It’s more than enough to elevate this army to Level 15.

In this way, the recently sacrificed troops can be replenished.

It feels like a breath of relief.

And it won’t take long before the Three-tailed Pigs can be released on a large scale, so we can begin planning to gather the Wetland Lizard-man.

Previously, lacking flesh and blood, even if we acquired some, it was difficult to nurture them immediately, so not much effort was put into searching.

Now, things are different.

The swamp has conditions fit for large-scale troop production.

And the supporting blacksmith shop is well-developed; as soon as the army is built, weapons and equipment can follow.

The Bubble Beast immediately took action, transporting countless corpses back to Weilu City with bubbles.

Once the corpses were returned, Haggs used them at once to nurture the Cold-blooded Cavalry.

A new tier of battle power rapidly emerged, partially offsetting the losses.

However, this battle served as a reminder to Lear that he couldn’t develop as steadily as before. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

He needs to increase speed and grow as quickly as possible.

Though the Original Plane isolates Divine Spirits, preventing forces above Level 15 from entering,

these beings who hold Authority will always have their ways to break the rules.

He must seize control of the Long Thorn Mountain Range at the fastest speed.

Especially those Ancient Humans!

Lives capable of offering ten times the Power of Faith as the outside world; losing even one is regrettable.

This time at least tens of thousands were lost to the demons!

If this loss happened on the Main Plane, it would take hundreds of thousands to compensate.

The damage is substantial.

Lear felt the heartache just thinking about it.

More painful even than sacrificing thousands of troops; troops can be rebuilt, but where can such high-quality believers be found?

In his pondering, he looked towards the Dark Night Elf Hero in the distance and directly ordered.

"Isa, take a team, grouping in units of a thousand to sweep the remaining demons in the Long Thorn Mountain Range, and also bring back those villagers whose homes were destroyed by the demons to Katana."

"Bring back those without a temple too, but leave the villages with temples untouched for now."

"If they truly refuse to leave, don’t force them, mark them for the Swamp Boggart to handle later."

Isa promptly agreed.

"Your will above all else!"

Without any hesitation, she immediately organized the army to set off.

The recently battled army set out again under the watchful eyes of the residents.

Inspiring waves of respect among the residents.

Population is key to the Original Plane, and in Lear’s view, its value is no less than that of a temple.

If he can control these more than 300,000 people of the Long Thorn Mountain Range, he would be invincible.

The Tyrant Monarch would find it absolutely impossible to invade again!

The vast Power of Faith could allow him to raise a powerful Wetland Angel Legion.

Even two or three squadrons would render any demon attack futile!

The strength of the Ultimate Soldier far surpasses ordinary troops.

In the sprawling Long Thorn Mountain Range, each village is like a star scattered within.

The villagers, who once led quiet and peaceful lives, now endure immense suffering.

Demons demolished their homes, burned their houses, killed their loved ones, leaving everything in ruin.

The range of the Long Thorn Mountain is too extensive, making it difficult for the army from Weilu City to cover the entire area quickly, leaving a small number of demons still at large.

Though these Abyss creatures aren’t particularly powerful, to an ordinary villager, they are insurmountable.

Wherever they go, they wreak havoc, yet fortunately, their numbers were small, preventing enormous casualties.

By the time Weilu City’s army arrived, they mostly found one damaged village after another.

Unlike before, this time the army relayed the divine edict directly... the Long Thorn Mountain Range has been invaded by demons. For everyone’s safety, the Swamp God personally ordered the villagers to temporarily enter Katana and to return only after the demons are completely cleared.

During this period, Katana will provide free food and housing, offering protection to all.

The Swamp Boggart dispersed within the army, and after their declarations, the villagers were given no time to hesitate, as they were gently whisked away with song.

Only in villages protected by temples did this operation pause.

During this process, four temples triggered their defense mechanisms due to the demons... Angels were already patrolling the skies.

This left the search teams speechless, with a deep-seated hatred for the demons, prompting them to move on to the next target.

As a result, vast numbers of Ancient Humans began converging towards Katana... if all the villagers of the Long Thorn Mountain Range gathered, the population here would reach at least 250,000 to 260,000.

Transforming them all into believers equates to a population of two to three million on the Main Plane.

An enormous figure indeed.

Amidst the busy operations, by nightfall, the Bubble Beast finally managed to transport all the corpses of over a hundred thousand demons back.

Based on Haggs’ feedback, the cultivation of 3,000 Wetland Lizard-man doesn’t require that many corpses.

It’s estimated that in three days, all Cold-blooded Cavalry will complete their ascension.

Simultaneously, Lear issued orders to begin searching for traces of Wetland Lizard-man in the Wilderness.

The Two-winged Demons bore this responsibility, deploying in groups of two squadrons, spreading out in fifty formations.

These Level 18 Super Tier units are fiercely robust, and as aerial troops, capable of handling threats unless they are overwhelmingly powerful.

They also seized the opportunity to observe if there were any new changes in the Wilderness amid the extreme cold weather.

On the morning of May 9th, Lear, who hadn’t slept while managing various affairs overnight, watched as the sky brightened again.

After a simple wash, he stepped out of the City Hall of Katana with a grave expression.

By this time, the entire city’s residents had risen early and were waiting on the wide-open grounds ahead.

Each face bore a solemn expression, laced with sadness in their eyes.

A Hero’s Funeral.

This is the highest ceremony of Weilu City, reserved only for heroes who died in battle.

In previous dramatic performances, this scene of solemnity and seriousness had been depicted more than once.

Now, as drama merged with reality, the crowd was both stirred and profoundly somber.

This was not a show; this was a brutal war happening right before their eyes.

In the center of the crowd, bodies wrapped in vines lay peacefully, the air heavy with an acrid stench of blood, intensifying the atmosphere of sorrow.

One step at a time, Lear ascended the temporary platform woven from vines, surveying the crowd, his deep voice resonating in everyone’s ears.

"My people, today is May 9th, a solemn date that must never be forgotten!"

"The warriors before you sacrificed their lives to protect the territory, fighting for the safety of every resident!"

Suddenly, his tone surged with passion.

"These warriors are the heroes of each and every one of us, the heroes of the Holy City!"

"Though they are gone, their spirit remains eternal, their deeds becoming an immortal monument in the Heroic Spirit Hall!"

This was Lear’s voice, evoking a sacred and inviolable power, flooding from their souls.

Their God, the great and immortal Swamp God of their faith... personally descended to preside over this hero’s funeral!

Realizing this, many believers were moved beyond composure.

A fanatic shouted fervently.

"Praise our heroes, but more importantly, praise the great Swamp God!"

"It is you, the great Swamp God, who shelters us!"

"Praise you, my God!"

Swiftly kneeling down, tears of reverence welled in their eyes.

This moment seemed to herald a beginning, as tens of thousands suddenly came to their senses, bowing like stalks of wheat, paying homage to Lear with the utmost respect and fervor.

"Praise you, my God!"

Lear felt the Power of Faith surge like a river, taking a deep breath, his gaze growing more solemn.

"Katana will rise reborn from the bloodshed."

"Our Holy City is forged with blood!"

"No one shall oppress, defeat, or destroy us!"

"Praise all the sacrificed heroes, praise all the unyielding residents, praise the swamp!"

The crowd’s atmosphere soared instantly.

"Praise all the sacrificed heroes, praise all..."

One by one, they echoed the words, their unified voices resounding throughout Katana.

Amid the fervent atmosphere, the zeal rose unrestrained.

The number of fanatics soared from over two thousand to more than six thousand, tripling directly.

And this would be the most precious treasure of Katana.

Their unity was like steel.