Defending soldiers lost all color in their faces, and some new recruits even collapsed to the ground in terror.
Right at this critical moment, Commander Chen on the city wall moved.
His back remained hunched, as if even standing was extremely difficult. Yet the thumb of his left hand, gripping the saber, gently pushed open the guard's latch.
Clang.
A slight unsheathing sound was almost inaudible amidst the clamorous battlefield.
Yet the next moment, a chilling blade-light, indescribable in words, poured down from the top of the wall!
There was no earth-shaking momentum, only a straight trace that seemed to divide heaven and earth!
The saber mark swept across the very front of the charging demonic beast herd, swept across the ground, completely silent.
The bodies of the dozen or so Demonic Beasts charging at the very forefront instantly froze, then split cleanly in two, as if cut by an invisible sharp blade, blood and viscera splashing everywhere! And on the ground before them appeared a bottomless, mirror-smooth, massive ravine, spanning between the demonic beast herd and the city wall like an impassable natural chasm!
All attacks abruptly ceased, and the frenzied demonic beast herd looked like it had been choked by the neck, staring in terror at that terrifying saber mark on the ground and the corpses of their companions, stirred and uneasy, not daring to cross even half a step.
The Earth Splitter Ox Demon's crimson ox-eyes contracted sharply, staring fixedly at that hunched figure atop the city wall, a trace of incredulous solemnity in its voice: "Nirvana Blade Intent... Scarface Chen, you really still have a few tricks. This blade intent... is all right for fooling those little whelps."
Its massive physique stepped forward, the ground shaking once more, and it stared at Commander Chen, grinning hideously: "But you want to scare Old Ancestor me? You are still far from it! Looking at this half-dead state of yours, that slash just now was probably already the end of your tether, right? Heh heh, let Old Ancestor me test just how much more force you can squeeze out of these old bones of yours!"
Before the words faded, the Earth Splitter Ox Demon's enormous physique suddenly moved! It did not charge directly, but dropped to all fours, resembling a maddened primordial behemoth, carrying the momentum to crush everything as it launched a charge toward the city wall! With every step it stomped down, the ground blasted open a deep pit, its speed startlingly fast!
Commander Chen's pupils constricted, not daring to slacken in the slightest. He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the coppery taste rising in his throat, gripped the hilt with both hands, and the pitch-black straight saber came completely out of its sheath!
"Moo!"
The Earth Splitter Ox Demon emitted a heaven-shaking roar, and mid-charge, abruptly lowered its head. That pair of dark-gold spiral horns aimed at the city wall, suddenly erupting with dazzling golden light! A destructive force gathered at the tips of the horns!
"Earth Splitter Horn Charge!"
It thrust forward fiercely! Two condensed, substantive pillars of golden light, like two roaring golden dragons, intertwined and slammed toward the section of the city wall where Commander Chen was! Wherever they passed, the air was torn apart, emitting sharp, explosive shrieks!
Commander Chen held his saber horizontally across his chest, the pitch-black straight saber emitting a low hum, its dark light blazing.
"Nirvana: Guard Style!"
A thin-as-cicada-wings yet razor-sharp, dark blade curtain capable of isolating life and death appeared out of thin air before him.
"BOOM!!!!!"
The golden pillar of light fiercely collided with the dark blade curtain! It erupted with a light as blinding as the sun and an earth-shaking loud roar! A terrifying shockwave dispersed in all directions, the city wall violently shaking, large swaths of bricks and stones collapsing and falling away! Some defending soldiers close by were directly blasted by the shock, vomiting blood and flying backward!
The dark blade curtain fluctuated violently, its light flickering uncertainly, yet it stubbornly refused to shatter! Commander Chen let out a muffled grunt, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, and the arm holding the saber trembled slightly, clearly blocking it with extreme difficulty.
"Heh! Blocked? Let's see how many times you can block!" the Earth Splitter Ox Demon laughed wildly, its huge fist smashing toward the blade curtain like a meteor!
"Demon Ox Mountain Splitter!"
Commander Chen's blade momentum shifted, changing from defense to offense. The pitch-black straight saber traced a bizarre arc, avoiding the fist-edge and slashing toward the ox demon's wrist joints! This was precisely the exquisite move within the Wind Slaying Saber Technique, attacking where the enemy musters a rescue.
"Clang!"
The blade edge collided with the fur on the ox demon's wrist, which was harder than fine steel, actually erupting with a string of sparks! It only left a white mark upon it! The ox demon's defensive power was truly terrifying.
The Earth Splitter Ox Demon felt the pain and roared, its other fist already sweeping horizontally! At the same time, its steel-whip-like ox tail silently lashed toward Commander Chen's lower body!
Commander Chen's figure flickered, pushing Shadow Step to its absolute limit, shifting and dodging within inches, his pitch-black straight saber transforming into arcs of death as he constantly sought the ox demon's flaws. His saber technique remained exquisite and ruthless, every strike heading straight for vital points at tricky angles.
However, the gap in strength and his heavily injured body left him unequal to the task. His speed was clearly a beat slower, and his strength far inferior to the opponent's. Several head-on clashes caused his Qi and blood to churn and his injuries to worsen.
"Pfft!"
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Dodging slightly slower once, he was grazed on the shoulder by the ox demon's fist wind, and Commander Chen could no longer hold it back, a mouthful of fresh blood spraying wildly. His body staggered backward, crashing against the shattered battlements before barely managing to avoid falling. His complexion instantly turned sallow, his aura plunging drastically.
"Hahaha! Old thing, you really are finished!" the Earth Splitter Ox Demon laughed triumphantly, closing in with large strides, "Go die for Old Ancestor!"
It raised its huge hoof, gathering terrifying demonic energy, and stamped down fiercely toward Commander Chen—who was now powerless to dodge—like a towering mountain! If this stomp landed solidly, Commander Chen would certainly be ground into flesh paste!
On the city wall, Shi Zhu and the others had their eyes split with rage, yet they were utterly too late to rescue him, only able to emit a desperate roar: "Commander Chen!"
Right at this critical moment, a sudden change occurred!
A figure silently appeared atop the city wall, positioning himself precisely between Commander Chen and that destructive stomp.
The newcomer wore dark purple martial attire, possessed a straight posture, and his complexion was an abnormally pale shade, resembling someone recently recovering from a prolonged illness or perhaps a living corpse crawling from a tomb. His appearance was none other than Li Chongshan! Yet those eyes were utterly different from usual, no longer showing hypocritical gentleness or frantic greed, but rather an absolute, bird's-eye indifference and deathly silence. Deep within his pupils, a faint ink-green gloomy light vaguely drifted, as if countless resentful souls were churning within.
Facing the terrifying hoof descending from above like a crushing mountain, Li Chongshan did not even look up. He merely raised his right hand casually, his five fingers slender and pale. Seemingly slow, it arrived first nonetheless, gently and precisely pressing against the center of the ox hoof that possessed enough force to crush the city wall.
"Thud—!!!"
A muffled, extreme loud sound!
The anticipated collapse and shattering did not occur. Time seemed to freeze. That terrifying stomp, containing the full-strike might of a Core Condensation Realm great demon, was actually blocked in a casual manner by that pale palm! The violent demonic energy vanished without a trace like clay oxen entering the sea, failing to stir even a trace of an air wave.
The scene was bizarre and shocking: on one side stood the towering Ox Demon, soaring with killing intent and massive as a mountain; on the other stood Li Chongshan, pale-faced and seemingly delicate. The extreme contrast in size formed a powerful visual impact.
The Earth Splitter Ox Demon's crimson, giant eyes were instantly filled with endless shock and disbelief. It felt as though its hoof was not stepping on flesh and blood, but pressing down upon a piece of primeval, unyielding mysterious iron divine mountain! The rebounding force was cold, deathly silent, and bottomless!
Li Chongshan slowly raised his head, "looking" at the Earth Splitter Ox Demon with those devoid-of-emotion eyes. His lips moved slightly, his voice flat and devoid of the slightest ripple, yet clearly ringing into the ears of every living creature with a chill that made souls tremble:
"What kind of beast are you, daring to run wild on my turf?"
Before the words faded, the five fingers of his right hand pressing against the ox hoof curved slightly.
"Crack-snap—!!!"
Dense, scalp-numbing bone-fracture sounds erupted like popping beans from deep within the Earth Splitter Ox Demon's hoof, which was harder than fine steel!
"Moo-roar—!!!" The Earth Splitter Ox Demon emitted an extremely miserable shriek. Its massive demonic body was struck as if by an invisible giant hammer, flying backward through the air and crashing into the distant demonic beast herd, shaking the earth as it crushed countless lesser demons to death.
The entire battlefield fell silent.
All gazes focused upon that suddenly appearing figure who had severely injured a Core Condensation ox demon in a single move.
Li Chongshan slowly withdrew his hand, as if merely flicking dust from his sleeve. He did not even spare a glance at the retreating ox demon, instead slowly turning around to cast those cold, deathly silent eyes toward Commander Chen, who leaned against the battlement with a weak aura, his eyes filled with shock, confusion, and deeper wariness.
Their eyes met.
Commander Chen coughed violently, fresh blood continuously overflowing from the corners of his mouth. Staring fixedly at Li Chongshan, particularly those inhuman eyes, he rasped: "You... you are not Li Chongshan... What on earth are you?!"
A trace of an extremely subtle yet bone-chillingly cold arc surfaced on Li Chongshan's pale face. His voice remained flat, yet carried a detachment that controlled everything:
"Captain Chen, you are right, but not entirely."
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the demonic beast herd outside the city wall—currently plunged into chaos due to their leader's severe injury—as well as the terrified defending garrison on the city wall, before finally returning to rest upon Commander Chen.
"The present me is indeed not merely Li Chongshan."
"As for what I am..."
His voice paused, and the ink-green gloomy light within his pupils seemed to grow a fraction more intense.
"You may understand it as: I am Anping County's new... rules."
With that, he ignored the heavily injured Commander Chen, turning his gaze toward outside the city. His voice was not loud, yet like a biting cold wind, it instantly swept across the entire battlefield:
"Within three breaths, get out of my sight."