Chapter 2670

The battle at talisman Gulch raged on, both sides locked in fierce combat.

Huoye Chan observed the battlefield from a high vantage point, his brow slightly relaxing.

The two armies had been locked in a seesaw struggle here for several rounds; advancing into the narrow gulch meant certain flanking, yet retreat was not an option.

The Panlong Army lived up to its reputation—this was the first time Huoye Chan had faced such a stubborn opponent: skilled, tenacious, and fearless of death.

Fortunately, as the Giant Ape Legion continued to press forward, the front lines gradually shifted northward, and the Bekka forces might soon break out of the gulch.

The terrain north of talisman Gulch suddenly opened into a vast, flowing plaza—undoubtedly where the Panlong Army had gathered, waiting to deliver a devastating counterattack.

From the narrow mountain gulch to the open water plaza lay both opportunity and obstacle for the Bekka Army.

Huoye Chan urgently deployed his forces, ordering the Giant Ape Legion, large war constructs, and all defensive divine abilities to unleash simultaneously at that moment, buying time for the Bekka troops charging out from behind to spread out.

As long as they could hold their ground in the water plaza, the initiative would belong to the Bekka!

Huoye Chan had already received word from the rear: Marshal Fushan's main force had set out from Shada Harbor and was marching here. Thus, for this vanguard army, perseverance meant victory.

The front line inched northward, and this dark, gloomy, narrow, bloody skirmish was clearly nearing its end.

As Huoye Chan adjusted his follow-up offensive plan, he heard a sudden splash—nearby, a small stream leapt out with a fish.

The fish had been blocked by a fallen tree branch in the water and had to attempt leaping over the obstacle.

It was fortunate—it landed in the water on the other side of the branch, splashing frantically as it struggled forward.

The stream was so shallow that even its dorsal fin broke the surface.

Hmm? Wait—the stream is very shallow!

Huoye Chan shuddered—this stream had previously been ankle-deep even at its shallowest, and only two hours ago it had reached his knees. How had the water level dropped to just above the soles of his boots?

Huoye Chan instantly sensed danger, took a few quick strides, and leapt onto the high stone beside the stream.

The nearby guards shouted: "Danger! General, get down quickly!"

That stone was bare and exposed, offering no cover—once the general stood on it, he would be an easy target for enemy arrows.

Huoye Chan ignored them, gazing upstream along talisman Gulch.

He had been paying attention, and only then noticed that the clear, shallow waters of the talisman Gulch's rear water plaza had, at some point, turned into a lake!

"That's…" his face changed instantly, and he barked, "Full retreat from the deep gulch—now!"

The officers were startled—they had fought desperately for so long, finally on the verge of taking talisman Gulch, why would the general suddenly call a halt?

As the order was transmitted, a distant boom echoed.

The explosion blended into the din of battle, not particularly startling, yet Huoye Chan sensed an ominous, heart-chilling dread within it.

Earlier, the northern exit of talisman Gulch had already been cracked by Bekka sorcery, and now a large section collapsed outright. The water, having finally found an outlet, surged downward in an instant, even throwing up white spray—like a bottle of wine suddenly uncorked.

But talisman Gulch was narrow, and as the water rushed in, besides the rapid rise in water level, the current turned into an exceptionally fierce torrent, losing its former gentle, affectionate flow.

A mountain flood had erupted.

The Bekka Army never imagined the flood would break out at this moment.

As they passed through talisman Gulch, the water had risen to fifteen feet high—let alone humans, even towering demons would be submerged.

The troops originally stationed in talisman Gulch had no time to withdraw before being swept away by the violent current, scoured out of the gulch at ten times normal speed.

After the floodwaters burst from talisman Gulch, their momentum did not cease—they continued to widen the downstream riverbed.

These tributaries are streams in autumn and winter, but in spring and summer, due to abundant upstream sources, their water levels rise and they become rivers. The Panlong Army's doing was merely to bring forward the summer season.

What He Lingchuan and the Panlong Army had done earlier was deliberately raise the upstream water level, even sealing several drainage outlets of the water plaza, and blocking the talisman Gulch entrance with a waterproof barrier.

That earlier explosion was the dismantling of the waterproof barrier, simultaneously widening the talisman Gulch entrance into a funnel. At that moment, He Lingchuan commanded the sorcerers to unleash Water Dragon Technique and other water-based divine abilities, unleashing a furious wave.

What Huoye Chan saw from atop the stone was precisely the effect of this wave.

This release of floodwaters carried less force than He Lingchuan had estimated—it did not produce the mighty spectacle of waves crashing against the shore.

Yet it was enough. Leveraging the unique terrain, the enemy troops within talisman Gulch were scattered in disarray, their once-tight battle formations and coordination utterly destroyed.

Having painstakingly created such an opportunity, the Panlong Army would not miss it. After the first few waves passed, Xu Zhiyu gave the order, and the Panlong Army surged forward in a counterattack!

The Bekka Army was utterly washed away, their formations dissolved. Though officers desperately tried to rally their troops, most soldiers were still dodging the rapids, and the Panlong Army followed the flood, charging out of talisman Gulch to cut down the drowning dogs.

The Bekka Army's spiritual power was formidable, but spiritual power counters techniques and divine abilities—it is ineffective against this natural surge of mountain flood.

By this point, even if the Giant Ape Legion had heavenly talent, it could not alter the outcome of this battle.

Seeing that heaven could not be turned, Huoye Chan stomped his foot hard in frustration.

He too was a master of terrain, and had long considered the enemy's water-based tactics. But this season's stream was indeed too shallow, the upstream merely a trickle—he did not believe the Panlong Army could stir up a great wave in talisman Gulch.

Fact proved him wrong.

Yet he could not fathom where the flood had come from!

"Release the war constructs, cover the retreat!"

In this battle, the Bekka Army was scattered by the mountain flood, unable to organize effective resistance; the Panlong Army pursued them for twenty li, beheading seven hundred before returning.

Only then did He Lingchuan appear at talisman Gulch.

That familiar face, that familiar suit of armor—upon appearing, the Panlong Army erupted in cheers, nearly lifting the entire Dashan.

The Tiger Wing General had returned!

The soldiers who had previously struggled through battle, sustained only by faith, suddenly saw a glimmer of light before their eyes.

￥￥￥￥￥

Cangyan, Ju City.

The court discussion had just ended when He Lingchuan received a request for communication from Prince He Chunhua of Shen.

The last time the Earth Mother carried the Panlong ruins away from the wilderness, He Lingchuan had also sent He Chunhua several crouching spine beasts. This short-term communication device was made from the earth and stone of the ancient Panlong City, usable only once.

He Lingchuan stretched out a long yawn before letting the Haoyuan Golden Mirror connect.

These past few days he had been truly exhausted—managing state affairs by day, leading troops in battle by night.

But he was happy, for the familiar life had returned.

He Chunhua first reported the recent situation of Shaliti Heaven and Naraka Heaven, and then mentioned the newly released list of a hundred trial-descent heavenly gods by the Lingxu Assembly.

He read the list in full, and He Lingchuan also picked up a brush and personally copied it down.

Upon hearing the name "Naraka Heaven," his brush paused, and he tilted his head slightly.

Of course, naturally, this is exactly the kind of move the Lingxu Holy Venerable would make.