This is Strength in Numbers

"Young Emperor, false confidence is useless. Just have a look at your junior Brothers beside you, their flustered expression gives the game away. It's so obvious that the Universal Phenomenon Sect has not prepared any more reinforcements!" Brandishing his crimson blade, the Scarred Youth looked at the four Universal Phenomenon Sect disciples, with a seeming all-seeing gaze.

At this time, Bai Ren and the Zhao Brothers glared solemnly at their fronts. Their jaws clenched and their fist tightened, all ready for their last-ditch efforts to survive.

A hundred Tyrannical Blade Sect disciples, that was wholly out of their expectations, vastly divergent from the intel they had received.

Along with them, there were six Nirvana Stage Practitioners in total, together with the Scarred Youth. That's totally out of their league.

Facing an army of these capabilities, Mount Ba City did not stand a chance. In fact, even mega vassal cities with Nirvana Stage Practitioner's under Universal Phenomenon Sect would crumble easily.

The situation was hopeless. Even if the request for the main Sect's assistance was made, any form of reinforcements would take a minimum of two days to arrive.

Despite the dire situation, the trio found an unwavering calmness and confidence in Brother Lin Qian's expression.

"Could it be… Brother had already requested the Sect's assistance in advance?" Gripping tightly into his fan, Bai Ren hoped for the best in his heart.

"Indeed, Universal Phenomenon Sect did not send reinforcements." Lin Qian smiled warmly. As his muscles completely relaxed, his Soul Energy dissipated, becoming utterly defenceless and unprepared, as though the battle had ended. "But my people did."

As the city was trapped in the perilous situation, the blazing sun continually scorched the entire arena, basking it in blinding light.

Yet as Lin Qian finished speaking, little black spots dotted the state's surface. Within instants, it swelled more prominently. The shadow in front of Lin Qian magnified at lightning speed, eventually taking the form of an actual person. 

Bam!

As heavy metal clashed onto the surface of the stage, stone bits and powder splattered into a vast dust cloud. Within the dust cloud, a majestic shadow of a man clad in black dragon armour could be seen, half kneeling in front of Lin Qian. 

Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

Heavy thuds of metal smashing onto the ground echoed across the various spots on stage. Several soldiers clad in thick metallic armour, holding long spears landed. Immediately, they knelt on one knee, courteously greeting Lin Qian. 

At their front, it was the General, Lin Qian's personal guard from his game in his past life. The growth type general which he handcrafted, Zhao Long!

Around him were the weakest of all elementary class soldiers available in the game, spearmen. 

Even then, Lin Qian had brought this weakest class troops to their most potent state through his infinite stream of cash. Now, they were all dressed in the most excellent armour and equipped with the sharpest of blades.

Heavy armour technology: Maxed!

Black Lance technology: Maxed!

Life technology: Maxed!

Elemental technology: Maxed!

Looking at his army, Lin Qian was proud and exceptionally confident. Even if Materialised Vitality Stage Practitioners from this world grouped together and formed an army, his lowest class troops would still be ahead of them.

"Comparing numbers with me? If you got a hundred, I've got a thousand!" Staring at insufferably arrogant Scarred Youth, Lin Qian found him trembling from the sudden crashing shock. Standing at the front of his gigantic army, Lin Qian extended his arms, a peal of conceited laughter bursting out loud "My brave warriors, these people intend to kill me. Against this scum, what shall we do?"

The moment his sentence ended, the general jumped to his feet, his eyes turning bloodshot, growling menacingly, "Atrocious! Where are these impudent, presumptuous creatures!? How dare they bear such inconceivable thoughts! We need to sentence them to death! Clean their clan and family off the face of the Earth!"

"Kill them!" As an uncontrollable fury engulfed Zhao Long, he thundered. Leading the army, the swarm rushed downwards from above onto the Tyrannical Blade Sect and the Li Family, much like a crashing metallic wave.

In that instant, the two parties clashed ferociously.

"Just a mere Materialized Vitality Stage insect, how dare you…" A Nirvana Stage Tyrannical Blade Sect disciple's eyes narrowed onto the Spearman charging at him. Immediately, he activated his Weapon-Soul Materialisation, his Nirvana Stage Soul Energy engulfed his weapon as he viciously sliced at the soldier.

KLANG!

Staring at his bare hands, the Nirvana Stage Tyrannical blade Sect Disciple was bewildered.

Huh? I'm Nirvana Stage, yet why can't I cut the armour of a mere Materialised Vitality Stage soldier? Why is my enhanced weapon blown off instead?

Watching the soldier beaten into the ground as he slowly stood back up, completely unharmed, he was unable to comprehend his uninjured state.

Swoosh!

As he was dazed, Black Lances pierced at him from several directions. Getting caught off guard, his protective Soul Energy Shield was easily broken, penetrating into his body.

At the same time, the other Tyrannical Blade Sect and Li Family members could feel nothing other than a blind state of panic and terror as they faced the emotionless and expressionless steel puppets of violence.

The sharpness of their spears quickly broke through the Soul Energy Shields of the practitioners. Yet, with their Herculean armour, the Practitioners' attacks were just a brush on the soldiers.

Amongst the Tyrannical blade Sect army, the strongest was the Scarred Youth. As he ferociously slashed around, his Soul Energy compressed into blades of sharp glimmer, launching a volley of violence onto Zhao Long.

Grasping his Silver Spear, Zhao Long glared ferociously, emitting a life-threatening dark aura as he paced step by step towards the Scarred Youth. Facing the outburst of attacks, he did not avoid them nor even flinch a single time. He took them head-on, allowing it to burst onto him.

The overbearing attack could only dissipate as a dust cloud as it landed on Zhao Long. Regardless of how loudly the Scarred Youth yelled and swung, the assaults were to no avail.

"Impossible… Impossible!!" As Zhao Long stood right in front of him, despair took the place of all resistance within the Scarred Youth's eyes. Resigned to his fate, the blade clattered as it hit the floor, slipping from the loosened grip of the hopeless man. As the supply of Soul Energy halted, the edge split apart once again, into the three Soul Cores and the Soul Piece.

Glaring at the defeated and defenceless Scarred Youth, Zhao Long was full of contempt and scorn, "How dare trash like you insult our mighty Emperor! Face your death!"

As he finished, his spear pierced through the Scarred Youth's chest and heart in one swift motion.

Complete domination. This army, descending from the Heaven's sent the Li Family and the Tyrannical Blade Sect's disciples in total destruction from all sides.

Initially, the Tyrannical Blade Sect appeared unannounced, declaring their malicious plans of massacring the city. The masses had fallen into a bottomless pit of despair.

However, the tables quickly turned. The army descended from the skies, like Angels from the Heavens, and worked under Lin Qian's command. Like a walk in the park, they wiped any hopelessness off the hearts of Mount Ba City.

Looking wistfully at the light blue sky, Ye Nanxin muttered, "Ah, how beautiful is the weather today…"

In a place, far away from Mount Ba City, within a dark, eerie and suffocating dungeon, a man was trapped in prison. He was severely injured, and in a battered state, yet, his captors cruelly submerged him in the water.

Outside the water prison, a beautiful lady, gripped onto the gates of the cell with pained eyes. As beads of tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, she cried out in a strained voice, "Brother Lin, what am I to do? Ah, I regret this so much… we should not have returned!"

"Hmph! What is this little bit of pain? Anyways, they will not take my life. But Xiao Yun, regardless of whatever they say, do not tell them where Qian'ereis. Even if they promise to fix Qian'er's Martial Soul!"

"I know… I would rather he be a handicapped person, living a normal and plain life, than get dragged into this mess." The lady nodded lightly to the man, her eyes filled with agonising pain and longing. "I wonder… how is our dear Qian'er now…"

Within the Ye Family's Meeting Hall, all of the powerful and influential peoples were gathered, attempting to toady the youngster at the centre. 

However, their persistent offers of drinks and massages only earned a snap of annoyance from Lin Qian, who was unaware of his parent's sufferings." What are you doing crowding around me? Get to your damn seats!"

"Hmm, this will be inappropriate for the enemy to be the one declaring…" seeing the masses taking their seats, he stood up and nodded politely to them, introducing himself properly." I'm the inspectorate disciple from Universal Phenomenon Sect for this assessment. I'm Lin Qian or the Young Emperor as the world knows me."

"The assessment shall resume tomorrow. Each family will receive an extra slot for the trials. Accordingly, the bonus slots will increase as well."

Hearing his words, a bright smile lit across the crowd's faces. 

Having finished speaking, the last thing Lin Qian recalled was his vision blacking out.

Before he lost consciousness, he saw Ye Nanxin rushing panicky towards him.