Chapter 463: Chapter 463. The Second Destruction of Echos’ Cities

    The four clans and the remaining city guards loyal to the mayor gathered around the city hall. They formed a barricade to protect the city hall from all directions. Mayor Pan Xisheng ran inside the hall. He informed everyone that he would activate an enchantment inside the city hall that helped them withstand the enemy’s assault.

    The kingdom army arrived before long. Those at the forefront were those with the Martial Realm cultivation since they were faster. Jiang Bo and Liu Xun were at the head.

    Liu Xun began the confrontation by using his bow. He used arcane art that fired multiple arrows made of light while Jiang Bo rushed forward with his giant hammer.

    Gu Xiguan and his clansmen used defensive arts to repel the light-element arrows. He then moved forward to face Jiang Bo’s charge. He produced a metal board with an eight-trigram image carved on its top. He placed this board before him, and it spun rapidly. The eight-trigram image came alive and enlarged. It became a shield that covered a large area.

    Jiang Bo was unfazed by this. His advance never slowed. Rocks started accumulating on the head of his hammer as he advanced. These rocks combined and formed a massive hammer, making his already giant hammer absurdly gargantuan.

    When he swung this hammer, chips of rocks followed its trail. The colossal rock hammer slammed into the giant eight-trigram symbol. Both the rock hammer and the eight-trigram symbol shattered with an explosive shockwave, but only one side got flung from the impact.

    Gu Xiguan’s clan members caught him before he crashed into the city hall. Blood leaked from his mouth. There was a slight crack on the metal board in his hand. This loss was not surprising. He was at the Intermediate Spirit Stage, while Jiang Bo was a Peak Spirit Stage cultivator. Jiang Bo’s weapon was also of a better quality.

    "Stand aside before I crush all of you into pulps!" Jiang Bo threatened.

    Gu Xiguan had trouble speaking. His niece, Gu Weixing, came forward and spoke for him.

    "Don’t think you have won, you kingdom pig! We will not rest until the Echos kingdom is toppled. This is for my mother, who received an unfair judgment from the kingdom, and everyone else who had experienced the same fate. Death to the kingdom...!!"

    "Stupid fools! So be it," Jiang Bo scolded.

    Jiang Bo, Liu Xun, and the other soldiers who had arrived threw themselves at the defending force. Other soldiers trickled in and joined the fight when they arrived. Lao Zen and the Martial Realm cultivators from Prince Huang San’s force also joined the battle. Slowly but surely, the defenders were overwhelmed.

    With every passing minute, the defenders asked the same question in their minds, ’Where is the rebel army that is supposed to attack the kingdom army from the rear? Where is the support enchantment supposed to help them withstand the enemy’s assault?’

    The answer to their questions came soon. The only problem was that it was not the answer they wished for.

    Several pillars of fire erupted from different spots inside the city. More and more of these pillars of fire appeared. As they did, a wall of fire started extending out from one pillar to the next, forming an interconnecting web of fire.

    This all happened slowly. The captivating sight caused the intense battle at the city hall to pause. Everyone watched silently without making any remark.

    Most of those who happened to be where these pillars of fire emerged were burned to a crisp. It had happened too suddenly. Cultivators didn’t have the time to use any defensive art to protect themselves. Only Martial Realm cultivators who had higher natural durability survived these flames. Even then, they suffered heavy burning wounds.

    The ones hit by the walls of fire fared better because it didn’t happen as suddenly. Human Realm cultivators who had good defensive arts managed to survive.

    However, their plight had not ended yet. After the walls of fire finished linking all the pillars, these pillars erupted. Fire burst in all directions, covering almost the entire city. Mystic Stage cultivators who flew up into the sky, away from the reach of the flames were spared. As for those who couldn’t fly, they had to rely on their defensive arts. Those without prolonged defensive arts were burned once their arts ran out of duration.

    Even the people battling at the city hall were not spared. The flame burst came to them as well. All Martial Realm cultivators flew up to escape the onslaught. Many on the ground screamed in despair as fire engulfed them.

    Everyone’s eyes and attention were fixated on the hell consuming the city. They didn’t notice one person sneaking out of the city hall’s roof and flying high into the sky. With the firestorm enchantment triggered, the barrier was also no more. This person was putting as much distance as possible from everyone, hoping he could disappear before anyone knew.

    Unfortunately for him, someone expected his move.

    "Going somewhere?" Amon asked. He, Xin Wuming, and Xu Bao were hiding behind the clouds. They revealed themselves after Pan Xisheng realized their presence with his Spirit Sense.

    Pan Xisheng was surprised to see them. His mind had been too focused on fleeing and worrying about people chasing him from behind. He failed to sense them until he was this close to them. He didn’t worry about Amon and Xin Wuming, but he sensed Xu Bao had the same cultivation as him.

    He acted without bothering to respond to Amon’s question. His book-whip elongated and slashed at the trio. Xu Bao reacted. He thrust his long spear, stopping the book-whip before it came near.

    Xin Wuming took out his weapon, a longsword. It was the same high-tier engraved longsword used by Yan Wang, which Amon took after defeating the clan master. Amon passed it to Xin Wuming alongside an arcane art manual he found inside Yan Wang’s space ring.

    The arcane art was called gold enhancement. It was the arcane art used by Yan Wang to enhance his sword’s power and sharpness. Xin Wuming was using it now. His fingers touched the base of the longsword’s blade. As his fingers moved across the blade, a gold layer covered it.

    Xin Wuming’s mastery could not yet be compared to Yan Wang’s. His was still at the skilled mastery, but it should be enough to let his weapon endure a clash with a Spirit Stage’s cultivator.

    Despite having prepared his weapon, Xin Wuming didn’t advance. In terms of fighting in the air, a Beginning Mystic Stage cultivator was next to useless because their flight speed was extremely slow. Amon was still slightly okay because he could use the Invisible Sky Steps in an emergency. Xin Wuming, however, had no such movement art.

    Amon wanted him here for a different reason. Ten long vines came out of his body. One of these vines snatched Xin Wuming and hurled him at Pan Xisheng, who was already in an intense clash with Xu Bao. Amon himself used Invisible Sky Steps to get close.

    Pan Xisheng’s Spirit Sense allowed him to sense Xin Wuming’s approach despite his high-tension exchange with Xu Bao. His book-whip, controlled by his right hand, remained focusing on Xu Bao. He used his left hand to deal with Xin Wuming.

    His fingers easily caught the golden longsword that came stabbing. He twirled his fingers after catching the sword, expecting to break the sword easily. However, the sword’s high tier and enhanced durability made him unable to.

    Xin Wuming used the Iron Finger with his other hand while his weapon was locked, but Pan Xisheng reacted before the metal sword produced by the Iron Finger could hit him.

    Pan Xisheng increased the force in his fingers. He forcefully tore the golden longsword from Xin Wuming’s hand and threw it away. His hand did the tearing, throwing, and returning to parry Xin Wuming’s Iron Finger in one swift motion. His hand also burst into flames while in motion. The metal sword from the Iron Finger melted instantaneously. At the end of the motion, Pan Xisheng’s hand extended two fingers out and stabbed forward.

    Like a fiery sword, his fingers pierced into Xin Wuming’s chest and went out his back.

    Pan Xisheng expected Xin Wuming to die or at least be helpless after having his heart pierced. Instead, Xin Wuming’s hands grabbed his arm and refused to let go.

    "What?!" Pan Xisheng looked at Xin Wuming and was surprised to see his opponent’s face. It was not the face of someone who had been defeated. Xin Wuming’s expression was still full of fighting spirit.

    Xin Wuming’s action caused a momentary lapse in Pan Xisheng’s control over his book-whip. Xu Bao capitalized on the chance. His spear turned into a blur as he performed lightning-quick stabs. Pan Xisheng couldn’t block all the stabs. With his other hand locked by Xin Wuming, he was forced to move away.

    As he retreated, he sensed multiple attacks coming from the direction he was retreating to. These were Amon’s flying knives.