Chapter 152: General Yuwen

The sharp, piercing cries of the Fire Crows echoed from all directions, like countless vengeful spirits descending from the sky, chilling the blood of everyone on board.

At this section, the river was a full three hundred *zhang* wide, and the current was gentle. The large ship moved as if on a calm lake.

As November began, the weather turned suddenly cold.

At night, a light mist rose from the river surface, while the banks were shrouded in darkness, revealing an endless expanse of hills.

The ship was forced to stop.

The three Water Lion Beasts pulling the ship had been shot dead; their corpses floated on the water, their blood staining the great river crimson.

The ship's Hundred-Script Defensive Formation had already been activated. Over a hundred formation scripts floated in mid-air, forming a luminous sphere that completely enveloped the seventy-meter-long, three-decked vessel.

Li Weiyi stood by the railing on the first-floor corridor, observing the Night City Cavalry on the river. Numbering nearly three hundred, they surrounded the ship on all sides, continuously unleashing barrages of arrows and spitting fireballs, assaulting the vessel's defensive formation.

A rumbling sound echoed.

The fireballs, spat from the mouths of the Fire Crow mounts, possessed immense power. Striking the formation's light barrier, they instantly scattered, transforming into fire clouds several meters in size.

The entire formation shield almost seemed to turn into a giant fireball.

Li Weiyi felt as if he were amidst a thousand armies, an overwhelming sense of impending death pressed down on him. He said solemnly, "Is there no room for negotiation? Logically, these barbarians should primarily be after wealth. If they truly push us to desperation and we fight to the death, their losses won't be minor either."

Yin Shisan replied, "Normally, handing over some valuables would suffice; we've encountered this before. But this time is different. This Night City Cavalry unit likely began scouting us as soon as we entered Zhizhou territory. They know there are many young, beautiful women on board, and they are here to take everything."

"Usually, encountering a hundred Night City cavalrymen is considered a large-scale operation!"

"This time, there are about three hundred cavalrymen. Given the Fire Crow Cavalry's ratio of one Five-Sea Realm expert per ten cavalrymen, the number of Five-Sea Realm experts is likely close to thirty."

Yin Shisan then informed Li Weiyi that the Fire Crow Cavalry were the elite of the Night City's elite. They specialized in plundering merchant caravans and wealthy towns to gather military provisions and supplies. Their influence extended across the three southern prefectures, leaving nothing but desolation wherever they went. Anyone who encountered them was doomed.

There were countless instances of Five-Sea Realm cultivators being hunted down.

"There are no Dao Seed Realm experts in this Fire Crow Cavalry unit, are there?"

Li Weiyi had been carefully observing and sensing, trying to ascertain the true strength of the enemy.

"How could that be?" Yin Shisan scoffed. "Dao Seed Realm experts are almost all top-tier figures. If an existence of that caliber were present, they could shatter the ship's defensive formation with a single punch."

Yin Shisan was knowledgeable about all matters in the world and knew all the experts in the southern prefectures like the back of his hand. He pointed to a gigantic three-headed Fire Crow in the night sky, saying, "That is the commander of this Fire Crow Cavalry unit, Yuwen Chao. He's an veteran expert of the Five-Sea Realm's Fifth Stage, with a notorious reputation in the southern prefectures spanning sixty years."

Li Weiyi asked, "Senior Brother Shisan, what is your cultivation realm?"

"The Five-Sea Realm, Fourth Stage," Yin Shisan answered truthfully.

Li Weiyi knew that the Hidden Ones of the Hidden Gate were all Nine Springs Grandmasters. Their combat power was top-tier within the same realm, and they could even defeat opponents of higher realms.

Yin Shisan sensed his implication, looked at Li Weiyi, and said with a stirred expression, "You're not thinking of clashing with this Night City Cavalry unit, are you?"

Li Weiyi said, "This Night City Cavalry unit is massive and powerful; almost all of them are at the Six Springs or Seven Springs cultivation level. But they clearly don't take us seriously; they haven't even bothered to form a battle array."

"Because they don't need to form one," Yin Shisan countered.

Yin Shisan continued, "With thirty Five-Sea Realm experts pressing in, Yuwen Chao wouldn't even need to act; we'd be completely wiped out! And if anything goes wrong, with the Fire Crows' flight maneuverability, they can instantly form a battle array."

"Weiyi, you haven't become soft-hearted, have you?" Yin Shisan asked. "Yes, there are many children on board, even infants. If we escape, they will surely die. But their lives aren't even that important to their own fathers. Why should we risk our lives? Tonight's situation is already beyond our capabilities."

Li Weiyi said, "There must be a right and wrong, mustn't there?"

Yin Shisan froze.

Li Weiyi said, "Although tonight's situation is dangerous, it's not impossible to fight. Li Ling, that day when Chen Lian pursued us, you asked me if we should ambush them, if we should fight. I said the risk was too great, it wasn't a do-or-die situation, so we continued to flee!"

"Under similar circumstances, why do you want to fight today?" Li Ling knew the answer, yet she still asked.

"Because that day's struggle was merely a matter of pride," Li Weiyi replied. "Today's struggle is for something I believe in. People should always retain some humanity! Cultivators, too, should have some sense of responsibility!"

Li Weiyi silently pondered and calculated the possibility of defeating the enemy. He then added, "These barbarians burn, kill, and plunder, committing all manner of evil. Wherever they go, nine out of ten homes are empty, and corpses litter the fields. Since we've encountered them, even if we must escape, I want to make them pay a price."

Li Ling greatly admired the fighting spirit and warm human kindness emanating from Li Weiyi. She fully agreed, saying, "I will help you!"

Yin Shisan was infected by Li Weiyi's resolve. He saw the spirit and responsibility of a Divine Hidden One in him, but unsure of Li Weiyi's true confidence, he ultimately chose to compromise: "Alright, but the moment I say 'escape', you must leave."

"Good. We'll do our best and leave the rest to fate," Li Weiyi said, nodding in agreement.

The three then headed to the bow of the ship.

Li Weiyi and Li Ling, both Grand Thought Masters, simultaneously channeled their spiritual flames into the formation's core. Immediately, the more than one hundred formation scripts of the ship's great defensive array erupted with even brighter light than before.

The guard commander, Wu Zhaonan, was under immense pressure. He dispatched his only three Five-Sea Realm subordinates to various points on the multi-decked ship to control the chaos, manage the overall situation, and calm the people.

"As expected of the Attendant Hall's secret agents, they are actually Grand Thought Masters."

Wu Zhaonan glanced at Li Weiyi and Li Ling, sighing. He then turned his gaze to Yin Shisan, transmitting a low-voiced message: "The Fire Crow Cavalry has countless experts; we are absolutely no match for them. Once the formation breaks, we should immediately join forces, break through the encirclement, and escape. We couldn't have prevented such a disaster. There's no need to risk our lives for the concubines and families of those officials."

Yin Shisan's expression turned stern, and he coldly snorted, "Commander, how can you say such a thing? One must always have some humanity. Not for anyone else, but for one's own principles and responsibilities. If you wish to flee, then flee. As for me, I will fight to my last drop of blood."

Wu Zhaonan hadn't expected the other party to be so staunchly principled. He gave an awkward smile and said, "With those words from Secretary Chen, I feel relieved! Three hundred Fire Crow cavalrymen have surrounded this place so tightly that not even water can leak through. How could we possibly escape? Only by fighting to the death might there be a glimmer of hope."

Yuwen Chao, standing on the back of the three-headed Fire Crow, was a mutated human with a green face and a tiger's head. Four meters tall, his entire body was covered in armor, and the long spear in his hand was a full two *zhang* long. His aura was immense, like a demon.

Seeing that the ship's defensive formation glowed even brighter and would be difficult to breach in a short time, he let out a low snort: "All Five-Sea Realm experts, heed my command! Attack the formation with me. Leave no men alive on the ship, seize all the women, and divide the resources and treasures equally among yourselves."

"We swear to follow General Yuwen to the death!"

Their shouts shook the heavens and earth.

The morale of the Fire Crow Cavalry instantly soared to its peak. Nearly thirty cavalrymen surged forward, each radiating vitality, their spiritual energy intertwined into clouds around them, and bright battle-auras burst forth from their spears.

Yuwen Chao mobilized all his strength and hurled his spear.

The spear, like a brilliant beam of light, sliced through the night sky with a piercing whistle and violently struck the barrier of the ship's great defensive formation. The barrier instantly buckled inward, becoming precarious.

Nearly thirty more spears, hurled by nearly thirty Five-Sea Realm cultivators, also descended.

Boom!

Rumble!

How could the Hundred-Script Defensive Formation withstand the combined attack of dozens of Five-Sea Realm powerhouses? With just one wave, its light barrier shattered. Over a dozen of the spears rained down. Some pierced through the ship's hull, sending wood splinters flying. Others penetrated the armor of the ship's guards, passing straight through their bodies, splashing blood onto the deck.

"Haha! Kill them all, leave none alive!"

"Whoever grabs it, it's theirs!"

Outside, shouts of killing, whistles, and the cries of Fire Crows filled the air as the cavalry charged and swooped towards the ship.

On board, a group of highly tense family members could no longer control themselves, and cries erupted. They huddled in their rooms, hugging each other and trembling. Only those with decent cultivation stood with the guards, holding their weapons to face the enemy.

Yuwen Chao swept his arm, sending out a river of spiritual energy that swept back the spears stuck in the ship. Then, riding his seven to eight-meter-long three-headed Fire Crow, he attacked Wu Zhaonan at the ship's stern.

Powerful individuals were drawn to each other, and he had long since set his sights on the guard commander.

A bright green light appeared in the three-headed Fire Crow's throat. It spat out a stream of green flames, igniting the wooden hull and revealing the steel structure beneath. The waterfall of green flames spread all the way to Wu Zhaonan's front.

Wu Zhaonan faced the formidable enemy. He unleashed a two-*zhang*-tall combat spirit projection, blocking the green flames. He swung his battle saber, and a ten-meter-long arc of saber light flew out, slicing upwards.

Pfft!

The armor on the three-headed Fire Crow's abdomen cracked open from the strike; a large amount of blood gushed out. It let out a mournful cry and immediately flew away.

"Dare to injure my mount? You seek death!"

Enraged, Yuwen Chao leaped from the back of the three-headed Fire Crow. The spiritual energy within him surged like a vast ocean. A spear, bright as a pillar of light, descended from the sky. His combat will locked onto Wu Zhaonan, and destructive energy erupted from the spear tip.

Wu Zhaonan swung his saber to meet the attack. The moment their weapons met, he felt a strong sense of dread; the opponent's power was immense, like mountains pressing down on him.

Bang!

The deck beneath his feet could not withstand the force and shattered, creating a large hole. Wu Zhaonan spat blood and fell into the bottom hold!

Yuwen Chao shot in after him.

Yin Shisan and Li Weiyi exchanged a glance, and he shouted, "Commander Wu, Chen Chuan is here to help you!"

Yin Shisan leaped into the hole in the deck, unleashed his combat spirit, and struck Yuwen Chao with a palm.

Wu Zhaonan clearly understood that escaping today was a mere fantasy; he had long been targeted by Yuwen Chao. Fortunately, Secretary Chen by his side was reliable and willing to fight to the death. He dared not imagine how difficult the situation would be today with any other irresponsible partner.

"Secretary Chen, truly a man!"

Wu Zhaonan raised his saber and charged forward.

The ship had already descended into chaotic battle, and flames raged everywhere.

The Fire Crow cavalrymen leaped from their mounts, swarming onto each deck of the ship, continuously striking down guards and tossing them into the water.

Bang!

A cabin door was kicked open by a Fire Crow cavalryman. Inside, screams instantly erupted, and cries filled the air.

From Li Ling's fingertips, a burning spiritual light chain shot out. She dragged the cavalryman out and threw him into the icy river, where he became a sunken corpse. During the struggle, the spiritual fire chain had crushed his throat.

Wielding his Yellow Dragon Sword, Li Weiyi severed the head of a Five-Sea Realm cavalryman. While surging with killing intent towards the next Five-Sea Realm cavalryman, he swiftly scanned the battlefield.

Only half of the Fire Crow cavalrymen had boarded the ship; however, all of their Five-Sea Realm experts were on board. The soldiers outside were virtually leaderless. They hadn't joined the assault only because the ship's space was limited and already saturated; instead, they were responsible for killing anyone who jumped into the water to escape.

"They are too careless!" Li Weiyi thought. "Barbarians are always barbarians; they cannot be compared to true regular armies."

Li Weiyi felt more confident. So, he decisively released his seven Phoenix-Wing Moth Emperors, telling them to attack with full force and, if the Fire Crow cavalry outside attempted to form a battle array, to break through it immediately.

This was Li Weiyi's trump card!