Chapter 321 - 198: Mounting the Wall

Chapter 321: Chapter 198: Mounting the Wall

"Ao Qing!"

The "Flood Dragon" Ao Qing coiled its tongue, tossed Zhang Wangyue onto its back, and continued to charge forward.

It glanced back at the charging Barbarian Bull General, its eyes filled with disdain.

’So what if I provoked the Demon Court? What can you do to me?’

’Sure, we’re both Tier Five Demons right now, but soon I’ll transform into a true Flood Dragon and become a Tier Six Demon.’

’In a few more years, I’ll be a true dragon. The paltry Demon Court? I’ll be able to destroy it with a flick of my wrist.’

’Afraid of you?’

’With my human pet constantly providing me with blood food rich in draconic might, I fear nothing!’

’Anyone who dares to harm my source of blood food is an enemy of me, Ao Qing! A battle to the death!’

’And this name, Ao Qing... it’s actually quite nice.’

’He provides blood food and even gave me a name. How wonderful.’

Ao Qing shook its head and wagged its tail, quickly leaving the Demon Court’s army in the dust as it charged to the base of Hujue Pass’s walls.

This scene left the defending soldiers atop the walls of Hujue Pass completely dumbfounded.

"Quick, fire the arrows!"

Shao Santong was also stunned. What was going on?

He had planned to wait until Zhang Wangyue and the others were all killed in battle, then use the excuse of a rescue mission to open the city gates.

But before he could even make his move, a traitor had appeared in the Demon Court’s ranks?

Not only had it saved Zhang Wangyue and his men, but it was now heading for Hujue Pass?

The defending soldiers were utterly confused, but there was no mistake in killing a demon.

They had no way of knowing if Zhang Wangyue and the others were being held hostage by the demon.

TWANG!

TWANG!

The sound of bowstrings vibrated through the air as a dense volley of arrows rained down from the sky.

"Junior Brother Su, that’s Shao Santong!" Xu Chongyuan shouted.

"Ao Qing!"

Su Mu let out a long cry.

The "Flood Dragon" Ao Qing opened its mouth, and in the instant it roared, its tongue transformed into a long whip. With a SWISH, it swatted the entire shower of arrows from the sky.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Su Mu suddenly leaped high into the air, hurtling toward the walls of Hujue Pass.

SWOOSH!

The moment he leaped, the Thunder Shocking Saber at his waist was already unsheathed.

The blade’s brilliant gleam traced a perfect parabola through the air.

Zhang Wangyue and his men, the people on the city wall, and even the distant demons were all stunned by the sight.

Shao Santong couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

"Is he an idiot? Does he really think that single strike can cleave the walls of Hujue Pass in two?" Shao Santong sneered.

Just how sturdy were the walls of Hujue Pass?

Even a full-power strike from a Tier Five Demon wouldn’t necessarily leave a scratch.

As for flying up to the top of the wall, that was even more impossible.

The walls of Hujue Pass were hundreds of feet high, a height that even birds would struggle to cross.

How could a mere Taiping Captain, with no ability to fly, possibly scale the wall?

It was true that once a Martial Artist’s cultivation reached a certain level, they did gain the ability to fly.

But that "certain level" was, at the very minimum, the Nascent Soul Realm.

Within the Da Xuan Taiping Bureau, the only ones with that kind of power were a few Marquises of Taiping and a handful of senior Commanders-in-Chief.

In any case, it certainly couldn’t be some lowly Taiping Captain.

Wasn’t this just putting on a circus act for him?

But as Shao Santong laughed, his smile froze.

He saw the Taiping Captain reach the apex of his jump, then begin to fall uncontrollably.

But just at that moment, a tongue suddenly appeared beneath his feet.

CRACK!

With a crisp crack, the tongue struck the soles of the Taiping Captain’s feet like a long whip.

The Taiping Captain, who had already begun to fall, was launched into the air once more. His speed surged, and in an instant, he had shot up onto the top of the wall.

The smile had not yet completely vanished from Shao Santong’s face when a flash of a blade was already upon him.

"How dare you!"

Shao Santong roared in fury.

He didn’t know how this Taiping Captain was controlling that "Flood Dragon" demon, but a Taiping Captain was a Taiping Captain, after all.

He, Shao Santong, was a Martial Artist of the True Essence Realm.

And as everyone knew, Taiping Captains were merely in the Rebirth Realm.

A Taiping Captain in the mere Rebirth Realm dared to attack him?

He was simply courting death!

It all happened in a flash.

Shao Santong swung his saber fiercely, the blade tearing through the air with a sharp whistle.

CLANG!

Their sabers clashed, unleashing a visible shockwave of air.

Shao Santong’s expression changed abruptly.

The immense force surging up his arm sent him staggering back half a step.

’This power... it can’t be from the Rebirth Realm!’

’Damn it, I’ve been tricked!’

Just then, Shao Santong suddenly felt a gust of fierce wind approaching from behind.

He instinctively spun around and slashed with his saber, a look of astonishment on his face.

An identical-looking Taiping Captain was sent flying by his strike, tumbling down from the top of the wall.

Although he had sent the man flying, the sight still left him stunned.

When he instinctively turned back to check, a saber was already pressed against his neck.

It sounds complicated in the telling, but to everyone else, it all happened in the blink of an eye.

Even the Inspection Envoys from the Inspection Bureau didn’t have time to come to Shao Santong’s aid.

From the crowd’s perspective, a Taiping Captain had scaled the wall in an unbelievable manner and then clashed blades with Shao Santong.

At almost the same instant, another version of him flashed out and attacked Shao Santong from behind.

Shao Santong spun and knocked the second one off the wall with his saber, but the first one used the opening to close in and press his blade to Shao Santong’s neck.

By the time everyone reacted, Shao Santong had already fallen into the Taiping Captain’s hands.

Shao Santong, a Fourth-Grade Inspection Envoy of the True Essence Realm, had been taken hostage right before their very eyes.

Below the wall, the "Flood Dragon" Ao Qing let out a happy growl and swallowed the falling "Su Mu." A satisfied look spread across its face, and its body even began to emit a faint cyan glow.

"Ao Qing, send the men up."

Su Mu said coolly.

The "Flood Dragon" Ao Qing coiled its tongue.

Zhang Wangyue, Xu Chongyuan, and the others were flung into the air, and by the time they realized what was happening, they were already on top of the Hujue Pass wall.

For days, they had been trying every method they could think of to get back into Hujue Pass. But because of Shao Santong’s obstruction, all they had to show for it were injuries, unable to even set foot inside the pass.

And now, just like that, they were back on the wall?

"Governor, don’t just stand there dazed."

Su Mu looked at the dumbstruck Zhang Wangyue, feeling a bit speechless at the Governor’s slow reaction time.

"Take command of the city’s defenses and face the enemy," Su Mu said.

"You—"

Just then, the Inspection Envoys from the Inspection Bureau finally reacted. "Let Lord Shao go!" they shouted.

"If you don’t want him to die, then get the hell out of my way."

Su Mu said coldly, applying slight pressure with his hand. The blade cut through Shao Santong’s skin, and a thin line of blood appeared on his neck.

The Inspection Envoys jumped in fright and hastily retreated.

"Is the Taiping Bureau rebelling? You’d better release me right now, or else—" Shao Santong yelled.

SLAP!

Su Mu slapped him across the face with the back of his hand.

"Governor, if you keep spacing out, the Demon Court’s Demon Soldiers are going to be on top of the wall."

Su Mu ignored Shao Santong and looked at Zhang Wangyue.

Zhang Wangyue finally snapped out of it, his old face flushing red.

"All soldiers, hear my command! Ready the crossbows! Activate the City Defense Formation!" Zhang Wangyue shouted. "You few, go get Commander Yang and General Qian immediately!"

Without the Inspection Bureau’s interference, the Border Defense Army on the wall quickly got to work.

From within the city, Taiping Captains dressed in Brocade and Ink Shirts soon appeared, rushing toward the wall.

Below, the "Flood Dragon" Ao Qing let out an earth-shattering roar.

The Demon Court’s army had begun its assault.

As a sky-blotting volley of crossbow arrows rained down from the walls of Hujue Pass, Yang Changfeng, Commander-in-Chief of the Hujue Pass Taiping Bureau, and the injured Border Defense Army General, Qianyun Mountain, finally arrived at the battlements.

The first thing they saw was Shao Santong being held hostage by Su Mu.

"Who are you? Why are you holding an Inspection Envoy hostage? Release him at once!" Qianyun Mountain pointed at Su Mu and bellowed.

"General of Hujue Pass."

Su Mu glanced at him, recognizing his identity from his uniform, and said coldly, "You are suspected of colluding with the Demon Court. Say one more word, and I will cut you down immediately.

I am now giving you a chance to redeem yourself. Defend Hujue Pass, and you will live.

Fail to defend it, and you will die."