The Xuan Tian Elder, wearing a black veil under his hat, spoke with a muffled voice.
That he could still speak after hitting the ground more than ten times already indicated his extraordinary strength.
While others didn't recognize Zhang Chen, Elder Xuan Tian had fought him before and recognized him at a glance.
Zhang Chen and his students' clothing and hairstyles were too peculiar, making them easily identifiable even from a distance.
"An army... of just over a dozen people?"
Elder Hei Xu of the Iron Blood Sect said with disbelief.
"The enemy's strength is formidable, not dependent on numbers. We must proceed with caution!"
Elder Xuan Tian warned prudently.
"A mere dozen people, no matter how strong, how strong can they possibly be?"
"We have the Dynasty's elite cavalry here, with elders from the Five Great Sects also present."
"It seems we won't need the Sect Masters from the imperial palace to worry; we can handle them ourselves!"
Elder Hei Xu said dismissively.
"If they are Demon Lords, they naturally have their strength. Underestimating them like this will lead to great losses!"
Elder Xuan Tian said with a pang of regret.
"Ha, Demon Lords? Even 'demons' are things we fabricated. You actually believe them?"
"In all these years, have you ever seen a true demon appear? If Demon Lords truly existed, where have they been hiding all this time?"
Elder Hei Xu retorted with a laugh.
"Haven't you heard of the Divine Realm? There truly is a Divine Realm in this world!"
"Last year, when the rampant plague of insects swept across the land, the one who killed the Insect Mother, as far as I know, was someone from the Divine Realm!"
Elder Xuan Tian deliberately lowered his voice when he said this.
"They say you're like a snake bitten by a rat, scared of a well rope for ten years. Wasn't the Insect Mother last year dealt with by Sect Master Si Lin Wu Yang of the Huang Tian Sect?"
"The Emperor even greatly praised Sect Master Lin for it. If you say that, aren't you implying that Sect Master Lin falsely claimed credit from the Divine Realm's people you spoke of, which is nothing but conjecture?!"
Elder Hei Xu taunted sarcastically.
"I'm really not talking nonsense. Think about it, if they killed the Insect Mother, why wasn't any part of its body left behind?"
"The Insect Mother was so massive. Even if it was blown apart, there should have been a tentacle, a poisonous fang, or something left, but he didn't bring anything back!"
"I heard from nearby villagers that it was a woman who dragged this giant insect back to the Heavenly Realm, and its body was floating at the gate of the Heavenly Realm!"
"It's a pity... not long after, that village was attacked by demons, and no one survived. Otherwise, someone would surely be able to prove I'm telling the truth!"
Elder Xuan Tian argued earnestly.
After all, he was an elder. If it got out that he was afraid of demons, where would he ever show his face again?!
"Watch your words!"
Suddenly, Elder Gu Feng of the Tian Huang Sect, who had been silent, spoke, his tone carrying a hint of sternness and reprimand.
Elder Xuan Tian immediately shut his mouth, not daring to say another word.
"Everyone should unite and work together to resist the strong enemy. Do not let trivial matters disrupt your Dao heart or sow discord!"
"Demons are adept at sowing discord and inciting rebellion. Remember to guard your hearts and annihilate the demons. Do not be careless or complacent!"
Elder Gu Feng sat in mid-air, his eyes closed, yet he seemed to be fully aware of every move of the demon army.
"Now, the Dynasty's elite can begin their attack. Kill all the demons!"
Elder Gu Feng said slowly.
His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the generals at the forefront.
"Beat the drums, attack!"
With a command from the general, the thunderous sound of war drums erupted.
The soldiers began to advance with orderly steps, their pace gradually quickening, charging forward with earth-shattering roars.
"Wow, I've never fought so many people before. It feels quite thrilling!"
"Thrilling... I feel a bit nervous. My powers are a bit... uncontrollable... Am I going to die here?"
"What are you talking about? We're ability users. Are we afraid of a group of ordinary people who understand nothing? Besides, they're using cold weapons?!"
"We have the overwhelming advantage here, okay?!"
The students chatted amongst themselves to alleviate their internal tension and excitement.
"Stop arguing, everyone. The opponent is clearly prepared. We can't lose our composure and bring shame to Class Seven of the Freshmen, or to Teacher Zhang!"
"Not only must we win this battle, but we must win it beautifully. Let's act according to Teacher Zhang's gestures!"
Hou Zi pointed to Zhang Chen's slowly raised right hand.
Zhang Chen's thumb and middle finger were gently pressed together, then, with a slight flick, they separated.
*Click!*
A crisp snapping sound echoed.
"Charge, classmates, charge... wait... huh? What's going on?"
Hou Zi and Yuan Zhi Ping were about to lead the charge.
Suddenly, they saw the thousands of soldiers who were about to charge towards them instantly turn into wisps of white mist and slowly disappear.
A gentle breeze blew, and the thick fog quickly dissipated.
The vast battlefield was empty. There wasn't even a trace of blood on the ground.
It was as if everything that had just happened was a dream, as if it had never occurred.
"Is this an enemy illusion?"
Hou Zi asked in astonishment.
"It's not a psychic ability, otherwise I would have sensed it. Those guys were real!"
Zhou Mei, a psychic ability user, said.
"So... you mean... Teacher Zhang waved his hand and instantly annihilated thousands of enemies?!"
Bi Feng's mouth hung open in disbelief.
"Yes... it should be like that..."
Zhou Mei said with a pale face.
Honestly, Zhang Chen's display, whether it had intimidated the enemy or not, had certainly frightened his own people.
The classmates had never witnessed such powerful abilities!
Wiping out an army with a snap of his fingers?!
It seemed Teacher Zhang had been toying with them all along. If he had been even slightly serious, they themselves might have long since turned into mist and dissipated.
"The cannon fodder has been dealt with by me. The remaining disciples have some skill. You can spar with them to improve your practical combat abilities!"
"Don't be afraid of death. The key is to improve your control over your abilities through combat and gain new insights!"
"Ling Jiao Jiao will be in charge of healing and support. I will observe. If anyone dies, I will rescue them. Consider this a baseline test of your abilities!"
"I hope everyone can play to their strengths and showcase the abilities of our Class Seven of the Freshmen!"
"Alright, go!"
After Zhang Chen finished speaking, he waved his left hand lightly. The soil on the ground instantly formed a small pavilion, complete with a table and chairs.
Zhang Chen sat there, took out fried chicken and iced cola from his ring, and began to drink and watch the battle with great relish.
(The new book is temporarily suspended for revision due to some issues.)