Level Up in Martial World

"What happened!?" Qian Li exclaimed, his shock palpable as he witnessed the countless fiery explosions ravaging through the ranks of his soldiers.

However, it wasn't over yet. The temperature surged, and ominous flames erupted, enveloping the entire army in a blazing inferno.

In a moment of realisation, Qian Li looked up to see the grim reaper avatar flickering, since the supply of Qi and lifespan diminished rapidly from the soldiers dying. The pressure on him and the other soldiers intensified.

"Damn it," he cursed through gritted teeth, releasing his grip on the shield.

"You all, even if your vitality is drained to the last drop, do not release your shields," Qian Li commanded in a cold tone.

As he observed the approaching explosion, the soldiers remained steadfast, their expressions unchanged even as their comrades fell to the fiery onslaught. Despite the sweat drenching their bodies and the oppressive heat surrounding them, they stood firm, unwaveringly channelling their Qi into the shield.

Lu Zhen regarded the scene before him with a furrowed brow.

"What manner of army is this?" he pondered, sensing an eerie absence of individuality among them, as though they had become mindless automatons devoid of personal will, ready to be sacrificed without hesitation.

Lu Zhen couldn't fathom that the entire army was utterly fearless in the face of death, showing no signs of hesitation or self-preservation.

"Interesting," he murmured, a glint of intrigue flickering in his eyes as he observed the army. "Once I deal with them, I must delve deeper into this mystery."

Lost in thought, Lu Zhen was unaware that Lily was gently combing his hair with a tender smile on her face.

"Young master, your hair has grown remarkably long," she remarked, her cheeks tinged with a blush. Lily couldn't help but feel surprised at the striking blend of black and gold coloured hair which was previously completely black.

It was Lily's duty to comb Lu Zhen's hair, a task she performed diligently each time.

"As my wife, you don't have to concern yourself with such trivial matters, Lily. They can be handled by the maids," Lu Zhen gently suggested.

"Young master, what do you mean?" Lily countered firmly, her tone resolute. "This is one of the joys of my life, serving you," she declared without hesitation.

Lu Zhen simply smiled, allowing her to continue combing his hair as she wished.

The generals observed this scene with speechless expressions.

"The enemy is at our gates, and Lu Zhen is indulging in romance," Zhang Shi grumbled, feeling a mix of frustration and humiliation. "And to think, the same person defeated me so miserable like slapping a bug," He lamented, but soon a sense of helplessness crept up in his soul, especially upon seeing the ever-growing strength of Lu Zhen in just a blink of an eye.

"Forget it, as his subordinate, I will reap numerous benefits. Besides, considering his strength, he likely won't remain in this tiny place for long. Who knows, he might even surpass the first-stage martial realm and reach that revered realm," Zhang Shi mused optimistically.

However, as soon as these notions surfaced, he shook his head in disbelief. Countless talents had been born, yet none had ever surpassed the first-stage martial realm.

Peak first-stage martial artists were like gods in the martial world, true powerhouses who could establish supreme sects and garner the reverence of countless martial artists and mortals alike!

"Hey Lily, don't hog Lu Zhen all to yourself," Xia Mei interjected suddenly, her tone tinged with displeasure.

She approached Lu Zhen and sat on his lap, joined by the other women who came to his side, each wearing a pout as they used their soft hands to serve and massage him.

Lu Zhen just nodded his head approvingly. If all these beauties were serving him, he wasn't a person who would refuse these things at all.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Qian Li hurriedly made his way to the explosion site to see what had actually occurred. His brows were knitted together, while sweat continuously poured out of his body with anxiety.

Finally, he reached the site of the explosion and looked at the remains of the charred corpses of his soldiers. Qian Li's gaze wasn't on these pitiful soldiers, as he considered them beneath him, but instead on sensing the energy around him, which caused him to frown more.

He slowly closed his eyes as if visualising things. After a long time, he finally opened his eyes as his body shrivelled.

"We have been had. The remaining tree demons all contained extremely strong vitality, which could instantly be fired the moment it comes in touch with fire Qi," he slowly muttered, his eyes full of realisation.

The point of the explosion had only happened where the remaining existence of the tree demons was, so it wouldn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.

Although the avatar of the grim reaper swatted away the sea of flames, it couldn't fully protect against the sparks of flame.

If they had used fire Qi and employed combat arts related to it with their bows, it wasn't difficult to convert the surrounding pure Qi into Fire Qi, igniting the terrifying explosion contained within the demonic trees.

"Damn it," Qian Li despaired more as he contemplated the situation. "There must be a terrifying individual behind them providing all the war tactics."

"But this isn't enough to stop us!" he roared like a madman, gazing fiercely at the towering wall ahead.

"Soldiers, charge!" Qian Li commanded, and the entire army began to advance, each step taken with determination.

As the army moved forward, the avatar slowly approached the wall. Though the death rate among the soldiers increased significantly, they could still endure for a considerable time.

"Ah, someone finally figured it out. Send a continuous volley of arrows at it. I want to see how long it can last," Lu Zhen smirked.

Instantly, arrows filled the sky as they were sent hurtling towards the avatar. However, with a simple slash of its scythe, it instantly repelled all the arrows.