen's pupils suddenly contracted.

A chill instantly rushed from the tailbone to the top of the head.

He suddenly remembered the captive's description of "burning everything".

It turns out... it's not flames,

It's an explosion.

It was a devastating explosion.

Gu Beichen,

He not only wants to overthrow Daqian,

He also wants to use this terrifying weapon to drag the entire world into the abyss of destruction.

"We must...we must find the formula, find those Western Region envoys, and find Gu Beichen's lair in Black Water Lake," Chu Xiling's voice was filled with unprecedented urgency and solemnity.

"This formula... must not fall into Gu Beichen's hands, otherwise... the world will be in chaos and all lives will be destroyed."

"Send the message," Lin Zhen's eyes flashed with cold light, like a peerless fierce weapon unsheathed, "Mao Mengji,"

"The end will be here,"

"Immediately seal off the Broken Soul Valley. The area within a radius of fifty miles is designated as a restricted area. No one is allowed to approach. Violators will be killed without mercy."

"Yes,"

"Xiao Hanzhou,"

"Disciple is here," Xiao Hanzhou hurried over, his official robe covered with dust.

"Send a pigeon to Zhang Li, mobilizing all resources, regardless of cost, to investigate the whereabouts of the Zoroastrian envoys from the Western Regions, to investigate Gu Beichen's movements in the Black Water Marsh, and to uncover all clues related to the 'Burning Sky Thunder,' especially the formula."

"Yes, I will do it immediately."

"Chu Xiling,"

"I am here,"

"You will personally take charge of organizing the Ministry of Industry's top experts in physics, chemistry, and firearms to establish a Fire and Mine Division. They will secretly study the remnants of this explosion, analyze its composition, and attempt to reverse engineer the formula. Simultaneously... research defense and countermeasures."

"Yes," Chu Xiling replied solemnly with a challenging glint in her eyes.

"Cheng Xuan,"

"exist,"

"Send an order back to Yanjing. The entire army shall wear mourning clothes, bury the fallen soldiers with honor, double the compensation, treat the seriously injured at all costs, and the families of the fallen shall be supported by the government for life, and their children shall be enrolled in elementary schools free of charge. A 'Heroic Martyrs' Shrine' shall be built, with a monument engraved to commemorate them, and they shall be worshipped for eternity."

"Yes,"

"Also..." Lin Zhen's voice lowered, with a hint of imperceptible fatigue and heaviness, "Order all prefectures and counties to open their granaries and release grain to provide relief to the victims, and reduce taxes for one year."