Overwhelming Force in an Interlocking Assault
The area where Zijin and Zhimeng reside.
The scholar waved her Divine Favor Staff and cast terrain magic once more. Accompanied by a deafening roar and the cracking sound of rocks breaking, the mountain path on the other side also crumbled under the onslaught of Magic Power, further sealing off the passage to this area.
Zhimeng set up several more confusing magic arrays, and as they took effect, the interference fluctuations in the air became increasingly viscous.
Having completed her task, Zhimeng lazily stretched her massive dragon body, found a sunny, flat rock on the mountaintop, and lay down. As Magic Power rippled, cyan began to creep across her scales, covering the original emerald green.
Zijin landed to the side, lay down against her, and rubbed against the soft scales on Zhimeng's belly.
As the commotion they made subsided, some scattered goblin figures finally timidly peeked out at the very edge of their line of sight.
Even from a great distance, they could tell at a glance that the enormous azure Azure Dragon atop the mountain was definitely not to be trifled with!
Without hesitation, the routed soldiers turned around and climbed over the steeper slopes further away. To lighten their load, they discarded their cumbersome equipment and abandoned the camels that had carried them there.
Zijin merely glanced at it lazily, making no attempt to stop it. Judging from the current battlefield situation, the number of prisoners would certainly be considerable.
Too many goblin captives would only be a burden and a waste of food.
The situation changed when a goblin general, clad in armor and exuding a dignified aura, arrived in the area with his personal guard.
From afar, he could see the imposing figure of Elder Zhimeng on the mountaintop, blocking the mountain pass. What made the goblin general's heart sink even more was that the once unobstructed road was now unrecognizable—the earth was torn apart, with deep ravines crisscrossing it, as if it had been gnawed by a giant beast.
Just how strong is the enemy on the other side?
The goblin general sighed, a resolute glint in his eyes. He gave a deep order to his personal guards to prepare for battle, then leaped onto a protruding boulder and began shouting to rally the scattered, panicked soldiers nearby.
Afterwards, the goblin general arranged for officers to work hard to move the boulders and fill the ravines, carving out a passable path through the mess.
At the mountaintop, Zijin, who had been resting with her eyes closed, opened them and fixed her cold gaze on the busy goblin general below.
"This green-skinned creature is openly provoking us!"
Zhimeng lazily raised her head, her enormous dragon eyes sweeping over the area. "I think he probably didn't even recognize you." She examined her more closely. "However, this goblin is quite strong; he's a seasoned Master Rank warrior."
"It's not necessarily that they didn't recognize me." Zijin stood up and stretched her slender body. "I'll go take care of these eyesores."
Zhimeng rested her chin on her front paws again. "Good luck, I can't help you in a fight."
With the Bone Staff of the End unfolded in her hand, Zijin rose into the air and swooped straight down.
"Warm up your belly and wait for me to come back!" she said to Zhimeng.
"You should say that to Su Ming," Zhimeng teased in response.
****
Zijin's attack immediately alerted the goblins below who were clearing the road.
They initially thought the terrifying Azure Dragon was about to attack, but when they saw that it was just a petite girl flying towards them, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
As if hearing something from the dragon, the girl's figure, flying through the air, suddenly staggered noticeably.
The goblins, who had been somewhat tense, relaxed even more. After all, their general had brought a formidable fighting force with him.
Only the goblin general himself suddenly became serious, and with a clang, he drew his longsword from his waist. The sword gleamed coldly, and his Dou Qi flickered.
There was no verbal exchange between the two. Zijin swooped down at high speed, and when she was still a hundred meters from the ground, she lightly tapped her bone staff, and a "Negative Energy Torrent" cut through the air and shot towards the goblin general.
The latter let out a low roar, and his earth-yellow Dou Qi erupted from his body as he gripped the sword hilt tightly with both hands and parried with all his might!
"Bang--!"
With a dull thud, the gray energy ball was shattered by the sword's edge, and dark Magic Power scattered in all directions. Unsightly scars immediately appeared on the surrounding ground.
Before the goblin general could catch his breath, the sky above him was suddenly covered by an even denser rain of death! Zijin Bone Staff struck repeatedly, and a hundred "Bone Spear" shot down towards his position like javelins!
This isn't like when she's facing Su Ming; she doesn't need to go all out like she did when they first met.
The general's pupils contracted sharply as he unleashed the full potential of Master Rank warrior, frantically dodging, leaping, and maneuvering through the rocky terrain. A series of Bone Spear grazed his afterimages, striking the ground and kicking up clouds of dust and debris, leaving deep craters in their wake.
A dozen or so unlucky goblins, unable to dodge in time, were pierced by the Bone Spear during the process, collapsing to the ground before they could even let out a scream.
As the local general leaped to his side and landed, his footing suddenly gave way! What had been a rocky foothold had transformed into a thick, black swamp, and a powerful suction force gripped his ankle.
Even more terrifying, the dark purple corrosive energy, like a living thing, rapidly climbed up his legs, frantically eroding the protective Dou Qi shield around his body!
The general's longsword erupted with a blinding yellow light as he gathered his strength and slashed downwards! The fierce Dou Qi slash tore through the mud trap, freeing him from its restraints.
In the sky, Zijin had completed her charge. She had switched to the Staff of Divine Favor, and six different colored magical lights converged and compressed, finally transforming into a terrifyingly destructive sphere of light that crashed down like a meteor!
"Hexagon - Meteor Storm!"
The deafening explosions continued, and violent magical energy raged around the general's location, stirring up towering dust that completely engulfed him.
Some goblins who didn't have time to escape were also affected, with green limbs flying everywhere in the area.
Zijin's eyes narrowed slightly.
As expected, ever since she made the "contract" with the Staff of Divine Favor to construct a dimensional portal, these obstacles in her path have been regarded by the will of the plane as enemies that can be killed!
The passageway has become something that transcends the lives of beings within the plane's will!
Zijin snapped out of her thoughts, her gaze fixed on the center of the smoke and dust, preparing to confirm the results of the battle, when suddenly a strange change occurred!
Sizzle sizzle sizzle--!
Several sharp, piercing whistles that tore through the air came from the other side, obscured by smoke and dust. A dozen or so crossbow bolts, as thick as an arm and shimmering with eerie blue magical runes, shot out from behind the crisscrossing stone walls on the ground, rapidly breaking through the smoke and dust, their target Zijin!
Zijin reacted swiftly, twisting her body to the side and dodging most of the crossbow bolts. However, a few still struck her magical shield, causing the anti-magic runes on it to erupt. The shield's aura, which had been flowing around Zijin's body, flickered violently, emitting a cracking sound as it shattered under the strain, and finally collapsed with a "crack!"
Zijin landed lightly on the top of a nearby towering rock, without panic. She scanned the direction from which the crossbow bolts had been fired, and through the gradually dissipating dust, she indeed saw a well-equipped group of goblin soldiers lying in ambush among the crisscrossing rocky ravines.
"Heh." A cold smile curved Zijin's lips. "Using herself as bait to draw attention and lure the ambush troops into a sneak attack? This general certainly has some cunning."
****
On the ground, the goblin royal guard quickly retreated and regrouped. The crossbowmen rapidly pulled the winches, reloading the magic-piercing crossbow bolts, the metal parts emitting a piercing grinding sound.
Several heavily armored goblin shield bearers stood at the front. Their tower shields slammed into the ground with a "thud," forming a temporary defensive line that shimmered with an earthy yellow Dou Qi, attempting to buy the crossbowmen more time to fire a volley.
At the tip of Zijin's Divine Favor Scepter, a chilling vortex of Magic Power gathered. She planned to unleash an area-of-effect spell to first eliminate the weakest participants.
The sound of air tearing apart came from overhead as Zhimeng's massive body swooped down and crashed into the center of the hastily assembled goblin guard, sending them sprawling.
"I can handle cleaning up these small fry!" Zhimeng gave Zijin a reassuring look, and the huge Dragon Claw, carrying pure physical force, slammed down.
An elite squad leader with lightning-fast reflexes shouted, unleashing his full Dou Qi to form a shield, managing to withstand the powerful blow, though his legs sank into the ground.
Zhimeng frowned, feeling a slight discomfort from the Dragon Claw. Her powerful Dragon Tail swept across like a giant whip, sending the goblin flying backward and crashing into a distant rock, his body instantly becoming a bloody mess.
The goblins within the sweeping range fared even worse, scattered like kites with broken strings. Wherever the Dragon Tail passed, shields twisted, crossbows shattered, and pieces littered the ground.
On the Zijin side, a figure burning with intense Dou Qi burst forth from the billowing smoke and dust—the goblin general!
His adamantine armor was dented and charred in many places from the impact of Magic Power, yet it still shimmered with light. He gripped the runic longsword tightly with both hands, the blade gathering a dazzling yellow light, and slashed swiftly at Zijin.
Zijin remained indifferent, not even turning her head. She simply turned her staff slightly, pointing it at the charging general, and unleashed an attack spell flashing red, ready to strike.
From the shadow of the rocks behind her, a figure almost blending into its surroundings suddenly appeared, like ink seeping from nothingness. A chilling glint, condensed to its fullest extent, shot towards Zijin's neck like a venomous snake's tongue!
Suddenly, a pre-set magic circle lit up on the ground behind Zijin!
Azure wind chains stretched out from the magic circle like living things, wrapping around the assassin's thigh and forcibly stopping him before he could react. Before he could even begin to struggle, a giant hand made of hard rock burst from the ground, grabbing the assassin and squeezing him tightly!
"Wind's Binding!"
"Rock's Confinement!"
The assassin suddenly felt a sweet taste in his throat, his ribs almost broke, and his runic armor made an unpleasant creaking sound.
"I could smell that nauseating, shadowy aura emanating from you from a distance!" Zijin's voice was as cold as frost.
But at the same moment the assassin was subdued, four more figures suddenly appeared!
Two agile attackers wielding poisoned short blades leaped out from the shadows of the rubble on either side, their target Zijin's waist; while two other spellcasters wielding staffs appeared a little further away, their staffs already glowing with magical light.
"Bay Owl, prepare to die!"
A triumphant smile spread across the goblin general's face. He certainly recognized this renowned Titled Scholar with Saint Rank combat power! He even saw through the Zhimeng on the mountain pass was actually an Jade Dragon without any special combat abilities.
Since the Jade Dragon needed to disguise itself as Azure Dragon to deter others, he judged that the Scholar Bay Owl, was not in full condition.
Especially after unleashing such a large-scale terrain spell, she is likely exhausted and recovering.
****
Just as the goblin general had suspected, Zijin's Magic Power and spirit were indeed greatly depleted, so much so that she had not been able to activate her domain for combat.
But she was already used to being besieged.
Zijin stomped her foot, and the ground beneath her immediately trembled!
The rocks within a radius of several meters around her shattered under the influence of earth Magic Power, and countless sharp fragments of stone formed a dense rain of stones that shot out in all directions!
Just as the two agile attackers were about to force their way through the rain of stones, a figure appeared behind them without their knowledge, and together with Zijin's magic, trapped them in the middle.
"Sorry, I have teammates here too!" Ruixiuli's teasing voice rang out.
With a casual gesture, the goblin corpses scattered on the ground exploded instantly, and white bone fragments shot out like a rain of pear blossoms, covering the attackers head-on.
Unable to dodge in time, the two goblins had no choice but to unleash their fighting spirit to block the Dou Qi head-on. Dense bone fragments and a rain of stones shattered the shield, causing it to flicker unpredictably.
In that brief moment of hesitation, Ruixiuli closed in like a shadow, his bone blade piercing the chests of two goblins in quick succession.
On the other side, before the two mages could finish chanting their spells, Jielusi's figure gracefully landed in front of them.
With the battlefield situation still under control, she did not activate her Shadow Form. Instead, she waved her staff, and several Chain of Light shot out, wrapping around the staffs and arms of the two mages and forcibly interrupting their Magic Power.
Gerus Jielusi and began to unleash more forbidden techniques to contend with her opponent.
With the threats on both flanks neutralized by her companions, Zijin was able to focus on the general and the trapped assassin before her. She parried the goblin general's Dou Qi strike, pushing him back a short distance. Then, she pointed her bone staff at the assassin struggling in the rock claws, her movements as graceful as a leisurely stroll.
"Finger of Death!"
A beam of energy, radiating an aura of death, struck the assassin, penetrating his shield and causing his body to shudder violently. His skin turned ashen at a visible speed.
Zijin gave him no chance. With a slight flick of her wrist, she unleashed another "Finger of Death," the bone-chilling energy completely corroding the assassin's entire body.
His veins bulged, and after struggling for a few more seconds, his eyes suddenly lost their luster, and he fell silent.
Of the five elite subordinates who participated in the ambush, three had already been killed, and the personal guard was scattered and broken up by the dragon's rampage. The goblin general was furious, knowing that the situation was hopeless. He feigned a sword strike to force Zijin back half a step, then turned around and tried to break through and escape.
Ruixiuli had already blocked his retreat route. He sneered as he stopped the goblin general, his bone blade flashing in his hand.
I knew you were going to run away!
"You treacherous humans!" the goblin general roared in exasperation. He was filled with remorse; if he had known earlier that Zijin had such a powerful protective force hidden around her, he would never have taken such a risky move.
Now, not only has the assassination failed, but he's also going to lose all his capital, including his own!
****
The outcome of the battle was no longer in doubt. With the help of Jielusi's magical interference, Zijin calmly targeted and killed the two goblin mages.
The goblin general was relentlessly entangled by Ruixiuli, and every attempt to break through was met with fierce bone blades that forced him back, leaving him no chance to escape.
Finally, in despair and resentment, the goblin general held his longsword across his neck and committed suicide.
"Even among goblins, there are such fierce and resolute individuals." Jielusi looked at the fallen general, a hint of barely perceptible emotion in her voice.
"Without some truly die-hards, how would the goblins dare to wage war against the Dragon Race?" Ruixiuli shrugged, unconcerned. He stretched out his hand, his palm glowing with an eerie light, preparing to seize the goblin general's still-dissipating soul.
"No need," Zijin interrupted, her voice tinged with seriousness. "This is war. Those who fight bravely to the death deserve our utmost respect."
Ruixiuli had no objection; he withdrew his hand and let the ghostly light dissipate.
Zijin took out her communicator. Although the distance was far, the signal was still usable thanks to the nearby communication base stations. She connected to the command center's channel, "Su Ming, the special target you marked has been successfully eliminated."
The goblin general died without ever knowing that he and his troops, who maintained their disciplined bearing and swift movements amidst the rout, had already been spotted by drones hovering high in the sky and were clearly displayed on the large screen in the command center.
Their outstanding performance made them targets for elimination in Su Ming's eyes. Eliminating the enemy's best commanders and their core teams is strategically no less valuable than annihilating an entire enemy legion.
Jielusi raised her staff, and a soft, emanating white light began to gather around her. "Let me send these lost souls on their final journey. Don't provoke us in your next life."
Ruixiuli's gaze swept over the scattered goblins in the distance, locking onto one of them, who was dressed in the uniform of a high-ranking staff officer.
"I'll go and bring that one back!" he said, pointing in the direction the other person had fled. "Well, at least we can treat him properly, right?"
"Of course," Zijin shrugged, "It's up to you."
****
The main battlefield.
The battle has now fully entered the pursuit phase. Although the dragons are incredibly powerful, their bodies are also enormous. While pursuing, fighting, and killing, their stamina is rapidly being depleted.
The command center quickly adjusted its strategy, reorganizing its forces. The dragons were arranged into assault lines, cutting through the fleeing goblin army like giant plowshares, instead of pursuing small groups of them individually.
As the battle lines spread across the vast battlefield, the density of the dragons inevitably decreased. Some powerful goblin warriors, hidden among the fleeing soldiers, sensed an opportunity to counterattack.
They began to quietly gather among their panicked kin. One small team of five powerful goblins chose a dragon that was gradually moving away from its teammates and was on the edge of the battlefield as their target.
The five goblins quietly closed the distance, exchanged glances, and made their final decision. They suddenly turned and charged against the fleeing crowd.
The goblin warrior unleashed his Dou Qi, his weapon gleaming coldly as he lunged straight at the enemy's massive body!
But to their complete surprise, the moment the dragon caught sight of the five figures, it unhesitatingly spewed out several powerful dragon breaths as a barrier. Then, its massive body suddenly turned around, and after a frantic running start, it flapped its wings violently, kicking up clouds of dust, and fled the battlefield at full speed without looking back!
"He—he escaped?!" The five goblin warriors, who were poised to fight to the death, froze in place, watching helplessly as the giant dragon, with an air of panic and disarray, disappeared from the battle line.
"He hasn't even fought us yet!" one of the powerful figures exclaimed incredulously, his arm gripping the battle axe trembling slightly with astonishment.
Little did they know that in the brutal DCS— the Giant Dragon Combat Simulation World —such a scene meant only one thing: an elite enemy monster had spawned!
Any hesitation, even half a step slower in escaping, would mean being mercilessly "killed" and subjected to severe physical punishment from the elders after training.
Even those unlucky ones who repeatedly fail to learn their lesson and are slow to react will be nailed to the "shame list" of the training camp for three whole days, during which time all delicious meat will be canceled!
The giant dragon before him was one of them—he had been driven to the brink of stress!
Just then, the goblin archer with the best eyesight in the group suddenly turned ashen-faced, raised his hand and pointed to the sky. "Run! Run!"
In the direction he pointed, five enormous dragon shadows, arranged in a standard 221 attack formation, were swooping down towards the position where the goblin elites had just exposed, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression!
They might dare to fight to the death against a single dragon, relying on their numerical advantage. But against a complete, well-coordinated dragon tactical squad, they probably wouldn't even be enough to fill the enemy's teeth!
The goblins hastily discarded their conspicuous weapons, frantically tore off their armor, and plunged back into the chaotic, fleeing goblin horde, trying their best to disguise themselves as the most inconspicuous routs, while frantically praying in their hearts: Please don't let this hunting squad choose us!
"Damn it!" a goblin elite roared in frustration as he ran, "When did dragons become as cunning as us goblins?!"
****
Located 15 kilometers from Sharp Gorge City, at a major transportation hub.
The exhausted goblin remnants staggered along the road, the air thick with the stench of blood, sweat, and despair. Commander Xiuya, atop an armored giant lizard that was also panting heavily, gazed into the distance with his clouded eyes.