Chapter 37: Eating the Demon Beast (1)

Chapter Twelve: Eating the Demon Beast

“Kill!”

With Yan Chuan’s command, a torrent of murderous intent surged forth, elevating the silver-armored army’s fighting spirit to its peak.

A thunderous roar erupted from the ranks of the silver-armored soldiers.

The vanguard surged across the battle’s midpoint, and instantly, a hail of arrows darkened the sky. As the arrows fell, the warriors behind grasped their spears and charged forward with swift ferocity.

The clamor of battle shook the heavens; the morale of the silver-armored army soared like a rainbow.

In contrast stood the black-armored army.

Their commander lay dead, his head severed from his body. The great serpent they revered and feared, now subdued by the foe’s “immortal arts”—how could this be?

Leaderless, their most formidable serpent completely suppressed, what hope was there for these lesser soldiers?

Fight? At this moment, terror had seized the black-armored troops. Fight with what? How?

A single volley of arrows sent bodies crashing to the earth. Gazing upon the red-eyed, roaring silver-armored army, many among the black-armored ranks felt an overwhelming urge to flee.

When the two sides met in close combat, the battle became utterly one-sided in an instant.

“Great Consecrator?” the junior officers cried anxiously.

With the Grand Governor slain, the highest authority remaining was the Great Consecrator.

He stared unblinking at the massive tower.

“This is righteous energy? Such power, such force!” His face was pale as death.

Who could have imagined that the legendary righteous energy would appear before him, and in such an immense, golden tower?

At the tower’s emergence, the serpent—despite its refined cultivation—was utterly powerless to resist.

The serpent twisted in agony, pleading piteously with the Great Consecrator for help. But his face was contorted with helplessness. Save it? How? This was an utterly unequal confrontation.

“Great Consecrator, please give the command!” a junior officer urged desperately.

Black-armored soldiers were falling fast.

The Great Consecrator’s expression twisted. “Retreat!”

Retreat?

The black-armored army hesitated only a moment. But in this instant, not a soul among them wished to continue fighting. Without hesitation, they rallied around the Great Consecrator and fled swiftly into the forest.

A string of arrows whistled after them, felling many more, but the Great Consecrator managed to escape.

“Sound the gong!” Huo Guang shouted.

A single resounding clang echoed into the distance.

The signal to withdraw.

Hearing the gong, the silver-armored soldiers showed clear reluctance; those black-armored troops who had failed to escape became the outlet for their pent-up ferocity.

Over five hundred black-armored corpses were left behind—the silver-armored army had won a resounding victory.

Turning, nearly every gaze fixed upon the towering giant tower.

The golden tower pinned the serpent beneath it. Radiant golden light spilled in all directions as the serpent shrieked in agony. Under the crushing weight of the tower, there was nowhere to escape. Its head was pulverized, its body flattened—bit by bit, its once-rounded form was pressed into a shapeless mass.

With a final whimper, the serpent’s life was utterly extinguished.

At that moment, the nearly three thousand silver-armored soldiers seemed to forget even their recent victory.

Gazing up at the colossal golden tower, every soldier’s face reflected awe and longing.

Even Huo Guang and Liu Jin, though they had seen and heard much in recent days, were shaken by the spectacle before them.

Yan Chuan stood before the golden tower, bathed in radiant light, like a god descended to earth.

Nearby, the three consecrators who had been poisoned wore only expressions of utter despair.

“Huo Guang!” Yan Chuan called, his back turned.

“Your subordinate is here!” Huo Guang hurried forward.

“Clear the battlefield. Prepare to return,” Yan Chuan said calmly.