Ascending to the Clouds Alone

The newcomer wore dark blue armor stained with blood, exuding an aura of oppression. As soon as he appeared, everyone in the courtyard fell silent.

He strode quickly toward the steps in front of the house, and immediately turned around after stopping.

He glanced around the courtyard for a moment, then spoke, his voice like rolling thunder, making all the windows and doors in the courtyard seem to tremble:

"The enemy's defensive formation outside the town has been breached by the barbarians, who are now joining forces with demons to launch a major attack on the city. All the garrison soldiers have been deployed to the front lines, and there are no more usable troops left in the camp!"

That gaze swept over the group of rogue cultivators, sending chills down their spines.

He paused, then continued:

"For now, the verification of the registers shall be suspended. This duty shall be jointly enforced by immortals and mortals in Changqu Town, and no one shall be exempt."

By order of the garrison general: the city is sealed off and the battle lines are opened. All those with strong bodies are to join the army and assist in the defense! You shall immediately ascend the city walls and defend the ramparts. Anyone who dares to collud with demons or barbarians, or harbors any disloyal intentions, will be executed on the spot!

The military order, once issued, intensified the atmosphere in the courtyard with its chilling, ruthless energy.

The crowd looked at each other, not daring to make the slightest move; no one dared to doubt the weight of this military order.

Lin Su felt a sense of dread and secretly wondered:

Judging from his appearance, he should be a deputy general. I don't know how the battle is going, but judging from his tone, the situation at the front is probably quite tense.

Lin Su was filled with panic and uncertainty, pondering how to save his life.

Then the lieutenant spoke again:

"Everyone may use their own weapons. Those without weapons, please come forward and receive one."

After he finished speaking, he waved to the gate of the courtyard, and a group of soldiers in military armor carried a dozen or so wooden frames into the courtyard.

The shelves were filled with all kinds of weapons, mostly swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks and forks commonly used by ordinary martial artists... but most of them were old and many had their blades chipped.

The lieutenant pointed to the row of shelves, leaving no room for negotiation:

"Collect immediately! Anyone who dawdles or delays will be dealt with as a disobedient!"

The rogue cultivators looked at each other hesitantly, their eyes filled with panic and resistance, but in the end they could not resist the military order.

Immediately, the unarmed men swarmed forward, all vying for the weapon.

The deputy general just made it clear that this was part of the joint defense, which meant each of them would fight their own battles and clear out any enemy stragglers who rushed in.

Therefore, familiar and lightweight weapons are the first choice, so that there will be less consumption on the battlefield and more chances of survival.

Seeing the scene of everyone scrambling for the loot, Lin Su did not step forward. He waited until most of the people dispersed before he went up to them.

The moment Lin Su could see the weapon rack, he was filled with remorse!

There wasn't a single decent item left on the shelf, only some heavy, broken weapons that wouldn't last long for him, given his physique.

He secretly resolved that from now on, whenever he encountered something important, he would never be slow again and would always be the first to act!

But with war imminent, they couldn't go into battle empty-handed.

Lin Su rummaged through the remaining weapons and found that only a short spear was barely usable. It was slightly longer than ordinary swords but shorter than a regular spear.

This gun body and tip were cast as a single piece, covered in rust and crooked, indicating very rough workmanship.

The material was extremely ordinary, not anything special, which explains why no one tried to take it from beginning to end.

Only the tip of the spear remained intact. Although it wasn't particularly sharp, it should still be able to pierce through flesh and blood if force was applied.

Well, at least this spear can be of some use.

"Aren't you coming? Keep up with the group!"

The deputy general's reprimand suddenly rang out.

Lin Su quickly gripped his pistol and hurried after him.

The scattered cultivators surged out like wild animals being driven away, no one daring to speak, but filled with a complex mix of resentment, resistance, and yet having no choice but to submit.

Amidst the deafening roar in the distance, a faint smell of blood drifted through the air.

Lin Su was swept forward by the crowd. As soon as he stepped out of the street, he felt the ground tremble slightly, as if countless people were walking in unison, making heavy thuds on the ground.

The entire sky was filled with swirling, gray miasma, which threatened to engulf the already dim sun.

Looking up, a figure in dark blue armor, stained with blood, stood suspended high in the sky above the city wall.

The man was forming a hand seal, and a golden beam of light rose from the foundation of the city wall beneath his feet, shooting straight into the sky.

In just a few breaths, the pillar of light grew to tens of feet.

Immediately afterwards, the top of the beam of light spread out rapidly, flowing down like an overflowing river, forming a huge light shield, like an inverted bowl, covering the entire city gate.

The moment the light shield formed, his armor shone brightly, like a deep blue lotus in a golden sea, its petals layered upon layer, blooming within the pillar of light.

Lin Su walked and pondered:

Is this the garrison commander of Changqu Town? Judging from his profound true essence, he should be a Core Formation cultivator.

The light shield had only been in place for a short while when streaks of dark purple demonic light emerged from the depths of the miasma and struck the shield.

But each time it was caught, the light shield dimmed a little, only to stubbornly light up again in the next instant.

Every time it went dark, Lin Su's heart sank, and only when it lit up did he dare to breathe freely.

The garrison commander made a hand seal with his left hand to stabilize the array's light barrier, then freed up his right hand to bring his sword fingers together and forcefully swung them towards the void in front of him.

A giant sword, several meters long, pierced through the clouds above the miasma, its blade shimmering with blinding white light and exuding an indomitable aura, its tip plunging straight into the depths of the miasma.

Immediately afterwards, the sword energy burst out in all directions, and the miasma in that area suddenly thinned out.

The attack was effective, and the garrison general withdrew his sword and formed another hand seal. The aura above the city gate became even more stable.

As the command flag was waved on the platform, a rain of arrows shot out from the city wall with a whooshing sound.

Immediately, a mournful wail, mixed with frantic roars, came from the miasma.

A moment later, an even thicker cloud of dark miasma surged and expanded, as if an even more ferocious beast was about to break free from it.

Then, a fierce roar burst forth, filling Lin Su's ears and making his vision go black.

Deep within the miasma, several faint, murky lights peeked out, silently circling the city walls, seeking out any weak points to launch a sneak attack.

Lin Su felt like an ant standing in the middle of a battlefield where two giant dragons were fighting.

An overwhelming pressure swept across the land, making even breathing difficult and inspiring despair.

"Come on! Are you just standing there waiting to die?"

The person behind him gave Lin Su a hard shove, pulling him back from his daze.

The deafening roars continued, the earth still trembled, and the glow above the city gate continued to flicker...

This great array of light can block the frontal demon tide, but it cannot prevent the sneak attacks of evil magic. There are always desperate barbarian soldiers who take advantage of the filthy light to secretly climb the wall.

Before long, the group of independent cultivators ran to the foot of the inner city wall.

"Ascend the city!"

The lieutenant led the way and ran up the stone steps.

The stone steps were steep and narrow, allowing only a few people to pass at a time, and at the top was the city gate.

The sounds of battle grew clearer, and the nauseating stench of blood began to assault the senses.