Ye Shikai was clad in black armor, this suit of armor was obtained from Xiang Qi’s tomb, and legend has it that it was the armor of a famous General from the Chu State, imbued with a divine spirit. Ye Shikai had tried it on before, noting that the armor contained great spiritual power. Although it seemed cumbersome, it was actually incredibly light.
Ye Shikai stood tall on the fort walls, his back towards Mona, much like a savior, facing formidable enemies without fear.
"Cough, cough, it seems like you’re staring blankly." Ye Shikai walked up to Mona, shook his hand in front of her face, and said awkwardly; indeed, Mona had been staring blankly, feeling for a moment as if General Ye had come back.
"I didn’t want to wear it, but it seems I don’t have much choice now." Ye Shikai teased. Just now in the forest, if not for the trees blocking the way, it would have been more than just a human outline.
"You look a lot like him." Mona seemed to be reflecting.
"But I am not him." Ye Shikai snapped his fingers. "Your Highness, isn’t it time to give the command?"
"The Great Elder will open the Tree Barrier, which can block their attack." Mona spoke indifferently, "Although the beastmen are numerous, they lack strategic discipline. I am confident in defending the Tree of Life."
"In that case, that’s the best." Ye Shikai nodded.
"Kid, you’re really willing to be cannon fodder for these elves, huh?" At this moment, the voice of the Soul Blade rang in his mind.
"What, the fight is about to start, you scared?" Ye Shikai teased.
"Nonsense, my spirit is one with yours, if you die, you’ll drag me along to burial."
"If you don’t want to die, help me."
"How did the Netherworld King allow such a hopeless good guy like you?" After hearing what the Soul Blade said, Ye Shikai couldn’t tell whether it was complimenting him or mocking him. Was he a hopeless good guy? Perhaps, otherwise why would he risk his life to warn Mona, was it just because she gave him the awakening fruit? Ye Shikai couldn’t bear to see death without helping, or perhaps, deep down, he felt something else for Mona.
"So, the Netherworld King can’t be a hopeless good guy?" Ye Shikai said self-deprecatingly. These days, whether being a hopeless good guy is a compliment or a derogatory term is hard to define. Perhaps, the second persona is just the opposite, the antithesis of a hopeless good guy.
"To achieve great things, one must make decisive cuts and not be bogged down by affairs."
"I never intended to achieve great things."
Right now, Ye Shikai was just thinking that after he helps the elves deal with the immediate crisis, he could return to Yanjing and live a life with Su Qingyu. The rest should not bother him too much, but such a simple wish was so difficult for him, perhaps due to his identity, or because of his unique background. From the moment he began his cultivation, it meant his life would never intersect with ordinary people.
"Ah, I really don’t understand you people’s thoughts; you must be the strangest Netherworld King I have ever known."
"Maybe you’ll encounter someone even stranger." Ye Shikai held a sharp sword, and as the enemy forces neared, he felt less tense.
"These beastmen also appeared a thousand years ago. In some ancient texts, there are records of beastmen attacking humans. This meeting is rare but enough. Since you insist on helping the elves, I’ll help you this once," sighed the Soul Blade.
"Is there some secret technique, why didn’t you say earlier..."
"What secret technique? What are you thinking? I’m just giving you mental support."
"Mona, have you encountered these beastmen before?" Before the battle, Ye Shikai and Mona had a chat. It must be said that the elves were indeed very efficient. In just a few minutes, all members were in position, and everyone was armed, besides the elderly and women and children, guarding the Wooden Village.
"Of course, these brutes do have some combat prowess," Mona confidently smiled.
"In that case, you must have a way to repel them."
"Of course, but this time there are more of them, and the fight will be a bit troublesome."
"When the time comes, I can’t look out for you," Mona suddenly joked.
"I don’t need your protection, I’m a grown man who grew up on meat and alcohol, not like those of you coming from flower buds." Ye Shikai laughed. Today, he was ready to declare war on these beastmen as a member of the human race.
"Your Highness, the beastmen are here." At this moment, the Great Elder spoke, his expression solemn. According to the plot of TV dramas, such a Great Elder showing this kind of expression meant a big move was coming.
"Ready the army to meet the enemy." Mona shouted loudly, all the elf soldiers were inspired. Ye Shikai stood alone on the watchtower, looking at the beastmen troops approaching like a dark tide.
At the center of the beastmen’s formation, a more than two-meter-tall beastmen commander suddenly pulled out a long knife and let out a chilling beast roar towards the sky. Though Ye Shikai couldn’t understand the beast language, he could feel that this was the beastmen commander’s attack order. As the roar resounded, thousands of beastmen started to charge, rushing recklessly towards the fort gates.
The roar filled the sky, chilling all beings, dark clouds pressed down on the city, ready to burst at any moment.
"Fire arrows." Seeing the right opportunity, when the beastmen entered the range of the bows, Mona shouted loudly, and the elf archers on the fort walls stood up, firing their bows...
A grand battle unfolded before Ye Shikai, showcasing what is meant by ’unleashing a barrage of arrows.’ If Mona had used that many people to catch him earlier, he probably wouldn’t have been able to escape...
The frontline beastmen fell as arrows struck them, but those behind them didn’t stop their steps, instead stepping on the bodies of those ahead to keep advancing.
"Great Elder, it’s up to you now." Mona looked expectantly at the Great Elder, under everyone’s gaze, the Great Elder took out a green Crystal Ball from his sleeve, channeled Spiritual Power into it, and it slowly floated up into the air. At the same time, the Tree of Life’s tree breath also descended into the top of the Crystal Ball.
"Tree Barrier." The Great Elder swung his arms, a green light shot straight up from the Crystal Ball, spreading out in the air to form a barrier, enveloping the entire elven habitat and trapping a portion of the beastmen’s army inside, separating the larger troop outside the Barrier.
"Fire arrows." Mona shouted again, firing a barrage of arrows that struck all the beastmen inside the Barrier. Without support from the rear troops, this "lone army" didn’t even reach the fort gates before being shot down.
"Well done." Seeing this, Ye Shikai couldn’t help but exclaim, impressed. It was no wonder Mona not only had excellent martial skills but was also so adept at strategy and arranging formations, commanding the entire elf race.