CHAPTER 730: CHAPTER 394: XING ZHOU APPEARS (PART 2)

Since both sides have already clashed, there’s no need for further words. The exchange between men is the simplest and most straightforward. The Southern and Northern troops faced off across the demon cave for a short while before sending out a dozen scouts each, galloping counterclockwise around the valley to gather intelligence and firing arrows at close range.

However, this combat revealed an issue. The Xun Country’s Hu Ben cavalry was indeed elite, but their archery and horsemanship skills were noticeably inferior. The horse riding troops could all shoot left-handed and right-handed, catch arrows barehanded, shoot three arrows in rapid succession, and hit targets accurately at a hundred paces, their firepower density several times higher.

So, after just two rounds of pursuit and counter-shooting, not a single horse riding soldier was lost, while they shot and killed seven or eight of the elite Hu Ben soldiers. Only one survived, thanks to his exceptional talent and tough skin, who managed to struggle back with an entire body full of arrows and a single horse...

Having lost so badly right from the start, the morale of the Southern army of Xun Country was dampened. The Hu Ben soldiers were furious and exasperated, retreating defensively to avoid a breakthrough from the opponent. The Heavenly King’s Northern Army, seeing the opposition in such a poor state, seemed eager to charge and slay them, but ultimately did not pursue the attack.

Because the monster had been drawn by the scent of blood.

This demon cave housed a large group of centipedes. Huge centipedes. With a rustling noise, they burst forth from the cracks, densely packed like a crashing black spring oil, swiftly clogging the mountain crevice completely.

These centipedes ranged from several zhang in length to a minimum of seven chi, their backs dark brown or greenish-black, their bellies yellow, red heads with long whiskers, mouths with hooked teeth, countless legs, immensely poisonous, swarming upon the Tiger Ben corpses voraciously and devouring them in an instant, shredding Rhino Armor like paper, even crunching bones to bits.

The scene was extremely chilling. Not to mention the war horses underneath were whinnying in fear, even the veteran horse riding soldiers dared not approach.

The scouts fired a few arrows from afar, realizing they were too distant, ordinary arrows unable to pierce the carapaces, merely breaking upon impact. Only talisman-enhanced arrowheads capable of piercing armor could overcome them, so they quickly lost interest in monster hunting. A horn was blown, they turned their horses, the rear turned to the front, withdrawing swiftly and orderly.

Looking at the scene before him, Huangfu Yi had nothing to say.

A sad lament, not to mention the vassal guards from Xun Country, even these horse riding rebel troops once stationed at Northern Yishan, guardians of the land, surely possessed skills to deal with demons. With thousands of troops and horses trampling them, these venomous insects would not be difficult to defeat.

But unfortunately, the world doesn’t remember the sacrifice and protection of the past Light Cavalry, and now the rebels only care about their own glory and wealth, disregarding the survival of the common people.

Whoever wants to manage can do so, it’s none of my damn business anymore.

Huangfu Yi, oh Huangfu Yi, you claim to shoulder the responsibility yourself, to stand up for the common people, but aren’t the Kan people also subjects of the Immortal Palace who expanded its territories? Back when they withstood demons like these, freezing to death in the icy wilderness of Yin Mountain, where were you? Who ever stood up for them?

Every action and consequence has its destiny, karma is always repaid.

As Huangfu Yi was deeply introspective and self-deprecating, trapped in a rut he couldn’t escape, he suddenly noticed the sky darken abruptly. Looking up, he saw a colorful cloud drifting in, with brilliant Divine Light, a thousand strands of auspicious Qi, and gold foil scattered, covering half the sky.

Could it be that Mountain Men calculated the birth of the demon and came to deal with it? Never mind, ten out of ten times it’ll once again end up involving him...

Who would have thought the colorful cloud would continue uninterrupted, heading directly southwards, drifting over the demon’s nest, taking away the whole white cloud cover...

Uh, this plot is moving a bit too fast, isn’t anyone interested in all these centipede materials on the ground? They could make soup, refine elixirs, or something...

However, before Huangfu Yi could react, suddenly a dazzling light arrived in an instant! It whooshed overhead! Like a bright lamp sweeping across the sky! Splitting the heavens in two!

Moreover, as the light swept by, it was accompanied by overpowering Divine Sense, forcefully passing over, making Huangfu Yi feel electrified, goosebumps rising all over his body.

Damn, it’s sword light! Such a massive sword light! Definitely a supreme expert from the Mystic Sect! Probably at the Divinity Transformation Level! And it’s pursuing that cloud? Why does it feel... like a bird fleeing disaster...

But there was no time for the shiver of fear to subside, that Qingyun, that sword light, flashed and disappeared suddenly, yet another transformation occurred in the heavens and earth!

The sky, suddenly brightened.

Huangfu Yi strained his eyes, staring deeply into the infinite cloudless expanse, gazing towards the highest reaches of the Sky Dome.

He vaguely glimpsed thunder dragons and countless Heavenly Thunder, branch-like electric currents roaring and flashing in the Sky Dome, cracking the entire dome like a shattered mirror, peeling paint, or an eggshell, slowly breaking apart. As if... the sky was collapsing...

At this moment, not just Huangfu Yi was stunned, even the two armies retreating also couldn’t help but slow their horses, looking up, not knowing what was happening in the world.

"Ssh ssh ssh! Ssh ssh ssh! Ssh ssh ssh!"

And not only humans! Even the centipedes on the ground all straightened up! The earth was a dense forest of centipedes, like swaying water plants, or raising goosebumps!

At this moment, this place, all sentient beings, gazed at the star-studded sky!

Looking up at the boundless sky! Facing the unknown future! Plunged into nameless fear!

Yes, fear, Huangfu Yi was not timid, long desensitized to demons and beasts, but at this moment, he truly felt anxious, his heart was disturbed to the core, no matter how strong his biceps were, no matter how tough his muscles and bones were trained.

That hesitation and dread of the future, the unknown, the unseen. The genes humans carry since ancient times are screaming, raging, and shouting.

Fear

Fear

Great fear

Then, amidst all the living beings’ sight, in the mysterious sky, above the clear blue sky, in an instant, that thing suddenly appeared in the eastern sky.

Is it... the moon?

But if this is the moon... then what is that beside it...

Yes, an autumn crescent like a hook, a full bright moon like a wheel, the twin moons hang high, directly in the east, reflected in the eyes of all beings.

As if the heavens have finally opened their eyes, revealing a pair of pupils bright as pearls.

Huangfu Yi blankly stared at the pair of bright moons, for a moment, he even forgot to breathe or refine.

Then the sky suddenly flashed! A sudden burst of brilliant green light nearly blinded him! Only to see an incomparably bright star coming straight at him! Cutting through the sky dome! Zooming overhead!

"Swoosh—Boom!"

Another earth-shattering, awe-inspiring thunderclap followed! Then the sky lit up again!

Huangfu Yi turned his head and saw a never-before-seen giant fireball rising slowly behind him!

Then a second, a third, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven!

Only to see thousands upon thousands! A sky full of brilliant light! Stars of all hues! Some long, some short, some large, some small, traversing the heavenly river! Cutting through the clear sky! Plummeting straight to the mountains and rivers!

This, this is...

"A meteor shower! A meteor shower!"

"Emperor’s fluid! Emperor’s fluid!"

"Heavenly Materials Treasures! Meteor starfall!"

The soldiers not far away cheered, demons all over the mountains and fields boiled over, the three parties moved together, rushing towards the distant fireballs to seize the opportunity that fell from the sky.

Only Huangfu Yi stood there, gazing at the starry shower, his whole body chilled, horrified.

Are you kidding, that’s supposed to be... a meteor?

Autumn, stars visible by day, almost like moons, seen in the southeast. Twin moons succeeding each other, seen in the east by morning, with five stars passing across the sky, unpredictable in their paths.

Stars flow northwestward, some like a jar, some like a ladle, interspersed with minute ones beyond counting, all heavenly stars sway, ceasing only at dawn.

Heavens roar like thunder, after a short while, another boom occurs, with meteor falling into the camp, landing in the camp center, visible near and far, the fire blasted brightly illuminating the sky, clouds seeming like broken mountains, one time the fence and forest were all scorched.

By the time the fire ceased, inspecting the ground revealed a cavity as large as a pool, extremely deep. Looking down, a star could be seen in it, flickering. After a long time, it grew dim, still too hot to approach, a long while later, probing the cavity revealed a round stone, still hot, as large as a cauldron, slightly pointed at one end, iron-colored and equally heavy.

Tai Chang submitted a memorial,

Meteors symbolize warfare. When a red star falls to the earth, there must be military catastrophe. Please stop the music, reduce the palace meals, investigate prisoners, relieve the hungry and needy, encourage agricultural efforts, officiate rituals to honor the Cangtian, and grant amnesty to the world.

The Emperor did not approve.