“Yes.” Zhang Yunhu nodded.
“We’ve prepared everything secretly, but the demons will definitely discover what’s happening when we begin relocating everybody,” said Marquis Heavenstar. “In the past, they didn’t attack medium-sized city passes with their full might because they wanted Godfiends to guard city passes and die. Once a certain number of Godfiends die in battle, we won’t be able to stop them once they enter.”
Zhang Yunhu said, “But as long as our losses are within certain limits, we will continue defending the mortals. The demons are indeed cunning.”
“Once we begin relocating everybody en masse, it’s likely they will increase their attacks’ intensity. Currently, only seven to eight elite demon monarchs are sent each time, but it’s very likely that they will send 30 elite demon monarchs once we begin relocating the population,” said Marquis Heavenstar. “With such forces, they will easily destroy North River Pass and kill the hundreds of thousands of humans relocating.”
Meng Chuan and Zhang Yunhu nodded.
“That’s why I’m guarding North River Pass personally,” said Marquis Heavenstar. “Once they attack, I’ll kill as many as they send!”
“Okay.” Meng Chuan and Zhang Yunhu looked at each other, their eyes filled with excitement. Archean Mountain indeed had a detailed plan.
A Marquis Godfiend was a greater deterrence to demons than several Great Solar Godfiends. Even if Meng Chuan fused the Power of Essence Soul with his body and Quintessential Essence, and used a forbidden spell, he would barely have the strength of a Marquis Godfiend. All Marquis Godfiends could suppress him in a head-on battle. Even an average Marquis Godfiend could defeat him with a single strike.
Of course, Meng Chuan could easily escape!
For the Quintessential Essence cultivation system, there was a huge divide between the Great Solar realm and the Darkstar realm. Other cultivation systems didn’t have such a large gap in strength between realms.
For example, demon monarchs were roughly the same strength as human Godfiends for the first three Firmaments. Fourth Firmament demon monarchs were generally inferior to Marquis Godfiends. Of course, some fourth Firmament demon monarchs were extremely powerful, but even then, they were slightly inferior to Marquis Godfiends.
Another example was the Skydemon lineage. This was a cultivation system created by the demons for human traitors. It was inferior to the demon monarch lineage. Therefore, most Skydemons were weaker than demon monarchs and Godfiends. Only a handful was relatively stunning!
Overall, Marquis Godfiends were extremely powerful. After reaching the Darkstar realm, one would have a Darkstar domain. It was both a defensive and offensive domain. The weakest Marquis Godfiend could suppress dozens of third Firmament elite demon monarchs. An average Marquis Godfiend could easily kill dozens of third Firmament elite demon monarchs. Very few Archean Mountain Marquis Godfiends were weak. Only high-grade Godfiends that had just recently reached the Darkstar realm were that weak. Transcendent-grade Godfiends were of average Marquis Godfiend-level after just breaking through to the Darkstar realm.
“All medium-sized city passes will have Marquis Godfiends or treasures guarding them to guarantee that nothing will go wrong.” Marquis Heavenstar looked at Meng Chuan and Zhang Yunhu. “As for the state capitals, many will not have Marquis Godfiends guarding them.”
Their hearts tightened at the information.
A state capital was a large city. In the past, they were guarded by Marquis Godfiends. Additionally, Regis Godfiends were close enough to act as reinforcements at any time. However, Marquis Godfiends were now going to guard medium-sized city passes. So what was going to happen to the state capitals?
“There are separate arrangements for the state capitals,” said Marquis Heavenstar. “North River Pass’s Godfiends—Zhang Yunhu, Meng Chuan, Yu Chiyan, Yang Xingwu, Mu Qing, and Shi Xiu—will be transferred elsewhere in the next few days. Fan Cheng, Liu Qiyue, and the ordinary Godfiends will stay at North River pass to help me.”
Ultimately, Marquis Heavenstar was one person. He had to deal with elite demon monarchs, thus he still needed other Godfiends to deal with the second Firmament demon monarchs and mortal demons.
“The six of us will be transferred elsewhere?” Meng Chuan was stunned.
“Don’t worry, the Great Relocation Plan will only take a year,” said Marquis Heavenstar with a smile. “In a year, we will completely abandon North River Pass. My disciple, Liu Qiyue, will meet you afterward.”
“That’s not what I meant,” said Meng Chuan immediately.
“Haha, get ready,” said Marquis Heavenstar. “Archean Mountain has arranged the defenses in all the cities. All of you will be stationed somewhere. Wait for your transfer orders.
...
At night, Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue chatted in bed.
“Master will guard North River Pass, while the six of you will be transferred elsewhere?” Liu Qiyue was alarmed.
He didn’t bother keeping the re-allocation of defenses a secret from Liu Qiyue. After all, they would leave one after another during the next few days.
“It involves confidential matters, so it’s not appropriate for me to elaborate. Marquis Heavenstar will tell you everything that you need to know. Don’t worry, we’ll be together again in a year’s time,” said Meng Chuan. He agreed with Archean Mountain’s plans. Currently, the medium-sized city passes would be very safe. With Marquis Heavenstar around, Liu Qiyue only needed to deal with the second Firmament demon monarchs. Marquis Heavenstar would deal with all the third Firmament demon monarchs, no matter how many came!
“Okay.” Liu Qiyue nodded.
...
In the following days, Zhang Yunhu, Yu Chiyan, Yang Xingwu, Mu Qing, and Shi Xiu received their transfer orders. They were split into three groups. Zhang Yunhu left with Yang Xingwu, while Yu Chiyan and Mu Qing left together. Shi Xiu left alone.
They all left quietly! Their residences were heavily guarded, so the Skydemon Sect’s spies wouldn’t learn of their whereabouts.
13th February, Meng Chuan was the last to receive his transfer order.
“Ah Chuan, be careful.” Liu Qiyue was extremely worried.
“We will meet again a year later.” Meng Chuan smiled as he looked at his wife. He turned around and jumped on the bird’s back.
“Senior Brother Meng, let’s set off.” On the bird’s back was a second Firmament Skydemon skilled with illusions—controlled by Archean Mountain. The Skydemon cast illusions to prevent others from seeing the bird and the two Godfiends.
Swoosh.
The bird immediately soared into the sky. Meng Chuan glanced at his wife—who was standing in the courtyard and staring at him—and sighed softly.
As a Godfiend, he had no choice. They had to separate when needed.
Whoosh.
He looked at the endless clouds below as he sat on the bird’s back. He took out his transfer order and read it.
I’m transferring to Jiang State Capital? Meng Chuan stared at his transfer order with shock.
The Great Zhou Dynasty only had 23 states. A state capital was one of the dynasty’s biggest cities—millions of people lived inside a state capital.
He was going to Jiang State Capital and needed to guard the city for a year.
...
When the sky began to brighten, the bird arrived at Jiang State Capital—5,500 kilometers away from North River Pass.
The bird silently landed in an inconspicuous manor in Jiang State Capital. They couldn’t be seen thanks to the illusions.
“Someone’s here.” Two figures stood waiting in the courtyard. They saw the young man, Meng Chuan, jump off from the bird.
“A young man?” The two old men laughed.
“Senior Brother Zhang, Senior Brother Yang.” Meng Chuan immediately bowed when he saw the two. He knew that three Godfiends would be in charge of guarding Jiang State Capital. Before arriving, he had no idea who the other two Godfiends would be.
“Junior Brother Meng, let’s confirm our identities first.” The white-haired elder took out a cyan token with Jiang State’s symbol on it. The muscular elder took out his token as well. Meng Chuan took out the token that had come with his transfer order.
The three tokens were somewhat different.
The white-haired elder smiled, and said, “It looks like the three of us will be in charge of guarding this place for the next year. According to Archean Mountain’s arrangements, I’ll be primarily in charge of the defense.”
“Senior Brother Zhang, we will follow your orders,” said the muscular elder and Meng Chuan.
The white-haired elder nodded. “Let’s briefly share our strengths so that our future arrangements are better. I’ll go first. I cultivate a transcendent-grade Godfiend Body, the Indestructible Divine Body. I have Greater Mastery of the Realm of Dao! Unfortunately, my age prevents me from becoming a Marquis Godfiend. However, I’m as strong as the weakest of Marquis Godfiends. I’m best at domains.”
Meng Chuan was shocked. He had known that at least two in every batch of Archean Mountain disciples would have transcendent-grade Godfiend bodies. However, most of these transcendent-grade Godfiends couldn’t become Marquis Godfiends.
Zhang Yunfeng had reached the Realm of Dao at the age of 118. He condensed his Essence soul when he was 150 years old. He was extremely old, making it impossible for him to reach the Darkstar realm. At his old age, he attained Greater Mastery of the Realm of Dao. His technique realm was higher than newly-advanced Marquis Godfiends. However, due to not being able to reach the Darkstar realm, he only had the strength of a weak Marquis Godfiend.
The Indestructible Divine Body was the best for domains among the twelve transcendent-grade Godfiend bodies. Zhang Yunfeng’s domain could partially suppress a Marquis Godfiend. This made him one of the strongest Great Solar Godfiends—an extremely rare feat even in Archean Mountain.
“I cultivate the Great Strength Fiend Body,” said the stocky elder, Yang Fang, with a smile. “I’m not as good as Senior Brother Zhang. I’m only at the Realm of Dao. However, the Great Strength Fiend Body is best at close combat. In a head-on clash, I also have the strength of a weak Marquis Godfiend.”
The two then looked at Meng Chuan.