Chapter 97: The Radiant Crimson Gold Array

As mentioned in the previous chapter, Miao Xianke was fleeing for his life when he was intercepted by Mu Shijin and Li Yiqing. Terrified out of his wits, he tumbled off his horse.

"Grandfathers, spare my life!"

Seeing there was no way to escape, Miao Xianke fell to his knees with a thud and began kowtowing like a man pounding garlic, begging for mercy. Seeing Mu Shijin and Li Yiqing drop their guard, he kicked off the ground and lunged forward, darting away with a sudden "whoosh!" He was on the verge of slipping right under Mu Shijin’s horse.

Mu Shijin had been preparing to reach out and grab him, but he never expected the lad to be so swift. He moved like a bolt of lightning, sliding right beneath the horse. Caught off guard, Mu Shijin swung his blade down, but he was a step too late. The edge of the steel slashed past Miao Xianke’s rear, slicing off half of his tail with a sharp "crack!"

"You... you... you old rascal! You... you... you won't get away!" Li Yiqing’s eyes turned red with fury. He raised his Wind-Fire-Thunder-Lightning Awl and struck down at him with all his might.

A "hiss" echoed through the air as electric sparks flared. With a thunderous boom, a cloud of thick smoke rose, and Miao Xianke was blown to pieces, his flesh and blood scattering everywhere.

Li Xiong, who had just caught up, witnessed the scene and was struck with intense frustration. "You... you... you dog! You... you... actually managed to es... es... escape from Lord Xiong's hands. Now that you're de... de... dead, it... it... it doesn't even quench Lord Xiong's ha... ha... hatred!" With that, he turned and stomped off in a huff.

Just as he turned around, he heard Mu Shijin and Li Yiqing cry out in shock: "What... what is that?!" Their voices were filled with absolute terror.

Li Xiong hurriedly looked back and saw an demon soldier crawling up from the ground. A massive, gaping hole sat in its back, and its blood had already drained away. Yet, it was still picking up its legs and running forward!

"Is... is... is this a demon or a ghost?! If... if... if it’s a ghost, how can it appear in broad daylight?!" Li Yiqing was so frightened that the hair on his body stood on end, and his lips began to tremble.

"This... this... this..." Mu Shijin was also stunned, his own speech failing him. Suddenly, a realization dawned on him: "Vice Commander Ye and Marshal Murong said that Miao Xianke is a cat demon with nine lives. Perhaps he has had a last resurgence of spirit, or he has attached his soul to another demon soldier! Look, his gait and movements are identical to Miao Xianke’s; it must be him!"

Li Xiong cared little for such details. He thought to himself: "Whatever, whether you have nine lives or ten, no matter how many you have, I’ll beat them out of you one by one!"

With that in mind, he swung his chain-hammer and shouted, "Go... go... go..." as he prepared to hurl the weapon to crush the demon soldier.

However, Mu Shijin stopped him: "General Li, there is no need to kill this old rascal yet. Let’s capture him alive and hand him over to Marshal Murong; surely there is a way to break this nine-life sorcery!"

Having spoken, he spurred his horse forward, intent on seizing the demon soldier first. Li Xiong, however, would have none of it. He thought: "This short, fat cat demon escaped from my hands; catching him is my job, and no one shall steal this merit from me!"

Though he didn't voice his thoughts, he swung his chain-hammer again and shouted, "Old... old... old monster, take... take... take this!"

The chain-hammer swung in a wide arc and flew from his hand. The chain was eighteen feet long, and as it flew, it spun like two meteors, reaching the demon soldier’s head in an instant.

With a "thwack," it looped perfectly around the creature's neck. A clattering sound followed as the twin hammers fell, binding the demon soldier tightly. This move looked simple, but it was a skill Li Xiong had practiced for years; the application of wrist strength and the precise control of internal power was something an ordinary person could never achieve.

With a heavy thud, the demon soldier lost his balance and collapsed to the ground. Just as Mu Shijin reached out to hoist the creature up, a sharp command rang out: "Don't touch him!" Mu Shijin stopped his hand.

Li Xiong stepped forward, grabbed the tangled chains, and with a slight tug, lifted the demon soldier entirely off the ground.

"This... this... this old... old rascal belongs to Lord Xiong! No... no... no one is to com... com... compete with me!" Li Xiong glared with his eyes wide, his thick eyebrows bristling, and he turned to head back toward the Green Wood Soul-Chasing Formation.

Mu Shijin looked at Li Xiong’s boorish demeanor, offered a faint smile, and shook his head; he wouldn't bicker with such a foolish lad. He turned to look for Li Yiqing, but—alas!—he was nowhere to be seen.

"That kid is truly a clever one; he’s already gone ahead to assist Vice Commander Ye!" Mu Shijin cursed in frustration. Ignoring the Black Water Yin Soldier Formation, he turned his horse and charged toward the Red Gold Radiant Light Formation.

And where was Ye Feng at this time? He was leading his troops in an assault on that very formation.

He was the last to break into the Red Gold Radiant Light Formation. Once inside, he saw rows of golden placards surrounding them like an iron barrel. The golden light was so blinding that one could hardly keep their eyes open.

"Shield bearers, prepare!" Ye Feng felt a jolt of alarm and hurried to call the shield bearers forward. At the same time, he closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he had adjusted to the environment.

"Clatter!" Countless shield bearers stepped up, tightly shielding Ye Feng and the hooked-spear infantry behind them. They all closed their eyes, and when they opened them, their expressions were filled with vigilance, scanning the interior of the formation.

The formation was eerily silent. There wasn't a single demon soldier to be seen, only the heavy, tense breathing of the soldiers.

"Clang!" Suddenly, the sound of wooden clappers rang out, sending a jolt of terror through the men.

"Fire arrows!" Instantly, a volley of arrows rained down. "Clang! Clang! Clang!..." They struck the iron shields incessantly before clattering to the ground.

"Boom, boom, boom!" Following the arrows, the beating of drums shook the ground. "Thud! Thud! Thud!..." The heavy sound of galloping hooves reached Ye Feng's ears.

"Prepare! Prepare! The enemy’s chain-linked iron cavalry is coming! Get the oil bottles, sulfur, and gunpowder ready! Hooked-spear soldiers, prepare to charge at any moment!" Ye Feng shouted, his commands crisp and orderly, remaining calm amidst the chaos.

The sound of hooves grew faster and louder. A troop of heavy cavalry soon appeared from within the radiating golden light. They were covered head-to-toe in thick armor, even their horses protected, with only their fierce, malicious eyes visible through the slits.

"Everyone, do not panic! Wait until they are closer, closer..." Ye Feng watched the enemy cavalry, soothing his soldiers' frayed nerves. As the enemy drew nearer, his voice grew lower. Suddenly, he let out a roar: "Throw the oil bottles, sulfur, and gunpowder!"

Instantly, flames erupted in the air. Fireballs flew forth, smashing against the cavalry’s armor, and soon, roaring fires engulfed them, causing the soldiers to howl in agony.

"Attack!" At Ye Feng's command, the hooked-spear soldiers charged forward in unison. They lunged at the enemy soldiers, crouched down, and swung their hooked spears. A flash of cold light passed.

"Neigh!" The warhorses let out long, pained screams as they collapsed to the ground. Then came the thuds as other horses tripped, and countless heavy-armored demon soldiers were thrown from their saddles. Because their armor was so heavy, they could not get back up once they fell.

The shield bearers swarmed them, short blades in hand. With a series of "cracks," they decapitated countless demon soldiers. The scene returned to a deathly silence.

"Tu Libao! You hide in the shadows, afraid to show your face—what kind of hero is that?! Come out and fight me, Ye Feng, to the death!" Ye Feng shouted, his voice dripping with disdain and contempt.

"Ye Feng, what kind of hero are you?! You had people steal my Unicorn Steed and my many magical treasures. If not for that, how could you ever be my match?!" With this indignant cry, a demon general emerged from behind a golden placard. He wore white armor and a white helmet, rode a white horse, and held a steel-tipped spear eighteen feet long.

"Hmph! Tu Libao, spare me your empty boasts. If you have the guts, take off that Moon-Bright Armor of yours. I, Ye, will not use any of your stolen treasures; I’ll fight you in simple clothes!" Ye Feng sneered, the air thick with tension, hoping to goad Tu Libao into a one-on-one duel.

"Ye, you brat! Do you think I'm afraid of a one-on-one duel? Let's make a deal: what happens if I win?" Tu Libao retorted, refusing to be outdone.

"If you win, I, Ye, will lead my entire army out of Falling Goose Ridge and never set foot in the Myriad Demon Kingdom again!" Ye Feng replied resolutely, without a moment’s hesitation.

"And if you lose?!" Ye Feng pressed aggressively.

"If I lose..." Tu Libao hesitated, his heart filled with trepidation. But having gone this far, how could he back down now without losing face? He quickly replied, "I will lead my troops out of Falling Goose Ridge!"

Ye Feng burst into laughter: "Tu Libao, that’s not a fair deal! Look at the current situation—the Myriad Demon Yin-Nether Formation has been torn to shreds by my army. The outcome is already decided. Do you really think you can lead your troops safely out of Falling Goose Ridge now?"

These words left Tu Libao feeling hollow. He stammered, "Then... then... what do you suggest?!"

"Why not surrender and let yourself be captured? It would save your demon soldiers from losing their lives alongside you!" Before Ye Feng could finish, Tu Libao’s face turned bright red with rage.

"Ye Feng, you little brat! You have pushed me too far. I will fight you to the death!"

"Well come!" Ye Feng shouted, though he thought to himself: "Tu Libao, this is exactly the effect I wanted. Now that your mind is in chaos, do I, Master Ye, have anything to fear from you?"

He spurred his horse and charged, shaking his spear. Ye Feng was now riding Tu Libao’s own Unicorn Steed, wielding the Overlord Divine Spear. His horse was like the wind; his spear was like lightning. In an instant, he was before Tu Libao, thrusting his spear forward. Tu Libao thrust his own spear to meet it.

The two divine spears collided in mid-air with a sound like a thunderclap in a clear sky. Amidst a shower of sparks, Tu Libao’s horse stumbled back a dozen steps. Tu Libao himself swayed in the saddle, nearly falling off. His arms were numb, his palms burning, and his steel-tipped spear vibrated uncontrollably in his hands, blood streaming down the shaft.

"Oh no!" Tu Libao was shocked. "This brat Ye Feng... how has his internal power grown so deep in just a few days? Fighting him one-on-one was a trap!"

He wanted to retreat to his own lines, but it was already too late. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and fight Ye Feng to the bitter end. He stopped holding back and unleashed all his skills.

First, his shoulders shook and swayed as he manifested the form of three heads and six arms. Then, as the two horses crossed, he flicked out his long tail with a sharp "snap!" It was as fast as lightning and incredibly fierce.

Ye Feng heard the wind behind him and knew an invisible weapon was approaching. Without even looking back, he drew his Flowing Cloud Sword and slashed downward.

"Crack!" A segment of a tail fell to the ground—yellow and lustrous, with two black rings, looking neither quite like a leopard nor a tiger—still twitching on the ground as if unwilling to give up.

Ye Feng had just begun to relax when he heard another whistle of wind behind his head. This time, it was aimed directly at the back of his skull! If that hit, it would be the end of him. Ye Feng was shocked; he remembered what Xiao Ling had said about Tu Libao’s "Thunderclap Hundred-Kill Divine Whip." He hadn't expected it to be this fearsome!

There was no time to think. He raised his sword to parry, but just as he did, he heard another "whoosh" of wind—this time aimed at his hand! The strike at the back of his head had been a feint; this strike at his hand was the real one!

It was too late to dodge. With a sharp "snap!" the object lashed across the back of his hand. The pain was excruciating. His fingers loosened, and with a clang, his sword fell to the ground.

Whether Ye Feng wins or loses this battle, please see the next chapter for the conclusion!