CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 49: FAVORABILITY

At the chaotic city gate.

The wind howled, slicing through the air!

The West Wind Army and the Mutated Beasts collided like two torrents, crashing heavily into each other. They fought furiously amid the thick dust and smoke. The soldiers of the West Wind Army were all Tempering Power Realm Martial Cultivators.

The moment they engaged in battle, swords and arrows intertwined, leaving trails of afterimages. In the thunderous roar of rage, fragments of flesh splattered everywhere, and severed limbs scattered on the ground. The thick, foul-smelling blood and chunks of flesh nearly drenched these soldiers from head to toe. Blood mixed with sweat, flinging wildly with every swing of their weapons, creating a terrifying and perilous sight.

...

Standing inside the city gate, Qi Xiu looked out at the blood-flesh mill of a battlefield some tens of meters away and clicked his tongue in amazement.

This is indeed ferocious.

Compared to regular Martial Cultivators, these soldiers made decisive moves and reacted quickly. Their techniques were efficient and swift. They forwent all fanciness, each move made to maximize killing power. Someone of the same realm from the martial world who fought against them would probably be killed within a mere ten moves.

Smelling the blood in the air that seemed almost tangible, Qi Xiu frowned, took two steps back, and turned to leave.

RUSTLE...

He hadn’t gone more than five or six meters when his raised foot hesitated and then was placed back down.

Turning to look at the cruel and dangerous fighting outside the city, Qi Xiu’s eyes shifted, and he scratched his forehead.

With this group of West Wind Army taking the damage, why not use this opportunity to grind for some proficiency? And judging from that general’s attitude towards me just now, I seem to have been mistaken for someone important. If I help out in this fight, I can earn proficiency and also gain favor. Wouldn’t that be killing two birds with one stone!?

His eyes gradually lighting up, Qi Xiu felt more convinced by the idea.

That settles it!

Having made up his mind, Qi Xiu turned around, took a leap, and jumped onto the city gate tower. The ink and brush he initially carried had long been lost when he was chased by the Exotic Beasts.

He bit his fingertip, and with blood, he drew the Martial Talisman in his palm!

...

"Ma, watch out!"

In the midst of the fierce battle, a mutated wolf with twisted sinews covering its body and split lips revealing all its gums suddenly burst out from behind a mountain bear, its fangs bared and ready. Its target was a West Wind Army soldier completely unaware of the impending danger.

Seeing his comrade about to fall prey to the wolf, Nie Xun, unable to come to the rescue in time, bellowed with eyes wide with rage, "Ma, no!!!"

Hearing the commotion behind him, Ma swiftly turned around. But the mutated wolf was already less than three meters away from him.

It’s over!

His eyes dimming, Ma’s face turned ashen.

In the nick of time!

A dark crimson palm print suddenly descended from above, carrying terrifying Vigor and high temperature, and in an instant, smashed the sneaky mutated wolf into a meat patty, which sunk deep into the ground. Amid the sizzling smoke, a rather appetizing scent of cooked meat began to spread.

Ma, thrown to the ground by the blast and covered in dust, stared in astonishment at the mutated wolf killed by a single palm, and couldn’t help but burst into laughter, "Hahahaha! I’m not dead! I’m not dead!"

"Thank you, brave hero, for saving my brother!" Seeing the silhouette on the city gate tower slowly retracting the palm, Nie Xun cupped his fist in deep gratitude and shouted.

...

Atop the city gate tower.

Having saved the soldier with the Martial Talisman’s Crimson Sand Palm, Qi Xiu’s mouth curled up at the sound of Nie Xun’s gratitude.

Affection +1.

The Martial Talisman was a Divine Marvel of calligraphy. Naturally, controlling and using it also increased his proficiency in calligraphy. Moreover, compared to everyday writing, controlling the Divine Marvel led to greater proficiency. It’s just that these Divine Talismans made quite a commotion when used. Normally, Qi Xiu had no chance to use them to improve proficiency.

This time was different. Not only could he use them openly and legitimately, but he also gained favor with the West Wind Army.

Quite perfect indeed.

Knowing that there was a master of Techniques like Qi Xiu supporting them from the city gate tower, the West Wind Army fought even more recklessly! The palm imprints that fell from the sky were extremely domineering. Even the thick-skinned mountain bears, upon being struck by one, would collapse to the ground, paralyzed, and gradually burned to charcoal by the fiery poison.

With the West Wind Army holding the front lines, Qi Xiu stood on top of the city gate tower, casually flinging out his palms. One after another, the dark crimson palm imprints cascaded down relentlessly. The earth shook, and dust billowed.

Now that his calligraphy had entered its third Realm, and his physique had been tempered with martial skills like the Crimson Sand Palm, Qi Xiu could just barely withstand the consumption of the Martial Talisman. It was no longer like before, where using a Martial Talisman once would leave him as exhausted as if he were drained.

Under the heavy bombardment of Qi Xiu’s Martial Talismans, the casualty rate of the Mutated Beasts surged sharply, and the tide-like swarm gradually thinned out.

Seeing victory was within reach, the West Wind Army fought with even more vigor. Leading the charge, Nie Xun held his great standard high, charging on horseback, his spear thrusts swift like a dragon, instantly bursting the heads of several Mutated Beasts. And as more and more Exotic Beasts were slain, the fabric of the great standard grew increasingly bright red.

Until it had accumulated to a limit, Nie Xun abruptly raised the great standard high, and from it burst forth thousands of crimson beams, like fierce serpents breaking out of their cage.

"Boundless Valor!"

HISS! HISS! HISS—

The crimson beams shot forth, unstoppable, and annihilated the remaining Mutated Beasts.

Limbs and severed extremities, flesh and blood forming a gruesome mire.

In less than two hours, the piles of Exotic Beast corpses by the city gates had grown as tall as small hills, and the stench rising to the sky tinged the surrounding air with a faint shade of blood.

At last, they were all slaughtered.

Sighing with relief, Qi Xiu sat on the battlements, pinching the bridge of his nose.

As long as that general slays that demon, we’ll be able to...

BANG!

An explosive sound rocked the ears!

A figure flew backward and smashed into the city wall; bricks shattered, and a cloud of thick dust whirled into the air. Yuan Baiyi appeared, the corner of his mouth dripping with blood, a large piece of flesh torn from his shoulder revealing bone. He was incredibly pale, and most of his armor was soaked through with blood.

"Lv Shuai!"

With a cry of alarm, a group of West Wind Army soldiers quickly rushed to stand before Yuan Baiyi, while Nie Xun supported him and helped him walk out.

"Lv Shuai, are you alright?" Seeing the ghastly exposed bone on Yuan Baiyi’s shoulder, Nie Xun’s heart trembled violently.

The Lv Shuai was actually wounded so grievously by that Little Demon.

"It’s just a surface wound and poses no real harm," Yuan Baiyi waved his hand dismissively and looked gravely into the distance.

That demon is so powerful that even Lv Shuai... Clutching the great standard tightly, Nie Xun’s brow furrowed deeply.

"I was careless. The Fox Demon had a hidden ally. At the critical moment, it suddenly attacked, and I was unprepared. But they sustained even more severe injuries."

Noticing the two demonic auras gradually fading, Yuan Baiyi withdrew his gaze and softly ordered, "Let’s head back to camp. Oh, and have that Daoist from the Radiant Treasure Sect come over to the camp. I have matters I wish to consult him about."

"Yes! Sun Xin, Zhao Heze, you two help Lv Shuai back. I will fetch that Daoist from the Radiant Treasure Sect."

After giving a few instructions, Nie Xun tapped his foot and leaped onto the city gate tower, quickly finding Qi Xiu, who was preparing to leave.

"I am Nie Xun, the vanguard officer of the West Wind Army. Many thanks to the Daoist for helping save the lives of my brothers," he said. "My commander has urgent matters to discuss with the Daoist. Please come with me."

That was quick.

Qi Xiu’s mouth twitched.

Seeing how things went just now, it looks like that general lost the fight. Finding me now, he probably wants to conscript me. I was only trying to earn some good favor here. Is it still possible for me to slip away now...

...