The soul energy cannon fired from the side of the battleship was vibrant and colorful, a dazzling display to behold.
However, beneath the beautiful exterior of this soul energy beam lay a lethal force, designed to take lives.
The soul energy cannons mounted on the battleship didn't have the wide-area devastation of heavy cannons, nor did they possess the penetrating power of lava cannons, which could break through defenses with raw force. Instead, they were the most energy-efficient and fastest-firing soul energy cannons available.
These cannons were perfect for battleships, providing effective deterrence against enemies while minimizing collateral damage.
Had the battleship been equipped with heavy or lava cannons, they might have inadvertently harmed even their own Imperial Army in the process.
With the arrival of the battleship, the situation for the Qin Dynasty's forces collapsed instantly. The Middle Qin Regular Army and the Eight Directions Regular Army screamed in despair as they scattered in all directions. Whatever courage they had left evaporated when the battleship appeared, leaving them utterly broken.
When all hope of victory is gone, who would be willing to fight to the death?
Watching the Qin Dynasty soldiers flee in all directions, Lin Qian didn't immediately order the Imperial Army to pursue them. Instead, he instructed the Light Feather and Strong Feather units to continue shooting from their current positions, while the battleship's soul energy cannons maintained their staggered attacks, ensuring that the fleeing soldiers didn't find any respite.
After leaving behind a substantial number of casualties, some Qin soldiers managed to escape, disappearing from Lin Qian's line of sight.
As he watched the fleeing soldiers, a playful smile appeared on Lin Qian's face. A year ago, he had already set up soul energy cannons throughout the forests outside every city in the Qin Dynasty!
These cannons were not only meant to aid in this war but would also serve as defense mechanisms for the Huaxia Empire after they conquered the Qin Dynasty's territories. The defensive works that were currently attacking the Qin soldiers would later protect the Empire's borders.
The escaping soldiers would never realize that their perceived escape from danger was merely leading them into another trap. Believing they had eluded death, they were, in fact, walking straight into peril.
On the ground below, the Green Wind and Ghostly Shadow units had already scattered, pursuing the fleeing Qin soldiers and preparing to deal with their bodies.
What the Qin soldiers didn't know was that the soul energy cannons in other regions weren't limited to the 500 heavy cannons deployed here.
In those areas, heavy cannons, lava cannons, and light cannons were mixed and strategically positioned. Any Qin soldiers entering their range would face certain death.
Since the pre-arranged cannons would handle the fleeing soldiers, Lin Qian saw no need to exhaust his Imperial Army by pursuing them.
After routing the Middle Qin Regular Army and the Eight Directions Regular Army, Lin Qian looked up toward the sky, where another battle raged between the Qin Dynasty's forces and the elders of the three allied factions.
Due to his limited cultivation level, Lin Qian couldn't summon awakened-level Imperial soldiers or beasts. Instead, he relied on the strength of the allied faction elders.
With the added "Supplementary Enhancement" and upgraded equipment from the Firework Division, the allied elders managed to suppress the Qin Dynasty's awakened experts, even though they were outnumbered.
At that moment, the Qin Dynasty's awakened experts, locked in battle with the allied elders, began to falter. They had been observing the situation below with their soul senses and were terrified by what they saw.
They had witnessed everything, from start to finish. But that only made their fear grow.
The Huaxia Empire was supposed to be a tiny nation from the remote Linhai Province?
What utter nonsense!
Inwardly, these awakened experts cursed. They couldn't understand how such false information had spread. The strength of the Huaxia Empire's army, the sophistication of their equipment—it was all beyond comprehension.
The armor worn by the Imperial soldiers made even the marquises and generals of the Qin Dynasty green with envy. They longed to strip it from the soldiers and wear it themselves.
When the battleship had been far away, they hadn't paid it much attention. But now, as it approached with unstoppable force, they were left in awe.
Even with their knowledge and experience, they could see that this behemoth was nothing like a cloud ship. It was a machine built purely for war.
The Huaxia Empire was unfathomable.
"Linhai Province…" One of the marquises muttered, a strange light flickering in his eyes. "Could the Huaxia Empire be the reason behind the anomalies in the Nine Southern Provinces of the Southern Domain?"
However, before the marquis could ponder further, he was struck by a ferocious attack from the wine-nosed grand elder of the Free Spirit Sect, cutting off his thoughts.
Down below, Lin Qian raised his hand, giving the order: "All units, return to the battleship. Stand by."
Lin Qian was the first to ascend back to the battleship, followed closely by the Imperial soldiers, who swiftly took their positions, ready to receive further orders.
"Ascend!"
As soon as he returned to the ship, Lin Qian issued the command. The runes and formations on the battleship glowed with soul energy as it rapidly ascended into the sky, heading toward the battle between the Qin Dynasty's awakened experts and the allied elders.
It didn't take long for the battleship to reach the height of the aerial battlefield.
This colossal interloper naturally attracted attention from both sides. The faces of the Qin Dynasty's awakened experts turned pale, while the elders of the allied factions smiled.
"Light cannons, ready…" The side of the battleship aimed at the battlefield, where over 500 figures clashed at incredible speeds. Various soul energies collided, creating explosions that filled the sky with smoke.
The surrounding clouds had long been dispersed by the fierce combat, leaving the area clear of any mist.
The light cannons on the battleship adjusted their aim, though their targeting speed was slow.
The Qin Dynasty's marquises and generals, still engaged in combat with the allied elders, sensed that the cannons were now aimed at them.
They had seen the effects of these cannons below and knew what they could do. However, they didn't show any fear.
They were not mere soldiers from the Middle Qin Regular Army or the Eight Directions Regular Army. They were true awakened experts.
Their speed in battle was incredible, and they didn't believe the battleship's cannons could hit them.
Moreover, with the two sides constantly intertwining in combat, would the battleship really dare to fire?
The Qin Dynasty's awakened experts didn't believe it. One of the marquises even taunted the battleship, shouting, "If you've got the guts, try to keep up with my speed and hit me!"
Boom!
As soon as the words left his mouth, a vibrant blast from one of the light cannons slammed into his face, exploding like a multicolored firework.