Kunlun
Kunlun differed from the North Sea. Its first four attributes enhanced the Eternal Youth inheritance, while its latter four strengthened the physical body, complementing the North Sea's boost to Inner Force.
Only the Heavenly Mandate attribute overlapped, yet both could take effect at once.
After equipping both Kunlun and the North Sea, Lu Xingshi seemed to sense some kind of restriction imposed by heaven and earth.
But now was not the time to dwell on such matters. He first had to deal with the chaotic troops before him.
The Golden Crow went directly onto his left and right hands, looking like a pair of enormous gauntlets. They did not interfere with Kunlun or the North Sea; those two were the materials for gloves and hand guards, neither gold nor silver, yet incomparably tough.
At the same time, Kun Peng Devouring the World and Eternal Life within his body underwent some kind of qualitative transformation.
The dual enhancement of Inner Force and physical body raised Lu Xingshi's strength to another level.
His entire body became a cannonball as he smashed straight into the enemy ranks.
"Die!!!"
Inner Force, heavy fists, and forcibly ignited gunpowder worked in tandem. A tremendous boom and a blaze of fire instantly cleared out a vast stretch of ground.
"Bold of you, charging the formation alone!" A furious shout rang out. In the distance, a man mounted on a towering warhorse, clad in armor and wielding a long spear, charged straight at Lu Xingshi.
Even grandmasters of the martial world would not dare receive a heavy cavalry charge head-on. Even a Bearman would be sent sprawling.
The opposing General was no ordinary man either. He possessed deep Inner Force and had tempered his body through military spear techniques. A master paired with lavish investment—both grinding and spending—was naturally formidable.
Unfortunately, he had encountered Lu Xingshi.
Lu Xingshi simply raised the Golden Crow and fired a cannonball at him.
It was true that he could withstand the impact with his flesh, but there was absolutely no need to do so. If he could emerge unscathed, why take a hit for the sake of showing off?
He had improved the Golden Crow and its cannonballs. Now each hand could store five rounds. Their range was farther, their power greater, and they were even lighter.
The cannonball flew from the barrel and slammed directly into the warhorse's chest. Though armored, its chest was still smashed inward, and the horse died on the spot.
That martial General was quite capable. He also practiced External Refinement, and his lightness skill was exceptional. He did not fall because of the horse; instead, he leaped into the air, rolled somewhat awkwardly, and used the momentum to rise.
The entire sequence minimized the damage as much as possible.
"Damn it, how could you..." Seeing his beloved horse die miserably, the General's eyes nearly split with rage. Yet before he could finish speaking, another cannonball came crashing toward him.
Naturally, he could never have imagined that this thing was a cannon. It was not as if he had never seen cannons before; what cannon was this small?
Unfortunately for him, Lu Xingshi had truly improved it through his high Comprehension and some knowledge from his past life. He felt that the Heavenly Mandate must have helped as well; otherwise, the process could not have gone so smoothly.
The General solidly took the cannonball's frontal impact. His Heavy Armor was battered into tatters, but his injuries were not severe, and he struggled back to his feet.
Lu Xingshi certainly would not let him go. Exploiting his advantage in speed and strength, he forcibly hacked open a bloody path and closed in on the General.
Before the man could even steady himself, Lu Xingshi punched apart more than half his body.
"My power is even greater than a cannonball's." Lu Xingshi grumbled, though ranged methods were still necessary.
At the same time, his hidden achievement, Thousand Army General Slayer, was completed. The Acquired Trait Bone Courage evolved into Spirit Courage.
When he had fought the Barbarians earlier, killing Aha Chu, the Barbarian Chieftain, would probably have completed it too. But the plan had prevented him from doing so, and now he had finally made up for it here.
Spirit Courage: Critical Hit +100, Vitality +100, Physique +100, Strength +100, Agility +100
The enhanced attributes had reached 100, and Agility had been added as well.
This made Lu Xingshi suspect that, apart from abilities, the highest limit was likely only 100 points.
His gaze swept across the surroundings. None of the soldiers dared approach. Lu Xingshi's display had been far too ferocious—a great military General had been turned into pulp right within the area of his own side's advantage.
Lu Xingshi's gaze suddenly paused. He spotted the Great Banners Flag.
The General has been slain. As long as I seize the flag next, I can basically make them lose. Lu Xingshi knew that if he truly tried to kill them all, he might not necessarily manage it. Who knew how many people had come this time?
The Barbarians had no Great Banners Flag, but here, once the great banner fell, it was much the same as losing.
Moreover, the commanding marshal for this battle would certainly be beside the Great Banners Flag.
Thus, he used the Golden Crow to clear the way, forcibly plowing a bloody path through the enemy troops.
"What a fierce General. A pity you serve as a bandit!" A General of around sixty, upon seeing Lu Xingshi, spoke with admiration and regret in his voice.
"When an old General takes the field, no wonder there could be such strategy." Lu Xingshi did not know him, but he could tell that this man was the commander of this operation.
Several guards closed in. As the opposing commander, the old general naturally had sufficient protection at his side. Beyond them, quite a few martial artists also watched like tigers stalking their prey.
The enemy commander knew Lu Xingshi intended to chop down the Great Banners Flag and even kill him. If either of those moves succeeded, Lu Xingshi alone would truly overturn the situation.
As soon as Lu Xingshi finished speaking, he struck first. He feared no encirclement. His physical body was terrifyingly strong, while his vitality and Inner Force were immensely abundant. Others could stab him with a spear or slash him with a blade and fail even to break his skin, yet so long as he brushed against them, they were either injured or dead.
Thus, he could make countless mistakes, while the enemy needed only make one to die without question.
Within three to five exchanges, he cleared out all the soldiers and martial artists who had surrounded him. Not a single one could stop him.
He blasted a punch into the Great Banners Flag, shattering it on the spot.
Then he looked at the old General. "If you order a retreat, we can all save face, and I can spare myself the sin of slaughter."
Regardless of victory or defeat, Prince of Wu and the court ministers would be the ones to profit. Everyone else was risking their lives for scraps, and that was unfair.
So Lu Xingshi gave him a choice.
"Save face? What face is there to save?" the old General retorted, then drew his blade across his own throat.
Lu Xingshi did not save him either. If the man himself did not cherish his own life, why should an outsider interfere? He was not even afraid of death, yet he was afraid of living.
With the flag seized and the General slain, the surrounding survivors saw that the tide had turned. They could only scatter and flee.
More importantly, after witnessing Lu Xingshi's manner of killing, no one could muster the courage to attack him again.
"The commander is dead!!!"
"The banner has fallen! Run!"
Seeing this chaotic scene, Lu Xingshi could not help sighing. "A defeated army truly collapses like a mountain falling."