"What method? You dare to face Zhuge Yuanhong?" the middle-aged man in the grey robe sneered.
"No, certainly not," the burly man chuckled. "Elder Hu, Zhuge Yuanhong is the Sect Master; he should be stationed in Jiangning Commandery City.
The possibility of him being in Yanjiang City is very low. My method is...
to lower the morale of the Black Armored Army and sow discord among them." Both the middle-aged man in the grey robe and Elder Tie looked at him. "I suspect the news of Iron Clothed Gate's annihilation is known only to the higher-ups within the Guiyuan Sect.
They dare not tell the disciples. If the disciples are driven to despair and fear, quite a few timid ones might break down and defect," the burly man stated.
Indeed... If the sect disciples learned that Iron Clothed Gate was wiped out overnight, many in Guiyuan Sect would likely be gripped by fear and terror.
After all, even Teng Qingshan and Elder Yan felt powerless to turn the tide. What hope would ordinary disciples have?
"Your meaning?" The middle-aged man in the grey robe's eyes lit up. "A challenge before the battle formation!" the burly man laughed.
"And publicly announce the destruction of Iron Clothed Gate! Destabilize their army's morale!" Challenging formations was common when large sects faced off; the leaders and masters often played a crucial role, frequently resulting in duels between the experts of both armies.
Defeating or even killing the opposing leader could cause their morale to plummet. "Publicly announcing the destruction of Iron Clothed Gate...
Hmm, not bad. You suggest a pre-battle duel?" The middle-aged man in the grey robe frowned.
"What I mean is..." the burly man immediately began to elaborate. * Morning dawned, and the sun rose.
On the battlements of Yanjiang City. Three thousand Black Armored soldiers leaned against the walls, eating their breakfast.
Traces of blood from yesterday's fighting still stained the ramparts. Below the city, the massive army of Green Lake Island was beginning to assemble.
"They want to storm the city?" Teng Qingshan stood on the wall, gazing toward the Green Lake Island camp in the distance. "Attacking the city would be even better; we can kill more," Elder Yan smiled faintly.
Rumble~~~ A tremor ran through the city wall beneath their feet. "Hm!" Teng Qingshan's gaze sharpened as he looked down.
The Green Lake Island army below had finished assembling and was now slowly and orderly approaching Yanjiang City. Over ten thousand Silver Jiao Army soldiers advanced like a sluggish black flood.
These soldiers wore heavy black armor, though their arm guards, helmets, and some edges bore silver stripes. "Alert!" Teng Qingshan roared.
"Whoosh!" The Black Armored soldiers, who had been eating breakfast or resting against the walls, scrambled to their feet. Every soldier gripped their weapon, watching the Silver Jiao Army press forward.
Three thousand Black Armored soldiers against ten thousand Silver Jiao Army! Of course, they held the advantage of the city walls.
"Halt!" A loud shout echoed, and the entire Silver Jiao Army halted abruptly, stopping eighty zhang away from the wall. An old man in a white robe with streaks of white at his temples walked to the very front of the Silver Jiao Army and looked up toward the battlements of Yanjiang City.
"What is he trying to do?" Teng Qingshan and Elder Yan were both puzzled. "I am 'Tie Wanmao,' the Enforcement Elder of Green Lake Island.
I bring you news... just last night, the great army of Green Lake Island swept through Chu Commandery City and annihilated the Iron Clothed Gate.
The Sect Master of Iron Clothed Gate, 'Nie Rong,' along with both Enforcement Elders, all perished. The core disciples and the Iron Clothed Army were nearly wiped out...
From this day forward, there is no more Iron Clothed Gate in this world!" This Elder Tie announced loudly. His voice carried, and every single one of the three thousand Black Armored soldiers heard it.
"Impossible!" "Wiped out overnight?" "After destroying Iron Clothed Gate, the next target is our Guiyuan Sect," many Black Armored soldiers panicked. None of these ordinary soldiers knew about the destruction of Iron Clothed Gate...
they were learning the news only now. Teng Qingshan and Elder Yan's faces drastically changed.
"Not good!" They exchanged a look, understanding the enemy's intent. Even Teng Qingshan and Elder Yan, having just received the news, were shaken and felt a sense of overwhelming powerlessness.
What about the ordinary soldiers? Guiyuan Sect and Iron Clothed Gate had existed for over a thousand years; these soldiers believed that even if one were destroyed, it couldn't happen so easily.
But unexpectedly, Iron Clothed Gate was annihilated overnight! Then, what about Guiyuan Sect?
Dread and unease spread throughout the entire Black Armored Army. "Nonsense!" Elder Yan roared.
"Iron Clothed Gate wiped out overnight? How come we don't know?
Your Green Lake Island's talent for bragging seems to grow daily. You claim Iron Clothed Gate is destroyed; I say...
you went to attack Iron Clothed Gate and suffered heavy casualties. Stop wasting breath here." When the Black Armored soldiers heard this, they felt slightly better—perhaps the enemy was spreading false information.
"Bragging? Hahahaha...
Yan Motian, a few experts from my Green Lake Island are enough to completely overwhelm your Guiyuan Sect; destroying you would be an easy task. I ask you!
Will someone from your Guiyuan Sect dare to fight Elder Hu from my Green Lake Island before the formation?" Tie Wanmao boomed from the front line, drawing the gaze of the middle-aged man in the grey robe toward Yan Motian. On the city wall, Yan Motian frowned.
Elder Hu? The chance of winning was very slim; if he fell, the entire three thousand Black Armored Army might collapse.
"Hahahaha..." Tie Wanmao below laughed heartily. "My Green Lake Island is teeming with masters; many on the island are stronger than me.
Setting aside Elder Hu, even I, Tie Wanmao, am standing here today. Does anyone in your Guiyuan Sect dare to fight me?" His gaze swept over the crowd on the wall, and gradually, a smile touched his lips.
The Black Armored Army on the wall stirred in an uproar. "Just a petty clown!" A cold laugh sounded, and a dark shadow leaped down from the battlements, landing on the ground.
* Below Yanjiang City, on the snowy ground, a dark figure clad in heavy Xuan Tie armor faced Tie Wanmao in his white robe. "State your name!" Tie Wanmao commanded, though inwardly he was puzzled.
According to the plan... if Yan Motian appeared, he would concede and let Elder Hu step up.
Furthermore, based on their intelligence, Guiyuan Sect only had three Innate experts, none of whom were commanding the Black Armored Army as Innate experts. Therefore, his challenge was a guaranteed win and would strike the enemy's morale.
"Guiyuan Sect, Teng Qingshan!" Teng Qingshan, clad in heavy Xuan Tie armor and wielding the Samsara Spear, said coldly. "Remember my name.
It will save you trouble when you meet the King of Hell and don't know who killed you." "What an arrogant kid," Tie Wanmao sneered. Knowing it was Teng Qingshan only made him more confident.
Teng Qingshan, seventeen years old! First on the 'Hidden Dragon Ranking.' "Post-natal, and dressing in heavy armor to fight me?
Doesn't he know heavy armor affects speed?" Tie Wanmao scoffed internally, then drew his saber. He announced loudly, "Teng Qingshan, this saber is the 'Wind Thunder Saber,' the blade that will take your life." Teng Qingshan leveled his Samsara Spear, the tip pointing directly at Tie Wanmao.
"Within three moves, I will take your life!" Teng Qingshan said coldly. As soon as these words left his mouth!
"Three moves!" Pang Shan roared. "Three moves!" Immediately, all the Black Armored soldiers shouted in unison.
* The Black Armored soldiers, previously filled with dread and fear by Tie Wanmao's announcement, felt stifled by his provocation, yet none dared to step forward. But when Teng Qingshan stepped out, even declaring, 'Within three moves, I will take your life,' it brought immense satisfaction to their hearts.
"Three moves!" "Three moves!" They shouted one after another. The two armies faced each other, Teng Qingshan and Tie Wanmao confronting each other before the lines.
"Arrogant boy," Tie Wanmao laughed in fury. "I'll kill you in one move!" With a furious roar, Tie Wanmao charged toward Teng Qingshan like lightning, clutching the Wind Thunder Saber.
Teng Qingshan, encased in heavy Xuan Tie armor, stood silently in place with his Samsara Spear, resembling a massive mountain. "Yoo~~~" A sharp, bizarre sound pierced the air.
A streak of cyan saber light vibrated along a strange trajectory. Simultaneously, the seven holes on the blade of the Wind Thunder Saber produced a shrill sonic wave at high speed.
Just as it neared Teng Qingshan, the sound emitted by the Wind Thunder Saber suddenly exploded—"Rumble~~" like thunder striking beside the ear. "Putting on a show?" Tie Wanmao scoffed internally.
"Seeking death!" The three thousand Black Armored soldiers held their breath, watching Teng Qingshan below. They yearned for him to defend the honor of Guiyuan Sect, to defend their honor!
Teng Qingshan, who had been standing still, finally moved! "Boom!" A fiery red wave of energy erupted from Teng Qingshan’s body, making him appear like a man engulfed in flames.
"Innate!" Tie Wanmao's heart jolted. "Innate?
A seventeen-year-old Innate?" Elder Hu in the distance was also greatly shocked. "One!" A deep shout echoed across the heavens.
Teng Qingshan's Samsara Spear, trailing a fiery light, moved. The watching soldiers of both the Black Armored and Silver Jiao Armies only felt a blur before their eyes; the fiery red light and the cyan light collided, and the cyan light actually recoiled!
"What a strange force," Tie Wanmao stumbled back. "Thrust!" Instantly shifting from defense to attack, his Primordial One Qi transforming into an elusive, lightning-fast stab aimed at Tie Wanmao's throat.
"Two!" "So fast," Tie Wanmao dodged repeatedly. Teng Qingshan, resembling a fiery god within the flames, had a cold glint flash in the eyes behind his visor: "Now is the time!" A strange energy surged within the Samsara Spear.
"Buzz!" The spear shaft vibrated. Bold!
Unrestrained! "Chhh~~" Spiral-shaped fiery red Innate True Essence rotated along the spear tip, resembling an awl.
It rapidly compressed and converged, forming a blinding deep red point at the spear tip. The Samsara Spear instantly shot out like a fire dragon, moving so fast that Tie Wanmao had no time to evade.
"Pierce!" The spear tip stabbed into Tie Wanmao's chest, instantly piercing his inner armor. Tie Wanmao's eyes widened.
"Boom!" A deafening explosion. The rotating fiery red Innate True Essence, carrying a spiraling force, shot out in all directions.
The distant Silver Jiao Army soldiers, terrified, scrambled to dodge. Only when the Innate True Essence dissipated did they settle down and look at Teng Qingshan, enveloped in heavy armor.
Teng Qingshan raised the Samsara Spear and roared: "Three!" "Three moves!" "Three moves!" The entire Black Armored Army was completely galvanized, cheering endlessly. Teng Qingshan swept his gaze over the Silver Jiao Army soldiers, then looked at the ground.
Tie Wanmao on the ground had already been incinerated by the Innate True Essence, which reached its maximum convergence point, generating astonishing heat, leaving only scattered bones, inner armor, and the Wind Thunder Saber. "Whoosh!" Teng Qingshan turned back, leaped forcefully, clearing a height of ten zhang, and landed on the battlements.
He turned to look down at the Silver Jiao Army below. The Black Armored soldiers cheered incessantly, while the Silver Jiao Army soldiers were clearly stunned into silence.
"The power of the Crimson Tiger Roar, just as I predicted; three-tenths of its power is enough to easily kill a Void Core Innate expert," Teng Qingshan mused inwardly. In fact, that day, Teng Qingshan had a flash of inspiration regarding the 'Crimson Tiger Roar.' After accompanying Zhuge Qing to enjoy the canal, he immediately tried a new method upon returning, and as expected, it succeeded on the first attempt.
On the battlements. "Elder Yan, the morale of our Black Armored Army is soaring now.
If the Silver Jiao Army dares to attack, they are seeking death," Teng Qingshan turned to Elder Yan. "Qingshan, look at this.
This intelligence was just delivered while you were down there fighting." Elder Yan handed him a secret letter. "A secret letter?" Teng Qingshan accepted it solemnly and lowered his head to read— "The Island Master of Green Lake Island, 'Gu Yong,' is leading a massive army to attack.
Abandon Yanjiang City, and the entire army is to return quickly to Jiangning!"