Musketeer Cavalry! Instant Kill

"Move!"

Seeing the bandits enter the pre-laid trap, Su Changge signaled slightly to the guards beside him.

Instantly, a signal arrow shot into the sky, illuminating the entire night.

"It's the signal from the Young Miss and Lord Su Changge!"

"All units, listen up! Mount your horses and charge!!!"

Almost immediately, the dozens of knights of the Murong Earldom vaulted onto their horses in unison.

Among them, the knights carrying ten black boxes opened them, each retrieving a gleaming matchlock musket.

That's right!

Su Changge's so-called secret weapon was the matchlock musket he had painstakingly crafted after dozens of failed attempts.

Although the industry in this world was backward, comparable to the ancient eras of his past life, it was as if the technology tree had been skewed; the steel-making techniques of this world were exceptionally advanced.

Various large-scale steel smelting methods and even specialized steel forging techniques were not difficult to obtain.

If it weren't for the fact that the Earldom lacked high-level fire-attribute Spirit Masters, he would have improved the efficiency of casting, forging, and molding processes—and what lay before the knights now would certainly not be a mere ten muskets.

Of course, in the Douluo World, a dimension where transcendent Spirit Power existed, the lowest-tier matchlock muskets could hardly pose a threat to Spirit Masters capable of using Spirit Power and Spirit Skills.

But for now, Su Changge didn't expect too much; clearing out the cannon fodder in the early stages was enough.

Later on, if the Earldom's strength and foundation grew, it wouldn't be impossible to research mass-produced firearm-type Spirit Tools. By then, they would be the nightmare of all low-level Spirit Masters.

"Kill!!!"

Dozens of armored heavy cavalry charged through the sea of fire, rampaging across the four-meter-wide road, and reached the bandits in the blink of an eye.

"Damn it!!! It's the Earldom's cavalry!"

"They guessed we were coming and set an ambush here!"

The bandits turned pale with terror, instinctively trying to hide in the villagers' houses on either side, but only then did they realize that the houses had been sealed shut with thick wooden planks and bars.

BOOM!!!

The heavy cavalry trampled the first wave of bandits and continued their charge. In just a dozen breaths, they had pierced through the bandit formation, killing more than half.

One black-robed Great Spirit Master, caught in the chaos of fleeing soldiers, didn't even have time to release a Spirit Skill before his legs were crushed under the horses' hooves.

"All units, change direction! Musketeer cavalry, provide cover! Keep charging, don't stop!"

"Kill every last one of these bandits!!!"

Led by the knight commander, the ten musketeer cavalry aimed their barrels at the bandits and pulled their triggers in succession.

The specially made steel bullets tore through the bandits' leather armor with ease, reaping lives like heartless machines.

"Charge!"

As the horn sounded again, the Spirit Elder and the two Great Spirit Masters among the bandits changed expressions. Ignoring their comrade with the broken legs, they released their Spirit Skills to forcibly break away from the battlefield.

Thud! Thud...

Under the trampling of dozens of warhorses, the remaining bandits and the crippled Spirit Master were crushed to death.

From the rooftops, the three surviving Spirit Masters stared at the brutal battlefield below, consumed by shame and rage.

They had actually been forced into such a state by a group of ants who weren't even Spirit Scholars?

If word of this got out, how could the three of them ever hold their heads high in the Melan Territory again?

"You Murong Earldom scum, you... you are courting death!!!"

Three powerful waves of Spirit Power erupted, and yellow Spirit Rings illuminated the night sky.

Watching the battle from afar, Su Changge finally felt at ease.

Two Great Spirit Masters and one Spirit Elder—and they were just trash whose three Spirit Rings were all hundred-year rings... no, just ordinary Spirit Elders.

This battle was winnable.

"Ruyan, the common bandits are all wiped out. Against the remaining three Spirit Masters, our cavalry has no advantage; in fact, their limited mobility will make them sitting ducks for slaughter."

"It's time for us to step in!"

"You just advanced to Spirit Elder and lack combat experience, so just entangle that Spirit Elder. Don't take unnecessary risks."

"Once I finish off the other two Great Spirit Masters, I'll come to support you!"

Su Changge straightened his posture, his eyes burning with intense fighting spirit.

"Break formation! Don't give them a chance to focus fire! Musketeers, aim in pairs, and the remaining four, fire in staggered intervals—don't let them easily release their Spirit Skills!"

"Those skilled in archery, draw your bows! Aim for their crotches and shoot with everything you've got!"

For Spirit Masters, their physical capabilities had long since evolved beyond those of ordinary people.

Before the enemy soul masters had exhausted their soul power, the bows and crossbows of the old era could produce only limited results.

Even if the opponents were merely low-level soul masters!

A dozen volleys of arrows washing over the ground had not achieved the slightest effect.

"That is enough, Commander Mo. Have them all stand down."

"Aside from the musketeer cavalry, have everyone else retreat. Form groups of three and seal off every exit to the village!"

"When facing soul masters, it is only natural that a soul master should resolve everything."

"Although the Murong Earldom has fallen into decline, it has not yet fallen so far as to need you to throw your lives away."

Facing Su Changge's instructions, Commander Mo had his reservations, yet he dared not argue.

As one of the few high-ranking officials of the Murong Earldom, he knew far better than anyone else just how important this man before him was to the heart of the young mistress of the Murong family.

He also knew! Su Changge was not as gentle as he appeared on the surface.

"Understood! Lord Changge, My Lady... please, you must be careful."

As the knights retreated, the noisy battlefield fell silent in an instant.

However, the invisible aura of slaughter that permeated the air was ten times more intense than it had been just moments before.

"The three of you, deal with the other Great Soul Master. Leave the remaining one to me for a bit of practice."

The moment Murong Ruyan moved to pin down the Soul Elder, Su Changge directed the three elderly, low-level soul masters of the earldom to engage one of the Great Soul Masters.

As for Su Changge, he retrieved an alloy iron rod engraved with strange patterns from his soul storage device.

"Pretty boy, you don't actually intend to challenge a renowned Great Soul Master like me with that ridiculous iron rod, do you?"

The other Great Soul Master, seeing Su Changge's actions, seemed amused and burst into unbridled, mocking laughter.

"Heh... what choice do I have? One must always give it a try, don't you think?"

"Good! Good!!! Pretty boy, for the sake of your handsome face, I will spare your miserable life. Selling you to Tiandou Imperial City one day might even fetch a high price."

"After all, those aging noblewomen love your type."

"Listen well, my name is Chu Zhao!!! When you're living the good life later, don't forget your great benefactor."

Hum!

Soul rings vibrated.

Two yellow soul rings floated into the air as Chu Zhao leaped from the rooftop, charging straight toward Su Changge.

"First Soul Skill: Thorn Bind."

Thorns the size of bowls burst through the ground, slithering like pythons to instantly bind Su Changge, pinning him firmly in place.

"Lord Changge!!!"

Seeing Su Changge bound by the enemy's move, the musketeer cavalry fell into chaos, raising their rifles to fire at Chu Zhao.

Yet, the specially crafted steel bullets, upon reaching within three centimeters of Chu Zhao, seemed to be pulled by some bizarre force; they lost all kinetic energy while spinning at high speeds and fell to the ground like raindrops.

"Pretty boy, feel the despair I bring you... Second Soul Skill: Wolf Transformation!"

Awoo...

Under the moonlight, Chu Zhao's figure surged to three meters in height, dense fur sprouted all over his body, and a pair of savage fangs gradually took shape.

"I wondered what your trump card might be, or what special soul skill you possessed! It seems I thought too highly of you."

"I suppose it is true—how could a flower of hope ever bloom on such barren land?"

"Though I am unsure if your martial soul is plant-based or a beast soul, your soul ring combination is simply too pathetic."

Su Changge looked up at the wolf-transformed Chu Zhao before him, seemingly having lost all interest.

"Pretty boy!!! What did you say?"

"You dare to insult the great Lord Chu Zhao?"

"I've taken note of you. I am going to kill you... I will shatter your limbs piece by piece and let you die in despair amidst pain and struggle."

Chu Zhao's face twisted into a hideous mask as his massive wolf claws swiped fiercely toward the top of Su Changge's head.

Just as the claws were a finger's width from Su Changge, he moved.

A cold whisper exploded in the void, and surging soul power poured out like a tidal wave: "First Soul Skill: Titan Ape Demon Transformation."

A deep purple soul ring manifested beneath Su Changge's feet!

Purple-gold soul power enveloped his entire body.

The steel rod in Su Changge's hand seemed to transform into a divine pillar, effortlessly shattering the thorns that bound him, and with a single strike, it pierced straight through the center of Chu Zhao's brow.

The Great Soul Master, Chu Zhao! Dead!