We pushed deeper into the cave, encountering more and more Skeleton Spearmen along the way. However, Long Xin and the others maintained a calculated distance, maximizing their advantage in ranged attacks. It was almost identical to how they’d dealt with the previous Skeleton Spearman: the targeted monster would always have its head exploded by Long Zhan’s final Assassination Sword Qi when it was barely ten meters away. When facing clustered hordes, they used the same method: Long Xin would first strike the lead one with Lightning Bolt to draw them out, then eliminate them one by one using their established technique.
The Five Ring Formation moved like an armored tank—slowly yet resolutely advancing. Every motion, every strike, showcased astonishing coordination and precise targeting. I suspected that as their cultivation levels rose, the might of the Five Ring Formation would only grow stronger.
Finally, we reached an open area the size of a football field. As far as the eye could see, it was packed tight with Skeleton Spearmen. We stopped when we were still far off.
“I didn’t expect the density to be this high,” Long Xin admitted, somewhat surprised.
“Indeed. We might accidentally draw a massive group,” Long Zhan replied. “Then we won’t even have room to retreat.”
“Looks like we’ll have to use the second move,” Jin Hong stated.
“What, the second move?” I looked toward Jin Hong, surprised. “You mean you have other tricks you haven’t used yet?”
“Of course,” Dong Guan boasted. “We have plenty of ultimate moves. Just keep your eyes wide open and watch.”
What other hidden talents Long Xin and the others possessed now piqued my strong interest.
I watched Long Xin and Dong Guan constantly surveying their surroundings, seemingly selecting the ideal battlefield. They quickly settled on a corner near a sharp angle. This spot was bordered by seven-meter-tall boulders, forming a special topography akin to a narrow gorge. Long Zhan and a few others scrambled onto the large stones, carefully assessing the terrain.
“Yes! This will do,” Long Xin confirmed.
I couldn’t quite grasp what they were planning. I then saw Long Zhan, Long Qi, and Jin Hong position their small skeletons to guard the only step leading up to the large rocks. Jin Hong herself stood on the boulders with Long Xin and Dong Guan, while only Long Qi remained below the rock platform.
“Xing Chen, you come up too,” Dong Guan called out. “It’s going to be a major spectacle later, so don’t get scared off.”
“What kind of spectacle haven’t I seen?” I laughed. “It’s not easy to scare me off.”
“Heh heh, just wait and see,” Dong Guan replied with evident confidence. Even Long Xin, Jin Hong, and Long Zhan wore expressions of eager anticipation and excitement.
I still didn't get it, but I climbed onto the large rock as well.
“We can start,” Long Xin announced.
“It’s up to you now,” Dong Guan shouted loudly to Long Qi.
“No problem,” Long Qi responded, then swiftly dashed toward the dense mass of Skeleton Spearmen fifty meters away.
“Is that guy crazy!” I exclaimed in shock. “Does he intend to lure all of them over?”
“Heh heh, you guessed right this time,” Dong Guan said proudly. “Long Qi mentioned you used this trick before when you were cultivating in the Skeleton Cave.”
“But the monsters back then were only Skeleton Warriors; their combat power can't compare to these Skeleton Spearmen,” I argued. “If too many come, I won’t be able to handle them.”
“Don't worry. Just watch from the side,” Long Xin said confidently. “The more that come, the better.”
Jin Hong nodded solemnly, gripping her Demon Subduing Staff tightly; it was clear she was still a bit nervous.
On the other side, Long Qi charged right up to within ten meters of the Skeleton Spearmen.
Woo!
Almost simultaneously, the countless Skeleton Spearmen spotted the intruder and immediately surged toward Long Qi.
“Damn, so many,” Long Qi muttered. He had intended to draw them out, but the terrifying momentum, like ten thousand charging horses, still startled him. The clustered spearmen were like an agitated hornet’s nest, each one viciously rushing toward him.
Long Qi dared not delay. He swiftly turned and sprinted back toward the large rock where we were positioned. Behind him followed a dense mass of Skeleton Spearmen, like a raging ocean tide. There must have been at least five hundred of them.
In the blink of an eye, Long Zhan ran back and quickly climbed onto the large rock.
“Attack!” Long Xin and Dong Guan could barely restrain themselves any longer.
“Fire Wall!” Long Xin roared, waving her wand. Several pillar-like flames immediately erupted from the previously open ground. I watched as Long Xin continuously moved her wand, causing more and more fire pillars to shoot up.
Good heavens, this was exactly the Fire Wall tactic from Legend! The scene reminded me of leveling up by burning pigs in the Pig Cave with my old comrades. I never thought I’d witness it in this world.
Although I had seen the formidable power of the Fire Wall during that large-scale battle in the Zuma Temple, that instance was a grand military operation focused on clearing paths, and the number of mages involved was astounding, making the coverage and intensity of their fire walls far superior. However, nothing surprised me as much as the sheer ferocity Long Xin was demonstrating now. Did she intend to burn all these Skeleton Spearmen to death single-handedly?
Soon, the main body of Skeleton Spearmen reached the base of the large rock and stepped directly into the sea of fire Long Xin had deployed.
While Long Xin alone couldn't simultaneously ignite a vast area, within three minutes, the open ground before us had become a continuous blaze. The air grew scorching hot, sending waves of heat surging toward us. Even I, immune to magic, felt the oppressive heat and suffocating air, while Long Xin and the others were slick with sweat, looking somewhat disheveled.
The Skeleton Spearmen on the ground were engulfed by the inferno, frantically charging against the large rock beneath our feet. However, Long Zhan and the two small skeletons, guarding the single climbing point, hammered them down with their axes. The specific terrain prevented the Skeleton Spearmen from utilizing their numbers or speed advantage. Every time a Skeleton Spearman managed to clamber precariously onto the ledge, Long Zhan would cleave it off with a single axe swing—that felt incredibly satisfying.
Truly, standing one man strong against a thousand advancing foes.
On the other side, Jin Hong and Long Qi weren't idle either. Their Soul Fire Talismans struck continuously like twin machine guns. Meanwhile, Long Xin incessantly replenished her magic potions while ceaselessly casting Fire Wall.
On the large rock, everyone nervously watched the scene below.
Below the rock, within the already widespread sea of fire, the Skeleton Spearmen still fiercely battered the stone, refusing to retreat even in death. As the temperature of the flames continuously rose, the injured Skeleton Spearmen grew increasingly frenzied. Their originally pale white skeletal frames were now burning a bright, angry red. This only stoked their savage momentum; they charged the large rock recklessly. The sight reminded me of the desperate siege warfare described in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The fiery expanse had turned into a gruesome slaughterhouse. The Skeleton Spearman battalion inside the flames writhed like ants on a hot plate, spinning around in panicked chaos.
Occupying the advantageous high ground, Long Xin and the others relentlessly bombarded the dense mass of Skeleton Spearmen below with long-range magic attacks: Fire Wall, Soul Fire Talisman, Red Poison, Green Poison, and Dong Guan’s Exploding Flame never ceased.
Long Zhan and the two small skeletons guarding the bottleneck hadn't rested either, smashing down any Skeleton Spearman that dared to poke its head up, just like playing Whac-A-Mole.
Five minutes passed!
Finally, the first Skeleton Spearman crashed down with a thunderous impact. What followed was like a chain reaction: the dense cluster of Skeleton Spearmen fell one after another with resounding thuds. Yet, even then, these undead creatures, seemingly ignorant of death, did not stop their frantic assault.
The fierce battle of offense and defense raged for a full forty minutes before Long Xin and the others managed to incinerate all nearly five hundred Skeleton Spearmen.
“Hah! Incredible, so powerful!” I exclaimed in awe.
“Heh heh, you saw it,” Dong Guan said proudly, though he seemed too winded to boast further. He collapsed onto the stone platform.
Long Zhan, Long Qi, Long Xin, and Jin Hong were in no better shape. They lay sprawled out like rags on the rock, gasping for breath with mouths wide open. Long Xin, in particular, was drenched in sweat, her face pale. In the previous assault, Long Xin had undoubtedly been the critical main force; she had sustained the massive sea of fire entirely on her own from start to finish. Although Dong Guan was also a mage, as only a beginner in the intermediate tier, he hadn't mastered Fire Wall yet; his most potent large-area attack was limited to Exploding Flame.
“Phew! That was draining,” Long Xin admitted, exhausted but exhilarated. The others felt the same.
“I can’t believe we wiped out that dense mass in only forty minutes,” Jin Hong said.
“That’s the Fire Sea Formation for you; it’s not just a name,” Long Qi stated.
“It’s just that this job really isn't fit for humans,” Dong Guan complained. “It’s utterly exhausting.”
“And you think you’re tired?” Jin Hong retorted sharply. “The most exhausted one is the Boss; she held up that entire sea of fire by herself.”
“Exactly!” Long Xin panted. “Dong Guan, I’m counting on you to help share the burden from now on. Hurry up and master Fire Wall.”
“Heh heh, I am trying my best! Really, you can’t just master Fire Wall on demand,” Dong Guan replied awkwardly. “But I think it won't be long now. Give me another month or so, and my magic power should be sufficient to cast Fire Wall.”
“What? Another month?” Long Xin nearly fainted. “Can’t you speed up?”
“Boss, please spare me,” Dong Guan pleaded, his face crumpled. “In six months, I’ve advanced from the low-intermediate to the mid-intermediate tier mage. That speed might not be genius, but it’s close, right?” Dong Guan then subconsciously glanced at me and grumbled, “You think everyone can be like that guy.”
“............” Jin Hong gave Dong Guan an annoyed look but remained silent, focusing on regaining her strength.
“I truly marvel at the terrifying destructive power you five exhibit when coordinating,” I praised sincerely.
“That’s right,” Dong Guan chirped. “If we added you, it would be perfect.”
“Add me?” I was confused. “It seemed like Long Zhan alone was sufficient for guarding the bottleneck…”
“Hey, don’t think you can slack off,” Long Xin snapped back. “Don’t think I don’t know about your little entanglement with Yan Luo.”
“Huh! What entanglement do I have with Yan Luo?” I asked, surprised, feeling a pang of guilt as I looked into Long Xin’s fiery eyes.
“We heard you and the Madwoman Yan Luo work together seamlessly,” Dong Guan said, clearly enjoying stirring up trouble. “It’s spread throughout the entire Ranger world—your coordination is called the most perfect combination of physical and magical offense.”
“That’s right,” Jin Hong added. “Everyone says you’re immune to magical attacks, and Yan Luo’s instant, large-area magic casting is also exceptional. With your combination, you are almost invincible in group battles.”
“And wasn't Hua Yu killed by your dual-attack combination?” Long Qi pointed out.
“Well, that was just a coincidence,” I chuckled awkwardly.
“Alright, let’s drop that subject,” Long Xin said. “Actually, when we were first practicing the Fire Sea Formation, we considered your immunity to magic and the astonishing efficiency of your Dragon Shadow Sword’s damage output.”
“Indeed. The Fire Sea Formation plus you—that is the truly perfect Fire Sea Formation,” Long Qi stated seriously.
“Are you suggesting I fight inside the sea of fire, hacking monsters?” I asked, shocked. “Those are entire ranks of Skeleton Spearmen, not those flashy but weak Skeleton Warriors!”
“So what?” Long Xin countered. “My Fire Wall can kill them, but it takes a long time. However, under the cover of my fire sea, their primary target will be me; they won’t be interested in you at all. Under those circumstances, with your speed and magic immunity, wouldn’t it be a waste not to engage?”
“.............” Right. If the Skeleton Spearmen were caught in the fire sea, taking damage from Long Xin’s Fire Walls, their aggro would be completely drawn to her. In that scenario, they would never target me, and with my abilities, killing them would be as easy as slicing vegetables.
Only then did I understand what Long Qi meant earlier. Yes, the Fire Sea Formation was only truly maximized with me involved; Long Xin’s fire sea was for drawing aggro, and I would remain the main damage dealer.
“You get it now, don’t you?” Long Qi smiled.
“Fine,” I said, feeling eager to try it out. “From now on, I’ll handle the luring and the killing.”
“Naturally,” Long Qi chuckled. “I’ll have it much easier now.”
“...........” Long Qi looked quite pleased at the prospect of me doing the heavy lifting.
“It’s settled then,” Long Xin declared. “Finally, we get to see the perfect Fire Sea Formation in action.”
“Heh heh, I can hardly wait,” Dong Guan chimed in.
What kind of impact the perfect Fire Sea Formation could have in the Bone Demon Cave—I suddenly felt a strong desire to find out.
After resting for twenty minutes, Long Xin and the others had finally recovered.
“We can begin,” Long Xin announced.
At that moment, everyone was energized, already lined up in formation.
“It’s up to you now,” Jin Hong said excitedly.
“No problem,” I replied, leaping off the large rock and dashing toward the dense encampment of Skeleton Spearmen fifty meters away.
In a flash, I reached within six meters of them.
Woo! Hiss! The Skeleton Spearmen immediately noticed me and let out strange, muffled roars, followed by a massive tide of them surging toward me.
“Oh my god, so many,” I thought. Watching Long Qi lure them seemed easy enough, but now, facing this terrifying horde in person, I felt an urge to collapse right there.
Fortunately, my mental fortitude held, and I wasn't paralyzed by fear. I quickly spun around and began running back. The horde of Skeleton Spearmen followed with murderous intent. Below the large rock, Long Xin had already blanketed the area with a massive fire sea. Since I wasn't Long Qi, she didn't need to worry about my safety. She deployed the magic as freely as possible.
In the blink of an eye, I plunged straight into the sea of fire.
The feeling was truly bizarre; the surrounding flames seemed like illusions, and everything I saw was a uniform red, though I could still vaguely make out the figures of the Skeleton Spearmen within the inferno.
The Skeleton Spearmen who entered the fire sea instantly became chaotic. Apparently, they had registered that the annoying human mage on the rock was burning them. They let out indistinct howls and rushed toward the base of the large rock. I quickly ducked to the side, near a corner wall. Even though the Skeleton Spearmen ignored my presence, their sheer numbers were like a stampeding herd of wild buffaloes—if I got hit, it would certainly be fatal. Soon, all the lured Skeleton Spearmen were trapped in the fire. I quietly circled behind them and commenced my despicable massacre.
Perhaps they were truly blinded by the agony of Long Xin’s Fire Wall, as they failed to notice me. They continued to squeeze forward, roaring, while I swiftly swung my Dragon Shadow Sword, striking ruthlessly from behind. At this moment, I was like a small shark swimming through the sea of fire, slaughtering masses of Skeleton Spearmen without restraint.
The scene felt like a return to the days in the Skeleton Cave, butchering those weak Skeleton Warriors. In moments, I felled a large number. Now, my strength, skill, and speed surpassed my former self, and facing these Skeleton Spearmen who completely disregarded my existence, I barely needed to consider defense—I only needed to unleash my killing spree. Furthermore, every single sword strike targeted their heads. Instantly, countless skeletal skulls bounced and rolled across the ground. Yet, even so, they relentlessly pushed toward the direction of the large rock.
On the other side!
On the large rock!
“That guy is really taking it easy!” Dong Guan stared at Xing Chen, who moved as if strolling through a park, effortlessly taking down a large section of Skeleton Spearmen, his expression odd.
“Comparing people just makes one mad,” Long Zhan grumbled from below the stone steps while swinging his axe to smash down any spearman who managed to climb up. “I suspect that guy is the illegitimate son of the Marfa Goddess; he gets all the good luck.”
“Tell me about it,” Long Xin admitted, finally allowing herself a moment of relaxation. “Where else on the continent can you find someone like him—walking through fire walls, immune to magic?”
“Stop complaining,” Long Qi interjected. “This time, we benefited from him. With this super liability on our side, future cultivation will be much easier.”
“Hahaha, that’s true,” Long Xin agreed, quite satisfied. “If Dong Guan could master Fire Wall sooner, my burden would be even lighter.”
Ten minutes later! Not a single standing Skeleton Spearman remained in the fire sea. The perfect Fire Sea Formation had finally taken shape in combat. I suspected it would be hard to find another team combination like ours in the world—facing waves of Skeleton Spearmen and disposing of them so effortlessly and elegantly.