Above the skies of Manchester! The clouds were heavy and oppressive! The sound of earth-shaking war drums throbbed, and as far as the eye could see, nothing but an endless, surging tide of blackness. Every defender of Manchester felt it—the Black Banner Legion’s fierce, unmatched killing intent soaring to the heavens!

Since the fighting began, the booming war drums had not ceased for a moment. The Black Banner Legion moved ceaselessly, day and night, circling the walls of Manchester like hungry wolves that had fixed their sights on prey.

Though they had not yet scaled the ramparts, that posture of tension, coiled and ready to strike without attacking, bred a far greater sense of dread and unease!

This kept the Manchester garrison on the walls from daring to relax even slightly. They watched every move the Black Banner Legion made, every second of the day!

Upon the battlements! Mo Luo Yinfeng, Yin Nuqulei, and others strained their eyes against the distance! Eight hundred meters out, a dense black line rose considerably above the horizon, stretching far to the left and right! It looked like a solid, towering wall! And it stood in silent confrontation with Manchester’s own high walls!

Yet, Mo Luo Yinfeng and the others knew perfectly well that it was no mere wall, but a mobile defense line formed by rows upon rows of Byron War Chariots!

Capable of offense or defense, that was the terrible power of the Byron Chariot. At this moment, this mobile defense line composed of the chariots stood like an invisible, immense mountain, pressing down on every soldier of Manchester with a suffocating weight. No one could predict when that massive steel wall would start to move.

But one thing was clear to all: once that wall began to advance, what followed would inevitably be a slaughter of unimaginable savagery!

“Such powerful fighting spirit.” Yin Nuqulei said in a deep voice, “If we didn't know for a fact that Jiuyou Shenzhen is gravely wounded and unconscious, we might actually be fooled by them.”

“This Yin Shuang is truly formidable,” Chi Yue Qinshuang murmured. “Putting on the display of a full-scale assault while withholding the blow not only keeps the soldiers’ morale high and stabilizes the army’s heart but also forces us into inaction.”

“For a mere woman to achieve this is indeed extraordinary,” Mo Luo Yinfeng said, sweeping his gaze across the assembled men. “Pity that’s all she can manage. The Black Banner forces now are merely strong on the outside but hollow within. It is up to our Lei Yan Legion to crush them utterly.” Mo Luo Yinfeng drew his longsword and pointed it sharply toward the sky, roaring out, “In the name of my Lei Yan! Victory shall be ours!”

“Lei Yan, Victory! Lei Yan, Victory!” The soldiers on the wall cheered enthusiastically, shouting their support.

“Open the gates, advance!” Mo Luo Yinfeng’s brilliant Frost-Condensing Greatsword suddenly unleashed a dazzling, fiery sword aura that shot toward the ground below! Boom! With a dull, heavy impact, the solid earth split open, revealing a deep crater!

The few narrow city gates began to slowly grind open! Thud-thud-thud-thud! Urgent hoofbeats hammered frantically against the solid ground, shaking the earth with their thunderous rhythm! Like a flood bursting through a dam, a torrent of crimson iron instantly burst forth in all directions—it was the heavy cavalry and magic cavalry of the Lei Yan Legion! Leading the charge were the specialized mounts of Black Flame and several other Heavy War Generals!

Almost simultaneously as these towering furnace-horses exploded out! Mo Luo Yinfeng and the others sprang up, leaping down from the battlements! Neigh! The furnace-horses let out a sudden, long whinny, rearing high! Their massive bodies carved graceful arcs against the gloomy sky, catching the descending Mo Luo Yinfeng and his companions mid-air! Clatter-stomp! They quickly planted their hooves on the ground and rushed toward the black torrent in the distance at astonishing speed!

“Roar! Lei Yan Victory!” The heavy cavalry and magic cavalry following close behind cheered loudly! Their morale soared even higher! There was no doubt that the agile movements and superb horsemanship of the Heavy War Generals greatly lifted the spirits of the entire army! Rumble-rumble-rumble! The dull thunder and the swiftly approaching crimson iron tide instantly loomed large before their eyes!

“Ah, it’s the Lei Yan Legion’s cavalry.” The Byron Warriors could hardly believe what they were seeing. The Lei Yan troops, which had been hunkered down inside the city for days, were actually coming out to fight! Yet, more potent than disbelief was an uncontrollable surge of elation and excitement! “Damn it, these little turtles are finally showing themselves,” a few cavalry captains instinctively licked their dry lips and raised their Dragon Spears! Being halted by the sheer number of the complex, layered city defenses had left the Byron Warriors feeling frustrated and agitated, unable to vent their strength. Now, with the Manchester defenders coming out to meet them, it was the perfect opportunity for the battle-eager Byron Warriors to unleash their fighting intent! Roar! Roar-roar! The frenzied Saber-toothed Dragon Beasts roared like thunder, eager to move!

Central Command! Yin Shuang’s cold eyes surveyed the charging crimson torrent with icy focus! Like a predator wolf watching its quarry, her concentration and calm were as sharp as a polished blade! Everyone felt that intensely concentrated killing intent! So much so that Cang Yue Qianyu and Cang Yue Zhenxian, themselves Celestial Demon Warriors, felt a strange, ineffable chill and unease!

However, remembering that everything had been meticulously planned! The strange anxiety in their hearts gradually dissipated. Everything had undergone careful deduction and calculation! Faced with the sudden sally of the Manchester defenders, and the attack from Mo Luo Yinfeng and the Lei Yan War Generals, there was no choice but to meet the charge head-on. Yes, even Heavy War Generals like Jidu were forced to engage the enemy.

But even so, to guard the unconscious Jiuyou Shenzhen, Yin Shuang had still assigned Jian Qi to remain in the main tent! This fact, however, had also fallen perfectly into the calculations of Cang Yue Zhenxian and Cang Yue Qianyu. Yes, this entire situation was carefully orchestrated by Cang Yue Zhenxian and Cang Yue Qianyu! The goal was to lure away the Heavy War Generals guarding Jiuyou Shenzhen, thus maximally weakening the defenses protecting the Supreme Commander! Although Jian Qi, a Celestial Master Taoist, remained beside Jiuyou Shenzhen, Cang Yue Qianyu and Cang Yue Zhenxian were confident that the combined strength of Ying Long and Ying Jia would be sufficient to slay Jiuyou Shenzhen!

Thinking this, the two struggled to suppress the intense agitation and excitement within them! Simultaneously, they subconsciously glanced at the others beside them. Jidu’s expression showed some anxiety; he kept looking back toward the main tent at the rear, clearly worried about Jiuyou Shenzhen’s safety. As for Chi Ming, Chi Hao, and the others, they also kept glancing back—it seemed both were fiercely loyal confidantes of Jiuyou Shenzhen! Jian Wu, Yin Hu, Yin Tao, and the rest wore solemn expressions, staring intently ahead.

Soon, everyone noticed that the ones leading the charge were Mo Luo Yinfeng and the cohort of Heavy War Generals! “Mo Luo Yinfeng is leading the charge personally,” Jian Wu gasped in shock. “Damn it, could the information have leaked?” Jidu stated gravely. “Otherwise, how could Mo Luo Yinfeng have so easily led troops out to counterattack?” “We can’t worry about that now,” Jian Wu said. “With the Lei Yan Heavy War Generals all mobilized, it’s clear they are determined to win this push. We must intercept them, or if they break into our formation, it will spell disaster.” “Hmph, then let them never return,” Yin Shuang suddenly drew her Dragon-Patterned Longsword and stated grimly, “Heavy War Generals, Sword Dragon Knights, advance.” “Yes, sir!” Jian Wu, Yin Tao, Jidu, Cang Yue Zhenxian, and Cang Yue Zhenwu spurred their mounts forward simultaneously! Behind them followed countless Sword Dragon Knights, bristling with murderous intent! Rumble-rumble! Under the somber sky, two massive steel torrents, one black and one red, collided violently! The decisive battle had begun!

At the rear of the battlefield, The Byron Warriors stationed at the camp anxiously stared at the swirling dust rising in the distance! The heavy war drums and the world-shaking cries of battle mixed with occasional light tremors that reached them intermittently! This made the Byron Warriors stationed at the rear camp burn with anxiety! All of them subconsciously held their swords flat across their chests, chanting ancient blessings, praying for victory for their soldiers at the front! This, perhaps, was the only thing the rear guard could do!

Inside the medical tent! Jian Qi stood fully armored and armed, even her Sacred Beast, the White Tiger, had been summoned. The woman and the beast stood quietly in the center of the tent. Outside the tent, several dozen elite experts handpicked by the Byron Tribes formed a tight ring, completely encircling the medical tent. Yet, whether it was Jian Qi or the other dozens of Byron warriors, all wore faces etched with tension and apprehension! Yes! The other Heavy War Generals of the Black Banner Legion were all holding the front lines! Only Jian Qi remained to guard the injured Supreme Commander—this made their nervousness unavoidable! This was precisely when the defensive force protecting Jiuyou Shenzhen was at its most vulnerable! But at this very moment! Boom-boom... A large hole suddenly exploded open in a corner of the thick tent fabric! “Ah! Assassins?” Two Byron warriors guarding that corner cried out in alarm! Amidst the sudden, intense surge of killing intent, they knew instantly that something was terribly wrong. However, these two were battle-hardened elite warriors; shouting their warning, they drew their blades simultaneously! But in that flash of lightning speed! Two phantom-like figures materialized instantly, blades of brilliant light appearing from nowhere! Their swords hadn't even cleared their scabbards! Thwack! Mist of blood sprayed as two heads rolled to the ground without warning! And in the instant those heads fell! The two ghostly, flashing golden figures darted into the tent! One lunged directly toward Jian Qi, while the other sprang toward Jiuyou Shenzhen, who lay still on the cot!

“Celestial Demon Warriors,” Jian Qi exclaimed in shock! As a Celestial Master Taoist, her reaction was astonishingly swift! Her delicate figure shot backward with a whoosh! Swish! The silver light that swept in missed its mark, striking only the afterimage Jian Qi had left behind! And as she recoiled, Jian Qi’s Dragon-Patterned Sword flashed out like lightning, carving two dazzling arcs of light! Swish-swish-swish-swish! Four Soul Fire Talismans shot out, aimed at the other figure attacking Jiuyou Shenzhen! Roar! The Sacred Beast White Tiger let out a massive roar and pounced! Everything happened in the blink of an eye! The other Byron warriors outside the tent couldn't even clearly see what had transpired!

Hmph! As if anticipating this, the figure originally charging Jiuyou Shenzhen executed a swift, skillful sidestep maneuver! Swish-swish-swish! The four Soul Fire Talismans missed their target! However, the White Tiger’s massive steel claws seemed to have perfectly calculated the trajectory of the evasion! With a lightning-fast sweep, the claws lashed out, catching the figure around the waist! “Hmph!” The attacker snorted, and his forward momentum abruptly shifted into a bizarre, plunging lunge! Swish! The White Tiger’s massive steel claws missed entirely! Yet the attacker’s speed did not diminish! He rushed right up to the bed! Swish! Amidst a wave of scorching heat, a blindingly brilliant fire sword aura slashed down ruthlessly, targeting the bed where Jiuyou Shenzhen lay! “No, stop!” Jian Qi cried out in horror! The sudden attacker was Ying Long, a Celestial Demon Warrior who had secretly followed Cang Yue Qianyu and Cang Yue Zhenxian to the Demon Sealing Continent, accompanied by Ying Jia! Jian Qi was pinned down by Ying Jia! And at this moment, absolutely no one could stop the fiery sword aura unleashed by Ying Long!

“Die!” A flicker of burning madness and satisfaction flashed in Ying Long’s icy eyes. To personally slay the renowned Jiuyou Shenzhen—what could be more exhilarating than this moment! Ying Long could already picture Jiuyou Shenzhen’s body being torn apart by the fire aura, utterly annihilated! Boom! The potent fire sword aura collided with the bed in a straightforward impact! But at that precise instant! Rumble-rumble! An overwhelmingly bright light exploded before their eyes, accompanied by a terrifying shockwave! And a magical fluctuation so scorching it could melt any substance! Ah! Ying Jia hadn't even reacted before he was thrown backward by the sudden flash and the horrific impact! He flew as if launched by a giant bat hitting a baseball, completely losing control! This was accompanied by the distinct, crisp sound of bones shattering and organs tearing! Blood sprayed uncontrollably! “Magic Trap,” Ying Jia cried out in shock! He instantly understood! Clearly, he and Ying Long had fallen into an enemy ambush! Although he couldn't grasp how the enemy had predicted their assassination attempt, he knew one thing for certain: this assassination had absolutely failed, and the only option now was to flee immediately! Without hesitation, Ying Jia’s charge toward Jian Qi suddenly twisted into a flash-step toward the hole he had just blasted open! Roar! A sudden, fierce roar erupted again! The sound was shockingly loud! Ying Jia, caught completely off guard, felt as if a sledgehammer had smashed into his chest! Accompanying it was a terrifying killing intent, violent and brutal enough to shatter the entire world! Ah! It was the Beast King’s Roar! In that instant, Ying Jia suddenly realized! It was Jiuyou Shenzhen’s terrifying mount, the Great Mammoth Beast King! As if to confirm Ying Jia’s guess! A gigantic white silhouette suddenly materialized out of thin air! Under the state of his Eye of Deathlust, Ying Jia clearly saw the Great Mammoth Beast King’s sharp, massive horns hurtling toward his chest at incredible speed! However, having been hit head-on by the close-range sonic attack of the Beast King’s Roar, Ying Jia’s entire body was completely immobilized. Yes, that was the horror of the Beast King’s Roar! Even a Celestial Demon Warrior would suffer dearly if caught point-blank! His head nearly spun into unconsciousness, but more lethal was the paralyzing effect of the terrifying sonic attack, which caused a temporary loss of neural control over his body. Though this paralysis would only last a brief second or two, at such a crucial moment, it became a fatal opportunity! Ying Jia could make no move whatsoever! He could only watch as the Great Mammoth Beast King’s huge horns: Instantly filled his vision, then slammed into his chest! Thwack! A sharp pain shot through his chest! Accompanied by an unparalleled, terrifying impact force! So fast! Truly so fast! This was the Great Mammoth Beast King! Ying Jia fought back the urge to faint, staring intensely at the close-range, blood-red eyes of the Beast King! Deep and blood-red, like two violently churning flames, they were now fixed on him with a grim gaze, emitting soul-chilling low growls! Boom! On the other side came a dull thud! Ying Long, who had been thrown into the air by the magic trap, also crashed heavily onto the ground! But without needing to look back, Ying Jia knew Ying Long was beyond saving; the power of that magic trap was simply too terrifying! It was clear this magic trap had been specifically prepared to deal with him and Ying Long! This level of explosive force must have been a sealed explosion magic technique powered by the full strength of at least two Arch-Rangers of the Rainbow Light tier! Yet, Ying Jia could not fathom how the enemy had precisely predicted that he and Ying Long would attempt to assassinate Jiuyou Shenzhen! But now, pondering it was too late! Feeling his life energy rapidly draining, Ying Jia gathered every ounce of strength to try and raise his Moon in the Well sword! However, this action seemed to anger the Great Mammoth Beast King! Roar! Another furious roar erupted! The Beast King’s massive head whipped around sharply! Ying Jia’s powerful body was flung far away as if he were nothing more than a weightless rag doll! Then, he smashed heavily onto the ground! There was no more breath in him! Only his pair of brown eyes remained wide open, filled with a heart-stopping sense of regret and terror!

Ah! Jian Qi on the side was completely stunned! Heavens! This Great Mammoth Beast King was actually this formidable! In a single exchange, he had instantly killed Ying Jia! Perhaps Ying Jia never imagined his life would end this way—not by the hands of other Heavy War Generals, but killed by a surprise attack from a beast! It had to be called an accident! A tragic accident! In fact, besides Jiuyou Shenzhen and Jidu, no one knew that the Great Mammoth Beast King possessed such astonishing and terrifying combat prowess! If Jian Qi had known that the Beast King, in a single charge on Lingfeng Bridge, had simultaneously sent six Heavy War Generals, including Mo Luo Aotian and Mo Luo Zhanlong, flying, she would not have been surprised at the outcome before her in the slightest! In reality, in terms of combat power, the Great Mammoth Beast King was in no way inferior to a Celestial Demon Warrior. And if judged purely by strength and speed, the Beast King far surpassed the average Celestial Demon Warrior. It could be said that Ying Jia’s defeat, while unexpected, was perfectly logical!

Whew! This was too close! Jian Qi nearly collapsed onto the ground!