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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 8 (152): [General Yuwen]
(8th of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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The shrill screams of Fire Ravens (Crows) echoed from all directions, like the wails of vengeful ghosts from the heavens.
Everyone on the ship trembled at the sound.
At this section, the Shui River was over three hundred yards wide, its waters flowing gently, making the ship feel as though it were sailing on a tranquil lake.
Suddenly, the weather turned bitterly cold.
A faint mist rose from the river's surface, while the shore was shrouded in darkness, an endless expanse of rolling hills.
The ship was forced to halt.
The three Water Lion Beasts pulling the vessel had already been shot down, their corpses floating on the water, their blood staining the river crimson.
The ship's Hundred-Pattern Defense Formation had long been activated. Over a hundred Formation Scriptures floated in the air, forming a glowing sphere that completely enveloped the seventy-yard-long, three-story ship.
Li Weiyi stood at the railing of the first-floor corridor, observing the Night City Cavalry on the river.
Numbering nearly three hundred, they surrounded the ship from all sides, continuously raining down arrows and spitting fireballs against the ship's defense formation.
"Boom!"
The fireballs, spewed from the mouths of the Fire Raven mounts, were incredibly powerful. They struck the formation's light barrier, instantly exploding into fire clouds several yards wide.
The entire protective shield was nearly engulfed in flames.
Li Weiyi felt as if he were standing amidst a thousand troops and ten thousand horses, the crushing weight of death pressing down from all sides.
He said solemnly, "No negotiations? Logically, these Barbarian Bandits should primarily be after wealth. If we're pushed to the brink and forced to fight to the death, their losses won't be small either."
Yin Shi San replied, "Normally, handing over some of our wealth would have been sufficient. We've dealt with this before. But this time is different. This Night City Cavalry has likely been tracking us since we entered Zhi Prefecture. They know there are many young, beautiful women aboard. They're here to capture and annihilate us completely."
"In the past, encountering a hundred Night City Cavalry would have been considered a large-scale raid!"
"This time, there are nearly three hundred riders. Based on the Fire Crow Cavalry's ratio of one Five Seas Realm expert for every ten riders, there are likely close to thirty Five Seas Realm experts among them."
Yin Shi San then informed Li Weiyi that the Fire Crow Cavalry was the elite of Night City's elite, specializing in raiding merchant caravans and wealthy towns to gather military supplies and funding. Their path through the Southern Territory's three prefectures left nothing but scorched earth in its wake - anyone who crossed their path was doomed.
Countless Five Seas Realm Martial Cultivators had been hunted down and killed by them.
"There aren't any Dao Seed Realm experts among this Fire Crow Cavalry, are there?"
Li Weiyi had been carefully observing and sensing the enemy's true strength.
"Impossible! Dao Seed Realm experts are almost all First-Class figures. If someone of that caliber were to arrive, they could shatter our Ship Protection Formation with a single punch."
Yin Shi San, who was well-versed in all matters under heaven and knew the Southern Territory's top experts like the back of his hand, pointed at a giant, three-headed Fire Raven in the night sky: "That's the commander of this Fire Crow Cavalry, Yuwen Chao, a veteran Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm expert with a sixty-year reputation for ruthlessness in the Southern Territory."
Li Weiyi asked, "Senior Brother Shi San, what's your cultivation level?"
"Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm," Yin Shi San replied honestly.
Li Weiyi knew that the Hidden Ones of the Hidden Sect were all Nine Springs Supremes, with combat prowess that ranked among the best in their tier, even capable of defying cultivation levels to defeat opponents.
Yin Shi San caught the implication in Li Weiyi's question and turned to him, his expression shifting: "You're not thinking of tangling with this Night City Cavalry, are you?"
Li Weiyi said, "This Night City Cavalry is vast and powerful, with most members at the Six Springs or Seven Springs level. Yet they clearly don't take us seriously, as they haven't even formed a Battle Formation."
"Because they don't need to," Yin Shi San explained, "Thirty Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm experts are bearing down on us. Yuwen Chao doesn't even need to lift a finger - we'll be wiped out completely! And if things go awry, the Fire Crows' aerial agility allows them to form a Battle Formation in an instant."
"Weiyi, you're not letting your compassion get the better of you, are you?" Yin Shi San asked, "Yes, there are many children on board, even infants. If we flee, they're doomed. But their lives aren't even that important to their own father. Why should we risk our lives for them? Tonight's situation is already beyond our capabilities."
Li Weiyi replied, "There has to be a right and wrong, doesn't there?"
Yin Shi San was stunned.
Li Weiyi continued, "Though tonight's situation is dangerous, it's not impossible to fight. Li Ling, the day Chen Lian chased us, you asked if we should ambush him, or should we fight him? I said the risk was too great, that it wasn't a life-or-death situation, so we kept running!"
"Why are you willing to fight today, when you weren't then?" Li Ling already knew the answer, but she asked anyway.
"Because that day, fighting would have been nothing more than a matter of pride. Today, I'm fighting for what I believe in. Humans must have some compassion! Cultivators must have a sense of responsibility!"
Li Weiyi silently calculated the possibilities of breaking through the enemy lines. He added, "These Barbarian Bandits burn, kill, and plunders, leaving nothing but desolation and corpses in their path. Since we've encountered them, even if we have to flee, I'll make them pay a price first."
Li Ling greatly admired the fighting spirit and warmth of humanity radiating from Li Weiyi.
She wholeheartedly agreed, "I'll help you!"
Yin Shi San was moved by Li Weiyi's determination and saw the courage and responsibility of a Divine Hidden One in him.
However, unsure of his true strength, he ultimately conceded, "Alright, but if I call for retreat, we must leave immediately."
"Agreed. We'll do our best and leave the rest to fate," Li Weiyi nodded.
The three of them headed to the ship's bow.
As Great Spiritual Masters, Li Weiyi and Li Ling simultaneously channeled their Spiritual Light Flames into the Formation Technique's central point. Instantly, the hundred-plus Formation Scriptures of the Ship Protection Formation burst forth with even brighter radiance than before.
Under immense pressure, Commander Wu Zhaonan dispatched his only three subordinates in the Five Seas Realm to various positions on the ship to maintain order, manage the chaos, and reassure the crew.
"No wonder they're secret agents from the Attendant Hall - both are Great Spiritual Masters," Wu Zhaonan murmured in admiration, then turned his gaze to Yin Shi San and transmitted privately, "The Fire Crow Cavalry are formidable. We stand no chance against them. Once the formation breaks, we must join forces to break through their encirclement and escape."
"What do you say?"
"We've been caught in this mess through no fault of our own. There's no need to risk our lives for those officials' concubines and their families."
Yin Shi San's expression turned grim.
He snorted coldly: "Commander, how can you say such things? A man must have some humanity, some sense of principle and responsibility. If you want to flee, then go. As for this Chen, I will fight to my last drop of blood."
Wu Zhaonan hadn't expected the other man to be so stubborn.
He forced a smile: "With Clerk Chen's words, I'm reassured! The Fire Crow Cavalry has surrounded this place completely. How could we possibly escape? Our only chance is to fight to the death."...
Standing atop a Three-Headed Fire Crow, Yuwen Chao was a Aberrant Humanoid with a green-faced tiger head. He stood four meters tall, clad in full armor, and wielded a spear that was nearly seven meters long. His aura was overwhelming, like that of a demon.
Seeing the Ship Protection Formation's light grow brighter, indicating it would be difficult to break through quickly, he snorted: "All Five Seas Realm experts, obey my command! Join me in attacking the formation. Leave no male alive on the ship. Seize all the female captives and divide the resources and treasures among yourselves!"
"We swear to follow General Yuwen to the death!"
The war chant shook the heavens.
The morale of the Fire Crow Cavalry instantly soared to its peak. Nearly thirty riders surged forward, each radiating Martial-Mystic prowess, their Spiritual Qi swirling around them like clouds. Their spears shot forth brilliant battle auras.
Yuwen Chao mobilized all his strength and hurled his spear.
The spear blazed like a radiant pillar of light, tearing through the night sky with a piercing whistle before crashing into the Ship Protection Formation's barrier. The barrier buckled violently, teetering on the brink of collapse.
Nearly thirty more spears, hurled by nearly thirty Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators, followed suit.
"Boom!"
" Rumble!"
How could the Hundred-Pattern Defense Formation withstand the combined attacks of dozens of Five Seas Realm experts?
After just one wave, the protective barrier shattered.
More than a dozen spears rained down from the sky, some piercing the ship's hull, sending wood splinters flying. Others pierced the armor of the guards, passing through their bodies, leaving blood pooling on the deck.
"Hahaha! Kill them all, leave none alive!"
"Whoever gets the loot, keeps it!"
Outside, the sounds of battle chants, whistles, and the screeches of Fire Ravens filled the air as the attackers swarmed the ship.
Onboard, a group of highly strung family members could no longer contain their fear, and cries of terror erupted. They huddled in rooms, embracing each other and trembling.
Only those with decent cultivation stood alongside the guards, battle weapons in hand, facing the onslaught.
Yuwen Chao swept his arm, unleashing a river of Spiritual Qi that swept the spears embedded in the ship back toward him.
Then, riding a Three-Headed Fire Crow nearly eight meters long, he charged toward Wu Zhaonan at the ship's bow.
Strong cultivators are naturally drawn to each other, and Yuwen Chao had long targeted the guard commander.
A bright cyan light flared in the Three-Headed Fire Crow's throat as it spewed a torrent of cyan flames, igniting the wooden hull and revealing the steel structure beneath. The cyan flames cascaded forward, engulfing Wu Zhaonan.
Wu Zhaonan met the threat head-on, summoning a two-zhang-tall battle intent figure to block the cyan flames. He swung his battle saber, sending a ten-meter-long arc of blade light arcing upward.
"Pfft!"
The armor on the Three-Headed Fire Crow's abdomen shattered, gushing blood. It let out a mournful cry and immediately fled.
"Daring to injure my mount? You're courting death!"
Yuwen Chao roared in fury, leaping from the Fire Crow's back. His Spiritual Qi surged like a vast ocean within him. A spear of light, as bright as a pillar of fire, descended from the sky, its battle intent locking onto Wu Zhaonan. The spear's tip unleashed a torrent of destructive energy.
Wu Zhaonan raised his blade to meet the attack. The moment their weapons clashed, he knew he was in trouble. The force behind Yuwen Chao's strike felt like a mountain range crashing down upon him.
"Boom!"
The deck beneath their feet couldn't withstand the impact and shattered, leaving a gaping hole. Wu Zhaonan coughed up blood and plummeted into the ship's lower decks.
Yuwen Chao followed with a flash.
Yin Shi San and Li Weiyi exchanged a glance before shouting, "Commander Wu, Chen Chuan is here to lend you a hand!"
Yin Shi San leaped through the hole in the deck, unleashing his battle intent and striking at Yuwen Chao with a palm strike.
Wu Zhaonan knew escaping today was a futile fantasy; he had been targeted by Yuwen Chao long ago.
Fortunately, Clerk Chen, his reliable companion, was willing to fight to the death.
He couldn't imagine how dire their situation would be if he had been paired with a cowardly partner.
"Clerk Chen, you're a true man!" Wu Zhaonan roared, charging forward with his blade.
The ship had already descended into chaos, flames raging everywhere.
The Fire Crow Cavalry dismounted their ravens and surged onto the ship's decks like a tide, slaughtering guards and tossing their bodies into the river below.
"Boom!"
A Fire Crow Cavalry soldier kicked open the door to a cabin, unleashing a chorus of screams and wails that shook the heavens.
Li Ling flicked a burning Spiritual Light chain from her fingertip, dragging the infiltrators out and tossing them into the icy river.
The chain had already crushed their throat during the extraction, leaving them a lifeless corpse.
Li Weiyi, wielding the Yellow Dragon Sword, lopped off the head of a Five Seas Realm cavalryman.
His eyes scanned the battlefield as he charged toward the next opponent.
Only half of the Fire Crow Cavalry had boarded the ship, but all the Fifth Seas Realm experts were among them.
The soldiers outside were leaderless and disorganized, only held back from swarming the ship by the limited space on board.
Instead, they focused on killing those who jumped into the river to escape.
"They're too complacent! Barbarian bandits will always be barbarian bandits, no match for a true regular army."
Li Weiyi's confidence surged.
He decisively released the Seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors, ordering them to attack with full force.
If the Fire Crow Cavalry outside attempted to form a battle formation, he instructed them to break it immediately.
This was Li Weiyi's trump card!
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END OF CHAPTER
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