Protect Our Patriarch

...

The Saint-Slaying Bow was utterly speechless.

As a dignified Dao artifact longbow, its "mission" upon creation was to take down the Holy Emperor.

Although it felt this mission was somewhat absurd—after all, the Holy Emperor was a being above True Immortals, far beyond what a mere Dao artifact could handle—it expected at least to be used against Divine Realm or Lingxu Realm powerhouses.

Killing two Celestial Realm beings with it was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, or a Divine Might Cannon to swat a mosquito.

Yet, after its silent frustration, the Saint-Slaying Bow could only resign itself to its fate.

Oh well, oh well~ Who could it blame but Wang Anye, the young clan leader of the family? What else could it do but indulge him~~

However, before the Saint-Slaying Bow could finish comforting itself, something even more humiliating happened.

After shooting two arrows, Wang Anye lost interest and said with a lackluster expression, "My archery isn't great, you might as well go on auto-pilot."

???

The Saint-Slaying Bow was utterly shocked.

It felt deeply humiliated.

It began to fly through the air, and with the deep vibrations of its bowstring, a massive amount of spiritual energy gathered. Arrows rained down like lightning upon the enemy ranks.

It was like the arrival of death itself, with each arrow effortlessly taking down one or two soldiers of the Demon Falcon Battle Group.

In just a brief moment, the Demon Falcon Battle Group had already lost over a dozen men.

Moreover, the number continued to rise rapidly.

Such a commotion naturally couldn't go unnoticed.

In the distance, within the central ranks of the Demon Falcon Battle Group, a valiant young man surrounded by his personal guards looked up at the Saint-Slaying Bow, then down at Wang Anye, his expression turning grim: "Could that be a Dao artifact? Or a top-tier Divine Spirit Artifact?"

This man was Chao Yingrui, the commander of the Demon Falcon Battle Group.

He never expected that in this remote Jinyang Garrison, there would be such a prodigious talent.

As everyone knows, Dao artifacts are rare and difficult to forge. Most existing Dao artifacts are either inherited from the Shenwu Royal Dynasty or discovered in ancient ruins, and they are rarely circulated. For a young man to possess a Dao artifact at such a cultivation level, he must have an extraordinary background.

Could he be the heir of a top-tier family from the Immortal Dynasty, coincidentally training in the Liang Kingdom?

What worried Chao Yingrui the most was that such a young master on a journey often had guards accompanying him.

If it were just a Divine Realm guard, that would be manageable, but if he had a Lingxu Realm guard with him, they would be in big trouble.

Fortunately, Lingxu Realm experts are ultimately big shots, and only a few princesses and heirs of the Immortal Sovereign in the Immortal Dynasty receive such treatment. The likelihood of this young man having a Lingxu Realm guard was very low.

But regardless, the morale of the Demon Falcon Battle Group was undoubtedly shaken by such a massacre.

Meanwhile, the defenders on the city wall were inspired, their morale soaring.

They attacked with bows and crossbows, arrows raining down like a torrential downpour upon the Demon Falcon Battle Group.

Among the defenders were Lingtai Realm cultivators, who were either the old ancestors or elders of the various families within the Jinyang Garrison.

Many of these individuals were already gray-haired, and in terms of age, they weren't much younger than Wang Anye. Due to their mindset and life experiences, most of them were astute individuals, and they wouldn't miss such an opportunity to strike at a vulnerable enemy.

Moreover, there were over a dozen large ballistae mounted on the city wall. These powerful crossbows, which required a winch to draw, could easily pierce through even Lingtai Realm cultivators if they couldn't dodge in time.

After a volley, the Demon Falcon Battle Group left behind another twenty or thirty corpses.

Seeing this, Chao Yingrui's expression became increasingly grim.

He knew things couldn't continue like this, and he immediately ordered harshly, "Launch a full-scale attack! Capture Jinyang Garrison at all costs and capture that young master alive!"

Although the young master was difficult to deal with, he was now isolated, presenting a rare opportunity. Capturing him alive would be a monumental achievement!

Chao Yingrui was a direct descendant of the Chao Clan, and at less than six hundred years old, he had already reached the Divine Realm. While the Lingxu Realm was out of reach for him, there was still hope for him to reach the mid to late stages of the Divine Realm.

If he could achieve a great feat, he might benefit his descendants, and perhaps his lineage could produce a Lingxu Realm figure in the future!

With the order given.

All the soldiers of the Demon Falcon Battle Group were invigorated, charging towards Jinyang City amidst deafening cheers.

Over five thousand men and horses charged at full speed, the thunderous sound of hooves echoing in all directions, causing the ground and city walls to tremble.

The terrifying black tide swept across the wilderness, crashing against the city walls like a giant wave.

On the city wall, the Saint-Slaying Bow continued to shoot arrows tirelessly on auto-pilot.

Each arrow it shot was meticulously crafted by Wang's Refining Headquarters, stored temporarily in the storage space of its bow body, and each arrow claimed at least one life.

Yet, despite this, the speed of the black tide showed no signs of slowing.

A fully staffed battle group had at least five thousand members, and with the Saint-Slaying Bow operating without a wielder, it could only shoot arrows. No matter how fast it shot, how fast could it really be?

Even with the other defenders on the city wall fighting valiantly, intercepting and killing the enemy, how could they match the speed of the Demon Falcon Battle Group's charge?

While the Saint-Slaying Bow cursed under its breath, soldiers from the vanguard had already broken through the blockade and ascended the city wall, which stood over ten zhang high.

With a sweep of a spiritual tool-grade curved blade, a swath of defending soldiers fell.

In terms of combat power, the defenders, composed of militia and patrol soldiers, were worlds apart from the elite of the Demon Falcon Battle Group. At a distance, they could rely on defensive weapons to hold off the enemy, but in close combat, their disadvantage was immediately exposed.

Under the blades of the Demon Falcon Battle Group, the defenders were as fragile as grass, the scene almost a one-sided massacre.

Apart from the vanguard and main force, the true strength of the Demon Falcon Battle Group lay in its five cavalry archer battalions.

The soldiers in these battalions were master archers, equally adept with both hands.

As the vanguard ascended the city wall, they spread out on both flanks, riding spiritual beast warhorses. The sound of bowstrings resonated as arrows flew like lightning towards the city wall.

Any defender who dared to show even half their head would be shot dead.

In just a few dozen breaths, the defenders suffered heavy casualties under the relentless assault of the Demon Falcon Battle Group.

During this time, Wang Anye continued to move along the city wall, his Divine Spirit Artifact longsword, Years, emitting a resonant sword hum. The sword moved like a dragon, and wherever it passed, Demon Falcon warriors fell.

Yet, despite this, a large number of Demon Falcon warriors continued to surge onto the city wall. The enemy not only didn't decrease but seemed to grow in number.

His expression gradually turned grave.

He hadn't expected this Demon Falcon Battle Group to be so fierce, truly worthy of being the elite of the Demon Dynasty.

If he had encountered this battle group alone, and if he were momentarily held up by experts in the enemy ranks, he might indeed have been captured or killed. Apart from avoiding battle, there was no other strategy.

Fortunately, Wang Anye was not truly a young master traveling here. Seeing that the time was right, he immediately released a giant firework.

With a loud "bang," the firework exploded high in the sky, visible for dozens of miles around.

In an instant.

From various distant locations, groups of armored troops began to appear.

These soldiers rode warhorses, their black armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight, exuding a chilling and murderous aura.

They seemed to appear out of nowhere, in places that had seemed empty moments before. Now, they emerged one after another, quickly forming a large, dense mass, surrounding the Demon Falcon Battle Group attacking outside Jinyang City.

Clearly, these troops had been lying in ambush nearby for some time, using some method to deceive the senses and perception of the Demon Falcon Battle Group, waiting for this moment!

These troops were, of course, the long-awaited [Changning Wang's Clan Militia Regiment]!

Although the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment had only been established for over forty years, making it a very young force, its entry requirements were extremely high, and a vast amount of resources had been poured into it. As a result, even the soldiers with the poorest aptitude were at least of the third-class prodigy level.

Such talent would make them elite disciples, or even core disciples, at the Purple Mansion Academy.

But now, they were merely foot soldiers in the battle group.

With such remarkable talent as a foundation, combined with rigorous training and resource support, the majority of them had already broken through to the mid-stage Lingtai Realm, with many also in the late-stage Lingtai Realm.

In contrast, the Demon Falcon Battle Group, though also composed of Lingtai Realm soldiers, had only about twenty to thirty percent at the mid to late stages of the Lingtai Realm.

The two sides were already worlds apart in terms of realm and strength.

Not to mention the difference in bloodline levels.

A small prodigy would have awakened their bloodline to the second level by the Lingtai Realm, which was not the same concept as a Lingtai Realm cultivator who had only awakened one level of bloodline. Each additional bloodline level meant an increase in combat power.

Therefore, any soldier in the [Changning Wang's Clan Militia Regiment] would surpass the Demon Falcon Battle Group in terms of individual combat strength.

"Charge!"

With a command.

The soldiers of the [Changning Wang's Clan Militia Regiment] immediately spurred their horses, advancing in an orderly manner from all directions under the leadership of their respective battalion commanders.

They encircled the Demon Falcon Battle Group between themselves and Jinyang Garrison.

Not good! It's a trap!

Chao Yingrui's heart sank, his expression changing drastically: "Where did this army come from? Impossible! In the entire Liang Kingdom, there's no elite force other than the [Red Fire Heavy Cavalry]."

This was certainly not the Red Fire Heavy Cavalry; their appearance and demeanor were entirely different.

The mysterious battle group's armor was all black, and their warhorses were all dragon-scaled warhorses of noble lineage, with a level and overall combat power comparable to the Demon Falcon Battle Group.

However, among the sea of black warhorses, there were actually several hundred rare Jade Horn Flying Horses.

Jade Horn Flying Horses were incredibly fast, capable of running through the air as if on solid ground. Whether for pursuit or escape, they were top-tier choices, luxury items among riding spiritual beasts.

Chao Yingrui's mouth twitched, feeling absurd.

This mysterious battle group was too extravagant! With several hundred Jade Horn Flying Horses, if they were so wealthy and ostentatious, why not equip everyone with Jade Horn Flying Horses?

In fact, Chao Yingrui was unaware that, according to Wang Shouzhe's original plan, Jade Horn Flying Horses were meant to be standard issue for the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment members in the future.

However, Jade Horn Flying Horses were difficult to breed, and even though the Wang Clan had been working on it for over a hundred years, their numbers were still quite limited, unable to meet the needs of the militia regiment for the time being.

Additionally, not equipping everyone was also to give the militia regiment soldiers a goal to strive for. Anyone who reached the Celestial Realm would be rewarded with a Jade Horn Flying Horse.

Compared to the Demon Falcon Battle Group, the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment's only shortcoming was a lack of real battlefield experience.

This was why Wang Shouzhe wanted to take the opportunity to bring the militia regiment to the battlefield for training.

No matter how well-trained, well-equipped, or talented a military force is, without the baptism of a real battlefield, it will always be just a child in armor, never able to grow up.

In the blink of an eye.

As the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment surrounded the Demon Falcon Battle Group, Wang Anye waved his hand, and a black light shot into the sky, transforming into a massive battle flag.

The dark flag billowed in the wind, its golden, intricate patterns seeming to come alive under the sunlight, radiating endless light.

Its overwhelming might swept across the battlefield like divine wrath, instantly enveloping the entire battlefield.

"Hahaha~" A woman's wild laughter emanated from the flag, "How many years has it been, how many years! Finally, it's my turn, Seventh Sister, to shine on the battlefield! Brothers, charge! Kill!"

The energy fluctuations and voice she emitted seemed to have a powerful impact on the soldiers.

Almost instantly, the militia regiment warriors and Jinyang Garrison defenders felt a surge of hot blood in their hearts, their fear instantly dispelled, replaced by an unwavering belief in victory.

Victory would surely belong to them!

With their blood boiling, their limbs seemed more agile, their reactions quicker, their bodies stronger, and the flow of profound energy within them accelerated, ready to burst forth at any moment.

"Kill, kill, kill!"

Under the rhythm of the attack, the militia regiment formed into waves of black, charging towards the Demon Falcon Battle Group.

Their armor was as dark as ink, almost indistinguishable from the standard black armor Wang's Clan sold to the Immortal Dynasty at first glance.

But in fact, it was not the same.

The standard black armor used internally by Wang's Clan was infused with many rare fine golds in the black iron. Fine gold is a material for crafting treasures and Purple Mansion Treasures, hard and resilient, extremely difficult to destroy.

In terms of cost alone, this black armor was about three times the price of standard black armor, with overall performance improved by about fifty percent.

Equipping such [Enhanced Black Armor] on such a large scale was a financial strain even for Wang's Clan, supported only by the generous (cobbled together) support of allied families like the Qian Clan.

But the effect was also very significant.

The enhanced black armor provided strong defense against attacks from Lingtai Realm cultivators. As soon as the two forces clashed, the enemy fell in droves, while our troops had only a few who fell from their horses.

"Damn it!"

Chao Yingrui, the commander of the Demon Falcon Battle Group, looked extremely grim.

What kind of battle group was this? Not only did they have Dao artifacts, but they also had a Dao artifact-level legion flag?

Didn't they know that such a legion flag's amplification range could cover a battlefield of two legion-level confrontations? Using it here, didn't they feel it was beneath the legion flag?

And the weapons and equipment were also so powerful.

He couldn't sit still any longer, immediately taking to the air, leading his personal guards and two Purple Mansion Realm deputy commanders, ready to personally enter the fray.

On the battlefield, the terrifying extent of a Dao artifact-level legion flag far surpassed that of a bow-type Dao artifact.

It not only greatly amplified the combat power of allied soldiers but also significantly weakened enemy morale.

Under the overwhelming might of the legion flag, many Demon Falcon warriors felt panic in their hearts, as if the sky was about to collapse.

If they weren't battle-hardened veterans with strong mental resilience, some soldiers might have already succumbed to mental breakdowns.

At such a time, only the main general entering the fray to kill the enemy could turn the tide.

As Chao Yingrui took to the air, his long blade sweeping horizontally, the might of a Divine Realm expert swept out in an overwhelming wave.

In an instant, the soldiers of the Demon Falcon Battle Group felt invigorated, their previously anxious hearts calming significantly.

"The enemy's main general?" Wang Anye's eyes flashed with a sharp light, "Let me play with you."

With that, he also took to the air from the city wall, summoning the Saint-Slaying Bow back to his hand. As he drew the bow and nocked arrows, several arrows flew out in succession, intercepting Chao Yingrui.

At the same time, the spirit artifacts of the Sword Formation Manual, Sword Ji and Formation Ji, also flew out from his Lingtai.

The Sword Formation Manual flipped through its pages with a rustle, countless longswords shooting out, and a massive sword formation unfolded in the sky above Jinyang City. After thousands of years of dormancy, the Sword Formation Manual finally unleashed its terrifying sharpness.

The chilling sword intent instantly enveloped Chao Yingrui, making his hair stand on end, his body covered in goosebumps.

Meanwhile, two Purple Mansion Realm cultivators from the militia regiment also took to the air, intercepting the two Purple Mansion Realm deputy commanders following Chao Yingrui.

These two were none other than the deputy commanders of the [Changning Wang's Clan Militia Regiment], Lu Xiaoxiao and Wang Anxin.

Thanks to the "gift" from the Blood Venerable, their aptitudes had reached the level of peerless prodigies. Although they couldn't compare to the first-tier members of Wang's Clan, they were still more than enough to crush ordinary Purple Mansion Realm experts.

Now, even when facing mid to late-stage Purple Mansion Realm experts, they were not the least bit afraid.

Additionally, a team of Celestial Realm personal guards riding Jade Horn Flying Horses actively engaged the enemy, blocking Chao Yingrui's personal guards.

In terms of Celestial Realm experts, the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment had far more than the Demon Falcon Battle Group.

After all, in the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment, anyone who held a leadership position was at least a prodigy, with many being great prodigies. Compared to the ordinary Celestial Realm experts of the Demon Falcon Battle Group, their combat power was on a completely different level.

As the battle commenced, the disparity immediately became apparent.

On the city wall, the defenders of Jinyang, bolstered by reinforcements and the legion flag, were also filled with high morale, fearlessly holding off the assault of the three battle camps of the Demon Falcon, indirectly alleviating some pressure on the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment.

Soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals, centered around the city walls of Jinyang, over ten thousand people began a fierce battle on this vast battlefield.

The mixed energy fluctuations accompanied by the glint of blades and swords, the chilling sword energy raging wildly, made it seem as if the entire world was filled with the sounds of battle cries, roars, and wails.

People kept falling, only to be replaced by others.

The vast battlefield was like a giant meat grinder, the glint of blades and swords staining the entire city wall with crimson blood.

With factors like flanking, encirclement, differences in elite status, equipment disparity, and the strengthening and weakening effects of the legion flag, the formation of the Demon Falcon Battle Group was completely disrupted, continuously cut and devoured by the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment.

Their forces were being rapidly depleted at an alarming rate.

By this time, the defeat of the Demon Falcon Battle Group was already certain.

As small groups of soldiers began to break out and flee, it signaled that the morale of the Demon Falcon Battle Group had finally been completely shattered, and the complete defeat of the army was only a matter of time.

"Don't let any stragglers escape!"

Wang Anye noticed this and immediately shouted loudly, "Surrender and you won't be killed! Our army does not abuse or kill prisoners. As long as you don't resist or flee, I guarantee your lives! I, Wang Anye, vouch for this as a peerless prodigy."

With the support of profound energy, his voice spread out, enveloping the entire battlefield.

Peerless Prodigy!

Indeed! This was truly a peerless prodigy!

Chao Yingrui, who was engaged in battle, looked both grim and perplexed.

When he, a Divine Realm expert, was being suppressed by a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator wielding a Dao artifact, he already felt something was seriously amiss.

Such a terrifying individual was comparable to the Little Demon Lord when he was in the Purple Mansion Realm. Could he be a disciple secretly nurtured by the Immortal Sovereign?

Falling into the hands of such a peerless figure wasn't entirely unjust.

In both the Immortal Dynasty and the Demon Dynasty, peerless prodigies held a transcendent status. Because once one becomes a peerless prodigy, they are destined to enter the Void.

As future Lingxu Realm big shots, such individuals tend to cherish their reputation, and the likelihood of them breaking their word is very low. Many soldiers who initially wanted to fight their way out hesitated for a moment, then began to lay down their weapons.

Surrendering is always highly contagious.

Once there's a first, it quickly becomes a widespread phenomenon.

Soon, except for a few soldiers still struggling, most of the remaining troops surrendered and laid down their arms.

Knowing that the situation was hopeless, Chao Yingrui also straightforwardly gave up resistance: "Young Master Wang Anye, I surrender and hope you will keep your promise."

No one wants to die.

And this was the army of the Immortal Dynasty, not facing outer region demons. Although surrendering was disgraceful, during the many immortal-demon wars, both the Demon Dynasty and the Immortal Dynasty had numerous instances of surrender when trapped, so his case wasn't unique.

"You can rest assured about that." Wang Anye, seeing his goal achieved, said loudly, "However, your crimes will naturally have consequences. There will be someone to negotiate with your Demon Dynasty about your crimes, which will need to be atoned for."

Chao Yingrui breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That is only right. I believe our main family will pay the price to redeem us. Please, Young Master Anye, tell me your unit's designation, so we can surrender with conviction."

Wang Anye nodded and naturally stated the designation: "Changning Wang's Clan Militia Regiment of Longzuo Commandery, Eastern Qian Kingdom."

"What? What? Militia Regiment?" Chao Yingrui almost fell from the sky.

Was this a joke, or was it real?

In his view, this army, although still quite immature, showed great potential in many aspects, and combined with the strength and identity of Young Master Wang Anye, it was likely a new unit secretly developed by the Immortal Palace.

Judging by the organizational structure and soldier quality of this unit, it was likely aiming to become an [Ace Battle Group] in the future. Losing to such a unit, Chao Yingrui had no complaints.

Chao Yingrui instinctively thought Wang Anye was deliberately mocking him, and his anger surged, his tone somewhat unfriendly: "Is the young master deliberately humiliating me?"

"Are you surrendering or not?" Wang Anye's gaze was also unfriendly, "You've committed numerous crimes after invading the Liang Kingdom. If it weren't for the need to have you confess your crimes, I would have shot you with an arrow long ago."

"I surrender."

Seeing the murderous intent rising in Wang Anye's eyes, Chao Yingrui quickly nodded in acknowledgment of the situation.

Only then did Wang Anye retract his gaze, instructing those around him, "Put a Soul Lock on him. Take him to persuade the small groups still resisting stubbornly."

The battle was fought quickly, but cleaning up the battlefield took most of the day.

After the battle, the militia regiment temporarily stationed outside Jinyang Garrison, tallying the battle damage and cleaning up the aftermath. After several visits from the Jinyang Garrison commander himself, the battle report was finally delivered to Wang Anye's tent.

In this battle's statistics.

The Demon Falcon Battle Group suffered 1,394 deaths, over 2,000 injuries, and over 4,100 were captured. As for their armor, weapons, and spiritual beast-grade warhorses, they naturally became the spoils of the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment.

The Wang's Clan Militia Regiment had specifically brought shackles several times their own numbers to handle this situation.

These Lingtai Realm captives were quite valuable, and if the Demon Dynasty didn't want to redeem them, they could be sold to the Immortal Dynasty for use in outer region battlefields as cannon fodder camps or used as construction labor, both very profitable.

Each Lingtai Realm captive could fetch at least a thousand immortal crystals, equivalent to millions of top gold, and there were also many mid to late-stage Lingtai Realm, Celestial Realm, and even Purple Mansion Realm and Divine Realm captives, along with a vast amount of equipment and other spoils.

According to preliminary estimates, this victory could earn them at least tens of millions of immortal crystals, enough to buy two or three Divine Realm inheritance grounds. Additionally, after this battle, the Liang Kingdom wouldn't ignore the "volunteer army" that came from afar to support them...

Even Wang Anye, who was accustomed to money, couldn't help but marvel at how quickly war could generate wealth. This victory was indeed quite lucrative.

However, the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment did suffer some casualties in this battle.

Forty-eight were killed, and over three hundred were injured, with more than a hundred seriously wounded. Fortunately, Wang's Clan was strongest in healing, and these wounded would receive full treatment.

Wang Anye, though pained and saddened, knew it was unavoidable.

In war, there are always casualties, and this time the losses were already very low.

Moreover, after this battle, the Wang's Clan Militia Regiment had finally undergone the baptism of the battlefield, and they would quickly grow into true veterans.

"Seventh Brother, we need to quickly take full control of these captives and then hand them over to the Jinyang Garrison for custody." Wang Anxin reported as he entered, "Our wounded also need to be separated, staying in Jinyang Garrison for treatment and to help with guarding. Next, our Wang's Clan Militia Regiment should proceed with the next step."

"That's right." Lu Xiaoxiao, with traces of blood still on her face, became excited upon hearing this, her eyes lighting up, "We need to quickly move to the next strategic phase, to show off the might of our Wang's Clan Militia Regiment!"

"Yes, thoroughly thwarting the Little Demon Lord's plans on Lingqu Continent is our primary mission this time." Wang Anye also said seriously, "However, gaining more merits and earning more money is also important. After all, our militia regiment's investment is too large, and we need more resources in the future. We must quickly enter a virtuous cycle of sustaining war with war."

"Haha, that Little Demon Lord is really unlucky to be targeted by Great-Grandfather."

"Bah, what Little Demon Lord or Old Demon Lord, dare to oppose Cousin Shouzhe, and see how I, Lu Xiaoxiao, will crush him!"

...