The footprints had not been deliberately concealed by Yi Tianxing. The traces left behind were quite clear—intentionally so, giving the alien races a chance to track them. If he had wanted to erase them, it would have been easy. But that would only have made them harder to find.
Naturally, since they were already prepared, why waste time?
"This place is about a hundred li from Ice City. Search outward from here as the center, sweep an area of one to two hundred li. I don't believe those humans can keep traversing the void without consequence!"
With the tracks discovered, the alien races became even more determined to locate Yi Tianxing and his party.
Without delay, a large number of searchers scattered into the wilderness.
The wildlands were quickly filled with watchers and scouts. Every major race employed its own methods, and their techniques varied greatly in efficiency.
For example, the Mountain Giants could sense disturbances in the earth. The Elves used the myriad plants of the forest to perceive changes. The Druids could transform into hawks or beasts, allowing them to fly through the skies or prowl the woods to quickly track targets.
Each race possessed unique and formidable abilities.
But among them, the fastest trackers were the Kobolds.
These Kobolds bore a strong resemblance to Gnolls—both stood upright like humans, but with muscular physiques and canine features. Their snouts, ears, and noses were distinctly dog-like, and their faces carried a fierce, savage expression. Some even had bristled manes on their backs. The vicious aura they exuded was unmistakable. In their hands, they wielded strange weapons forged from various materials—heavy cleavers and stubby spiked hammers among them.
Sniffing the air, each one constantly twitched their noses, keenly catching scents carried by the mountain winds.
Awoooo!
One howl after another echoed through the air. The Kobolds seemed to be exchanging signals.
In the blink of an eye, a large pack of them sprinted wildly in a single direction.
In a secluded valley in the wilderness…
Frightened beasts scattered in all directions, and the valley fell into silence.
Within the valley, twenty thousand soldiers sat cross-legged in meditation. Each was silently cultivating, channeling the Heavenly Soldier War Codex ("天兵战典"), drawing in heaven and earth spiritual energy. The more soldiers cultivated it together, the more profound the effect. They naturally formed a mystical connection, turning the surrounding area into a vortex that greedily absorbed spiritual energy and even blood fiendish energy from the air.
This fiendish energy, rather than corroding their minds, was directly refined and absorbed into their bodies under the power of the Heavenly Soldier War Codex, boosting their strength. Their cultivation speed was many times faster than individual training. True Qi surged through their meridians, strengthening flesh and bone.
Their Divine Springs grew ever larger. These soldiers had all passed the Heavenly Soldier Trials, earning the right to train in the Codex. Within their ranks, they were elite. The Codex not only refined the body but also allowed the soldiers to combine their strength. The more who cultivated it, the stronger their collective might. Even True Qi could be shared among them.
As long as one soldier had strength left, none would be completely exhausted. This was the terrifying power of the Heavenly Soldier War Codex.
Currently, every one of them had reached at least Divine Sea Realm, Tier Four or Five, and given enough time, could easily ascend to Tier Six or even Tier Seven, completing the process of forming a Sea Transformation Pool (化海池).
An army composed purely of Divine Sea Tier Four and Five cultivators possessed destructive power far beyond that of casual cultivators of the same number.
Yet none of them slacked off. Every second of spare time was devoted to cultivation. In this age of chaos, strength meant survival. One step stronger could mean saving one's life in a critical moment.
With top-tier techniques and ample resources, they had every reason to fight hard to grow stronger—to protect Xuanhuang City and the human race.
A blazing conviction burned in their hearts—this was the will to protect.
Yi Tianxing and the others were no exception; all sat with eyes closed, immersed in cultivation.
As for Jia Xu, the technique he practiced was the Crimson Blood Loyal Heart Scripture ("碧血丹心录"). He had once cultivated a different method, but upon joining Xuanhuang City and exploring the Scripture Pavilion, he discovered this more profound, complete inheritance. It even included a life aperture diagram (命窍图). Without hesitation, he switched techniques.
Since then, his cultivation had soared.
As a scholar of the Confucian Path, strength came from talent and reputation—allowing for rapid breakthroughs. With Jia Xu's intellect and scholarship, every stage of cultivation was swift and smooth. He had already reached Divine Sea Realm Tier Eight, currently condensing runes and forging his Sea Transformation Pool. Completion was imminent.
Once done, he would become another powerful expert at the Life Aperture Realm (命窍境).
At that moment, Yi Tianxing's eyes flickered. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a ferocious-looking alien peeking from a remote corner of the valley's edge.
The alien's eyes lit up with glee upon seeing the gathered human army, then quickly retreated.
Yi Tianxing and Jia Xu exchanged looks, both showing solemn expressions.
"Kobold race," Yi Tianxing muttered, eyes narrowed.
Even in that brief glance, he had recognized the canine-headed alien—one of the many alien species. Kobolds were not only savage but also terrifyingly numerous, with explosive reproductive capacity. Before the great cataclysm, they had arrived in the Eternal Continent as one of the many invading monsters, and their numbers were staggering.
When they marched on Rock City, their forces had numbered over a million.
Being targeted by Kobolds was akin to being chased by a pack of rabid dogs—ruthless and relentless.
"Troublesome. Their numbers alone outmatch us by several multiples. In direct battle, we'd surely be overwhelmed in momentum," Jia Xu said grimly.
Sometimes, a sea of bodies was the most terrifying tactic.
"No matter. However many come, we'll bury them all here in this valley. Even if corpses pile high, so be it. Facing stronger foes is nothing new for Xuanhuang City."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, voice resolute.
"Notify the troops. Be ready. Battle could break out at any moment."
Jia Xu nodded and relayed the order to Yang Yanping.
The soldiers ceased cultivation, condensing their energy, instantly entering a state where they could engage in combat at a moment's notice.
"Found them! The human army is in a valley."
"Over twenty thousand troops—all resting. The Kobolds were the first to find them. They're already gathering. In mere moments, tens of thousands have assembled."
"As agreed, whoever finds them first gets first rights to the hunt. If they can't handle it, then it's fair game. But no one really follows that rule. Strength speaks loudest."
"Those Kobolds… always ready to mass a huge army. With their numbers, they might actually pull this off."
"Gather the troops. Proceed in secret."
The Kobolds' swift action startled the other alien factions. They too had located Yi Tianxing's group—but a silent understanding held them back.
The first find, first strike rule gave the Kobolds the initiative. And seeing the flood of Kobolds closing in, few wanted to risk provoking them.
Their numbers alone were a deterrent.
Of course, this unwritten rule would be tossed aside the moment advantage was spotted. Power and profit ruled all.
Let the Kobolds test the waters. For the others, it was the perfect chance to wait—and perhaps swoop in like fishermen waiting for clams to fight.
Outside the valley, waves of Kobolds gathered from all directions, surrounding the area until there was no escape. Grinning with bloodthirst, they brandished various weapons. Some among them were larger and fiercer, emanating powerful and volatile auras.
Their energy wasn't gentle like True Qi—it was a brutal force.
They didn't train in qi techniques, but cultivated Battle Qi (斗气) instead.