Within the Sea of Consciousness, Jiang Yan's awareness suddenly rippled violently.
[Tch, finally about to wake up?]
The system's voice echoed through the Sea of Consciousness.
[Wait… this is?!]
The system's tone abruptly turned to shock.
The golden sphere that carried Jiang Yan's consciousness began to emit a dazzling radiance.
[Hehehe, I truly didn't expect this.]
[Just a single instance of deep consciousness sleep, and your soul has undergone a sublimation…]
[As expected of the one I chose.]
For some reason, the system's self-directed muttering even carried a hint of pride.
—
On the eve of Jiang Yan's awakening, not long after the Seven Gods had convened once more, the Heavenly Principles summoned them to Celestia.
Though all of their retainers were filled with doubts, the decree of the Heavenly Principles was something the Seven Gods could not refuse.
With Morax gone and Jiang Yan still in slumber, Liyue Harbor was left without its two greatest pillars of combat strength.
Fortunately, because Jiang Yan had once strictly regulated the people and forbidden excessive mining of the Chasm's ores, Azhdaha had not suffered erosion from over-damaged ley lines.
The current Azhdaha still stood at the peak of his power.
At this moment, he was stationed in Liyue Harbor, while Marchosius guarded Qingce Village.
The other adepti were likewise stationed across various regions.
In the past, even when the Geo Archon occasionally departed, everyone felt at ease with Jiang Yan guarding Liyue Harbor and Azhdaha guarding Nantianmen.
But this time was different.
Morax's departure filled Guizhong with a sense of foreboding.
And sure enough—less than a month after the Geo Archon left—a deafening explosion rang out from an extremely distant place.
Immediately afterward, the entire land of Liyue, including the seas around Liyue Harbor, began to shake violently.
The sky darkened in an instant, and towering waves surged toward Liyue Harbor.
"GuiLi Fleet! Elevation fifty degrees—three volleys, fire!"
"Qingce Fleet, port turn! Gun elevation forty-five degrees—three volleys, fire!"
"Tianheng Fleet units—evacuate all ships currently navigating the harbor!"
"Minlin Fleet, elevation seventy degrees—three volleys, fire!"
After two thousand five hundred years of development, Liyue's military strength was no longer what it once had been.
The navy had expanded from three major fleets to seven.
The single fleet that once permanently guarded Liyue Harbor had grown into four separate fleets.
At this moment, the four fleets stationed in Liyue Harbor fully displayed their power.
Under a rain of dense artillery fire, the towering waves were shattered again and again.
Nearby ships rushed to dock, while civilians who had just set sail hurried back to shore under the command of the Millelith.
Guizhong stood on the third floor of Yuehai Pavilion.
In her hands, a device resembling a compass slowly rotated.
Atop Mount Tianheng, Azhdaha sat cross-legged on the ground, arms folded across his chest, calm and immovable.
[Buzz—buzz!]
[This is the Lisha Fleet. We've encountered a monster invasion in the sea north of Guyun Stone Forest!]
At that moment, the compass in Guizhong's hand flashed several times, and a voice rang out.
Soon after, the compass beeped again.
[This is the Chenyu Fleet. We've encountered a monster invasion in the sea south of Guyun Stone Forest!]
[This is the Jueyun Fleet. We've encountered monsters in the eastern seas of Guyun Stone Forest—no!]
[This aura… it's a god!]
[This is the Jueyun Fleet. We've encountered an attack from a god! Requesting support! Requesting support!!]
This time, Guizhong's expression finally changed.
If it were merely monsters, the seven fleets could hold their ground no matter how many came.
But the Jueyun Fleet had encountered a god.
Guizhong knew exactly what that meant—these were gods defeated during the Archon War, who had fled to the Dark Sea beyond the world.
Why had everything coincided so perfectly?
Monsters attacking Liyue Harbor from all directions.
At the same time, gods from the Dark Sea appearing to launch a coordinated assault.
"Azhdaha!"
Guizhong stepped out of Yuehai Pavilion and was about to head for Mount Tianheng when Azhdaha's voice rang down from the sky.
"I know."
"Have the Jueyun Fleet fall back to defend Guyun Stone Forest."
"Leave the gods to me."
With that, Azhdaha shot into the sky like a soaring dragon.
At the same time, as the compass in Guizhong's hands rang again, her face turned completely pale.
[This is the Guili Military District. A massive monster tide has been detected at Dragonspine!]
[This is the Qingce Military District. A massive monster tide has been detected north of Chenyu Vale!]
[This is the Minlin Military District. A massive monster tide has been detected south of Tianqiu Valley!]
[This is the Lisha Military District. A massive monster tide has erupted from the direction of the Chasm!]
In that instant, massive monster tides erupted across every border of Liyue, on top of the monster tide at sea.
Liyue was under attack from all eight directions.
As if coordinated, all the monsters were shrouded in thick black mist, charging madly toward the interior of Liyue.
But this was not the Liyue of the original timeline.
Under two thousand years of meticulous planning by Jiang Yan's avatar, every major military district in Liyue maintained a standing force of one hundred thousand Millelith soldiers.
Though the outbreak of war was sudden, years of training ensured the Millelith were no mere decoration.
"Everyone! Hold the Lingju Pass at all costs!"
In the Lisha outskirts, the commander-in-chief of the Lisha Millelith Army—Fushe, leader of the Five Yakshas—roared in fury.
His four arms moved like descending thunder, shredding the endless waves of monsters surging toward him.
"If Lingju Pass falls, everything west of Mount Tianheng for a thousand li will be left undefended!"
"Countless civilians will be devoured by monsters!"
Among the Five Yakshas:
Menogias and Xiao guarded Qingxu Pool.
Bosacius and Indarias guarded Dunyu Ruins.
And Fushe alone defended Lingju Pass.
If these three locations fell, there would be no barrier left between the Lisha outskirts and Mount Tianheng.
Liyue Harbor would be forced to face the monster tide head-on.
Reinforcements from the Tianheng Army would take at least five days to arrive.
For those five days, Fushe would have to hold back an endless monster tide with just over thirty thousand soldiers.
"Marshal, rest assured—we will fight to the death and never retreat!"
"The will of the Millelith—victory or death!"
Countless Millelith soldiers roared in unison, their spears dancing as大片 swathes of monsters were slaughtered.
At this moment, these soldiers were like an invisible wall, blocking wave after wave of the monster tide.
Just then, a pillar of light descended from the sky, detonating violently at the center of the monster horde.
[Aerial Fortress—Mao Rabbit—arriving under orders to provide support!]
[Salutations to the Lisha Army!]
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