ROAR!!
A massive swarm of snakes screamed in agony as they writhed within the flames of heavenly fire. Scorched by the inferno, many were roasted alive, and some were even reduced to ash. The ferocity of the heavenly fire was undeniable—it spread rapidly across the battlefield under the relentless bombardment of catapults.
Yet, the snake swarm had their own means of counterattack.
Several snakes raised their heads and spewed out torrents of black water, which hissed and crackled upon contact with the fire. The heavenly flames were repeatedly extinguished, and in turn, the black water was scorched into rising mist. From each droplet, one could sense a bone-chilling cold.
"Mysterious Yin True Water."
Liu Bowen observed calmly and spoke, "As expected, these snakes are no ordinary serpents. Their innate talents are incredibly potent. With each additional head, they gain an extra innate divine ability: metal, wood, water, fire, earth, thunder, wind, ice, and poison. Once they grow nine heads, they wield all nine elemental abilities. It's incredibly formidable."
He added, "Moreover, it's said that when a snake is killed, serpent pearls form within their skulls. These pearls embody their essence. Each one contains elemental power, and consuming one directly enhances the origin of a matching life aperture, even upgrading a divine ability to a higher grade."
This was a remarkable trait of the snakes—the serpent pearls they left behind could increase the essence of a cultivator's life apertures without any side effects. In many ways, they were more miraculous than pills.
But killing them was no easy feat. The quality of the pearls depended on the strength of the snake. The stronger the snake, the more powerful its pearls.
Even though the heavenly fire burned down many snakes, they were quickly doused by swathes of Mysterious Yin True Water, making it difficult to maintain constant damage on the battlefield.
Despite the losses, the snakes surged forward without pause, relentlessly advancing toward Blazing Flame City.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!!"
Once Liu Bowen's words about the pearls spread, the eyes of many cultivators lit up with excitement. The desire for strength burned in everyone's heart. Now that a shortcut to power had presented itself, no one wanted to miss it.
Slay the snakes, harvest the pearls.
A cultivator who had just slain a snake used a technique to retrieve its corpse, dragging it atop the city walls. With swift precision, he split the skull—and from inside retrieved two serpent pearls: one blue, one red. A Water Pearl and a Fire Pearl.
As he already had a fire-element life aperture, he swallowed the Fire Pearl without hesitation.
Instantly, a violent surge of power erupted from within. Invisible flames radiated outward, and the air around him grew noticeably hotter.
"Lava Fire — Blazing Lava Fist!!"
Suddenly, a colossal fiery fist materialized, magma-like lava streaming across its surface, releasing a pungent sulfuric stench. Sparks burst from it like molten projectiles, and the fist spanned dozens of meters, appearing as if forged from a giant made of magma.
With a thunderous boom, it struck the snake swarm. Flames ignited dozens of them on impact, some exploding violently from the force. The damage was catastrophic.
"I've broken through! My Lava Aperture has finally advanced. Its origin strength has grown, and my divine ability's grade increased too. It was low-grade Profound before, now it's mid-grade, and nearing high-grade. Just a few more fire pearls and I'll complete its transformation!"
The cultivator's eyes glowed with ecstasy. For him, this kind of leap in strength was cause for celebration.
"What? You're saying it really boosts your life aperture origin and divine ability grade?"
"That's incredible! Brothers, let's go! These snakes are treasure troves!"
"Kill them all! This is like harvesting raw cultivation power—we can't miss this!"
One after another, the defenders on the walls—warriors of various races—went wild with fervor. Their earlier fear dissipated, crushed beneath the tidal wave of excitement and ambition.
Spells and divine abilities surged from the walls, turning the battlefield into a vibrant storm of multicolored energy.
Snakes fell in droves.
Yet from the perspective of the endless serpent horde, it was a mere drop in the bucket.
And these snakes were far from helpless.
They retaliated fiercely.
Dozens of snakes lifted their snow-white heads and unleashed icy howls. Blizzards roared from their mouths, cold energy flooding the battlefield and blanketing the sky in an avalanche of ice and snow. Sharp ice blades and frozen spikes rained down with lethal chill.
The snowstorm clashed against the city's barrier, triggering shockwaves as flames met frost. The entire shield trembled under the onslaught.
"Your Majesty, what do you think of the warriors in Blazing Flame City?" Liu Bowen asked, standing beside Yi Tianxing.
Yi Tianxing replied calmly, "They have strength, but lack coordination. Their formations and tactics are chaotic. Only General Yue's Yue Army shows true military discipline. Their defense is methodical, never in disarray. Aside from their weaker cultivation bases, they're flawless. Within our Great Yi Dynasty, they'd be considered elite and worth nurturing."
"Once we return to Great Yi, we can train them properly. With access to resources, their cultivation will grow swiftly. But in terms of the current battle, I fear they'll suffer grievous losses against this serpent tide. Their defense alone won't be enough."
Yi Tianxing wasn't criticizing—they were facts, plainly spoken.
The Yue Army stood out because of the military equipment they'd exchanged for in the Divine-Demon Treasury: Demon-Hunting Bows, Bone Arrows, massive ballistae, and powerful Bone Pattern Armor. These enhanced their overall combat power significantly.
Still, the true horror of the hydras had only just begun.
All across the battlefield, they unleashed ice elemental spells en masse. Snow blanketed the world.
Then came the thunderclouds. Bolts of demonic lightning transformed into frozen hailstones, crashing down upon the barrier. It shook under the impact. Flames dimmed. Cracks began to form, letting some attacks slip through.
Boom!!
A hailstone struck the wall, exploding into lightning shards, instantly dismembering several warriors caught in its radius.
The barrier, despite its strength, couldn't completely shield the city. To preserve its core structure, it automatically reduced its protection in certain areas, which meant some defenders would be exposed to deadly attacks.
Then came the flood.
Wave after wave of hydras spewed raging torrents, creating a tsunami aimed at Blazing Flame City. The waters roared with the breath of death itself.
The warriors atop the walls unleashed countless techniques to block the flood—but all seemed too feeble before its might.
Without realizing it, the deluge reached the walls and was about to crash into them.
ROAR!!
At that critical moment, a brilliant flash of gold erupted from the Lionheart Crown Prince. His body began to expand rapidly, golden radiance enveloping him. In moments, he stood over a thousand meters tall, golden fur billowing in the wind like a blazing sun.
In his hand appeared a golden shield, emblazoned with the fierce visage of a Lion King. In his other hand, a golden battle spear.
He exuded an aura of fearless defiance.
"Fearless!!"
The prince let out a deafening roar. Golden light burst outward as he strode forward and slammed his shield into the earth.
"Immovable as a mountain!!"
The golden shield radiated a blinding light, spreading wide to form a tangible wall of golden energy—a massive shield wall that stood solid as a mountain in front of the floodwaters.
RUMBLE!!
The tsunami crashed into the golden wall with devastating force. The wall shook violently. The Lionheart Crown Prince staggered under the impact, nearly buckling.
"Fearless!!"
He roared again, and a golden halo flared around him, reinforcing both himself and the shield wall. In an instant, the golden barrier became steadfast and immovable, forcing the floodwaters back.
The visual impact was astounding.
With nothing but his own power, he held back the monstrous tide.
Yi Tianxing watched, a flicker of admiration in his eyes.
"So this is the power of the Lion King Clan. Truly a race that stands alongside the Behemoths. No wonder they're a royal bloodline among the beastkin. Every one of them is exceptional."