Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Bone War Spears, combined with the momentum of a cavalry charge, infused all their power into a single thrust. The resulting destructive force and impact were simply unstoppable, multiplying the original strength severalfold—tenfold even.
As the long spears smashed into the shield wall, dazzling golden light erupted across it, standing firm against the assault. Behind the shields, a line of sword-and-shield soldiers furiously poured their true qi into their weapons, desperately reinforcing the defense.
But the force from the charging cavalry was simply too terrifying.
Even though they exerted every ounce of strength, eyes bloodshot with rage, channeling an endless stream of true qi into their shields, they still couldn't match the overwhelming impact of the berserking cavalry.
A terrifying scene unfolded on the battlefield.
A fearsome troop of skeletal cavalry brandished their long spears, slamming into a golden shield wall. The wall shimmered with radiant golden light like an unbreakable iron rampart. Yet under the sheer force of the spears and the ferocity of the charge, the shield wall began to buckle and shift backwards.
The soldiers behind the wall were pushed back, their feet sinking into the earth as they were forcibly dragged, leaving long furrows carved into the ground.
It looked as if the entire golden wall was being forcefully shoved back.
The image was one of pure shock and awe.
And the golden light of the shield wall visibly dimmed by the second.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
The immense impact reverberated into the bodies of the shield soldiers, violently churning their internal organs and bones. Sharp pain wracked their bodies. Some even suffered broken bones. Blood gushed from their mouths, splattering the shields before them.
Yet not a single one retreated. Eyes burning red with madness, they shouted with defiance in their hearts:
"Hold the line!"
"We must hold the line!!"
If the shield wall collapsed, they knew the cavalry would sweep through, and the entire formation would fall into chaos.
As sword-and-shield soldiers, their primary duty was to withstand cavalry charges.
Even as blood spilled from their mouths and pain wracked their bodies, they did not back down. Their countless battles with beasts had taught them a brutal truth: in this new world, only those who fought with everything they had could survive.
The golden glow dimmed.
And then, finally, vanished completely.
Beast hide shattered. Bone war spears pierced through the shields and, with lingering force, impaled the soldiers behind, tearing through flesh and armor alike.
"Hold the line!!" a soldier shouted, even with a spear through his body, blood pouring from his mouth.
"Hold the line!!" others roared in unison.
Even if their bodies were pierced, they would become walls of flesh and blood, halting the charge. That alone would be victory.
They were sword-and-shield soldiers. Their mission was to become an unbreakable wall, stopping any advance no matter the cost.
This was their honor, their faith.
"Kill!!"
Witnessing the sword-and-shield soldiers endure such pain without retreating ignited a flame in the hearts of the spearmen. Eyes glowing red, they surged with battle fury.
Short spears were drawn once more and gripped tightly.
"Target: Direct front. Attack!!"
Yang Yanding roared, eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on the back of the hand holding his long blade.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Spear after spear flew like shooting stars into the ranks of the skeletal cavalry.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
This time, no Bone Shields manifested on the skeletons. The spears struck true, crashing into their bodies. Although their Bone Armor absorbed some of the impact, the destructive power of the rune-engraved spears punched through. Some skeletal riders were knocked off their mounts entirely.
This volley sowed chaos in the enemy ranks, bringing significant losses to the cavalry. Whole swaths of skeleton riders fell.
Bang!!
At the same time, the skeletal cavalry broke through the shield wall. Shattered shields flew through the air. Though the wall was breached and the cavalry poured in, their momentum had been drastically reduced. The shield wall had interrupted their charge.
Deprived of the full force of a charge, the skeletal cavalry lost much of their power. But even without it, they remained fearsome. Their bone warhorses never tired, always ready to charge again, bringing devastation to the ranks.
Once through the shield wall, the skeleton riders drove in with cold, emotionless thrusts of their bone spears. A single misstep meant a soldier would be skewered, blood spraying.
"Horse-slaying sabers, take out the legs!!"
Yang Yanding raised his massive blade, leading a unit of specialized soldiers wielding long horse-slaying sabers.
Bang!!
He stepped forward, crouched, and then swung his blade with all his might at a bone horse's leg.
With a whack, the front leg of the steed was severed. The skeleton rider tumbled, and before he could recover, a soldier's blade came down and cleaved his skull. Clean, efficient.
Taking down the legs was the most effective way to neutralize cavalry.
Groups of spearmen worked in sync, thrusting their weapons simultaneously. A lone skeleton could not dodge them all—pierced and dragged from its mount.
Still, the skeletons retaliated. Many a soldier fell, blood spilling from freshly opened wounds.
The cavalry's momentum was broken. Even though they remained formidable, their lack of charge meant they couldn't unleash their full power. With the earlier spear volley and close combat, the battle had now become evenly matched.
But the fight was brutal.
No one held back. Whether skeleton rider or Xuanhuang Village soldier, every strike was a killing blow—efficient, lethal, and merciless.
This was a true meat grinder, a battlefield of life and death.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
From atop the walls, archers loosed their arrows without emotion, their aim swift and deadly. Each rune arrow targeted weak points—heads and throats—where a kill was guaranteed.
Breaking ribs wouldn't stop these skeletons. Only a shot to the vital points could end them.
The archers brought immense pressure to the enemy.
Arrow towers also activated, unleashing ballista bolts that ripped through the battlefield like lightning. These bolts were deadlier still—once locked on, escape was near impossible. Every shot struck with pinpoint accuracy.
The tide of battle tipped in Xuanhuang Village's favor.
All this, though lengthy to describe, happened in mere moments.
War was ever-shifting.
And now, the Skeleton General and Yi Tianxing clashed in personal combat.
At their first clash, both were sent flying back—Yi Tianxing slammed into the ground as if gravity itself sought to crush him.
It was terrifying to witness.
Boom!!
Only partially buried, Yi Tianxing expelled force from his legs, the ground beneath him exploding as he burst free. Raising his war spear, he aimed at the skeleton general's strange mount, thrusting straight at its head.
That mount was no ordinary steed. Yi Tianxing sensed a powerful force within it—its synergy with its rider made the pair extremely dangerous.
But not just the spear—
In the blink of an eye, nine Yin-Yang Locks materialized, snaking out to bind the mount.
Screech!!
The eerie steed let out a piercing cry, nostrils flaring with flame. From its jet-black horn, a beam of black divine light fired without warning—piercing straight at Yi Tianxing's chest.
So close. So fast. No time to dodge.
But Yi Tianxing's expression didn't even flicker. Black and white light gleamed in his eyes. In an instant, a pair of black-and-white scissors appeared—shimmering and twisting into two monstrous serpents.
With a hiss, the Yin-Yang Scissors roared, slashing at the skeleton general and mount alike.
Pfft!!
The death beam slammed into Yi Tianxing's chest, where a radiant glow erupted. His refined flesh, empowered by qi and boundless blood energy, absorbed the blow.
Still, he felt the chilling, invasive power within that black light—it was pure death energy, cold and domineering, seeking to devour his life force.
But his refiner's blood energy suppressed it. Even if it entered his body, it was ground to nothing by his overwhelming vitality.
This was the strength of a body cultivator.
For many dark arts, body refiners were natural counters.
Crack!!
The Yin-Yang Locks ensnared the steed, binding its limbs. The war spear hurled forward was intercepted mid-air by the skeleton general's blade. But the serpents formed by the Yin-Yang Scissors slashed right through—