This battle ended without a shred of victory.
In truth, the only outcome was some minor damage to the wall when the Ice Soul Immortal-Slaying Blade cut through the Iron-Blood Barrier, causing fewer than ten thousand casualties. Compared to the Ice Crystal Clan, that loss was utterly negligible.
A complete loss!!
A loss so huge it could only be described as humiliating beyond compare. Absolutely no room for comparison.
To even speak of it would be disgraceful. It would be a stain on their pride.
Since the Ice Crystal Clan took root in Snow Continent, when had they ever suffered such indignity? It was an unprecedented humiliation. In direct combat, who hadn't feared them, even fled at the mention of their name? Yet now, they had been defeated. If word got out, the repercussions would be immense. Their prestige would take a massive hit.
"The most pressing issue right now," the High Priest said solemnly, "is how to break through the Iron-Blood Great Wall. The Ice Soul Immortal-Slaying Blade can breach the Iron-Blood Barrier, but it has been seized by that Ice and Snow Queen. There's also the Ice Soul Sky Crystal Orb, which may be able to pierce the barrier—but its destructive power remains uncertain. And with the Ice and Snow Queen present, success is far from guaranteed."
"The barrier may be powerful," he continued, "but it's still a formation, and every formation has its limits. If we find the right method, it can be broken. Also, no matter how strong it is, it can't be maintained indefinitely without cost. Continued assault might cause it to collapse on its own. Until we discover a proper way to dismantle it, I believe it's unwise to continue attacking the Great Yi Dynasty. Further war would only strengthen the enemy, letting the Iron-Blood Wall expand even faster."
The ability of the Iron-Blood Wall to consume Ice Crystal eggs and expand rapidly, advancing steadily, made it near-invincible on the battlefield. It was terrifying. If the barrier couldn't be breached, they could only watch helplessly as their territory was devoured, assimilated into the Great Yi.
As one side grows stronger and the other weaker, the situation becomes more dire.
"If possible," a strategist with Mystic Fox bloodline said, "I suggest forming an alliance with other forces in Snow Continent. We may be unable to break the barrier, but others might. I recall that the Corpse Demon Hall possesses a terrifying demonic treasure: the Demon Bug Jar, which houses the Ironthread Corpse Worms. These worms are formless and intangible, born of corpses, cycling between life and death, forged into the jar and refined through countless life-death rebirths. It's said they are not only extremely fast and resilient, but can also shift between the real and illusory—and bite through all kinds of formations."
"Even the sturdiest of materials will be gnawed into powder before these worms. If anything can chew through the Iron-Blood Wall, it's them. Once breached, the Iron-Blood Barrier will fall apart. No more obstacles. The army of Great Yi will be laid bare before us—lambs to the slaughter. Their threat level will plummet to nothing."
"I agree," added the Tiger-Wolf General, a warrior fused with tiger and wolf blood. "Without the Iron-Blood Wall's protection, the Great Yi soldiers are nothing compared to our Ice Crystal forces. In direct combat, we'll crush them."
"The Corpse Demon Hall is no easy ally," the High Priest cautioned. "They care little for worldly wars unless directly threatened—or sufficiently compensated. Cooperation isn't guaranteed, and could even become a liability. Still, using the Ironthread Corpse Worms might be our best chance."
"They won't act without motivation," the Ice Crystal King said coldly, "but I will ensure they're tempted. They will act. They must. The second campaign cannot be delayed. The longer we wait, the deeper Great Yi roots itself in Snow Continent. No matter what, we march within three days. This time, I'll personally lead the army—bearing the kingdom's sacred artifact. Let's see what the Emperor of Yi is really made of."
"Isn't that a bit too risky?" a general asked, his voice tinged with worry.
They were up against an unprecedented enemy. No one could predict how the war would unfold.
"That's enough," the Ice Crystal King declared. "Prepare yourselves. Three days from now, we go to war."
Time passed silently.
Before anyone noticed, three days had flown by.
During those three days, the Iron-Blood Great Wall expanded by over a hundred miles, increasing its reach dramatically. More soldiers were stationed atop the walls, and countless war supplies were hauled up.
No soldier dared to slack off. The might of the Ice Crystal Clan was well-known. They had even managed to break the barrier once before. And now, the Iron-Blood Guard was deactivated, requiring extra vigilance against a surprise attack.
At the cusp of night and dawn...
A shadowy figure silently emerged from the ground. Not a sound, not a stir.
He was cloaked in black robes and held a dark jar shaped like a human skull—a chilling sight.
"Go, my darlings. Let the world learn your name."
With that, he opened the Demon Bug Jar, releasing a wave of inky-black mist. From it emerged countless thread-thin worms, writhing through the air. They had no true form, yet could suddenly coalesce into something tangible. They were fast, faster than sight, crossing vast distances in moments.
In the darkness, all one could see was a swarm of black threads flashing through the night. To the average person, it would have gone entirely unnoticed.
They reached the wall in a flash.
The Ironthread Corpse Worms launched themselves at the wall—gnashing with tiny, razor-sharp teeth. A chilling sight.
Crack!Crunch!
The worms' biting echoed eerily in the dark.
"What's that sound?"
"Something's wrong at the wall—check it out!"
Soldiers on duty quickly detected the disturbance. The signal torches lit up, turning the area bright as day. They saw the black worms gnawing into the stone, their numbers horrifying.
Though the Iron-Blood Wall was formed from divine materials and linked to the land itself, these worms were making visible damage—pitting and gouging the bricks.
"Sound the alarm! Summon Master Zhuge!"
The one guarding the wall was Yang Yanping, who immediately realized the danger. These weren't ordinary pests—they could damage the sacred wall.
DONG—DONG—DONG!
The alarm bell rang.
Zhuge Liang and other leaders rushed to the scene. They had never stopped watching this front, and now they saw the Ironthread Corpse Worms with their own eyes.
Their very presence inspired primal fear.
"Fire first—then ice!" Zhuge Liang ordered sharply.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Fire talismans flew out, erupting into blazing flames aimed directly at the worms. But the flames did nothing—as though burning illusions. Next came frost spells—also ineffective.
They kept gnawing, unstoppable and uncanny.
"Try the Iron-Blood Guard!" Wu Yong barked.
Perhaps the guard formation could repel them.
FLASH!
A surge of crimson energy pulsed from the wall.
But in that moment, the Ironthread Corpse Worms suddenly turned into black lights and phased into the wall itself—like a virus entering the bloodstream.
Immediately, the Iron-Blood Guard faltered. It couldn't activate.
"No… they've gone inside the wall! They shifted from matter to spirit in an instant…"Zhou Yu's face paled. "What are these abominations?!"
The most terrifying part wasn't just their physical destruction—but the fact that they had infiltrated the very wall, disrupting its formations. The Iron-Blood Barrier could no longer activate. The once-impervious fortress had lost its protective shield—and with it, the battlefield would now be exponentially more dangerous for the Great Yi Dynasty.