Netherworld Retrograde

Chapter 528: Chapter 248 Qinling Headquarters_2

”I originally planned to disguise myself as a member of the Church with exceptional strength and become your trusted aide,” the Little Mad King said. ”But that would be too easily discovered, and it’s difficult to maintain such a high-level disguise. So I chose this path, which also allows me to stay by your side while avoiding many prying eyes.”

Li Yelai fell silent for a moment before responding, ”It’s not great for one’s reputation...”

”Who here would recognize me?” the Little Mad King tilted her head slightly and said, ”Besides, even if word gets back to the Giant City... Should I let my teammates face the enemy alone for the sake of so-called reputation?”

Li Yelai frowned but ultimately could only nod in agreement.

After all, the Little Mad King was doing all this in support of him... Such matters couldn’t be made known to the outside world. Otherwise, becoming a Divine Chosen Maid would tarnish her reputation, and even if it was for the mission, those distrustful curses would cast her into the abyss of rumors.

”What should I call you usually?” Li Yelai asked.

After pondering for a bit, the Little Mad King replied, ”Call me Hong Zhuang, that was my first codename.”

Thus, ’Hong Zhuang’ became the personal maid of Lord Di Yun’s Divine Chosen One, walking openly by the side of the Divine Chosen.

Of course, under normal circumstances, she stayed inside her room, and Church members had difficulty approaching her.

Then, the troops of the Blood God Faction headed out towards the Main Base.

Having a large number of people and carrying vast amounts of supplies and captives, the Blood God Faction’s team moved slowly through the wilderness.

So Li Yelai mounted the Flying Dragon Reya, took the Little Mad King with him, and led the Divine Chosen Servants and part of the elite, setting out in advance.

The Spiritual Ability Users were extremely fast, not to mention that Li Yelai was riding a Flying Dragon; in just a few hours, they reached the range where the Blood God Faction’s headquarters exerted influence.

Along the way, there were many Church strongholds, as well as some extraordinary creatures that they hadn’t seen before.

There were also various unusual geological environments, with red rocks and black trees interspersed within the mountains and forests.

Atop the dragon, Li Yelai, wearing the Ming Guang Armor, asked, ”Which Giant City is closer to this location?”

The Little Mad King, seated in front of him, pulled out a map for reference, then said, ”If I’m not mistaken, this should be the former Qinling. None are particularly close, but if pushed to say, traveling southwest for five to six hundred kilometers, passing through a Forbidden Zone along the way, you should then be able to see the Chuanshu Giant City.”

”Qinling? Then we are not far from Chang’an,” Li Yelai felt somewhat moved.

He naturally knew this region; in the seventh century, it had almost been the center of Asia.

During that era, Great Tang was the protagonist of the world.

Emperor Li Shimin could be called the strongest carbon-based life form of that time, representing endless glory.

However, now, this land of ancient glory

First, it was swept by the Disaster Fog, then occupied by the Forbidden Zone, and finally taken over by the human traitors of the Ember Church.

According to Church records, the Disaster Fog here once devoured more than a hundred million people and nearly turned into a Forbidden Zone.

Even the land was tainted with the restricted area order, becoming unfathomably strange and full of extraordinary creatures.

The good news was that humans eventually shattered the Disaster Fog.

The bad news was the humans who broke through the Disaster Fog believed in Chaos.

In the decade that followed, various factions of the Church fought over this place, with the Blood God Faction eventually seizing it and establishing the Main Base.

It almost became a weakened version of a Forbidden Zone. The space within the mountain range was enormous, filled with a wealth of special minerals and plants, as well as numerous extraordinary creatures.

But there was no interference from the restricted area order, making it a treasure trove untouched.

He saw bizarre mines and mysterious forests. Many captives would be sent here to mine and collect.

Continuously nourishing the Main Base and, in turn, nourishing the various sub-branches across the land.

”It’s huge, I hope the Catastrophe I draw in can destroy it all in one fell swoop,” Li Yelai thought to himself.

He hoped his Calamity would be more powerful, afraid that a single meteorite would not be enough to destroy everything.

As they approached the mountain range, the team’s speed gradually slowed down.

And the massive mountain fortress emerged before Li Yelai; the Church members had practically hollowed out the mountain range, creating fortified strongholds and passages within the mountain’s interior.

And at the very edge of the fortress entrance, a gargantuan dragon head was hung upon the gate.

The dragon head was immensely large, resembling a small mountain, with a terrifying aura of oppression emanating from it.

It was even larger than the Mountain Dragon head Li Yelai had seen before.

”What is that?” Li Yelai, controlling the Flying Dragon, descended and inquired.

Immediately, Gongsun Craftsman on the ground responded, ”My lord, it is the skull of the Black Refining Dragon. It’s said to have reached Supreme Level strength, but still, it was slain by a fellow Divine Chosen One of the same rank.”

”Quite the extravagance...” Li Yelai thought to himself. A Supreme Level Ancient Dragon, I wonder if it birthed an Ancient Dragon Ball?

If it was still preserved, Li Yelai would be able to step directly into the Fifth Sense!

At that moment, a group of people swiftly poured out from the mountain fortress, the four leading figures being Sixth-sense Experts.

They were clad in scarlet robes, both men and women, standing on either side of the entrance, seemingly there to welcome Li Yelai, the Divine Chosen.

Li Yelai, along with the Little Mad King, dismounted from the back of the dragon, ordered his servants to settle the Flying Dragon, and walked forward.

”Lord Di Yun, welcome. I am a Demon General directly under Lord Zhutu, and also the Commander of the First Legion of the Headquarters, Jiang Yong,” the middle-aged leader greeted and said.

Zhutu, one of the Divine Chosen of the Main Base, an Overlord Level Divine Chosen. His whereabouts were uncertain; he had left the headquarters years ago and was said to be trying to ascend to the Supreme rank.

He was the one who called the shots in the headquarters but, with him missing in action, his Demon Generals managed the base in his stead.

As a Divine Chosen, Li Yelai indeed couldn’t command him.

And this man gave Li Yelai a strange impression, as if a venomous snake was watching him.

Indeed, three Divine Chosen set out, two Sixth Sense Chosen Ones died in battle, and one newly advanced but only Four Awakenings Divine Chosen managed to survive. He absorbed some of the elite troops from the two Divine Chosen, becoming the biggest winner.

He probably harbored some suspicions, of course. No one would suspect a Divine Chosen of betraying their faith, but rather suspect that Li Yelai killed two Divine Chosen for power.

Heh, and they guessed some of it right.

But faced with a Divine Chosen, Jiang Yong could not afford any offense. Otherwise, without even Li Yelai saying a word, the loyal believers would tear him to pieces!

Even if he was a Demon General...

”Very well. Red Fury has mentioned you to me. Though not a Divine Chosen, you are a tough fighter who has fought your way out with sword and blade. You’ve been blessed and have become a Chaos Demon General,” Li Yelai said, ”It’s a pity that Red Fury and the others have temporarily returned to the Blood-colored Throne, and I do not know how many years it will be before I see them again.”

”Please do not be sorrowful, as a Divine Chosen, you will eventually meet again. And we, in the end, will return to the Blood-colored Throne,” Jiang Yong replied, sounding somewhat official.

”But I know you’re strong,” Li Yelai revealed a slight smile, ”After I ascend, I must learn from you.”

Jiang Yong also smiled, ”It would be my honor, Lord Di Yun.”

Thereafter, the group was led into the fortress, and Jiang Yong amicably started introducing Li Yelai to the various defense mechanisms of the fortress.

It has to be said that the Church has no shortage of talented individuals, designing many defenses: Spiritual Power Traps, Evil Ceremonies, Taboo Items, as well as robust defenses.

It was countless times stronger than the small town of the Eternal Life Church.

Even facing the siege of thousands of troops, they could respond calmly, it was nearly impossible for the outside world to breach such a fortress.

They even obtained Spirit Extinguishers and integrated some of the Spirit Extinguishers’ ashes and blood into the defenses, imparting a measure of Spiritual Resistance to the entire mountain.

Inside, there were enough believers that, even in the worst-case scenario, they could perform a Blood Sacrifice to summon the projection of a Great Demon.

It was difficult for outsiders to penetrate within...

If Giant City wished to capture such a mountain fortress, they would likely have to pay an extremely heavy price!

Li Yelai, observing the rigorous defenses, couldn’t help but reflect inwardly.

’The defensive power is indeed astonishing, it’s far too difficult to attack from the outside.’

’But... what if from the inside?’