Chapter 1148: Support, Arrangements, Retreat

Chapter 1148: Support, Logistics, Retreat

Let us return to the moment when Zhou Zhan first initiated the battle.

The True God Leader of the Xuan An Crimson Empire fixed his gaze upon the scene within the Nine Realms' God-Monster's Dream Array.

He could not have imagined it.

This mortal emperor had not only risked his own life to personally enter the battlefield, but had even taken part in the fighting himself.

If this were to be revealed to their emperor and to Osmer, they would surely halt their advance immediately and launch a full-scale assault to eliminate this mortal emperor.

After all, their very purpose in marching toward the Jiaoyang Empire was to destroy the mortal emperor. If the target is right here, why not end it right here?

But now the great battle had already begun. He could only wait until the conflict concluded before reporting back to his emperor and Osmer.

"Hm?"

"Already deploying a Supreme God-level technique so quickly?!"

The True God Leader gazed solemnly upon the scene unfolding from the Nine Realms' God Demon Dream Array.

There, Zhou Zhan produced a lower-rank divine artifact from a Supreme God, then cast a Supreme God-level secret technique, and immediately engaged in battle with over a hundred crimson True Gods.

With a Supreme God artifact in hand, Zhou Zhan appeared utterly dominant—within moments, he had slain half of those hundred crimson True Gods.

Yet, as he watched this, the True God of Xuan An Crimson Empire did not show anger. Instead, a smile flickered across his face.

Based on his experience and judgment, he knew the Supreme God-level secret technique wielded by the Celestial Sovereign was a method of forcibly unleashing power by consuming one's own potential and state—its effects were fleeting. Once the duration expired, the opponent would not only see a drastic drop in strength, but would likely be weaker than before using the technique. His own state would become profoundly frail.

When the Celestial Sovereign reached such a state of utter vulnerability—when he could no longer fight—that would be the perfect moment to strike.

As for the crimson True Gods who had perished?

They were merely a few insignificant offerings from the Xuan An Crimson Empire. Did he care whether they lived or died?

He did not know that the scene he witnessed was entirely fabricated by the Nine Realms' God Demon Dream Array—crafted solely to deceive the crimson factions, to conceal Zhou Zhan's true power.

……

Soon.

After eliminating all the Crimson True Gods within the array, the Celestial Emperor Sovereign dissolved the Nine-Realms God-Monster Dream Array with a frail, weakened presence. He surveyed the battlefields below—the True God battleground, the Deity battlefield, and the soldier’s field—then raised the corpses of over a hundred Crimson True Gods, floating them high above, striking a blow at the morale of the Crimson forces. With no further words, he turned and flew toward the Cosmic Emperor’s Vessel, disappearing inside without a backward glance.

This sight lit up the eyes of the Crimson True God leader.

Clearly, the Celestial Emperor Sovereign had indeed grown so weak he could no longer fight.

Otherwise, why would he not stay behind to assist his own troops and deities in the battle?

But when he observed the actual state of the fighting, his expression shifted slightly—his face darkened.

For he noticed that on the True God battlefield, the True Gods of the Jiaoyang Empire had largely achieved victory, slaughtering his side’s Crimson True Gods.

And worse—his own forces had not merely failed to withstand the assault, but had been utterly defeated, with not even one of the enemy’s True Gods fallen to their blades.

At most, it had only injured the True God of the Praeyang Empire.

Such a minor wound was swiftly healed by the True Gods of the Praeyang Empire, using True God-level elixirs.

He observed for a moment and quickly grasped the reason.

Because they were each equipped with six True Divine Artifacts!

Six True Divine Artifacts—enough to allow a lower-tier True God to stand toe-to-toe with a higher-tier True God lacking any Divine Artifact, and still hold their own.

Combined with a constant supply of True God-level elixirs replenishing their divine power,

The Praeyang Empire's True Gods were at their peak in attack, defense, and endurance—achieving such results was nothing short of inevitable.

For a brief moment, his expression softened as he looked upon the battlefield of gods and the battlefield of soldiers.

But that peace was short-lived, for he saw that his own gods and soldiers were pressing the enemy's forces.

His god forces numbered a hundred times more than the enemy's, and his soldiers were sixty times greater in number. If they couldn't suppress the enemy, then these forces might as well be melted down and remade.

But…

A strange expression flickered in His eyes.

Why, despite the overwhelming pressure on their side, did the enemy's forces and number of deities remain unchanged?

He had just seen comrades fall—dead—yet still, their troops and divine beings did not diminish?

"Wait—?"

His eyes suddenly widened.

For a moment, He had witnessed a human upper deity, already slain, reappear from the Cosmic Emperor's vessel and soar back into battle.

"Resurrection…"

"Yes, the intelligence reports do confirm that the Jiayang Empire possesses certain resurrection capabilities."

"Yet—how could they continuously resurrect their own soldiers and deities, sending them back into combat?"

"Is the Goddess of Life and the God of Death related?!"

He could not believe it.

Then, after a brief moment of contemplation, he made a swift decision.

He did not believe the other side could endlessly resurrect.

If they intended to wage a war of attrition, then, as the ones with superior forces and divine power, they had no reason to refuse such a tactic.

A war of attrition?

They were not afraid at all.

When the Sun Empire exhausts all its resurrection resources, I'll see what the other side can do then!

Thus,

under the leadership of this true god, these crimson legions continued their war against the Sun Empire's armies.

During this time, the true gods of the Sun Empire had slain all the proud Red True Gods, and had also entered the battlefield at the divine level, helping their own divine beings regain some semblance of control.

Yet, facing over eighty million Red Deities, they remained under pressure.

Time slipped by slowly.

Another half-hour passed.

Suddenly, a Red Servant burst in, bowing respectfully to the Red True God leader:

"Report to the High Lord."

"The Black-Red Empire and the Crimson-Red Empire have led over eighty million soldiers, more than twelve million deities, and over five hundred true gods to provide reinforcements. They will arrive shortly."

The Red True God leader furrowed his brow slightly.

Trouble.

I've held onto it too long.

The ones who wanted to claim credit have already arrived.

It seems I can't keep this glory to myself anymore.

"Leave them be."

He sighed, waving his hand helplessly.

"Yes, Your Highness."

The crimson servant withdrew.

...

Inside the Universe Emperor's vessel.

[Your Majesty, a new enemy has appeared and is approaching this way.]

The voice of the intelligent life aboard the Universe Emperor Ship resonated, and then a map appeared before Zhou Zhan, who was calmly sipping tea, marking the two major high-ranking Crimson Empires that had come here, along with countless other Crimson Deities and Crimson True Gods.

"Send two stellar alliance lords, masters of legendary infiltration, to subvert these two high-ranking Crimson Empire factions. Have the infiltration agents remain in standby, awaiting further orders."

"Then we retreat."

Zhou Zhan said.

The combined strength of these three factions—both in troops and divine beings—is beyond what His current forces can handle at present.

It must be approached gradually.

"By the way," Zhou Zhan suddenly remembered something, saying, "Didn't the Chaotic Crimson Empire dispatch numerous high-ranking Crimson Empires to the periphery of the Crimson Army, as a defensive measure against our possible ambush?"

"When White Yun and her forces launch their attack next, they should specifically target these high-ranking Crimson Empire defensive positions. In the process, have the stellar alliance lords carry out their infiltration efforts, subverting all ninety-three of these high-ranking Crimson Empires."

"Make sure to deliver the Chaotic Crimson Empire to Me."

Chaotic Crimson Empire.

Zhou Zhan is deeply intrigued by this empire.

Does the other side have any connection with His chaotic human race lineage?