The Sword Dynasty

As the military orders were sounded and the soldiers in the ditch jumped up, an even shriller sound erupted from the front of the Wuzhi cavalry.

A thin crimson sword flew from the back of a carriage, immediately accelerating until it was too fast to see, and fell towards the giant man who had just fired an arrow. A thin rider next to the giant ride shouted in fury. Another sword flew and knocked away the crimson sword with a clink.

At the same time, there was a soft thud from underneath the giant rider. The stomach of the horse he was riding was penetrated like a hot water bottle. A dull earthy sword maliciously burrowed out of the soil, piercing through the horse's stomach, then the saddle, and finally his body.

The giant rider howled furious and reacted instantly. His enormous body jumped up, and he twisted with his azure bow. He managed to tangle up the small sword coming up from below.

The leather armguards of this rider exploded, and energy moved on his arms in waves. The flying sword containing vital energy above realm five vibrated on his bowstring unable to break free.

Yet at this time, an almost invisible sword light fell from the air behind the giant rider. As he sensed something and turned his head abruptly, the sword light sliced across his neck. A red line emergred on his neck, and then his head shot up with a fountain of blood.

Countless gasps sounded.

What had appeared in that instant were not just three flying swords. Dozens of sword energies gathered the primal energies of the universe as they sliced into the forefront of this Wuzhi cavalry.

The Imperial Guard Army soldiers who had jumped leapt up saw the sword lights and figures who appeared from inside and behind the carriages. They were so shocked they could not believe their eyes.

The foremost Wuzhi dozen riders of the cavalry were all powerful cultivators, even several hundred soldiers would not be able to stop their charge. Yet nearly a hundred cultivators were now in front of them!

How did nearly a hundred cultivators come here?

While they were too shocked to even think, Ding Ning's upturned hand turned into a fist and reached out.

This young figure stretched out his fist. In the eyes of all the Wuzhi soldiers and the Qin soldiers on the distant towers, the scene had a presence of blood and steel. The numerous messengers were also infected by this powerful and indescribable air. They felt their blood start to boil.

"Fire!"

Dozens of steely orders erupted from the mouths in unison.

The Imperial Guard Army started to shoot.

At this moment, many people in the army were not reacting consistently. Some archers and soldiers in charge of ordnance had not managed to keep up with orders, but this order did not require them to be in unison. The order was for them to shoot at will, to throw everything they could into the air towards the opposing cavalry!

Currently, the charging Wuzhi cavalry had advanced three hundred paces! From this mountain slope, most of the Qin arrows, including some heavy ordnance, would perfectly land in the Wuzhi cavalry! Even more importantly, the Wuzhi cavalry's advance was being halted by the sudden appearance of these cultivators!

To enjoy and do at will usually meant fast! Especially in such an air of blood and steel.

One Imperial Guard Army archer did not even sense his fingers becoming numb. Nor had he noticed the many arrows he had shot in a span of a few moments. Only now did he discover, through the abandonment of some carriages and the obstruction of baggage, these cavalry naturally took the path of the gentlest slope and the density of horses and riders were astounding.

The sound of horses wailing in pain mixed with the explosion of flesh and blood. Bloody mist sprayed from the Wuzhi cavalry that had been giving off an unstoppable presence a few moments before.

Horses and riders constantly fell and died, colliding with each other. Even the best rider could not control their steed in such circumstances. Victory was in the blink of an eye. Seeing this cavalry about to be destroyed instantly due to the sudden appearance of cultivators, a Wuzhi rider among the front riders dressed like a shaman gave off cryptic howls.

These dozens of riders were at the front, and faced the swords of numerous cultivators. The arrows and seal weapons coming from above also drowned them, yet these riders incurred the least fatalities.

As this shaman-like cultivator shouted, thick black mist spread in the air around him and these dozens of riders. This obscured the view from above, and even the arrows slowed down.

At the same time, the other dozens of riders around this shaman suddenly accelerated, and passed through the black mist like lightning. Immediately, the sound of hoofbeats cut into the front of the Imperial Guard Army.

"What kind of tactic is this?" Nangong Caishu could not help but ask in shock at seeing this scene.

"Some of the shamans of Wuzhi are cultivators able to change local weather using spirit bones. The reason is that the bones of some powerful beasts on the steppes can naturally accumulate spirit energy. These cultivators can use the powdered crystal bones of these beasts with their own vital energy to create unique attacks. These Wuzhi shamans, at the start, were not cultivators who killed. They were just herders on the plains who wanted to change extreme weather. Then the herders who comprehended these tactics became shamans protecting tribes, and their methods were passed down."

Ding Ning explained calmly and slowly.

As he talked in a low voice, the foremost dozen horses had turned into the sound of heavy impacts on the ground. Clearly, they had been killed by the Imperial Guard Army and the cultivators near the front. Yet the sound of howling and metal as well as flesh being cut constantly sounded. The black mist already spread to the entire Imperial Guard Army and the sounds were very close to them.

Guo Feng stood on Ding Ning's other side with an unusually ugly expression. These Wuzhi cultivators clearly were targeting the latter.

Ding Ning was the true commander of the battle and became the only weakness at this time. If he were killed, he had no confidence he could win this battle.

A heavy explosion sounded. The black mist ahead suddenly separated. What appeared was not a cultivator but a heavy esal chariot.

Seeing this chariot vibrating after being thrown by a great force, Guo Feng's expression grew more solemn. Yet Ding Ning's eyes just narrowed slightly. He did not focus on the incoming heavy chariot, and turned to say to Nangong Caishu, "Just use the sword moves I told you previously."

Once battle started, Nangong Caishu became Ding Ning's attendant. She knew that Ding Ning, who had killed Palace Attendant Rong, could not be measured by cultivation alone. From his soft and calm voice, she sensed that the power that had thrown the chariot was far beyond realm five. She had no confidence she could match such a level of strength. Yet she stayed beside Ding Ning and chose to listen to him.

She attacked at full power. Her sword was not as ferocious as it usually was. A glowing flow of water appeared around her, and flew ahead like a glowing serpent.

This was Cloud Water Palace's sword essence.

The Cloud Water Palace's sword essence was extremely soft. The flow of water did not meet the flying chariot head on, and spun around it. There was a bang. No enemy was seen but this chariot gave off a toll like a bell and the crystal flow of water was scattered into droplets.

"Wu Mountain Rain." Ding Ning smiled slightly as he spoke.

Nangong Caishu attacked again without hesitation and used the sword essence Ding Ning desired.

The scattered water droplets did not fall and gently flowed upwards into the sky to fall as rain. The rain was not as sharp as the sword essence Zhang Yi had comprehended in Ink Garden. They seemed weak, but like washing dust- easily washed away the black mist in the air.

The black mist dissipated and there was clarity.