Chapter Seventy-Four: Attack! The Battle of Yuxiao City (Part Two)

“Wall of Fire!” “Hellflame!” “Scatter!”
One spell after another rained down from atop the city walls. Undeniably, these spells proved exceptionally effective against hordes of monsters, especially the Wall of Fire, a mage’s crowning glory for mass extermination.
Beyond the ramparts, the world had become a sea of flames. Aside from a few elite bosses who could still withstand some damage for now, the lesser monsters had already been reduced to heaps of corpses and piles of dropped equipment beneath the relentless assault.
Li Ren watched from afar, unsurprised by the scene before him. If the players and guards couldn’t even hold the walls for long, then there was little point in resisting at all—they might as well surrender without a fight.
Clearly, the mindless monsters could do nothing but roar and charge forward, hurling themselves at the walls with all their might, only to be consumed by the inferno in waves, an endless tide hurling itself to destruction.
In Li Ren’s view, focusing all attacks on one segment of wall was a sound strategy. The overwhelming majority of players were concentrated there; if the monsters tried to attack from all sides, the idle players on the other three walls would only be too happy to reap the experience and loot.
Only if the strongest monsters hammered relentlessly at a single wall, breaking through at last, would the players be left utterly defenseless. Even with a 30% boost to their attack, even if their blows never missed, it would be meaningless.
They could not overcome their inherent disadvantages—low defense and paltry health. Against bosses of over level 100, their fate would be nothing short of a massacre.
Unless, of course, they had something to withstand such foes—like the wall before them.
The mages spared no expense on their blue potions, guzzling them down and transforming the magic energy into a barrage of flames. Anyone teamed up with these mages, even those standing at a distance and gaining only a sliver of experience, found themselves repeatedly bathed in radiant white light.
The difference in level—forty against one hundred—meant a leap of sixty whole levels! The experience bonus was beyond imagination.
Atop the wall, the main attackers—the mages and archers—found their experience bars soaring madly. This, in turn, spurred them on to ever more zealous spellcasting, creating a virtuous cycle for the players.
The player rankings were in constant upheaval, the top hundred shifting rapidly as all the mages, archers, and other ranged area-of-effect classes surged upward with visible speed.
Of course, Soren’s own level was not left behind. Though his growth was slower than the others, the once insurmountable gap meant none could catch up to the figure they had always looked up to.
Under the fierce assault of the greatsword guards, monsters that reached the walls and dared to attack saw their health plummet rapidly. Most astonishing of all, Li Ren witnessed an elite level 90 boss reach the wall, strike once, and be instantly felled by five guards, its full health vanishing in a heartbeat as it became another corpse at their feet.
Li Ren’s eyes narrowed sharply; as long as these guards remained, they posed a dire threat indeed.

Fortunately, the war had only just begun. Barely half the monster army had even reached the front lines. Though the charge continued, the press of monsters in the rear left them unable to advance a single step.
At last, the first lord-level boss since the battle’s start surged forward.
Forgotten Golem
Level 130
Lord-level Boss
Attacks have a chance to inflict confusion.
Summon Golems: Can call forth minions to attack, with the special ability: Self-Destruct.
The Forgotten Golem halted at the very edge of the players’ and NPC guards’ attack range. It raised both hands, and in an instant, hundreds of small golems appeared around it. Though diminutive, they moved with astonishing speed, weaving through every available gap amid the chaos beyond the walls.
Despite the players’ best efforts to cast spells, they struggled to contain the swift little constructs. Even the Wall of Fire only managed to burn away half their health.
A few were picked off one by one by the NPC archer guards, but the rest reached the base of the wall without exception.
With a thunderous boom, the first golem self-destructed, followed by a chain of relentless explosions.
The wall’s durability plummeted with alarming speed amid the blasts.
If nothing was done to stop the wave of golems, the wall would soon be lost.
While the players hesitated, another hundred or so golems rushed to the wall’s base.
Another volley of explosions left the players seething with fury.
As the lord of Yuxiao City, Fan Yunshan could hardly stand by and watch the monsters rampage unchecked.

He strode out from the great hall where he usually presided, a massive sword strapped to his back.
He extended his right hand, and a blood-red magic circle flared to life on the back of his hand.
The light descended, and a blood-hued dragon-eagle materialized, shrieking its piercing cry.
This was a dragon-blooded eagle mount—capable of incredible speed and devastating attacks, able to breathe fierce flames upon its enemies.
Fan Yunshan swung into the saddle. With a soft call, the dragon-eagle shot into the sky, carrying its master toward the battlefield outside the city.
Within the city, all eyes turned to witness the scene. Fan Yunshan’s mount drew countless gazes, his power leaving an indelible impression on the players.
The Forgotten Golem raised its hands again, conjuring another hundred or so minions, but before they could advance, all were reduced to dust.
From afar, a searing arc of sword-light swept across the sky, descending in a display of overwhelming majesty, its force enough to cleave the world itself. Not a single golem survived the onslaught; all were obliterated.
Even the Forgotten Golem itself was grievously wounded—a single arm sliced clean from its shoulder. It shrieked, filling the air with a piercing howl, glaring with undying hatred at the swordsman above.
Fan Yunshan’s expression did not change. He raised his greatsword high, but as his next attack was about to fall, Li Ren heard a deep, commanding roar—a sound of utter authority, enough to make all living things tremble and bow in submission.
The roar was not meant for them, but for Fan Yunshan himself. His dragon-eagle mount quaked in the air, overwhelmed by the might of a true dragon’s roar. The gulf between lesser and greater beings was insurmountable; the eagle’s will to resist vanished entirely. Fan Yunshan’s face darkened further.
He sheathed his sword with a cold snort, his icy gaze fixed on the lord-level dragons before turning away. With a tug, he guided the dragon-eagle back toward the city. The Forgotten Golem likewise retreated to the monster ranks, its wrath undiminished, and did not attack again.