Chapter 259: What On Earth Are They Fighting Against?
Furious Wind Town.
The pouring rain continuously washed away the stench of blood in the town. One after another, Quasi-Martial Artists and Limit Apprentices of various races, all wearing A6-grade battle armor, were quickly repairing the city wall and the buildings inside the town, not stopping their actions because of the rain.
“Stone Axe and Iron Claw both left?” Huang Lang, while taking big bites of monster roast meat from the table, looked at the intelligence delivered by his subordinates, his expression somewhat unsightly.
Back then, it was precisely to protect those two that he had been forced to block the grey-clothed people.
Now they had completely dealt with the grey-clothed people on their side, yet those two chose to leave. This was treating them entirely like tools.
“Those two leaders said they do not want to interfere in the affairs between Star Tower City and City of Light Chasing anymore. As for the commission with the Blood Rider leader from Star Tower City, it has already been canceled, so neither of them plans to stay in Furious Wind Town.” The Flame Horn Tribe youth at Intermediate Bone Forging Realm explained somewhat nervously.
Right now Vice Leader Huang Lang’s mood was not good at all, especially after the battle with the grey-clothed people, where he suffered some internal injuries, and to kill that woman among the grey-clothed people he had even used an Extraordinary Martial Skill, with a tremendous consumption of qi and blood. Even with Type Three Energy Potions and Healing Potions, he would need some time to fully recover.
“Those two cowards, they ran off just because of a rumor,” Huang Lang said with disdain.
He also knew a bit about intelligence on the grey-clothed people.
Anyone who became enemies with the grey-clothed people would face their endless retaliation, again and again, until the other side was destroyed.
However, in Huang Lang’s view, that was just exaggerated talk from the cross-domain caravans.
Those caravans had suffered multiple attacks from the grey-clothed people, which made them easily startled. After all, before this, no one had really robbed the convoys, which gave those caravans the illusion that the grey-clothed people were endless.
He had watched those caravans’ combat videos. The total number of attackers over several raids did not even reach one hundred, far from anything like “endless.”
“To flee in fear over a rumor… it seems the mercenaries of the Mercenary Alliance are truly getting worse with each generation.”
As a deep voice echoed through the hall, everyone present, including the Holy Blood Mercenary Group vice leaders and Huang Lang himself, were about to angrily refute, but each of them closed their mouths.
They saw a middle-aged Mountain Tribe man over six meters tall and a Flame Horn Tribe youth just over two meters tall walk in from the main gate.
The speaker was none other than the second city lord of Star Tower City, Lie Shan, who had only recently been promoted to Blood Condensation Realm.
As for the Flame Horn Tribe youth walking in with him, he was the legend of the entire Flame Horn Tribe, the Holy Blood Mercenary Group Leader Tian Yu Xue’s overlord, Zhuo Gu.
Although Zhuo Gu looked very young, seemingly not yet thirty, his true age had already passed eighty. Even Star Tower City’s city lord, Hu Lei, was much younger than Zhuo Gu.
“Huang Lang, what exactly is going on?” Zhuo Gu could not help but look to Huang Lang and ask in a low voice.
“Leader, this is not our problem, but a matter involving Stone Axe and Iron Claw.” As soon as Huang Lang heard him, he hurriedly recounted the entire cause and effect to Zhuo Gu and Lie Shan.
He especially explained in detail how Stone Axe and Iron Claw had drawn in the grey-clothed people, going through the full situation from beginning to end.
“Unexpected. In such a short time, Mountain of the Dead has actually produced a new faction.” Zhuo Gu was quite surprised after hearing this.
Regarding the situation in Mountain of the Dead, compared to the major cities, their mercenary groups knew much more, especially about Smiling Skull, one of the three untouchable existences. They had dealt with Smiling Skull far more than with the major cities.
And according to what Huang Lang said, this grey-clothed group could occupy territory in Mountain of the Dead, being called Southern Skull and Northern Grey Robe by traveling caravans. This clearly showed they were indeed powerful.
“Southern Skull, Northern Grey Robe, they just robbed a few caravans,” Lie Shan said with open disdain. “If those grey-clothed people dare come again, I will let them understand that Furious Wind Town is not Mountain of the Dead. No matter how many of them come, they cannot shake Furious Wind Town in the slightest!”
Mountain of the Dead was a monster nest. Any large army advancing in was likely to become monster fodder, and the reason Smiling Skull could do nothing about the grey-clothed people was essentially the same reason a Domain City could do nothing about Smiling Skull: they simply could not find the grey-clothed people’s headquarters.
If Smiling Skull and the grey-clothed people fought, in his view, the grey-clothed people would soon be wiped out.
But as a key stronghold on the frontline battlefield, Furious Wind Town had many vice city lords and war weapons guarding it, and although Blood Condensation Realm experts could not act, with such a lineup, let alone the grey-clothed people, even if Smiling Skull attacked, Furious Wind Town was confident it could make Smiling Skull stay.
It was laughable that the two mercenary group leaders had fled Furious Wind Town outright because of a mere rumor about the grey-clothed people. If this spread, Furious Wind Town would definitely become a joke.
“Retaliation from the grey-clothed people, hm?” Zhuo Gu nodded, then said, “Here is what we will do. Stay in Furious Wind Town for now and stabilize morale. Once we clear out those who came to retaliate on behalf of the grey-clothed people, then go to Maple Forest Town.”
He himself was also quite curious about the grey-clothed people.
Just what ability did they have to gain a nickname in Mountain of the Dead that placed them on equal footing with Smiling Skull?
“Rest assured, Leader. We guarantee that as long as the grey-clothed people dare to come, however many come, we will annihilate that many.” The Holy Blood Mercenary Group vice leaders all replied with confidence.
They did not know exactly how strong the grey-clothed people were, but the Holy Blood Mercenary Group was no nameless force. Even the Red Moon Merchant Guild had once been unable to deal with them, let alone a Northern Grey Robe whose reputation had only recently begun to rise.
Just as they were all swearing oaths, an Intermediate Bone Forging Realm Martial Artist suddenly rushed into the hall from outside, looking somewhat flustered as he turned to the second city lord, Lie Shan.
“What has you so flustered?” Lie Shan recognized him as a vice leader of the City Guard and raised his brows.
“Lord City Lord, the Life Detector shows a massive cluster of life reactions seven kilometers away, with a number close to one thousand. We suspect this might be a vanguard team from City of Light Chasing coming to attack.” The Intermediate Bone Forging Realm man explained.
“City of Light Chasing is already probing this quickly?” Lie Shan was somewhat surprised. “Fine. Since they want to test us, I will give them the chance. Everyone, prepare for battle!”
City-versus-city war, especially total war of this kind, with sieges and territorial conquest, was nothing unusual. He had thought City of Light Chasing would only defend, but he did not expect them to take the offensive instead.
“Sending a vanguard to probe us… it seems this time City of Light Chasing is more confident than we thought.” Zhuo Gu’s interest also grew. “Huang Lang, you all go up and take a look.”
This time the Holy Blood Mercenary Group had come in force to Furious Wind Town in order to avenge the Holy Blood Mercenary Group members killed by Obsidian Martial Arts Hall. But according to the information, Obsidian Martial Arts Hall was now hiding in Maple Forest Town, not coming out. He naturally did not mind first using people from City of Light Chasing as an example to boost the Holy Blood Mercenary Group’s prestige.
“Yes.” Huang Lang immediately led a group toward the city wall.
When Huang Lang and the others arrived at the wall, the entire wall had still not been fully repaired from the previous battle. Many sections were severely damaged and could not block Martial Artists below Bone Forging Realm from entering the town. However, large numbers of Martial Artists wielding war weapons had already gathered at the base of the wall, and among their leaders there was no shortage of Bone Forging Realm Experts.
With one hundred thousand Organ Refining Realm Martial Artists and several hundred Bone Forging Realm Experts, a mere vanguard of nearly one thousand could not stir up any waves.
“They are charging over!”
A Forest Race leader of the City Guard looked at the converging red dots on his Life Detector and loudly warned everyone.
In an instant, Martial Artists on the wall with shields stood at the front, while those behind wielding compound heavy bows drew them to full moon. Some had even prepared Heavy Ion Bombs already, ready to throw them as soon as anyone rushed up the wall.
Two kilometers…
One kilometer…
Five hundred meters…
As the distance between the two sides shrank, under the night sky, the people of Furious Wind Town finally saw the appearance of the arrivals clearly.
They were human men and women in silver-gray clothing. The strong ones possessed qi and blood at Peak High-Level Martial Artist strength, while the weak ones had only just become apprentices. Most of them did not even have battle armor. Some did not even carry proper weapons, charging forward with excited expressions while holding alloy shovels. They looked nothing like a team formed by a city.
“Grey-clothed people?”
“Damn it! It’s them?”
“Everyone, be on your guard! Some of them can transform!”
Martial Artists in the city who had experienced the previous battle all showed indescribably solemn expressions when they saw the charging group.
In the previous rampage by over one hundred grey-clothed people in Furious Wind Town, the damage to the wall was a minor matter. The number of Martial Artists killed had exceeded one thousand, including more than ten Bone Forging Realm Experts. Although such losses were not crippling to Furious Wind Town, this time the grey-clothed people numbered nearly one thousand. The casualties from this battle would definitely far exceed the previous time.
“So they did come after all.” Huang Lang watched as dozens among the nearly thousand grey-clothed people suddenly had their life auras surge and could not help feeling some shock. “No wonder the caravans passing through the Wushan Region fear them. A force like this is indeed not something ordinary factions can handle.”
Dozens of Martial Artists at Advanced Bone Forging Realm or above, among whom several auras even made him feel some pressure. If their leader did not take action, even for the Holy Blood Mercenary Group this battle would not be easy.
While Huang Lang was sighing, both sides entered melee range. Tens of thousands of arrows were unleashed from Furious Wind Town. The sound of bowstrings alone echoed through the entire town, while the arrows themselves, like beasts of the night, blotted out the sky like a black tide and swept toward the players.
“Damn! This arrow rain is insane!”
“So this is what ancient war felt like? I have to record this as my boot-up CG!”
“Tens of thousands of arrows without any lag at all. This game’s performance is insane. With this engine, this game is destined to sell like crazy.”
“I’m a broke newbie. Which big shot wants to lend their body as a shield?”
“With this stage, even a big shot’s body won’t be enough to block it.”
The players were all excited at the incoming torrent of arrows, not expecting the first event battle to be so thrilling. The newcomers in particular stared with shining eyes.
These were not arrows being fired. This was money being fired.
Each arrow was made of alloy at least B6-grade, worth more than these newbies’ lives.
A single B6-grade arrow, if bought from a veteran player, cost a full five thousand points. It was even more expensive when redeemed from the martial arts hall. With one point equal to one credit, that was five thousand credits.
If they could collect all the arrows from this wave of arrow rain, they would become multimillionaires in minutes.
As tens of thousands of arrows were about to rain down on the players, Fang Zhen suddenly roared from within the crowd, and in an instant, a golden lion over one hundred meters tall appeared before everyone.
With a single roar, tens of thousands of arrows were reflected away in unison and scattered across the ground.
This scene left the surrounding players utterly stunned.
“Holy crap! Which big shot’s lion’s roar was that?”
“This martial skill is too insane. I’d pay a million for it on the spot.”
“Look at the sky! Someone is throwing punches up there!”
With the appearance of the phantom golden lion, their attention was quickly drawn to a figure in the sky. The air around that figure was condensing, gathering into his palm, like gripping a tornado again and again as it was compressed.
This person was none other than Lu Fanchen.
The moment Heaven Shaking Fist finished compressing, Lu Fanchen strode through the air several steps and arrived before the main gate of Furious Wind Town, not giving any chance for a second wave of arrows. He threw a punch toward the over ten-meter-high steel gate.
Boom!
The air exploded, and the towering steel gate was blown clean away. A surrounding area of over one hundred meters turned into open ground, with the number of Martial Artists killed reaching several hundred. More than ten Bone Forging Realm Experts, struck by the terrifying shockwave, vomited blood with severe injuries.
“All Organ Refining Realm Martial Artists, use heavy crossbows to fire. The other Bone Forging Realm Martial Artists, come with me!” Seeing this, Huang Lang treated it as a mortal crisis.
Leaving aside Lu Fanchen shattering the town gate with one punch and slaughtering hundreds of Martial Artists, clearly using a Supernatural Level martial skill, just the phantom golden lion Fang Zhen had conjured moments ago was enough for anyone familiar with Smiling Skull to recognize what it represented.
A Sequenced Martial Skill.
An Extreme Bone Forging Realm Expert who had mastered a Sequenced Martial Skill would be hard even for him in transformed state to deal with. Even if he could win, he would be grievously wounded.
Moreover, Huang Lang could sense there were other experts in the crowd not inferior to those two.
If they did not treat this battle seriously, then the eventual outcome would be something neither Star Tower City nor the Holy Blood Mercenary Group could afford.
In an instant, not only Huang Lang and several vice leaders took action, but even the vice city lords in the rear, who had remained aloof, could no longer sit still and rushed toward Lu Fanchen and Fang Zhen.
Vice City Lord Level experts had already suffered heavy losses when facing Luo Wu Shang alone. Now two such individuals had appeared. If they were not stopped in time and managed to enter the town, they would be walking nuclear bombs.
However, at the moment when Huang Lang and several vice city lords charged out of the town, several figures also suddenly rushed to intercept them.
These people were Ye Qinglu, Chen Ya, Li Ranxing, Yi Ye Fu Yun, Zhao Hu, and more than ten others. Each had physical fitness surpassing Extreme Bone Forging Realm and wielded extraordinary martial skills.
“Sword rise!”
Seeing that Huang Lang was the greatest threat among the crowd, Ye Qinglu immediately unleashed the second sword formation of Thousand Sword Diagram. The Heavenly Sword Formation formed from forty-nine swords turned into a fiery meteor from the sky and crashed down toward Huang Lang.
Compared to the thirty-six sword Giant Sword Formation, the Heavenly Sword Formation’s power had surpassed it tenfold, reaching the level of Extraordinary Martial Skill.
With one sword falling, all things were annihilated.
“Break for me!”
Huang Lang’s expression changed drastically at this scene. His body suddenly expanded as he entered Second Tier Transformation. His heavy sword swept up violently.
Supernatural Level martial skill, Wolf Soul.
A colossal phantom wolf head, tens of meters tall, lunged to bite the falling meteor.
Boom!
The midair explosion sent a terrifying shockwave rippling through Furious Wind Town, making even the distant shooters feel their hearts tremble.
After this clash, Huang Lang stumbled half a step before steadying himself, while on the other side the forty-nine long swords flew apart, several damaged beyond recognition.
With just one exchange, the Holy Blood Mercenary Group members were stunned.
A draw.
Huang Lang, as the first vice leader of the Holy Blood Mercenary Group, was second in strength only to the leader. He had previously been able to fight Blood Condensation Realm experts, yet now he had fought a grey-clothed opponent to a standstill.
Before they could fully process this shock, Chen Ya and the four vice city lords had already exchanged several blows, and the four vice city lords of Star Tower City held no advantage at all. On the contrary, by some unknown means Chen Ya had split into four. Four afterimages flickered in the air as if four people were attacking together.
Each move only barely reached advanced level of Eight Leaves One Sword Style, but with four bodies and four strikes, the combined might underwent a qualitative change. Even when the four vice city lords of Star Tower City used Extraordinary Martial Skills, they could not gain the upper hand.
By the end of the battle, half of Furious Wind Town had been reduced to ruins. Over ten thousand Martial Artists had fallen, two vice city lords and two Holy Blood Mercenary Group vice leaders were dead, and Huang Lang, having faced Ye Qinglu and Luo Wu Shang together, was heavily injured. They had lost more than one hundred Bone Forging Realm Experts.
This left the Holy Blood Mercenary Group and Star Tower City forces dumbfounded after the battle.
They had committed nearly half of a city’s power, with top-tier combat strength even exceeding a city’s usual standard, yet still suffered such heavy losses. They had never experienced a battle like this.
The consolation was that they had held the line and successfully wiped out those grey-clothed people who had made the outer-domain caravans tremble. This battle would surely make them famous across Mountain of the Dead.
At dawn, as the sun rose, the Martial Artists of Furious Wind Town were cleaning corpses while repairing buildings inside the town.
Huang Lang had just finished receiving treatment and was preparing to rest when the town’s alarm suddenly blared. As everyone wondered what faction still dared to attack Furious Wind Town at such a time, the Martial Artists guarding the wall used electronic telescopes to look at the silver-gray-clothed figures six kilometers away. Seeing those moving shapes, their eyes almost popped out.
One person… two… three…
There were over one thousand in total, all poised to strike.
“Grey-clothed people?”
“How is this possible!”
“Didn’t they all die last night?”
