am-books Chapter 369 Taking advantage of a crisis?
Chapter 369 Taking advantage of a crisis?
When that familiar blue figure appeared along with that cold voice, the tense and oppressive atmosphere on the Iron Wall Pass changed instantly!
"Lord of the Palace!"
A loud, excited voice rang out first. Yang Wudi strode forward. This usually cold and stubborn patriarch of the Po Yi clan could no longer hide his excitement. He said:
"You're finally back!"
"Hahaha! Kid, you've come back just in time!" Dugu Bo laughed loudly, his emerald green eyes flashing with pleasure and understanding, and said seriously.
"I was just wondering where this fierce giant came from, fighting that crazy woman to the death. Turns out it was you who did it! But you just said... Tang Chen?"
At this point, his laughter stopped, and a look of surprise and doubt appeared on his face.
"Could it be... that legendary, long-lost, or even possibly fallen, ancestor of the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Chen, who has now become the Clear Sky Douluo?!"
Upon hearing this, everyone on the city wall, especially the powerful figures like Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong who had a deeper understanding of the secrets of the continent, all changed color!
"Haotian Douluo Tang Chen?!" Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but step forward, his usually composed face filled with disbelief, and his voice rose a few decibels as he asked in confusion.
"Could it be the previous sect leader of the Haotian Sect, who was as famous as Qian Daoliu, or even more legendary than him? Wasn't he presumed to have perished decades ago? Could it be... that he's still alive? And... in this state?"
At this moment, Ning Fengzhi's gaze was fixed on the blood-red figure in the distance, radiating overwhelming killing intent. He simply could not reconcile it with the legendary Haotian Douluo Tang Chen, the towering and heroic figure in his memory.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief. For the top experts of their generation, Tang Chen's name was legendary. If that evil soul master was truly Tang Chen, what had he experienced over the past decades?
Faced with the crowd's eager questions and shocked gazes, Tang Chuan simply waved his hand and said, "I will explain the details of this matter to you later. Now is not the time to discuss this."
Immediately afterwards, his gaze, hidden beneath his mask, swept over the soldiers gathering on the city wall, then glanced at the increasingly fierce battlefield in the distance, which seemed to have reached a fever pitch. His tone suddenly turned cold as he said:
"Order the army to march. Target—the Martial Soul Empire's headquarters."
There was no rousing pre-battle mobilization, no complicated tactical arrangements, only the simplest and most direct orders, yet they contained absolute confidence and control.
"Yes, sir!"
"Yes, Lord!"
"This subordinate obeys!"
On the city wall, led by Yang Wudi and Dugu Bo, Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, Gu Rong, Marshal Ge Long, and others, without any hesitation, bowed or cupped their hands to accept the order!
"Thump thump thump—!!!"
The rapid and powerful sound of war drums instantly resounded throughout the Iron Wall Pass, breaking the silence of the night and igniting the long-dormant fighting spirit!
"All troops, listen up! Move out! Target: Martial Soul Empire's main camp!"
Marshal Golong's booming voice resounded throughout the pass, both inside and outside the pass, through the amplified soul guide.
The soldiers of the Heavenly Dou Empire, who had been holding back their energy and were deeply moved by the distant battle, heard the order to attack. In particular, when they learned that the mysterious and powerful Hall Master of the Soul Palace would personally lead the attack on the Spirit Empire, their morale soared!
The next second, the door swung open with a bang!
Elite cavalry surged forward first, their armor clanging and their hooves thundering! Following them were heavy infantry formations, their steps precise and their killing intent palpable. Soul Masters were mixed in among them or accompanied on the flanks, the light of various soul rings twinkling in the night like moving galaxies.
Suddenly, a large army, which had been resting and recuperating for a long time and was now in high spirits, appeared.
Like a giant dragon awakening, led by Tang Chuan, they marched into the battlefield where gods and demons were fighting to the death, a battlefield that would determine the fate of the continent!
…………
Meanwhile, above the Martial Soul Empire's main camp.
That earth-shattering battle had been going on for quite some time.
Initially, Bibi Dong was able to hold her own against the King of Slaughter, who wielded the Asura Demon Sword, thanks to the strange power of the Rakshasa God. However, as time went on, the terror of the Asura Demon Sword gradually became apparent.
This divine weapon, originating from the Asura God and representing the purest rules of killing and judgment in the world, seemed to truly awaken in the hands of the King of Slaughter.
It is no longer just a sharp weapon, but more like a living killing machine!
Every swing of the sword can unleash the most primal killing intent in the world. The sword's edge is not merely a physical cut, but also an act of annihilation of the soul and even the concept of life!
Bibi Dong's Rakshasa power was indeed evil and powerful, but she had not yet inherited the divine position.
The killing rules contained in the Asura Demon Sword seem to have an innate ability to suppress and corrode all evil divine power, especially against Bibi Dong's negative and resentful divine power, which forms a kind of absolute restraint!
"clang--!!!"
It was another head-on clash! The Soul-Devouring Spider King's spider spears collided with the dark red sword energy once again.
This time, the purplish-black spider spear dimmed noticeably for a moment, as it was partially eroded and dissolved by the dark red sword energy! On the other hand, although the dark red sword energy on the Asura Demon Sword was also significantly damaged, the pure killing intent at its core seemed to have become even more condensed!
"ah--"
The next second, Bibi Dong let out a muffled groan, her body trembled slightly, and she drifted back dozens of meters. Dark purple-black threads of divine power seeped out from the tiger's mouth of her right hand.
That was a sign of his divine power being invaded by the Asura Sword Qi and becoming unstable.
At the same time, the illusory image of her Martial Soul True Body behind her became increasingly blurry, and the evil light in her blood-red eyes seemed to dim a bit.
"Young girl, the evil energy within you is impure and chaotic. You have plenty of resentment, but lack the aura of slaughter!" The King of Slaughter's voice carried a faint mockery. The blood-red light of his Asura Demon Sword pulsed as he pressed closer, "Under my Asura Sword, you, a half-baked Peerless Douluo, won't last long! Hand over the antidote obediently, and I might consider granting you a quick death!"
"Don't even think about it!"
Upon hearing this, the purplish-black vortex in Bibi Dong's blood-red eyes began to spin wildly. She forcefully suppressed the churning blood and chaotic divine power within her body, and once again activated the Rakshasa divine power. An even more surging evil power burst forth, then transformed into countless purplish-black thorn chains.
Like a venomous snake, it coiled around the King of Slaughter, attempting to restrict his movements.
However, the King of Slaughter merely slashed the Asura Demon Sword lightly around his body!
"Sizzle—!"
A dark red sword circle rippled outwards, and the purple-black thorn chains containing corrosive and binding power shattered and melted away the moment they touched the sword circle, just like ice and snow encountering the scorching sun, unable to get close to him at all!
"Stubborn to the end!"
With a cold shout, the King of Slaughter's eyes flashed with blood-red light, and his figure suddenly accelerated, turning into a dark red afterimage that was almost impossible to catch. In an instant, he broke through the layers of evil power barriers set up by Bibi Dong, and the demonic sword, with its sharpness that could cut through anything, slashed straight at Bibi Dong's chest!
Upon seeing this, Bibi Dong's expression changed, and she hurriedly swung her scepter to block.
"Clang!"
Amidst the ear-piercing clang of metal against metal, the scepter barely managed to block the demonic sword's thrust, but the terrifying killing intent had already penetrated it!
The purplish-black gemstone shimmered intensely, and tiny, spiderweb-like cracks appeared on its surface!
Bibi Dong's main body was hit hard, spitting out a small mouthful of purplish-black blood. Her aura weakened instantly, and she was immediately at a disadvantage!
What made the Spirit Empire even more desperate was that, apart from Bibi Dong, the other Title Douluo, Serpent Spear, Porcupine, and Feng Bailong and Tuoba hope, who had barely recovered, were all gone.
At this moment, however, they are completely unable to provide effective support!
The Killing Domain of the King of Slaughter, which enveloped the battlefield, was like an invisible cage that suppressed them. Within this domain, these Title Douluos were unable to use their Soul Skills.
The balance of power on the battlefield is irrevocably tilting towards the King of Slaughter.
Bibi Dong's defeat seems to be only a matter of time. Once Bibi Dong is defeated, the remaining Title Douluos who are suppressed by the domain, as well as the already chaotic imperial army below, will probably not escape the fate of being bloodily cleansed in front of the enraged King of Slaughter.
However, neither Bibi Dong, who was gradually losing strength, nor the King of Slaughter, who was pressing forward step by step, nor the anxious experts of the Martial Soul Empire, noticed anything at this moment.
Or rather, they had no time to notice that on the distant horizon, a silent and menacing army, like a tide moving in the dark night, was quietly closing in on them.
…………
Suddenly, a Soul Master from the Martial Soul Empire, covered in blood and with tattered armor, staggered through the chaotic aftershocks of energy and flew to Hu Liena's vicinity, shouting hoarsely:
"Your Highness! No...it's terrible! To the east of the camp! To the east! A large number of Heavenly Dou Empire troops have suddenly appeared! They...they launched an attack amidst the chaos! The vanguard has broken through the outer defenses and is burning supplies and attacking our reserve camp! The east...it's about to fall!"
"What?!" Upon hearing this, Hu Liena's face instantly turned deathly pale, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head. Her teacher was engaged in a fierce battle with a powerful enemy, barely able to protect himself, and now the Heavenly Dou Empire was taking advantage of the situation to raid their rear camp?! This was adding insult to injury, a truly desperate situation!
Although the announcement wasn't loud, everyone present was a top expert, so they heard it clearly.
Bibi Dong, who was engaged in a fierce battle with the King of Slaughter, was also shocked upon hearing this. For a moment, she was distracted and almost had her shoulder struck by a tricky dark red sword aura. Fortunately, she narrowly avoided it. Instantly, her breathing became disordered again, and a cold anger flashed in her blood-red eyes.
"What?! These bastards from the Heavenly Dou Empire dare to take advantage of our misfortune!"
"Once I drive this monster away, I will grind them to dust!"
"Lena!" Bibi Dong took a deep breath, her voice coming through the intense clash of energy, carrying an undeniable command: "You immediately take Serpent Spear, Porcupinefish, Wind White Dragon, and Tuoba Xi to the east to intercept them! You must repel the Heavenly Dou enemy army and stabilize the rear of the main camp!"
"But teacher!" Hu Liena looked anxiously at the increasingly strained purple figure in the air, her eyes filled with worry, and said, "If we leave, what will happen to you? This monster..."
"Go now!" Bibi Dong interrupted sharply, her tone unusually urgent.
"These Title Douluo, remaining here under the suppression of their domains, are of no help whatsoever! They'll only increase casualties! If the eastern camp falls, our supplies and weapons will be destroyed, and the army will collapse instantly. That will be the real end! Here... I can still hold out! Execute orders!"
Hu Liena shuddered; she knew her teacher was telling the truth.
Despite their strength, characters like the Serpent Spear and the Porcupinefish are like tigers with their teeth pulled out in the killing field, and their effectiveness is indeed limited.
However, if the Tian Dou army were to break through the eastern side of the camp, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Between two evils, choose the lesser one...
"Teacher...please be very careful!"
Hu Liena gritted her teeth and gave a low shout, no longer hesitating.
She knew that every second was crucial at this moment, and she immediately turned around to look at the several Title Douluos who had also heard the order and whose expressions were changing.
"Senior Serpent Spear, Senior Porcupine, Sect Master Feng, Sect Master Tuoba! Follow me! Objective: East of the main camp, repel the Heavenly Dou Army!"
As soon as she finished speaking, her Killing God Domain was fully activated, barely managing to create a small, relatively stable area for the group.
The Serpent Spear Douluo and the Porcupine Douluo exchanged a glance, both seeing the resentment and helplessness in each other's eyes, but also knowing that Bibi Dong's order was the most rational choice.
Feng Bailong and Tuoba hope were already terrified by the King of Slaughter and couldn't wait to get as far away from this monster as possible. Upon hearing the order, they were overjoyed and nodded repeatedly.
"Yes, sir!"
"Your Highness, let's go!"
The four immediately focused their minds and followed behind Hu Liena, bursting forth at their fastest speed. Like streaks of light, they forcefully broke through the chaotic energy currents and the edge suppression of the killing domain, rushing towards the east where the camp was ablaze with flames and the faint sounds of battle could be heard!
They must get there as soon as possible to stop the Heavenly Dou Army's surprise attack and preserve the last stronghold of the camp!
Otherwise, even if Bibi Dong manages to defeat or force back the King of Slaughter, the Spirit Empire's army will be completely defeated due to logistical collapse.
Not far away, under the cover of night, a mixed assault force composed of the elite of the elite, personally selected by Marshal Goron, was silently infiltrating the outer perimeter of the Martial Soul Empire's Eastern Camp.
This commando unit was small, with only about three thousand men, but every single one of them was a fierce soldier.
This included five hundred agility-type Soul Masters who were best at stealth and assassination, and one thousand well-equipped heavy cavalrymen skilled in group charges.
And 1,500 infantry and ranged soul masters with excellent teamwork and considerable soul power.
"General, look! Their patrols are scattered, and the guards on the camp walls are all looking to the west!" a scout Soul Master reported in a low voice.
A cold glint flashed in the eyes of the leading general, surnamed Li, who decisively said:
"Plan changed! Not just harassment! Catch them off guard, breach their eastern camp, penetrate deep into their territory, burn their supplies, and destroy their armory! The operation must be swift and decisive!"
"kill--!!!"
There was no lengthy horn call, only a low growl suppressed to the extreme as the signal!
In an instant, the elite Tiandou forces lurking in the darkness suddenly sprang up like tigers unleashed!
Five hundred agility-type Soul Masters transformed into blurry afterimages and launched the first attack!
They scaled the low camp walls like ghosts, their soul skills flashing in the darkness, leaving behind sprays of blood.
The guard posts on the outskirts of Dongying were cleared out in just a dozen breaths!
P.S.: This is a combined two-part chapter, totaling 4000 words! (End of Chapter)