Chapter 308: Chapter 308: Criss-crossing, Chaotic Slaughter
’The Three Flames forces are frantically attacking the Azure Flame Sect’s Iron-Back Wall, but they’re being held at bay... The soldiers from the small kingdoms, dispatched by Dragon Flame Academy and Lu Chao, are using the Azure Flame Sect’s natural choke points to defend and withstand the assault.’
’My master once said that according to legend, the Azure Flame Sect had a powerful Soldier Dao Defense Array, but it was lost after the death of its key figure.’
’Could it be... Could it be...’
At this thought, hope flared in the Dragon Flame King’s heart, and he stared intently in the direction of the battlefield.
In the moments that followed, he saw more of the small kingdoms’ forces fight their way to specific locations and hold off the Three Flames’ attacks.
Slowly, it seemed as if all thirty-five routes of soldiers had successfully defended their positions.
Of course, he couldn’t see everything from his vantage point, but he could feel the tide of battle shifting silently.
...
At the same time, inside the Beast Flame Academy...
Or rather, within the former grounds of the Azure Flame Sect, Lu Chao and Cheng Yunsu led the new students of Dragon Flame Academy onto a high peak: Sword Thinking Peak of the Azure Flame Sect.
This was the very place where the disciples of the Azure Flame Sect once came to gain enlightenment in the Sword.
The Beast Flame Academy had not yet begun renovations or modifications here, so the area remained in a state of disrepair.
Meanwhile, the main elite force of the Three Flames army had already surrounded the peak.
At this moment, the Three Flames Commander boomed, "Fake Lu Chao, you can’t escape even if you grew wings! There’s still time to kneel and surrender."
In response, Lu Chao, standing on Sword Thinking Peak, gave no reply...
He led Cheng Yunsu up to the top of a dilapidated high tower.
From the top of the tower, his gaze swept over the various directions of the former Azure Flame Sect grounds, and a smile appeared on his face.
By now, all thirty-five routes of soldiers from the small kingdoms, regardless of their losses, had occupied their designated positions.
All of them were temporarily holding back the enemy’s assault...
Beside Lu Chao, at the very top of this tower, hung a giant bell.
Suddenly, Lu Chao struck the giant bell with his palm... DONG!
The bell’s toll boomed, sending sound waves far and wide. Then, Lu Chao channeled the aura of his Dragon General Bone, his powerful voice riding the sound of the bell. "All thirty-five routes of soldiers, hear my command! From your current positions, fight your way directly to Sword Thinking Peak and assemble on me!"
His voice rolled like thunder across the entire former grounds of the Azure Flame Sect.
After a brief pause, Lu Chao once again channeled the aura of the Dragon General Bone and struck the giant bell... DONG!
Again, the booming toll of the bell accompanied Lu Chao’s voice...
"Regardless of your position, all of you are to take the most direct route to Sword Thinking Peak and fight your way here."
At this very moment, Lu Chao’s voice and the tolling of the bell reverberated in waves across the former grounds of the Azure Flame Sect.
Assist Flame Cliff...
Fan Jinhua snapped his head up, looking toward Sword Thinking Peak where Lu Chao was. His expression turned serious as he declared, "Soldiers of Mad Snow, did you hear that? Now, follow me and charge toward Sword Thinking Peak..."
Hearing this, the Mad Snow Commander quickly asked, "We’re on a cliff. How are we supposed to charge over there?"
Assist Flame Cliff was, as the name implied, on top of a cliff.
The Three Flames forces were still charging them from the front, and behind them was a sheer drop. How could they possibly fight their way out?
To this, Fan Jinhua replied grimly, "Lu Chao said to take the most direct route to Sword Thinking Peak. That means jumping off the cliff."
As he said this, Fan Jinhua charged forward without a hint of hesitation and leaped from the high cliff...
This action left all of the Mad Snow soldiers completely stunned. The Mad Snow Commander muttered to himself, ’You and I are at the Ninth Layer of the Transformation Realm, so a fall like that won’t kill us. But the ordinary soldiers can’t survive it.’
The moment the words left his mouth, Fan Jinhua’s voice rang out from the bottom of the cliff...
"There’s a patch of soft grass below! Everyone, circulate your True Qi as you jump. There’s no danger!"
"When we first came to Assist Flame Cliff, you all had your doubts. You thought Lu Chao might be sacrificing us... But the facts have proven that Assist Flame Cliff is easy to defend and hard to attack. Now, trust Lu Chao. Trust me."
Fan Jinhua’s voice echoed up from the base of the cliff.
The Mad Snow Commander and the others trembled.
Finally, the Mad Snow Commander roared, "We’ll risk it! Jump!"
He gave the order, and the Mad Snow soldiers no longer hesitated, leaping off the cliff in a great torrent.
Sure enough, when they all jumped, they crashed through a soft canopy of branches and leaves, landing on an incredibly soft patch of grass. Then, they all slid down the grassy slope...
And Fan Jinhua, of course, was sliding at the very front.
When they finally came to a stop, he looked again in the direction of Sword Thinking Peak and said, "Let’s go! Charge with me!"
The Mad Snow soldiers all drew their weapons and charged toward Sword Thinking Peak with great strides.
「At the same time...」
The Three Flames forces still on Assist Flame Cliff were also stunned. They stared at the precipice below, unsure whether they should jump or not.
After a long moment of hesitation, the commander of that unit gave a firm order: "Jump."
They too jumped down, sliding along the same path toward the spot where Fan Jinhua and the Mad Snow soldiers had just been.
They also looked toward Sword Thinking Peak and immediately gave the order to give chase.
But just at that moment... SWOOSH!
Sky Cliff Chi Yun, leading the forces of the Sky Cliff Kingdom, suddenly charged out from numerous small paths.
They appeared right in front of the Three Flames soldiers who were chasing Fan Jinhua...
Upon seeing each other, both sides froze in shock.
However, Sky Cliff Chi Yun reacted in a flash, roaring, "Soldiers of Sky Cliff, charge with me!"
They immediately charged the Three Flames soldiers who were pursuing Fan Jinhua. Pouring out from the small paths, they caught the enemy completely off guard. Some of the Three Flames soldiers were still on Assist Flame Cliff, while others had just landed...
In an instant, they were so thoroughly routed they were screaming for their lives.
Up ahead...
Fan Jinhua, leading the Mad Snow soldiers, naturally heard the sounds of battle behind them and wondered whether they should turn back to help.
As it turned out, they charged right up to the front of a small canyon...
And inside that small canyon was a unit of Three Flames soldiers, in hot pursuit of the Liyan forces... Fan Jinhua blinked, then shouted without hesitation, "Liyan Commander, we’ll pincer them!"
As his words fell...
Fan Jinhua charged into the canyon from the front. Seeing this, the Liyan forces immediately turned around to crush the Three Flames unit between them.
A brutal slaughter ensued...
The entire former grounds of the Azure Flame Sect suddenly erupted with chaotic battle cries...
Just as Lu Chao had commanded, the thirty-five routes of soldiers charged toward Sword Thinking Peak from their positions, taking the most direct routes. And then, just like with Fan Jinhua’s group...
All thirty-five routes moved in unison, forging new paths where there were none.
The result was a series of chaotic collisions. The Sky Cliff forces slammed into the Three Flames soldiers pursuing Fan Jinhua, while Fan Jinhua himself ran into the ones chasing the Liyan forces. The same situation was playing out all over.
By following Lu Chao’s orders, the thirty-five routes of soldiers would inevitably collide with the Three Flames forces.
Moreover, they always collided with them from a position of absolute advantage, which was then followed by a swift and brutal annihilation.
Lu Chao took all of this in from his high vantage point. He spoke softly to Cheng Yunsu, who was standing beside him...
"The thirty-six Soldier Dao Battle Arrays from the 6th Floor of the Forbidden Land are laid out within the Azure Flame Sect."
"Used defensively, they make it difficult for an enemy to break through. But if the enemy has already infiltrated the sect’s interior, they allow our forces to crisscross the battlefield and slaughter them."
"With Sword Thinking Peak as the heart of the formation, the thirty-five routes of soldiers can charge across the grounds, supporting one another."
"It will leave the invading enemy soldiers dizzy and disoriented, allowing us to annihilate them completely."
