A Compendium of One Hundred Demons: My Path to Immortality in a World of Demons and Monsters

The deep but penetrating sound of horns tore through the night sky, like the howl of hungry wolves on the grassland, announcing the start of the Hun cavalry's general offensive.

The earth trembled violently.

On the city tower, Chen Hanchuan's face was solemn, and his hand, which was resting on the crenellation, tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white.

From the direction of the Xiongnu camp, torches formed a moving sea of ​​fire. More than three thousand Xiongnu cavalrymen completely abandoned their hiding and probing, and like a black tide, with a violent momentum that could crush everything, they surged toward Qingyang County.

The sound of horses' hooves grew louder as they approached, striking the hearts of every soldier defending the city.

"Archers, nock your arrows! Roll logs and boulders, prepare!" Chen Hanchuan's voice remained steady, carrying the cold hardness unique to iron-blooded soldiers, and quickly spread throughout the city wall.

The soldiers, who were initially invigorated by repelling the vanguard of the night raid, found their breathing quickening as they faced the overwhelming force of the enemy. But military orders were absolute, and they gritted their teeth and took their positions.

Tuotuo Buhua clutched the arrow wound on his shoulder, his eyes gleaming with ferocity. The stinging pain in his left shoulder did not diminish his fighting spirit; instead, it further fueled the ferocity in his bones.

"kill!"

He roared, and his Qi and blood, which were at the mid-stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, suddenly erupted, with a faint layer of blood mist even rising around his body.

Stepping onto the slippery tung oil, he actually managed to stabilize himself using his qi and blood, and the spiked club whistled as it slammed down on Xu Yuan.

If this blow lands, not only will the flesh be crushed, but even the bluestone of the city wall will be shattered!

Xu Yuan's pupils contracted slightly, and he retreated rapidly. At the same time, he drew the Ghost Cry Bow to its full draw again. However, Tuotuo Buhua had learned his lesson this time. He moved erratically to the left and right, and his spiked club became a blur of afterimages, blocking all the arrows.

"Young man, your arrows are not bad, it's just a pity your skill level is too low!"

Tuotuo Buhua grinned as he approached, the two now less than three zhang apart. Within this range, bows and arrows had long lost their advantage.

Just then, an armored figure flashed in front of Xu Yuan.

Chen Hanchuan stood there, sword held horizontally, its blade gleaming with a chilling light: "Tuotuo Buhua, your opponent is me!"

"Clang!!!"

Knives and clubs clashed, sparks flying everywhere.

The powerful collision between the Condensation Realm warriors sent shockwaves rippled through the air, causing the surrounding soldiers to stagger and fall.

Chen Hanchuan grunted and took three steps back. The tung oil under his feet was slippery, and he almost fell.

Tuotuo Buhua only took a step back, and the difference in their abilities was immediately apparent!

"Fourteenth level of Qi Condensation." Tuotuo Buhua licked his lips. "A few years ago, you might have been able to fight me. But now... you can't defend this city!"

Before he finished speaking, he pounced again, his spiked club creating a flurry of afterimages, each strike powerful and heavy.

Chen Hanchuan gritted his teeth and tried to block the attacks. His blade flashed like a waterfall, but he was clearly at a disadvantage. With each strike he took, his face grew paler, indicating that his energy and blood were being greatly depleted.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city wall, the battle was becoming increasingly fierce.

The Xiongnu army surged in like a tide, and dozens of siege ladders were erected on the city walls. Although the walls were slippery with tung oil, the Xiongnu soldiers began to wrap their hands and feet in cloth and were able to climb them with difficulty.

More than ten centurions at the late stage of the Blood Refining Realm personally led the first assault, putting immense pressure on the Qingyang County garrison.

"Pour the molten gold!" Xu Yuan shouted.

The soldiers, who were already prepared, lifted the large pot and poured the boiling broth over it.

"ah---!"

Screams rose and fell as the Xiongnu soldiers, drenched in the rain, suffered lacerations and a foul stench that filled the air.

Even so, it could only temporarily halt the offensive, as more and more Xiongnu soldiers continued to climb over the corpses of their comrades.

Xu Yuan had already put away the Ghost Cry Bow and instead drew his long sword from his waist. Bows and arrows were suitable for long-range attacks, but close combat required a sword.

He took a deep breath, circulated his internal energy, and his strength at the seventh level of Blood Refinement was clearly revealed.

Since embarking on the path of martial arts, Xu Yuan's progress has been rapid, which is undoubtedly due to his repeated life-risking efforts.

Xu Yuan knew that life-or-death battles were a "shortcut" to improving his strength, and coincidentally, the battlefield in front of him was full of life-or-death battles!

A Xiongnu centurion scaled the city wall and slashed at the guards beside him with his scimitar.

Xu Yuan timed his move perfectly, took a step forward, and slashed his longsword upwards.

This seemingly simple strike actually incorporated his new understanding of the Blood Fiend Blade Technique and the amplification of the power of the encyclopedia.

The blade flashed like a gazelle's horns, leaving no trace.

"laugh---"

The Xiongnu centurion collapsed, clutching his throat, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He died without understanding why a mere seventh-level Blood Refinement cultivator could possess such uncanny and swift swordsmanship.

Xu Yuan didn't stop for a moment, his figure moving swiftly and nimbly on the city wall, targeting the Xiongnu warriors and officers who had just climbed the wall.

His swordsmanship no longer adheres to fixed routines. It seems to be free and unrestrained, but it can always cut in from the most tricky angle and kill in one move!

"This kid is strange!" In the distance, Tuotuo Buhua noticed Xu Yuan's battle record, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

However, Chen Hanchuan's intense fighting prevented him from being fully distracted, and he could only watch helplessly as Xu Yuan continued to reap the rewards on the battlefield.

At the same time, Shen Qingyi was also fighting hard. Unlike martial artists who engage in close combat, she stood on the top of the city wall and kept throwing out talismans to help the soldiers defending the city annihilate the enemy.

"Golden Light Talisman - Radiance!"

A blinding light burst forth from the middle of the city wall, and seven or eight Xiongnu soldiers who were climbing it felt the light burning their eyes and fell down screaming.

"Frost Talisman - Freeze!"

The city wall froze instantly, becoming incredibly slippery, and more than ten people lost their footing and fell.

Unfortunately, one person's strength is ultimately limited. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Shen Qingyi's fair forehead, and the talismans in her storage bag were being rapidly depleted.

The battle lasted for half an hour.

Hundreds of corpses had piled up beneath the city walls, but the Huns' offensive showed no signs of abating.

Of the 5,000 elite troops brought by Tuotuo Buhua, more than 3,000 remained, but the Qingyang garrison had suffered more than 200 dead and countless wounded.

To make matters worse, a dull thud was coming from the city gate.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Clearly, the Xiongnu were using giant logs to ram the city gate.

With each impact, the city gate trembled violently, and the wooden bolts behind it groaned under the strain.

"The city gates are about to collapse!" a soldier exclaimed, and panic began to spread.

Chen Hanchuan's face was ashen. He gritted his teeth and used all his strength to force Tuotuo Buhua back with a single strike. As he retreated, he shouted loudly to Xu Yuan, "Brother Xu, the city gate cannot be lost!"

Xu Yuan understood immediately and quickly killed the Xiongnu soldiers blocking his way, then charged toward the inner side of the city wall.

At the city gate, dozens of Qingyang soldiers were desperately holding it up with their bodies, but with each impact, some soldiers were shaken and coughed up blood.

"Get out of the way!" Xu Yuan shouted.

When the garrison turned around and saw it was him, they instinctively stepped back. Xu Yuan quickly stepped forward to observe the structure of the city gate—it was a typical iron-clad wooden gate, several feet thick, which would not have been broken by ordinary impact.

However, the Xiongnu's battering rams were wrapped with iron at the front and were all propelled by warriors, making them incredibly powerful.

"It must be reinforced..." Knowledge he had learned in his previous life flashed through Xu Yuan's mind.

In addition to their own sturdiness, ancient city gate defenses often included facilities such as door bolts and door bars.

However, the city gates of Qingyang County lacked these facilities and were in disrepair over the years, with the gateposts rotten.

Thinking of this, Xu Yuan's eyes suddenly lit up, and he quickly shouted to the soldiers beside him:

"Quickly, find some iron chains! The thicker the better!"