Chapter 309

As a Battle Divine Emissary within the Divine Temple, after a brief moment of shock, Chai Ding quickly realized that what lay beneath Blackrock City wasn't some shamanic art at all but ignited bonfires.

"They're too far away; I can't see clearly what else is on their city walls either. But the wild beasts we drove over..." Chai Ding stole a glance at the Shensi, "...all died. Not a single one breached the city walls."

Fu Shenshi exclaimed in disbelief: "How is that possible? That was several thousand beasts! How could they kill so many beasts so quickly? Shamanic arts! There must be shamanic arts on those walls!"

Using Heartfire Grass (Wuwang Cao) to enrage wild beasts, making them attack the city before the beastman warriors, was a tactic that gave their team a huge advantage, whether the enemy came out to meet them or turtled up behind the city walls. They just needed to wait near the battlefield and strike when both sides were weakened.

By then, they could not only capture a city but also gain a batch of prey. It was absolutely a tactic without any flaws.

This tactic was proposed by Fu Shenshi, and facts had proven it highly effective. They had already successfully taken several Lower Cities using this method, which was also why Mao Fu could become a Shenshi so quickly.

But now Chai Ding was saying their plan had failed at Blackrock, failed so utterly. If he didn't know Chai Ding absolutely dared not lie to the Shensi, Fu Shenshi would almost think Chai Ding was lying.

In such a short time, before their forces had even mobilized, several thousand wild beasts were already all dead. He absolutely refused to believe such a thing could happen.

Chai Ding retorted: "Even the Great Shensi of the Central Temple couldn't possibly possess shamanic arts this powerful!"

"I think perhaps Shenshi Fu's herbs were faulty, and those beasts died from poisoning," Chai Ding bumped his fists together. "I've said it all along, battle should rely on the warriors' fists. Relying on herbs and wild beasts is no good. Shensi, let me lead the warriors into battle!"

Ever since this Mao Fu came to the temple and offered these so-called tactics to the Shensi, Chai Ding's limelight had been completely stolen. Clearly, the warriors under his command were the key to battle, yet Mao Fu always got the biggest credit. Chai Ding had long been frustrated. This time, he absolutely had to prove to the Shensi that they, the beastmen who had always followed the Shensi, were the most capable.

Fu Shenshi dissuaded): "Shensi, we cannot act so impulsively. My herbs absolutely have no problems. This city is not right/abnormal. It's better if we don't clash with them head-on."

The Shensi looked at Mao Fu with his seemingly gentle smile: "Shenshi Fu, are you suggesting that I am inferior to them? I personally led the army here, spending the better part of a year on the round trip, only to do nothing in the end and slink back to Ji City with my tail between my legs, taking everyone with me?"

"If this matter gets back to Ji City, how will I, one of the three Shensi of Ji City, maintain my standing among the other Shensi and the Central Temple in the future?"

Fu Shenshi realized he had misspoken in his panic and broke out in a cold sweat instantly: "Shensi, I... I didn't mean that."

The Shensi stood at the edge of the forest, gazing distantly at the magnificent city. The greed in his eyes finally pierced through his hypocritical mask: "No matter what is inside that city, they are destined to be mine."

The night was deep, and wind rose over the wilderness. The shadows of trees and withered grass swayed like ghosts and demons.

Blackrock warriors, wrapped in thick beast skins, kept a constant watch on the situation outside the city.

A sub-beastman carrying a crossbow tugged hard at the beastman beside him: "Look quickly! Are those people over there?"

The horned beastman who was pulled rubbed his eyes vigorously and instantly became alert: "Sound the alarm!"

Qi Bai was inspecting the wild beasts in the gate tunnel with Priest Lu Jian when the horn sound came from the city wall. He immediately ran to the entrance and shouted outside: "Everyone, return to the city quickly!"

Lang Ji and the others outside naturally also heard the horn sound. They dropped the beasts they were moving and charged into the city gate at top speed.

*Boom隆隆 (hōnglōnglōng -隆隆/rumble)!* Over a dozen beastmen pushed together with all their might, closing the massive city gate. Several bolts were slid into place simultaneously, firmly locking the gate.

Zhu Ju hugged a few young children, only four or five years old. Everyone in their gate tunnel were young children and elderly beastmen. The children stayed quiet obediently, just opening their big eyes wide, watching the adults move up to the city walls with serious expressions.

Lang Ze was already standing in the center of the city wall.

Ma Ling's voice was urgent: "There are roughly five hundred of them!"

Five hundred people. Such a small number couldn't possibly siege a city.

Unless... they weren't here to siege the city at all, but were a vanguard for probing or diverting Blackrock's attention.

Lang Ze's eyebrows shot up: "Immediately check the situation outside the other three city walls! Don't overlook any corner!"

"Yes!"

*Whoosh whoosh whoosh!*

Flames snaked to life along the city wall, propping up a expanse of light in the dark night, illuminating the魑魅魍魉 (chīmèiwǎngliǎng - demons and monsters/evil spirits) hiding in the darkness.

"Enemies! Go report to the City Lord! A large force of enemies to the north of the city!"

"There's a large force of enemies here too! Light the beacon smoke quickly!"

The Blackrock warriors acted like a giant net, swiftly covering the entire city. Once suspicious, they quickly discovered the enemy's camouflage.

Sure enough, as Lang Ze predicted, the enemy's main force wasn't at the front at all, but at the northeast corner of the city.

Gazing at the sky-reaching flames, Cat Guang, the Si Shi under Mao Fu's command, felt a surge of fear: "糟糕 (Zāogāo -糟糕/Bad)! Shenshi, they've discovered us!"

Tonight's tactic was again devised by Mao Fu. He felt he had considered every scenario.

From Blackrock tightly closing its gates and cautiously moving the beasts, it could be basically judged that Blackrock might have guessed there were beastmen埋伏 (máifú - ambushed/lurking) outside the city. Even if they didn't know for sure, they were definitely on guard.

So their attack this time had to catch Blackrock by surprise.

Because the beast tide had destroyed the traps on Blackrock's south side, Mao Fu judged that Blackrock City's current defensive focus must also be on the south.

Therefore, he suggested splitting the forces into two groups: a small team would set out from the south, while the main force would detour to the city's斜后方 (xié hòufāng -斜后方/diagonal rear).

By then, even if Blackrock City was truly on guard, their attention would be drawn away by the southern team that set out first. Their main force just needed to take advantage of the chaos to breach the city gate or scale the walls.

But Mao Fu never expected Blackrock City's defenses to be so严密 (yánmì -严密/tight/rigorous), nor could he understand why Blackrock City's flames were so bright.

Just then, thick white smoke suddenly rose from the city wall before them. The smoke shot straight into the sky, incredibly conspicuous even in the darkness of night.

Although Mao Fu didn't know what it was, fear surged in his heart. He couldn't help but take two steps back.

*We can't win.* That was the only thought in Mao Fu's mind at this moment. He didn't want to die here.

However, the moment Mao Fu moved, an icy blade pressed against his back.

"Shenshi Fu, you wouldn't be thinking of running away, would you? Do I need to remind you of the price for desertion?"

Mao Fu couldn't help but shudder. He recognized this person's voice—it was the督战司侍 (Dūzhàn sīshì - Supervising Battle Si Shi) Chai Ju.

Cat Guang glared angrily at Chai Ju: "Ju! How dare you be so disrespectful to a Shenshi!"

Cat Guang's tone was forceful, but his heart was filled with apprehension.

Under normal circumstances, a mere Si Shi like Chai Ju wouldn't dare speak to a Shenshi like this. But now was different. In this army, everyone could only advance. The result of running away was only death.

And the standard for judging whether someone was running away had only one criterion: the judgment of the Supervising Battle Si Shi. If they deemed a beastman intended to flee, they could kill him directly on the battlefield, even...

"Ah!" A scream rang out as Chai Ju pulled his bone knife from the body of a beastman beside him.

...even kill arbitrarily to intimidate others.

Seeing Mao Fu frightened pale and speechless, Chai Ding laughed heartily and swung the stone hammer in his hand: "So what if we're discovered! Everyone! Charge! Smash their city walls!"

The smell of blood刺激 (cìjī -刺激/stimulated) everyone's nerves. Retreat meant death. Charging forward, if they survived, promised countless supplies. They had no choice, which反而 (fǎn'ér -反而/on the contrary) ignited the狂暴 (kuángbào -狂暴/berserk fury) in their hearts!

"Charge! Charge! Charge!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The beastmen charging at the front fell into陷阱 (xiànjǐng -陷阱/traps/pits). Beastmen behind carrying tree trunks immediately stepped forward. They laid the trunks horizontally over the traps, creating simple wooden bridges.

The temporary wooden bridges weren't sturdy. Beastmen who lost their footing fell into the deep pits like dumplings dropping into boiling water. Iron thorns, sharp as spikes, instantly pierced their bodies. The splattering blood melted large patches of snowy ground.

A few lucky beastmen found the paths between the traps. They carried tree trunks thick enough for two men to embrace, wielded huge stone axes, and charged towards the city wall with wild cries.

A trace of不屑 (búxiè -不屑/disdain) flashed in Qi Bai's eyes.

These beastmen still thought the Blackrock city walls were like the shoddy workmanship of Ten Thousand Bones, easily broken open with a big hole.

The base width of the Blackrock city walls was thirty meters, all solid large stone bricks. With these broken pieces of wood, wanting to smash their walls was just a dream.

But even for such unrealistic fantasies, the Blackrock warriors wouldn't let them try.

*Whoosh whoosh whoosh!*

The beastmen who crossed the traps were met head-on by Blackrock's sharp arrows. Unprepared beastmen were hit, howling in agony.

Chai Ding knocked away an arrow shooting through the air with his hammer: "It's wooden spears! They have wooden spears!"

This city actually had so many wooden spears! No wonder, no wonder the wild beasts were taken down by them.

Chai Ding didn't have time to ponder why such thin "wooden spears" could have such great power. He roared back: "Push forward for me! Their wooden spears will be used up soon!"

Chai Ding guessed correctly. Blackrock City's arrow rain攻势 (gōngshì -攻势/offensive) lasted less than half an hour. But even half an hour was enough to severely injure the besieging force.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Realizing the city wall was an impenetrable defense line, the beastmen below had already turned their target to the city gate. Beastmen used their beast forms to heavily crash against the Blackrock city gate.

Yet no one could explain why the city gate, which clearly looked like it was made of wood, was so bizarrely sturdy. They couldn't break it using their beast forms.

The moment the arrow rain stopped, all the beastmen ramming the gate suddenly lost control of their bodies, lurching forward and stumbling.

The tightly closed city gate suddenly swung wide open.

A giant white wolf leaped out from the city. Following behind him were the Blackrock horned beastman warriors burning with blazing rage.