Chapter 393: The battle begins
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Previously, everyone thought of Fang Zhengzhi as the most shameless individual they had ever met. But now, the only thing they felt from Fang Zhengzhi was iciness.
It was beyond what they could tolerate. The iciness was augmented by a domineering killing aura which sent chills down everyone's spines.
"Kacha!"
The twisting purple lights and lightning bolts that formed the huge tree eventually crashed down towards the ground.
This was The Returning Dragon, and it was peerlessly powerful.
However...
It was slightly different from the first one. This time, the power was augmented by an icy killing intent.
"Boom!"
The two rays of purple light intertwined, then separated.
There was a spray of blood, almost as if a red flower bloomed in mid-air. This blood was washed to the ground by the rain, forming a red stream on the ground.
There was a figure lying in the pool of blood. His eyes were wide, his face pale, his hair gradually turning silver.
His skin was wrinkled beyond belief. It felt as though he had aged multiple times in that short period.
"You... are not Fang Zhengzhi!" Shi Kou sputtered as the blood trickled from his lips. He could not believe what had happened, but he could not battle anymore.
His arms were completely shattered...
He was a powerful Rebirth State demon who looked down on the candidates as worthless individuals. Yet, the person in front of him now was many times more powerful than him.
Worthless!
Shi Kou closed his eyes, unable to hang in there anymore. If he had not chosen to drain his demonic eye, he would have been able to recover from his shattered arms within a few months.
However, he had already drained his demonic eye. That meant that he would be dead in 15 minutes if he could not kill Fang Zhengzhi.
He did not struggle as he waited for death to take him. However, he held on to one belief even up till his last breath...
The person he had faced was not Fang Zhengzhi.
The arrogance and domineering power that Fang Zhengzhi had demonstrated was not possible for a Heavenly Reflection State human.
...
It continued to pour, thunder roaring throughout the battlefield. The huge tree created by the purple lightning bolts eventually disappeared.
There was a youth standing where the tree once was. He held a glowing purple sword in his hand as he surveyed his surroundings.
Waves of killing intent emanated from his body. His aura could be keenly felt despite the torrential rain.
"Fang Zhengzhi!"
"He... He actually defeated a Rebirth State demon!"
Shock, awe, terror. The gazes of all the candidates froze as they looked at the sword embedded inside the pupils of the figure in the rain.
Bai Xing, Wu Ji, and the dozens of demon elites were also frozen in their places. They too could not believe what they had just seen.
"How is that possible?!"
"Is he human? Why does such a human being even exist?!"
"..."
Yun Qingwu stood in the rain, her exquisite eyes looking at Fang Zhengzhi with conflicted emotions.
She seemed, relieved and happy, yet, there were traces of awe, fear, and a clear desire to kill him.
"Is that really him?" Yun Qingwu's lips parted as she murmured so softly it felt like she was talking to herself.
No one answered the question. Of course, Yun Qingwu never really expected an answer.
In the rain...
Fang Zhengzhi looked up at Yun Qingwu. At the moment, his body leapt into action, the strange purple glow swirling around his sword. It was almost as if there was a purple dragon circling his blade.
"Die!" The icy voice filled with killing intent rang out once again as his terrifying aura spread to the surroundings.
"In your dreams!" Wu Ji sprang into action as well. He had no idea what Fang Zhengzhi wanted to do, but he knew that he had to stop Fang Zhengzhi.
The dozens of demon elites also sprang into action with Wu Ji.
Naturally...
The Dragon Protection Squad could not do nothing.
Even though they had not figured out how Fang Zhengzhi defeated Shi Kou, it was not their concern. At the end of the day, that was a good thing for them.
As such, they could throw it out of their minds for now.
"Formation!"
As the renowned Dragon Protection Squad, they had great chemistry with each other and formed up efficiently. Now that they didn't have to worry about Fang Zhengzhi, they could turn their attention on the enemy.
Xing Qingsui's expression became increasingly solemn.
The moment Fang Zhengzhi and the Dragon Protection Squad sprang into action, the 100,000 Southern Region soldiers also moved.
"Boom boom boom!"
The rhythmic marching could be heard from miles away. They kicked up droplets of water as they charged towards the Great Xia army.
This was a battle that was waiting to happen. The Great Xia Dynasty was outnumbered almost two to one.
"Die!"
"Die!"
"Die die die!"
The soldiers of the Great Xia Dynasty chanted in unison. They kept trying to raise the morale of their fellow comrades as they waited for the enemy to crash into them.
"Listen up, general of the Great Xia!" Just at this moment, a middle-aged man in thick armor walked out. He had a huge black leather coat on his back.
Xing Qingsui raised his hand and the chanting ceased.
When the general of the Southern Region saw this, he put down the huge blade in his hand. He stared down the Great Xia soldiers.
"We have taken over the Stable Mountain Gate. We have taken over 50,000 soldiers prisoner, so you have lost your reinforcements. The Crown Prince is currently surrounded by 100,000 of our soldiers. You have lost this war. Put down your weapons and surrender! Our king will not take your lives. However, if you resist, all 130,000 of our men will show you no mercy!"
The general of the Southern Regions pointed his sword at Xing Qingsui, his gaze filled with an animalistic rage.
At this point, a cavalryman rode out from within the ranks. He held a tattered flag in his hands. There were three words on the blood-stained flag.
Stable Mountain Gate!
This was the flag of the Stable Mountain Gate. The fact that they had the flag meant that the gate had been broken!
"Stable Mountain Gate has fallen?!"
"How is that possible? The Stable Mountain Gate has fallen? What... what are we going to do now? If the Stable Mountain Gate has fallen, we can't go back!"
"The Crown Prince is surrounded. Aren't we the only army left?"
All of the soldiers began to panic when they heard the words of the Southern Region's general.
The tides of the battle had changed.
Before this, the soldiers were willing to fight to the death because they knew that the Great Xia Dynasty was more powerful than the Southern Regions.
As such, with reinforcements coming, there was no way they could lose.
Even if they were outnumbered two to one, they did not fear. After all, they had 40,000 soldiers under the command of the Crown Prince and the 50,000 soldiers at the Stable Mountain Gate. Furthermore, there were over a million more soldiers at the ready in the empire.
But now...
With the Stable Mountain Gate broken, how would their reinforcements arrive? The Crown Prince was also surrounded and had no way of saving them.
Alone!
They were alone and deep in enemy territory.
Under such circumstances, they only had one fate awaiting them. Death in a foreign land.
All 50,000 soldiers looked to Xing Qingsui and the generals with desperation in their eyes.
All of the generals paled when they saw the bloodstained flag of the Stable Mountain Gate and heard the words of the Southern Region general.
Xing Qingsui's expression changed too.
He did not expect the Stable Mountain Gate to fall. Even he did not expect the Southern Region to be this powerful.
"Is there no retreat?" Xing Qingsui mouthed to himself. He gripped his black sword tightly. However, he was different from the soldiers.
He would never retreat, and he would never surrender!
As a disciple of the Stabilization Constabulary, he never needed a path to retreat. If there was no way back, they would march forward. They would carve out a path with blood!
"Soldiers of the Great Xia, listen up! Fang Zhengzhi can defeat a Rebirth State demon despite only being a Heavenly Reflection State cultivator. This is testament to the potential we have as humans. You now have two choices!"
"The first choice is to put down your weapons and kneel in humiliation. You can beg for mercy and become a prisoner!"
"Your second choice is to hold the spears in your hand and charge with me! We will take over the Icy Monkey Settlement and charge into the Sagely Mountain City. We will capture their king!"
"Answer together!"
Xing Qingsui raised the black sword in his hand as he rallied his troops. He looked at the general, his eyes filled with battle intent.
"Die!"
"Capture their king!"
"Capture their king!"
"If Fang Zhengzhi can defeat a Rebirth State demon, we can conquer the Sagely Mountain City!"
All of the soldiers were fired up. Under the leadership of their generals, they began to chant in unison.
"Capture their king!"
"Capture their king!"
"Conquer Sagely Mountain City!"
"..."
The Southern Region general smirked when he heard the replies. "What a bunch of idiots! Today, I will show you the power of the Southern Region army! Kill!"
"Die!"
"Die!"
"Die die die!"
The Southern Region soldiers roared in unison, their voices causing the earth to shake. This was their home!
...
Yun Qingwu looked at the two armies about to do battle, her eyes glittering. However, her attention was more on the group of people already embroiled in battle.
Those people would decide the fate of this war.
One strike!
The strange purple light.
It was like a venomous snake, the icy killing intent spreading through the air. If not for the fact that Wu Ji was doing battle with Fang Zhengzhi, there would be casualties amongst the ranks of the demon elite.
Other than Fang Zhengzhi, Nangong Hao's battle with Bai Xing reignited. The silver glow continued to attack. However, Nangong Hao was not losing any ground despite only being in the pinnacle Supernatural State.
The Dragon Protection Squad continued to battle the demon elites. They had the upper hand but did not let up.
Because...
They all knew that the advantage the numbers advantage they had was temporary. The demons and the Southern Region had the true numerical advantage.
Over 100,000 Southern Region soldiers.
These were brutal warriors who grew up in these lands. Each one was ferocious and had powerful abilities. Based on individual skill alone, each one would overpower the soldiers of the Great Xia.
However, the Great Xia army had the tactical advantage.
Even so, the numbers disadvantage was too great to overcome.
"Die!"
"Die!"
"Die die die!"
The roars reverberated through the air. The rain continued to beat down on both sides, washing the dirt off their armor.
"Charge!" The Southern Region general lifted his broadsword high up in the air. The gigantic beast which was his stallion also galloped forward.
He charged straight for Xing Qingsui.
The Southern Region...
As the general of the army, he had to lead by example. This was the only way he could command the respect of his men.
"Charge, kill!"
"Die!"
As the Southern Region general charged forward, the rest of the army sprang into action behind him, almost like wolves charging a herd.
They glared at the soldiers of the Great Xia. Their dark skin glistened in the rain as they ran forward without hesitation.