CHAPTER 423 A DIRE SITUATION

As the yellow spiritual crystal was implanted into the center of its forehead, the flower-shaped Timber

spirit-manipulated beast let out a strange hiss. Its razor-sharp tooth got exposed as the mouth opened

and closed like a fish gasping for air. The six large flower-shaped tentacles laid flat with tension.

Suddenly, it stretched out in all directions and started swelling up, growing bigger and bigger.

Subsequently, in several blooming sounds the six tentacles exploded as an overblown balloon,

instantly transforming its appearance to a sharpened blade edge. Then, its flower-shaped giant head

inflated and exposed another identical flower-shaped head from the other side, almost as a clone head

of the original one.

Meanwhile, the other Timber spirit-manipulated beast also began to mutate. The spines originally

covering all over the trunk came off instantly. Its gigantic trunk whopped down on the ground as if its

root was struck deep into the ground. Its upright body resembled a bare cactus.

At the region were the spines came off, large pores opened up. A large amount of sticky liquid was

secreted from those pores which flooded all over its body. Soon, like a drill, its body began to drill itself

directly into the underground. Instantly, its whole body was planted into the ground with only its three

heads remaining above the ground.

Shortly after, the ground cracked up, leaving a plethora of fissures and it seemed like something was

ready to pop up at any moment. With a thundering sound, the three heads pulled out its body. The

body looked completely transformed with rows of long and big iron prickles grown out of the pores from

where the spines had come off. The size of the body was significantly enlarged resembling a spiked

mace making it more aggressive.

Alyssa nodded in satisfaction as she witnessed the mutation of the two Timber spirit-manipulated

beasts after their star upgrade.

"The aptitudes of these two Timber spirit-manipulated beasts are excellent. The result of their mutation

after the elevation is evidently impressive. It is working quite well. In preparing them for a perfect

mutation, I have been racking up my brain for the best solution." Samson nodded proudly while

explaining.

"Only a beast manipulated expert like Master Sun could accelerate their mutation in the star elevation."

The elevation of each star for a spirit-manipulated beast would result in the vigorous progress of their

power. Both the Timber spirit-manipulated beasts were at the third grade of four stars, which was a

cultivation base as strong as the spirit manipulator of the Heavenly Stage. That was indeed a

remarkable elevation! Alyssa had no hesitation in complimenting him.

"Thank you for your compliment princess. I'm truly flattered," Samson replied pleasurably with a fist-

and-palm salute showing his modesty.

"When can you complete the elevation of the remaining beasts?" Alyssa continued the conversation.

"It can be finished within a few days," Samson replied while counting his fingers as a fortune teller.

"Good. I'm going in for a frontal confrontation with the Crimson Dragon Army in five days. The ten

Huge-horned Rhinoceroses that master Sun have fostered and the mutant Timber spirit-manipulated

beasts would definitely come handily for the battle by then…" Alyssa explained with a mysterious smile

on her face.

Five days later, the war broke out between the Timber Deity Empire and the Holy Dragon Empire. It

certainly was the biggest confrontation by the scale in several months. Forty thousand armies of the

Timber Deity Empire confronted the seventy thousand strong Crimson Dragon Army of the Holy

Dragon Empire at the Gehenna Border war zones of both the countries.

Lance deployed his seventy thousand armies respectively at seven strategic strongholds. These seven

strategic strongholds were all fortified points serving as the foundation for stable resistance against the

army of the Timber Deity Empire. The fortified points were part of a strategy that would be used as a

directional deception that would make the enemy misinterpret their movements. The strategy would

make a feint to the east while attacking in the west. Thus, this would result in losing the force of the

army of the Timber Deity Empire before the Crimson Dragon Army struck a death blow and defeated

them.

Initially, the plan worked well. The Crimson Dragon Army was not only successful in guarding the

integrity of the territory with minimal mistakes but also made the Timber Deity Empire lose two strategic

strongholds. This loss had placed the army of the Timber Deity Empire into a passive disadvantage.

But five days into the battle, one of the seven strategic strongholds under their guard, the Deity Unicorn

Valley, was lost by the Crimson Dragon Army. In a sudden turn of events, the guerrilla squad of the

Deity Timber Empire ambushed the Deity Unicorn Valley swiftly. This resulted in the fall of the strategic

stronghold into the control of the guerrilla squad.

Lance was left with utmost astonishment when he learned about the fall of the Deity Unicorn Valley. He

later came to know about the details of the ambush from the dispatch. Ten Huge-horned Rhinoceroses

of rare species charged in, breaking their defenses, landing the Crimson Dragon Army in great trouble.

Moreover, the guerrilla squad was armed with a mighty team led by a Timber spirit manipulator who

had reached a cultivation base of the Heavenly Stage. He led four Timber spirit-manipulated beasts to

storm the fortified point. Since those four beasts were four-starred Timber spirit-manipulated beasts,

they were successful in defeating thousands of ordinary soldiers with ease.

In the battle of the Deity Unicorn Valley, while the Crimson Dragon Army lost more than ten thousand of

their forces, the loss suffered by the army of the Timber Deity Empire was less than three thousand.

Yet, with the Deity Unicorn Valley as their stronghold, the army of the Timber Deity Empire mobilized

and encouraged the whole army to attack the Dead Silence Mount and the Hippo Land, the control

center of the seven strategic strongholds. Both strongholds fell in succession unexpectedly. The fall of

the Hippo Land had cut the supports and collaborations between the remaining four strategic

strongholds of the Crimson Dragon Army compelling them to fight in isolation.

As the seventy thousand armies that Lance commanded were divided to guard different strongholds,

far away from each other, and the three strategic strongholds that fell into the occupation of the army of

the Timber Deity Empire could serve as the stranglehold to the Crimson Dragon Army, who could not

convene the troops in time to resist the attack, they were ultimately defeated separately one after

another by the army of the Timber Deity Empire.

Two months after the beginning of the war, the Crimson Dragon Army lost more than twenty thousand

of its forces, meanwhile, the loss was less than ten thousand for the Timber Deity Empire. Even worse,

since the Crimson Dragon Army could not concentrate its troops, they could not go all out to confront holds text © rights.

the army of the Timber Deity Empire.

It was Lance's strategy of safety battle. But he did not expect the army of the Timber Deity Empire to

discover the loophole and use it against them to win the battle eventually. On the other hand, the army

of the Timber Deity Empire was able to turn the tables once they assumed control of the three strategic

strongholds of the Crimson Dragon Army. Although they were still a little outnumbered by the Crimson

Dragon Army, it could not be a deadly threat since the remaining forces of the Crimson Dragon Army

were divided in for different strategic strongholds. On top of that, the loss of the control center, the

Hippo Land would disable the Crimson Dragon Army to collaborate and reinforce each other. They

remained nothing more than isolated small groups who fought desperately to secure their fortified

points.

On the contrary, by occupying the control center of the Hippo Land, the army of the Timber Deity

Empire could maneuver its forces who were catered with needs to frustrate the Crimson Dragon Army.

To recapture the lost control center, Lance made three attempts to lay siege to the Hippo Land but

failed every time. Worse enough, he lost an Elite Commander and a Frontline Commander during the

three attacks.

Out of his wits, Lance gave an order to send a message to Rocky hoping that he would offer help to

relieve the dreadful situation.

On the other hand, Rocky had finalized the plans for the construction of an integrated laboratory in the

Magic Spiritual Space. While he was working on his plans, he received a message from a Carrier

Beast. The message was a summons from Lance.

"Is Lance capable of being the Commander in Chief? He was badly defeated despite leading an army

almost twice the number of that of the Timber Deity Empire!" Rocky could not help but force a smile as

he finished reading the message from Lance.

But since he had an agreement with Lance earlier, he had to suspend his plans for building the new

lab. He had to rush back to the main camp of the Crimson Dragon Army at the front line.

Two days later, Rocky came back to the main camp at the front line. As soon as he entered, he sensed

the large crowd. Among them were spirit manipulators who were unknown to him. But he sensed their

cultivation base to be above Heavenly Stage. Everyone was gravely serious as if they were attending

someone's funeral. Silence blended with air which became the sole thing they could breathe in.

Rocky saw a sour face with a heavily furrowed forehead as his eyes settled on Lance.

But as soon as he walked in, Rocky was placed under a spotlight compelling everyone to look at him.

Isis, who was present at the camp of the Commander in Chief stared at Rocky immediately as she

seemed to work herself through a puzzle.

Marin was also among the crowd staring at Rocky.

Lance was relieved at the moment he saw Rocky. He slightly unfurled his thick eyebrows as he

directed his hand to order, "Rocky, approach to take your mission!"

Rocky had a bad vibe as Lance did not say anything else other than giving out his direct order. Even

though hesitant, he stepped forward for responding to the mission.