Chapter 526 - 323: The Military God’s Decree and the One-Year Checkmate

The crimson-gold pillar of light did not last long, receding at Ye Jinghong’s command.

The energy that had shot toward the heavens began to fall back, spreading out in midair.

The original Mountains and Rivers Array, which had been teetering on the verge of collapse like a soap bubble, completely dissipated. In its place, a pale golden curtain of light, visible to the naked eye, appeared.

This luminous curtain, unlike the heavy, defensive feel of the previous Array, exuded a heart-stopping Sharpness.

It was an aura of pure slaughter.

If the previous Array was a shield, then the new Divine Realm was a collection of countless blades, ready to be unsheathed at a moment’s notice.

On the base’s perimeter, the bizarre shadows still frantically crashing against the defenses let out a series of piercing shrieks the moment they touched the pale golden curtain.

Even though they had no physical form and were merely constructs of the mind, they were instantly seared into oblivion by the battle-hardened aura, which contained the Will of several thousand soldiers.

In just over ten seconds, a one-kilometer radius around the base was swept completely clean.

The darkness was forced to retreat, spitting this piece of human territory back out.

"We... we survived?"

A young soldier scrambled to his feet, staring blankly at the dome of shimmering golden light overhead.

The sinister cold, the despair, the urge to self-mutilate—it all vanished.

In its place was a warmth that bloomed from deep within his bones.

This warmth wasn’t gentle. It had the searing heat of strong liquor, coursing through his veins and chasing away all traces of gloom and fear.

Even the fatigue they had accumulated from the long-distance raid and days of construction was rapidly washed away by this power.

"It’s the General... General Ye saved us!"

It’s unclear who shouted it first.

"Victory to the General!"

"Victory!"

The shouts, at first scattered, quickly swelled into a tidal wave of sound.

This was no flattery, no sycophancy. It was the only outlet for the soldiers who had just survived a catastrophe to vent their emotions.

They gazed at the man on the high platform—clad in Dark Gold Armor, looking like a god of war—their eyes filled with adoration and trust.

It was at this moment that a slight tremor ran through Ye Jinghong’s body.

In his Perception, as the soldiers cheered, countless white threads, invisible to the naked eye, drifted from the tops of their heads and streamed endlessly into his body.

After absorbing this Telekinesis, the Divine Crystal that had just taken root in his Divine Soul Origin instantly solidified. Its once-illusory glow grew solid, and it began to rotate slowly.

A new, more powerful energy flowed from the Divine Crystal, suffusing his entire body.

This power was more domineering than Inner Qi and more fluid than True Qi.

’So this... is Divine Power?’

Ye Jinghong clenched his fist. The illusion of being able to control the very laws of heaven and earth intoxicated him for a moment, but he immediately suppressed it with his formidable Will.

He raised a hand and pressed it downward through the air.

The raucous square fell silent in an instant, a perfect display of military discipline.

Even in such a fervent atmosphere, the troop maintained its frightening discipline.

"All troops, rest in place!"

Amplified by the Divine Realm, Ye Jinghong’s voice rang clearly in every soldier’s ear, carrying a power that calmed their hearts.

"Medical teams, treat the wounded. Aside from the sentries on watch, everyone else is off duty for the night. Get a good night’s sleep!"

Hearing this command, the soldiers, who had been on edge all day, finally let out a collective sigh of relief. Many collapsed right where they stood, gasping for air.

After making the arrangements, Ye Jinghong didn’t linger on the high platform.

He glanced at Han Feng, who was observing from a corner, gave a slight nod of acknowledgement, and then turned to walk toward the Central Army Tent.

...

Inside the tent, lamps burned brightly.

In addition to Han Feng, all twelve members of the Red Armored Elite from before were present.

Although the faces of Gu Jian and the others were still pale, their spirits were clearly much improved. The black miasma that had clung to their brows had also dissipated.

Ye Jinghong sat in the main seat and removed his helmet.

Only then did everyone notice that their general’s entire demeanor had changed.

If the Ye Jinghong of before was an unsheathed Sharp Sword, his edge so keen that no one dared to look at him directly...

...then the man before them now was more like a towering mountain, or a deity’s statue sitting in a temple hall.

His presence was even more imposing, yet it now held a hint of an indescribable Divine quality.

"Please, sit."

Ye Jinghong gestured to the chairs on either side, his tone calm.

Once everyone was seated, he took out the Mother Crystal that Han Feng had given him.

The Divine Crystal, once brilliant and the size of a pigeon’s egg, had now shrunk, and its light had dimmed considerably.

"The Divine Realm is effective, but it comes at a price."

Ye Jinghong placed the Divine Crystal on the table, where it landed with a soft click.

"The toll for a single night is at least one Divine Crystal of this kind.

And the Power of Faith generated by that wave of prayer from everyone earlier only replenished less than a tenth of what was used."

The faces of the men immediately fell.

Gu Jian said urgently, "Major General, doesn’t that mean it won’t last for more than a few days?"

"If we rely solely on faith, then yes."

Ye Jinghong nodded. His gaze swept over Han Feng before returning to the others.

"The Power of Faith can generate Divine Power, but the efficiency is too low. If we want to maintain the Divine Realm long-term, or even expand its reach, we need ’fuel’."

"Fuel?"

"Spiritual Materials with high concentrations of Spiritual Qi, or... certain specialties from Dragon Abyss."

Ye Jinghong explained, "I can sense that the Divine Crystal can repair and strengthen itself by devouring these Heaven and Earth Spiritual Artifacts.

Simply relying on that moment of prayer is a drop in the bucket."