Chapter 865: Death God Descends

Although the Prince of Qi's warriors were carefully selected masters, just a second ago He Li had inspected the terracotta figures, swearing they were merely lifeless statues. Who could have expected them to suddenly come alive? Moreover, these terracotta figures attacked with speed and precision, coordinating seamlessly, exactly like a rigorously trained army. Consequently, they could evade one or two blades, but not the long spears and halberds coming from other directions. One by one, before their deaths, they cursed He Li's ancestors for eighteen generations, blaming their "pig-headed teammate" for their misfortune.

Witnessing nearly half of his subordinates perish instantly, Zhao Ruizhi roared, "You're asking for death!" An overwhelming aura of power radiated outwards, and simultaneously, a golden light flashed. Before anyone could fully comprehend what was happening, the terracotta warriors within several dozen feet around them had shattered into fragments.

"This fellow is indeed very strong," Mi Li's voice echoed in Zu An's ear, her tone clearly grave.

Zu An offered a wry smile. "Grandma, you're just realizing that now? I've been aware of it for ages."

Mi Li snorted and stopped responding to him.

The remaining members of the Prince of Qi's retinue swiftly gathered around Zhao Ruizhi. While they were all aware that the Emperor might not spare them, that was a future concern; at present, the terracotta warriors were actively trying to kill them. As for the bodies of their companions, no one paid them any mind; even Zhao Ruizhi gazed with a solemn expression at the vast, dark formation of terracotta warriors in the distance.

Only Zu An remained unconcerned by the terracotta warriors, as they were, in a way, old acquaintances. His gaze fell upon the bodies of the Prince of Qi's deceased elite guards, and he couldn't help but ask, puzzled, "Beautiful Master, don't you think these people have shed surprisingly little blood?"

"Indeed, there's surprisingly little. It seems their blood was absorbed by the ground as soon as it flowed," Mi Li said, puzzled. "However, on such dry ground, wouldn't such a phenomenon be quite normal?"

"I hope I'm just overthinking this," Zu An thought, a shadow falling over his heart.

Just then, a rumbling sound emanated from the distance, and everyone's expressions changed, as they recognized it as the distinctive sound of an approaching army. Such precise uniformity was clearly a hallmark of a formidable, battle-hardened army. Moreover, the footsteps subtly resonated with the very fabric of heaven and earth, indicating their recognition by this realm. Even Zhao Ruizhi instinctively recoiled a step. No matter how powerful he was, confronting a full-fledged army with diverse units was still beyond his capabilities.

At that moment, a square formation behind the oppressive mass of terracotta warriors halted. Then, bows were drawn and arrows nocked, and almost instantly, a vast volley of arrows rained down from the sky like a tempest, accompanied by piercing shrieks as they tore through the air, highlighting their immense power.

Zhao Ruizhi wasted no time. He slowly raised his hand above his head and spread it open, forming a golden light shield above him that enveloped everyone present. He kept Zu An and Bi Linglong because they were still useful. As for the Prince of Qi's retinue, he might still need these "cannon fodder" later to explore the secret realm, so he had no immediate plans to abandon them. Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to protect these individuals at all costs; if the situation turned unfavorable, he would decisively reduce the golden shield's area to conserve his energy.

The myriad arrows that struck the golden light shield were all deflected to the sides, as if the shield's surface were incredibly smooth.

Mi Li's voice interjected, "Pay attention. He isn't directly intercepting those arrows; instead, he's using minimal force to alter their trajectory and deflect them. This method consumes the least energy. The biggest distinction between high-level and low-level cultivators, apart from their cultivation levels, lies in their application of force. Most of the strength you people use in daily life is wasted."

"Understood," Zu An nodded.

"You understood that easily?" Mi Li asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice. She had intended to use this moment to properly instruct him and assert her presence as a master, but his lack of resistance made her feel as though she were punching thin air.

"Of course," Zu An replied casually, "I've read about these theories countless times in web novels."

Mi Li was speechless. Having spent so much time with this man, she naturally knew his thought process differed significantly from others in this world, and he constantly uttered terms she had never heard before. *Hmm*, she thought, *I should find an opportunity to ask him what exactly a "web novel" is.*

The previous arrow barrage had blotted out the sky, but Zhao Ruizhi's defensive shield had repelled every single one. Seeing only a few scattered arrows remaining in the air, he snorted, "Nothing more than that!"

Mi Li chuckled to herself. "This fellow is just putting on a brave face."

"What do you mean?" Zu An asked, perplexed.

"A single cultivator can hardly stand against an army, because an army comprises countless cultivators and specialized formations that can significantly boost their attack and defense. Had Grandmasters faced that barrage, they would likely have been riddled with arrows by now. Though the Emperor successfully blocked it, it wasn't as effortless as it appeared. Haven't you noticed that the surrounding light shield is considerably dimmer than it was initially?"

Zu An looked and confirmed it was true; in several places, he could faintly discern hairline cracks. However, the others, having just narrowly escaped death, were too awestruck by the Emperor's miraculous skill to notice such details.

Just then, a terracotta figure in the distant formation, noticeably larger than its comrades, leaped onto a chariot. It then drew a massive bow, and the arrow in its hand shimmered with a dark luminescence before instantly transforming into a bolt of black lightning. In the blink of an eye, that colossal, pitch-black arrow struck the very center of the golden light shield.

*Zzzzz!* A series of shrill, grating sounds erupted, as if two rough metal surfaces were grinding together. The pitch-black arrow spun wildly, and the light shield it struck visibly buckled inwards.

Zhao Ruizhi's face instantly flushed. He then clasped his hands before his chest, gripping a ball of golden energy, and slowly, steadily pushed the arrow back. The wildly spinning arrow finally succumbed. With a loud *bang*, it shattered piece by piece, then was pulverized into dust by the rebounding shockwave.

No sooner had everyone breathed a sigh of relief than another pitch-black arrow whistled through the air, striking the exact same spot as the previous one. This time, even the Prince of Qi's people noticed that in that instant, the surrounding golden shield instantly became riddled with cracks.

Zu An secretly clicked his tongue in amazement. "What is that terracotta warrior's background, to force the Emperor to such a degree with mere archery?"

Mi Li's gaze towards the figure was somewhat lost in thought. Hearing Zu An's question, she finally replied with a complicated expression, "That's Wang Jian, who helped the Great Qin Dynasty conquer the Six Kingdoms and unify the empire."

"Wang Jian?" Zu An exclaimed, astonished. How could he not know the formidable reputation of that man? "What is his current state? A spirit body, or an undead zombie?"

Mi Li shook her head. "I'm not sure. Regardless, Wang Jian's cultivation during his lifetime was no less than Zhao Hao's, though his current aura seems slightly weaker than his peak."

At that moment, a third arrow shot forth, directly striking the second arrow. The second arrow exploded, and then the third arrow, carrying an unstoppable force, instantly shattered the flickering, precarious defensive shield. Zhao Ruizhi clasped his hands together, directly trapping the black streak of light, then with a powerful tremor of his palms, he snapped the arrow in two. He appeared effortless on the surface, but Zu An noticed his hand subtly trembling within his sleeve.

Seeing the general prepare to fire again, Zhao Ruizhi's eyes flashed. He then shot forward like a cannonball, charging directly towards his opponent. He naturally understood the principle of "capture the leader to capture the bandits." Continuously defending passively from a distance would allow his enemy to wear him down. According to common knowledge in the cultivation world, those proficient in ranged combat are typically less skilled in close quarters. As long as he closed the distance, he was confident he could slay his opponent. If he could eliminate the main general, the rest of these peculiar troops might disband on their own.

Seeing him charge forward, many terracotta warriors immediately formed a protective array in front of Wang Jian. Their defense was as solid as bedrock, but unfortunately, what approached them was like a meteor!

"Get out of my way!" Zhao Ruizhi roared, striking without the slightest mercy. Almost instantly, all the terracotta warriors blocking his path disintegrated. The general on the chariot drew his bow and aimed another arrow at him. However, Zhao Ruizhi no longer needed to directly confront it; with his movement technique, being struck was quite difficult. Three consecutive arrows were fired, all missing their mark, and the general no longer had time to loose a fourth.

A sneer curled Zhao Ruizhi's lips. He brought his large hand down towards the opponent's crown. At such close range, striking with full force, he was confident of resolving the fight within a few moves. But just then, the air beside him suddenly tore open, and a sickle as black as ink materialized from thin air, silently sweeping towards his neck.