After the Immortal Disappeared

With that command, the Baling Army soldiers charged, striking at the Red General with sabers, spears, and halberds.

Even a man made of iron would have been riddled with holes.

But just as the first spear tip arrived, the Red General’s figure suddenly vanished.

Without warning or even an afterimage, he was simply gone.

The stabs, thrusts, and slashes that followed all hit empty air.

In his place was only a Cicada Shell the size of a pinky finger, which floated lightly into the sky on a gust of wind.

The Substitution Skill.

The first time the Red General had entered the stables, he had secretly placed a Cicada Shell there, unnoticed by anyone. If Hee Lingchuan had seen this, he would have likely smiled in understanding.

Having swapped places with the Ghost Shadow Cicada Shell, the Red General naturally appeared in the stables.

Shao Yingyang’s gaze swept over, and his blood ran cold: a new shadow had appeared in the posthouse stables, brandishing a Long Saber to chop at the Copper Talisman on the ground.

Too shocked to think, he bit the tip of his tongue, pointed at the stables, and roared, "Suppress!"

A silver-white bolt of lightning materialized in midair, crashing down on the crown of the Red General’s head with unstoppable force.

The flash of lightning lit up more than half of Wei City. Its power must have been astonishing—after all, a Thunderbolt is the righteous power of heaven and earth, said to be able to destroy all manner of evil spirits.

Who would have thought that the Red General would extend the index and middle fingers of his left hand and catch it above his head, as if he had calculated it all beforehand.

The menacing bolt of lightning was truly caught between his fingers!

Effortlessly.

It still crackled and sparked, struggling like a live snake, but it could not escape the Red General’s palm.

His right hand, holding the Long Saber, was not idle either. He smoothly carved a "Z" onto the Copper Talisman.

The saber moved nimbly, yet the mark it left was deep, almost piercing through the Copper Talisman.

With that, the green light vanished, and the Array immediately failed.

The wandering Three Corpses Insects, which had scattered in fear of the Thunderbolt, flew into a frenzy the moment the Red General crushed the Thunder Serpent and destroyed the Copper Talisman. As if shamed into a rage, they launched even more ferocious attacks on the nearest targets.

Hundreds of Three Corpses Insects invading their hosts—it was an unspeakably sinister and bizarre scene. Anyone present to witness it would surely never forget it for the rest of their lives.

The Baling Army soldiers who had been grappling with Xiao Maoliang and his men all froze. Their pupils gradually lost focus, and their facial muscles began to twist.

Then they turned and, howling, swung their weapons at the comrades behind them.

The tide of battle suddenly turned, and the Baling Army’s lines completely collapsed.

At this point in time, the Baling People had not yet figured out a more effective way to deal with the Three Corpses Insects.

The Red General’s plan was ultimately accomplished, despite the many twists and turns along the way.

With the enemy suddenly turning on themselves, Xiao Maoliang and his men breathed a sigh of relief and quickly pushed the city gates open again.

The thunderous sound of hooves finally reached the outside of the city walls.

The Great Wind Army had arrived, coordinating with the forces inside.

Summoning the Thunder Serpent was already a huge drain, and when it was subdued in an instant, Shao Yingyang spat out two large mouthfuls of blood. His expression immediately wilted and his face seemed to deflate, but his eyes were fixed on the Red General. "Impossible! Even a Divine Envoy couldn’t catch a Little Celestial Thunder..."

One of his subordinates caught him and cried out, "General, the gate is breached! We cannot remain in Wei City!"

The gates of Wei City were wide open, and the Great Wind Army poured in like a tide.

Although this ambush force was only four hundred strong, the Baling garrison in Wei City still numbered over a thousand. However, most of the latter had been possessed by the Three Corpses Insects and had almost no combat capability. Even the men around Shao Yingyang had to use Magical Artifacts and light Talismans just to ensure they weren’t mind-controlled.

The Baling People’s control over Wei City was lost.

Shao Yingyang glanced around. No matter how unwilling he was, he had no choice but to order a retreat from the north gate.

He mounted his horse and, glaring at the stables, ground his teeth. "Deities watch from three feet above your head! Mitian, you cannot escape..."

He had intended to spit out a threat before fleeing, but a long spear suddenly shot out from the posthouse, swift as a thunderbolt and wreathed in crackling electricity, its power immense.

Shao Yingyang had no time to dodge.

Just as he was about to be skewered like a kebab, a massive dark figure suddenly crashed over, blocking the way in front of him.

It was that giant Stone Puppet.

With a loud CRACK, the Stone Puppet’s chest was pierced through, and its enormous body disintegrated in a flash of electricity.

This was the Red General returning the lightning in full.

The long spear’s momentum didn’t wane, and it went on to pierce Shao Yingyang’s throat, drawing a spray of crimson blood.

The Stone Puppet’s intervention had failed to change his final fate.

Shao Yingyang fell from his horse without even a cry.

The power of a single spear was this devastating.

Only then did everyone realize that what the Red General had thrown was not a Long Spear at all, but a pitchfork from the stables with its handle snapped off.

He simply used whatever was at hand.

"You talk too much."

The remaining Baling People were scared out of their wits and had lost all will to fight. They grabbed Shao Yingyang’s body and retreated north.

This time, it was the Great Wind Army’s turn to give relentless pursuit.

But Wei City was full of streets, alleys, and houses—countless obstacles that hindered the Great Wind Army’s pursuit. Furthermore, the Copper Talisman Array still active on the north gate also allowed many of the Baling People to regain their senses.

In the end, just over a hundred cavalrymen rushed out of Wei City’s north gate and fled eastward.

Inside Wei City, Xiao Maoliang asked the Red General for instructions on whether to pursue. The latter simply said, "Let it be. The leader has been eliminated; don’t chase the stragglers." He had only brought four hundred cavalry to take the city by stealth, so his forces were not abundant. For now, it was best to consolidate their gains. Besides, the Baling People still had an army of forty thousand roaming the Wilderness, and they could turn back to strike at any moment.

"Guard Wei City well. The Panlong Wasteland itself will help us repel the Baling army."

Xiao Maoliang acknowledged the order and went to arrange the city’s defenses.

This time, taking Wei City hadn’t required a full-frontal assault. The city itself was intact; even the main gate only had a few extra arrows stuck in it. Incidentally, the walls and gates of Wei City had been reinforced by the Baling People, with several defensive structures installed. The Great Wind Army also found a large amount of defensive materials in a nearby warehouse, and even the supplies of grain and salt were surprisingly abundant.