The turbulent wind swept across the flag, which was half-stained with blood and dust.
The iron cavalry of the Martial Soul Empire trampled across this land, which had been stained dark brown with blood.
Corpses lay strewn across the fields, and blood flowed like rivers.
On the desolate plains, the wind carried not only chill but also the stench of death that gnawed at one's bones.
The war drums, symbolizing the ongoing battle, continued, and the billowing smoke seemed to reflect the despair rising in people's hearts. Everywhere one looked, the scene of corpses strewn across the fields was terrifying.
As more and more people died, the layer of black mist emanating from the ground became increasingly conspicuous.
"Watch out for those black wisps?!"
"Soul skills?"
"Wait a minute, aren't they just ordinary people?"
"Another martial technique from the Spirit Empire? Despicable people from the Spirit Empire!"
"Hey, don't talk nonsense! Isn't this your backup plan?"
The soldiers and knights of the two great empires, who were locked in a fierce battle just a second ago, began to suspect each other and shift the blame the next.
Such doubts gradually increased on the battlefield, but neither side admitted what the black fog on the battlefield was; they were simply wary of each other.
"Your Majesty, what exactly is that black mist...?"
Title Douluo have an incredibly keen sense of foresight regarding danger.
As the number of corpses and black mist on the battlefield increased, they all felt a sense of unease, as if it were a warning of something.
Bibi Dong frowned, staring at the battlefield, her eyes flashing with surprise and uncertainty.
Not only Bibi Dong, but even Qian Yuelong in the air felt a strong threat.
Although the solidified black fog on the battlefield was mixed with the smoke of war, it was still possible to see that the seemingly irregular black fog actually had a directional flow.
By repeatedly drawing fixed lines, a complex totem gradually forms, with its scale trending towards becoming larger and larger.
'Tongzi, can you analyze the energy nature of this fog?'
Qian Yuelong poked the lying corpse 886.
886 shook its little head rapidly: 【No, host, I'm just a dress-up system. My only functions are connecting to the main system and accessing clothing catalogs; I can't analyze external energy.】
Qian Yuelong: '......'
While she was choking, a purplish-black light leaped up from the hundred-meter-high city wall and flew towards the center of the battlefield on the Lima Plain, where something seemed amiss.
From afar, Tang San, who saw Bibi Dong set off from behind the army, frowned and said to the commander-in-chief in a hoarse voice, "Bibi Dong has made her move. She's about to take the final step. We can't wait any longer."
The commander-in-chief's expression changed drastically. He looked at the soldiers on the battlefield, who were still oblivious and fighting with their swords drawn. Urged on by Tang San, he issued the final order:
"Star Luo Empire's archer cavalry, load crossbows and bows! All prepare!"
The 100,000-strong archer cavalry regiment, which had been staying behind the main army and had not yet entered the battlefield, all mounted their horses, nocked arrows, and aimed at the center of the battlefield.
"attack!"
The voice of the commander-in-chief, imbued with soul power, spread throughout the army.
Even though most of their compatriots were still on the battlefield, locked in combat with the enemy and within range of their arrows, the poisoned arrows still flew out of their bows, indiscriminately striking the knights of the Martial Soul Empire and their own comrades.
Crossbow bolts and arrows capable of killing Soul Masters below the Soul Master level rained down like a torrential downpour on the two armies battling in the center of the plain.
Although Huyan Zhen didn't take the arrows and crossbow bolts seriously, he still found the intrusion annoying.
What puzzled and surprised him even more was that he did not expect the Star Luo Empire to be so ruthless. Before their own people had even retreated, they planned to kill their comrades along with them.
Is it that the Star Luo Empire is ruthless and merciless, or that they are utterly insane?
More corpses were created by the combined attack of arrows and crossbow bolts.
"It's time."
Tang San looked at Bibi Dong, who had already flown to the center of the battlefield, and also flew towards the center of the battlefield.
Dugu Bo, Gu Rong, and Chen Xin, who were just background figures, watched Tang San rush out and also leaped up to follow him.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in Ning Fengzhi's palm shone brightly, and the ultimate support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda fell upon Tang San and the other three.
His face was pale, and he was lifeless, staring blankly at Tang San and the others' backs.
Bibi Dong stared intently at Tang San, who was moving between the two armies, and coldly curled the corners of her mouth. Her soul power condensed into a solid beam of light, which exploded in the sky.
The other four Title Douluos who remained on the city wall of Jialing Pass, having received the attack signal, immediately set off towards the center of the battlefield, their target Tang San!
Qian Yuelong, who remained in place, did not join the attack; she was still wondering about the true nature of the black mist.
Before Qian Yuelong could figure it out, Tang San, who had reached the center of the battlefield, seized every second and, to Bibi Dong's astonishment, plunged a short dagger directly into her fatal heart.
"What?!"
Everyone's eyes widened slightly. They never expected that Tang San would rush to the center like he was being reborn, just to... commit suicide?
What's this?
No, that's not right!
Bibi Dong's expression changed drastically.
The next second, a large amount of black mist suddenly surged out from Tang San's chest, where a bloody hole had been pierced.
It was like sticky black mud, gushing out instead of normal blood.
"boom--!"
Blood-red array runes suddenly appeared in sixteen different locations centered on Tang San.
"The Spirit Empire!"
Tang San, with black and red blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, laughed loudly as a blood-red array pattern, identical to the others scattered around him, grew larger from his chest.
"You all forced me to this! Let's all go to hell together!"
Black flames covered Tang San's entire body.
As the core of the formation, he unhesitatingly sacrificed all his soul power, spiritual power, internal energy, and even life force to activate the blood sacrifice formation that had been buried with human lives since the beginning of the war!
Among the soldiers fighting alongside the army of the Spirit Empire were a group of loyal death warriors trained by the Star Luo royal family.
They are like humanoid machines; even if their master orders them to commit suicide, they will carry it out without hesitation.
Once they reached their designated positions, the assassins would feign being killed by the enemy, quietly severing their own meridians and plunging poisoned darts they had hidden beforehand into their chests, letting their crimson blood soak into the small, newly branded totems on their hearts.
It wasn't until Tang San activated the Blood Sacrifice Array that Bibi Dong's vague guess was confirmed, and her expression suddenly turned grim: "Oh no, it's a blood sacrifice! Tang San wants to increase his strength through a life sacrifice!"
Life sacrifice is a method used by the sealed evil spirit masters.
Any living being that dies within the formation's range will be considered a sacrifice, and its entire cultivation and soul will be converted into energy and absorbed by the blood sacrifice.
The knights who died on the plains were mostly ordinary people, not Soul Masters, just like the Star Luo soldiers. However, the knights of the Spirit Empire had all practiced the body tempering method promulgated by Qian Yuelong and other secret manuals to enhance their strength. Their soul strength was almost the same as that of ordinary Soul Masters. They were not Soul Masters but were even stronger than Soul Masters, and their soul essence far surpassed that of ordinary people.
Realizing too late that they had inadvertently benefited others, Bibi Dong, her eyes flashing with murderous intent, sternly ordered the other Title Douluos:
"Use any means necessary to kill Tang San first!"
It will take some time for this blood sacrifice formation to truly take effect, just like a butterfly needs time to gather strength before emerging from its cocoon.
If Tang San is killed before he finishes charging up his power, this blood sacrifice formation will be useless!
—A side note—
It's cracking! My hand and my outline ideas are not aligned; I haven't even written tAt yet.
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