Chapter 89: Attention

A squadron of over three hundred high-quality soldiers, clad in fighter plane-like personal armor, sat atop the city wall, forming a solid defense for Tianchang City.

In the third wave, it was the airborne monsters that first made their way to the city wall. This new wave was even stronger than the second.

Li Zhen spied a jumbo one-square elite monster in this wave, and a terrifying pressure radiated from inbetween the fluttering swarms of flying monsters.

The battle began with a volley of rune-powered spears. Flying monsters were somewhat weaker to physical attacks than ground monsters, and even the one-square elite monsters couldn’t stand up to a direct hit from a well-crafted spear.

However, the flying monsters had far greater mobility than ground monsters, so rune-powered spears could only win through mass volleys of attacks; most individual spears missed their targets.

About thirty to forty flying monsters were shot down with rune-powered spears, driving the rest into a frenzy.

“Push forward in an orderly fashion!” the commander of the fighter armor units shouted an order.

The three hundred suits of fighter armor maintained their ranks, with enough spiritual energy to form protective force fields around each suit.

The armored units flew forward in response to the command, quickly coming into contact with the airborne monsters.

They unleashed a volley of Fireball Talismans. Judging by the potency of the explosions, these were all first-grade high-quality talismans.

Not only did Li Zhen gasp in awe, but even Wang Rushi, hailing from a prestigious clan, wore a face of shock and astonishment.

In Yunxi County, such first-grade high-quality talismans were treasured items, fit for auction. Yet here, on the battlefields encircling Tianchang City, they were being expended in mass quantities as disposable weapons.

The three hundred fireballs hurtled into the swarm of airborne monsters, causing devastating carnage. The continuous explosions not only inflicted heavy casualties but also began to instill fear into the previously berserk creatures.

Just as panic started to spread through the monster flock, a powerful cry resonated, reinvigorating the beasts.

Li Zhen’s gaze swept over the swarm, trying to locate the source of that commanding voice. A monster capable of such communication was either of exceptionally high caliber or belonged to a rare, intelligent species.

Despite scouring the horde, he found nothing out of the ordinary.

Three hundred suits of martial fighter armor charged into battle against the airborne monsters, their formation shifting slightly as they engaged. The armored warriors had distinct roles: some wielded flying swords, while others carried long blades, employing a strategy based on groups of three.

Each trio formed a combat unit, with one soldier using a long sword for defense, and the other two deploying flying swords for ranged attacks.

The flashes of these flying swords crisscrossed through the air, creating a deadly aura that mingled with the flames, ice, gales, and toxic mists unleashed by the aerial monsters.

It was immediately apparent that the soldiers in martial fighter armor held the advantage. Not only were they each highly skilled, but they also had support from beneath the ground.

Moreover, even if an armored warrior was severely injured, the suit’s cushioning would provide enough time to retreat into the protective array encasing the City Wall for medical aid.

What puzzled Li Zhen was the absence of the hidden commander amidst the flying monsters.

Soon, he had no time to ponder further, as the ground swarm of beasts arrived.

The protective barrier generated by the City Wall’s defensive array expanded outward by over ten meters, fully encompassing the entire fortress within its shield.

This approach ensured that as long as the defensive barrier held, the cultivators guarding it would be in no danger.

However, it came at a cost: even with the support of Tier-3 spiritual veins, there was no guarantee how long the defense could withstand the onslaught.

Li Zhen soon understood why Tianchang City had employed this strategy. As the beast tide approached the walls, he spotted numerous high-grade first-rank monsters within the flying swarm—and clearly visible among them were three particularly formidable second-rank beasts.

He recognized these three: leading the countless first-rank wolves was a second-rank Mono-horned Sky Steed Wolf, while flanking it were two Silver-backed Ironclad Bears.

Despite the apparent threat of merely three second-rank monsters, Tianchang City had its own defenses. The city boasted Foundation Establishment cultivators, along with three hundred late-stage Qi Refining cultivators equipped with martial fighter armor, effectively equivalent to three hundred mid-step Foundation Establishment experts. Yet these Foundation Establishment cultivators were merely the vanguard, leaving their defenses vulnerable to an untold number of other second-rank monsters lurking in the tide.

The Silver-backed Ironclad Bears let out twin roars, triggering a silvery glow to emanate from their bodies. This energy transformed into enormous silver runes that engulfed vast swaths of the approaching monsters.

Within the glow of each bear’s rune, the beasts were engulfed in a layer of silvery armor.

The rune spear, capable of inflicting grievous wounds or outright killing first-rank monsters, found its ammunition now blocked by the silver armor.

The unicorn-stepping wind wolf let out a howl, summoning a fierce gale that split into countless miniature whirlwinds, descending upon the pack.

The wolves’ speed skyrocketed as they surged forth from the beast tide, slamming into the defensive array’s shield.

With teeth bared and claws extended, they assailed the formation relentlessly, using every weapon at their disposal.

Though the monsters’ attacks were repelled, not a cultivator’s face bore even a hint of relief. For from this moment on, the defensive array would begin its steady depletion.

Tianchang City’s defensive array was a third-rank formation, theoretically capable of withstanding the assaults of third-rank monsters.

But even the mightiest elephant can be worn down by the relentless onslaught of ants. When first-rank monsters mass in sufficient numbers and attack with enough frequency, they too can dismantle a third-rank array.

“Attack!” Mr. Zuo bellowed.

He sent his flying sword hurtling forth, followed by the others launching their own aerial strikes.

Alas, their attacks glanced off the silver armor, failing to inflict even the slightest damage.

Of course, the silver armor wasn’t invincible. This large-scale group defense technique had to distribute its protective strength across all targets.

Even when deployed by a second-tier monster, it still presented a formidable challenge for Qi Refining cultivators to breach.

Li Zhen couldn’t risk revealing his flying sword, and his longsword’s range fell short. Low-level spells were equally ineffective against the beasts below.

With a wave of his hand, he unleashed the Heavenly Thunder Magic. A bolt of lightning struck a high-quality first-tier monster, causing the silver armor to shimmer and then vanish. The monster’s fur was left singed and blackened.

While the ‘Heavenly Thunder Magic’ didn’t deal significant damage to the high-quality first-tier monster, it shattered the protective silver armor, leaving it vulnerable to attacks from other cultivators.

Dozens of enchanted bullets and a flurry of flying swords crossed paths, proving too much for even a high-quality first-tier monster to withstand.

Li Zhen swiftly targeted another high-quality first-tier monster and deployed the ‘Heavenly Thunder Magic’ once more.

The same outcome ensued: the protective silver armor was shattered, and a barrage of attacks descended upon the monster, swiftly leading to its demise.

After two attacks, the spiritual energy in his body had completely drained. Helplessly, he sat down cross-legged to recover his strength.

“That child you brought? The hand grenade technique is quite potent. Too bad his cultivation realm is too low,” a handsome man hovering in mid-air remarked to Pei Zhenxiu beside him.

“Yu An, don’t get any ideas. I’ve already claimed him!” Pei Zhenxiu replied coldly.

“Relax, I’m not here to poach. You wouldn’t pass up such a promising talent now that you’ve found him first, would you?” Yu An shook his head with a smile.

Pei Zhenxiu’s expression softened a bit. Yu An hadn’t yet seen Li Zhen’s true talent; otherwise, things might not have been so certain.

“Place this child at the array eye,” Yu An suggested. “It’ll enhance his effectiveness greatly!”

Yu An sought to befriend Pei Zhenxiu. The Tianchang City’s defensive array had a focal point along the city wall, fueled by a continuous supply of transformed spiritual energy. This could rapidly replenish the spiritual energy of a Qi Refining Stage cultivator.

Normally, the array eye remained closed; its operation was too costly and wasteful.

However, being within the array eye offered cultivators more than just the ability to efficiently slay monsters. It also allowed them to cast spells rapidly and in great number. This had significant benefits for their cultivation.

Arcane techniques improve through frequent use, enhancing one’s understanding of them. By casting continuously from the array eye, a cultivator could condense months or even years of spellcasting into a short span of time. This greatly facilitated their comprehension of magical techniques.

“Agreed!” Pei Zhenxiu nodded. As those responsible for this stretch of the city wall, she and Yu An had the authority to make such decisions.

Naturally, the order wouldn’t come directly from these two Foundation Establishment true cultivators. Instead, they proposed the idea to Tianchang City’s military command, which then issued the appropriate military directive.

Li Zhen, in the midst of recovering his spiritual energy, felt his identity bracelet vibrate with an urgent message. Dividing his focus, he checked the bracelet and saw the military directive.