The layered poem was complete, and Ode to Chrysanthemums appeared once more. Flowers fell from the sky, no longer withered chrysanthemums of faded yellow, but full blossoms of brilliant gold.
The golden chrysanthemums actually gathered into the shape of a dragon, spiraling through the sky. Chrysanthemums kept falling, yet the dragon's form lingered without dispersing.
The chrysanthemums landed on the Cold-Iron Cavalry, making their armor brighter and their spears sharper.
Everyone discovered that dragon-shaped brands had appeared on the armor and weapons of every member of the Cold-Iron Cavalry. Those brands appeared only when the Son of Heaven personally led a campaign!
With those brands, their every movement drew upon the blessings of national fortune. Bathed in the Son of Heaven's aura, their strength soared.
When the last chrysanthemums had fallen, a bright yellow Son of Heaven's Battle Banner appeared in the sky!
At the same time, golden chrysanthemum petals swirled around every Cold-Iron Knight, carrying a strange trace of chill that ate away at every enemy nearby.
The Son of Heaven's Battle Banner snapped in the wind. Like the Son of Heaven's personal guard, the two thousand Cold-Iron Knights urged their warhorses forward and began accelerating.
Thud, thud, thud...
Their hooves struck the ground like pounding drums.
Zhang Chengxuan looked ahead and saw the transformed Cold-Iron Cavalry charging like tigers and wolves. The entire cavalry force radiated golden light, illuminating the battlefield.
Fang Yun stood behind them, a sovereign reigning over all beneath heaven.
An army of gold, invincible wherever it advanced!
When the two armies met again, an unbelievable scene unfolded. Every war-poem soldier who approached the Cold-Iron Knights lost at least thirty percent of his strength, and some lost as much as half!
The numerical advantage on Zhang Chengxuan's side became negligible.
The golden cavalry charged as