Chapter 305

Chapter 305: Prince Liang: Can Mu Lin Win?

Mu Lin’s entrance didn’t stir excitement among the crowd. Instead, many shook their heads and sighed.

Their disbelief was clear—they saw no chance for Mu Lin to defeat Crimson Child’s Lair.

By all reason, Mu Lin stood no match against the Crimson Child at that time.

What realm was Mu Lin in? The Condensing Essence stage.

And the Crimson Child? The Transformation Realm!

Though suppressed by the death gravestone, the Crimson Child’s power remained at the Transformation level thanks to the Crimson Holy Grail. This was proven when it effortlessly overpowered the combined forces of Jade Daoist, Zui Xiaoyao, and Wandering Bug.

The Crimson Child’s realm towered two full levels above Mu Lin’s, including the critical leap from Condensing Essence to the Transformation Realm.

A Transformation Realm foe like the Crimson Child could fight a thousand Condensing Essence cultivators alone.

This wasn’t hyperbole—the chasm between high and low realms was that vast. Attacks from the Condensing Essence stage often failed to pierce a higher realm opponent’s defenses. Against such impervious foes, numbers meant nothing.

Every disadvantage stacked against Mu Lin fueled the crowd’s doubts, explaining their resigned headshakes.

As for the Crimson Child… it harbored no doubts about victory.

"Another sacrifice approaches. Let’s see who… Hm? You?"

The Crimson Child recognized Mu Lin, as did its companion—the descendant of evil gods, Shadow.

"You! The human whelp who ruined our schemes! Hah! To think we’d claim this prize at the end! Lair, slaughter him!"

"I give the orders here!"

The roar startled Shadow, his face twisting darkly. But sensing the Crimson Child’s overwhelming aura, he merely muttered, "Strength dictates authority. Do as you will—but know he’s enraged multiple high priests and a true Demigod offspring."

"I’ll kill him—not by your command, but by my will…"

"Of course. Your will alone…"

*Thud. Thud. Thud.*

While the evil god’s offspring bickered, Mu Lin acted. Black Fog billowed behind him as the Beiwai Army emerged—ghost-masked soldiers in heavy armor marching silently from the mist.

This Black Fog stemmed from vaporized black river water, inheriting its teleportation traits. Moreover, the City of Heart’s Prison’s potent energy veins amplified Mu Lin’s control beyond what he’d wielded in Ping An Ancient County.

And the Beiwai Army thrived on spiritual veins.

Thus, Mu Lin summoned an unprecedented host.

*Thud. Thud. Thud.*

Endless ranks of Beiwai soldiers poured from the ominous fog, their silence deepening the suffocating killing aura.

The Crimson Child’s Lair sneered at the display.

"Dao soldiers? You dare wield puppets against me? Fool—you’ve forgotten death’s very meaning!"

*Hmmmm…*

While speaking, he shook his body, sending countless blood droplets flying from within. The moment these droplets separated from him, they squirmed and grew like living things. Soon, Crimson Child’s Lair had created hordes of crimson-hued monsters.

The monstrous swarm included giant mosquitoes, wolf-headed humanoids, bull-headed hybrids, serpent people, lizard folk, and even small giant-like evil ghosts. Within mere moments, thousands of blood-colored demons filled the air.

"See? This is a real army, proper Dao soldiers… Huh?!"

Having forged this formidable demon army, Crimson Child’s Lair initially swelled with triumph. Confident of victory, he turned to mock Mu Lin – hoping to witness fear on his opponent’s face. Yet when he looked, he found Mu Lin utterly calm, while his own smugness crumbled into uneasy frustration.

His expression shifted from contempt to wary confusion.

The reason stood before Mu Lin – nearly a thousand black-armored Beiwai soldiers forming battle ranks. Their chilling discipline and terrifying ghost-faced visages sent shivers even through Crimson Child’s Lair. But what truly unsettled him was Mu Lin’s impossible feat: a mere Condensing Essence cultivator summoning thousands of Beiwai troops, with more pouring forth endlessly.

"Impossible! Condensing Essence cultivators have limited magic. Summoning three hundred Yin soldiers would already be heaven’s favor. How can you command over a thousand?!"

Prince Liang and the powerful clans’ elders shared his bewilderment.

"How’s this possible? How can Mu Lin summon so many Yin soldiers with his cultivation?"

"This defies reason!"

In this world, magic power ruled all. Even the mightiest techniques required sufficient magic reserves – why Qi Practitioners revered high realms. To Prince Liang’s faction, Mu Lin’s weak magic should’ve doomed him against Crimson Child’s defenses. Yet now they gaped at the swelling army.

"One thousand… thirteen hundred… eighteen hundred… twenty-four hundred! How many can he summon?!"

"By the heavens! This army’s size and quality would overwhelm even combined Essence and Evil practitioners. How does he sustain this?"

"Combined Essence and Evil? Don’t be absurd. Maintaining this force requires at least Transformation-level…"

The endless Beiwai ranks kept forming battle arrays. Their silent might sparked fervent whispers among the observers. Despair lifted from their faces as hope glimmered through.

Someone suddenly recalled: "At Ping An Ancient County, Mu Lin summoned three thousand Beiwai troops to withstand a High Mastery of Transformation strike!"

"Ah yes, but that relied on local energy veins. Now he’s in Grave Lord’s secret realm… Could he control those cursed landlines?"

"Impossible! Grave Lord’s domain teems with deadly formations and evil gods’ frustration. Those energy flows can’t be tamed!"

"Don’t be so sure. Mu Lin’s not just powerful – he’s a formation master. His Beiwai Army once manifested Cangshan Yumen Pass from history’s echoes. Only top-tier masters achieve that. He might’ve cracked Grave Lord’s defenses…"

Amid the discussions, the crowd gradually found a reasonable explanation for Mu Lin summoning the Beiwai Army. In some ways, they weren’t entirely wrong. Mu Lin had indeed used his knowledge of formations to reach the formation core and gained partial control over it.

Of course, there was much they didn’t know.

But now, the clan elders of the powerful clans and Prince Liang couldn’t dwell on such details. To their shock and relief, they realized Mu Lin might actually stop Crimson Child’s Lair by using the earth energy veins.

Watching the confrontation through the projection, the most anxious Prince Liang asked his loyal Fu Bo, "Can Mu Lin… win?"

_’He’ll win…’_

Fu Bo wanted to comfort his lord, but remembering that those in the Transformation Realm possessed not just deep mana but also extraordinary talents, he said instead, "Even if he can’t win, Mu Lin can stall Crimson Child’s Lair long enough for Yuzhou’s elites to arrive."

"A delay would suffice."

This cautious view was shared by Fu Bo, Prince Liang, and all the clan elders. It wasn’t disrespect toward Mu Lin, but recognition of the immense gap between the Transformation Realm and lower realms. This realm marked the transition from mortal to something beyond – a cocoon becoming a butterfly.

Had Crimson Child not been suppressed by the death gravestone, everyone agreed Mu Lin couldn’t have stalled it at all.

Crimson Child’s Lair brimmed with confidence.

"Many Yin soldiers summoned? Impressive, but futile. Ants remain ants. You cannot stop me!"

"Screech!!!"

Just like before, Crimson Child’s Lair unleashed the female demon’s wail, filling City of Heart’s Prison with soul-shredding screams. This wide-area sonic attack was perfect for wiping out weak but numerous foes.

The wails couldn’t be blocked or shielded against – only endured through soul power, a fatal weakness for weaker cultivators.

"Yin soldiers are souls. This attack should annihilate them all…"

But reality defied Crimson Child’s expectations.

"Boom!"

As the wail erupted, Mu Lin’s Beiwai Army slammed their weapons down in unison. Their spiritual energy interlinked through this motion, their unyielding wills manifesting a towering fortress from historical memory.

Cangshan Yumen Pass!

Protected by this legendary stronghold and their united spirits, the army weathered the assault unharmed.

No, they did more than survive.

"Crash!"

After blocking the attack, the Beiwai Army surged forward with a thunderous roar:

"KILL!"

The shout coalesced into a tsunami of killing intent that smashed back at the female demon’s screaming visage.

"Screech!!!"

This time, the wail wasn’t an attack – it was a genuine scream of pain.