Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

There was no celebration, no excitement, only an extremely concise command. Yet, it was like a bucket of ice water, waking everyone up.

Yes, although the Demon King is wounded, tens of thousands of demonic beasts, driven even more ferocious by the bloodshed, still roam outside Black Wind Valley. The battle is far from over.

But beneath that calm command, something unprecedented and fervent was quietly growing and spreading in everyone's heart. It was an almost blind faith in the figure in blue robes in the sky, a flame called "hope."

Although it was called a commander's tent, it was actually just a simple barracks hastily erected on a sheltered rock with battle flags and coarse cloth. The interior was simply furnished with a long table made of rough wood and a few stone benches.

A huge map of the Eastern Theater Command was spread out on the long table, now covered with dense markings in vermilion and charcoal.

Shen Mo sat in the main seat, his face even paler than before, but his back remained as straight as a pine tree. Forcibly controlling the Zhou Tian Star Array to suppress the demon king, while also being distracted by directing the overall situation, had greatly depleted his divine sense and spiritual power. However, his eyes remained bright and sharp, showing no signs of fatigue.

Shi Tie, Jin Hao, Zhao Qingyan, and Li Xiaocao sat on either side, all wounded and breathing heavily, but their spirits were unusually high. Outside the tent, the faint sounds of cultivators from various sects carrying the wounded, repairing fortifications, and cleaning up the battlefield could be heard, along with suppressed, excited whispers.

"Sect Leader! Are you alright?" Shi Tie couldn't hold back any longer. He stared at Shen Mo with his big, round eyes full of worry. Although he was rough and tough, he could tell that Shen Mo's aura was not as solid as usual.

"It's alright, I just expended a lot of energy, I'll recover in a bit." Shen Mo waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "What are the casualties? How much have the supplies been depleted? How long can the formation hold out? Report everything."

The voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. Everyone's expressions tightened, and they quickly composed themselves.

Shi Tie spoke first, his voice rough and hoarse: "On my side, thirty-seven men died in battle, over a hundred were seriously injured and rendered unable to fight, not counting the minor injuries. The 'Flowing Cloud Battle Formation' was broken three times and reassembled, the disciples fought very hard! Nearly thirty percent of our pills were used up, especially Qi-restoring pills and hemostatic powder. Eleven armor-piercing crossbows were lost, and the consumption of talisman arrows was even greater."

Jin Hao interjected, speaking quickly but clearly: "We lost nine brothers on the guerrilla flank and more than twenty were seriously injured. The main injuries were from the poisonous mist of the Red Phosphorus Python and the sneak attacks of the Corrosive Vulture. We urgently need to replenish our antidote pills and Qingfeng Powder."

"In addition, we hunted down seventeen low-level demon beast leaders, but when the Demon King retreated, most of the demon beast corpses were not collected in time and were swept back into the valley by the beast tide, which is a pity."

A hint of regret appeared on his face. Demon beast materials, especially demon cores, are hard currency.

Zhao Qingyan's face was as pale as paper, and her breath was weak, clearly indicating that she had expended the most energy while presiding over the formation.

Her voice was somewhat weak, but still clear and articulate: "The Zhou Tian Xing Dou Remnant Array has been operating beyond its capacity for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Cracks have appeared in the array bases of the core array eyes, the 'Yao Guang' and 'Kai Yang' positions. It is necessary to immediately replace them with high-grade spirit stones and repair the array patterns."

"More than half of the auxiliary formations, such as 'Collapse' and 'Quicksand,' have been destroyed. Forty percent of the stockpiled formation flags and plates have been consumed. To maintain the current defensive strength, we can only hold out for a maximum of... two more hours. If the Demon King launches another strong attack, the time will be even shorter."

Li Xiaocao's eyes were slightly red, clearly she had just been crying. There were also casualties among the Dantang disciples. She forced herself to speak, "The casualties among the Dantang disciples were relatively minor, but the earth fire was unstable, and two furnaces exploded, resulting in considerable losses. The stock of 'Blood Burning Pills' is exhausted, and there are only 30% left of 'Qi-Returning Powder' and 'Hemostatic Ointment,' and less than 20% of 'Antidote Pills.'"

"A new batch of pills is being refined at an accelerated pace, but the Earth Fire Vein is being impacted by the beast tide and demonic energy, causing instability and a decline in both the success rate and quality of the pills... We need the Array Hall's assistance to stabilize the Earth Fire."

With each number announced, the atmosphere inside the tent grew heavier. This was a bloody price to pay, the most devastating loss the alliance had suffered since its inception.

Shen Mo listened quietly, his face remaining largely expressionless. War is never a dinner party; casualties and losses were already within his expectations. He tapped his fingers lightly on the rough edge of the map, pondered for a moment, and then spoke:

"The names, lineages, and merits of the fallen disciples will be recorded. Compensation will be paid at three times the highest wartime standard, and their immediate family members will be supported by the Alliance. Those who are seriously wounded will be treated at all costs, and the Pill Hall will provide full support. Those who have made outstanding contributions will be rewarded separately. Elder Han is already coordinating this matter from the rear, and details will be available soon."

He paused, then looked at Li Xiaocao: "The earth fire is unstable. After Junior Sister Qingyan has finished her meditation, immediately lead people to stabilize it. The necessary spirit stones and materials will be drawn from my share. As for pills... prioritize the seriously injured and frontline defensive disciples."

"The production of such potent and dangerous medicines as the 'Blood Burning Pill' is currently exhausted, so we will temporarily halt its refinement and focus on 'Qi Recovery Powder' and 'Mind Concentration Pill'. Tell the disciples of the Pill Hall that the Alliance will remember their hard work."

Li Xiaocao nodded emphatically, her eyes glistening with tears, yet filled with unwavering determination.

"Junior Brother Tie, Jin Hao, your two units will be merged and reorganized, with the seriously wounded removed, and reorganized into two battalions, 'Sharp Arrow' and 'Wandering Warrior,' to take turns resting and on guard. The belongings of the fallen comrades should be carefully collected and sent back to their hometowns or sects in the future."

"Yes!" Shi Tie and Jin Hao solemnly agreed.

"Junior Sister Qingyan," Shen Mo looked at Zhao Qingyan, his tone softening, "the array is the foundation of defense and cannot be compromised. All necessary supplies will be provided first. Are you confident that you can initially repair the core array eye and restore its defensive strength to 70% within three hours?"

"Yes!" Shi Tie and Jin Hao solemnly agreed.

"Junior Sister Qingyan," Shen Mo looked at Zhao Qingyan, his tone softening, "the array is the foundation of defense and cannot be compromised. All necessary supplies will be provided first. Are you confident that you can initially repair the core array eye and restore its defensive strength to 70% within three hours?"

A resolute look appeared on Zhao Qingyan's pale face: "If we have enough spirit stones and materials, and with the 'Star Power Guiding' secret technique previously taught by the sect leader, we can shorten the formation time... Qingyan, we can give it a try!"

"Good!" A hint of approval appeared in Shen Mo's eyes. "Everything needed will be immediately transferred from the warehouse. Su Xiao."

Su Xiao, who had been standing like a shadow in the corner of the tent, silently took a step forward.

"The Shadow Guards are fully cooperating with the Array Hall to guard the Black Wind Valley direction, especially the ley line fluctuations. The Demon King is injured and should be unable to launch an attack of this scale in the short term, but the beast tide is still restless. We need to guard against it using low-level demon beasts to continue harassing us, or if it has other tricks up its sleeve. We also need to strengthen monitoring of the Blazing Sun Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect. We cannot afford to lose anything at this time."

"Understood, subordinate." Su Xiao nodded, and his figure quietly disappeared.

After arranging the urgent military affairs, Shen Mo pondered for a moment and then said, "Order Elder Han to issue a public announcement in the name of the alliance. First, announce the preliminary results of this battle: we repelled the fourth-tier demon king, the Earth Dragon Lizard, killed and wounded countless demon beasts, and the Duanlong Cliff defense line remains standing."

"Secondly, publish the regulations for compensation and rewards, clarify the standards, and implement them immediately."

"Thirdly, collect all factions' stockpiled elixirs, talismans, array formations, and other war supplies, and settle accounts based on contribution points, or compensate them with priority in exchanging spoils after the war. Fourthly, reiterate military discipline: those who perform meritorious service will be rewarded, and those who commit offenses will be punished. Anyone who deserts in the face of battle, loots supplies, or disrupts morale will be executed immediately!"

The orders, clear and stern, swiftly brought the chaotic post-war situation under control. The men received their orders and rose to leave.

"And one more thing," Shen Mo called out to them, his gaze sweeping over each tired yet resolute face, "tell the soldiers that they fought well, and the Alliance is proud of them. Those who fell in battle fought to protect their homeland, and they died a worthy death; their heroic spirits will not be far away."

"Those who are alive must live well, for their sake as well, and hold this line."

Shi Tie's eyes reddened, and he clasped his hands tightly, saying, "Sect Leader! On behalf of the brothers who died in battle, thank you!" After saying that, he turned around and strode out of the tent, his back slightly unsteady.

Jin Hao, Zhao Qingyan, and Li Xiaocao also bowed silently and withdrew. Inside the tent, only Shen Mo remained, along with the flickering candlelight that illuminated his serene profile.