Amidst the sea of flames in the entire basin, hundreds of soldiers, their bodies smoldering with faint flames, emerged from the inferno, their faces etched with terror.
However, before they could breathe for a moment, they were pierced through the chest by arrows, falling mercilessly at the edge of the fiery abyss.
Qin Qiong and Yu Chi Gong, their hands resting on the swords at their waists, wore expressions of icy coldness, appearing remorseless in the glow of the conflagration.
The Han soldiers, surrounding the basin and relentlessly firing flaming arrows into the inferno, were drenched in sweat. Their faces were flushed red by the intense heat from afar. If the Han soldiers outside were like this, one could imagine the plight of the Qi Zhou army trapped within the fiery sea.
"Boom~~"
A figure cloaked in darkness, wielding a long saber, shot out from the sea of flames. His eyes, filled with panic, gazed at the densely packed Han soldiers outside the inferno.
The person was covered in a thick, viscous liquid, whether it was sweat, blood, or the oozing of his scorched skin, it flowed profusely.
Darkness mingled with red, red with a tinge of yellow, and streaks of white liquid interspersed!
"I will have you all die!"
"Die!"
The dark figure roared ferociously. Only the long saber in his hand allowed Yu Chi Gong to recognize him at a glance: it was the commander of Qi Zhou city – Han Feng.
"Chirp!"
A golden mace, like a divine thunderbolt, blazed a golden dragon through the sky amidst the raging flames, cleaving the fiery expanse from the dark night sky.
With a single strike, it unleashed gusts of wind and thunder. A golden gleam flashed through the void, carrying a potent aura of slaughter, directly towards Han Feng, who was escaping the inferno.
"Hiss!"
Han Feng's face contorted in agony. His entire body was scorched by the sea of flames, and the golden mace energy tore through him, causing blood to erupt from countless wounds.
Han Feng bared his teeth, gripping his long saber. If not for the light of the inferno, his facial expression would have been invisible.
"Die for me!"
Han Feng roared. His long saber, imbued with fierce momentum, seemed too slow for his surging yuan force. The saber itself warped in the void under immense pressure, resembling a drawn bow. However, the surging yuan force within it continuously gathered at the blade's edge.
"Bang!"
The long saber suddenly shattered, unleashing unparalleled sharpness as it ferociously met the bothersome golden mace energy.
"Boom!"
A deafening roar erupted, causing the sea of flames behind Han Feng to surge upward by several feet.
"Pfft!"
A mouthful of blood spurted out, and Han Feng's body crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up a plume of dust several feet high.
Qin Qiong, holding the gilded copper double maces in both hands, gazed coldly at the dark figure in the deep pit below. He stepped forward without hesitation, his twin gilded copper double maces appearing like pillars supporting the sky, making the void tremble and the sea of flames roil.
The gilded copper double maces emanated a faint golden light, tearing through layers of void yuan force, rippling outwards like waves on the sea.
"Boom!"
With one mace strike, the earth groaned in agony!
"Ah!!"
Han Feng, within the deep pit, roared and raised his long saber, fighting with all his might.
"Rumble!!"
With another mace strike, Han Feng's seven orifices bled. His long saber instantly shattered into countless fragments that embedded themselves deep within his body.
"Boom!"
Another mace descended. Han Feng's powerless arms flailed in the void. His head drooped, and viscous blood trickled from his mouth. His eyes were filled with terror; to this day, he still didn't know who the enemy plotting against his army was.
The army before him flew the banner of the Great Han. He had never seen this banner before. Even the spirit-communicating martial artist about to end his life was unknown to him; there had never been such a figure in the territory of the Yan Yang Dynasty.
His pupils contracted rapidly, followed by a cold smile. At this moment, he understood that he had walked into a trap from the very beginning. First, a feigned attack beneath Qi Zhou city to kill his valued second-in-command, inciting his hatred, and then luring the enemy deep.
His expression changed drastically, filled with regret. He should have heeded the loyal advice of Zuo Leng Chan's personal guard. Had he retreated then, how could he have met his end on the battlefield today?
"Bang!"
Flesh and blood exploded, spraying red mist!
Han Feng, a cultivator of the fourth level of spirit communication in Qi Zhou city, met his demise in Yun Wu Mountain!
Yu Chi Gong watched this scene, then waved his hand, signaling tens of thousands of soldiers to mount their horses and charge towards Qi Zhou city, whose defenses were now extremely weak.
Qin Qiong stood in the void, sheathing his gilded copper double maces at his waist. His gaze was icy as he looked towards the edge of the sea of flames, where countless figures still burned. Some ran wildly, some struggled to move, some crawled on the ground, their hands digging into the earth, mixed with streaks of blood.
"Pfft!"
"Shriik!!"
One by one, the Han soldiers, wielding their long sabers, cut down the Qi Zhou soldiers who had just escaped the inferno. The arrows had long since run out. Now, the Han soldiers raised their long spears to the sky, their eyes blazing as they watched the edge of the fiery sea. Any who dared to charge out would be slain!
Show no mercy!
"Sizzle!"
Waves of heat washed over, drying the bloodstains at the edge of the fiery sea.
The raging flames continued until dawn. The entire basin turned into scorched earth. Within the vast basin lay pieces of black bones; not a single intact corpse remained.
Han soldiers, long sabers in hand, began to patrol the basin, checking for any surviving soldiers. The basin was too large, and the sea of flames could not cover it entirely. Some areas had higher temperatures, while others were cooler. They had to be thoroughly searched; not a single one was to be spared.
At this moment, in Qi Zhou city, a banner of the Great Han fluttered in the wind, heralding the arrival of the Han.
The soldiers within the city had all been annihilated. The common folk looked at the Han soldiers with little fear, only confusion.
What power was this Great Han? The Yan Yang Dynasty had been in turmoil for nearly a thousand years, and after countless trials, it had become a tripartite division. Who was this mysterious Great Han?
"Creak~~"
The city gate opened wide. Qin Qiong led tens of thousands of troops back from the basin. The capture of Qi Zhou city was the first city in the Yan Yang Dynasty conquered by the Han since their campaign began. And the geographical location of this city was extremely important.
Qi Zhou was a major artery, a vital artery concerning the rise and fall of Zuo Leng Chan's forces.
"General Yu Chi, pass down the order. The entire army will change into the armor of Zuo Leng Chan's forces!" Qin Qiong's face was cold. Taking advantage of the fact that the southern Zuo Leng Chan had not yet reacted, they would continue to advance southward.
Yu Chi Gong sneered faintly. The occupation of Qi Zhou city would be the prelude to a formal invasion of the Yan Yang Dynasty.
That day, the two hundred thousand strong army did not rest in Qi Zhou city but immediately donned enemy armor and marched. Within a single day, they captured dozens of cities under Zuo Leng Chan's command, completely severing the seemingly impenetrable stronghold in the south.