Chapter 630: Crisis

In terms of sheer strength, Wu Kai was clearly no match for his opponent. With one hand injured and unable to muster force, his saber was instantly twisted out of his grip by the enemy’s trident.

Even the kick Wu Kai threw out failed to connect, dodged nimbly by his foe.

Body cultivators, naturally specialized in body techniques, always held the upper hand in close combat.

Still, Wu Kai was a battle-hardened veteran; all his cultivation in the Post-God-Gathering Realm had been honed in bloody scrambles. Now, facing mortal danger, he was uncommonly calm.

He let go of the saber directly to avoid his right hand being injured as well, and while doing so, he surged his True Qi. In the blink of an eye, a layer of ash-brown “armor plates” rapidly spread over Wu Kai’s whole body, even wrapping around his face, leaving only a pair of black, crystal-like eyes behind them that seemed to reveal some trace of vision.

Earth Attribute Technique: Stone Armor Skill!

As a soldier, floating and flashy spells and fighting styles were clearly ill-suited, and useless in battle formations. In the military, most of the time it was close-quarters combat, not two people standing apart flinging spells at each other.

Moreover, the consumption and duration of magic had to be taken into account.

Wu Kai practiced Five Elements Earth Attribute techniques, firstly because it matched his aptitudes, and secondly because Earth Attribute included many defensive techniques with low energy consumption, and provided a notable boost to strength. Combined with close-range body techniques, Wu Kai had clawed his way to his current position over the years relying on these methods, so his confidence was unshakeable.

His opponent’s strength was overwhelming, outmatching Wu Kai, but after activating the Stone Armor Skill, it was a different story—at least, now their strength was even.

In addition, dust rose up in layers around Wu Kai, and in the blink of an eye, it enveloped everything within five zhang of him. Within the dust, not only was vision impossible, but even perception dulled, as if trapped in a mire.

Earth Attribute Technique: Dust Blindness!

One side was a body cultivator, forging his own body into the sharpest weapon—able to fight, to run, to withstand blows, and even ordinary swords and sabers could hardly scratch him.

The other side, an Earth Attribute cultivator, used skill and ritual, drawing on Heaven and Earth Energy to manifest all sorts of mysterious powers. Which path was stronger—there was no absolute; life and death came down to fate, victory or defeat to the means at hand.

“Bang!”

Wu Kai didn’t bother with any technique—he knew he’d never outdo his opponent with skill. Besides, the setting and the timing weren’t right to try dragging the fight out. So he chose the boldest and most direct method.

Grapple!

Relying on the split-second disruption of Dust Blindness and the limited space atop the stockade wall, Wu Kai was certain his opponent wouldn’t dare leap off the wall. So, he spread his arms wide and charged straight at him.

What greeted Wu Kai was the trident, fiercely stabbing straight towards his ribs, full of force, its wielder not believing Wu Kai’s Stone Armor Skill would stop it.

The scene was savage—neither Wu Kai nor the masked Ratkin yielded an inch, both tacitly choosing to stake it all on one blow, slamming into each other headlong.

It all happened in a flash—the Dust Blindness lasted only about five breaths before it quickly faded.

The soldiers rushing up found Wu Kai sprawled on the ground, the trident stabbing deep into both sides of his torso, buried up to the hilt. Meanwhile, the Ratkin’s corpse lay slumped by his feet, its face armor shattered, eyes gouged out, the back of its head blown open by some force, brains spilling everywhere.

With the help of his comrades, Wu Kai got to his feet. More soldiers surged up to toss oil canisters below, while the defense formation of shields and spears was quickly reformed.

Leaving the top of the wall, Wu Kai picked a random corner and sat down. A soldier at his side brought ointment and bandages to tend his wounds.

“The wound’s deep—could be organ damage. My lord, maybe you should go to the rear and take an elixir? I’m out over here.”

“It’s fine. Just bandage me up. I’ve still got elixirs on me.”

The soldier assented, quickly bandaging Wu Kai and then hurrying off, leaving Wu Kai to catch his breath for a moment.

Just now, Wu Kai instantly released Stone Armor Skill, clamped his opponent in a fierce hold, and then activated Stone Armor Skill again, covering the other’s arms and upper body, making him freeze for an instant. That let the trident stab deep into Wu Kai’s sides—almost angled enough to pierce his heart.

Such a deadly price, all for a single decisive blow—for a fraction of a second’s speed.

Taking advantage of the instant the enemy’s arms and body were immobilized, Wu Kai gripped his foe’s head, jammed both thumbs savagely through his face armor and gouged out his eyes, then sent a wave of True Qi crashing in through his thumb, exploding the skull from within—killing him on the spot.

If Wu Kai had been even a split second slower, he’d be the dead one now.

Barely half a cup of tea later, the supply battalion quartermaster who’d just handed out the fire oil canisters found him. Without a word, he pointed back at a small cart behind him, loaded with thirty fresh canisters.

“You’re the capable one, so you get the work. These are wanted on the east side, get over there and use them.”

“All right. Got any water?”

“Here.” The quartermaster pulled a water pouch from his waist and handed it over—though there wasn’t much left in it.

Wu Kai downed the water in one gulp, took a deep breath, and with a wave of his hand, stored all thirty canisters in his storage bag. Then he stripped the quartermaster’s leather armor off him and put it on himself, turned, and sprinted towards the east wall.

…

“Report! The last complete batch of troops has already been sent up to the wall. There are no reserves left—please make a decision, General!”

“Muster everyone who can still fight, including my personal guard. Tell those below, hold for another two hours.”

“Yes, sir!”

The assistant general came quickly up the lookout tower and left again, running at a dead sprint.

Shen Hao heard all this. The situation had reached the final moment. Though Cheng Jinhou kept his composure and handled matters without a mistake, the overwhelming difference in numbers was squeezing away all his options.

Now, “muster everyone who can still fight”—such a calm phrase, but it reeked of grim resolve. So far, Cheng Jinhou had never said a word about retreating. Even though the southern gate hadn’t been touched by the Barbarian Race—if he wanted to escape, Cheng Jinhou could certainly get out. But his command was: Hold for another two hours!

It was now 7 a.m.—two more hours would take them to noon. Counting the siege that began before dawn, would they really be fighting for the better part of a whole day, nonstop?

With the troops and physical strength left in the camp, could they really last the two hours Cheng Jinhou had named?

And why two hours? Did that mean reinforcements were really coming?

Shen Hao kept guessing. He couldn’t help considering his own next move after this battle.

But Cheng Jinhou soon chose for him.

“Lord Shen. The military supervisor is gravely wounded and unlikely to survive. You’re idle up here on the tower—could I trouble you to help fill the gaps in the east?”

The words were as polite as could be, but would Shen Hao dare refuse? Of course not; he cupped his fists in assent, then left the lookout with his personal guard, hurrying toward the east wall…