In the void, following the command, a massive celestial city suddenly appeared out of thin air. This celestial city seemed to be a seamless whole, without even the tiniest gap—completely like a divine artifact. At a glance, it gave off a powerful, overwhelming sense of shock. Within the city, one could see large numbers of soldiers. Upon closer inspection, each one wore golden tiger-shaped primal phantom armor. This was the exclusive Battle Tiger Legion's Battle Tiger Phantom Armor.
The armor gleamed with a golden hue. On their chests was the fierce head of a tiger. On their shoulders, wrists, knees, and other parts, one could see ferocious tiger fangs shaped like spears and daggers, flashing with chilling light.
Battle Tiger Phantom Armor
Infused with the beast soul of the Gold-Rending Battle Tiger.
Divine Weapon: Gold-Rending Divine Spear
Abilities: Tiger's Gold-Rending Roar, Blood Ignition
This armor was a primal phantom armor on the level of a magic treasure. It had two phantom armor divine abilities. One could unleash a fierce tiger's roar that could tear through metal and stone, and the other could ignite blood essence, doubling combat strength in an instant. As long as the battle will endured, the blood would burn endlessly. On the battlefield, the soldiers would fight without fear of death, unyielding even in the face of annihilation.
This celestial city was on the scale of a royal capital. In some ways, it was even more powerful than most magic treasures—not only was the city body immensely durable, it also contained all sorts of formation arrays and restrictions. Even divine weapons would find it nearly impossible to destroy it.
This expedition was not just about conquest—it was also about occupation.
The army had brought along a Da Yi Celestial City. At the same time, Da Yi had long embedded countless secret agents across various realms. Once the time was right, they would act at key moments. Now, their initial descent had brought them directly above a city of the Beastmen race.
Wang Dahu, upon seeing this, didn't hesitate. He made the immediate decision—to crush the beastman city below using the Da Yi Celestial City and to forge a new celestial city atop the ruins. A city that belonged to Da Yi.
At once, the sky darkened.
It was as if a colossal shadow blanketed the heavens and earth.
Inside the beastman city, countless leopard men looked up, their expressions changing drastically. Their faces twisted in indescribable anger and terror.
"Run! Get out of here!"
"Damn it! That's a Da Yi Celestial City! They're trying to crush us all to death! How vicious! Absolutely ruthless! Hurry, take our people and flee!"
At this moment, the leopard people dared not resist at all. The descending city was far too massive and the pressure terrifying beyond belief. Even one glance made it clear—it was unstoppable. None of them could withstand it.
The only option was to escape.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Instantly, leopard warriors turned into shadowy blurs, pulling their kin and flashing away through the air. Indeed, the leopard race was famous for their speed and ambushes. Their bloodline talent was speed itself. Like a violent gale, they vanished into the distance.
In just a breath, a third of the leopard people managed to escape the city.
But it had all happened so fast.
Even with their speed, most couldn't get out in time. Some stared in despair as the city descended. Others desperately burrowed underground, trying to flee below the earth.
But…
Did that even matter?
BOOM!!!
With an earth-shattering roar, the massive Da Yi Celestial City slammed down.
The original leopard city below was no sturdier than a run-down straw hut. In an instant, it was flattened—crushed into rubble.
Leopard people who failed to escape were directly pulverized into bloody mist under the weight of the celestial city. Those who had burrowed underground suddenly felt terrifying tremors in the earth as powerful geomagnetic forces surged through the ley lines.
They were instantly crushed—turned into bloody pulp, perfectly fused with the land, no longer distinguishable from it.
As soon as the Da Yi Celestial City landed, it naturally connected to the land. Nearby earth veins rapidly surged beneath it, forming a leyline nexus under the city. The geomantic energy shifted, and everything was annihilated. That kind of force came from heaven and earth itself—far beyond what the leopard people could resist. They were utterly exterminated in seconds.
The old leopard tribe city had been erased.
In its place stood a brand new Da Yi Celestial City.
"Our tribe..."
Some escaped leopard people stared at the sight, their eyes bloodshot, voices filled with anguish and fury.
Their tribe... their home... was gone.
"Kill them! Avenge our kin!!"
Many of the leopard warriors roared with bloodshot eyes, consumed by rage and hatred. They charged at the Da Yi Celestial City at lightning speed—so fast that even afterimages couldn't be seen.
"Take care of them."
Wang Dahu stood on the city wall and calmly waved his hand.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Without any delay, sharp whistling filled the air as a rain of arrows descended. No matter how fast the leopard warriors were, they were still pierced mid-charge, transformed into living pincushions.
Most died on the spot—unable even to scream.
For any enemies who survived the first wave, there was always a second.
Before the Battle Tiger Legion, the leopard warriors never stood a chance.
In the blink of an eye, they had all been wiped out. A few survivors fled into the distance.
"Can we connect the teleportation array to other Da Yi Celestial Cities?"
Wang Dahu asked urgently.
"We're in the Beastmen Realm. It's separated by a major realm. Since we haven't fully occupied it and Da Yi's national fate doesn't yet cover this region, the teleportation arrays are being blocked. We currently can't perform inter-realm transfers."
A robed cultivator with mountains and rivers embroidered on his clothing replied swiftly. He was a Feng Shui Master, following the army for this expedition. Such experts were crucial for settling celestial cities.
"According to imperial strategy, once war begins, a domain gate will be opened in the Mo Fangyun (Cube Cloud) Realm. Through it, endless reinforcements will be sent, including settlers and bounty hunters for defense. We'll also receive ten thousand reserve soldiers."
"Our objective is assault."
"We are to destroy nearby beastman settlements and crush all resistance. This shall be Da Yi's first celestial city in the Savage Beast Realm, built atop the ruins of the leopard tribe. It shall be named Black Panther City."
Wang Dahu looked around and made the decision without hesitation.
Black Panther City—a name destined to be recorded in the annals of Da Yi.
Naming a celestial city was no trivial matter.
"Activate the mechanical war beasts and war puppets!"
Wang Dahu ordered.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Enormous mechanical war beasts stepped onto the city walls. Each one was three to four zhang tall (10–13 meters). There were war tigers, wolves, eagles, and wyverns. Also, massive humanoid puppets, each like a small giant equipped with divine crossbows.
These were puppets created by the Heavenly Craft Pavilion.
The mechanical beasts had core beast souls fused within them—memories erased and replaced with combat instincts. The humanoid war puppets were forged with a unique mix of alchemy and mechanical arts. Each had a Puppet Core, known as the Heart of the Puppet, and intricate combat programming.
They were deadly, fearless, and efficient.
Though energy-consuming, they held spirit-gathering runes that slowly replenished power or could be recharged with spirit crystals.
These battle puppets were one of the Pavilion's key innovations—now highly refined.
The current ones had combat strength at Tier 4. Higher-tier versions were still under development.
They weren't cheap to make—but for this war, all reserves had been deployed.
Now, Black Panther City had 10,000 war puppets and beasts.
They immediately took up posts on the walls, cold and silent—ready to strike at the first sign of disturbance.
"Activate the Xuanhuang Barrier."
Wang Dahu ordered again.
A mysterious yellow barrier rose around the city, fully shielding it.
"Battle Tiger Legion—advance!"
Wang Dahu roared.
"Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!!"
The soldiers bellowed in unison.
Wang Dahu led the charge, stepping out of Black Panther City. With a wave of his hand, a massive golden Gold-Rending Battle Tiger appeared.
This was the manifested beast soul from the phantom armor—capable of appearing as a mount when the armor's full power wasn't in use. Like a summoned beast, it was deadly and majestic.
This was the Beastmen Realm—the domain of the Lionheart Empire. Beastman qi covered the land, filled with invisible laws. Outsiders who flew in this region without being part of the Lionheart Empire would suffer natural suppression and divine backlash. The luck spirit of the realm might even strike them down.
Naturally, Wang Dahu's army had no desire to draw such attention.
Their goal was clear: strike fast, strike hard, crush everything.
At this moment, a figure silently watched Wang Dahu.
"As expected of Wang Dahu, commander of the Battle Tiger Legion. To rise within Da Yi's military ranks proves he's no ordinary man. This battle... holds great promise."
Trailing behind was none other than one of the Twelve Zodiac Guardians—the Tiger God Warrior, Han Qinhu. He was one of the ultimate safeguards of this campaign, a trump card capable of turning the tide of war.
Soldiers of the Battle Tiger Legion summoned their war tigers and launched their assault.
The ground shook as a thunderous roar echoed across the realm.