The black banner snapped fiercely in the wind, ripping the air with its sound! A hurried, low murmur echoed across the sky—the very incantation the mages were chanting to unleash their magic. And with that ceaseless chorus of spells!
The surrounding magical fluctuations grew ever more intense! So much so that swirling bands of distorted light erupted around the formation of mages, as if the entire rank were enveloped in a strange, warped space! Clearly, the Ao Tian Mage Legion was racing against time, conserving their mana, preparing to launch their next offensive wave!
The mage corps of the Demon Sealing Empire was the most terrifying offensive unit on the Mafa Continent. Guided by the Sky Rainbow Archmage and the Crimson Priests, the effective strike radius of the 'Blazing Heaven Conflagration' exceeded an astonishing thousand meters. In terms of both range and destructive power, it was virtually equivalent to modern artillery. If Jin Yao hadn't seized the precise moment during their initial barrage, allowing the Cloud Thunder Cavalry to break out of Yuncheng, we would likely have been annihilated by the Demon Sealing mages’ 'Blazing Heaven Conflagration' the instant we exited the city gates. Fortunately, despite its dreadful destructive force, launching such a terrifying spell continuously was impossible, even with the aid of potions for mana restoration and healing; it required a significant cooldown period. This gap was our only window of opportunity to charge out and assault the Demon Sealing mage ranks!
Swish-swish! The line of heavy crossbow siege chariots finally displayed their terrible lethality!
Countless heavy bolts, thick as javelins, rained down like a violent storm!
“Raise shields! Disperse! Full charge, all troops!” Taking command of the Cloud Thunder Cavalry's charge, as the previous commander was engaged, was Jin Yaoqing, the Deputy General of the Cloud Thunder Legion.
The Cloud Thunder Cavalry, which had maintained a neat wedge formation, suddenly scattered like an exploding hornet's nest, spreading out in a vast, overwhelming expanse in the blink of an eye. However, the distance between each rider was carefully maintained; upon closer inspection, each cavalryman was spaced at least ten meters apart! Every trooper planted their shield before them, maximizing their defensive posture!
This was a standard tactic for cavalry engaging high-intensity, concentrated magical bombardment and arrow storms. By spreading out over a large area, they minimized the density among the riders. Even if struck by such potent magic or overwhelmed by a dense rain of arrows, the resulting damage to each individual would be kept to the absolute minimum!
This method bore striking resemblance to how modern infantry deals with concentrated artillery fire on the battlefield.
On an open plain, heavy crossbow siege chariots were absolutely the nightmare of all cavalry! Yet, at this moment, we had no alternative; only deploying the Cloud Thunder Cavalry offered any hope of piercing the Ao Tian mage formation!
Instinctively, I intensified the strength of my protective battle aura. My Eye of Death Desire locked firmly onto the dense arrow storm descending from the heavens. One must remember that a single strike from a heavy bolt fired by a heavy crossbow chariot would be fatal even to a Heaven Demon Warrior if caught off guard!
Thwack-thwack-thwack!
Despite the extremely dispersed formation, a significant number of Cloud Thunder Knights were struck by the dense volley. The terrifying heavy bolts from the siege chariots finally exhibited their deadly power; many warriors were pierced clean through, man and mount alike, turning them into quills. Those struck at favorable angles were skewered—two or three men pierced by a single bolt! Such was the sheer force behind the heavy bolts fired by the siege chariots!
In just an instant, a large portion of the Cloud Thunder Cavalry fell! The casualties were staggering!
But now, there was no choice but to fight desperately to break into the ranks! If the 'Blazing Heaven Conflagration' were allowed to continue bombarding Yuncheng, the city would soon be reduced to rubble.
As the arrow rain poured down, Cloud Thunder Cavalrymen, struck by bolts, fell to the ground screaming in pain, but even more charged forward fearlessly toward the cheval de frise defense line!
Riding at the very front, I clung tightly to Da Lei’s back, pushing the Thunder Shield to its utmost limit. At this point, all I could do was place my faith in Da Lei’s wealth of combat experience, its exceptional speed, and keen reactions.
Countless heavy bolts whistled towards us! Clearly, the crossbowmen on the siege chariots had spotted me; the Heaven Demon Armor I wore was simply too conspicuous. Consequently, numerous siege chariots rapidly adjusted their trajectory, unleashing wave after wave of heavy bolts aimed squarely at me!
This meant that even under the effect of the Eye of Death Desire, avoiding them all was impossible. I could only rely on my protective battle aura and the Heaven Demon Armor to bear the brunt of the impact!
Boom-clash-clash-clash! Swish-swish-swish!
The golden aura of my protective battle shield vibrated and warped violently under the relentless impact of the dense heavy bolts, appearing like a soap bubble ready to burst at any second! The only sounds reaching my ears were a series of dull thuds—the roaring impact of heavy bolts slamming into my battle aura! Even so, relying on its extraordinary speed and reflexes, Da Lei weaved through the torrential downpour of arrows, tracing erratic, unpredictable arcs. In the split seconds available, it discerned the relatively weaker points and firing zones within the storm, exerting maximum effort to evade the concentrated fire, thereby easing the immense strain of maintaining my protective battle aura!
Inside the Ao Tian Legion’s Mage Formation!
“It’s him.” Mo Luo Tianfeng recognized the golden sphere darting wildly amidst the arrows, the breathtaking scene from Cicheng instantly flashing back into his mind!
Though the target was still far off, the heart-palpitating aura emanating from it was like a Rakshasa monster suddenly burst forth from Hell into the human world. The Sky Rainbow Mages’ superior intuition instilled in Mo Luo Tianfeng an innate dread and panic toward the rapidly approaching figure.
“Shoot him down quickly; he absolutely cannot be allowed to approach!” It wasn't just Mo Luo Tianfeng. The other three Sky Rainbow Archmages and six Crimson High Priests at the center of the mage formation, who were directing fifty thousand mages in casting 'Blazing Heaven Conflagration,' were equally aghast. Although they knew Mo Luo Aotian had made thorough arrangements to deal with this terrifying fiend, facing that swiftly approaching, meteor-like figure, they instinctively felt a suffocating sense of fear and pressure. After all, they had personally witnessed how even the strongest Forbidden Spells could not harm a single hair on this man’s head. Now, this terrifying demon was charging toward them, bristling with killing intent! How could they not be terrified to their core!
Gazing upon these mages whose faces were pale as if they had lost their only son, Mo Luo Aotian felt both anger and hatred surge!
When had the Sky Rainbow Archmages not been terrifyingly powerful existences? Everyone faced their immense strength with trembling fear and unease!
Be it in duels, group battles, melees, siege warfare, field battles, or assaults, the mighty Sky Rainbow Archmages had never known fear. The Demon Sealing Empire's dominance over the continent, forcing the other three nations into submission, was precisely because they possessed numerous, powerfully magical Sky Rainbow Archmages!
But now! These once arrogant powerhouses were behaving like startled lambs! That detestable Demonic Devourer was still a hundred meters away, yet they were already losing formation!
As a result, even the intensely focused fire magic within the formation began to show ripples and fluctuations due to their wavering concentration—a clear sign that catastrophic magical energy was on the verge of spiraling out of control!
“Ah!” Seeing the situation turn dire, Mo Luo Aotian cried out in alarm! If this continued, before the Demonic Devourer even arrived, this group of cowards, through their uncontrolled magic, could trigger a magical explosion sufficient to flatten the entire main position!
“Xuanzhi, Xuanyi, stop him!” Regardless of the cost, they had to stabilize their footing first. Mo Luo Aotian decisively dispatched two Heavenly Venerable Daoists from the Ao Tian Legion!
“Yes!” The two Daoists, who had been standing by, immediately moved to intercept!
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Like a sudden gale, Da Lei carrying me instantly surged forward until we reached the cheval de frise line—just twenty meters away! The torrential arrow storm continued to pursue me and Da Lei, but against Da Lei’s astonishing speed, most of the arrows passed through nothing more than blurry afterimages. Even the few that struck Da Lei were deflected by the protective battle aura I projected and Da Lei’s unnatural armor!
Yet, even so, the intense tremors and Da Lei’s muffled roars indicated that my mount was enduring pain beyond human comprehension.
Yes! While the heavy bolts failed to pierce the defenses and harm Da Lei, the sheer impact force from the heavy bolts striking its body while running at high speed was absorbed entirely by Da Lei, causing its muscular, mountain-like frame to involuntarily tremble during the rapid gallop!
But even so, Da Lei charged madly, pushing forward desperately toward the cheval de frise!
Closer! Even closer!
Under the somber sky, the spears jutting diagonally upward from the cheval de frise line gleamed with a chilling cold light, like the sharp fangs of a monstrous beast!
We absolutely could not crash into them, or even Da Lei’s formidable armor might not withstand the impact!
My mind raced! The Thunder Battle Aura instinctively condensed onto the thick Dragon Spear!
Roar! Finally, Da Lei carrying me reached the ten-meter mark before the cheval de frise! The Dragon Spear, fully charged with condensed battle aura energy, swept out in a single, sweeping strike that encompassed the entire front line!
Whoosh! An intensely potent crescent-shaped sword energy materialized instantly, skimming almost along the ground as it flew toward the cheval de frise line blocking our path!
Clang-clang-clang-clang-BOOM-rumble!
The massive crescent sword energy behaved like a torpedo carving through waves; every cheval de frise planted on the ground was sent flying skyward by its terrifying impact force! Behind the defenses, the heavy-shielded spearmen were blown to smithereens by the shockwave of the battle aura explosion!
Indeed, the cheval de frise line was the nemesis of all cavalry, but this applied only to conventional cavalry units—it did not account for Heaven Demon Warriors! Following the path I blasted open, Da Lei’s speed surged dramatically; it was clear he, too, knew this was the final push!
Behind me, Jin Yaohong, Jin Yaoming, and the others followed closely, plunging into the cheval de frise line through the gap I had carved open! To allow more Cloud Thunder Cavalry to pass through the defenses, my battle aura Dragon Spear never ceased, unleashing over a dozen crescent slashes! In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen crescent sword energies, like ten torpedoes splitting the waves, raced along the ground!
Every cheval de frise and every heavy-shielded spearmen hiding behind them were obliterated without exception! Along this corridor I forged, many nearby Cloud Thunder Knights swarmed in! Meanwhile, the other scattered Cloud Thunder Cavalry deftly pulled aside to the flanks! Almost simultaneously with their dispersion! Dozens upon dozens of battering rams, drawn by warhorses, thundered forward!
Yes, there is a counter for everything! In the millennia of cold weapon warfare on the Mafa Continent, established systems and patterns had evolved for siege warfare, positional battles, field engagements, and cavalry charges. While the cheval de frise line might cause all cavalry to recoil in fear, it didn't mean cavalry lacked methods to counter it.
Specialized battering rams could shatter even the thickest city gates; naturally, they could certainly handle the hastily erected cheval de frise planted on the ground!
However, the battering rams used specifically against cheval de frise differed from those designed for city gates. The gate-crashing rams had a massive black wooden front segment encased in iron plating, with ten rows of support struts extending from the sides. Thus, when charging, the warhorses pulling the ram were positioned to the sides of the structure, while the central black wood extended forward significantly! The entire ram resembled the Chinese character "" (fēng), relying on the forward section to strike the gate!
But the rams used in open-field combat against the cheval de frise were different! They were smaller and more agile. The ram featured a large, specialized rectangular frame, within which the pulling warhorses were enclosed. In other words, the pulling horses were harnessed inside the frame. This was designed to protect the horses from the cheval de frise or powerful killing weapons like long-range heavy crossbow fire. The front extended two parallel, iron-clad black logs, fifteen meters long and only one meter above the ground—though this height could be adjusted based on terrain variations—specifically designed to smash through the cheval de frise formations.
Every cavalry charge was accompanied by these smaller battering rams, intended precisely to counter the cheval de frise formations specialized against cavalry!
At this moment, these small battering rams immediately broke through the tightly packed ranks of the Cloud Thunder Cavalry and charged toward the dense cheval de frise line!
Crash-boom-rumble!
For a moment, muffled roars shook the vast sky. The impacted cheval de frise and the heavy-shielded spearmen hidden behind them were thrown into the air by the terrifying impact force! Many were impaled directly onto the two protruding black logs, impaled along with their shields and carried far away until they smashed into the next cheval de frise, being instantly pulverized!
The scene was absolutely gruesome!
And this was the brutal reality of cold weapon warfare on the Mafa Continent!
In the blink of an eye, gashes were torn through the previously dense cheval de frise line. The Cloud Thunder Cavalry followed the breached passage and swiftly rushed toward the Ao Tian Legion's mage formation!
Closer, even closer!
Just seventy more meters, and I could surge into the Ao Tian Legion’s mage formation!
Rumble! Suddenly, the ground erupted with countless blinding orbs of light, and heavy magical shockwaves slammed violently outward! Fire and lightning flashed simultaneously; the surroundings instantly transformed into an earthly hellscape where ice and fire mingled with crackling thunder!
The first dozens of battering rams charging at the front were instantly blasted into dust! And many unprepared Cloud Thunder Cavalry, man and horse, were flung into the air. Some were blown apart into bloody pulp, a sight too horrific to witness—a scene nearly identical to modern infantry stepping on landmines!
“Ah! It’s a magic trap!” And a high-intensity magic trap with devastating destructive power! Almost simultaneously, countless great fireballs, lightning spells, laser beams, explosive flames, and ice roars descended like a fierce storm! Mixed in with these were the dense heavy bolts fired by the heavy crossbow chariots!
Thwack-thwack-thwack!
As far as the eye could see, it was a sky choked with arrow rain and magical bombardment, interspersed with the dazzling flashes from the magic trap explosions! Woven into this were countless screams of agony and the sight of severed limbs and shattered bodies blown through the air!
“Ah! Damn it!” Watching the Cloud Thunder Cavalry cut down in droves, I felt like I was about to explode! These damned Demon Sealing mages! They had plotted this all along, waiting for us to enter this most terrifying zone of concentrated firepower!
Although I had long anticipated that charging the Ao Tian Legion’s mage formation would exact a terrible price, only now did I truly comprehend how terrible that price actually was!
The frantic explosions and roars seemed powerful enough to shatter the entire world!
But at this moment, I could afford no hesitation. I spurred Da Lei onward, charging desperately toward the nearby mage formation! Countless explosions erupted around me and Da Lei, but neither the lightning nor the fire, nor the ice shards could pierce the protective battle aura supporting us! This was the formidable nature of a Heaven Demon Warrior!
Faster! Even faster! Once inside, everything would be over!
Da Lei's speed had reached its absolute maximum; the only sound I could hear was the deafening roar of the wind!
Roar! Suddenly! A violent, savage aura surged forth. I couldn't articulate the feeling, but instinct screamed that danger was rapidly approaching!
Almost as soon as I reacted!
Two massive beams of white light flashed into existence out of thin air, slamming toward me and Da Lei at incredible speed! Though their speed was immense, under the effect of the Eye of Death Desire, I managed to capture their forms!
“Ah! It’s the Sacred Beast White Tiger.”