Translator: CinderTL
"I heard the southern war is nearing its end. They've completely sealed off the Holy City."
"Of course! That's the power of Lord Angel himself. How could those wretched humans possibly resist?"
"Let it end quickly..."
At the foot of Heaven's Fall Mountain, an invisible barrier rose, isolating the Serpent-folk Camp from the outside world.
Within the camp, nestled among a dozen watchtowers, wooden huts and domed tents sprouted from the ground. Elite Serpentfolk patrols crisscrossed the area, their low voices occasionally breaking the silence.
Their black or silver armor, clearly forged from sturdy materials, gleamed under the dim light. Each Serpentfolk carried either a sword, spear, or other weapon.
At the heart of the camp stood the largest structure—a domed tent spanning several hundred meters.
Inside, several Serpentfolk sat in wooden chairs arranged in two rows. Some wore full black armor, while others were clad in loose-sleeved robes.
Their scales shimmered in various hues: silver-white, azure, frost-white. These were representatives of the Five Great Tribes of the Northern Territory.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that most of their auras hovered at the Pseudo Sixth-Tier level, with even the weakest among them being Pseudo-Saints.
At the center of the row of seats, in a solitary position, sat a black scale serpentfolk clad in the Serpent God Temple's dark robes, six serpentine patterns embroidered on its sleeves.
"New reports have arrived from the south," the middle-aged serpentfolk announced in a deep, resonant voice. "Lord Lava himself has intervened, and the Holy City's primary frontline fortress has been successfully destroyed."
The Five Great Tribes flanking the serpentfolk stiffened at the news, but the serpentfolk continued, "We need no longer divert our attention to the southern war. Our sole task is to defend this territory."
"The Outlander is utterly treacherous and could appear at any moment, becoming the Holy City's final reinforcements."
"By sealing him off here, we will all achieve a great victory."
The Saints from the Five Great Tribes nodded in fervent agreement.
One of the serpentfolk even spoke up in support.
"Rest assured, Envoy Doma," he said. "This time, we will cooperate with the Temple without fail to block that despicable Outlander."
The speaker's voice was deep and rumbling, his physique as imposing as ever, clad in dark brown armor that resembled the scales of a giant lizard. Each scale seemed as hard as stone, radiating an aura of invincibility.
"Indeed, Doma Envoy," he boomed.
"This time, we have received the blessings of the angels, granting us the honor of ascending to the Saintly rank. We will not disappoint Lord Lava."
"Our Five Great Tribes have also completed the enhancement rituals, drawing upon our accumulated power to maintain the blood hell's operation. Even if the Outlander possesses the strength of a ranked angel, they cannot easily breach our defenses."
The other four Saints displayed varying expressions, but they all echoed his sentiments.
While the Outlander was undoubtedly powerful, he was ultimately an outsider. Now that the Temple and the Five Great Tribes had joined forces, not only had their strength been enhanced through divine blessings, but they had also received the aid of Angelic Power. Furthermore, the deployment of the blood hell, a treasure of immense power, was more than sufficient to contain two ranked angels.
"Excellent," Doma, the Temple Envoy seated at the head of the table, nodded in satisfaction.
The Seven Angel Lords had already begun responding to prayers, bestowing blessings and even sending down their clones.
They no longer needed to worry about contingencies or fret over a ranked angel.
Once the southern war concluded, the Lord Angel would be free to act.
If the Outlander dared to descend upon this realm again, mere obstruction would no longer suffice.
"Very well, everyone," the Doma Envoy said, suppressing his stray thoughts and forcing a smile. "Let's maintain vigilance over Heaven's Fall Mountain. If that Outlander truly dares to descend, we'll teach him a lesson he won't soon forget."
"Let him know this is our territory!"
The group exchanged knowing smiles, some even showing anticipation.
They suddenly found themselves yearning for the Outlander's return, for only then could they prove their worth and earn greater merit.
"The Doma Envoy speaks truly."
"This is our domain. If that vile Outlander dares to descend, he'll find no way back—"
Boom!!
Suddenly, the ground trembled violently.
The smiles froze on everyone's faces as the earth shook beneath their feet like an earthquake. The surrounding air surged with hurricane-force pressure.
"What's happening?"
Amidst murmurs of confusion, the Serpentfolk warriors rushed out of their tents, their gazes darting left and right.
Each warrior wore an expression of bewilderment as ripples spread across the Barrier enveloping their camp.
Before they could regain their composure, the ground began to tremble even more violently.
Boom!
Crack!!
The earth-shattering tremors radiated outward, and finally, someone noticed the anomaly.
"Look!"
"It's... it's Heaven's Fall Mountain!"
A Serpentfolk Commander shouted in alarm, and all eyes turned toward the towering peak.
The colossal mountain, which had stood sentinel over the region for millennia, now trembled incessantly.
Invisible shockwaves pulsed outward, tearing apart the surrounding cloud layer to reveal its jagged, rocky cliffs and dense forests.
Massive boulders tumbled down the slopes, while the primitive strange beasts within the mountain roared in terror, scattering in all directions.
The Serpentfolk patrol teams were annihilated, their bodies exploding into bloody mist. Even the Winged Serpents circling overhead were thrown into disarray, plummeting from the sky under the combined force of the turbulent air and shockwaves.
Buzz!
In an instant, as if sensing the impending crisis, the spatial Barrier high above activated autonomously, unleashing its full power.
The azure sky turned crimson, crisscrossed by countless blood-red chains that formed an impenetrable cage around the entire region, sealing both the heavens and the earth.
"What's happening?"
"The blood hell has activated on its own!"
The Saints of the Five Great Tribes sensed the anomaly, and even Doma, the Divine Envoy, narrowed his eyes.
A moment later, as if struck by a sudden realization, his expression turned grave, though a flicker of excitement remained.
"It's the Outlander!"
"He must have returned to the depths of Heaven's Fall Mountain!"
The Saints of the Five Great Tribes reacted with shock.
Without a word, they all wore similar complex expressions—a mix of solemnity and vigilance, as if facing a formidable enemy, yet also a hint of anticipation and excitement at the prospect of achieving a great feat.
"Let us act together, everyone!"
"Agreed!"
Under the Temple Envoy's guidance, the five Saints immediately assumed meditative postures, sitting cross-legged in a circle around him.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Pillars of light in various colors erupted from their bodies, piercing through the Barrier and soaring into the heavens, striking the blood-red chains that sealed the space.
The dense network of chains solidified further, completely suppressing the area around Heaven's Fall Mountain, transforming it into an inescapable prison.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Instantly, the bodies of strange beasts fleeing Heaven's Fall Mountain exploded into bloody mist.
Even the surviving Winged Serpent squad, unable to offer aid, met the same explosive fate.
The bloody mist spread, engulfing Heaven's Fall Mountain.
Yet, paradoxically, all of this was transformed into new nourishment, amplifying the power of the crimson chains.
Moreover...
"Everyone!"
"Activate the formation!"
At the Serpentfolk Commander's bellowed command, similar movements erupted across the Serpentfolk camps encircling the base of Heaven's Fall Mountain.
Except for the few Serpentfolk maintaining perimeter security, elite warriors sat cross-legged, becoming integral parts of the ritual.
In an instant, hundreds upon thousands of radiant pillars surged skyward, each glowing with a distinct hue:
Pearly white, silver-blue, frost-white, deep brown, and black-gray—precisely corresponding to the Five Great Tribes: Windchill, Thunder Gorge, Frost, Ironrock, and Giant Spear.
The five Serpentfolk camps, scattered around the perimeter, merged their power. Their respective Barriers flared with light, forming five colossal, interconnected rings.
The crimson chains high above, stimulated by this surge of energy, solidified, becoming almost tangible.
The Angelic Power within them was perfectly restored, completely isolating the space around Heaven's Fall Mountain. It transformed into a circular, crimson prison, leaving no gap unsealed.
"It's a success!"
Doma, a Temple Saint, beamed with joy. The other five Saints also showed signs of excitement.
Though the Outlanders were considered lowly, their strength rivaled that of Envoy Rank angels, even approaching that of Lower-Ranking Angels.
But this time, the preemptive preparations had secured the true blessing and empowerment of a Lord Angel.
"Once the blood hell is fully deployed, the Angelic Power of His Majesty the Winged Serpent King will transform into a river of blood, creating a potent corrosive force," the Temple Saint Doma declared confidently, a smile playing on his lips as the crimson pillar of light maintained the fusion of the Five Great Tribes' power.
Following his gaze, the tremors in the sky and earth had vanished, as if everything had been suppressed into perfect stillness, leaving not a ripple behind.
The colossal blood hell, shaped like a spatial sphere, had replaced the once-impassable natural barrier.
"It's over," the five Saints thought in unison, their hearts swelling with an inexplicable sense of pride.
To have, as mere Saints, successfully contained, even sealed, an angel—this feat would undoubtedly be immortalized in legends for millennia to come.
They each formed hand seals, preparing to lead their tribes in completing the final stages of the ritual.
But then—
Boom!!
The sky and earth shuddered violently as a deafening roar reverberated through the air.
Every smile froze, and the Saints' fleeting pride and self-satisfaction instantly vanished. All eyes locked onto the blood hell high above.
The crimson spatial sphere, several kilometers in diameter, trembled violently, as if struck by some primordial behemoth.
Before anyone could react, an even more terrifying spectacle unfolded.
Boom!!!
The blood hell shattered. A blinding white laser beam pierced through all matter, blasting a massive breach tens of meters wide.
Pfft!!
Hundreds, even thousands, of Serpentfolk were struck by the backlash, collapsing to the ground and vomiting blood.
Some couldn't withstand the force and exploded, their bodies dissolving into bloody mist within the camp.
"How is this possible?!"
"What is that?!"
The Saints of the Five Great Tribes paled, blood streaming from their seven orifices, their robes and armor stained crimson.
The entire sky seemed to darken at that moment.
The incandescent beam of light, which had pierced through a kilometer of space, lingered in the air for several breaths before dissipating.
Forcing themselves to endure the searing pain, the Serpentfolk looked up. Through the gap in the blood hell, they saw a honeycomb-like blue light rapidly ascending.
The surging blood river formed by Angelic Power continued to churn, corroding everything in its path, reducing the rocks, soil, trees, and forests of Heaven's Fall Mountain to ash.
Yet, at the very center, the honeycomb-like blue light shield expanded relentlessly, forcefully pushing back the corrosive blood river inch by inch, isolating it outside.
The rocky cliffs vanished, replaced by the sight of dark brown alloy structures.
Like the awakening of a prehistoric behemoth, a massive pyramid hovered in the sky, its apex positioned at the center of the blue light shield.
"W-what is that?"
A Serpentfolk trembled, his eyes wide with shock.
The Saints of the Five Great Tribes and the Temple Saint Doma froze, their expressions a mixture of astonishment and suspicion.
But before they could search their memories for an answer, the giant pyramid-like structure glowed brightly, as if gathering some immense energy.
Then...
Boom!!!
Another beam of energy erupted forth!
(End of the Chapter)
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