Chapter 651: Ros Slashes the Enemy

"Luo Si is insane, he's lost his mind!""Attack him together!""Kill this traitor!"

Xie Sichao, the Bone Crocodile Demon, and other powerful beings roared in unison, surrounding Luo Si. Although Luo Si had received guidance from the Ashbone Elder and steadily rose through the ranks in the Forgetful River Underworld, he was still an outsider. The time was too short for him to gain trust. His appointment as commander of the assault army against White Paper Immortal City was merely a way for other high-ranking elders to avoid responsibility, effectively passing the hot potato to him. Essentially, he remained an outsider. He lacked time, opportunities, and connections to truly integrate into the Forgetful River Underworld system. In fact, Luo Si himself had, perhaps subconsciously, maintained a distance from the Forgetful River Underworld due to the Ashbone Elder's earlier guidance, which indicated he would meet his destined true master.

Nevertheless, Luo Si was at the Nascent Soul stage, and his appointment as army commander meant his personal combat strength was certainly recognized by the Forgetful River Prefect and other top-level figures. He easily fended off the collective assault, then broke free. Moving like a streak of light, he swiftly approached Han Yan Shangren.

"Let me handle this!""Both of you, go first."

Ning Zhui and Qing Yan exchanged a glance, then turned and exited the battle, successfully regrouping with the Qing Jiao Army. Seeing the Qing Jiao Army's fierce assault, Xie Sichao, the Bone Crocodile Demon, and others quickly abandoned their pursuit of Luo Si and rushed to lead their own forces.

However, Luo Si's army was not composed solely of cultivators; it also included a large number of ghosts! Amidst the mournful wailing, Big-headed Ghosts, Small-headed Ghosts, Ghost Mothers, Drowned Ghosts, Hanged Ghosts, Skinned Ghosts, and many others became sources of chaos, turning on their own allies with deadly force! Most of these ghosts lacked true intelligence and were strictly adhering to their highest command. The Qing Jiao Army was too small; fighting Luo Si's forces was like a mouse attacking an elephant. The latter's sheer size made a complete collapse unrealistic. But under Luo Si's command, this "elephant" began a brutal internal struggle, collapsing from within. Xie Sichao and the others struggled to maintain order, but with little effect.

"The battle is rapidly deteriorating; self-rescue alone is impossible.""We can only wait for the Forbidden Army to rescue us!"

However, as they hoped for outside help, the Forbidden Army was also in dire straits. The problem lay with the Hundred Ghosts Mother. This veteran cultivator had profound foundations and was skilled at enslaving ghosts. She had meticulously selected and nurtured over a hundred powerful ghosts, whose combat prowess was outstanding, earning her the title "Hundred Ghosts Mother." With her death, the hundreds of powerful ghosts she had raised were unbound, gaining complete freedom, and immediately began to act. Some fled, some stood still and looked around, while others, filled with hatred and resentment, ruthlessly attacked the Forbidden Army. It was an awkward situation: the Forbidden Army and Luo Si's forces simultaneously faced internal chaos due to the same reason. Before turning against them, Luo Si had already anticipated the ensuing situation. Therefore, his primary target was the Hundred Ghosts Mother, planning to use her ghost pets to shape the battlefield!

The entire Qing Jiao Army rode Black Blood Paper Horses. Ghastly green ghost fire burned fiercely within the paper horses, and immense power was transmitted through their rigid paper skeletons to their entire bodies. Their hooves thundered as they galloped. The silent paper horses appeared even more fearless; the oppressive sensation of their soundless charge was more suffocating than any neighing!

Bang, bang, bang... With a series of dull thuds, countless cultivators from Luo Si's forces fell along the Qing Jiao Army's charge path.

"Archers, fire! Spearmen, throw!" A junior officer shouted, desperately trying to command, leveraging the time bought by heavy casualties at the front. Jiao Ma's father waved the Bone Blade Battle Flag, expending military strength to activate defensive formations. The Bone Blade Battle Flag immediately emitted a layer of pale green light membrane, swiftly covering all members of the Qing Jiao Army. The rain of arrows and spears shot towards the Qing Jiao Army seemed to hit an invisible swamp, being slowed and deflected. Ultimately, less than ten percent of the projectiles hit their targets, sparse and weak.

Qing Chi was always at the forefront of the charge. The ghost race maiden led the charge, her entire body engulfed in roaring green flames. The green flames even enveloped her mount, causing cultivators to shriek in agony as she charged through. Qing Chi struck with her fists and feet, unleashing fist and palm imprints solidified from green flames. With the army's power boosting her, and Luo Si's forces in an unprecedented state of weakness, they could not resist Qing Chi's formidable might. Several Golden Core cultivators fell before Qing Chi's onslaught.

Following closely behind Qing Chi were the Qing Jiao elites wielding Crescent Great Sabers. They clung tightly to their horses' backs, seemingly merging with the paper horses' skeletons. The moment they crashed into the enemy, these cavalrymen swung their sabers fiercely!

"Om—Qiang—!" A strange metallic resonance tore through the air, not like clashing metal, but more like a glacier cracking! The saber light cut out like a bolt of silk, and ethereal blue moonlight erupted from the ice-like cracks, transforming into incredibly condensed, cold saber auras with jagged spatial ripples along their edges! Wherever the saber auras passed, space seemed frozen and torn apart by the extremely sharp moonlight! Whether it was heavy armor, defensive spells, or weapons blocking their path, all were cut, frozen, and shattered by the saber auras! Then the saber auras sliced through the cultivators' bodies. Regardless of whether it was a flesh-and-blood body or a ghost body, they instantly froze in the extreme low temperature, then turned into icy blue powder, dying on the spot.

Following the warriors with Crescent Great Sabers were those wielding Sky-Splitting Lances. The lance tips were not made of metal, but formed from countless layers of talisman paper, tightly rolled, compressed, and bonded together with incredible density. The Sky-Splitting Lances struck the enemies one after another.

"Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft—!" A dense, rain-like series of muffled piercing sounds merged into one. The fluffy mid-section of the lance tip violently exploded, spewing countless fragments of extremely compressed talisman paper forward. The talismans activated, tearing space and carrying countless void fragments, forming a terrifying storm. Countless enemies were riddled like sieves by the sprayed void fragments. The Sky-Splitting Lances were pulled back, their tips reduced to only the lower half. But it didn't matter; tiny fragments of talisman paper quickly transferred from the lance shaft, gathered at the front, and reformed into new tips.

The Crescent Great Sabers led the charge, carving a path. Then, each thrust of the Sky-Splitting Lances instantly annihilated any strong individuals who resisted.

"Hold them! Block them for me!" A military officer's eyes were bloodshot as he glared furiously, roaring with all his might to manage the battle. But the Qing Jiao Army moved like a giant python, weaving through the massive enemy forces, their military edge extremely sharp. All who tried to stop them died on the spot.

The Qing Jiao Army did not advance without cost; several were killed, and hundreds sustained injuries of varying degrees, light or severe. Seeing this, Qing Chi took a deep breath, suddenly expended forty percent of the army's power to boost herself, and cast a spell! The spell was called "Wither-and-Bloom Fire Ring." The intense green flames burning around her body suddenly expanded outwards from Qing Chi as the center, forming a massive blue-green fire ring. The green fire swept over the bodies of the Qing Jiao Army's warriors, bringing scorching vitality. Their wounds quickly stopped bleeding, and new flesh and pale green skin grew at a visible rate! Even the Black Blood Paper Horses' ghastly green ghost fire in their chests flared up, their talisman paper skin became plump, and their dry skeletons emitted a faint hum, exuding even more vigorous Yin energy. When the green fire covered the enemy soldiers, it was a completely different scene. The enemy soldiers shrieked horribly as they were engulfed by fire, their flesh withering and carbonizing, then their bones were exposed, charred into twisted, dried black charcoal. Most of the enemy soldiers' bodies rapidly shriveled, eventually becoming piles of shriveled bones and charred grease, covered by shattered armor and gray smoke.

The Qing Jiao Army almost entirely recovered, and their morale soared. Qing Chi panted heavily a few times, her eyes gleaming, her fighting spirit soaring like a dragon.

Han Yan Shangren was currently clashing with Luo Si. The former's body surged with cold energy, countless ice shards condensed and shot out, her assault fierce like a torrential storm. The latter held a fishing rod, casting his line, stirring up ripples in space to block the ice shards' attacks, maintaining a very stable stance.

Han Yan Shangren sneered, attempting to exert pressure with words: "Luo Si, how foolish you are! Even if you temporarily tie me down, what good will it do? Don't forget, your record is still in the secret vault of Forgetful River Immortal City! The moment you defected, the command has already been sent back! Perhaps in the next moment, you will be cursed to death. Turn back now, abandon the darkness and embrace the light, and you might still avoid death!"

Luo Si's eyes were calm and unwavering, showing no fear or hesitation, only a near-martyr-like focus. He seemed to be facing the abyss once more, just as he had once faced a desperate situation in Dragon-Severing Gorge. "Han Yan Shangren, I don't need you to remind me; I naturally know this. But I trust the Ashbone Elder! The moment I led my army into this place, I received a spiritual message from him. My true master is before me; I don't believe I'll be easily cursed to death."

Han Yan Shangren sneered again: "To entrust your life to an outsider? How foolish!"

Luo Si replied, "In the past, if not for the Ashbone Elder's help, I would not have possessed reason and clarity at all; I would have long ago fallen into being a mere ghost. If he could save me, why would he harm me? In the past years, if he hadn't guided and arranged things for me every step of the way, how could I have risen so quickly?"

Han Yan Shangren roared in exasperation: "He's using you!"

"Even if he is using me or harming me, at worst, I'll just give him my life," Luo Si said with a free-spirited smile.

"Stubborn fool! Die!" Han Yan Shangren was completely enraged. He stopped wasting words and pointed a finger at Luo Si. Ice Spell – Freezing Kill Line! A ghostly blue light ray suddenly shot out, more condensed and thicker than when he used it against Ning Zhui and Qing Yan! The ice line, like Yama's judge's brush, carried deadly killing intent, swift as lightning, aiming for the Dantian above Luo Si's brow. Luo Si dodged urgently, his speed astonishing. But Han Yan Shangren only needed to turn his finger to control the ice line's trajectory, making it even faster! Where the ice line passed, a clear, visible frosty white frozen trail lingered in the air for a long time.

Luo Si knew he couldn't dodge it. He suddenly flicked the wrist holding the fishing rod, and the Sansheng Chuishihook at the end of the line instantly vanished! A supremely crisp sound, like ice crystals shattering in a glass goblet. The Sansheng Chuishihook appeared inside Han Yan Shangren's body. Luo Si violently raised his rod.

Han Yan Shangren sneered, "My Cold Mist Dharma Body has long been cultivated to have no conventional weaknesses; this is futile." The next moment, his sneer froze, then was quickly replaced by an expression of horror. The Sansheng Chuishihook took a large chunk of his magic power, vitality, spirit, and more, leaving his body and vanishing into the air. Han Yan Shangren fully protected himself at that instant. But the fishing hook and line's attack was extremely peculiar; conventional defensive methods proved utterly ineffective! Luo Si was struck by the Freezing Kill Line, his entire left arm frozen solid like an icicle. Han Yan Shangren's misty body, however, was visibly thinned, and his aura dropped by thirty percent.

The two exchanged blows, an even match, each achieving a result! They continued to battle, descending from mid-air to the ground, then entangled in combat all the way up to high altitudes. The longer Han Yan Shangren fought, the more his heart trembled with alarm. He had originally thought that without the army's power boost, Luo Si, this military strategist cultivator, might be somewhat formidable, but certainly not his match. After more than a dozen exchanges, he completely overturned his previous assumption, unable to hide his shock: "He's this powerful even without the army's power boost. If he had it, how many exchanges could I last against him?"

"No!""I must kill him, exerting my full power!"

Ice Spell – Cherry Blossom Ice Prison! He pressed his hands forward, and a massive surge of Nascent Soul-level magical power mixed with military strength erupted with a roar. Han Yan Shangren's body violently expanded, transforming into a surge of cold current, rushing selflessly towards Luo Si. Wherever it passed, space was instantly frozen. Luo Si retreated explosively, but the cold current dispersed, enveloping him from behind, engulfing and swallowing him. Finally, the cold current solidified into a mountain-sized block of ice, sealing Luo Si at its core. The ice mountain vibrated slightly, and Han Yan Shangren's cold voice echoed: "Luo Si, it is an honor for you to die by my strongest technique."

But the next moment, an imperceptible fishing line around Luo Si's frozen body began to exert force. It moved through the ice layers like a spiritual snake, utterly ignoring the frozen space. The Forgetful River Ferry Line! The fishing line pierced through the ice, extending one end out of the ice mountain. Luo Si's figure abruptly vanished from his original spot, reappearing at the very tip of the fishing line. Before Han Yan Shangren could change his move, Luo Si gripped the fishing line tightly and yanked it outward fiercely. Fishing Art – Fishing for Lives! Han Yan Shangren shrieked in agonizing pain, and the entire ice mountain suddenly disintegrated, breaking into countless ice blocks and fragments. The endless ice fragments reverted into terrifying cold energy. The cold energy gathered, attempting to reform into a human shape, but it continuously churned, unable to solidify. After a few breaths, it dissipated completely with a "hissing" sound, like morning mist illuminated by sunlight.

Han Yan Shangren, killed in action!

Luo Si's face was pale, his injuries severe, and his aura plummeted. After slowly descending to the ground, he could only spread out his fishing line, wrap it around himself, and urgently rest and heal his injuries.

The Qing Jiao Army had already routed Luo Si's remaining forces. Ning Zhui, Qing Chi, Qing Yan, and the others were all utterly exhausted, their magical power and physical energy greatly depleted, almost reaching their limits. The situation for their other comrades was even more dire. There was no alternative; they only had a few hundred people, while the enemy's numbers were truly too great. Even with the Qing Jiao Army's strength, it was a "snake swallowing elephant" battle. They had been fighting with full power all along, fearing that the enemy might recover and reorganize. Even if only a portion reorganized, they would be a tough nut to crack, causing significant losses for the Qing Jiao Army. Fortunately, the entire army fought with their lives, united as one. Ning Zhui repeatedly attacked alone, and Qing Chi also displayed astonishing battlefield intuition, crushing every nascent attempt at organization.

Gasping, gasping, gasping... Ning Zhui panted heavily, and Qing Chi was drenched in sweat. They had achieved astonishing results, but their endurance had reached its limit. If they continued fighting, not to mention the enemy, their own side would collapse first.

"Damn it!" Ning Zhui looked around, his expression hardening. Luo Si's side was fine; it had completely collapsed. But the Forbidden Army's side, without a second Qing Jiao Army unit to suppress it, already had organized remnants.