The white blade of the Cloud Slaying Sword was engulfed in blazing crimson flames, shining conspicuously in the night.
The next second, the towering flames steadily retreated, withdrawing from the sword's body to its edge. From the outside, it didn't look any brighter—in fact, it seemed a little dimmer.
But anyone who sensed the fluctuations in the air would realize that the mana, once chaotic, had become incredibly condensed.
----This wasn't a gloomy departure. It was a wild ebb before the tsunami hit.
With a few light taps of his Footwear Magic Tool, Xu Fang descended from above.
A Centurion Terracotta Warrior spotted him. Its decayed, hollow eyes fixed on the sword in his hand, and it wheeled its horse around without hesitation, thrusting its spear at him.
Earth against light and fire, thrust against slash, skeletal horse against Footwear Magic Tool.
One encounter.
In that single instant, Xu Fang brushed past the centurion, and then... nothing?
Xu Fang continued his attack, while the Centurion Terracotta Warrior turned its horse around and ordered it to charge. The grand clash seemed to end just like that, for no apparent reason.
Neigh!
The skeletal horse raised its forelegs, about to trample the weak enemy into dust from its usual lofty position. But then, all of a sudden, it froze.
Its eyes, burning with ghostly flames, were full of confusion. It instinctively turned to look behind itself.
It saw half of its master.
Literally.
The Centurion Terracotta Warrior's formidable upper body lay on the ground, while its lower half remained seated on the horse's back. Like a freshly butchered cow, the beast was dead, but its nerves were still firing, clamping its legs against the horse's belly to make it move forward.
The Centurion Terracotta Warrior on the ground stretched out a hand, trying to touch its lower half. But before its hand could reach, a dazzling light engulfed it.
Its mana and Remnant Soul were drained clean.
Centurion, dead!
Xu Fang felt the new skill. Compared to his previous skills, with their wide range of functions, this Solar Flare Light Slash was surprisingly simple.
All it needed was a vessel. It could be a Demon Slaying Tool, an iron rod, even an ordinary pebble or a leftover meat skewer.
The power of "Solar Flare" could be infused into it, condensing immense energy into an extremely sharp edge that pierced through surfaces with a line or a point.
If he had to describe it, it was like Seven's ice blade, Jack's bracelet, or Ace's guillotine?
A Commander-level Centurion Terracotta Warrior couldn't withstand even one strike.
Its only drawback was that, unlike his other skills, Solar Flare Light Slash couldn't seize or steal anything. All its attributes were focused on attack.
But that wasn't a problem.
He could follow up with Crimson Light Fire Array or Radiance!
After all, a Commander-level's spoils were so generous. Kill it, then collect whatever value remained. No matter how he looked at it, it was a guaranteed profit...
Thinking about it, Xu Fang couldn't help smiling.
At that moment, every vein in his body carried the black blood of someone who exploited Demon Beasts and the Undead.
He set his sights on a second centurion.
Slash!
Absorb!
Not only had his mana not decreased, it had become even more abundant.
As expected, compared to poor Servant-level creatures that couldn't cough up a thing, Commander-levels were much more likable!
Kawaii ne!
"Hahaha, bring it on!"
Xu Fang laughed almost hysterically. His greatsword moved at an unbelievable speed as he caressed the third centurion. Man and figurine, together forever.
Clang!
His body suddenly flew into the air as an immense force struck him. The last Centurion Terracotta Warrior had played dirty, trying to pierce Xu Fang's heart with its spear from behind.
"That really hurts..."
Xu Fang slowly got to his feet and reached behind him. The Bright Silver Armor that had blocked the attack for him had a chunk missing.
"Little Centurion, do you know how much this Armor Magic Tool costs?"
"I won't ask for much. You can pay me back with your body. Fair enough, right?"
"Be good. It'll be over soon!"
----Sure, the main reason was that I got carried away and let my guard down, but does the one who ambushed me bear no responsibility at all?
Die!
One strike, and it was over.
Centurion Terracotta Warriors had a remarkably high chance of dropping treasures. Four of them had yielded a Spirit Essence. It was a shame he wasn't an Undead Element mage and couldn't extract it, so he could only use it to nourish his Star Seeds.
In his Stardust, his full mana was practically overflowing, pressing tight against the light film that contained it. The road to Intermediate Level was broad and open.
Only then did Xu Fang get a clear look at the person surrounded by the Terracotta Army.
"Company commander!"
He Ming's uniform was completely torn. Dust and blood had caked together, and his remaining mana could no longer sustain the Saint Shield. He was as feeble as an ordinary person.
"Take me... back."
He Ming opened his mouth and forced out those words.
Without hesitation, Xu Fang carried He Ming on his back. He stopped fighting, activated his Footwear Magic Tool, and rushed toward the city wall at full speed.
But Murphy's law told him that the things you wanted never came when they should, while the things you didn't want kept coming endlessly.
Terracotta Warriors swarmed in to block their way. Xu Fang didn't want to get bogged down fighting them. He might get stronger as a battle wore on, but He Ming on his back couldn't hold out much longer!
"Get out of my way!"
He used magic to quickly carve a path through them, then sped forward before the Terracotta Warriors on either side could close in.
But his heart sank when he saw another encirclement beyond the first, stretching endlessly like a swamp.
Xu Fang could break through on his own, but he probably couldn't do it before He Ming breathed his last.
He Ming was already losing consciousness. Xu Fang decided to take a gamble.
"Fluorescence!"
In Xu Fang's hands, the Intermediate Level three Radiance spell became a dazzling sun. He hurled it high into the sky, drawing the attention of everyone on the battlefield.
The other Military Mages would surely rush over as fast as they could.
But this also made him the target of every enemy in sight. Before they arrived... Xu Fang looked at the even greater number of Terracotta Warriors and gripped the Cloud Slaying Sword.
He would have to rely on himself!
......
Numbers were the truth. Xu Fang believed that deeply.
Moments ago, he had made quick work of the Commander-level Centurions. But when faced with an ocean of Servant-level Officer Figurines, he found himself hamstrung.
He couldn't use Solar Flare Light Slash. Killing Servant-levels cost more mana than it earned him, and the deficit would be enough to wear him down. In less than half a minute, they would swarm him and pile a dozen layers deep.
High Temperature Core seemed like a good idea. Against Servant-levels, it would be like having an invincible golden body.
----But He Ming, clinging to Xu Fang's back and getting burned to a crisp along with him, would probably have something to say about that.
His other skills didn't cover a large enough area. More often than not, the number of enemies he killed was lower than the number rushing in.
The encirclement shrank. Without the General Figurine giving orders, the Terracotta Warriors were in disarray, no different from ordinary Undead. They crowded together and rushed at him.
"Fluorescence!"
Xu Fang controlled the Star Seeds, sacrificing destructive power to expand the spell's range.
Under the light, most of the Terracotta Warriors had only lost their outer armor. They continued attacking, weapons swinging.
Xu Fang took the bomb from his pocket, poured a wisp of mana into it without hesitation, and hurled it with all his strength.
BOOM!!!!!
The bomb, redesigned and improved by the Military Department's forgemasters, was indeed much stronger than Xu Fang's original version. It even had a shockwave effect.
Amid the earth-shaking blast, the Terracotta Warriors, now as fragile as paper, were wiped out in one strike.
"Slash!"
Xu Fang didn't pause for a moment. He activated the Cloud Slaying Sword's innate skill.
He stomped hard on the ground with both legs. His newly repaired Copper Light Boots were officially ruined. Harnessing the force, Xu Fang twisted around with a turn that would have brought Newton to tears.
The blade's light became a ring, reaping the Terracotta Warriors pursuing him from behind.
The encirclement, almost closed, split wide open.
Through a gap between the Terracotta Warriors, Xu Fang saw trails of Star Track glittering in the distance, along with the ever-nearing fluctuations of magic.
The reinforcements had finally arrived!
Before you continue