Ambush the Wolf Bandits, War God Ban

As the word "Kill" rang out, the hunting squad's knights followed Ban Shu, charging into the pack of wolf bandits.

"Everyone, we can't let ourselves be outdone, let's go!"

Two knight squad leaders summoned their martial souls—one a greatsword as tall as a man, the other a metal shield—both possessing spirit power around level twenty.

Like Ban Shu, they charged to the very front, blocking the wolf bandits' offensive.

The pack was caught off guard by this sudden battle; some bandits subconsciously turned to flee, while others tried to fight back, only to be swatted away by a single strike from Ban Shu.

Just then, a howl erupted, and the previously chaotic pack instantly gained discipline, turning to meet Ban Shu and his men head-on.

But unfortunately, behind them, shouts of battle suddenly rose from where the villagers were being held—Yue Guan and his team had made their move.

"Everyone, hold the line! Give Bishop Yue Guan more time to rescue them!"

Ban Shu roared at the group.

"Yes!"

The knights formed a defensive formation, cutting down the charging bandits one by one, while Ban Shu transformed into a meat grinder, plunging deep into the fray.

"First Spirit Skill, Thunder Demon!"

Ban Shu erupted with seemingly endless lightning power; any bandit that approached him was instantly sent flying, their fur charred pitch-black.

"You beasts aren't even worthy of being my opponents!"

Ban Shu bellowed, holding his Painted Halberd horizontally like a paddle, swatting all the surrounding bandits away.

"Explode!"

As Ban Shu spoke, the swatted bandits shrieked in agony, their wounds leaking arcs of electricity before detonating with a thunderous boom.

The bandits' flesh stained the road red, and chunks of their shattered bodies even hung from their surviving companions.

Yet, far from being afraid, the pack's eyes turned blood-red, saliva dripping from their maws as they grew even more frenzied.

"Roar!"

Following that single howl, the rest of the bandits shrieked in unison and lunged at Ban Shu, looking as if they intended to tear him to shreds.

"Just as I intended!"

Ban Shu's current state was completely different from his usual training; influenced by his rage and the underlying logic of his Divine Steed Ban, he had become somewhat unhinged.

"Second Spirit Skill, God-Demon Body!"

"From this moment on, I alone shall rule this battlefield!"

Ban Shu swung his Painted Halberd, laughing wildly as he charged the bandits: "You ants think you can kill me? You're courting death!"

"Good lad!"

Watching from the sidelines, Li Yan nodded in satisfaction. He was truly worthy of his tutelage; Ban Shu had become a warrior capable of standing on his own.

"Still, this lad's state is completely different from his usual happy-go-lucky self."

Watching Ban Shu's crazed display as he laughed while slaughtering the bandits, Li Yan couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry, fearing that Ban Shu might lose himself to his inner demons and ruin his cultivation.

"I'll check on his condition when the battle ends. I can't let such a promising talent be destroyed like this."

Li Yan secretly decided that he must guide Ban Shu correctly and prevent him from falling into depravity.

While Ban Shu led the second and third squads in a slaughter, the first and second squads, led personally by Yue Guan, had also begun their operation.

The moment that "Kill" was shouted, Yue Guan had already locked onto the bandits trapping the villagers and struck with lethal force.

"Sixth Spirit Skill, The Garden is Full of Golden Chrysanthemums, Amidst Which Lies a Frost-Colored Cluster!"

Yue Guan went all out from the start, aiming to rescue the civilians as quickly as possible.

Countless chrysanthemum petals drifted from the flowers, transforming into a myriad of fine golden threads that shot out like arrows released from a bow.

Golden light flashed, and countless bandits had their skulls pierced, collapsing to the ground with their eyes wide open in death.

"Charge!"

The squad leader nearby waved his hand, leading the charge to rescue the civilians.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Yue Guan channeled his Heaven-Reaching Chrysanthemum, urging them on while striking down any bandits that rushed to intercept.

Alas, there were too many captive villagers and only a few dozen men in the squad; their progress remained too slow.

"First Spirit Skill, Death Pierce!"

Just then, Bibi Dong arrived with the fifth squad. The Death Spider Emperor spat out countless toxic needles, and any bandit that touched them died instantly.

"Why are you here?"

Yue Guan was somewhat surprised.

"Elder Yue Guan, the frontal distraction by Ban Shu and his men has pinned down the majority of the bandits. The few stragglers can be handled by a handful of men, so I brought most of the fifth squad over."

Bibi Dong replied while joining Yue Guan to fend off the bandits.

"So that's how it is. You've arrived just in time! Go save the others! We'll hold the line here!"

"Understood!"

The group acknowledged the order and accelerated their rescue efforts.

On the front lines, Ban Shu had gone into a killing frenzy. Countless corpses of Gale Wolf Bandits lay strewn about at his feet.

Not only that, but not a single one of these bodies was intact; they were all torn to pieces, their states of death gruesome.

Ban Shu stood his ground, and while the surrounding Gale Wolf Bandits circled him, not a single one dared to step forward.

These Gale Wolf Bandits were certainly not afraid of death, but Ban Shu was simply too powerful, appearing invincible. Even they were intimidated by his aura, which felt like that of a demon god.

"Refreshing!"

Ban Shu cracked his neck, leaned his arm against his Painted Halberd, and cast a sidelong glance at the bandits. "What's wrong? You beasts know fear now? Where did that momentum from before go?"

"A bunch of monsters who only know how to bully civilians—why aren't you barking now that you've met us? Huh? Come on then! A bunch of trash!"

"ROAR!!!"

Whether or not they understood Ban Shu's words, a wolf howl erupted, and a tall Gale Wolf Bandit slowly stepped out in front of him.

This Gale Wolf Bandit was different from the others; its frame was much larger. While the ordinary ones stood around two meters tall, this one reached two and a half.

Furthermore, its fur was streaked with a hint of cyan, making it clear that it was on a completely different level from the rest.

This Gale Wolf Bandit clearly possessed far more intelligence than the other monsters, as it extended a claw and pointed it at Ban Shu.

"Interesting. Are you the leader of these Gale Wolf Bandits? By the looks of it, you want a one-on-one duel with me?"

Ban Shu gripped his Painted Halberd and pulled it from the ground, then gestured toward the Gale Wolf Bandit with a beckoning motion. "Come on then, I'll see you through to the end."

Although he had consumed a fair amount of soul power slaughtering these beasts just moments ago, it didn't matter. Ban Shu's morale was at its peak, and he believed in himself.

"ROAR!"

The Gale Wolf Bandit leader let out a low growl to its subordinates, and before long, the bandits cleared an open space.

"Interesting. Even mere beasts possess such intelligence?!"

Ban Shu sneered and strode toward the open ground.

"Xiao Ban!"

At this moment, Li Yan hurriedly reached out to stop him. "Don't go over there yet, watch out for a trap!"

"It's fine, Uncle Li."

Ban Shu hoisted his martial soul onto his shoulder, his tone indifferent. "Today, I'll let them dance!"