Blood Talisman Thunder
Xiao Yuxuan's blood-curdling roar, like ice water thrown into boiling oil, exploded instantly in the deathly silent wounded soldiers' camp! His tearful, blood-soaked question—"Why do we tear each other apart like wild beasts?!" "Those who died were all farmers like Wang Er, shepherds like Li San!"—was like knives, stabbing cruelly into the hearts of everyone still clinging to a sliver of consciousness. The painful groans within the tents subsided, and countless eyes, some bewildered, some numb, some filled with agony, focused on the new recruit lying unconscious on the blood-soaked straw mat, still clutching a blood-stained piece of wood. The sharp edge of the wood pierced his palm, and a few streaks of dark red blood seeped through his fingers, dripping onto the cold, damp ground.
Xuanweizi's withered figure had already darted forward like a ghost as Xiao Yuxuan collapsed. In his deep, ancient eyes, the trace of pity was replaced by intense shock. His thin fingers swiftly grasped Xiao Yuxuan's wrist pulse, while his other hand rapidly examined the lacerated wound on his left shoulder, from which blood was seeping continuously. His brow furrowed, and he urgently hissed to the young Taoist behind him, "Quick! Grind 'benzoin' and 'borneol' into powder! Then pound 'hemostatic vine' to extract its juice! Quickly!"
Sheng Guo had already rushed to Xiao Yuxuan's side, crying and shouting, "Brother Yuxuan! Brother Yuxuan, wake up!" He tried to pry open Xiao Yuxuan's hand that was tightly gripping the wooden piece, but found that his fingers were like cast iron and did not move at all. Instead, more blood seeped out from between his fingers.
In this oppressive silence and chaos—
From the direction of the gate, the sickening hum of the winch suddenly stopped abruptly and unnaturally, as if something invisible had choked it!
Immediately following, an even more chaotic, violent wave of sound, mixed with inhuman screams of pain, swept in like a tsunami, instantly drowning out all the noise on the battlefield! That was not the shout of battle, but... the desperate cries of countless lives being pushed into the meat grinder!
Inside the shed, the echoes of Ji Zhai's roar of "Stop!" still seemed to reverberate in the cold air. His emaciated body trembled violently from extreme pain and rage, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the battlefield shrouded in the shadow of death outside the observation hole.
It's too late!
It's all too late!
He saw it! He saw it perfectly clearly!
Ahead of the terrifyingly spinning winch, at the edge of the death zone covered in the corpses of Di Qi and muddy bloodstains, countless emaciated figures, like a flock of sheep driven by an invisible whip, stumbled and surged forward in the wind and snow! Old people with hunched backs, women holding swaddled babies, and children's blue-faced faces filled with tears of terror... They were being driven by Di Qi with lassos and whips, pushed into that all-consuming vortex of death!
"No—!!!" Ji Zhai's eyes were bloodshot as he let out a beast-like howl! He frantically tried to turn the huge bronze wheel, attempting to forcibly reverse the mechanism!
"My lord! It can't be reversed! The mechanism will break down!" The old Mohist beside him rushed forward in terror to stop him!
In that split second—
"Pfft! Snap! Snap—!"
A terrifying sound, a mixture of blood, flesh, and bones being torn apart, exploded in rapid succession! The high-speed spinning serrated disc, like the millstone of death, mercilessly engulfed the herdsmen charging at the forefront!
No screams! Only dull tearing sounds and the explosive crack of bones being instantly crushed! Torn pieces of cloth, splattered entrails, severed limbs, even a tiny, swaddled infant tossed high into the air… flew through the rain of blood! The driven herders, like snowflakes thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil, instantly melted away in the rapidly spinning storm of metal! On the filthy snow, a thick, nauseatingly dark red swamp, a mixture of different lives, instantly spread out!
An old woman caught in the crossfire had her lower body vanish instantly, while her remaining upper body was flung away by the immense centrifugal force, crashing heavily onto the cold wooden stakes of the village wall! Her cloudy eyes stared blankly ahead, and a withered hand stretched out weakly forward, as if trying to grasp some ethereal phantom in the wind and snow... Beneath her, a large pool of dark red blood quickly spread.
This scene, like the most vicious curse, was branded fiercely on Ji Zhai's retina! Branded deep within his soul!
"Ugh—!" Ji Zhai coughed up a mouthful of blood! His body felt as if all the bones had been removed, and he staggered backward! He was caught by the Mohist beside him. His face was ashen, his eyes unfocused, staring intently at the slaughterhouse he had personally created outside the observation hole, a place that was frantically devouring innocent lives. The deep, continuous hum of the core mechanism now sounded like the savage laughter of a demon from hell, each hum like a hammer blow to his heart!
“Non-aggression…universal love…” His lips moved, emitting weak breaths, each word laced with blood and foam, “…What…what did I create…a demon…”
A deathly silence fell over the workshop. All the Mohists stopped what they were doing, their faces pale as they stared at their collapsing leader. The cold hum of the machinery now sounded like the most piercing death knell.
---
Inside the wounded soldiers' camp.
The terrifying sound wave that suddenly erupted from the direction of the camp gate, mixed with inhuman screams, was like a real shockwave, slamming hard into the hearts of every wounded soldier! The camp seemed to tremble!
“It was…it was those herders…” An old soldier who had witnessed the horrific scene outside the stockade walls trembled uncontrollably, his eyes filled with utter terror, “The Di dogs…the Di dogs pushed them…in front of the winch…”
This desperate whisper was like lighting the last fuse!
"Ah—!!" The young wounded soldier, his abdomen ripped open and intestines spilling out, succumbed to utter madness under the intense pain and the shock of this terrifying news! He sprang from the straw mat, his remaining arm flailing wildly, his blood-stained face contorted like a demon, screaming hoarsely, "Kill! Kill them all! Kill those beasts! Revenge! Revenge my parents! Revenge my fellow villagers of Longxi! Kill—!!!" His voice, distorted by extreme pain and hatred, was like the shriek of an owl, filled with a madness capable of destroying everything!
This frantic roar, like a spark thrown into a pile of dry tinder, instantly ignited the long-suppressed despair and rage, like lava, within the wounded soldiers' camp!
"revenge!"
"Kill all the Di dogs!"
"Let's fight them!"
"They can't have died in vain! They can't have died in vain!"
More wounded soldiers struggled, howled, and roared like wild beasts with their last remaining strength! Some had lost hands, some were lame, and some were wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, but at this moment, the boundless hatred ignited by the brutal deaths of their comrades, the destruction of their homes, the separation from their families, and the hellish scene before them burned away their reason like poisonous fire! They grabbed anything they could grasp—broken spears, blood-stained stones, even splints torn from their own bodies, covered in rotting flesh and pus—and struggled to crawl towards the tent entrance, towards the battlefield that was devouring lives! They wanted revenge! Even if they had to bite with their teeth, they would tear off the flesh and blood of those Di dogs!
The entire wounded soldiers' camp instantly transformed into a powder keg, ignited by hatred and on the verge of exploding! Chaos! Madness! An atmosphere of despair spread like a plague!
Xuanweizi had just reapplied hemostatic herbs to Xiao Yuxuan and tightly bound the lacerated wound on his left shoulder with strips of cloth. Sheng Guo held Xiao Yuxuan tightly, looking in horror at the wounded soldiers struggling and howling like demons from hell around them, trembling with fear.
Xuanweizi suddenly stood up straight! His withered figure suddenly burst forth with an astonishing aura! His cloudy eyes swept over this hellish place boiling with hatred, and deep in those eyes that had seen all the vicissitudes of life was a compassion colder than wind and snow, and a pain deeper than despair!
"Shut up, all of you!!!"
A deep, hoarse roar, yet as thunderous as a thunderclap, suddenly erupted from Xuanweizi's mouth! This voice seemed to contain some strange, soul-piercing power, instantly overwhelming all the screams, howls, and chaos within the tent! All the wounded soldiers, driven to madness, were struck as if by an invisible hammer, their movements abruptly freezing, their frantic roars stuck in their throats, leaving only heavy breathing and bewildered eyes.
Xuanweizi's withered fingers suddenly pointed to the young wounded soldier whose intestines were protruding and who was still convulsing unconsciously, then pointed to the battlefield shrouded in death in the direction of the gate. His voice was like an ice pick, carrying a soul-piercing interrogation:
"Look at him! And look at those people outside, being torn to pieces! Look at yourselves!" His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried immense weight, striking the hearts of everyone present. "Hatred! Slaughter! Is this what you wanted?! Is this what your parents in Longxi, your wives and children in Hexi, hoped you would become?!"
He took a sudden step forward, his wide, tattered Taoist robe fluttering in the chaotic air. His cloudy gaze, like a sharp sword, pierced through the pervasive stench of blood and hatred: "You hate the Di people for their plunder and slaughter! But who are you slashing with your knives?! They are the herdsmen, also driven to the slaughterhouse! They are living, breathing people with parents, wives, and children! This boundless sea of blood, these countless corpses, are they building walls to protect our homes, or... fertile ground to nurture even greater hatred and slaughter?!"
His gaze finally settled on the unconscious Xiao Yuxuan, on his right hand that was still tightly gripping the blood-stained wooden piece, blood constantly seeping from between his fingers. His voice suddenly rose, carrying a desolate and indignant tone that seemed to pierce through time:
"That child asks a good question! Why?! Why must we tear each other apart like wild beasts here?! Why are we born to be pawns on someone else's chessboard?! Do you think killing all the Di people in front of you will bring peace? Once the seeds of hatred are sown, they will only grow into more poisonous thorns! Today you kill his father and brothers, tomorrow his sons and nephews will surely come for revenge! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, there will never be peace! When will this blood-stained cycle end?!"
A deathly silence fell over the tent. Only heavy breathing and the faint, increasingly chaotic and terrifying sounds of battle drifting from the battlefield outside. The fervent madness in the wounded soldiers' eyes, under Xuanweizi's resounding question, was quickly extinguished as if doused with ice water, leaving only endless bewilderment and deeper anguish.
"Heaven values life!" Xuanweizi's voice deepened, yet carried an undeniable power. "Live! Live on, bearing the marks of blood and fire! Ask! Think! Find the path that child spoke of—the path to survival without so much bloodshed! That is the best solace for our fallen loved ones, for this war-torn land! Not like wild beasts, wasting our last bit of strength on creating more hatred and more corpses!"
His withered fingers traced lines in the air, as if outlining some invisible trajectory: "Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs. Yet humanity values life, and should follow the will of heaven and respond to the needs of people, with compassion and frugality, daring not to be the first in the world! Let go... let go of this burning blade of hatred... for yourself... and for this land... leave a glimmer of hope..." His last words, like a sigh, carried a heavy weariness, dissipating into the blood-soaked air.
Inside the camp, only deathly silence remained. The murderous intent in the wounded soldiers' eyes vanished, replaced by a deeper, more powerless sorrow. The flames of revenge were extinguished by cruel reality and Xuanweizi's words, leaving only cold ashes and boundless bewilderment.
Sheng Guo held the unconscious Xiao Yuxuan tightly, tears silently streaming down her face and dripping onto Xiao Yuxuan's pale face.
Just then—
"BOOM—!!!"
A deafening explosion, far more muffled and terrifying than any previous bang, roared from the depths of the earth, suddenly erupting from the direction of the camp gate! The entire wounded soldiers' camp shook violently! Dust and straw fell from the roof like a torrential rain! Everyone inside the tents was thrown about by the shock!
Immediately following were countless piercing screams, so shrill they seemed inhuman, filled with extreme fear and pain! The sounds converged, forming a destructive sonic wave that instantly swept across the entire battlefield! It was as if the gates of hell had been completely opened, and ten thousand ghosts were wailing!
---
Beyond the gate lies the hell of the Gallows.
Ji Zhai's attempt to forcibly reverse the mechanism ultimately failed. The massive mechanism core emitted a piercing wail, like a dying beast struggling under immense pressure, and several key bronze gears instantly shattered! The transmission arm twisted and deformed! The core of the entire "Windmill Killing Array" exploded violently under the enormous reaction force!
"boom--!!!"
A violent gust of air, carrying shattered bronze fragments, twisted metal components, and scalding hot oil, erupted from the observation holes and cracks of the workshop like a deadly metal storm! The nearest Mohists were instantly torn apart! Ji Zhai was violently thrown back by the massive shockwave, crashing heavily against the hard wooden wall of the workshop. Blood gushed from his mouth, and his vision went black as he lost consciousness.
Outside the stockade walls, the death blockade of the winch formation was gone, and witnessing the horrific scene of the herdsmen being mercilessly slaughtered, the Di cavalry's ferocity was fully unleashed! The remaining Di cavalry, especially the elite "Azure Wolf Guard" personally led by Ashina Tulu, roared like a completely crazed pack of wolves, trampling over the blood and flesh of their compatriots and herdsmen, and once again launched a desperate charge against the Qin army's camp!
Qin Zhaoyang and his heavily armored personal guard were already deeply surrounded, like an isolated island in a raging storm, relentlessly pursued by Di cavalry who outnumbered them many times over. The fighting was extremely fierce! Every moment, someone fell! Qin Zhaoyang's bronze longsword was already dulled, and his body was covered with several deep, bone-revealing wounds, his robes stained with blood. Yet, he remained like an unyielding battle flag, each swing of his sword taking the life of a Di cavalryman!
However, the Di cavalry were too numerous! Like a black tide, endless!
At this critical moment—
"Whoa—!!!"
A deep, hoarse roar, filled with endless violence, madness, and destruction, erupted from the depths of the Qin army camp, like a volcano that had been suppressed for thousands of years finally erupting! This roar, which gathered hundreds of voices, was like a whole, carrying a terrifying aura that could freeze one's soul, and instantly overwhelmed all the sounds of fighting on the battlefield!
Immediately afterwards, the gap in the gate was violently smashed open by a burst of force!
An army charged out!
No! That wasn't an army! That was a bunch of... demons crawling out from the deepest part of hell!
They wore tattered, bloodstained Qin army leather armor, some even shirtless, revealing bodies covered in gruesome scars and terrifying tattoos. Their weapons were a motley collection: rusty bronze swords, chipped ring-pommel swords, heavy iron maces, and even thick wooden clubs and stones! Most bore the marks of tattooing (facial punishment) or severed fingers, branding, and other symbols of grave crimes on their faces and bodies. Their eyes were vacant, yet burned with an almost tangible, extreme hunger and madness for blood and life!
The Suspended Blade Camp! Those villains, death row inmates, and fugitives who were released from the deepest part of the death row by Qin Zhaoyang using the "Suspended Blade Order," long forgotten by the world!
The leader was exceptionally tall and burly, like a moving mountain of flesh. His bare upper body was covered with crisscrossing, terrifying scars, and his face bore a massive tattoo that almost split his entire face open. One of his eyes was cloudy and white, clearly blind. In his hand, he carried a massive, rusty bronze battle axe, as large as a door panel, its blade still stained with dark brown, old bloodstains. His single eye was fixed on the surging Di cavalry ahead, a low, beast-like growl emanating from his throat. His mouth twisted into a grotesque grin, revealing broken, yellow teeth.
"Hanging Blade—!!!" He suddenly raised the huge battle axe, using all his strength to let out a roar that seemed to tear his throat apart!
"Awooo—!!!" Hundreds of death row inmates behind him simultaneously let out a deafening, inhuman roar! The sound converged, carrying a mad will to destroy everything, like a Styx River bursting its banks, fiercely surging towards the oncoming tide of Di cavalry!
No formation! No coordination! Only the most primal, savage, and bloodthirsty killing instincts!
Two equally frenzied and fearless torrents, like two burning meteorites, collided violently on the battlefield amidst swirling snow and flying blood and mud!
"boom--!!!"
Steel clashed! Flesh and blood flew everywhere! The carnage instantly surpassed all previous battles!
The death row inmates of the Hanging Blade Camp disregarded their own defenses! They used their bodies to withstand the Di cavalry's scimitars and spears, all to smash their weapons into their enemies! One inmate, pierced through the chest by a spear, grinned maliciously and used his last strength to lunge forward, biting down hard on the Di cavalryman's throat. The two rolled and tore at each other on the ground, writhing and biting in the mud! Another inmate, knocked away by a warhorse, hurled his short halberd mid-air, which accurately struck the rider in the eye socket!
Like moths drawn to a flame, they frantically tore at the Di cavalry's formation in the most brutal and suicidal way! The Di cavalry's proud archery and charges were actually halted in the face of this group of chaotic madmen who only sought destruction! They were even... forced to retreat step by step!
Qin Zhaoyang's pressure eased instantly! Seizing this fleeting opportunity, he pointed his bronze longsword at the most conspicuous royal banner in the Di cavalry formation, embroidered with a ferocious wolf's head, and roared fiercely, "Black Cloud Cavalry! Follow me—cut down the banner! Slay Ashina Tulu!"
The remaining heavily armored guards around him unleashed their final roar, like red-hot daggers stabbing fiercely into the heart of the Di cavalry!
---
Inside the wounded soldiers' camp.
The devastating explosion and the terrifying shrieks, like the final death knell, struck the hearts of everyone present. The tent shook violently, and the few tallow lamps finally gave way, crashing to the ground and going out! Darkness instantly engulfed most of the tent! Only a few corners still flickered with faint light, casting distorted shadows onto the swaying tent walls, like a chaotic dance of demons!
Chaos! Screams! The wounded soldiers struggled, rolled, and trampled each other in terror in the darkness!
At the moment of the explosion, Xuanweizi's withered figure, as if prescient, swiftly pounced on Xiao Yuxuan and Sheng Guo, using his wide Taoist robe to shield them! Splinters of wood and dust rained down, hitting his back.
When the tremors subsided, Xuanweizi raised his head, his face covered in dust. His deep gaze pierced through the chaotic darkness, fixed on Xiao Yuxuan's right hand, which was still tightly gripping the wooden piece!
A sudden change has occurred!
The piece of wood, stained with Xiao Yuxuan's own blood and bloodstains, actually... emitted a faint light in the absolute darkness!
It wasn't firelight! It was an extremely dark, extremely deep, dark red glow, like congealed blood! The light was extremely faint, yet it stubbornly shone through Xiao Yuxuan's tightly clenched fingers, illuminating the outline of his pale palm, like a faintly beating heart in the darkness!
Even more chilling was that Xuanweizi clearly sensed an indescribable, cold, ancient, violent yet faintly life-giving strange tremor emanating from the glowing wooden piece, spreading outwards like ripples! This tremor penetrated Xiao Yuxuan's body, penetrated Xuanweizi's palm, and even... faintly resonated with the overwhelming destructive aura emanating from the core of the battlefield outside the gate—the death row inmate legion known as "Hanging Blade"—that was frantically devouring life... in a distant and eerie way!
Xuanweizi's withered body trembled violently! An unprecedented glint of light burst forth in his turbid eyes! He stared intently at the piece of wood that emanated an ominous blood-red light in the darkness and throbbed like a living thing. A name, almost a mythical legend, sealed deep within the ancient Daoist scriptures, suddenly surfaced in his mind, carrying boundless chill!
“Blood… Blood Talisman Wooden Embryo?!” His hoarse voice trembled with disbelief and horror as he murmured almost inaudibly, “Chi You, the God of War… the Bloodstained Pact… to stop killing with war… This… how is this possible…”
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