Chapter 624: God’s Blood and Swords
Translator: Cynthia Editor: X, TYZ
Yang Xianyong had a square face and thick eyebrows. He was reporting the latest situation on the battlefield.
The first beast battalion was greatly damaged. Casualties accounted for more than 70 percent of the whole battalion, which meant it was put out of action. Yang Xianyong was unwilling to accept this, but there was nothing he could do as their enemies were too strong.
"The attack power from the pagoda cannons increases every day. I suspect that the Pagoda Cannon Alliance will very likely join the battle. Currently, it's much more difficult for us to break through their defense because the flames shot from the pagoda cannons are very dense and can even create a wall of pagoda cannon fire. As long as there's weakness in the broadback batfish assault formation, the whole force will be destroyed. It seems that they have sufficient snow lava, so their attacks are more reckless than before, and they don't care at all about how much they have used."
Hearing his words, Helian Tianxiao marveled, "Those from the Central Pine Valley are clever indeed. Snow lava is an A-grade fire liquid, and its price is expensive. They are so extravagant in their use of snow lava now because they must have found a way to make it on a large scale. I'm afraid that no one knows that secret of the Central Pine Valley yet."
Yang Xianyong hesitated for a while and continued to report, "I found something weird these past few days."
"Something weird?"
"Yes. After each battle, they will take away all the corpses of the broadback batfish. Previously, they usually burned the corpses with snow lava in case of plague outbreaks, so I think what they are doing now seems weird."
Helian Tianxiao looked surprised. He thought for a while and said, "Only corpses of broadback batfish?"
"Yes. As for the corpses of soldiers, they just deal with them the same as before."
Song Xiaoqian asked, "Maybe they want to learn more about the broadback batfish?"
Helian Tianxiao nodded and said, "Yes, maybe they want to find a solution to deal with the poisonous smoke from the broadback batfish. Anyway, they are not doing this to become blood elementalists."
The others burst into laughter when hearing the last sentence.
Someone chimed in, "If they really want to become blood elementalists, then they'd better surrender. We have better and safer ways."
Helian Tianxiao smiled and said softly to members of the beast battalion, "I know you have suffered heavy casualties and great difficulties, but this time we are attacking the heavily fortified positions, which is a life-or-death battle. As a result, there's no retreat. It's not time to weep for the dead. Instead, we must try to find ways to defeat our enemies. Last time, the Frost Locust Grass was very effective, and we almost made it. I believe in your strength and wits. Now go and prepare for the battle tomorrow!"
The four heads of the beast battalions looked at each other and replied simultaneously, "Yes!"
Everyone else had left. Only Song Xiaoqian and Helian Tianxiao were in the tent.
Helian Tianxiao's face became gloomy. He snorted coldly, "They are collecting the corpses of broadback batfish now. I'm afraid they are planning something big. We cannot delay any more. How's your progress now?"
Song Xiaoqian said reverently, "I've found a way, and the test result was pretty good. I think it can be deployed in real battle after a few improvements."
Helian Tianxiao asked in a deep voice, "How long will it take?"
Song Xiaoqian was determined. "Three days at the most. I'm willing to make a written pledge!"
Helian Tianxiao nodded hard. "Okay, I'll give you three days."
Then his expression became much more relaxed. Gently, he said, "Don't blame me for pushing you so hard. Every day comes at the cost of the lives of our soldiers. If we cannot find a way out before the beast battalions are all killed, I can only go to the battlefield myself."
Song Xiaoqian said firmly, "We will complete it within three days!"
Helian Tianxiao waved his hand. "Go."
He was the only one left in the tent now. He felt tired because their enemies were more and more difficult to deal with. They became stronger as the battle progressed. He was scared at their rate of improvement. He had never seen a combat division that grew at such an amazing speed.
In fact, Yang Xianyong didn't need to report at all. Helian Tianxiao knew the current situation very well.
Their casualties were increasing, and so was the difficulty in moving forward. Although they had come up with many ideas, none caused severe harm to their enemies, as they could always respond quickly and effectively.
Just at this moment, he heard chaos from outside, and a guard walked in and said with excitement, "Sir, here's a letter delivered by a scout sent by Division Leader He."
He Nanshan?
Helian Tianxiao cheered up. Had they rescued General Ye and Palace Master Nangong?
He sat up, took the letter, and tore it open.
Heaving read each word on the letter, he was shocked.
She Yu! The holy relic!
He was pleased when he learned that troops from different combat divisions would arrive in a few days' time, but soon, the joy was replaced by conflict.
…..
In the valley.
Crack!
A light sword broke into golden pieces, which didn't disappear, but merged into another sword nearby.
"Another sword has broken."
Gu Xuan felt pain for the broken sword. Although he didn't know how powerful the light swords were, he knew they were extraordinary almost by instinct.
He suddenly turned to the other members and shouted, "Blood sacrifice! Hurry up!"
The other members hurriedly scattered the blood and flesh they had prepared into the sword formation.
The sword that had just absorbed the golden pieces suddenly brightened with dazzling, flaming radiance when it touched the blood and flesh.
Shi Xueman, Jiang Wei, and the others were also dumbstruck to see this scene.
"They're really broken?"
"It's true."
They heard about the weird changes Ai Hui had gone through and came over to see what happened during the down time.
Lou Lan was closely following Ai Hui's changes and was very familiar with every detail. He explained, "The golden fog is the God's blood that he cannot absorb, so he has to get it out of his body. Otherwise, he may become a blood elementalist."
Sang Zhijun was curious, "Is this God's blood really a drop of a God's blood?"
Shi Xueman suddenly said, "We cannot trace the origin of the God's blood, so it's hard to confirm if it's really a God's blood, but we are sure now that each drop of God's blood contains amazing power. God's blood was discovered by the Blood of God at the very beginning and became their holy relic that was passed down from generation to generation until today."
She was born in an aristocratic family, so she knew many things that were rarely known by others.
Sang Zhijun grew more curious. "Then why does Ai Hui have God's blood?"
If it was the holy relic of the Blood of God, it must be precious. Why Ai Hui did have it?
Lou Lan explained what had happened with the [Life and Death Flower Sacrificial Art]. Everyone was emotionally shaken. They had never heard of such a capricious sacrificial art before. Besides, they became more reverent toward Ai Hui when they learned that he had been trying to act like a healthy person all this time although severely injured.
Only Fatty's eyes lit up. He said with admiration, "A Hui is so lucky! What can you do with him? He can get a relic by getting injured! This holy object must be expensive, right?"
In his eyes, it was like Ai Hui was accidentally picking up a gift bag along the way.
No one bothered to reply to him.
Lou Lan continued to explain, "The God's blood that Ai Hui cannot absorb was channeled into the sword formations, but ordinary swords cannot bear the power and usually would explode. However, the God's blood is very sensitive to blood and flesh. The blood sacrificed sword formations can absorb part of the God's blood."
Sang Zhijun's eyes widened. "Then will the swords be tempered into God swords?"
Blind He suddenly said, "In a sense, yes."
Everyone's eyes turned to Blind He.
Blind He said lightly, "The God's blood is influencing the swords in a way that is very unique and is different from all methods that we know. Unfortunately, they are not yet God-grade swords because the quality of the swords are just average. Only Heaven-grade weapons, having absorbed enough God's blood, can become God-grade weapons.
Jiang Wei asked in confusion, "Then why don't we use some higher grade swords?"
Blind He said, "There's no time. It takes too long to make a Heaven-grade weapon, and numerous precious materials are needed too. Although we have enough materials, not many kinds can be used to make Heaven-grade weapons."
Fatty chimed in, "At least we can make one or two?"
"That will be useless." Blind He said dryly, "We need at least 100."
100 Heaven-grade weapons…
Hearing his words, everyone gave up on this plan at once.
Shi Xueman asked, "How many swords do we need to absorb the God's blood?"
She hoped Ai Hui could wake up sooner. Only by eliminating the non-absorbable God's blood from his body could he wake up. The aura of the light swords was overwhelming, ferocious, and would inflict enormous damage to Ai Hui if it lingered in his body.
Blind He said lightly, "About a 100,000."
The others were scared by this number. Only Fatty was heartless, "It's fine. We can make it."
Jiang Wei asked again, "What if the 100,000 swords all become God-grade swords? How powerful would that be?"
"As I just said, they are not counted as God-grade swords." Blind He said, "Although each sword can only absorb a very tiny amount of God's blood due to its quality, the God's blood still can remold the swords and greatly increase their power."
Thinking for a while, he continued, "A single remolded sword would be inferior to a Heaven-grade weapon, but there should be other merits."
At this moment, the flickering golden light began to spread from Ai Hui's location at the center to the outside. Swords that were unable to withstand the God's blood incessantly exploded now and then, but the remaining swords still lit up the whole valley.
When night fell, the thickly-dotted light swords were like lanterns spread all over the valley. The scene was a feast for the eyes.
Yet, no one had the time to enjoy the beautiful scene.
Blind He continued to make swords because Ai Hui would need more swords to absorb the God's blood.
Shi Xueman, Fatty, and their team members were going back to the front line to prepare for the battle tomorrow.
Gu Xuan and his division members were busy setting sword formations in the valley.
No one noticed that in the Central Pine Valley on the Fish Bone, a young man stood among the drifting bamboo leaves in a bamboo grove. The traces of the [Viridescent Flower] were gradually fading away.
The air in the bamboo grove seemed to have stopped flowing, and time seemed to have stopped. All the drifting jade sword bamboo leaves stayed still in the air.
A small, but delicate, diamond-shaped Viridescent Flower trace quietly appeared between the young man's eyebrows.
Translator's Thoughts
Cynthia Cynthia
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