"Open the gates! Charge!"
A rumbling sound came from ahead. The massive, dam-like gates slowly swung open, their broad, imposing frames emerging from the dust.
Dusty air rushed toward them. Amid a series of clanging sounds, the mage corps surged out with murderous intent, like a giant sword charging into battle.
Their mission was simple: clear out the troops.
They had to eliminate every Terracotta Warrior, including the four Centurion Terracotta Warriors, so He Ming could challenge the Thousand-Man Commander without worrying about what was behind him.
"Fluorescence!"
Dazzling light erupted from Xu Fang, spreading like an untamed wildfire and consuming the Terracotta Warriors at the front in an instant.
"Cloud Slaying Sword!"
Xu Fang didn't stop moving. He held the broad, heavy Demon Slaying Tool in front of him. He didn't even need to channel magic energy. The Terracotta Warriors, scorched and brittle from the Bright Blazing Fire, crumbled into rubble the moment they touched the blade.
"Holy shit, he's incredible!"
Qi Lao San stared at his temporary bodyguard, dumbstruck.
At first, he'd kept casting spells, killing everything in sight. But in just a few seconds, a huge empty space had opened up before him.
Where were the enemies?
Where the hell had all those Terracotta Warriors gone?
Xu Fang was a terrible bodyguard. He had no sense of protecting his commander at all. As if he'd gone berserk, he kept pushing deeper until he was finally "trapped" in the encirclement.
"High Temperature Core!"
Charging up!
The heat in the surrounding air was forcibly drawn away. Flames blazed around Xu Fang, and the nearest Officer Figurine melted into a puddle on the spot.
"Clang!"
A Terracotta Warrior clad in armor, wearing pointed boots and a round topknot, strode out from the crowd and thrust its spear at Xu Fang.
Xu Fang neither dodged nor retreated. In his mind, the golden star and crimson Star Ring lit up at the same time, and the Star Track flashed past.
"Crimson Light Fire Array!"
The spear plunged into the crimson-gold light, disintegrating piece by piece. The golden glow was like a venomous snake slithering up a staff, spreading across the Armored Warrior Figurine's body.
Boom!
The Armored Warrior Figurine crashed to the ground. An earth-yellow Spirit Essence appeared, only to be swallowed in one gulp by the Golden Star Seed, which had been drooling for it.
"High Servant level." Feeling the Star Seed's lively energy, Xu Fang reckoned that one more should be enough to break through to Intermediate level three.
More and more Terracotta Warriors noticed him and charged forward one after another.
Xu Fang stood his ground without fear. In his eyes, these fearless Terracotta Warriors had turned into cans of nourishing milk powder!
Meanwhile.
An oddly circular patch of empty ground had appeared in the crowded battlefield. The surrounding area was marked by unmistakable traces of relentless magical bombardment, where mages and Terracotta Warriors clashed.
Two figures stood there: He Ming and the Thousand-Man Commander Terracotta Warrior.
The Thousand-Man Commander's joints were caked in thick dust, yet it moved with astonishing speed. Dust sifted from its body as it closed in on He Ming like a razor-sharp meat grinder, surrounding him completely.
"Holy Shield!"
He Ming's low voice rang out just as the meat grinder was about to close in.
Clang!
The attack struck something metallic, ringing out with a shrill clang.
The semicircular Holy Shield shuddered visibly, its light already dimmer than before. The Thousand-Man Commander acted as if it hadn't noticed its attack had been blocked. It immediately followed with an even heavier strike!
A flash of green light appeared in He Ming's eyes. Before the Holy Shield shattered, he formed a Wind Element Star Chart.
A violent tornado roared across the battlefield. Concealed within the wind, He Ming narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on the Thousand-Man Commander.
If a Great General had only this much strength, there was no way it would give human mages such a headache...
"Thump~~ Thump~~~~ Thump~~~~~~~~~~~"
Suddenly, the ground split open. Thick Metal Chains burst from beneath it, twisting and dancing through the air. Each time they collided, they rang out with a metallic clang.
The Metal Chains had no specific target, but their range of attack was enormous.
In an instant, they wrapped tightly around He Ming, turning him into a human-shaped cocoon.
Earth Element Energy surged wildly through the chains. Clumps of dirt hardened around them as they tried to bury He Ming alive in midair!
The other end of the Metal Chains gradually emerged from the ground, held aloft by the Thousand-Man Commander's outstretched hand.
Whoosh!
A flash of golden light streaked by, and He Ming escaped from the cage. A Demon Slaying Tool around him shattered into countless points of light.
One man and one figurine, one high and one low. The cries of battle fell silent around them, and the battlefield sank into the oppressive calm before a storm.
The next moment.
Attack!!!
"Fluorescence!"
A Terracotta Warrior was drained dry, its pure magic energy flowing into Xu Fang's Star Dust. The Golden Star Seed hummed happily, shining more brightly than usual.
Intermediate level three. Done!
"Kids, your dad isn't the kind of guy who likes to brag. I said we'd break through within three days, and we didn't even need a whole day. So, are you impressed?"
The Star Seeds rolled around happily.
"Let's keep working hard, all of us, and try to reach Intermediate Level soon, okay?"
The Star Seeds rolled so fast they became blurs.
"Good! That's the spirit!"
Xu Fang nodded in satisfaction. Ever since his Star Seeds had reached Intermediate Level two, they'd eaten him out of house and home, like growing boys. Their old dad had been worried sick.
At last, it was time to reap the rewards.
Xu Fang glanced at the Terracotta Warriors pressing in around him, itching to test out the might of his new Intermediate level three combo spell on these lucky targets.
But after thinking it over, he gave up on the tempting idea.
His last attempt to wipe out the Giant-Eyed Stinky Rats with the Crimson Fire Light Array had used up half his magic energy. He'd almost been ambushed by the One-Eyed Demonic Wolf afterward. That reckless misadventure was still fresh in his mind.
Having made up his mind, Xu Fang decided to head back and find somewhere safe to test his skill.
But when he looked up, he was stunned by what he saw.
"Holy shit... Where am I?"
The Terracotta Warriors were an entire Earth Element army. All of them casting spells at once had stretched distances by ten or even dozens of times.
Even the terrain had been forcibly reshaped. The ground, flat and open that morning, was now full of pits and mounds.
There wasn't a single mage around. Xu Fang first used a Fire Burst to take out the Officer Figurine blocking his path, then hurried up a small hill.
Far away, he could see the dark walls of the city.
"I'm really that far away!"
He estimated the distance. It had to be over five kilometers.
"Wait, what's going on over there?"
Xu Fang's attention was drawn to a spot nearby.
Several Centurion Terracotta Warriors riding tall bone horses and carrying five-meter-long spears had surrounded a lone figure.
Chaotic currents of air swirled around them, and a Holy Shield protected the figure. But the shield trembled with every strike from the Centurions. Xu Fang could tell the person wouldn't hold out much longer.
"The Centurion Terracotta Warriors are Minor General level."
"I don't care if they're Minor Generals. Even if they were Great Generals, I'd still give them a helping hand today!"
"You lot will make the perfect test subjects for my new skill!"
"High Temperature Core!"
Xu Fang charged up again. Having successfully broken through to Intermediate level three, he now seemed to form a funnel-shaped vortex as he gathered energy, frantically drawing magic energy from the air.
Even the lowest-level Terracotta Warriors couldn't get close!
It wasn't because they were afraid. Any living creature would feel fear when attacked, but undead wouldn't.
There was only one reason they couldn't approach: the High Temperature Core's terrifying heat would burn them to ash before they could land a blow on Xu Fang!
"Bright Silver Armor!"
"Cloud Slaying Sword!"
"Sunflame—Light Slash!!!"
Before you continue