20demayo Chapter 156: Two Dead, One Escaped – The Chapter Comes to an End
Chapter 156: Two Dead, One Escaped – The Chapter Comes to an End
at this time.
Zhao Zilong, leading the Tiger Warriors, has defeated the Blood Eagle Cavalry on the right wing of Beishuo and is now engaged in fierce fighting with the regular border troops on the left wing.
Meanwhile, the left and right flank armies of Dayan, led by the Eight Great Vajras, were locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle with the Northern Shuo army.
The entire Blackrock Plains have been transformed into a giant meat grinder.
Every moment, hundreds and thousands of soldiers fell, their blood staining the black stone dark red, and the air was filled with a strong stench of blood and death.
Qin Shuyan and her two companions were treating the wounded at the rear of the central army. As they watched the wounded soldiers being transported back one after another, their faces grew paler and paler.
"Too many...too many wounded..."
Qin Shuyan's hands were trembling, but she still insisted on bandaging a soldier whose abdomen had been pierced.
Xiao Yulou's swordsmanship is exquisite, and he specializes in treating severely wounded soldiers who require the removal of rotten flesh.
His longsword was swift and accurate, but his forehead was already covered in a fine layer of sweat.
Ye Qingying's hands were as steady as a rock as she prepared the medicine, but her eyes were full of exhaustion.
They finally truly understood the cruelty of war.
This is not a battle of wits or personal grudges, but a life-or-death struggle involving hundreds of thousands of people.
People die every moment, and people are injured every moment.
……
high altitude.
The battle between Guan Yu and the Ghost Elder has reached its climax.
Both of them fought with all their might, no longer holding back.
Guan Yu wielded his Green Dragon Crescent Blade like a dragon, each strike carrying the resolute determination to sever all ties of cause and effect.
"You scoundrel, take this strike—Azure Dragon Crescent Blade!"
The thousand-foot-long azure dragon reappeared, this time even more solid, with clearly visible dragon scales, and even a sense of sentience in its eyes.
Elder Ghost's expression changed drastically. He frantically activated the power of his ancestor's remnant soul, creating ninety-nine layers of black barriers in front of him.
"Nine Netherworlds Protect the Body, Ten Thousand Ghosts Pay Homage!"
The Azure Dragon collides with the barrier.
"Click—click—click—"
The barrier crumbled layer by layer.
Ninety-eight of the ninety-nine layers of barriers shattered in an instant!
The final barrier, though riddled with cracks, managed to block the Azure Dragon.
The Ghost Elder spat out a mouthful of black blood, his aura plummeted, and even the illusory image of his ancestor behind him became somewhat blurred.
Guan Yu also grunted and took three steps back, but the fighting spirit in his eyes intensified.
"You can be proud if you survive one blow, but the next blow... you will surely die."
As he spoke, he slowly raised his sword, and his aura began to rise infinitely.
A flicker of fear flashed in the Ghost Elder's eyes; he knew he couldn't withstand the next blow.
"Retreat!" Elder Ghost roared.
"Mission failed. Return to the sect and reconsider!"
He transformed into a streak of black light and was about to escape.
Blood Shadow and Bone Elder also desperately bombarded the golden cage, and finally, after paying a certain price, they broke through a gap and escaped.
The three terrestrial immortals of the Netherworld Sect were actually trying to escape!
But at this very moment—
"Come and go as you please?"
Lin Chen's voice suddenly rang out.
He had somehow appeared suspended in mid-air, standing on the path the three were escaping from.
The Ghost Elder was taken aback, then grinned maliciously: "Lin Chen, you're courting death!"
As he spoke, he reached out with a claw to grab Lin Chen. Although the backlash from the secret technique greatly reduced his strength, this claw was still enough to kill a peak Celestial Realm cultivator.
However, Lin Chen only glanced at him indifferently.
That single glance seemed to contain the ultimate truth of the universe.
Elder Ghost suddenly felt a fear that came from the depths of his soul.
It felt as if I was facing not a person, but... the very laws of nature!
"puff!"
The claw that the Ghost Elder had extended disintegrated on its own in mid-air.
He himself was struck as if by a heavy blow, bleeding from all seven orifices, and his breath became extremely weak.
"You...you..." Elder Ghost stared at Lin Chen in terror. "Who are you?!"
Lin Chen did not answer, but simply said:
"General Guan, Mr. Li, please see the three of you on your way."
Guan Yu nodded and slashed down with his sword.
Li Chunfeng also activated the great formation, with countless golden sword blades blocking the three's retreat.
Blood Shadow and Bone Elder fought desperately, but under the combined attack of Guan Yu and Li Chunfeng, they ultimately could not escape death.
Blood Shadow was shredded into blood mist by the Azure Dragon Blade Qi, and Bone Elder was pierced through the heart by a thousand arrows from the golden sword blade.
Only Elder Gui, at the last moment, burned his life essence and used the Netherworld Sect's life-saving secret technique, transforming into a wisp of black smoke and disappearing into the void.
"They ran away?" Guan Yu frowned.
"It's alright," Lin Chen said calmly.
"He burned his life essence, and his cultivation was completely destroyed. Even if he survived, he would be a cripple."
The Netherworld Sect wouldn't go to great lengths for a cripple.
Then he looked down at the battlefield: "The most urgent task is to end this war."
……
Northern Northern Army.
Wanyan Honglie looked at the three Netherworld Sect land immortals in the sky, two dead and one fleeing, his face ashen.
He knew that the situation was hopeless.
"Marshal... let's retreat."
Tuoba Lie's face was deathly pale, and he was covered in blood.
He had clearly suffered serious injuries in the battle with Wen Tianxiang.
Tu Wanjun and Yin Wuming were in no better shape; their auras were weak, and they were clearly no longer able to fight.
Looking at the retreating Northern Shuo army on the battlefield, Wanyan Honglie gritted his teeth and said:
"Order... to withdraw the troops!"
The sound of the retreat rang out.
The remnants of the Northern Shuo army retreated northward like a tidal wave.
Just as Zhao Zilong was about to lead his troops in pursuit, Lin Chen's voice rang out:
"Don't pursue a desperate enemy; clean up the battlefield and treat the wounded."
"Yes!" Zhao Zilong accepted the order.
He looked at the spear in his hand, feeling the surging blood and qi within his body.
After a day of bloody battle, his cultivation level has stabilized at the peak of the mid-stage of the Celestial Realm, just one step away from the late stage.
"War... truly is the best whetstone for warriors," he murmured.
……
sunset.
On the Blackstone Plain, corpses piled high and blood flowed freely.
The Dayan army began to clean up the battlefield, treat the wounded, and take stock of the spoils of war.
According to rough estimates, in this battle, more than half of the 250,000-strong Northern Shuo army were killed or wounded.
The Iron Wolf Guard was completely wiped out, the Blood Eagle Cavalry suffered 90% casualties, the heavy infantry suffered 70% casualties, and the regular border troops suffered 60% casualties.
Although the three celestial beings did not die in battle, they were all seriously injured and unable to fight again in the short term.
On the Dayan side, the 170,000-strong army suffered over 80,000 casualties, the Tiger Legion was reduced to less than 5,000, the border troops were reduced to about 80,000, and the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry suffered no losses.
On the side of the Celestials, Wen Tianxiang and the other two were all seriously injured, while Zhao Zilong was unharmed and his cultivation improved.
Li Bai was also seriously injured, while Guan Yu only lost 90% of his true energy.
A Pyrrhic victory.
But in the end, they won.
……
Central command tent.
Lin Chen sat in the main seat, listening to reports from all sides.
Zhuge Liang's voice sounded slightly tired as he said, "My lord, although we won this battle, the casualties were heavy."
The northern border troops need at least three months of rest to regain their fighting strength.
Lin Chen nodded: "Pass on the order to reward the three armies and double their compensation."
The families of fallen soldiers were supported by the imperial court.
In addition... 30% of the confiscated Cui family assets will be allocated for compensation and relief.
"My lord is benevolent." Zhuge Liang bowed respectfully.
At this moment, Qin Shuyan and her two companions entered the main tent.
All three women were covered in blood and looked exhausted, but their eyes gleamed with the joy of victory.
"Eighth Brother, the wounded have been mostly taken care of," Qin Shuyan said softly.
"Mr. Sun's medicine for injuries is extremely effective, and most of the seriously injured have survived."
Lin Chen looked at the three women, a hint of heartache flashing in his eyes:
"You've all worked hard, go and get some rest."
Xiao Yulou shook his head: "We're fine, but you, Eighth Brother... took too much risks today."
She was referring to the moment when Lin Chen blocked the three Ghost Elders in mid-air.
Lin Chen smiled: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
He is no ordinary peak Celestial Being, and the three Ghost Elders were seriously injured and no longer at their peak, so they are not to be feared!
Ye Qingying gave Lin Chen a deep look, said nothing, but the worry in her eyes was unmistakable.
Lin Chen waved his hand and chuckled:
"Alright, everyone go and rest. We'll return to the city tomorrow. This war... is temporarily over."
After everyone had left, Lin Chen sat alone in the main tent, looking at the map of the northern border on the table, and murmured:
"The Netherworld Sect has lost two terrestrial immortals, and they will never let this go. What follows is probably the real challenge."
He looked up and gazed in the direction of Zhongzhou.
"I'll have to go to Zhongzhou sooner or later."
Outside the tent, the starlight gradually brightened.
The stench of blood on the Blackstone Plains gradually faded in the night breeze.
But everyone knows that the wounds left by this war will take a long time to heal.