Chapter 144: Mysterious Finger Bone
The Tempest Witch looked incredulously at the jade-like sword tip lodged in her chest, feeling every organ in her body freeze in an instant.
In the end, her entire body was covered in a layer of ice, turning into an ice sculpture.
As Leng Sufeng withdrew the Ice Jade Sword, the frozen Tempest Witch fell like a stone.
Boom!
She crashed in front of Qi Bei, and upon seeing their leaders death, the remaining members of the Tempest Bandits instantly panicked and scattered in all directions.
At that moment, Qi Bei felt a strange gust of wind that sent a shiver down his spine.
Suddenly, he sensed something amiss. He flicked his black longsword towards the ice sculpture-like Tempest Witch, turning her to face upwards.
The Tempest Witchs hair, mask, and clothes were all intact, but her hands were nowhere to be found within the ice.
Qi Beis black longsword emitted a golden light as it tapped the ice sculpture, causing the solid ice to crack and shatter with a crisp sound. However, the puffed-up clothes instantly deflated, becoming a thin layer, and the body of the Tempest Witch inside mysteriously disappeared.
At this moment, Leng Sufeng descended, and a hint of surprise flashed in his ice-like pupils.
Thirteen used his heavy sword to lift the mask, only to see a scalp-attached wig.
Master, she has escaped, Thirteen said in a deep voice.
A very peculiar escape technique, where the person has fled, but everything on their body has been left behind. Moreover, Leng Sufengs Ice Jade Sword had clearly pierced through her heart. Yet, she still managed to escape. This Tempest Witch was truly extraordinary.
Just then, Qi Bei noticed a palm-sized, exquisitely crafted small box among the clothes left behind by the Tempest Witch. He raised his hand and captured the small box, lightly pressing it, and the lid popped open.
Qi Beis pupils suddenly contracted. Inside the small box was a charred finger bone, presumably a human finger bone. It looked quite ordinary, but he couldnt fathom why it would be cherished in such an exquisite little box.
By now, Xiao Jiu had already rescued Yi Shiba and the 500 captured Divine Dragon soldiers, including two soldiers who had been tortured beyond recognition, but fortunately, their lives were not in danger.
I feel ashamed in front of the City Lord. Please punish me, my Lord, Yi Shiba knelt before Qi Bei, his face full of shame. His 500 Divine Dragon soldiers had been captured, and as their captain, he should take full responsibility.
Why should I punish you? You were facing forces several times your size, including several King-ranked experts on the enemys side. Its not your fault. After being captured, you chose death over surrender and didnt reveal your identities, ensuring the safety of the main force. Your actions did not disgrace the Divine Dragon army, Qi Bei spoke loudly, his words causing the backs of the 500 captured soldiers to straighten even more.
Being captured was originally a humiliation.
However, Qi Beis affirming words turned this humiliation into honor. This was the process of forging their military spirit.
On the way back, Yi Shiba recounted the entire incident to Qi Bei, including the mention of the exquisite small box. He explained that it was the Tempest Witchs idea to target that box, and they had simply encountered it by chance.
Qi Beis mind became filled with doubts. If that were indeed the situation, the contents of the box were undoubtedly more than just an ordinary finger bone.
If the Tempest Witch truly cared about that finger bone, she might come looking for it on her own. Then he could extract the secret of the bone from her.Read latest chapters at novelhall.com Only
At the same time, within the secret hideout of the Tempest Bandits, inside an egg-shaped stone room, a black jade as dark as ink stood upright on the central stone table. Within the black jade, a green crystal was embedded.
Suddenly, the green crystal emitted a sparkling and translucent light.
Immediately, a strange green wind swept through the sealed stone room. The green wind began to rotate in front of the stone table, spinning faster and faster.
Gradually, within the vortex of the green wind, a figure appeared faintly, slowly solidifying. It turned out to be a naked woman.
Her skin was pure and pristine as freshly fallen snow, flawlessly radiant. Her breasts stood firm and perky, exuding a youthful charm. Her waist, delicate like a graceful willow branch, showcased astonishing flexibility.
However, the womans face was blurry, shrouded in a haze like a cloud of smoke. Moreover, she was completely bald, not a single strand of hair on her head.
The woman bowed gracefully to the black jade embedded with the green crystal on the stone table. Then, with a wave of her hand, a set of robes on a nearby clothing rack flew over on its own.
The woman put on the clothes and wore the wig with an attached mask. Just like that, the Tempest Witch was reborn
The Deserted Swamp Mountains soared into the sky, steep and impassable. It was said that there were extremely powerful magic beasts atop the mountain range, even Saint-ranked experts could not match them.
Furthermore, the Deserted Swamp Mountains were desolate and barren, devoid of any exploration value, so there were hardly any signs of human habitation.
However, beneath the mountain range, in some places, the soil was fertile, and there was abundant vegetation and water. Some orc tribes settled here.
The Ironback Orc Tribe was one of them. After the decline of the Beast God Clan, the Ironback Orc Tribe chose to settle in the remote Deserted Swamp Mountains to avoid getting involved in the conflicts between various tribes. They established five cities, making them the only major tribe in this remote land.
However, unexpectedly, the war between the Bimon Tribe and the Rhino Tribe reached the doorstep of the Ironback Orc Tribe.
Overnight, all five cities were captured, and most of the Ironback orcs were killed, while the remaining survivors were used as cannon fodder or forced labor, nearly pushing the tribe to the brink of extinction.
Due to the Ironback Orc Tribes territory being a direct route to the Emerald Grasslands and difficult to attack, it became a logistical stronghold for the Bimon Tribe, where their forces were replenished and recuperated.
You, come here, a young orc officer pointed at an Ironback orc woman who was doing forced labor.
But now, the main orc army had unexpectedly left, leaving behind only 20,000 weak soldiers. Taking the city would be a piece of cake.
Spread the order. The entire army changes into battle attire and prepares for combat, Qi Bei commanded.
Immediately, the 50,000 soldiers of Divine Dragon Army began donning their standard armor and weapons. They only awaited Qi Beis command to launch the assault.
The night was as dark as ink.
The five cities of the Ironback orc tribe were not far apart, but they were all built in rugged terrain with multiple checkpoints along the roads leading to the cities.
However, the quality of the commander determines the quality of the soldiers. As a commander with lofty ambitions but lacking competence, Labo naturally didnt command a formidable army.
These multiple checkpoints were essentially useless. As night fell, there was not a single soldier left guarding them. And not a single figure could be found on the city walls of the five cities.
The 50,000 soldiers of Divine Dragon Army were divided into five teams, with the first team of ten thousand responsible for capturing one city. And now, all the soldiers had positioned themselves around the five cities, waiting for the signal to attack.
Jin Gang, you will reveal your Berserk form later. After tonight, your reputation will spread throughout the entire orc tribe, Qi Bei said.
Yes, young master, Jin Gang replied with excitement. As a lone exile with the Beast God lineage, he had dreamt of returning to the orc tribe and seeking revenge for many years. He never expected this day to come so soon.
Give the attack signal, Qi Bei said calmly.
Instantly, colorful magical fireworks soared into the sky, transforming into a ferocious dragon.
Kill! Kill
In the silent night, a resounding battle cry shook the heavens. The Divine Dragon Army descended like divine soldiers, flooding into the five cities like a tidal wave.
Brilliant magic blossomed, and battle qi energy filled the air, reaping enemy lives one after another.
Each city was guarded by only around four thousand weak orc soldiers, most of whom were indulging in food, drink, and pleasure. As the Divine Dragon Army stormed in, they immediately collapsed.
At this moment, the enraged Jin Gang appeared, fists accompanied by golden beast shadows, obliterating orc soldiers one by one.
The Beast God descends! Surrender now! soldiers of the Divine Dragon Army shouted the slogan Qi Bei had instructed them to use.
The Beast God The Ironback orcs themselves considered themselves servants of the Beast God, and upon witnessing the enraged Jin Gang, their excitement knew no bounds.
They had been praying to the Beast God in their hearts, and now it seemed the deity had truly manifested.
Just as Qi Bei had anticipated, the Divine Dragon Army easily captured all five cities without any effort.
Tie Long, the son of the Ironback orc tribes leader who accompanied the army, stepped forward to appease the surviving Ironback orcs. Soon, the situation in the five cities stabilized completely.
Lord, its not satisfying enough. Many of our brothers didnt even draw blood, and its already over, Iron Head complained to Qi Bei.
Over? No, this is just the beginning, Qi Bei said. Although they had easily taken control of the five cities, establishing a solid foundation would require several more battles.
Soon, the Bimon army would learn of this news and would undoubtedly send a large force to reclaim the cities. Not to mention anything else, even if they invoked the name of the Beast Gods lineage, the Bimon tribe would not tolerate it. The main force of the Bimon tribe on the Emerald Grasslands, along with Laris vanguard army, would encircle Qi Beis 50,000 Divine Dragon Army.
However, from the very beginning, Qi Bei had considered this situation.
The main Bimon army was currently engaged in battle with the Rhino tribe on the Emerald Grasslands and would not be able to send more troops. It was highly likely that the recently dispatched 80,000 orc army would return to launch the counterattack.
As for Laris vanguard army of over 100,000, they would not dare to make any rash moves. Qi Bei had sent a letter to his older brother Huaian, and with the Black Armored Armys presence, Lari would not dare to act. If he made any moves, Huaian would undoubtedly lead the Black Armored Army to counterattack.
With both sides restrained, Qi Bei didnt face much pressure. It was the perfect opportunity for him to train his troops.
Before dawn, one division of the Divine Dragon Army hurriedly set up surveillance posts and built checkpoints along the road leading to the Emerald Grasslands. The other division established defensive fortifications in the hilly area from which they had been rushing.
The next few days would probably be quite challenging.
Fortunately, among the five cities, there was a considerable stockpile of military provisions and weapons, which would be sufficient to supply Qi Beis 50,000 troops for two years without any issue.
By the time it was daylight, the five cities were well-organized.
However, the Ironback orcs were now reduced to around sixty to seventy percent of their original numbers, with less than 50,000 remaining. Most of them were elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, and there were only a little over 5,000 able-bodied fighters among them.
Tie Long, leading these 5,000 able-bodied fighters, knelt silently before Jin Gang, requesting to join the Divine Dragon Army.
Tie Longs father, Tie Ying, who was the leader of the Ironback orc tribe, had already been killed on the day the Bimon army attacked the city. After killing dozens of Bimon soldiers, his body was dismembered and fed to the dogs, leaving no trace of his remains. Countless members of the tribe had also perished, forming mountains of corpses. How could they not harbor deep hatred? How could the surviving Ironback orcs not bear grudges?
Jin Gang walked up to Tie Long and heavily patted his shoulder, baring his teeth as he said, Together, we will exterminate the Bimon people.
Exterminate the Bimon tribe! Exterminate the Bimon tribe! the 5,000 Ironback orcs roared madly.
With a wild roar, Jin Gangs body underwent an enraged transformation, and the shadow of a fierce beast flickered around him.
Beast God, Beast God The Ironback orcs shouted in excitement. Once they had a belief in their hearts, amidst their anger and sorrow, they also gained an unwavering determination to forge ahead.