"You also fought them?" a middle-aged man asked an elderly man, both having bloody faces.
"Yes. Two Flesh Refining Warriors, what about you?"
"Same for me."
"From what I know, these should be the tower overseers of the fortress. If they have been dispatched..."
"They likely found out.
What about the Fortress Chief? Do you think he also went out?"
"The other one took action a week ago, if anyone attracted their attention, it should be him. If that’s the case, then the Fortress Chief likely went there.
Among us three, he is the strongest but his army is also the weakest.
He should be able to injure him at the least, and possibly even kill him."
"Then we should attack them!" the elderly man said decisively.
"Attack?" a contemplative look appeared on the middle-aged man’s face.
"Are you sure about it? The three of us got the same inheritance, right?" the middle-aged man looked at the older man with a cold look.
"Hmph! Do you think this is the time to hesitate and hide things?
Alright. That guy probably has a technique to empower his Gu. I saw that his Gu are all stronger than ours.
I have a technique that can combine the Gu into one mind, allowing me to control many Gu at the same time.
As for you, my guess is that you have a technique to block the Shaman’s Spirit Connection, right?"
A grim look crossed the middle-aged man’s face before he calmed down, "You just guessed based on the higher fighting force, the weaker fighting force and concealing things, right?
Yes, I do have a technique that can temporarily disrupt the Shaman’s Spirit Connection.
But do you have the strength to fight him?
Even without a Spirit Connection, the Shaman will still have spells, blessings, curses and other abilities."
"Based on my guess, he already sensed the death of all warriors that went out. He probably already activated the emergency ritual. Based on my calculations, the ritual will be fully activated in around five hours.
Our only chance at winning this is to quickly kill him, destroy the ritual and then leave.
As for leaving without killing, you should know as well as I how difficult that would be."
When they were approached a year ago, it had been a Muscle Refining senior! That time they were coerced and intimidated, finally complying.
"Alright, let’s attack. I have already prepared everything. We should be able to arrive at the Fortress in around four hours."
"Three and a half for us. We will slow down slightly to arrive at the same time as you."
The two separated and contacted their villages who had already been on the march.
Of course both of them knew the situation.
They just wanted to ensure their minds were of the same.
...
Over three hours later, nearly four, finally, the two groups arrived at the Fortress, hiding in the forest outside.
At this moment, most of the warriors were on the walls, facing the three directions of west, north and east.
The two village chiefs looked at each other, "So it’s really like that. If he hasn’t returned by now, then he must be at least heavily injured!
Start your disrupting technique!" the elderly man told the other, jumping to his own camp.
Suddenly, over a hundred villagers, their feet bloody from running for so long at high speed, all rose and walked to the edge of the forest.
When they arrived there, they all took out bows, aiming them at the warriors on the wall.
Right when they arrived, the warriors already spotted their shadows, alerting them.
The middle-aged man looked over in shock, "Controlling so many to do such precise work?"
But there was no time to be left.
He took out a small ball from his bag. It was crystalline clear. Inside was an extremely dark colour, difficult to discern.
Looking over to his village’s elders, three at the Skin Refining stage, he gave them a signal.
Then, stretching his arm, he used all his strength to thrust it towards the fortress!
It flew high into the sky above the fortress.
A light rose from the fortress, seemingly trying to stop it.
But the moment it hit, instead of stopping, it broke the crystal!
The black from inside spread instantly –
Countless little flies, extremely small, flew into the sky.
Right when they were high in the sky, the middle-aged man, with saber in hand, attacked his three elders!
With shocked expressions, they all died!
Their blood dripped barely for a second when it rose into the sky –
The flies seemed to absorb the blood from far away.
They spread in quick succession, creating a blanket above the whole fortress!
It was like a swarm of flying ants blocking a road!
Looking at this scene, the elderly man smiled. Behind him there was no one, he was the only one in his village too.
"Attack!" he commanded.
Arrows flew one after another, targeting the Skin Refining Warriors on the walls of the fortress.
Most arrows didn’t reach the fortress, the rest were blocked. Only a few injured the warriors.
Right after this salvo, another one followed.
And then another...
The hundred villagers didn’t seem like they could be tired.
And with each injury, blood flew from the fortress to the sky, expanding the blanket.
Even the smoke that had been above the fortress seemed to have no way to leave, flying down again.
Seeing the situation develop the way they wanted, both men smiled.
The middle-aged man looked back at the three dead elders and reached out.
Three mantis Gu were controlled by him at this moment. He commanded them to attach to the arrows and attack.
His control over them was weak, so sacrificing them was the best choice.
The mantises flew together with the arrows.
Once they landed, they instantly entered a killing spree.
Five warriors were killed before they died.
At this moment, the Shaman who hid behind the warriors finally stepped forward, looking at the forest.
He screamed to the sky, "Fall! Thunder Spirit, hear my resentment! Hear my hate! Hear my fury! Attack those cowards, those ignorant!
Send down your thunder!"