Historically, the Thunderflame Legion was universally acknowledged as the most formidable force, yet what astonished later historians was that among the Seven Great Demon-Sealing Legions, the Thunderflame Legion possessed the fewest Sky-Demon Warriors and Rainbow Arch-Mages—indeed, they had only a single Celestial Venerable Daoist. Coupled with the other seven, these formed the legendary Eight Great Generals of Thunderflame. No one could fathom how, relying on merely eight commanders, they achieved feats so extraordinary they eclipsed every other legion. Their ability to unleash such astonishing combat prowess with only eight individuals was entirely attributable to the Thunderflame Kill Array, first devised by Mo Luo Yin Feng.
Mo Luo Yin Feng, the creator of the Thunderflame Kill Array, would later be hailed as the most brilliant tactical master of succeeding generations!
No one could conceive the sheer, overwhelming power contained within this formation. Wielding this array, the Thunderflame Legion forged a myth of absolute invincibility. Even the Nine Luminaries Divine True One, later lauded as the strongest warrior, never truly managed to defeat the Thunderflame Legion.
Nine Luminaries Divine True One and Mo Luo Yin Feng—these two sworn enemies, bound by fate, would spend their lives unable to overcome the other!
The former would be called the Strongest General; the latter, the most outstanding commander on the Mafa Continent since the Sage Word Soul. Their confrontation was destined to erupt amidst the earth-shattering upheaval of Demon Dragon City!
—The Tome of Sand—Famous Generals
Like wolves hunting a tiger! Nine figures arranged themselves in a peculiar formation, centering Jiuyao Chongyang and Jiuyao Zhuyue. Closest to them were four Sky-Demon Warriors.
The remaining three Rainbow Arch-Mages and the Celestial Venerable Daoist maintained a slight distance, yet their sharp killing intent remained fixed firmly upon Jiuyao Chongyang and Jiuyao Zhuyue.
The Thunderflame Legion: the Eight Great Generals, commanded personally by Marshal Mo Luo Yin Feng. This assassination attempt was assembled with unparalleled luxury. Each of the Eight Great Generals possessed astonishing individual skills!
The four Sky-Demon Warriors were: Ji Bo Yuanfeng, Zhu Rong Mingyan, Yin Nu Qulei, and Man Chuang Qin Dian.
Ji Bo Yuanfeng—a top master under the Wind God Sect of the Demon-Sealing Empire. His name perfectly embodied his essence; his Wind God Sword Style was honed to perfection. Among all Sky-Demon Warriors, his speed undoubtedly ranked in the top five. The Wind God Sword Style was not only breathtakingly fast but terrifyingly effective due to its devious, unpredictable, and elusive paths, making it almost impossible to guard against.
Zhu Rong Mingyan—a top master from the Southern Great Fire God Tribe of the Demon-Sealing Empire. It was rumored that the Zhu Rong clan were descendants of the Fire God. Their secret Fire God Battle Qi was one of the most ferocious types of Battle Qi among warriors on the Mafa Continent.
Yin Nu Qulei—a top master from the Thunder God Gate of the Demon-Sealing Empire, famed across the continent for his incomparably savage Thunder God Saber Style. Among all martial arts on the continent, the Thunder God Saber Style was universally recognized as the most domineering and peerless. Yin Nu Qulei was born with divine strength; only fewer than five individuals among all Sky-Demon Warriors could withstand a direct blow from his Thunder God Saber Style, making him the fiercest general among the Eight Great Generals in terms of raw attack power.
Man Chuang Qin Dian—a master from the Lightning Escape Sect of the Demon-Sealing Empire. His name, Qin Dian (Seize Lightning), implied his incredible speed. His specialty, the Lightning Seizing Sword Style, was the fastest technique from the Lightning Escape Sect. However, unlike Ji Bo Yuanfeng’s strange and elusive style, the Lightning Seizing Sword Style prioritized a single, ultimate strike: it was a sword style of absolute, focused lethality.
Unlike the scattered, individual combat style of the Arrogant Heaven Legion, the Thunderflame Legion’s Eight Great Generals, besides possessing astonishing individual techniques, were deeply versed in the arts of combined strikes!
These four warriors, each proficient in distinct combat styles, flawlessly integrated their four disparate techniques when fighting together, thereby forming the Thunderflame Legion's most powerful tactical setup: the Thunderflame Four Symbols Array—Wind, Fire, Thunder, and Lightning. Among the warrior class on the Mafa Continent, the Thunderflame Four Symbols Array was widely recognized as one of the strongest synchronized formations.
The creator of this formation was Mo Luo Yin Feng, acknowledged as the continent's most outstanding top genius. Under his leadership, the Thunderflame Legion ascended to the pinnacle of the Seven Great Demon-Sealing Legions.
However, impressive as the Thunderflame Four Symbols Array was, it was not the Thunderflame Legion's ultimate killing move!
The Thunderflame Kill God Array was their most terrifying ultimate trump card! The Thunderflame Four Symbols Array served merely as the close-combat segment of the Thunderflame Kill God Array, which required the inclusion of the legion’s other four generals: the three Rainbow Arch-Mages and the one Celestial Venerable Daoist.
Zhu Rong Mingyang—also a young master from the Zhu Rong clan of the Demon-Sealing Empire and brother to Zhu Rong Mingyan. He cultivated the clan's inherited fire magic: Raging Fire Flying Wheel. Compared to Mo Luo Tianfeng’s Deadly Flying Wheel, Zhu Rong Mingyang's Raging Fire Flying Wheel possessed greater destructive power. Even among the crowded ranks of powerful mages in the Demon-Sealing Empire, Zhu Rong Mingyang could definitely place in the top five.
Man Chuang Qin Feng—like Man Chuang Qin Dian, he hailed from the Lightning Escape Sect of the Demon-Sealing Empire and specialized in lightning magic. Among all mages, no one surpassed his instant-cast magic damage output. His signature skill, Thunder Flash, was acclaimed as the fastest instantaneous magic attack. Naturally, Thunder Flash was not only swift but also possessed considerable might.
Gong Gong Zhenqin—the sole female general among the Eight Great Generals, whose combat power certainly matched any male counterpart. She originated from the most powerful Water God Tribe on the northern continent of the Demon-Sealing Empire, the Gong Gong clan. Possessing an innate Water Spirit Body, she cultivated water magic with inherent advantages. Gong Gong Zhenqin was the most outstanding young master of the Water God Tribe in this generation; she achieved the rank of Rainbow Arch-Mage before the age of forty. Her specialty was the ultimate water magic technique, Myriad Streams Return to Origin. Water in its softest form is flow; in its hardest, it is ice. Thus, Myriad Streams Return to Origin perfectly fused the extreme characteristics of both the softest and hardest aspects of water magic. Infinitely variable, adept in both offense and defense, Gong Gong Zhenqin was the strongest among the Eight Great Generals in terms of individual combat strength. Yet, her strength manifested not only in astonishing personal prowess but also in an equally superb ability for overall synchronization.
These three mages formed the Thunderflame Legion's most powerful long-range offensive unit: the Myriad Streams Three Absolutes Array!
Chi Yue Qin Shuang—His ancestor came from the White Sun Heaven Gate in Bi Qi, renowned as the homeland of Daoists. Five centuries prior, the Chi Yue lineage of the White Sun Heaven Gate was viewed with suspicion by the King of Bi Qi and nearly massacred. The remnant Chi Yue clan, in their fury, defected to the Mafa Alliance camp. This was a boon for the Demon-Sealing Empire, which suffered a severe lack of Daoists, allowing the Chi Yue clan to rise again. With the aid of the Chi Yue clan, the Demon-Sealing Empire filled its only gap in military strength, leading to unprecedented military might. This was also a significant reason why the Mafa Alliance had steadily suppressed the Sage Word Alliance for the past five hundred years.
Compared to the others, Chi Yue Qin Shuang might appear unremarkable; his offensive and defensive capabilities fell short of the others. However, no one could overlook the only Celestial Venerable Daoist among the Eight Great Generals. Yes, in terms of raw personal combat ability, he could not compare to the previous seven. But Chi Yue Qin Shuang’s value lay in his astonishing support capabilities and his exceptional overall command, an ability that even Marshal Mo Luo Yin Feng himself admitted was superior.
If the entire Thunderflame Kill God Array was a ferociously murderous monster, then the previous seven generals constituted the monster's armor, claws, and fangs. Chi Yue Qin Shuang was the monster's heart, blood, and mind. It was under his direction that the Thunderflame Four Symbols Array and the Myriad Streams Three Absolutes Array could unleash their most potent combined attack power.
This was the formidable enemy facing Jiuyao Chongyang and Jiuyao Zhuyue: the Thunderflame Generals, capable of slaying even the gods!
Information regarding the Thunderflame Legion flashed rapidly through his mind. Unlike the Arrogant Heaven Legion, the Thunderflame Legion emphasized synchronized teamwork. Consequently, among the Seven Great Demon-Sealing Legions, the Thunderflame Legion had the fewest Sky-Demon Warriors and Rainbow Arch-Mages, and only a single Celestial Venerable Daoist. Yet, in terms of combat effectiveness, they were the strongest, firmly securing the position of the foremost legion.
As if plunged into an endless, vast ocean, the battle aura of the Hun Xiong’s Battle Qi magic firmly encircled Jiuyao Chongyang. Intuition screamed that he could not afford the slightest lapse in concentration now.
The four warriors took their positions in four directions, subtly forming an interlocking strike pattern. The three Rainbow Arch-Mages stood fifty meters away, their auras subtly sweeping across Jiuyao Chongyang’s vital points like four insidious vipers, poised to strike fatally at any moment.
Stomp! Stomp! A few dull footsteps sounded, like small stones dropped onto a tranquil lake, causing subtle ripples to disturb the initially balanced, delicate atmosphere!
A sharp, piercing whoosh instantly erupted!
Five streaks of sword energy shot forward, arranged in a perfectly parallel, ‘Chuan’ character shape. These five strikes—two to the left, two to the right, and one center—instantly enveloped both Jiuyao Chongyang and Jiuyao Zhuyue within their attack radius! The initiator was Yin Nu Qulei, one of the four Sky-Demon Warriors.
What exquisite coordination! A true expert reveals their mastery with their first move. Yin Nu Qulei struck first, but the other seven remained motionless. Clearly, this Battle Qi attack was designed to force Jiuyao Chongyang to react and defend. Once he reacted, he would inevitably have to move.
And any movement, no matter how slight or momentary, would create an opening. For these masters of combined attack, no opening, however brief, would ever be missed!
Mo Luo Yin Feng stood impassively to the side, his icy eyes calm. In the entire scene, his gaze was fixed solely on the graceful figure beside Jiuyao Chongyang!
Seemingly sensing Mo Luo Yin Feng’s presence, Jiuyao Zhuyue merely offered a faint smile, as if the fierce battle raging before her was inconsequential. She showed no reaction even as at least two of the incoming Battle Qi strikes were aimed directly at her.
She did not move, but Jiuyao Chongyang did!
Whoosh! The previously dark Blade of Dominion instantly turned into a dazzling, brilliant long blade that swept out gently. The surge of profound sword qi rose like a waterfall defying the current!
Boom! Following a dull, heavy collision, the five sword energies immediately dissipated!
But in that exact instant! Ji Bo Yuanfeng moved. Two streaks of brilliant sword energy, like phantoms flickering in the void, flashed from Jiuyao Chongyang’s rear, one left, one right, closing in rapidly.
Almost simultaneously, Man Chuang Qin Dian’s quick blade flashed—no one could precisely gauge its speed, but the sharp blade qi had already reached Jiuyao Chongyang’s side, arriving faster than the sword energies Ji Bo Yuanfeng had launched moments before!
So fast! The Thunderflame Legion’s two greatest speed masters attacked concurrently, utilizing angles so tricky and unexpected that defense was almost impossible. Jiuyao Chongyang had already committed to his saber technique and could not retract his guard.
When masters clash, the difference of a heartbeat determines life or death. Ji Bo Yuanfeng and Man Chuang Qin Dian demonstrated supreme mastery over seizing the fleeting opportunity!
Yet, the sword energy waterfall that had shot skyward did not halt its momentum. As the Blade of Dominion rotated, it transformed into a white ribbon of light seemingly held by Jiuyao Chongyang, smoothly coiling outward in a sweeping motion. The entire action appeared effortless, as casual as a stroll in the park, wielded with utter nonchalance. However, this profound and immense sword qi not only repelled the close-range sword energies and Battle Qi but simultaneously launched a counterattack, wrapping the four surrounding Sky-Demon Warriors within its sudden surge!