Despite Lin Qian being able to endure the intense Earth Spirit Flame without any pain, Fire Granny had already pushed the output of the Earth Spirit Flame to its maximum, cleansing Lin Qian's soul and allowing her to recognize him as her master. The process had accelerated rapidly. However, since Lin Qian was deeply immersed in his cultivation, Fire Granny dared not push the process too quickly.
Now that the Black Demon in the stars had begun to make his move and the undead army had started their assault, she knew full well that Lin Qian was the only one capable of standing against them.
But Lin Qian was still entrenched in his arduous cultivation. Without him, could the Huaxia Empire truly withstand the undead army?
Fire Granny's heart was filled with concern, but she continued the steady output of the Earth Spirit Flame. If the process were interrupted now, it would all be for nothing.
Lin Qian had reached a critical juncture. With the Earth Spirit Flame aiding him, and the rich spiritual energy in this place, his strength had skyrocketed at a rapid pace.
In just four years, Lin Qian had already reached the pinnacle of the Ninth Level of the Transcendent Realm and was now striving to break through into the Saint Realm. His cultivation speed was astonishing, even making Fire Granny marvel.
Of course, the infusion of the Earth Spirit Flame was an indispensable factor.
Powerful waves of soul force emanated from Lin Qian's body, fluctuating unpredictably, but the aura contained within was enough to make anyone tremble.
Fire Granny knew that under no circumstances could Lin Qian be disturbed now. If his breakthrough failed, it could mean death.
As he pushed towards the Saint Realm, the surrounding spiritual energy worked to transform Lin Qian's body, elevating him to a transcendent state. If this process was interrupted, it would disrupt the body's transformation and lead to certain death.
"I can only hope that the children of the Soul Martial Continent can hold out, at least until my master finishes his breakthrough," Fire Granny thought to herself, breathing deeply as she nervously watched Lin Qian, silently praying.
Meanwhile, in the wilderness, the endless army of undead, shrouded in a dark aura, stood ready. Each one had blood-red eyes, exuding a terrifying aura.
Those facing the army were stunned to realize that even the weakest skeleton warriors had reached the Nirvana Realm in strength. Among them were many at the Breaking Void Realm and the Life and Death Realm as well.
The previously pale skeletons had undergone a transformation.
Their once bone-white bodies now shone with a metallic black luster, appearing almost indestructible.
The rotting corpses were even more fearsome. Their decaying bodies were now covered in thick green hair, adding to their terrifying appearance.
These corpses had grown even stronger—now at the peak of the Life and Death Realm, with some even reaching the Awakening Realm and Transcendent Realm.
As for the army of zombies, they were even more formidable. The weakest among them were at the Transcendent Realm, with many already at the Saint Realm.
The strength of the undead army had grown to the point where they could easily sweep across the Soul Martial Continent.
However, while they may have been able to sweep the continent in the past, now, with the presence of the Huaxia Empire, the undead army wouldn't have it so easy.
Upon awakening from their slumber and surging with new power, the undead army began their slaughter, particularly ravaging the Western Continent. The devastation was unspeakable.
Neither the savage races nor the peaceful ones were able to stand against the strengthened undead army. Already weakened from their previous battles, they were utterly defenseless.
The air over the Western Continent was thick with the stench of blood, so strong that even those in the Eastern Continent could faintly catch the scent.
Rivers and lakes in the Western Continent had been stained red with blood—a horrifying sight.
In contrast, the Eastern Continent fared much better.
When the undead army began their assault, they were immediately hindered by various defensive formations. The soul cannons fired in rapid succession, halting the army's advance.
Ye Xin had used every resource Lin Qian had left her, focusing on defense and awaiting his return.
Even though Lin Qian had vanished without a trace, Ye Xin knew deep down that he wasn't dead. Something must have happened, and that's why he hadn't returned.
Thanks to Ye Xin's efforts, the situation on the ground had stabilized. Every inch of the Huaxia Empire's territory was held firmly in defense. The Imperial Army, the Beast Army, and every citizen stood behind the barriers of formations and soul cannons, fighting the undead army head-on without suffering significant losses.
Ye Xin breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that Lin Qian had left the empire with over ten thousand Transcendent-level generals, Beast Commanders, and scholars. With their help, they could hold their ground against even the strongest of the undead.
Moreover, the Huaxia Empire had no shortage of Saint-level experts. Among the strongest were Yuan Zhizun, who remained in the empire, along with Yun Rong, Huang Xing, and Zhang Juncheng, all of whom were powerful fighters. Even Zhao Long had now reached the level of a Saint.
However, there were still too few Saint-level experts.
Thankfully, many of the Saint-level zombies in the undead army were still dormant. Based on observations, only a few of them were active while the rest remained in slumber.
Ye Xin speculated that the mastermind behind the army, the Black Demon, believed that the undead army's current strength was sufficient to conquer the Soul Martial Continent and had chosen to attack without waiting for the rest of the Saint-level zombies to awaken.
But what the Black Demon hadn't expected was that the Huaxia Empire would be able to withstand the undead army's assault. This was a significant shock to him.
"Even though Lin Qian isn't on the Soul Martial Continent, how is the Huaxia Empire holding out?" In the starry sky beyond the continent, the Black Demon sat cross-legged on a small asteroid, his expression grim as he observed the battlefield below. He was baffled by the current situation.
As he commanded the undead army, the Black Demon watched carefully, studying the events unfolding on the continent.
"They're just hiding behind their defenses?" Upon realizing how the Huaxia Empire was resisting, the Black Demon scoffed. "This is nothing more than a temporary solution. If they think relying on defense alone will stop my undead army, they're sorely mistaken. Once the Saint-level zombies complete their transformations, I'd like to see what they'll do then."
"But where in the world has Lin Qian disappeared to?" The Black Demon furrowed his brow, staring down at the Soul Martial Continent. It had been a long time since he had seen Lin Qian.
For some reason, whenever the Black Demon thought of Lin Qian, a growing unease crept into his heart.