The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 697: Ashes to Ashes!

Ashes to Ashes! . . .

Witnessing Commander Cha Eun Xiao's astounding might, the enemy troops realized the futility of their attempts to scale the wall using ladders. So, they turned to their mangonels, launching countless enormous rocks that pelted the fortifications. Without waiting for orders, Cha's soldiers sought shelter in the prepared enclosures.

However, on the wall, only Cha Eun Xiao remained standing, unfazed by the raining projectiles. He stood as a solitary figure, unyielding against the barrage of incoming rocks. With a single punch, he pulverized the boulders into clouds of ash. The thunderous sounds of impact reverberated throughout the area, with some rocks shaking the Iron Peak's foundation.

A short while later, as if signaled by the brewing of a pot of tea, the rocky ground before the wall was obscured by a thick layer of debris. The blaring horns sounded once more, heralding the renewed charge of tens of thousands of soldiers amid the torrent of projectiles.

Amidst the chaos, ladders were swiftly raised against the wall once more, and Lan-Feng soldiers, displaying audacious determination, scaled the wall. Despite the ongoing barrage of rocks, they risked life and limb to breach the defenses.

"Defend!" Cha Eun Xiao's command rang out. In a burst of motion, he transformed into a fleeting figure, propelled hundreds of meters forward in a single step, and leaped over the wall's battlements. As he passed, the ladders were shattered into fragments and incinerated into ashes.

However, Cha Eun Xiao's departure from the commanding position left one soldier agitated. It was an unwise decision for a commander to enter the fray personally. Yet, no amount of reasoning could dissuade Cha's resolve. Dressed in white, he soared through the air and journeyed hundreds of meters, delving headlong into the throng of enemy combatants.

The soldier couldn't contain his dismay, thinking, [What kind of commander would enter the battlefield in person?]

[No matter how formidable he is, it's still a reckless choice. What if he falls in battle? Our victory hinges on his leadership!]

Notwithstanding the soldier's protests, Cha Eun Xiao persisted, rushing to the center of the enemy ranks with sword in hand. His blade radiated a brilliant sheen as it swept through the assembled soldiers. He targeted the enemy's mangonels, recognizing them as a dire threat to Iron Peak's defenses.

In mere moments, his blade unleashed a devastating circular strike, cleaving through the enemy ranks. In the leftward semicircle he carved, foes fell before they could react, some in utter confusion and others in grim awareness. Despite the carnage, the rightward semicircle also faced the same fate, as Cha Eun Xiao maintained his relentless assault.

Though he created a momentary clearing, enemy soldiers swiftly filled the void. Cha Eun Xiao showed no signs of slowing. He continued to surge forward, sword swaying in a furious dance. As the swordlight streaked past the mangonels, they shattered into a hail of fragments.

Alarmed cries soon rang out among the enemy ranks as they recognized Cha Eun Xiao. "It's Ye Xiao! Don't let him get away! Kill him! Take the Kingdom of Chen down with him!" A fervent decree spread through their forces: "Kill Ye Xiao, and you shall be promoted three ranks, rewarded with thousands of gold taels, and granted a lofty position!"

This decree fueled their fervor. Countless soldiers clamored and rushed toward Cha Eun Xiao. His white figure raced through the throngs, trampling upon his pursuers. Wherever he stepped, heads exploded in his wake. Amid the chaos, the relentless flicker of swordlight continued to reign, dismantling over a dozen additional mangonels.

Cha Eun Xiao moved with astonishing agility, weaving effortlessly through the ranks of the opposing army. He deftly navigated among tens of thousands of enemy soldiers as if traversing an open plain, leaving destruction in his wake as he effortlessly dismantled over a hundred mangonels.

Remarkably, he emerged from this relentless carnage unscathed, with his pristine white attire untarnished by the bloodshed.

With a commanding shout, Cha Eun Xiao replicated himself into dozens of white phantoms that surged back to the walls of Iron Peak at breakneck speed. In a matter of moments, he had returned to his position as commander.

His swift departure and return conveyed a clear message. Although he had been gone only briefly, he had accomplished something extraordinary. By single-handedly obliterating the mangonels that could have posed a severe threat to Iron Peak, he demonstrated that even if more such weapons were deployed, he could simply venture out and decimate them.

Cha Eun Xiao's message was unmistakable: "Even if you acquire more mangonels, it won't help. I can venture out and wreak havoc among your ranks. This will render the mangonels useless. If you intend to seize Iron Peak, be prepared to make considerable sacrifices. I won't let you have it."

He had masterfully executed this strike within a short span, yet its impact was profound. With the mangonels in ruins, the enemy troops began to shift their focus to scaling the walls, as the threat of airborne projectiles was no more. On Cha Eun Xiao's side, the soldiers found renewed vigor, liberated from the previous pressure of defending against both falling rocks and enemy soldiers.

The Kingdom of Chen's troops were elated, pushing the invaders back with newfound energy and determination, as if channeling the spirits of legendary warriors.

In contrast, the Kingdom of Lan-Feng soldiers grasped the reality of their situation. They acknowledged the near-impossibility of breaching Iron Peak's formidable defenses. Their ladders were in dwindling supply, and the sturdy walls presented a formidable obstacle.

They faced a dilemma: Should they remain where they were, vulnerable to the arrows of the defending forces, or should they continue to press forward, even though it appeared futile? The battle's tide had decidedly turned, with the Kingdom of Chen holding the advantageous position.