A colossal fire dragon instantly swallowed the cavalry formation of the Lei Yan Legion! Within the sea of flames, all that met the eye was a hazy, crimson blur. This was accompanied by scorching thermal shockwaves and a suffocating, dizzying pressure that stole the breath.
Fire attacks were not an uncommon tactic on the Mafa Continent, and in past siege warfare, the Fire Wall spell was a frequently employed magical skill.
However, not a single past fire engagement could compare to the boundless, raging wildfire before them now.
Indeed, this endless grassland, having been pre-soaked with Green Glaze and Flame Powder, was now ignited, and fueled by the wind, the resulting prairie fire spread with astonishing speed.
The fatal blow was that the Lei Yan Legion, positioned downwind, became the direct target for the fire's consumption.
In the blink of an eye, they were entirely enveloped by the inferno.
Yet, every knight within the Lei Yan Legion was an exceptionally skilled warrior. The soldiers channeled their Protective Battle Aura, the mages activated their Magic Shields, and the Taoists immediately unleashed Ghost Shields and Sacred Armor.
These were the most common countermeasures used against the Fire Wall spell. For a moment, light flashed and roars echoed within the immense sea of fire!
This granted the initially panicked cavalry formation of the Lei Yan Legion a fleeting chance to draw breath.
But soon, Yin Nu Qu Lei and the others discovered a terrifying truth.
The temperature inside the great fire grew relentlessly hotter; even the Protective Battle Aura could not sustain them indefinitely. More fatally, the scorching air within the inferno was simply unbreathable.
Any meager breath drawn felt like fire consuming the body from within, causing intense suffering.
A heavy, stifling asphyxiation enveloped everyone.
Many Lei Yan Knights collapsed on the spot, man and steed alike.
Yes, this was the other terrifying consequence of the sweeping conflagration: due to the massive scale of the combustion, the oxygen in the air was being rapidly depleted. Those who failed to escape the inferno in time, even if not burned alive, were falling unconscious from oxygen deprivation.
Furthermore, the inability to breathe caused the Battle Aura and magic within many to spiral out of control, leading them to drop their protective auras and shields.
Suddenly, screams mingled with the terrified whinnies of warhorses, weaving together with the sky-high flames to form the world’s most brutal, bloody crucible of agony.
Those Lei Yan Knights who managed to break free of the flames found their formation thrown into utter chaos as their panicked High Furnace Warhorses bolted wildly in every direction.
Amidst the disarray, the heavily armored generals, including Yin Nu Qu Lei, carried the already injured and unconscious Mo Luo Yin Feng and desperately fled south.
As fellow heavy armored generals of the Feng Mo Imperial Family, Yin Nu Qu Lei and the others knew intimately the terrifying might and devastating side effects of Tian Mo Wu Xian (Limitless Celestial Demon).
What’s more, Mo Luo Yin Feng had unleashed the second layer of Tian Mo Wu Xian: Shēng Sǐ Liàn Yù (Life and Death Purgatory).
Frankly, the fact that Mo Luo Yin Feng hadn't exploded from the strain on the spot was nothing short of a supreme blessing.
However, they were deeply shocked by the astonishing combat prowess of Jiu Yao Shen Zhen, who had forced Mo Luo Yin Feng into such a desperate, all-or-nothing invocation. Though they were fully aware of how terrifying Jiu Yao Shen Zhen was, every encounter with this murderous god left Yin Nu Qu Lei and his men chilled to the bone.
Recalling the preceding sequence of feigned retreats, everyone was now filled with dread for Jiu Yao Shen Zhen and the entire Black Flag Legion. So much so that their first instinct upon seeing Jiu Yao Shen Zhen was to flee uncontrollably.
The Lei Yan Legion had always been renowned for its bravery, tenacity, and resilience since its founding. Yet, Jiu Yao Shen Zhen and the Great Mammoth Beast King acted like immense iron hammers, effortlessly shattering the morale and conviction of every soldier in the Lei Yan Legion.
It had to be called a truly pitiful transformation! It filled Yin Nu Qu Lei and the others with a sense of defeat and helplessness; even the formidable Mo Luo Yin Feng was incapacitated and knocked unconscious in a single exchange, even if that encounter contained a measure of sneak attack advantage. But the reality was that Jiu Yao Shen Zhen’s strength far surpassed Mo Luo Yin Feng’s!
The severe injury and unconsciousness of their commanding general only deepened the fear gripping the Lei Yan Legion.
Everyone desperately wanted to break free of the fire sea!
But the entire Lei Yan Legion only descended into deeper chaos the more they struggled! More soldiers were trampled to death by their own mounts than were burned alive!
Yin Nu Qu Lei struggled on one side to steady the formation while simultaneously protecting Mo Luo Yin Feng, fighting for a breakout.
The sea of fire before them, despite causing terrible casualties, posed no immediate threat to heavily armored generals like Yin Nu Qu Lei.
However, being trapped within this chaotic cavalry mass threw Yin Nu Qu Lei and his companions into a frenzy. Several times, their mounts were nearly overturned by the rampaging High Furnace Warhorses.
But Yin Nu Qu Lei and his company were seasoned battlefield veterans; they quickly realized that fleeing with the wind’s direction meant they could never escape the inferno’s engulfment.
“All soldiers, split into north and south routes and retreat in dispersion!” Yin Nu Qu Lei’s thunderous roar instantly ripped through the chaotic, muffled din, sounding exceptionally loud!
This caused the Lei Yan Knights, who had been scattering like headless flies, to instinctively act upon their commander's order.
The Lei Yan cavalry, previously flailing aimlessly, immediately split into two groups, left and right—north and south—and charged out of the fire sea!
The southern route was led by Yin Nu Qu Lei and Gong Gong Qin Qin, carrying the injured and unconscious Mo Luo Yin Feng.
The northern route was led by Chi Yue Qin Shuang, Man Cang Qin Dian, and Ji Bo Yuan Feng.
On the other side!
The Sword Dragon Knights, long prepared, seemed to have anticipated this moment. Almost as the Lei Yan Legion burst from the flames, they charged in for the kill!
The Lei Yan cavalry, already terrified to their core by the fire, barely had time to catch their breath before they were cut down from their saddles by the suddenly appearing Sword Dragon Knights!
Some were sent flying, man and mount both, from the force of the collision.
The devils, legendary in open-field combat, finally bared their ferocious fangs. The Sword Dragon Knights of the Byron Tribe had finally secured the precious opportunity for close-quarters melee combat under the cover of the great fire!
Everyone seemed transformed into violently burning, explosively erupting volcanoes!
Previously, having suffered a major morale collapse due to the assassination of their commander, the Sword Dragon Knights had been driven into a desperate rout by the relentlessly pursuing Lei Yan Legion. It was arguably the most devastating rout in the history of the Byron Tribe!
It was only yesterday that the Sword Dragon Knights learned their commander, Jiu Yao Shen Zhen, had not died in the assassination but was only severely wounded and unconscious. Now, he had finally awakened!
When the news spread, all the Byron warriors were greatly invigorated, and immediately following the Marshal’s awakening, they launched a counteroffensive.
No one expected this counterattack to be so earth-shattering, violent, and savage!
Facing the boundless sea of fire, all the Byron warriors seemed to have been ignited by the fierce blaze themselves; everyone desperately urged their mounts forward, launching the most courageous and rapid charge regardless of the consequences!
Yes! The preceding crushing defeat delivered by the Lei Yan Legion had left a burning resentment festering in the hearts of every Byron warrior.
At this moment, they needed an outlet, both men and mounts alike.
The Sword Dragon Knights became the incarnation of demons; every prey they targeted was mercilessly torn to shreds! Every enemy caught in their path was violently thrown aside!
The Lei Yan cavalry, scrambling out of the fire, were immediately smashed into disarray by the surging Sword Dragon Knights, thrown down and routed!
The heavily armored generals, like Jian Wu, spurred their mounts into frenzied charges back and forth, simultaneously searching for the enemy’s heavy armored generals.
Soon, they spotted Yin Nu Qu Lei and the others, struggling to escape while carrying Mo Luo Yin Feng, fleeing toward the south under the escort of a dense crowd of personal guards!
Jian Wu and the others were in no mood to let them escape easily and immediately gave chase!
However, facing the desperate flight of Yin Nu Qu Lei’s group, even the heavy armored generals like Jian Wu found themselves helpless.
In terms of speed, the mounts were nearly equal, and with the personal guards fighting desperately to intercept them!
Before long, Yin Nu Qu Lei’s group managed to pull distance from Jian Wu’s contingent!
When Jian Wu and the others finally cut down the intercepting guards, Yin Nu Qu Lei’s group was nowhere in sight!
With no choice, Jian Wu, Yin Chi, and Yin Yao led one detachment northward.
Yin Shuang led the remaining heavy armored generals and other Sword Dragon Knights southward, pursuing the fleeing Yin Nu Qu Lei.
The vast Byron Grasslands were once again enveloped by the roar of tens of thousands of galloping horses. The crucial difference was that the roles of pursuer and pursued had undergone a dramatic reversal.
The former pursuers had become a desperate, routed army forced to flee for their lives. This was an incredibly dramatic shift, yet not a single soul in the Lei Yan Legion could muster a smile.
No one had anticipated that this pursuit operation would devolve into the irrecoverable rout unfolding before them.
Yes, who could have foreseen the sudden appearance of Jiu Yao Shen Zhen, whom they all believed to have been assassinated?
For Mo Luo Yin Feng, Yin Nu Qu Lei, and every single soldier of the Lei Yan Legion, Jiu Yao Shen Zhen was an utterly terrifying demon that chilled them to the marrow.
As a result, the moment they saw that single figure on horseback appear, the only thought that surfaced was to flee—to escape desperately, heedless of all else.
The defeat was absolute! And now, those two million-plus Lei Yan Knights had, in the blink of an eye, become a fleeing rabble whose only instinct was survival! The expansive Byron Grasslands had transformed into a horrifying, bloody slaughterhouse.
And the bloody chase lasted for three full days and nights!
When Yin Nu Qu Lei’s group finally staggered around a wide loop and reached the Old Fort of Jiu Qu, they were met by the waiting, arrayed forces of Ji Du, Yin Tao, and Yin Hu, alongside Chi Ming and Chi Hao, who had doubled back!
Yes, this too was part of the Black Flag Army's strategy. Ji Du and Yin Tao’s initial objective, besides fighting a suicidal rearguard action, was to quietly loop back while the Lei Yan Legion was deep in the Byron Grasslands, coordinating with Chi Ming and Chi Hao, and the five thousand Blood Wolf Knights to spring a masterful ambush at the Old Fort of Jiu Qu. They had severely mauled the force of over a hundred thousand men led by Zhu Rong Ming Yang and Man Cang Qin Feng. Had Man Cang Qin Feng and Zhu Rong Ming Yang not fled swiftly, Ji Du would have executed them on the spot!
After crushing Man Cang Qin Feng and Zhu Rong Ming Yang, the forces of Ji Du and Chi Ming established a garrison, waiting for the routed army of Mo Luo Yin Feng.
And they truly did wait and get their prize!
Upon seeing the black banner flying proudly above the Old Fort of Jiu Qu, and the heavy armored generals—Ji Du, Yin Hu, Yin Tao, Chi Ming, and Chi Hao—standing menacingly before the ramparts, Yin Nu Qu Lei and the entire body of the Lei Yan Legion nearly collapsed! Days of continuous flight had already left the Lei Yan forces exhausted.
But they could not afford even a moment to rest!
The current situation made it obvious that they had been entrapped by the Black Flag Army’s calculation.
It was impossible for their demoralized, defeated force to assault the Old Fort of Jiu Qu and escape toward Man City. With no other option, Yin Nu Qu Lei’s contingent was forced to lead their army south, continuing their flight.
Yin Nu Qu Lei’s only viable path now was to flee into the Wan Luo Mountains to the south and traverse them to reach Wan Luo City.
The Blood Wolf Knights, masters of jungle warfare, were certainly not about to let such a rare opportunity pass!
Seeing Yin Nu Qu Lei lead his troops south, Chi Ming and Chi Hao could no longer contain themselves. Leading five thousand Blood Wolf Knights, they burst out of the city and joined the pursuit of the Lei Yan Legion!
The desperately fleeing Lei Yan Legion was forced to plunge into the Wan Luo Mountain Range.
Only now did they truly manage to shake off the pursuit of the Sword Dragon Knights. Although High Furnace Warhorses were not suited for jungle combat, the sheer bulk of the Saber-Toothed Dragons made them even more cumbersome in dense woods; a rash pursuit might have allowed the Lei Yan Legion to launch a surprise attack.
Though it was a great pity, Yin Shuang had no choice but to order the Sword Dragon Knights to halt the chase.
However, the Black Flag Army was not composed solely of Sword Dragon Knights; the five thousand Blood Wolf Knights were already eager for action.
After receiving Yin Shuang’s approval, Chi Ming and Chi Hao, along with two other Sky Rainbow Arcane Masters from the Blood Wolf Tribe, Chi Xiang and Chi Yu, led the five thousand Blood Wolf Knights in a calculated tailing pursuit into the Wan Luo Mountains!
It must be said that the four—Chi Ming, Chi Hao, Chi Xiang, and Chi Yu—were incredibly daring, chasing over three hundred thousand routed Lei Yan troops with only five thousand men.
Yet, no one dared underestimate these five thousand Blood Wolf Knights.
In the jungle, the Blood Wolf Knights were the most terrifying assassins. Moreover, the Blood Wolf Knights were now supported by four Sky Rainbow Arcane Masters on the frontline.
They were confident they could cause significant trouble for the Lei Yan Legion.
On the other side, Yin Nu Qu Lei and his men were filled with rage and resentment. In the past, when Blood Wolf Knights encountered Lei Yan Knights, they were the ones who fled in terror; they would never have dared to conduct such an open, trailing pursuit as they were today.
Even knowing that the pursuing Blood Wolf Knights were few in number, Yin Nu Qu Lei and his forces dared not relax their guard, leading their remaining troops onward in flight.
To attempt a head-on confrontation with the Blood Wolf Knights in the jungle would be suicide. Yin Nu Qu Lei’s only remaining objective was to shepherd the remnants of his army to Wan Luo City; otherwise, the Lei Yan Legion faced complete annihilation.
Meanwhile, Yin Shuang led the main contingent to the Old Fort of Jiu Qu to link up with Ji Du, who was holding the position, and then continued the advance toward Man City.
The strategy of luring the enemy deep and maneuvering for half a month had finally achieved the desired effect.
However, the Black Flag Army could afford no rest!
Everyone understood clearly that if they did not seize the moment, while the Lei Yan Legion was newly defeated and their morale shattered, to take Man City, all their efforts would be wasted once the Feng Mo Empire recovered and reacted.
Only by capturing Man City would this entire operation be considered a complete success.
Naturally, all soldiers of the Black Flag Army were filled with confidence regarding the upcoming phase of the battle.
“Objective: Man City. All forces advance.” Yin Shuang raised his Dragon Mark standard, looking spirited and triumphant.
“Roar! Advance!” The earth-shattering cry echoed across the heavens, ceaseless. The boundless black torrent rolled like a tidal wave toward Man City!