Chapter Ninety-Four: Capture the Leader to Defeat the Thieves

At that very moment, Ye Xin suddenly changed direction. The Boundless Sky Wolf beneath him shot out like lightning, aiming for the shield wall that had yet to close. The shield wall immediately responded; two demon soldiers appeared at the gap, their long spears like dragons, thrusting straight for Ye Xin’s chest. The spear tips protruding from the shield wall also pointed toward Ye Xin, ready to offer support at any moment.

The two spears coming at him were absurdly long, nearly eight or nine meters, keeping enemies at bay ten steps away and giving Ye Xin no chance to retaliate. But Ye Xin seemed not to notice and charged straight at the spear tips. Just as his chest was less than a foot from the points, his figure flickered, and the two spears shot under his ribs, stabbing only empty air.

Witnessing this, the demon soldiers felt a heavy weight in their hearts. The Boundless Sky Wolf was unbelievably fast, and those two brothers hadn’t been slow to react, yet Ye Xin dared to take such a risk. His combat skill had clearly reached a level of consummate mastery. Surviving this encounter seemed all but impossible.

But in the next instant, an even more shocking scene unfolded!

Ye Xin closed his arms together and seized the steel shafts of both spears with his left hand, locking them in a death grip. Then he let out a roar like a lion or tiger. The demon soldiers holding the spears suddenly felt an overwhelming force transmitted through the shafts. They immediately channeled their vital energy, desperately struggling to resist.

To their horror, the two demon soldiers felt their feet leave the ground. At this point, they should have let go, but the pride of a warrior compelled them to resist to the bitter end.

Ye Xin was not having an easy time of it either. Veins bulged at his neck as he leaned sharply backward. The Boundless Sky Wolf, proving its intelligence, knew how to cooperate—its hind legs dug deep into the earth, haunches nearly touching the ground as it also exerted its strength.

With a deep hum, the spear shafts bent into arcs, then the two demon soldiers were lifted high into the air, torn from their formation. They rose until they were at Ye Xin’s hands, still gripping their spears with all their might.

Ye Xin pulled further back, and the two demon soldiers’ height rapidly dropped as they were hurled behind him. Their heavy armor crashed into the earth with a thunderous boom.

The demon soldiers in the formation were stunned. They knew how heavy their armor was, and combined with their body weight, for Ye Xin to hoist two men like that, the force required had to be more than ten times their own strength.

Was this even a man? Even among the highest-ranked fierce beasts, few could boast such overwhelming power!

The female commander among the demon soldiers turned ashen. She finally understood: the leader of the enemy riders was not merely her mortal foe, but destined in the coming decades to become a star of calamity who would make the entire Great Zhao nation tremble in fear.

Fu Shang and Xie En rushed forth at the same time. Fu Shang swung his staff, landing a blow on the back of a demon soldier’s head. The soldier, who was struggling to rise, was knocked flat with a cry of pain, then drew his sword and, bracing himself with one hand, slashed wildly about.

So tough? Fu Shang was momentarily stunned, then flew into a rage and swung his staff again.

With a heavy crack, the staff struck the soldier’s neck, sending him flying more than ten meters. The soldier’s body convulsed a few times, then lay still.

Compared to Fu Shang, Xie En’s task was much easier. The Boundless Sky Wolf merely brushed past the demon soldier, while Xie En leaned down, and with a precise thrust, sent his sword through the gap between helmet and nape. With a twist, the demon soldier’s body instantly went limp.

A wisp of black smoke drifted from the soldier’s corpse, faint and ethereal, yet seeming to possess its own awareness as it meandered toward Ye Xin.

What was that? Not only were the demon soldiers baffled, even the men of the Heavenly Sin Battalion were perplexed. They had seen plenty of dead men, but never had they witnessed smoke rising from a corpse. Could the man have carried flint, ignited by the violence of battle?

Ye Xin inhaled deeply, and the wisp of smoke suddenly sped up, merging into him through his nostrils and skin.

Under everyone’s gaze, Ye Xin smiled. The demon soldier hadn’t even had a chance to unleash his innate skill before Xie En killed him. Ye Xin now understood the source of that uncontrollable hunger he’d felt earlier.

Excellent! Truly excellent... Zhong Kui, oh Zhong Kui, you have given me a tremendous gift. If I ever feel I can control you, perhaps I’ll venture into the Ancient Forest and set you free!

“Advance!” Ye Xin raised his long blade and turned to the side. The wolf riders, who had slowed, surged forward once more.

Ye Xin always believed that psychological warfare was as crucial as strength on the battlefield. By displaying his true power, he had dealt another heavy blow to the demon soldiers’ morale. Now was the moment to launch an attack.

In the animal world, creatures like hedgehogs and porcupines curl up and rely on their spines as defense—a basic tactic effective only because other animals lack intelligence. On the battlefield, this tactic remained primitive. Demon-armored soldiers were said to be as immovable as mountains only with the support of their demon cavalry. Their task was to endure the enemy’s assault until the cavalry could counterattack. Without support, they were just meat on the chopping block.

The wolf riders charged on at full speed. Usually, only Ye Xin, Xie En, and Hao Fei would launch attacks—they were the strongest, easily shattering the spears thrust at them. If others tried, it would be dangerous.

Spear formations were smashed apart one after another. Ye Xin and his two companions struck swiftly and retreated, gradually eroding the demon soldiers’ defenses. The collapse of the defensive ring was inevitable.

“Contract the formation! Protect me!” From the war chariot, the female commander who had remained out of the fight suddenly shouted, “The Lin Battalion has already retreated. This will alert the central army—reinforcements will arrive soon!”

Her decision to stay out of the fight had been correct. With the demon soldiers on the defensive, if she joined the fray, Ye Xin and his men might well kill her with a concerted effort. As long as she stood and the banner flew, the demon soldiers would fight to the last.

Ye Xin glanced at the female commander amid his charge, finding her almost laughable. She was pale, flustered, raising the alarm about imminent reinforcements—hoping to force him into a real attack, and reminding him not to ignore her presence. Was she trying to lure the wolf out of the den and capture the king first?

Most commanders, upon seeing through the enemy’s intentions, would stick to their own plans. But Ye Xin decided to turn her ploy against her. He knew well the strength of a pillar-level warrior, and he knew himself even better.

The demon soldiers contracted their formation, the previously disordered ranks growing tight once more. Ye Xin activated the Sky Wolf Technique, and the Boundless Sky Wolf beneath him suddenly shifted direction, charging toward the demon formation.

When they were still more than ten meters away, the Boundless Sky Wolf lowered its body, and with another stride, leaped from the ground like a cannonball, arcing unerringly toward the war chariot.

The chariot itself was built high, with a platform over twenty square meters, towering above the field to command the battle and allow the troops to see their commander. As long as the commander stood, the army’s morale would not falter.

At that moment, besides the female commander, there were two other officers and five guards on the platform. Seeing Ye Xin descending from the sky, they were all thrown into confusion.

“Protect me!” the female commander cried again.

The officers and guards hesitated, then quietly retreated toward the stairs, leaving the female commander in the center.

Ye Xin, smiling, continued his descent. The enemy’s decision to contract their formation was, in effect, granting him this opportunity. Otherwise, even the Boundless Sky Wolf could not leap so high and far—what painstaking calculation...

When he was still five or six meters from the platform, Ye Xin suddenly separated from the Boundless Sky Wolf and dropped ahead, blade raised, slashing at the female commander with lightning speed.

Her panic vanished in an instant, replaced by a cold smile. She turned sideways, drawing a long bow from her back in one smooth motion, and nocked an arrow behind her. She loosed, and a burst of silvery rays exploded from the arrow like a storm, sweeping toward Ye Xin. Her eyes brimmed with killing intent. This madman was dead for sure! To ride into battle unarmored, wearing only a plain white shirt, so arrogant and reckless—and now she had lured him into a deadly trap!

The officers and guards’ expressions also changed, and they closed in with murderous intent.

Ye Xin burst out laughing, sweeping his blade horizontally to shield his face, channeling his vital energy to unleash the Scorpion Armor.

With a hiss, countless needle-like silver streaks tore through Ye Xin’s clothing, riddling it with hundreds of holes, yet not one could harm his body.

The female commander was taken aback, but quickly snatched up her halberd. With a sharp whistle, she thrust it straight at Ye Xin.

Dispersed attacks naturally lost much of their killing power. The cluster of silver light looked formidable but could not pierce the Scorpion Armor. Still, Ye Xin dared not take the halberd head-on. His pupils flashed; a black ray shot forth at indescribable speed, streaking toward her throat.

The female commander was startled again. If she pressed her attack, her halberd would not reach him before her throat was pierced.

She spun the halberd to intercept the black ray, but no sooner had she moved than another black ray followed, then another.

She unleashed her full strength, whirling the halberd madly. Each time she blocked a black ray, the shock forced her back a step, until she was at the platform’s edge.

From the instant Ye Xin left the Boundless Sky Wolf to landing on the platform was but a blink. In that brief moment, he had unleashed his innate skill several times, while the officers and guards were still meters away.

(To be continued.)