Under the moonlight, numerous flickering flames could be clearly seen, and the vanguard of Xu Zongwu’s camp was thrown into chaos.
Atop a hill, on a vast platform formed of blue stones, several Taoist priests stood, Yu Qing among them.
“Brothers of the sect, please protect me while I perform the ritual!”
Yu Qing, his face solemn, gazed at the fiery dragon below. Before him stood an altar, complete with incense burners and sacrificial offerings.
“Regardless of the Buddhist sect’s actions, the great cause of King Wu must not be abandoned lightly. First, we must sever the dragon vein of the Shang dynasty!”
When things had previously gone awry, he not only sent a swift message urging Ji Yi to raise his army immediately, but also sought assistance widely, recruiting many capable allies from the Taoist sect.
“Wu Liang Tian Zun (Vast Heaven Immortal)!”
The several Taoists exuded clear spiritual auras, each at least at the level of a true adept. They bowed and said, “Brother Taoist, please proceed with confidence!”
“Excellent!”
Yu Qing, his hair loose and wielding a sword, stepped in a ritual dance. Amidst swirling smoke, numerous omens emerged from below.
Across the vast land, a black dragon coiled, appearing quite relaxed.
But then, three beams of starlight suddenly descended, shaped like spears, carrying a murderous and martial aura, converging in a single strike!
Roar! Roar!
A furious roar echoed through the void, tinged faintly with blood.
This was not crimson firelight, but the hue of dragon’s blood, an omen of great misfortune!
“The black dragon has drawn blood. It seems Xu Zongwu will not escape this calamity. I have already sealed a portion of his vital dragon energy beneath the Golden Pond. Soon, I can use this as a catalyst to confuse the heavenly mechanisms, allowing him to bear the disaster in King Wu’s stead!”
As Yu Qing observed this scene, he thought inwardly, “Yet for these three stellar deities to be within the Shang army is indeed strange!”
…
“Oh no!”
At the same time, Wu Ming also helplessly watched as a wave of military aura surged toward him, spearheaded by three beams of starlight brimming with violent intent.
“Seven Killings! Breaking Army! Greedy Wolf! These three should originally be the leaders of the rebels. How did they end up on the side of the imperial court?”
He couldn’t help but feel perplexed: “Originally, Xu Zongwu, the minister destined with literary and martial stars to support the emperor, became a rebel, while these three deadly stars instead went to serve the imperial dragon throne. What’s going on here? Are they all doing a massive role reversal?”
“Where is Wang Dacheng? That audacious fellow!”
At the banquet, Xu Zongwu, seated at the main position, abruptly stood up. “Drag him out and execute him!”
This bandit king, known as the Green Grove King, had always shown great respect to Xu Zongwu. His betrayal now felt to Xu like a slap across the face.
The various rebel kings looked at each other in alarm but could not spot Green Grove King anywhere.
“Something’s wrong! Everyone, flee now!”
One of them, a man eight feet tall known as the “Heaven-Scraping King” with the strength to face a thousand men, paled and said, his earlier bravado completely gone.
This was a sign of collapsing fortune and shattered confidence.
Even a man of extraordinary strength, once his spirit was broken, might find himself unable to overpower even a frail woman.
Xu Zongwu’s heart sank, but he still managed to say, “My army has a camp here. If we fortify our position, even if tens of thousands of troops attack, we can hold out for a night. Everyone need not panic. When reinforcements arrive tomorrow, I will ensure Guo Zihe dies without a grave to his name!”
Roaring flames!
Just then, a blaze erupted atop the hill, illuminating the area like a massive torch, clearly from the direction of the previous camp.
“Has the Shang dynasty used fire attacks?”
Xu Zongwu suddenly felt dizzy and nearly collapsed: “They must have prepared this in advance… Damn it! The Shang won’t have only one such ploy. They’re burning the entire encampment!”
…
“The fire has started, excellent!”
On the altar, Yu Qing saw the flames and ignited a talisman, shouting, “Quickly!”
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, a fierce wind arose, blowing from east to west. The fire, fueled by the wind, spread rapidly, reaching a ferocious peak!
Taoist magic—Call the Eastern Wind!
A Grand Master can summon wind and rain, but altering the weather in a battle involving hundreds of thousands of troops would require the intervention of an Earth Immortal!
Even so, it was a one-time feat, and the Taoist protectors around felt a tremor in their bodies, suffering backlash from the dragon aura and malevolent energy.
…
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The wind howled fiercely; although the east wind had been blowing steadily before, such intensity was rarely witnessed.
The fire surged westward, engulfing the mountains and fields, causing the rebel army to cry out in despair and collapse instantly.
Bang!
The wine cup in Xu Zongwu’s hand fell to the ground with a crisp sound. He himself wore an expression of utter disbelief, bitterly saying, “Has heaven decided to destroy me?”
Clatter! Clatter!
In an instant, a cavalry unit had already charged in, engaging the outer guards in battle.
“Great King, flee quickly! We will hold them off!”
The previous commander of the guards immediately knelt down, then straightened his armor and charged out without hesitation, buying time for his lord’s escape.
“Pity… It’s already too late!”
Wu Ming sighed inwardly, seeing several riders approach, all of them highly skilled in martial arts. The leading general wielded a long spear, merging man and horse into one, instantly sending the master-level guard commander flying backward, blood staining the sky.
“True Fate of Breaking Army?!”
Wu Ming was startled inwardly, then heard the general roar, “Here stands General Guo Zihe, the Mountain-Flattening King! Why don’t you come forth and die?!”
“Haha! Charge!”
Another iron-armored black giant galloped forward, wielding two enormous battle axes, almost like two small millstones. Any armored guard blocking his path was smashed into a bloody pulp with a single axe blow, unrecognizable.
“Encircle their escape routes with cavalry! Capture all these rebel kings, and we’ll all have the chance to become nobles!”
The final general, smiling eerily, meticulously arranged the troops, aiming to completely cut off the rebels’ retreat.
“Understood!”
Knowing that each rebel king represented an immense reward, and that slaying one would bring noble status, the Shang cavalry’s morale soared, roaring their agreement.
“Seven Killings Star! And also the Greedy Wolf Star!”
Wu Ming closed his eyes slightly, no longer in doubt about the rebels’ fate.
“Protect the King!”
“Kill! Kill all these rebels, and earn glory for your wives and descendants, noble titles for generations!”
Both sides became bloodthirsty. These rebel kings were no simple foes, and their personal guards were elite warriors among elites. Instantly, they clashed fiercely with the enemy.
“I, Xu Zongwu, am here! Who dares take my head?”
Xu Zongwu’s expression was grave as he suddenly seized a long spear from a subordinate and swept it outward.
Crash!
With a mournful neigh, the horse’s front legs buckled, throwing its rider off.
“With this spear in hand, gods and demons dare not approach!”
Xu Zongwu roared, then nodded like a phoenix three times, instantly sending three cavalrymen tumbling down. With a thrust of his spear at the horse and a violent jerk!
Squelch!
The entire horse was torn apart, blood gushing like a spring!
This scene immediately silenced the entire Golden Pond area! After all, Xu Zongwu was a descendant of the Martial Virtue Star, his martial arts reaching the divine realm, a one-man army. His slight display of might instantly boosted the rebels’ morale.
“Cease your arrogance!”
Xu Zongwu was the most valuable prize in this battle, and no mistakes could be allowed. The giant possessed by the Seven Killings Star immediately roared furiously, charging forward with his battle axes.
Ding!
The spear and axes clashed, a clear sound echoing for miles, causing the bronze wine cups on the tables to vibrate continuously.
“Surround Xu Zongwu! Don’t let this great opportunity escape! As for the other rebel kings, kill them all without mercy!”
The Greedy Wolf Star general waved his hand: “Deploy crossbows, take aim!”
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Arrows rained down like rain, felling another wave of men and horses, the scene extremely bloody and brutal.
“If we don’t flee now, when will we?”
Han Hulin crouched at a corner, then whistled. Several guards, along with the Red Lotus Holy Mother and Bai Yulian, quickly converged and fought their way out of the encirclement.
Outside, the sky was ablaze, illuminating all directions. Even at night, the roads were clearly visible.
“Fire!”
Han Hulin suddenly snapped to attention: “When you see fire, flee south! Quickly, follow me!”
Leading the charge, he fled southward, even abandoning the main camp.
“Hmm? Some escaped fish?”
The Greedy Wolf was known for his cunning strategies. The general possessed by the Greedy Wolf Star glanced sideways with a sneer: “One-Eyebrow King? Just a small fry! Heaven-Wolf Guards!”
“Present!”
“You take a squad and give chase. Don’t overextend yourselves. Remember to return within half an hour. Don’t miss the main event!”
“Understood!”
The Heaven-Wolf Guards, clad in blue armor, whistled and led a small unit in pursuit.
“Brother!”
At this moment, the black giant engaged in fierce combat with Xu Zongwu suddenly roared. His numerous wounds clearly showed he was no match for Martial Sage Xu Zongwu.
“Hehe… Brother always boasts of having the strength to face a thousand men. Now he’s finally met his match?”
The Greedy Wolf general smiled slightly, casting several Taoist spells that resisted the military aura and malevolent energy, landing them on the Seven Killings general.
Although their effects were greatly diminished, these enhancement and healing techniques still had some impact. The Seven Killings general’s wounds instantly healed, his energy renewed, and he once again engaged Xu Zongwu with his twin axes.
As for Xu Zongwu, after several exchanges, he began to feel slightly strained.
Suddenly, a chill crept into his heart: “No! Why am I being so reckless?”
Seven spears shot forth simultaneously, like a hail of arrows, forcing the Seven Killings general back, and he began to contemplate escape.
“Brother! Xu Zongwu is trying to run!”
The Greedy Wolf general roared, casting several layers of Taoist spells that shimmered and transformed into binding techniques landing on Xu Zongwu.
“You’re asking for death!”
Xu Zongwu was furious but seized by the Seven Killings general’s opportunity, a battle axe smashing into his shoulder, numbing half his body.
“Don’t worry, he won’t escape!”
Guo Zihe, the cavalry commander and the Breaking Army Star, rode through the camp, his spear still impaling a figure—the previous Golden City King. This rebel king’s face was filled with disbelief and terror, his breath gone, only his body twitching unconsciously.
“Breaking Army! Breaking Army!”
Guo Zihe roared and suddenly charged.
Boom!
In the celestial expanse, the Breaking Army Star blazed intensely, its power descending as a supernatural ability. Moreover, a vast wave of purple energy arrived—it was the final remnants of the Shang dynasty’s fortune, burning fiercely to fully empower him.
“Kill!”
A phantom of a starlight spear flashed, seemingly merging with Guo Zihe’s thrusting spear.
Xu Zongwu, however, stood dazed. Although two stars appeared in the sky above, no stellar energy descended immediately, clearly hesitating for a fleeting moment.
In that fleeting moment lay the difference between life and death!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage