Guan Yu activated the Heavenly Army Battle Formation, instantly channeling the power of five hundred thousand soldiers into himself. Mounted on his warhorse and wielding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, he appeared like a peerless Martial Sage. Zhang Fei, gripping his Serpent Spear, looked like a demonic god incarnate.
The various legions of Great Yi either directly formed battle formations to summon their War Soul Avatars, or arranged the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation, which stood like massive celestial trenches across the battlefield. These formations swept up large numbers of vicious beasts and orc warriors, dragging them into deadly traps.
Other legions tactically retreated a short distance, not putting away their Divine Crossbows, and continuously reloaded. Taking advantage of the intervals created by the frontline legions, they provided supporting fire. Though the density of bolts wasn't as high as before, they still inflicted massive casualties on the orc horde, causing many to be seriously wounded or killed.
However, the orc shamans truly proved to be troublesome adversaries.
Each Totem Pole they planted summoned layers of halos that enveloped the orc warriors, exponentially increasing their strength and defenses. They underwent fundamental transformations, becoming terrifying entities. Some orcs, gravely wounded by crossbow bolts, actually healed rapidly under healing auras—rolling once on the ground, they'd leap back into battle.
With shamans around, the orc army was like an unkillable cockroach swarm. Unless one delivered a killing blow, even the gravely wounded could be dragged back into the fight from the brink of death.
"Wuchang!!"
Inside Xuanhuang City, Yi Tianxing's eyes narrowed as he watched the seemingly undying orc warriors. After a moment of contemplation, he issued a sharp call.
"At your command!"
As the voice fell, a resolute man with sharp features appeared before Yi Tianxing. On his wrists gleamed a pair of strange gold and silver rings, inscribed with mysterious, ancient runes.
This was none other than Wuchang, the divine marksman who had once received the rune gun, Fire Tree Silver Flower, from Yi Tianxing in the nameless city of the mutual market.
Back then, after learning the full story from He Shen, Wuchang had chosen to pledge loyalty. Yi Tianxing welcomed him—Wuchang was a rare sharpshooter. After receiving Fire Tree Silver Flower, his combat power skyrocketed severalfold. By using it to hunt fierce beasts and monsters, the weapon evolved into a Profound-grade magical treasure, increasing in power and with potential for further evolution by devouring flesh, blood, and souls.
Once it was promoted to a magical treasure, Fire Tree Silver Flower also gained unique abilities, pushing Wuchang's strength even higher.
With ample resources in Great Yi, combined with experience and dedication, Wuchang's cultivation had already soared. His aura was now no weaker than other famed generals.
"Take your Demon Hunt Corps and move out. Let Us see what your sharpshooters can do on the battlefield. Eliminate those shamans."
Yi Tianxing issued the order.
After Wuchang joined Great Yi, Yi Tianxing had tasked him with forming a special forces team of sharpshooters—each one a master of the rune gun. These were the equivalent of special ops from modern civilization, many being elite soldiers from Earth's special forces, already adept with firearms. Upon encountering rune guns, they took to them like fish to water. With custom-made rune weapons, they quickly became a formidable force.
Yi Tianxing had even selected a special combat technique for them from the Scripture Pavilion: Gun Combat Technique, a martial art designed specifically for rune guns, effective at both long and close range.
"Yes. His Majesty will witness those shamans' heads exploding."
Wuchang spoke with confidence, then turned and left.
Shua, shua, shua!!
The Demon Hunt Corps quickly assembled. These warriors wore light armor and wielded rune guns—though unlike regular ones, these resembled modern sniper rifles. These were Rune Sniper Rifles, a product of collaboration between goblin craftsmen from Darkblood Town and human firearm experts—designed specifically for long-range sniping. Their range and firepower were terrifying, especially with special rune bullets. A well-placed shot to a vital area meant instant death.
This model was named "Eagle Strike".
It could fire rune bullets or condense energy bullets using internal rune circuits powered by the wielder's cultivation energy. These bullets carried incredible destructive power.
With top-tier rune sniper bullets infused with true essence, an Eagle Strike rifle could kill even Life Chart Realm cultivators in one shot—possibly even Dharma Phase Realm beings if a vital spot was hit.
The Demon Hunt Corps was small—only three hundred members—but each one was terrifyingly powerful.
Shua shua shua!
They appeared in mid-air, hovering over the battlefield. Each warrior held an Eagle Strike, loaded with rune bullets. Each magazine could hold ten bullets. Once spent, they could rapidly reload or manually infuse true essence to condense bullets via the rune matrix. However, condensing rune bullets required a short delay and could only produce ten per batch, one at a time.
Hovering above, they had the perfect sniping position.
The Eagle Strike lacked any physical scope. In the Eternal World, no magnification tool could surpass the power of a cultivated eye technique. All Demon Hunters had trained in visual arts like the Hawk-Eye Technique, allowing them to perceive distant targets—even up to a thousand miles away.
Ding!
Wuchang's gold and silver rings clicked together, fusing into one in a flowing motion, forming a new gun with swirling runes, glowing with golden and silver light. This was Fire Tree Silver Flower's evolved form: two guns united into a single, supreme rune sniper rifle—its true form.
Wuchang raised the rifle.
He locked onto a shaman hiding among the orc army with a sharp gaze.
Bang!!
A crisp shot rang out.
A rune bullet fired from the barrel, dazzling with silver light, resembling a blooming flower in the night sky. Radiant and entrancing, it seemed to embody the color of life, enough to mesmerize any onlooker.
It tore through the air—appearing instantly before the shaman.
"Protect the shaman!!"
Of course, the shaman had guards. But they were entranced by the radiant silver bullet, frozen in place, captivated. The bullet pierced the defensive barrier as if it didn't exist—this was a rune armor-piercing round, built for penetration.
It blew straight through the shaman's skull.
His head exploded like a melon.
Dead on the spot. No totem pillar could resurrect that.
Bang bang bang!!
Other Demon Hunters also locked onto their targets and fired ruthlessly.
Bullets streaked across the sky, aimed at shamans.
Some were intercepted by loyal guards throwing themselves in the way, but several shots hit their mark—killing or maiming their targets.
From above, it was a sharpshooter's dream.
"Snipers! They're targeting the shamans!"
Yin kui, watching from afar, narrowed his eyes coldly. "Protect the shamans. Kill those marksmen in the sky—leave none alive."
He clearly realized the devastating effect the Demon Hunt Corps had on the battlefield. The shamans were the trump card of the orc army—losing even one was a massive blow. Regular warriors could die by the thousands; shamans must not fall.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The gunfire echoed across the battlefield.
The shamans were pinned down, their guards falling one by one.
Close combat erupted across the field—bloody, frenzied.
With every breath, soldiers from both sides perished.
The war beasts rampaged, crushing everything in their path. The Behemoths were especially unstoppable, sweeping through the battlefield with overwhelming might.
"Yi Emperor! Back then, our duel was interrupted. We never settled it. Dare you face me now?"
From his throne, the Behemoth King looked out at the battlefield, then fixed his gaze on Yi Tianxing, issuing a resounding challenge.
"Yi Emperor!"