NOVPUB
Chapter 253: 250
Yuntian City.
Combat Command Room.
A huge screen was projected in front of Gu Jinlai, Cheng Wanli, Gu Chaoyang, Zhang Yukan, and Si Tianyan.
On the screen, a green light continuously scanned back and forth.
At the edge of the screen, various sizes of red dots had already appeared.
Not just at the edge of the screen, the number of red dots in the center was equally numerous.
However, everyone present didn’t pay much attention to it.
"It’s truly inconceivable that spiritual artifacts could be produced like this? Is this the improved version of the Short-Range Defense Cannon detection system? The ’Life Radar’?"
Zhang Yukan exclaimed.
"Calling it a ’Life Radar’ is not wrong, as for the principle, just a slight modification of the detection values is needed. The Short-Range Defense Cannon detects divine thought fluctuations, while that new radar located at the city tower detects life fluctuations. Any life strength that meets the scanning criteria will be detected by the radar," said Gu Jinlai as he glanced at the city tower.
There, a gigantic radar, about ten meters long and eight or nine meters wide, was constantly rotating and detecting.
Although its detection sensitivity was very poor, it was sufficient to guide the direction for the artillery.
"With precise designations of the shelling locations and accurate knowledge of the demons’ movements, coupled with cannon fire that can strike targets nearly a hundred miles away, I can hardly imagine how we could lose this defensive battle," Si Tianyan remarked.
"Even more inconceivable to me is this mode of combat... Ascertaining the enemy’s every move from a hundred miles away and launching an attack... If two forces were to go to war, how would they defend? How would they fight?" followed Cheng Wanli.
He was a Divinity Transformation Great Cultivator and understood very well the massive advantage that attack range brought.
When facing Refining God immortals in close combat, if several Refining God immortals teamed up to surround him, they could trap and kill him.
But in actual combat, a Divinity Transformation Great Cultivator could kill an enemy with his sword from ten miles away, almost one sword strike per kill.
Aside from those who had comprehended the profound mysteries of the Mental Realm or those who possessed top-tier Spirit Armor, ordinary Refining God immortals were like lambs to the slaughter for him.
"This kind of war spiritual artifact could be enough to change the future landscape of warfare," said Zhang Yukan.
"Patriarch, according to the radar detection, the demons have already entered the attack range, look..." Gu Chaoyang asked.
"Have all the Thousand-mile Light and Shadow Mirrors and maps been distributed?" inquired Gu Jinlai.
"They have been distributed. Eight Sword Heavy Cannons form one bombardment unit, with a total of one hundred twenty-eight heavy cannons divided into sixteen groups. Each group has a Thousand-mile Light and Shadow Mirror that receives commands and a marked map," replied Gu Chaoyang.
"Then, activate the Thousand-mile Light and Shadow Mirrors and relay my commands," Gu Jinlai said while looking at the red dots projected on the large screen in front of him by the radar.
As soon as all the Thousand-mile Light and Shadow Mirrors were connected to the main mirror in his hands, he quickly said, "First group, bombard coordinates zero one six, two three one area, six rounds, pay attention to gradually changing the angle. Second group, bombard coordinates zero one nine, two three eight area, nine rounds..."
Orders were issued one after another.
Immediately, all artillery groups holding the Thousand-mile Light and Shadow Mirrors operated swiftly.
Because they had already conducted trial fires in the past few days, the pitch darkness in front of them caused no real hindrance.
"Boom!"
As deafening roars erupted at the location of a Sword Heavy Cannon, the stabilizing frame around the cannon trembled violently, kicking up visible dust that scattered for several meters.
Amidst the dust, flames, and roars, cannonballs, each weighing over four hundred pounds, were fired from the group consisting of eight Sword Heavy Cannons.
All eight cannonballs were accelerated to a speed of two thousand meters per second with a piercing screech, shooting towards the horizon.
With such terrifying acceleration, a distance of sixty to seventy miles could be covered in less than twenty seconds.
...
Meanwhile, seventy to eighty miles outside Yuntian City.
Following the battle at Champsosaurus Swamp, a force of seventy to eighty thousand demons led by several Great Demons was rapidly advancing towards Yuntian City.
A count of tens of thousands, boundless.
Especially since the demons often consisted of demon spirits merged with fierce beasts, their bodies were even more colossal.
Particularly the Upper-level Demons, often reaching the size of over ten meters.
This made them appear like small mountains, causing the ground to shake and mountains to tremble as they ran.
If there were satellites or airborne early warning aircraft looking down from above, one could clearly see a force of seventy to eighty thousand demons, like a destroying flood, continuously pouring towards Yuntian City, instilling a suffocating, despairing pressure, enough to make any power witnessing this scene feel terror and even despair.
Like the Yellow Sky Sect.
Like Cold Moon Sect which, although had sent reinforcements, still had some personnel remotely monitoring the situation here, and the Purgatory Sect, the Netherworld Sect.
And like Shang Zhenbei, who had rushed to the edges of Tianhe but stopped in his tracks upon learning of the situation here through a special spiritual artifact.
"Yellow Sky Sect suffered heavy losses in the battle at Champsosaurus Swamp. Although several Primordial Spirit True Monarchs were not killed, with Divinity Transformation, Refining God, Hugging Pill, Gang Condensation, and Qi Refining Realm elders and stewards nearly half lost, what was the ultimate outcome? At most, they killed about ten thousand demons, even though they utilized various defenses and deployed over five hundred thousand troops," the Great General stated as he looked at the intelligence passed from his subordinates and took a deep breath. "If the demons continue to press on Yellow Sky Sect, at most, another twenty or thirty thousand casualties would completely annihilate this top power, save for those who could fly with swords, the Primordial Spirit True Monarchs, all others would hardly escape death. In other words, thirty or forty thousand demons could eliminate a top power."
He gazed southwards: "Right now, there are still seventy to eighty thousand demons... Even if Purgatory Sect goes all out to help Star State, and they unite their two great powers to resist, the best outcome would be mutual destruction..."
With that thought, he gestured with his hand.
One after another, generals riding fierce beasts appeared behind him: "General."
"Send the orders, along the north bank of Tianhe, clear out the demons. Take advantage of the demons’ main forces moving away to eliminate those that are not yet a threat or are scattered around," commanded Shang Zhenbei.
Finally, he glanced one last time toward Yuntian City: "The people of Lingxiao City... are finished."
...
Almost simultaneously as the Great General issued the order, some of the demons, sensitive to perception, simultaneously lifted their heads.
The moment they looked up, a brilliant blaze mingled with a deafening explosion burst amidst their ranks.
The power of the exploding shells, along with the shrapnel mixed within, propelled by the force of the gunpowder, swept recklessly in all directions.
The demons at the very core were torn into a bloody mist amidst the fierce flames and smoke.
The closer demons were also hit and shredded by the terrifying force contained in the shattered shrapnel, splattering a massive cloud of blood mist.
Furthermore, smaller and more agile demons were completely blown away by the explosive force, their bodies torn apart amid the fiery shockwave, staining the sky with blood.
This sudden attack plunged many demons into chaos.
Onlookers from humanity, however, identified it immediately.
This was a war spiritual artifact called a cannon.
It had been used before by Lingxiao City during the defense of Baihe City and the battle of Dragon Roar City.
Its range was long, and its power was substantial.
Aside from its lack of flexibility, it could almost be seen as a strike from a Divinity Transformation Great Cultivator.
The chaos within the demon ranks lasted for a moment but was soon quelled.
Apparently, they too had somehow learned of the existence of this weapon.
Under the command of some highly intelligent Upper-level Demons, these demons dispersed their formations and simultaneously charged, substantially increasing their speed.
Demons generally possess speeds of dozens, or even hundreds of kilometers per hour; on average, seventy or eighty li, taking just half an hour.
The Sword Heavy Cannon, made from Black Gold among other special materials, had excellent heat resistance. With body-refinement martial artists handling the loading one shell at a time, it could fire three to four rounds a minute.
Half an hour of continuous bombardment...
That was a delivery of hundreds of shells.
One hundred twenty-eight heavy cannons could fire over twelve thousand shells.
Especially with the presence of a Life Radar, even if the demons dispersed, the shells could still accurately target the areas with the highest concentration of demons.
Under such bombardment, the demons suffered incredibly rapid losses.
Approximately thirty to forty li away from Yuntian City, nearly twenty thousand demons had been hit by the heavy cannon fire.
This number...
Had already surpassed the losses suffered by the Tianhe Demons when they breached the outer fortresses of Champsosaurus Swamp.
...
"This is really... this truly is..."
Inside the command room. 𝔫𝖔𝔳𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝔠𝔬𝖒
Cheng Wanli watched the red dots dim one by one, and even though he already knew the terrifying power of the Sword Heavy Cannons, seeing such a large number of demons being obliterated with such ease still filled his eyes with irrepressible shock.
Ten thousand!?
Fifteen thousand!?
Or twenty thousand?
We haven’t even engaged in battle yet!
His side in Lingxiao City and these Tianhe Demons hadn’t yet engaged in combat, yet the enemy, still thirty to forty li away, had already suffered the loss of twenty thousand demons!?
And what was the cost to Yellow Sky Sect for killing fewer than twenty thousand demons!?
They lost nearly half their mid-tier forces!
Six Divinity Transformation Cultivators had died!
In comparison, this disparity...
Was hardly comparable at all.
Especially since Cheng Wanli, through his Divine Sense, knew clearly that those operating a single Sword Heavy Cannon were merely a few Heavenly Master Apprentices and several proficient body-refined fierce warriors.
No more than ten.
Yet ten people had caused such horrifying lethality.
Even leaving the killing efficiency of a Divinity Transformation Great Cultivator far behind.
This made Cheng Wanli unavoidably think that the decades they had spent in tough cultivation might have been meaningless.
Not just him, Zhang Yukan, Si Tianyan, and others who witnessed this long-distance combat were also slightly trembling.
Too strong.
The shock brought by the simultaneous firing of one hundred twenty-eight heavy cannons was far too astonishing.
Especially when paired with the Life Radar for command, all demons had nearly become living targets.
"Is this really a war spiritual artifact produced by our Heavenly Masters? The power of this war spiritual artifact... is it truly so formidable?"
Zhang Yukan’s voice trembled as he asked.
"Haven’t you seen it for yourselves?"
Gu Jinlai said.
The shock brought about when attacking Dragon Roar City was overshadowed by his decisive strike, causing everyone to credit the success against Dragon Sparrow Manor to him, overlooking the intimidation caused by the artillery at the time.
But now...
"We... we really have created such a formidable spiritual artifact, Heavenly Masters can also exert their power on the battlefield against demons..."
Si Tianyan murmured to himself.
"Of course, your power exceeds your imaginations. The heavy cannon production line is already completed, and soon more heavy cannons will be produced. By then, not to mention seventy or eighty thousand demons, even seven hundred thousand or eight hundred thousand demons, under the cover of firepower, will hardly be able to make a splash."
Gu Jinlai looked at the Heavenly Masters shaken by the scene before them and smiled slightly: "Everyone, the times have changed."
