The yellow sand swirled everywhere, obscuring the slightly dim sky as Commander Liao Hua led tens of thousands of vanguard troops forward.
A legion clad in crimson armor, resembling a dragon coiling and writhing across the sand, churned the oppressive heavens.
Each Han soldier, bedecked in crimson Vermilion Bird armor, experienced a few minor realm boosts under its enchantment. With grim expressions and weapons in hand, they pointed towards the void, unleashing waves of chilling intent that whistled through the air.
The fierce winds whipped against the crimson armor, sounding like the sonic waves of a Vermilion Bird's wings beating against the nine heavens.
"Hum~~"
Tens of thousands of soldiers' eyes blazed with ferocity as they gazed at the sandy void. Vaguely, a crimson divine beast, the Vermilion Bird, seemed to coalesce slowly above the army, merging with the spiritual energy in the void, echoing and responding.
"Roar!!"
A colossal roar dispersed, and the wind suddenly intensified, whipping up layers of yellow sand that rampaged across the sky.
As the Vermilion Bird flapped its wings, surging waves of energy rippled outwards, and an aura of bloody malevolence permeated the air.
Liao Hua, mounted on his warhorse with a three-pointed halberd in hand, incessantly scanned the void ahead. He suddenly turned his gaze towards the ambush point of the ten thousand-strong army of the Sand Serpent clan.
Liao Hua frowned, constantly sniffing the air. Suddenly, he detected a fishy odor, not of fish, but in this expanse of yellow sand, it could only originate from one type of monstrous beast – the Sand Serpent.
"General!"
Just then, a figure swiftly approached Liao Hua's side, nodding lightly.
Liao Hua's frown eased. He looked towards the direction of the Sand Serpent army and smiled faintly. "Monstrous beasts will always be monstrous beasts. No matter how well you hide, you can't shed that fishy stench!"
"Order them to prepare for defense. Be ready to seize any suitable opportunity to annihilate this army!"
He patted his warhorse and spoke softly with a grave expression. Layers of spiritual energy from the Divine Mansion realm began to envelop his body.
...
"Brother Sha Zi, it seems the enemy hasn't discovered us!" a Sand Serpent soldier said coldly.
"Hmph, what do you know? Our Sand Serpent clan is blessed. In this sandy expanse, as long as we don't let other beings detect us, who can?"
"Who can?"
Sha Zi, twirling a yellowish-brown hook, wore an expression of smug satisfaction.
"Congratulations, Brother Sha Zi! If we can annihilate this army, you'll be promoted to the rank of general. No more exhausting patrols in remote areas!"
As they spoke, Liao Hua's army slowly advanced into their ambush location. Layers of bloody malevolence began to envelop the Sand Serpent clan, the crimson hue deepening.
Sha Zi gazed at the crimson army in the distance. The three large banners in the army fluttered in the howling wind.
One large yellow banner bore the imposing character "Han" in bold strokes, shaking the heavens with its national might. Another crimson banner shimmered with traces of crimson flames, a Vermilion Bird soaring towards the nine heavens, surveying the void. The last banner bore the character "Liao"!
Sha Zi's expression grew solemn, his hand tightening on his hook as he coldly eyed the crimson army not far away.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
Sha Zi's breathing grew heavy, his expression increasingly excited. His long tongue swayed, dripping with thick saliva.
His face suddenly lit up, and with a burst of energy, he roared, "Kill! Let's feast, let's eat human flesh!"
"Kill!!"
"Kill them!!"
Instantly, dense figures stirred in the yellow sand below, their pupils glinting with greed, their mouths watering, savoring the rich scent of human flesh with evident enjoyment.
The Sand Serpent army suddenly erupted, like a violent gust of wind stirring up layers of sand. Had it not been for their earth-shattering roars, they might have been mistaken for the sand itself.
Sha Zi greedily savored his saliva. In his eyes, Liao Hua's army was a lavish feast. His pupils became even greedier and crimson. Grinning, he surged past most of the soldiers, his hook locked onto the strongest among them, Liao Hua.
In the eyes of these monstrous beasts, higher cultivation meant stronger vital energy and more tender, delicious flesh.
At this moment, the Sand Serpent army, like famished wolves, bared their fangs and charged madly towards Liao Hua's army.
"Kill!!"
The ten thousand Sand Serpent soldiers' blood boiled, not from the desire for battle, but from the craving for delicious human flesh.
For an instant, the sky and earth darkened, and the ground was filled with flowing yellow sand!
Liao Hua smiled as he watched the Sand Serpent army charge out madly. Monstrous beasts were ultimately beasts; their minds were simple. The more they craved something, the less patient they became.
"Swish!"
"Puff!"
"Splurt!"
Liao Hua raised his hand and casually waved it.
"Boom!"
Tens of thousands of Han soldiers instantly drew the crimson Vermilion Bird bows from their backs. The moment blood-red arrows were nocked onto the bows, they ignited with layers of crimson flames, painting half the sky in a sea of fire.
As the flames erupted, Sha Zi, who was at the forefront of the charge, felt an intense burning sensation on his skin. His eyes widened in terror, and he suddenly roared, "Retreat! Retreat quickly!"
Even from such a distance, the rising crimson flames were unbearable for him. How could his army behind him withstand it?
The flames ignited on the Vermilion Bird bows were the fire of the South. How could these low-grade monstrous beasts resist it!
"Boom!!"
The previously sandy void, filled with earthy brown hues, was instantly vaporized by the flames. In a flash, the colors of the world changed, becoming an ocean of fire!
"Rumble!!"
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!"
The Han soldiers unleashed their arrows simultaneously, as if they had been suppressed for a long time. The moment they left the strings, the sound boomed like thunder, and the void exploded.
Layers of arrow rain, carrying raging flames, descended like a spiritual river of fire from a fire god, enveloping the void.
In the endless desert, a colossal fireball seemed to rise, covering the sky and permeating the void!
Tens of thousands of Han soldiers drew and nocked their bows. In an instant, countless streams of fiery arrows densely obscured the sky, mercilessly devouring the Sand Serpent army.
"Retreat!!"
"Quick, retreat!!"
Sha Zi's face turned pale as he watched the endless rain of fiery arrows. The narrow pupils of his eyes trembled. He raised his hook, frantically striking at the incoming fiery arrows.
Instantly, the Sand Serpent army wielded their weapons, making them dance in the void. They formed a desert wind wall. With grim expressions, they roared furiously, trying to intercept the sky-filling rain of fiery arrows with the wind wall.