Especially terrifying was the massive swarm of venomous snakes converging into a single, straight path—a scene that sent chills down the spine.
It was as if a road made entirely of venomous serpents had erupted from the earth.
"Just as I expected. Though this restricted zone was carefully crafted, it still has weaknesses. Those powerful weapons buried underground are immobile. As long as one charges in a specific direction without hesitation, while there may be casualties, a safe path can be carved through. The key is having no fear of death."
The middle-aged man surnamed Jia wore a grim expression.
Using one's body to forge a path through a minefield—even elite troops wouldn't dare such a tactic. Because charging forward meant certain death. In the face of death, even the wisest hesitate—unless they're deathsworn, or utterly loyal to the point of not fearing death itself.
Unfortunately, the snake swarm had no capacity to resist the orders of the Azure Python King.
Even knowing they'd die, they charged forward without hesitation.
The scene was truly shocking.
"Soldiers, prepare for battle!!"
Yang Ye's expression was solemn as he shouted.
On the city wall, rows of soldiers stood upright, eyes sharp and focused beyond the fortifications. Archers, and the Divine Machine Battalion with their repeating crossbows, were already loaded and primed to strike at any moment.
Yet no one attacked. They continued waiting.
Even though the snake swarm had entered their range.
They watched coldly as the serpents were blown apart by the underground rune bombs, expressions emotionless.
Finally, when the snake swarm reached just ten meters from the wall—
"Throw!!"Yang Ye gave a sharp command.
At that moment, a flurry of black rune bombs appeared in the hands of the soldiers. These weren't just buried underground—they had also been stockpiled on the walls. Each soldier had been equipped with multiple bombs in preparation.
At the command, the soldiers unhesitatingly hurled the bombs into the encroaching serpents.
Like falling meteors, the dark orbs descended upon the snake swarm.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The rune bombs exploded on impact. Frost and flame burst out in tandem, generating a destructive shockwave. Serpents were flung into the air, torn to shreds, burned to cinders, or frozen into ice statues. Blood and flesh rained down.
A swath of the serpent army was obliterated on the spot.
Yet the rest of the snake swarm surged on fearlessly, weaving and striking like lightning. As the front ranks perished, those behind immediately rushed in to fill the gap.
"Keep throwing! Blow them to pieces!"
Yang Ye's voice rang out again.
More rune bombs were thrown down. The sheer density of the serpent swarm made it the perfect killing field. Though they advanced relentlessly, they were reduced to chunks by the relentless blasts. Fire and frost howled across the battlefield.
The stench of blood hung thick in the air—even from atop the walls, it was overpowering.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, a new round of thunderous explosions erupted on the battlefield.
In one area, ogres emerged, carrying massive tree trunks. In their hands, these trunks became rolling logs, tossed into the mine-laden restricted zone. As the logs rolled across the ground, the vibrations triggered multiple rune bombs.
Each log set off two or more explosions—yet the only cost was the obliteration of a worthless piece of wood.
The ogres and other alien races weren't fools. Their intelligence rivaled or even surpassed that of humans. Upon observing the rune traps, they quickly deduced their greatest weakness—easy detonation.
Realizing this, they began chopping trees, cutting logs into segments, and rolling them across the ground to trigger the traps. A small price to pay for a safe path.
Rumble!!
Elsewhere, the Frost Direwolf King ordered his kin to bring boulders from unknown sources. These were rolled across the minefield, triggering more explosions and waves of frost and flame.
"Not good. These alien races aren't brainless—they've spotted the Achilles' heel in our traps. Using this method, they can completely open a path to the city walls," Huang Chengyan said, frowning.
"I never expected the rune bombs to halt the enemy completely," Yi Tianxing responded calmly. "They're powerful, yes, but unstable and easily detonated. The point was to unleash maximum carnage through surprise. The snake swarm has already fulfilled its purpose as a sacrificial vanguard."
He wasn't disheartened—he had foreseen this outcome.
These rune bombs still had critical flaws, and achieving this much was already significant. But more importantly:
"My real goal isn't just to kill. It's to confine them to a specific area. Once they know the land is riddled with bombs, they won't dare deviate. Their movements become predictable—and when they're clustered, they're sitting ducks."
He hadn't misjudged anything. The greatest function of the restricted zone was psychological—a deterrent.
With the danger known, the enemy would confine their attacks to perceived safe zones, focusing their forces—and that made them easier to kill, like ripe grain waiting to be harvested.
Rumble!
Regardless, the ogres and frost direwolves continued clearing paths and advancing toward Xuanhuang Town. They showed no signs of retreat.
The stronger Xuanhuang Town became, the more they couldn't allow it to survive. If it were given room to grow, it would become a threat they couldn't contain. It had to be crushed in the cradle, no matter the cost.
Roar!!
Just then, the Azure Python King moved.
Coiled in the distance like a mountain, its eyes burned with insanity and hatred, fixed on Yi Tianxing.
It hated him to the bone—wanted to devour his flesh and drink his blood.
Seeing the serpent swarm nearing the walls, it could no longer restrain itself. With a deafening roar, its massive body launched forward—faster than lightning.
It was like a primordial beast, not just in size but in sheer aura—a second-rank beast, emanating an overwhelming pressure that crushed the air itself.
"Good. Come!"
Yi Tianxing's eyes gleamed with battle intent. With a flash of light, a war bow appeared in his hands—its black frame inscribed with nebula-like patterns.
The air around the bow trembled. It was none other than the Falling Star Bow, a treasure retrieved from the Primordial Heaven Emperor's Pagoda.
As he gripped it, a deep, grounded power surged through his body.
"Good bow. This is the weapon I've been waiting for."
Strength surged through his limbs. Without hesitation, a white bone arrow materialized in his hand. He nocked it and drew the bowstring.
Tremendous force erupted from his arm. The Falling Star Bow, which could withstand 10,000 jin even in its initial form, had now evolved with the tower's growth—its power far beyond before.
He could feel the bow's might resonating with his body.
For an archer, their bow is more than a weapon—it's half their strength. Only with a top-tier bow could he fully unleash his Dao of Archery.
As he drew, his true qi naturally infused the arrow.
Whoosh!!
No hesitation. The moment the bow was drawn, he released.
The white bone arrow flew like a shooting star, ripping through the air faster than thought.
It moved faster than the eye could track.
Who could fathom the speed—and the devastating force—behind an arrow loosed from a bow that could handle tens of thousands of jin?
All anyone saw was a golden streak tearing through space, aimed precisely at the Azure Python King's heart—its seven-inch weak point.
So fast. Unimaginably fast.
Many could barely register the moment. In less than a thousandth of a second, the arrow was already upon the Azure Python King.
From the void came the roar of a sonic boom—