The sudden attack startled Wang Ping and the others. Command Flags flew about the military camp as soldiers, who had just finished their meal and hadn't even had time to digest, were jolted from their comfort by a thunderous noise and a flurry of orders!
They began to form ranks, but they were unbelievably slow. Wang Ping heard the Shu County Magistrate and some other officials shouting things like, "It's a rebellion!" 'Perhaps, deep down, they only ever thought of attacking others and never imagined they could be the ones under attack.'
A quarter of an hour later, the sound of chaotic footsteps echoed from the forest. A large mob of demons charged out from the mountain path, storming the foremost watchtower, followed by several mobile catapults.
"They're moving forward to adjust their firing range! We have to stop them!"
The moment Guangxuan shouted, Wang Ping instinctively started to rush forward, but Xia Yao stopped him. "The situation is unclear," she said. "It's too dangerous to charge out there. Who knows how many hidden ambushes are waiting for us in the dark!"
She was right.
Guangxuan leaped down into the camp, urging the Shu County Magistrate to assemble soldiers to reinforce the front watchtower. At the same time, he dispatched ten Qi Cultivators from Sanhe Temple to provide support.
Seeing this, Wang Ping's impression of Guangxuan improved dramatically. The man might be a master of social maneuvering, but when it was time for action, he was swift and decisive.
Hundreds of demons quickly reached the barricades before the forward watchtower, many falling to arrows fired from the tower. Simultaneously, a unit of Militia armed with iron forks and round shields resolutely advanced to meet them.
Every thrust from the Militia's iron forks injured a demon, sometimes even killing one outright. Some of the demons, frustrated by the harassment, tried to leap over for close-quarters combat, but the shield wall of round shields blocked them. Then, all manner of weapons came crashing down on their heads.
It had to be said, the Militia's fighting style was an effective counter to the chaotic demons. The problem was the demons' incredible vitality. Had their numbers been smaller, that single Militia unit might have actually been able to stop them.
The tide of battle turned in an instant. Watching the Militia get swarmed by the demons and monsters, Wang Ping silently recited the Mental Tranquility Technique. In that moment, he found himself admiring the composure of the great generals he'd read about in history books.
Just as the watchtower was about to fall, the Qi Cultivators from Sanhe Temple suddenly charged in, halting the demons' charge. But the catapults had already been set up on the high ground nearby. The soldiers in the watchtower near Wang Ping and the others frantically sent signals with their flags.
Below, another flurry of military orders was issued. Two hundred armored soldiers had finished assembling in the center of the camp. As the orders were given, they advanced with great speed to reinforce the battle at the forward watchtower, with three hundred Militia members on each flank providing cover.
Wang Ping watched the formation advance below and nodded slightly. The books of Yu Cheng Taoist contained records on warfare. In battles fought with cold weapons, it was essential to place your most elite soldiers in the front rank. Morale and formation were paramount; if the front line collapsed, the battle was already lost.
But reality can be absurd. The so-called elites were perhaps the biggest cowards of all. The two hundred armored soldiers had barely left the camp when massive stones came whistling down from the sky. After just two volleys, these 'elites' completely shattered, with the officers at the front of the formation being the first to break.
Some of them fled toward the pontoon bridge behind them, while others charged into the Militia on the flanks!
"All deserters will be executed!"
Guangxuan's voice echoed through the Military Array as he used Sword Control to execute several fleeing soldiers. But it was already too late. Army discipline must be enforced before a battle, not during a critical moment.
"Hold your ground! We'll take their place! Win this fight, and there'll be land and homes for everyone!"
At this critical moment, a man's powerful voice rang out from the Militia ranks: "They're just Little Demons! Haven't we killed plenty of them before? There are just a few more this time, that's all! Come on, just like usual! Let's sing! Let's move!"
Soon, a local folk song rose up as the units advanced. The Militia on the flanks, which had been on the verge of breaking, miraculously rallied. Some of the armored soldiers were also inspired by the display and regrouped with the Central Army.
"Something's wrong with them..."
Xia Yao said this softly, her gaze falling upon the sentries, then shifting to the foremost watchtower.
'There is indeed a problem. The regular army's collapse was far too sudden.'
The battle at the forward watchtower was already nearing its end. Two of the ten Qi Cultivators from Sanhe Temple had been killed in action, and the rest were covering each other as they retreated...
This sudden battle was about to enter its most critical phase!
After the demons occupied the watchtower, hundreds more monstrous beings, holding crude weapons, swarmed out of the forest. They formed ranks on the high ground, on an open space next to the watchtower, staring coldly down at the advancing reinforcements below.
"Are they preparing to charge?"
The words had barely left Feng Miao's mouth when a dense drumbeat echoed from within the forest. Under the influence of the drumming, the hundreds of demons all roared and charged toward the Militia's formation.
"I'll go test them out!"
Feng Miao grabbed at the air with her right hand, and a large, pitch-black blade appeared in her grasp. The next moment, she had already charged down from the watchtower. Within a few leaps, flames flickered to life on her blade as she plunged into the charging ranks of demons.
As the crimson flames surged, a roar erupted from the forest. Then, a massive, dark figure shot out from the trees. As it leaped, the twin blades in its hands followed the flow of Spiritual Qi, descending from the sky and chopping toward Feng Miao's head.
CLANG!
As the sound of metal clashing rang out, Wang Ping got a clear look at the dark figure. It was a repulsive sight: its head was covered in gashes stitched shut with iron wire and bristled with a black mane. Its mouth looked like a wolf's, but it too was sewn shut with wire. The creature wore a suit of black armor, and its agile tail was even gripping a blade of its own.
As Feng Miao blocked the monster's twin blades, the blade held by its tail swept toward her waist. Fortunately, Feng Miao reacted extremely quickly and pulled back just as the blade swept past. However, in pulling back, she gave her opponent a huge opening and would now have to face a torrential assault.
At this moment, Guangxuan, from the rear, seized the opportunity to throw more than half of the Qi Cultivators into the battle to weaken the charge of the hundreds of demons. Among these Qi Cultivators, Wang Ping saw people from Qianmu Temple, including Wang Kang. His cultivation level was insufficient, so he was positioned at the rear of the offensive formation.
Seeing this, the demons on the other side no longer held back. Dozens of various heavily armored demons shot out from the forest. Each one was shrouded in demonic qi, and their weapons were mainly Wolf Fang Clubs.
In this world, the transformation of a demon was influenced by Spiritual Qi, not a result of cultivation. After transforming, some would become frenzied, while others would become placid. Afterward, only a small fraction could continue to sense Spiritual Qi and cultivate; the majority could only live as they had before their transformation, albeit with a bit more intelligence.
Behind these demons stood a human. His entire body also radiated demonic qi, and an extra pair of arms had been grafted onto his torso. He wielded four long blades with ferocious power, two of which swirled around his body like a fierce wind, propelled by the surging demonic qi.
"Another desperate Qi Cultivator who chose to become a demon..."
Xia Yao sighed, forming a Hand Technique for a spell. Spiritual Qi coalesced around her into a faint, shimmering Protective Shield. She then raised her sword and advanced to meet that strange human.
In the blink of an eye, the battlefield was filled with heaven-shaking battle cries. The Militia formation raised their shields and blocked the charge of the hundreds of demons!
Wang Ping looked toward the end of the mountain road. 'The Mountain God of North Mountain hasn't shown himself yet, has he?' he thought.
The Mountain God of North Mountain was a Tiger Demon. Fifty years ago, he had accepted a title from Xia Country to govern the demons of North Mountain. Back then, his cultivation level was about the same as an ordinary human Qi Cultivator.
'With North Mountain in such chaos, this Mountain God must be involved.'
As Wang Ping mulled this over, he prepared to make a move, planning to first help Feng Miao defeat her opponent so the two of them could then support the other fronts. But just then, a strange shriek echoed from the sky. A giant falcon dove straight toward the Militia's formation, and riding on its back was a transformed Tiger Demon.
It looked just like the Mountain God people spoke of.
At the same time, a piercing shriek echoed from above the clouds as the air was torn apart. That was the sound of Secret Technique Cultivators fighting!