Chapter 48: Heavenly Thunder Defense

It wanted to attack another enemy, but Zeng Feixiong’s blade fell swiftly, severing half its head, only then allowing the heroic spirit to dissolve into ash.

Facing such a fierce foe, the Blackwater City army lost their fighting spirit and quickly retreated. After all, they were on an expedition by order, not here for a fight to the death.

He Chunhua calculated that even if he could win, it would be a pyrrhic victory; moreover, the enemy leader still looked vigorous and full of strength—it seemed as though taking on twenty or thirty men in single combat would be no problem at all!

Sun Fuping seemed to read the worry in his heart: "Don't worry. As long as you use the Providence, you can hold out for a long time."

By this time, Zeng Feixiong had already led the remaining troops back into the formation. His left arm had been slashed, and though the entire limb had nearly been severed, he seemed unperturbed, only focusing on raising his blade toward the sky and shouting: "United in purpose, protect our Great Yuan!"

The crowd roared in unison: "United in purpose, protect our Great Yuan!"

The beast head atop the staff suddenly erupted with brilliant light.

It was a pale green infused with a hint of gold, yet it was enough to make the surrounding vengeful spirits cease their pursuit, shielding their eyes as if the light were blindingly intense. Their mounts also shook their heads and lashed their tails uneasily, stomping their hooves.

This was the National Providence, channeled through the State Preceptor and attached to He Chunhua's Yuan Money!

It was the confidence and consensus condensed from the vitality of all the living people in Qiansong County, fused and bolstered by the morale of Zeng Feixiong and the other county soldiers, instantly transforming into a vast and righteous aura!

Had those dozen or so opponents been ordinary vengeful spirits rather than heroic spirits who had fought countless battles in life, they would have been annihilated instantly by the light.

Zeng Feixiong turned and barked at Situ Han: "Why aren't you shouting?"

Situ Han was stunned: "We... we have to as well?"

"You have been incorporated into the Blackwater City Defense Force; you are one with us now, no longer mere sand bandits!"

So, their incorporation was for real? Since it was a matter of life and death, Situ Han turned and gave an order, and his men followed the main force in shouting the slogan.

With the addition of these few dozen men, a quantitative change finally triggered a qualitative one.

The light from the monster on the staff receded, and it suddenly let out a roar toward the heavens.

A translucent green orb flew out from its mouth, expanding in the wind into a massive green bird over fifty feet tall, possessing a high crest and magnificent tail feathers, with an elegant form.

It circled once above the crowd before soaring upward into the clouds.

This was the divine guardian beast for which Great Yuan was named.

Of course, the true form of the Azure Kite remained guarding the capital; what appeared here was merely a manifestation of the Providence.

As it vanished into the clouds, the dense gray sky suddenly churned into a vortex, where lightning snakes danced wildly and countless flashes of cyan and purple light lurked within the cloud clusters.

Many vengeful spirits were still wandering in mid-air; seeing this, they scattered in all directions like schools of fish being chased by great white sharks.

Within a few breaths, a thick bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, precisely hitting the eye of the talisman formation.

The lightning snakes traveled along the formation lines drawn by Sun Fuping. Viewed from above, the entire formation glowed with a bright silver light.

This series of changes, though complex to describe, actually took only a few dozen breaths.

Facing such a display, the soldiers of the Great Wind Army, who had already become heroic spirits, finally showed fear and retreated repeatedly.

They had seen countless miraculous abilities in life, but in death, they feared the majesty of heaven most of all.

After all, they were now ghostly beings.

The commander tilted his head, and immediately a rider charged forward.

The moment the horse's hooves stepped onto the talisman formation, a flash of electricity erupted, and both rider and horse vanished into thin air.

As if refusing to believe it, the commander threw his eighteen-foot long spear like a javelin once more.

With a crack of electricity, the spear dissolved silently before it could penetrate even a foot into the formation.

This was the Heavenly Thunder Defense summoned by Sun Fuping using the Mandate of the State. The stronger the Providence attached to the Mandate, the greater the power of the formation.

Using the strength of an entire county to contend with a mere dozen heroic spirits should be sufficient.

"Governor He, I leave this to you." Sun Fuping patted He Chunhua's shoulder and turned to walk toward the edge of the pool.

"Wait!" He Chunhua saw him trying to slip away. "I am going with you!"

"You cannot go." Sun Fuping pointed to the staff standing in the formation. "The Mandate of the State loses its effect if it is more than a hundred feet from its master. I need every one of you to hold the line here to prevent the vengeful spirits from entering the pool."

Only then did everyone notice that this old fellow had swiftly drawn the entire pool into the Heavenly Thunder Defense formation. As long as the formation remained, the vengeful spirits could not return to the pool.

The State Preceptor wanted to enter to seize the treasure himself, yet he wanted them to guard the gate. He Chunhua's face darkened slightly, but he knew Sun Fuping had brought so many people specifically for this purpose, but—

"I will look after your son. You father and son will be reunited soon, rest assured!" Pressed for time, Sun Fuping offered a hurried word of comfort to He Chunhua before leaping into the pool.

With a *thud*, he too vanished, leaving only a candle tossed by the poolside, its flame flickering dimly.

Situ Han said indignantly, "That old man is using us!"

He Chunhua's expression shifted rapidly before he suddenly summoned Zeng Feixiong to his side: "Take a few men to help Chuan'er."

Although He Lingchuan had long been a lucky man, leaving him alone in this unpredictable place, with Nian and Sun harboring ill intentions, a father could not help but worry.

Zeng Feixiong acknowledged the order, quickly selected five men, and leaped into the pool.

He Chunhua stared at the pool water, knowing he had been played again. Sun Fuping had intentionally left him and the Blackwater City army outside; it was an open scheme. To resist the attack of the Great Wind Army's heroic spirits, his hundred or so men could not enter the blood pool.

However, as he withdrew his gaze, he was slightly startled: "Why is there one less Great Wind soul?"

Situ Han said, "While you were speaking with the State Preceptor, one wisp escaped."

He Chunhua sensed trouble, but he forced himself to stay composed to encourage everyone: "No matter how powerful the Great Wind Army was in life, they are now ghostly beings, incompatible with heaven and earth, and limited by divine arts! As long as we remain calm and steadfast, the Heavenly Thunder Defense will be an impregnable fortress!"

An army's morale comes from confidence; to keep the Mandate of the State effective, he had to work hard to boost their spirits.

The power of the heavenly thunder was evident to all, and their hearts settled, causing the light from the beast head to grow even brighter.

But just then, Situ Han pointed toward the horizon and let out an exclamation: "What is that?"

The night was pitch black, and the lightning and thunder within the clouds had vanished, but a strange red light was flashing in the western sky.

The light was drawing closer.

He Chunhua saw it clearly as well, and his expression changed: "It's reinforcements. That wisp of heroic spirit went to find reinforcements."

What was wrong with these Great Wind souls? They didn't seem to have lost their intelligence like other vengeful spirits; not only did they figure out how to wound the living, but they also knew how to call for help.

This was trouble. He Chunhua couldn't help but gasp; a new wave of Great Wind souls was coming with overwhelming force!

***

He Lingchuan was also startled when he fell into the water.

He tried to swim back, but his body wouldn't move, and an inexplicable suction was dragging him down with relentless force.

The light in the dark red water was dim; even with his eyes open, he couldn't see very far.