Originally, Jiang Wuming intended to replenish his depleted true qi and vital force before the arrival of the extraterrestrial enemies and attempt to break through to the eleventh stage of martial arts cultivation, or even the three-star War God realm, but his efforts were in vain.
Eleventh stage.
This was considered legendary in any realm.
Throughout his journey, Jiang Wuming had cultivated every realm to the eleventh stage, not only through the mysterious and unfathomable spatial dimension but also through talent, comprehension, and opportune moments.
All four were indispensable.
As for the major hurdle of the three-star War God realm, he had not yet grasped the true essence of true qi detaching from the body and manifesting into all things; he still needed accumulation and refinement.
Therefore, Jiang Wuming's plan was to first attempt to break through to the eleventh stage of the two-star War God realm. However, just as he began his attempt, the great curtain experienced a massive energy fluctuation—the third batch of extraterrestrial enemies was about to descend!
This discovery could only compel him to immediately cease his breakthrough, withdraw his consciousness from the mysterious dimension, stand up, and fix his gaze on the curtain.
Concurrently, Xia Xueqin, Qin Linhai, and others were also staring intently at the curtain, their hearts pounding in their chests, with some even holding their breath.
Tension.
At this moment, everyone except Jiang Wuming was extremely tense.
Soon, under the watchful eyes of Jiang Wuming and the others, three blurry figures appeared within the curtain, their auras also transmitted through it.
Swish, swish, swish…
In an instant, everyone’s expression changed drastically, except for Jiang Wuming!
At this moment, their faces could no longer show any trace of the excitement and joy from their previous victory; instead, they were filled with terror!
This was because, although there were only three extraterrestrial enemies in the curtain, their strengths were two at the eleventh stage of the three-star War God realm and one at the second stage of the four-star War God realm!
“Four… Four-star War God second stage, how can we possibly fight this?!”
Amidst their terror, a teacher from the East Sea Martial Academy exclaimed, his voice filled with helplessness.
“Ding—”
His exclamation was met with a soft chime.
The special communicator worn on Jiang Wuming’s wrist rang. Including Xia Xueqin and Qin Linhai, everyone’s gaze simultaneously shifted to the young man’s back.
At this moment, they couldn’t see the young man’s expression, only that he raised his wrist and answered the call.
“Wuming, what is the strength of those three extraterrestrial enemies?”
In the East Domain Legion’s command center, Qin Yuanzheng stood before the control console, holding the walkie-talkie, and asked.
He and everyone else, including Zhu Shengxian, had seen the three blurry figures in the curtain through the video feed.
Although there were only three enemies, they felt no relief; instead, they were anxious.
This was because their rationality told them that the fewer the number of enemies, the stronger their strength must be!
At this moment, as Qin Yuanzheng’s voice fell, everyone’s hearts were in their throats, awaiting Jiang Wuming’s answer.
Soon, the young man’s voice rang out, his tone very low: “One four-star War God second stage, and two three-star War Gods at their eleventh stage.”
Whoosh!
As Jiang Wuming’s words reached their ears, everyone in the East Domain Legion’s command headquarters, including Qin Yuanzheng, had their faces contort, their expressions changing drastically!
Although they had been mentally preparing for the possibility of extraterrestrial enemies reaching the four-star War God realm before contacting Jiang Wuming, when this speculation became a reality, their hearts were struck with a critical blow!
Four-star War Gods could not only detach their true qi to manifest and attack, but they could also imbue their form and intent, making them entirely incomparable to three-star War Gods.
A single four-star War God second stage extraterrestrial enemy posed a far greater threat to Jiang Wuming and the others than ten three-star War Gods at their ninth stage!
Moreover, beside that four-star War God second stage extraterrestrial enemy, were there two subordinates at the eleventh stage of the three-star War God realm?
For a moment, the East Domain Legion’s command center fell into a deathly silence.
Qin Yuanzheng opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his mind blank.
What could he say at this moment?
Encouragement?
Or advice?
Neither would be meaningful.
“Legion Commander, headquarters is calling me. I’ll end this call for now.”
Just as Qin Yuanzheng remained silent, on the training ground, Jiang Wuming noticed a new call coming in; it was from the Martial Department Headquarters’ combat command center.
After speaking, Jiang Wuming, without waiting for Qin Yuanzheng to reply, ended the call and immediately answered the Martial Department’s combat command center.
“Hello, this is Jiang Wuming…”
“Wuming, what is the strength of the three extraterrestrial enemies?”
As soon as Jiang Wuming introduced himself, he was interrupted.
The voice belonged to Qi Wufu.
According to the normal procedure, the East Domain Legion was supposed to report the strength and numbers of the extraterrestrial enemies that descended to the Martial Department Headquarters’ combat command center.
However, Qi Wufu, without waiting for the East Domain Legion’s combat command center to report, personally contacted Jiang Wuming.
“Reporting, Marshal, the third batch of extraterrestrial enemies descending upon the East Sea Martial Academy includes one individual at the second stage of the four-star War God realm, and the other two are at the eleventh stage of the three-star War God realm.”
Jiang Wuming reported truthfully once more, his voice echoing throughout the Martial Department Headquarters’ combat command center.
Upon hearing this, Qi Wufu’s brows instantly furrowed, forming a deep frown.
Meanwhile, Staff Officer Li Rui and the other elders wore solemn expressions, while the expressions of others changed drastically!
“Marshal, how much longer until Elder Zhou Hetu arrives?”
Just then, Jiang Wuming’s voice rang out again.
“One minute before the extraterrestrial enemies appeared in the great curtain, I had just finished a call with Ye Zheng. The transport plane carrying Elder Zhou Hetu will land at the East Sea base in fifteen minutes. Even if he rushes to your location without stopping, it will take at least half an hour!” Qi Wufu replied with a grave tone.
“Understood, Marshal. Do you have any further instructions?” Jiang Wuming asked.
“Wuming, if you die fighting at the East Sea Martial Academy, will you regret joining the Martial Department? Will you blame me?” Qi Wufu asked after a two-second silence.
“From the day I joined the Martial Department, I have never thought of regretting it. I only have respect and gratitude for you.”
Jiang Wuming first answered Qi Wufu’s question, then added, “But I do have one regret.”
“What is it?”
“All the information about my parents comes from history. Even when my father was alive, I never had the chance to meet him!”
Jiang Wuming revealed his inner thoughts.
“Wuming, you and your parents are heroes,” Qi Wufu said slowly.
“I never considered myself a hero, nor did I aspire to be one. But please rest assured, in this battle, I will fight to the death!!”
As his words fell, the young man directly ended the call.
Fight to the death!
As Jiang Wuming’s words echoed in their ears, everyone, including Qi Wufu, felt a sense of oppression, their expressions grave, even bordering on despair!
That despair stemmed from the fact that the strength disparity between Jiang Wuming and the extraterrestrial enemies was too great, making victory almost impossible!
That despair also stemmed from their inability to see a future.
If Jiang Wuming, hailed as the most astonishing martial arts prodigy in the history of the global martial arts world and the creator of countless legends, were to fall on the battlefield, who would protect the Dragon Country in the future?
Did humanity still have hope of defeating the extraterrestrial enemies?!
It was not just Qi Wufu and the others who felt despair. On the training ground of the East Sea Martial Academy, Xia Xueqin, Qin Linhai, and the others also felt despair after hearing the words “fight to the death.”
They did not fear battle, nor did they fear death, but they feared the absence of even a glimmer of hope!
In their despair, they stared blankly at the young man’s retreating figure, no longer expecting him to perform another miracle and bring hope, but silently awaiting his command.
Under everyone’s gaze, Jiang Wuming lowered his arm, picked up the battle saber planted on the ground, and then turned to walk towards the crowd.
One step, two steps, three steps…
The young man’s steps were unhurried, each one taken with steady resolve.
Finally, the young man stopped ten meters away from Xia Xueqin and the others and issued his first command: “All members of the one-star team, withdraw from the training ground and, together with the warriors of the East Sea detachment, guard the periphery of the training ground!”
“Yes!”
Xing Tian, Dongfang Xiaoyao, Huangfu Weixia, and the teachers from the East Sea Martial Academy instinctively obeyed.
However, Qin Linhai and the other three one-star War Gods from the East Sea detachment were somewhat stunned!
Their rationality told them that Jiang Wuming was ordering them to leave the training ground, meaning they were not to participate in the upcoming battle.
“General Jiang Wuming, we request to participate in the battle…”
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Qin Linhai immediately spoke.
“General Qin, this is an order. Please carry it out with your men!” Jiang Wuming said expressionlessly.
“Yes!”
Upon hearing Jiang Wuming’s words again, sensing the coldness and irrefutability in his tone, Qin Linhai hesitated for a moment before finally obeying.
As his words fell, he and his two companions followed Xing Tian and the others towards the entrance of the training ground.
“Dean Xia, if you were to face that four-star War God second stage extraterrestrial enemy alone, how long could you hold out?”
At the same time, Jiang Wuming’s gaze fell upon Xia Xueqin.
“I don’t know, but I will fight with all my might to last as long as possible,” Xia Xueqin replied after a moment of hesitation.
“Good. Once the battle begins, your mission is to temporarily hold off that four-star War God second stage. As for how you will make the enemy perceive you as the primary target to be eliminated, that is up to you to figure out.”
Jiang Wuming issued his second command.
“Yes!”
Xia Xueqin obeyed without hesitation.
Jiang Wuming spoke again, “Qin Xiaozhi, did you hear what I just said?”
“Reporting, Captain, I heard,” Qin Xiaozhi replied from the rooftop of a distant teaching building via radio.
Jiang Wuming had kept the radio on while issuing his commands.
“Your mission is to assist Dean Xia in holding off that four-star War God second stage extraterrestrial enemy!”
Jiang Wuming issued his third command.
“Yes, Captain!”
Qin Xiaozhi immediately obeyed.
“Dean Zhang, you and the other teachers, along with this General from the East Sea detachment, will join forces to fight one of the three-star War God tenth stage extraterrestrial enemies. Your mission is not to kill the enemy, but to hold them off.”
Jiang Wuming finally cast his gaze upon Zhang Guanzhong and the others, then stated his final arrangements:
“After I kill the other three-star War God tenth stage enemy, I will go to take over from Dean Xia in holding off that four-star War God second stage enemy. Once Dean Xia is free, you will all kill the enemy together. Finally, we will jointly deal with that four-star War God second stage enemy, holding him off until Elder Zhou Hetu arrives!”
“Yes!”
Zhang Guanzhong and the others obeyed.
After Jiang Wuming completed his combat deployment, he sensed that the members of the East Sea detachment led by Qin Linhai, the East Sea Martial Academy teachers who were all one-star War Gods, as well as Xing Tian, Dongfang Xiaoyao, and Huangfu Weixia at the edge of the training ground, were all looking at him.
“You have all sensed the strength of the three enemies and heard my combat deployment. On the surface, I have excluded you from the combat plan, but in reality, you also have a mission.”
Jiang Wuming paused here before continuing:
“Earlier, when that group of senior students from the fourth year were leaving, they asked me: Can we still win?
I told them: Below the four-star War God realm, I am invincible. In the four-star War God realm, I will fight with all my might.
Now that the enemy has a four-star War God second stage, I cannot deceive you by saying I can lead you to victory.
If Dean Xia and I fall in battle, you must defend the training ground to the death—until all of you are dead, you must not let the enemy leave the training ground by even half a step!”
“Yes!!”
Xing Tian, Qin Linhai, and the others, upon hearing Jiang Wuming’s command, all had their eyes reddened, and with their voices hoarse, they roared their assent, their voices echoing through the sky above the training ground.
Amidst the solemn and earth-shattering roars, the young man turned his head and cast a distant glance at the statue standing at the entrance of the training ground.
Just one glance.
After that single glance, the young man turned around and, like Jiang Zhan twelve years ago, stood at the forefront of the formation.
Twelve years ago, an enemy suspected to be of the Heavenly God realm descended. Jiang Zhan, a five-star War God, wielding the God-Slaying Saber, had shouted, ‘I have a saber that can slay Heavenly Gods,’ and slain the enemy before the great curtain, laying the foundation for victory in that war.
Today, what will the young man do?!
…