Chapter 563: The Onslaught
Chapter 563: The Onslaught
Chen Chuan's eyes reflected the tip of the fine sword, as if the blade would pierce him in the next moment.
Maintaining his sword-wielding posture with one hand, he raised the other and unleashed the power of his Cloud-Burst Hands. The attacker's longsword shattered instantly, and the force of the blow sent their entire arm flying. As Chen Chuan's sword slashed across the attacker's neck, a head was severed.
In the blink of an eye, Chen Chuan had killed two and severely injured another. However, at that moment, a thunderous roar erupted from the front, and a cavalry commander, fully armored and adorned with a helmet tassel, burst through the mist. Riding with momentum, he thrust his spear towards Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan, in the midst of unleashing his power, couldn't protect himself at that instant. But as the spear tip drew closer, his eyes remained calm. He wasn't alone in this fight.
Chen Bitong's figure suddenly appeared in front, brandishing a spear horizontally to block the spear thrust. The force on the spear was incredibly powerful, causing it to shatter into pieces in an instant. Chen Bitong felt a dull impact in his chest, but even so, the spear didn't deviate by even a fraction, testifying to the formidable strength of the attacker.
This obstruction caused the cavalry commander's momentum to slow down momentarily, preventing him from delivering a smooth and perfect strike in terms of timing and force.
Chen Chuan seized this opening, adjusting his breath in time. He raised his sword and swept it upwards, blocking the spear with a loud clang.
The clash of weapons sparked, and the grinding sound of friction filled the air. Even though the spear had been blocked once, the remaining force pushed Chen Chuan back several meters.
Chen Bitong approached the cavalry commander's side and struck his waist with a palm strike. Just as the String Emptiness Power was about to reach the commander, the commander's horse suddenly reared, sidestepping to avoid the most powerful part of the strike. Consequently, even if the blow landed, it wouldn't be able to exert its full force.
Chen Bitong's palm strike seemed to continue, but his spectral figure appeared on the other side of the horse, delivering a punch. This time, the cavalry commander had found an opening and drew his waist saber, slashing the spectral figure in one swift motion.
As the saber's momentum passed, Chen Bitong's figure appeared above the commander, and he stomped down on his head. With these consecutive maneuvers, the cavalry commander's power was continuously manipulated, leaving him unable to defend himself in a normal situation.
At this critical moment, the horse, in perfect harmony with its rider, knelt down, dodging the strike just before the power erupted.
The unity between the rider and the horse was truly awe-inspiring.
However, at that moment, Chen Chuan, positioned in front of the horse, raised his sword and slashed!
This was the advantage of having two people. Even though the opponent was indeed formidable, there were always openings during the clash of powers and the transition between offense and defense. Once they seized the opportunity to land a hit, the battle would be all but over due to the destructive power of Heart Force.
The cavalry commander wasn't alone either. As Chen Chuan raised his sword, the horse suddenly reared, using its own neck to block the sword's path, while the commander flipped backwards. At that precise moment, several spears were thrown from outside the rift, accurately targeting both Chen Chuan and Chen Bitong.
Unfazed, Chen Chuan's sword emitted a hissing sound as it severed the horse's head. With a swift turn of his blade, he deflected the incoming spears. Chen Bitong, on the other hand, raised his hand and parried the spears.
Through this contact, both of them could sense that the spears had been thrown from at least half a mile away.
The attackers, positioned outside the rift, couldn't see them, yet their throws were incredibly precise. This was likely due to a mental connection between the cavalry commander and the attackers, indicating a prearranged offensive strategy.
After dismounting, the cavalry commander raised his spear and, in an instant, thrust it towards both of them. As they blocked the spears, he retreated, and with each step back, spears were thrown from outside to obstruct Chen Chuan and Chen Bitong. After taking just a few steps, he retreated beyond the rift, seemingly ready to withdraw after failing to land a successful strike.
Chen Chuan immediately pressed forward, sidestepping and charging out of the rift.
Chen Bitong was about to give chase when a stabbing sword suddenly appeared at his side. The person Chen Chuan had severely injured earlier seemed to possess the ability to conceal both their body and mind. They had hidden to the side, and now they launched another surprise attack from the shadows, seemingly equipped with a backup weapon. However, Chen Bitong didn't even glance at them; he casually blocked the attack, and a surge of String Emptiness Power flowed through the sword, causing the attacker to explode into a cacophony of cracking sounds. Blood gushed from the severed arm, and they fell from mid-air, landing on the ground, twitching but not yet dead.
This obstruction wasn't without purpose, as it caused Chen Bitong to lag behind slightly. By the time he caught up, the cavalry commander was retreating into the dense fog on the mountain path, with Chen Chuan already on his tail, delivering a downward slash.
The blade only made contact with the tip of the opponent's sword, but the force of the strike directly cleaved through the armor on his back, creating a long crack from top to bottom.
The cavalry commander didn't even turn his head, instead, he unleashed a surge of power, increasing his speed slightly, and quickly vanished into the thick fog.
Suddenly, the air was filled with the sound of slicing through the void, and several spears reached Chen Chuan's front. He merely lifted his hand to block his face, and as the spears touched his clothes and skin, they shattered into pieces and fell to the ground.
He had utilized the Steel Flex Technique, and although he couldn't match Chang Kuanghai's Heavenly Forgiveness Fist, his ordinary movements combined with his Heart Force were enough to create a more impressive display.
He felt a bit disappointed that the Snow Lady Saber hadn't awakened yet, and his Qi wasn't fully unleashed, otherwise, the previous strike could have done more than just cutting through the opponent's armor.
At this moment, he saw countless White Plague creatures appearing around him, rushing towards the mountain peak. Knowing that the opportunity had passed, he stopped chasing and glanced down at the mountain's foot. Through the mist, he vaguely saw the escaping cavalry commander heading towards a large flag, where a higher-ranking military general was riding a horse.
After taking a deep look, he didn't stay there but retreated into the rift. The White Plague creatures fearlessly followed and rushed in.
This assault lasted for about ten minutes. When it stopped, the front of the rift was filled with corpses, leaving no room to even stand. The place was permeated with a foul odor.
Chen Bitong said, "We can pile up these corpses at the entrance and burn some of them. The airflow in front of the rift is blowing outwards, which will block them for a while, allowing us to recover some energy. Captain Chen, I have oil barrels prepared in the vehicle. I can ask Fang Assistant to bring them to you."
Chen Chuan said, "I'll take care of it."
He turned and walked out, and after a while, he returned with two oil barrels. By this time, Chen Bitong had already moved most of the corpses to the front of the rift. He poured the algae oil on them and lit it with a lighter, instantly igniting a raging fire. Due to the outward flow of air, thick smoke quickly obscured the mountain path.
Chen Chuan looked outside and said, "Chen Teacher, that person's strength is not weak. With their current power, if it weren't for the martial artist's personal presence, even if they entered the central city, they probably wouldn't cause much damage. Their intentions might not be as simple as they seem."
Chen Bitong shook his head and said, "This should only be their vanguard. Once they break through, the follow-up forces will likely be transferred here. Even if it's just a small vanguard that breaks through, it still holds great political significance."
Since the overthrow of the former empire and the establishment of the Great Shun Republic over ninety years ago, these remnants have never broken through the blockade or entered Great Shun from the Convergence Zone.
But if a force breaks into the central city and causes some damage, it will greatly boost military morale and unite the internal forces.
And if it happens once, it can happen again."
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. He understood the logic behind this. The competition between two groups was not just about military victory but also maintaining internal control. Especially for ruling groups like the former imperial court, they must continuously exert external military force to relieve internal pressure and contradictions.
Chen Bitong's expression turned solemn as he said, "Precisely because of its significance, they will spare no effort to break through our blockade. We're about to face a tough battle."
Chen Chuan said, "Then let them come."
However, he looked down again. Although he was confident in holding his ground, it was too passive, and the opponent had been calmly deploying their forces. As a martial artist, he didn't like this situation where he could only take the blows without retaliating.
So, he changed his mind and said, "Chen Teacher, I just saw that the flag of the general is very close to us, right at the foot of the mountain. Since this is just the vanguard, can we rush down and try to kill their commander?"
Upon hearing his bold idea, Chen Bitong didn't think it was a wild fantasy. Instead, he seriously considered the possibilities, and in a deep voice, he said, "There is a chance."
Although it was a risky move, it was worth a try because the opponent would never expect them to charge down.
Moreover, he knew that the general they sent this time was facing off against the martial artist in the central city, so they didn't have absolute strength to suppress them.
He said, "At this distance, with sufficient preparation and a highly surprising move, there's still a chance of success."
Chen Chuan said, "Chen Teacher, let me take the lead this time. I'm faster. Chen Teacher, you can utilize the rift, and I'll draw their attention from the front. Chen Teacher can then take the opportunity to advance to the front and seek an opportunity. We don't have to force it. If there's no chance, we'll retreat."
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(End of Chapter)
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