Fire Attack (Seeking Recommendations!)

Under the Shaman Witch's sorcery, the Hu people's cavalry, already demoralized and heavily wounded, launched another charge!

Blood and fire! Life and death! And even a war for survival between different races, unfolded once more on the earthen ramparts of Da Qing Village!

Unlike before, the Shaman Witch's appearance had boosted the Hu people's morale and combat power to their peak, while Da Qing Village's side had fallen to its lowest point.

In the blood-red setting sun, the Hu people's several charges nearly broke through the defenses, only to be held back by the desperate efforts of Martial Artists like Wang Yin and Wu Ming.

By the time the stars twinkled and the Hu people retreated, Wu Ming and Wang Yin were both visibly exhausted, their armor riddled with scars.

"Hoo..."

With the help of two Village Militia, Wang Yin finally managed to remove his iron armor, which was caked with blood and flesh and nearly fused to his body. He gave Wu Ming a wry smile and said, "Young Master Wuming, my True Qi was heavily depleted today. I'm afraid I'll need to recuperate for a night before I can return to the battlefield. I'll leave this place in your hands..."

"Don't worry, I don't want the Hu people invading and leaving us with no place to be buried!"

Wang Yin had fought bravely on the front lines today, charging even more fiercely than Wu Ming and taking on the most enemies. It was plain for all to see, Wu Ming replied with a smile.

"Excellent... Once the Hu people retreat, I must properly get to know you as a friend!"

Wang Yin's attitude towards Wu Ming was quite friendly, though it was unclear if Huang Ying's influence played a part.

Seeing Wang Yin leave, Qin Hu stepped forward, "You also contributed greatly today. Go rest early! Don't keep the lady waiting..."

He said this with a knowing smile that men would understand, clearly having misunderstood something.

In reality, though Wu Ming appeared valiant, his objective differed from Wang Yin's, and he had secretly held back some of his strength.

Upon seeing Qin Hu offer to take over the night watch, Wu Ming's heart stirred, and he put on a grateful expression, "Thank you!"

Without further ado, he descended the earthen ramparts.

However... Qin Hu failed to notice the fleeting coldness that flashed across Wu Ming's face after he descended the wall.

"Our mission is simply to survive... Therefore, we can choose to side with Da Qing Village, and we can also choose to side with the Hu people!"

In a dark attic, Wu Ming stood beside Huang Ying, looking down at the seemingly peaceful village, and suddenly said.

"You... Are you saying Qin Hu intends to..." Huang Ying covered her red lips. Though she had a vague suspicion, hearing it confirmed was still hard to believe, "Isn't he afraid of..."

"Everyone thinks they are special... Perhaps he believes that with his merit, he will be highly regarded by the Hu people!"

A sarcastic smile played on Wu Ming's lips, "The Hu people are strong, and Da Qing Village is weak. If not for a stroke of luck, the village could have been breached today. It's impossible to hold out for seven days, especially with the enemy having the Shaman Witch's aid... This man worships strength and obeys the strong. In this situation, what do you think his choice will be?"

"You know he intends to betray the village? Why not stop him...?"

Huang Ying stopped mid-sentence, a bitter smile appearing on her face.

After all, like Qin Hu, they were both outsiders! Even if they exposed Qin Hu's scheme, they would likely be met with even greater suspicion.

Moreover, even if internal threats were eliminated, they had no confidence in Da Qing Village's ability to hold out until the seventh day.

"Therefore... we must take a risk!"

Wu Ming suddenly pricked up his ears, detecting faint commotion from the earthen ramparts and the rhythmic vibration of hooves from outside. He said to Huang Ying, "It's starting. We'll proceed as planned!"

"I understand!"

Huang Ying gave Wu Ming a complex look before disappearing into the darkness.

"Lord Qin, what... what are you doing?"

Watching Qin Hu suddenly attack and slaughter the two men beside him like cutting vegetables, the surrounding Village Militia stared in stunned disbelief.

"What am I doing? Heh heh... Naturally, I'm surrendering!"

Qin Hu licked the blood from his blade, his expression wild and ferocious.

He suddenly lunged forward, his blade flashing. As a triple-level Body Refinement Realm expert, he was like a fierce tiger among sheep against ordinary Village Militia. In an instant, he killed all the guards at the gate.

"Murder!"

"An outsider is killing people!"

Screams and the sound of gongs erupted. Qin Hu sneered, "Heh heh... Wu Ming, Huang Ying, you two dogs, fend for yourselves!"

He then pulled a lever, slowly opening the main gate.

Outside, the Hu people, who had been waiting, immediately charged. Several riders surged in like the wind.

The Hu people were a nomadic race, their greatest strength unleashed when mounted. Having been forced to fight on foot outside for days, they had suppressed their ferocity and were now unleashing their pent-up rage. As they charged in on horseback, they were truly unstoppable, slaying all in their path!

"My lords, I am..."

Seeing this, Qin Hu's expression quickly shifted, and he greeted them with a smile.

But in an instant, his face changed.

The Hu people, upon seeing him, did not stop. Instead, they spurred their horses on, their faces contorted in grim smiles as they charged.

"Ah..."

A flash of blade light appeared. The rider and horse moved as one, their charge imbued with the horse's momentum. The power of a single downward slash was comparable to that of a True Qi Realm expert.

Qin Hu barely managed to raise his steel saber to block.

Clang!

Amidst the deafening sound, his arm was violently shaken, his tiger's mouth split open, his long saber flew out, and a massive wound appeared on his chest. He fell to the ground, blood foam gushing from the corners of his mouth, his eyes still showing a flicker of struggle—clearly a deathbed resurgence.

Thump, thump!

Immediately, a large number of horse hooves pounded over, crushing him into a bloody pulp.

"Kill!"

"Kill all the Han dogs!"

The Hu cavalry roared with excitement, scattering like tigers entering a flock of sheep, slaughtering continuously.

The entire Da Qing Village instantly turned into a living hell.

Near the ancestral hall where the old, weak, women, and children were sheltered, the crowd was awakened from their sleep, erupting into chaos. Wang Yin also ran out in disarray, "What's going on? Why have the Hu people entered already?"

In the midst of the chaos, no one could answer him. He could only draw his snake spear, throw it fiercely, and impale a Hu cavalryman.

"Brother Wang!"

Wu Ming, clad in leather armor, suddenly arrived, "The Hu people launched a surprise night attack and broke through the gates! It's my fault! Now, only by killing their leader can we have a slim chance of survival!"

"I'll go too!"

Wang Yin readily agreed.

Through Huang Ying's scouting, Wu Ming had long known this man to be cold on the outside but warm on the inside, possessing a straightforward honesty. Now, the lives of the entire village rested on his shoulders, making his commitment even more resolute.

"Yin'er!"

Wang Yin immediately drew his snake spear and, without even glancing back at the disheveled Wang Qiao fleeing behind him, followed Wu Ming.

"Hmm! Very good... With the thousand people outside, plus all the living beings in this village, my Magic Drum will surely be tempered to perfection!"

At this moment, the Shaman Witch, wearing a deer antler mask, rode her steed, unconcerned by the ongoing battle. A squad of ten men followed her nervously into the village, but they did not participate in the slaughter.

The Shaman Witch raised the blood-red Magic Drum in its hand, shaking and beating it continuously while chanting incantations.

In the firelight, the blood on the Magic Drum looked vividly fresh. The strange symbols on it seemed to have a life of their own, twisting as if alive, exuding an eerie aura.

"Damn it, a wicked witch performing a ritual!"

Seeing this scene, Wang Yin's eyes turned red, "The Shaman Witch's Magic Drum uses bones as its frame, human skin as its surface, and is dyed with blood. It can collect the power of vengeful souls..."

In ancient times, death was taken very seriously. Practices like the Shaman Witch's, which disturbed the peace even after death, were more detestable than desecrating ancestral graves.

Even Wu Ming felt his scalp tingle.

"Charge with me!"

Wang Yin shouted, drawing a short spear from his back and throwing it fiercely, instantly piercing a Hu cavalryman through and through.

"Protect the Shaman!"

The Hu cavalrymen roared and charged forward like death riders.

"Kill!"

Wang Yin channeled all his strength into his snake spear, causing the long shaft to bend into an unnatural arc as he swung it violently.

Bang!

A Hu cavalryman, along with his horse, fell, only to be dismembered by the following Village Militia.

"Fire arrows!"

The two sides clashed, the fighting extremely brutal.

Seeing this, a hint of disdain flickered beneath the Shaman Witch's mask. He suddenly took out a bone whistle from his embrace, puffed out his cheeks, and blew.

Hiss, hiss!

The piercing whistle sounded like an invisible arrow. A militiaman clutched his neck and fell straight down, his face turning completely black.

The Shaman Witch continued to blow the whistle, each blast felling one person. Its power was terrifying, and the surrounding Hu people gradually gathered, pushing Wang Yin and his men into a complete disadvantage.

"Don't stand in front of the Shaman Witch; its whistle is poisoned!"

Wu Ming, having wisely kept his head down from the start and not becoming a primary target, observed for a moment before shouting.

"That's right, don't let the whistle face you!"

Wang Yin moved like the wind, killing two more Hu cavalrymen, and also shouted.

The Village Militia scattered, drawing their bows to defend themselves, but the Shaman Witch remained unhurried, killing with its whistle.

Roar, roar!

Suddenly, the surrounding light grew brighter and brighter, and terrifying tongues of red and yellow flames spread continuously.

"Fire!"

"Fire!"

The dazzling flames illuminated the sky, making the entire Da Qing Village tremble in the sea of fire.

"What's going on?" Wang Yin asked urgently, "Are the Hu people setting fires?"

But at this moment, the Shaman Witch opposite also looked anxious, shouting loudly as if to rally and reorganize the troops.

After all, the constantly spreading fire had divided the entire Hu people cavalry, even posing a risk of friendly fire.

Da Qing Village was surrounded by earthen walls, and the space inside was not very large. The houses were continuous, and what was more deadly was that the outermost buildings were mostly made of wood and thatch, with few bricks to be seen. This made the fire extremely dangerous.

If things went poorly, the villagers of Da Qing Village and the Hu people would perish together.

"Neigh!"

At this moment, the Shaman Witch, with the last Tulu Warrior close by, turned his horse's head, clearly intending to leave.

But Wu Ming was not about to let him escape. He immediately pulled out the excellent ox-horn bow he carried on his back, drew the bowstring, and let loose an arrow.

Whoosh!

The wolf-tooth arrow shot towards the Shaman Witch, but was intercepted by the horse, hitting its neck squarely. Blood gushed out.

Shoot the horse before shooting the man. The Shaman Witch's mount fell dead, rolling ungracefully on the ground.

"Hah! Take your life!"

Seeing that the Hu reinforcements were blocked by the fire, although anxious, how could Wang Yin let go of this heaven-sent opportunity to capture and kill the enemy leader? He shouted, his snake spear darting out like a nimble snake, knocking the last Tulu Warrior off his horse, and then charged towards the Shaman Witch.