Chapter 442: One versus One | Butler! (1)
Translator: Zen Translations Editor: Zen Translations
Ten salvos of concentrated firing from the Consolidated Bows later, the notorious Swift Wolf Regiment that struck fear in the northern borders, had suffered an unprecedented blow. Before they had even started fighting with their enemies, they had already lost twenty percent of their numbers, with over two thousand Wolf Cavalry soldiers losing their lives under the onslaught of Consolidated Bows. At this point, the officers of the Swift Wolf Regiment were about five hundred yards from the Peerless Battalion.
However, at this moment, the salvo from the Peerless Battalion halted momentarily. Most of the soldiers had ran out of Heavenly energy, and their Consolidated Bows vanished. They took out their ordinary longbows, but that required some time.
After all, the majority of the Peerless Battalion soldiers had only just Awakened their Jewels with the help of the medicine and Shangguan Fei’er and the others’ Heavenly Energy, barely at a single Jewel cultivation level. Being able to shoot ten arrows with their Consolidated Bows was their absolute limit. Of course, there were a still few who had not started shooting yet; they were currently standing ready behind Hua Feng. They were the special forces or commandos of the Peerless Battalion.
Although these special forces soldiers usually trained individually, they still belonged to their respective Companies, just that they would be transferred out during actual combat. There were eighty of them in total, and the seven god archers of the Heavenly Bow Unit were in charge of them. Of course, the thirty six Fire Attribute Elemental Jewel Masters were also amongst them, seven were Heavenly Jewel Masters, and the rest were the other Elemental Jewel Masters.
The seven Heavenly Jewel Masters had also just Awakened not long ago, and without question, their future potential was much greater. Although they were already past the age of twenty, a Heavenly Jewel Master was still a Heavenly Jewel Master. These people were naturally separated out for their training, and they would be the future pillars for the Peerless Battalion.
The longbows continued firing, arrow after arrow. However, without the Consolidated Bows and the support of Heavenly Energy, their power had dropped drastically. Having unleashed their bloodline power, the defensive capabilities of the Wolf Cavalry soldiers had raised substantially, and it would take at least a dozen of these ordinary arrows to kill one. As such, the death count of the Swift Wolf Regiment dropped. After losing a total of two thousand and five hundred men, they finally charged to three hundred yards of the Peerless Battalion.
Zhou Weiqing sat on his Single Horned Ghost Demon Horse, not making a sound, after all his soldiers were now listening to Hua Feng’s command. His gaze was focused right on the front of the Swift Wolf Regiment, the massive gold war wolf and its rider, Butler. Without question, he also knew that this had to be the Regiment Commander of the Swift Wolf Regiment. From the ferocious aura that this person was giving forth, Zhou Weiqing could sense how powerful he was.
He had to be at least at the eight Jeweled cultivation level. This was Zhou Weiqing’s judgement of Butler. His own personal mission was simple – that was to take on Butler as long as possible and not allow him to have his way in slaughtering the Peerless Battalion soldiers. As such, he did not take action and fire like his soldiers, instead waiting silently there.
“Battalion Commander, that gold war wolf mount is not simple at all. Something like that is at least a Zong Stage Heavenly Beast… extremely powerful in its own right. A warrior who can use it as a mount, he can only be even stronger.” Wei Feng said in a low tone, reminding Zhou Weiqing at his side.
On the battlefield, personal strength might not easily influence the outcome, but personal strength could easily bring up their side’s morale.
Also, when personal strength was so huge up to a point, then it would definitely be able to influence the outcome.
“Don’t worry. Leave him to me. The rest of them are all of yours. Teacher Hua Feng, that gold war wolf and his rider in front of their pack is mine. The rest of them, I leave it up to you and your special forces.”
Hua Feng looked at Zhou Weiqing deeply. How could he not see Butler’s power? Yet, at this moment, he could not possibly doubt Zhou Weiqing’s decisions, or go against his orders. Zhou Weiqing was the head of the Peerless Battalion, and at this point on the battlefield, his orders were everything; even if he thought they were wrong, he could not go against it or it would cause chaos amongst the men, affecting morale, and possibly even causing all their deaths. There were still seven thousand more Wolf Cavalry soldiers, seven thousand enraged wolf cavalry soldiers, and none of them would suspect how cruel and terrifying these angry wolf cavalry soldiers could be. Once they managed to charge to the front of their own formation and begin melee combat, then this fight would be totally over for them pretty quickly.
In Zhou Weiqing’s plan, there should be no melee combat. Although the close combat prowess and power of the Peerless Battalion soldiers had improved by leaps and bounds under the tutelage of Shangguan Fei’er, once melee combat started, too many variables would be introduced, the difficulty increased, and it was likely that injuries and death would occur. All of that would be counter to Zhou Weiqing’s original motive, to improve and allow his Peerless Battalion to grow stronger, and to improve their morale.
Another round of arrows, and the enemies charged closer again.
Butler, charging right at the head of the pack with his gold war wolf mount, could now be seen clearly. His war wolf exploded in a fresh burst of speed, like a bolt of gold light speeding in a straight line, far surpassing his men by at least a hundred yards as he charged towards the enemy’s line, bloodlust in his eyes as he fixated upon his target.
Naturally, Butler had also noticed Zhou Weiqing earlier, seated atop his Single Horned Ghost Demon Horse as he waited for him, tall and stout with the aura of command, proudly awaiting him, clearly indicating his status.
“Kill!” Butler howled in rage, his blood boiling within from the sheer anger. He truly believed that as long as he managed to charge within the enemy’s formation, it was not impossible to finish them all off. After all, he was at the nine-Jeweled cultivation level, a Upper Level Zong Stage Heavenly Jewel Master! The enemy only numbered a thousand five hundred or so, and he estimated they did not have anyone as powerful as himself.
At last, Zhou Weiqing reacted, his right hand slowly lifting up towards Butler. They were still about a hundred and fifty yards from each other, and as soon as the gap between them was at a hundred yards, they would be able to attack each other. As such, he chose such a time to reveal his own aura.
With a loud clash, his titanium alloy mail was cast aside, revealing his naked upper body, the healthy bronzed muscles shimmering in the bright sunlight.
Zhou Weiqing shouted out loud, and in the next moment, he charged forward like an arrow shot from a bow. His charge, so straightforward, so valiant, and in midair a killing intent filled with death defying resolution exploded forth.
For any troop of army, the character of the leading general would definitely have a great effect on the entire troop. Zhou Weiqing’s sudden eruption and his fearless charge towards the enemy’s strongest powerhouse… in that instant, it caused the entire Peerless Battalion’s morale and will to fight to be raised to the maximum.
Their firing rates increased noticeably, and under Hua Feng’s direction, all their projectile arcing arrows all avoided Zhou Weiqing’s direction, avoiding any possibility of an accidental injury.
Still in midair, Zhou Weiqing’s body started to shift, as the magnificent tiger tattoos appeared on his skin, the thick black-grey colour appearing instantly across every inch of his body, as a powerful overbearing aura burst forth like a king surveying his subjects. His muscles bulged and his eyes turned bloodshot as he seemed to soar higher into the air like a demon god descending.
That was not the only thing. At the same time as his body entered the Demonic Change State, a shimmering illusory purple red figure appeared around his back. It was the Heavenly Skill Image of the Demonic Dragon Lady!
The majority of the soldiers on both sides would not know what the Heavenly Skill Image actually meant, but how could the charging, ferocious Butler not know? As a Nine Jeweled Heavenly Jewel Master, he had once ascended the Heavenly Snow Mountain. The Heavenly Skill Image was an unreachable target of power in his heart.
The sudden burst of power and aura along combined the Heavenly Skill Image of Demonic Dragon Lady was like a bucket of ice cold water pouring suddenly on Butler’s original powerful bloodlust, causing a chill to run down his spine. Even more shockingly, his war wolf mount companion suddenly slowed down abruptly, and he could sense it was shivering in fear.
Without knowing why, at that moment, Butler suddenly sensed a terrifying aura… one that he had only once sensed previously from the great Heavenly Snow Mountain Lord… an aura that caused him want to fall to his knees in supplication. In that instant, his heart was filled with fear.
Alas for him, due to the distance they were at, and the sudden powerful aura that burst forth from Zhou Weiqing, he did not notice that the number of Heavenly Jewels around his wrist was a mere four.
Of course, in truth Zhou Weiqing in the Demonic Change State, how could his aura be that of Four-Jeweled stage only? Butler’s senses did not fool him, after all just from the bloodline quality difference alone, Zhou Weiqing’s Dark Demon God Tiger was at least equal or higher than even the Divine Heavenly Spirit Tiger. Furthermore, he had the aura of the Solidified Dragon Spirit within him. Although he was unable to access the power of the Solidified Dragon Spirit, it did not change the fact that the aura had already been integrated within him, especially when he unleashed the Demonic Change State without holding back, it was naturally let loose as well.
A cold light was in Zhou Weiqing’s eyes, and in that moment he was immersed in a strange feeling.
That unique feeling had started when the Peerless Battalion soldiers had been shooting his arrows, and it had been accumulating ever since. Along with the shrill cries of the Consolidated Bows, the blood within his body felt as if it had been ignited, and now his eyes were only for that single foe before him. As a result, Zhou Weiqing was able to bring his aura to a maximum as soon as Butler came within range.
Before he had come to this northern border, if he had met a nine-Jeweled cultivation level enemy, Zhou Weiqing would only have one choice – turn tail and run. The gap between the two was just too huge.
However, ever since he had come to the border, he had not only become the disciple of the Six Ultimate Heavenly Emperor, he had also personally faced off against a Heavenly King Stage powerhouse. Although at that point he had not been the main person to take on his blows, after having experienced a powerhouse at a whole different level, he no longer held fear in his heart when facing a Zong Stage powerhouse. Furthermore, towards this fight before him, he had prepared so much for it.