Chapter 223 188: Bombarding Yuanhe Mountain
At this moment atop Yuanhe Mountain, a multitude of martial artists and disciples all rushed out, pointing towards the massive spherical object constantly moving in the distant sky.
"Look quickly! What is that thing?"
"Such a huge sphere!"
"Seems like there are people up there?"
"So many... at least over a thousand of them!"
"Are they floating towards Yuanhe Mountain?"
"Could it be the Imperial Court's army..."
The numerous disciples of Yuanhe Mountain were abuzz with discussion, and Wang Feiyu and others also ran out of their quarters at this moment.
Looking at the sky filled with gigantic floating spheres, their eyes were full of shock.
"Can they float in the air? Cultivators' flying shuttles? So many..."
"No! It's not flying shuttles..."
"There are people up there... Damn! It's the Imperial Court's army!"
Wang Feiyu, with excellent eyesight, quickly discovered something and immediately commanded: "Yuann Sanli, quickly choose six First-grade Realm martial artists, take the Five Directions Soul Gathering Banner, and guard the five positions of Yuanhe Mountain."
"Five positions? What's that?"
"Zifeng, Zitong, lead them!"
"Yes! Ancestor!"
"Yuann Dazong, have your archers shoot down those floating spheres."
"Yes!"
Under Wang Feiyu's orders, the entire Yuanhe Mountain started moving.
Yuann Sanli promptly selected six First-grade Realm martial artist disciples, and along with himself, Wang Pu, and Xie Jiuque, under the leadership of Wang Zitong and Wang Zifeng, they held the Five Directions Soul Gathering Banner, guarding the five positions of Yuanhe Mountain.
Numerous disciples arranged themselves according to wartime training, and a large contingent of archers also stationed themselves at the high ground of Yuanhe Mountain.
"Shoot!"
As the leading hot air balloons approached the high sky of Yuanhe Mountain, with a command from Yuann Dazong, dense volleys of arrows shot forth, targeting the sky.
Disciples selected by Yuann Dazong as archers were among the elite, with strength at least above Third-grade Realm martial artists.
Although their aim was not very precise, the force was strong enough to shoot three to five hundred meters far.
Just able to hit those approaching hot air balloons.
Unfortunately, the Ministry of Industry had already devised countermeasures.
They covered the surface of the hot air balloons with thick cowhide, making it difficult for ordinary arrows to penetrate unless using a bed crossbow.
"Thud!"
"Thud, thud!"
Arrows shot like torrential rain, instantly piercing the dozens of leading hot air balloons, turning them into porcupines.
However, these ordinary arrows could not really impede the balloons' approach.
One after another, the massive hot air balloons slowly approached the peak of Yuanhe Mountain, covering most of the Yuanhe Mountain sect.
On the mountain, three thousand Yuanhe Mountain disciples and tens of thousands of rebels from various places instinctively looked up at the dense, massive black shadows, eyes full of disbelief.
"Shoot!"
"Quickly, shoot them down!"
For some unknown reason, looking at the dense hot air balloons atop the mountain, Yuann Dazong suddenly felt a wave of despair, as if a catastrophe would soon befall the next moment.
With his furious roar, more arrows shot forth again, and some hot air balloons actually began slowly descending due to being hit by so many arrows.
Meanwhile, Xie Jiuque had already arrived at Wang Feiyu's designated spot, holding the Five Directions Soul Gathering Banner.
Wang Zitong hurriedly left, taking six other disciples to the other five positions.
Xie Jiuque's eyes darted around, instinctively looking up at the dense hot air balloons.
"Could this... really be an Immortal Treasure? Allowing mortals to fly in the air?"
He then looked down at the Five Directions Soul Gathering Banner in his hand, slightly twitching his lips.
This Five Directions Soul Gathering Banner definitely had some hidden secrets.
Thinking of this, he glanced around, seeing numerous disciples panic-stricken, watching the constantly moving hot air balloons in the sky.
"Hey, you, come here!"
Xie Jiuque waved, signaling a large man to come over.
"Elder Xie!"
Although the Yuanhe Mountain disciple had panic in his eyes, he still greeted respectfully.
"What's your name, which realm in martial arts?"
"Elder Xie, this junior is Wuu Dashan, a Second-grade Realm martial artist. I don't know why Elder Xie..."
"It's like this, shortly I'll be joining your sect's Yuann Sanli to surround and eliminate the top experts of the Imperial Court. This banner is key, and it will be entrusted to you."
Saying this, Xie Jiuque handed the Five Directions Soul Gathering Banner to Wuu Dashan, instructing: "Without Yuann Sanli's command, never abandon this banner, understand!"
"Ancestor's command?"
Wuu Dashan immediately became excited: "Yes! Elder Xie! This junior will never let go!"
"Good! Then I'll go on ahead..."
Before finishing his words, Xie Jiuque quickly left, leaving Wuu Dashan holding the Five Directions Soul Gathering Banner in his hands.
Xie Jiuque did not go far, but rather hid atop a large tree in the distance.
He had to see what Wang Feiyu was really up to.
Meanwhile, atop the hot air balloons, Huang Wei and Xu Mujun stood on the same balloon, looking down.
"General Xu, is it time?"
Xu Mujun replied: "This battle method, I am not familiar with. Everything is up to General Huang."
"Yes, Grand General!"
Huang Wei waved, and a messenger soldier beside him promptly nodded.
Immediately drawing out red and green triangular flags and began signaling.
A dozen moments later, the signals spread across the entire hot air balloon fleet.
In an instant, the entire Flying Eagle Army began to move.
One by one, thunderbolts weighing at least one pound were brought out from bamboo baskets beneath them, poking half their bodies out, and throwing them fiercely towards Yuanhe Mountain below.
"Whizz..."
"Whizz, whizz~"
Numerous people still remaining on Yuanhe Mountain instinctively looked up at the sky, those thunderbolts dropping like melons, not knowing what to think.
What was the Imperial Court's army doing?
Did they intend to crush them using these iron lumps?
In just a few breaths, the fastest Thunderbolt fell onto the giant rock in the back mountain.
"Boom!"
A violent explosion startled countless people on Yuanhe Mountain, who instinctively looked toward the back mountain.
What was that?
Why did it explode?
Among the masses, only Wang Feiyu's face suddenly changed dramatically.
He swiftly flipped his hand, a Golden Talisman appearing in his palm, his magical power instantly activating the talisman.
A faint golden light instantly enveloped his entire body.
Then...
"Boom!"
"Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom...!!!"
Countless violent and continuous explosions suddenly resounded through Yuanhe Mountain.
Unending flames rolled, along with fierce shockwaves and scattered rubble, tearing apart Yuanhe Mountain disciples and other rebels.
"Rumble!"
In mid-air, one Thunderbolt after another was thrown down by the Flying Eagle Army, like industrious farmers.
Looking down from above, the entire Yuanhe Mountain was almost engulfed in violent explosions and rolling flames.
Countless people screamed as they ran wildly, only to be blown to pieces again!
Across Yuanhe Mountain, grand halls, trees, rooms, along with disciples, Martial Artists, pigs, dogs, cows, and sheep, none could escape, all passively bombarded.
Numerous Yuanhe Mountain disciples and rebels scattered in panic, angrily shouting or kneeling in fear and crying, yet unable to thwart the assault of Thunderbolts.
All that awaited them were Thunderbolts descending from the sky, mercilessly turning them into charred remains!
Especially those grand halls and rooms on Yuanhe Mountain were key targets for the Flying Eagle Army's bombing.
Many buildings were blown down, countless people either cried while escaping only to be killed by explosions, or were crushed by falling structures.
This attack was a bitter ordeal for many Yuanhe Mountain disciples.
Back when many rebels from Haizhou gathered at Yuanhe Mountain, Yuanhe Mountain deliberately placed them at the foot, mid-slope, or on the way up the mountain.
Simply to use them as cannon fodder against the Imperial Court's army.
But now...
With Flying Eagle Army's intervention, the bombing targeted Yuanhe Mountain's core region, and countless disciples were treated as cannon fodder, bombed mercilessly.
"Damn... Celestial Thunder Seed!"
Outside the ruined halls, watching the continuous bombardment of Thunderbolts, Wang Feiyu, protected by the Vajra Shield, was filled with shock and fear.
He never imagined the Imperial Court's army would possess such Immortal Treasures, launching a relentless bombing as if costless.
"Not right... similar yet different from Celestial Thunder Seed, what exactly is this thing?"
"Boom!"
Another Thunderbolt exploded before him, the scattered rubble and flames swept forward, yet all was blocked by the Vajra Talisman.
"Ancestor!"
"Ancestor... ah!"
An urgent voice rang out, revealing Wang Zifeng, covered by a turtle-shell-like Magical Artifact, approaching quickly with a grim expression.
"Ancestor! Yuanhe Mountain is finished! We must retreat quickly!"
"Retreat? Where to retreat to?"
Wang Feiyu said coldly, "If my guess is correct, the entire Yuanhe Mountain is now surrounded by the Imperial Court's army."
"A bunch of useless waste...!"
"Elder Wang!, Elder Wang!"
Another frantic voice rang out, revealing Yuann Dazong approaching rapidly, his figure disheveled, body bearing multiple wounds from scattered rubble.
"Elder Wang! Please quickly activate the Five Directions Soul Gathering Banner, to safeguard the lives of thirty thousand disciples of Yuanhe Mountain!"
Wang Feiyu frowned, saying, "Five Directions Soul Gathering Banner?"
"That banner is meant to confront Xu Mujun, protecting these mortals... how improbable!"
"But, but..."
At that moment, their expressions suddenly changed.
"The explosions stopped!"
"The Imperial Court's army must have exhausted their strange weapons!"
"Quick, go check how many are left, the Imperial Court's army is definitely preparing for a total assault!"
Numerous orders were shouted as Yuann Dazong ran towards the disciples' gathering area, attempting to calm the numerous disciples.
Meanwhile, Wang Feiyu instinctively raised his head.
"Ancestor?"
"He's coming down!"
"Coming down... who?"
"The Imperial Court's army!"
Wang Zifeng also instinctively looked up, surprisingly finding countless hot air balloons that originally floated several hundred meters above them were slowly descending.
The massive figures and peculiar spherical monsters descended oppressively, causing countless hearts to pound in fear.
"Humph...!"
Wang Feiyu snorted coldly, "Merely mortals dare to deceive me with these cowhide things, truly deserving of death!"
"And those seeming like Celestial Thunder Seed items, I must see what secrets they hold!"
"Zifeng, kill them, better capture a few alive!"
"Yes, Ancestor!"
At that moment, those giant hot air balloons descended slowly, causing countless surviving Yuanhe Mountain disciples to look up.
"What are those monsters?"
"Immortal, Immortal Treasures!"
"Spare me, spare me..."
"Quickly, look! There are people on the balloons!"
"They're coming down! They're descending!"
In countless incredulous eyes of the surviving rebels, figures appeared from the bamboo baskets beneath the hot air balloons, without hesitation jumping fervently towards them!
Kill!
