My Misfortune Crushed Instances

"Battle report."

The atmosphere in the command post of the Western Kingdom was a bit heavy; the battle was not progressing as smoothly as they had imagined.

"We can’t push them back; Dragon Country’s defense is more stubborn than expected, and the Polar Alliance in the south is also making moves. They’ve split their forces into two routes; Vons has gone in the direction of Dragon Country."

"That’s still manageable. As long as the Divine Son doesn’t come, having Grus hold the southern side is enough. Have you found that bug behind us?"

"Huh? The Foggy Evil Ghost? We’ve already discovered traces of it. I’ve arranged for people to block it. No matter what, even if we can’t kill it, it definitely won’t get through."

The commander beamed with joy: "Exactly, fight like this. Keep a close watch. By the way, where’s Simon?"

"Still engaged with Guan Gui. They’ve been fighting for two hours already."

Even in a duel between masters, it’s unusual to maintain a stalemate for this long, but the minds of these two weren’t quite normal.

Their strengths are nearly equal, and both have the intention of killing the other right here. So while other battlefields rotated multiple times, these two have stubbornly stayed put.

The biggest issue in this battle is that both sides are evenly matched. Looking at the state of the top fighters, Dragon Country has a slight advantage, but this edge was negated by the Wind Slave Royal Court.

Now the situation is deadlocked.

The aim of Dragon Country is to tear open the opponent’s defenses, but they have failed to do so.

The chief strategist’s analysis went awry, not because of his fault, but due to incorrect intelligence. They hadn’t accounted for the chief commander of the Western Kingdom receiving a huge power boost before entering the Secret Realm battlefield. By the original plan, he should have been slightly weaker than Cheng Wen.

Perhaps he acquired a new legendary piece of equipment or a legendary skill. In any case, the commander, who was originally weaker than Cheng Wen, has now caught up.

Unlike the stubbornness of Guan Gui and Simon, once this realization hit, the chief strategist disengaged immediately after finding no apparent advantage.

As pivotal figures in both camps, they cannot afford any mistakes.

As a result, Cheng Wen’s calculations failed. He couldn’t break through the opposing defense line, and observing the conditions of other battlegrounds, it seems they can’t gain an advantage either, indicating this war will likely drag on until Li Rui, who triggered the current situation, makes an appearance. Whether he lives or dies will mark the end of this war.

If he dies, the Western Kingdom can’t break through, so there’s no point in prolonging the fight.

If he survives and breaks out, Dragon Country’s goal would be achieved, eliminating the need to persist in stalemate.

Cheng Wen looked far into the west; the rear of the Western Kingdom seemed quiet.

"How’s it going on Kong Ji’s side?"

"Conductor Kong has gone into battle for the second time, and it looks like he’s trying to break through."

"Hmm? Does he have a chance?"

"He said he’s attempting, but makes no guarantees."

"Alright, let him maintain it. No, redeploy teams 066 and 067 over there to support."

Cheng Wen made up his mind, "I’ll find a way to cover the gap on this side."

.....

An enormous Black Iron Zen Staff adorned with iron rings that jingled with each swing.

Kong Ji had transformed into the second form of the Renegade Monk.

At this moment, he was no longer the rotund figure he was usually known for but had morphed into a nine-foot-tall giant, robust and fierce. His glare alone could instill fear in his enemies.

Like Kawina, he possessed a dual-wield ability, wielding the Zen Staff with his right hand and a ritual knife in his left.

"Charge with me!"

Kong Ji, usually popular and well-liked, transformed into a bloodthirsty warrior on the battlefield, always leading the charge into enemy ranks.

He had just repelled a high-risk target from the Western Kingdom and seized the opportunity to break the blockade.

From here, he could drive straight to the Central City where the enemy’s command post was located. Not seeking to capture it, merely approaching could create a gap in their defense line, causing disruptions throughout the ranks.

Schlick!

With a forceful swing of his ritual knife, Kong Ji conjured a purple, phantom blade nearly ten meters long. Any ordinary member of the Demon Race struck by it would be cut in half.

Unable to withstand him, the high-tier experts stationed there had been pushed back, leaving only underlings to hold the line.

Kong Ji cut down another wave of Demon Race members, only to face renewed assault from more forces of the Wind Slave Royal Court. He hoisted the Zen Staff and slammed it down hard, unleashing a seismic wave across the earth.

The Demon Race began to waver amidst cries of surprise.

"Seize the opportunity."

Following his command, Dragon Country’s Extraordinary fighters and the East Marsh Demon Race he led started pushing the battle line forward.

"Kill!!"

Their morale soared higher, reaching its peak just as a more thunderous clamor rose from the distance.

A massive cavalry charge was underway.

Kong Ji furrowed his brows.

This cavalry was no weak force.

He had never faced the Highland Demon Race but could see that this cavalry was part of the elite formation of twelve heavy cavalry divisions from the Royal Court.

Yet, the imminent threat became apparent to both him and his aides: the direct charge of these riders was strong enough to halt their advancement.

These warriors rode berserk warhorses tempered with Demon Art, possessing cultivation techniques suited for frontal assaults. Together, their effectiveness was massively compounded.

The group prepared to avoid the brunt of the attack.

However, Kong Ji was urgent; he believed they couldn’t waste more time here. The longer they delayed, the more danger Li Rui was in. So, he stepped forward and planted the Zen Staff in the ground, gripping his ritual knife with both hands and activated the cultivation technique within him.

Earth-shattering Mountain-breaking Vajra Heart Scripture.

With a hum, both his body and weapon were shrouded in a golden glow, casting an intense, dazzling light across the bloodied battlefield.

Rather than retreating from the charging cavalry, he pressed forward, lowering himself into a horizontal strike when they were just dozens of meters apart.

Clang!

Without even making contact, a resonant clash echoed through the heavens, the phantom blade extended to match the width of the formation, as he prepared to intercept all riders single-handedly.

"Kill!!"

The opposing riders also let out their battle cries, flames of Demon Art igniting across all horses and their riders.

The clash was catastrophic as blade met flame.

The first wave of horses and riders charging were sliced in two from the center.

The horses split at the neck, the riders torn from the thighs.

"Haa—"

The cavalry behind rushed forward relentlessly; Kong Ji tightened his grip on the blade and roared ferociously.

In a cacophony of anguish, without dramatic booms or towering flames, he shattered the heavy cavalry of the Three Royal Courts with that single strike.

He no longer needed to issue orders; Dragon Country’s forces intuitively knew what needed to be done next.

"Kill!!"

The order of a new charge was underway, and their morale was stronger than their foes.

Kong Ji did not join them. He sat cross-legged on the ground, hands placed on knees, and muttered an incantation.

This was how he replenished his spiritual power, requiring time and moments of non-combat, with the advantage of having no cooldown period, making him highly resilient on the battlefield. When given a chance to rest, he replenished swiftly.

This time, however, he didn’t get the reprieve he hoped for; just as his spiritual power was barely halfway restored, a new threat emerged.

A shadow streaked through the chaotic battle as if traversing an empty land, bypassing other Human Race and Demon Race members to head directly toward Kong Ji.

He recognized the presence swiftly, reclaiming his ritual knife and Zen Staff.

"Trist, I’ve heard your name often."

His adversary was a senior commander of the Western Kingdom, likely their third-ranking officer — a Demon Hunter of the advanced class, a Spectral Hunter.

"Kong, it’s an honor,"

His opponent said, adorned with eerie gauntlets resembling demonic claws, "I’ve come to kill you."

Kong Ji internally lamented the untimely encounter; in his current state, he doubted he could handle this adversary, likely needing to pull back.

He glanced toward the distant mountain range behind his foe.

How could there be no sign at all? Could the threat have already been neutralized?

...

Within Central City, the atmosphere in the Western Kingdom’s command post had turned spirited once more.

They continued maneuvering, chiefly sacrificing the Highland Demon Race to fortify their lines into a bastion. Dragon Country troops had tried countless times to penetrate, yet had failed.

"The front is holding. Quickly, find out about the Foggy Evil Ghost,"

urged the acting commander. While not a core high-ranking figure, he had been left to defend Central City and coordinate intelligence.

A stream of orders was compiled, with the acting commander musing that if he couldn’t fight on the front lines, commanding the vanquishing of the Foggy Evil Ghost would be a significant accomplishment.

However, at this moment, the analyst responsible for watching the rear rushed in, visibly troubled.

"Sir, we have a problem."

Hearing this, a sense of dread welled up in the acting commander’s heart: "Speak."

"The Foggy Evil Ghost isn’t alone. He has a detachment of undead knights from an unknown source and has routed all our encircling forces."

"What did you say?!" The acting commander slammed his palm on the table, "And now? Which way did he escape?"

"He didn’t flee; he’s heading for Central City now."