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Chapter 305: Chapter 302: Beyond Visual Range Strike
Lizhou State’s port was dozens of miles away.
One after another, gigantic warships were slowly making their way towards Jiangzhou State.
Altogether, these warships numbered in the thousands, some of which formed formations, but many more were chaotically spread around the perimeter of the most central dozen or so fleets, dotting the surface of the sea.
At the very heart of this immense fleet were a dozen battleships each exceeding a hundred meters in length, their sails billowing and surfaces clad in armored iron.
Unlike the other warships, these few vessels contained spiritual materials within, whose emitted fluctuations naturally repelled the water, creating a repellent field. With the refinement and utilization by the Heavenly Masters, this force could not only reduce the weight of the ships but also accelerate their speed.
A dozen first-level warships could reach a top speed of over a hundred miles per hour.
Of course, to maintain formation with the other Level 2 and Level 3 warships in the fleet, their overall speed hovered between fifty and sixty miles per hour.
Even at this speed, they could still cut through the waves in the ocean with unmatched prowess.
At this moment, the Primordial Spirit Monarchs seated on the first-level warships, although separated by dozens or even tens of miles, had powerful divine thoughts due to their condensed Primordial Spirits. As long as they were not scanning an area, extending their thoughts in a straight line for tens of miles was trivial.
Therefore, this distance did not affect their communication with each other.
"We just received news that Jiangzhou’s fleet has set sail, and you can’t imagine how many warships they’ve dispatched!"
The one speaking was Ouyang Yue from the Ouyang family, a Primordial Spirit Monarch.
"Since ancient times, there has been talk of a hundred-year navy, and casting ships has never been easy. Moreover, forging Level 1 and Level 2 warships requires a significant amount of spiritual materials, which aren’t cheap. When Jiangzhou was under Dragon Sparrow Manor’s control, they were reluctant to allocate resources to these ships, the naval scale was always unsystematic, not to mention first-level warships; there were only two or three Level 2 warships, with the rest being Level 3 and 4 warships, totaling around a hundred."
Responding to him was Black Crystal from Black Shark Island.
He was one of the Monarchs who had attacked Gu Chifeng when entering Jiangzhou and was quite knowledgeable about Jiangzhou’s power.
"With Jiangzhou having fallen under Lingxiao City’s control not long ago, even if they intended to develop naval forces, adding three to fifty new warships in such a short period would be the limit. Thus, I estimate that the total number of warships of all levels in Jiangzhou will not exceed one hundred and fifty."
This statement from Black Crystal True Monarch was met with agreement from many present.
"That number should be about right."
"Hehe, one hundred fifty warships is not a small number. If they faced any of our nine islands overseas, they wouldn’t be at a disadvantage, but unfortunately, they are up against our coalition of fifteen realms. It wouldn’t matter if they had one hundred fifty warships; even ten times that number would still be inferior to us."
Several Monarchs echoed this sentiment with full confidence.
Ouyang Yue laughed and said, "What you all say is true, but you’re giving Jiangzhou too much credit, overestimating Lingxiao City. When Lingxiao City first took over Jiangzhou, everything was in disarray. Furthermore, in order to avoid reckoning, some forces close to Dragon Sparrow Manor fled overseas with some of the fleet to become island kings. Jiangzhou’s fleet numbered less than a hundred! Although they have deployed two to three hundred vessels this time, the remaining more than two hundred are merely merchant ships, not even worthy of being called warships."
"Merchant ships?"
"Warships less than a hundred!?"
Upon perceiving the information in Ouyang Yue’s Divine Thought, the dozens of Primordial Spirit Monarchs were full of astonishment.
Immediately after, there was an uproar.
"Less than a hundred warships and more than two hundred merchant ships dare to attack our fleet of nearly two thousand warships? Who gave them the courage!?"
"Geez, I’m straight-up shocked, less than a hundred warships... Let’s just assume they have a hundred warships for the sake of argument. Do they really think that each of their warships is a First-level Iron Armor Battleship?"
"People from Lingxiao City, have they always been this brave? Or do they think that naval battles are just like land battles, where numbers suffice?"
The Divine Thoughts of each Monarch were continuously intersecting, creating chaos.
Some of the Primordial Spirit Monarchs couldn’t help but burst into laughter, filling the atmosphere with joy.
"Ahem, Lingxiao City was able to defeat Jiangzhou State; they are not the weak. Plus, even if the leaders of Lingxiao City, like Gu Jinlai, don’t understand the difference between naval and land battles, some of the naval officers from Jiangzhou State who have defected to him would remind them. So we shouldn’t be careless. Don’t forget, Gu Jinlai has a trump card that rivals a Devas Strike in his hands, so please, let’s take this enemy seriously, huh?"
At this moment, another Divine Thought emerged.
This was another high-ranking Monarch from the group, Long Ao, the Island Master of Coiling Dragon Island.
However, it seemed that he too couldn’t help but laugh towards the end of his thought.
"Haha, it’s true that Gu Jinlai has a trump card that rivals a Devas Strike, but based on our investigation, that trump card can only be activated at close range. The thirteen of us Primordial Spirit Monarchs can join forces to attack from afar without approaching within ten miles of him. No matter how powerful his trump card, he will have to hold it in his hand until death," laughed Yuan Zhenhai.
"Correct, we have completely understood all the moves Gu Jinlai can make. His Devas Strike trump card has significant limitations and is not a concern. The only thing we need to be careful about are those three War Spiritual Artifacts called ’Mystic Bird.’ However, as strong as these war artifacts are, facing the thirteen of us Primordial Spirit Monarchs, they will only be destroyed one by one. Without these War Spiritual Artifacts, Gu Jinlai won’t be able to harm us. What else can he rely on after that? Xin Tianqi? Cheng Lixue? Jing Yunshan?"
"Three Monarchs, with only Xin Tianqi needing a bit of caution. The other two are not worth a sneer."
"Exactly, and on our side, we have sixty-six Divinity Transformation Cultivators, thirteen Monarchs, and sixty-six Divinity Transformations, plus nineteen First-level Warships, ninety-two Level 2 Battleships, and thousands of Third Level and Level 4 warships. With such absolute superiority, tell me, how could we possibly lose?"
"After this naval battle, when we have completely wiped out Lingxiao City’s naval forces, we will make them cede Fish Dragon City entirely to us."
"Just Fish Dragon City? Every coastal city must be handed over. If they don’t comply? We’ll send raids every now and then to plunder until they are forced to cede territory for peace!"
The Divine Thoughts of each Primordial Spirit Monarch were colliding in the void; they had even started to discuss how to divide the coastal cities of Jiangzhou State.
At this moment, Yuan Zhenhai suddenly spoke up, "Our advance fleet has sent a message; they have found Lingxiao City’s War Spiritual Artifact—the ’Mystic Bird.’
"To avoid long-range bombardment, the advance fleet traveled hundreds of miles ahead of us. They’ve sent a message that, considering the ’Mystic Bird’s’ flying speed, it is estimated to arrive at the battlefield in half a minute. Everyone, prepare for battle."
"Mystic Bird? So they’re leading with such a War Spiritual Artifact, let’s proceed according to Response Plan Four then."
"We’ll group in threes and hold off these War Spiritual Artifacts, then have the Divinity Transformation Cultivators focus their fire. Additionally, reserve four Primordial Spirit True Monarchs just in case, to prevent Xin Tianqi, Cheng Lixue, and Jing Yunshan from ambushing."
Although these Primordial Spirit True Monarchs acted as if they didn’t take Lingxiao City seriously, they understood the principle of even a lion using its full strength to catch a rabbit.
Once they entered combat mode, all the Monarchs quickly became fully alert.
The groups of three Primordial Spirit True Monarchs began to ascend gradually.
The sixty-six Divinity Transformation Cultivators dispersed across various warships were even more so ready, grouping in tens to prepare for sword control and shooting.
The group closer to the Mystic Bird Fighting Machine would strike first.
Strategically belittle the enemy, but tactically take them seriously—is there anything more to it?
"I won’t say anything superfluous, we may have an absolute advantage, but Lingxiao City is not weak, everyone..."
The Black Shark Island Master Hei Jing, who had flown up into the Void and was about to say something to the two Primordial Spirit True Monarchs in his group, suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of crisis.
This feeling of crisis came so swiftly that it made this high-level Monarch shudder.
"Be careful!"
All he could do was let out a loud shout, stimulating his Divine Thought to its utmost, and the Supreme Grade Spirit Artifact level flying sword in his possession surged with Sword Qi.
Yet even so, he only saw a fleeting streak of light at the edge of the sky.
At the same time as he caught sight of this streak of light, he felt the presence of eight...
Flying swords?
Eight entities, similar to conical flying swords, shot forth at a velocity far surpassing that of the True Monarchs’ flying sword shooting.
Four of them, in a triangular formation with one at the point, locked tightly onto his body, completely sealing off his escape.
"Not good!"
Hei Jing employed his secret technique, and his Primordial Spirit burst forth.
Dozens of sword lights shot out from the Supreme Grade Spirit Artifact level flying sword in his hands, penetrating the Void.
"Break for me!"
In that moment, this high-level Monarch elevated his Essence Qi Spirit to its peak.
But...
It was too fast.
Those "flying swords" were simply too fast!
It was like using ordinary interception equipment to stop an intercontinental missile.
Sword Qi traveling at four or five times the speed of sound faced projectiles moving at over ten times that speed, making precise interception impossible.
Despite a few strands of Sword Qi luckily striking two projectiles, causing a violent shockwave, the remaining two projectiles passed over his body with incredible speed.
"Bang!"
Under the wide open eyes of the high-level Monarch Hei Jing, his top-grade Defensive Spiritual Armor was virtually useless and was torn to shreds by a violent, pure force.
The energy brought by the speed unloaded upon his body, its power hardly inferior to a head-on strike from a Supreme Flying Sword wielded by a Peak Monarch.
"Boom!"
Amidst the scattering Spirit Light and bursting Qi waves, a mist of blood seemed to explode in the Void.
Such a high-level Monarch, whose Primordial Spirit had grown to its limit and even had hopes of assaulting the Devas Realm was, before he could see the target or even think of retaliating, shot through in the air.
And he was not the only one!
The other two Primordial Spirit True Monarchs in his group met with the same fate.
Although they were only targeted by two projectiles, their reaction and explosion speeds were nowhere near Hei Jing’s level.
Plus, they had no anticipation of being attacked before even seeing the target clearly, hence they could not reveal their various techniques in time, following in the footsteps of Black Shark Island Master Hei Jing.
Shot through in the air, they dissolved into a mist of blood.
From the initial reconnaissance of the Mystic Bird Fighting Machine to the sudden onset of the attack...
Right at the start of the battle, the allied forces of fifteen factions lost three great Monarchs.
This abrupt and thunderous assault left the remaining Primordial Spirit True Monarchs utterly dumbfounded.
