Cloudrealm Sky Harbor, the Waveblade Banner snapped and whipped in the wind.
Beneath the banner, a phalanx of ironclad warriors gleamed coldly, standing in utter silence.
Throughout the layered military harbor, Heavenly soldiers swarmed like ants, laboring everywhere as massive wooden cranes packed all manner of war supplies onto ships. The fleet was fully prepared to set sail.
At the war council convened in the harbor, every senior officer received a sealed envelope.
Marshal Silver stood at the commander’s position, delivering his final pre‑battle instructions: “The garrison at Cloudwatch Harbor has already been reduced as much as possible; most of the defenses have been replaced by formation arrays. Since Blossom Mountain may continually harass our supply lines, we must leave enough escort ships as a precaution. After subtracting the Cloudrealm Sky Harbor garrison and logistics personnel, our deployable frontline forces for this war are—three hundred and fifty thousand.”
“Everyone must be prepared: this may well be the fiercest and longest war we have ever faced. Not all present may live to see its end, myself included…”
“We, the Heavenly Fleet, must not become like the South Heaven Gate Fleet, so easily butchered after losing General Lee.”
“As for our enemies, reliable intelligence so far is scarce.”
“Therefore, we must prepare for the worst. If I am lost in battle, Marshal Tianfu will act as interim commander; if Tianfu falls, Marshal Tianren will take over; if Tianren is lost, Marshal Tiannai will succeed. No matter who assumes command, the war must go on, fighting to the last Skyward Legionnaire.”
“Whether soldier or officer, even myself—if captured, you are to be listed as fallen. The Heavenly Fleet will never allow itself to be blackmailed with prisoners as the South Heaven Gate was by monsters, no matter who the captive may be.”
"Anyone who retreats in battle will be executed without mercy!"
The grand hall was already deathly silent, with only Marshal Silver’s deep voice echoing through the air.
Every commander stared wide‑eyed, their jaws clenched tight.
"The Heavenly Fleet will remember the merits of each and every one of you."
"This may be the final battle of this campaign. Victory will mean a return to the old order—Heaven will once again hold the Three Realms firmly in its grasp... No, with most of the monsters now gathered at Frost‑Rain Mountain in the Southern Lands and Blossom Mountain in Eastrealm, this victory will cleanse the mortal world of demonkind and usher in a new era."
"Inside each of your envelopes are your mission details, troop movement tokens, and a Jade Tablet for secure communication. You must follow the instructions exactly, and burn the envelope after reading. Do not disclose your specific mission to anyone, including your colleagues—only the war objectives are set, not any casualty limits."
"Our opponents may resort to any means necessary. Therefore, every hour, you must use the Jade Tablet to report to the three designated contacts according to the coded signals inside the envelope, ensuring that command maintains an accurate grasp of the situation."
"Confuse the enemy as much as possible, act with utmost caution, and complete your mission at any cost."
"Remember, we will have no allies and no reinforcements in this war. We can only rely on ourselves."
"All of Heaven is watching us closely. Many hope for our defeat. There is no retreat—if we lose, the Heavenly Fleet will be doomed forever."
"Blossom Mountain and Frost‑Rain Mountain must be erased from this world!"
"Victory is the only option—defeat is not permitted! Do you understand?"
"Understood—!"
Fists pounded against breastplates, and the buildings themselves trembled beneath the thunderous cries of affirmation.
As each envelope turned to ash in the brazier before Marshal Silver, the great war machine of the Heavenly Fleet roared to life.
The horns of advance blared, and throughout the stacked layers of the military harbor, countless Skyward Legionnaires beat their wings and surged into the warships.
Guided by the logistics officers, the warships—like a swarm of locusts—broke free of their moorings and soared into the sky, dividing into three mighty columns that swept toward three directions.
"What’s going on?" Forced to hover a hundred li away in the clouds, using sorcery to observe from afar, the Nine‑Headed Wyrm widened his eyes: "They… split their forces?"
...
At Blossom Mountain, a massive troop mobilization was underway. All defensive fortifications were being checked one last time, and supplies inventoried.
Countless noncombatant monsters were quietly evacuated from Blossom Mountain—including many of the Sage’s Path demons.
Remember, Blossom Mountain is not the Heavenly Fleet—it has no powerful Heaven as its backup. If this place falls, there will be no refuge left. And no one can guarantee Blossom Mountain’s victory.
They could concentrate all their forces here to face the Heavenly Fleet, but they couldn’t put all their eggs in one basket.
If they were defeated, those scattered seeds would become the last hope.
At that moment, a war council was being held in a temporary cave-dwelling.
"If we can withstand the Heavenly Fleet’s initial assault, this war may drag on for a long time. During that period, our reputation will reach unprecedented heights. We must take advantage of this." Monkey produced two command tokens, handing one to the Serpent Lord standing before him: "Take the men I’ve assigned you and set out immediately for the Western Ox Continent."
He handed the other token to the Vulture Lord: "Take your men to the Northern Jambu Continent."
These teams included not only powerful demon officers, but also teachers from the academies, alchemist cultivators, craftsmen, and all necessary manuals and supplies of pills.
As long as they could take root somewhere, it would become another Blossom Mountain in embryo.
"Both continents have already been purged by the Heavenly Fleet, but many great demons must have escaped. Find them, recruit them. Remember, prioritize those of Spirit‑Refinement stage or higher—they’re the only ones who might break through enemy lines to reinforce Blossom Mountain in a pitched battle. If the war drags on, we’ll need a steady stream of new blood. Also, avoid the eyes and ears of the Heavenly Marshal Corps, and use the opportunity while the Fleet is distracted to establish new bases. If we lose here, we’ll need to retreat to the other continents."