Chapter 191: Jiang Ming's Shock: His Volcano Art Is So Terrifying

"Jiang Ming of the Zhenhai Army is a military officer of the sixth rank, lower grade. He is stationed in Dongsangcheng and is eager to establish merit. Now that Commandant Liao has given the word, he will certainly cooperate with us." Inside the Cloud-Rain Pavilion Ship on the Gale Layer, Chen Shijie introduced him to Zhao Xing.

"Now the area around that dead volcano is surrounded by Jiang Ming, just waiting for us to arrive."

"That sounds a bit like flattery," Zhao Xing asked. "For such a small matter, would a Commandant personally go to take command?"

Chen Shijie smiled lightly. "You do not know. The Zhenhai Army consists mostly of naval forces; their main troops are fighting upstream along the south of the Canglan River."

"The Canglan River battlefield is also one of the main battlefields, but the Zhenhai Army's current performance is merely adequate."

"Compared to other armies, one could even say it is somewhat poor."

"Among the Pingman Legion, the Zhenhai Army currently has the lowest total merit count."

"The upstream is controlled by the Southern Wasteland; they find it hard to gain any advantage. Their progress comes only from the advance of the front lines in other battlefields. As the Four Wang Ting fight and retreat, the Zhenhai Army has made some headway."

Zhao Xing understood. Taming the Canglan River was not easy, let alone with the Water Witches causing trouble upstream.

Yun City was built along the water. Back then, he had almost been set up in Yun City. It was only because a group of geniuses—Xia Jing, Wang Ji, Cao Shuang, and others—worked together that nothing went wrong.

That time was merely a small disaster strike by the Insect Witches against Yun City. An eighth-rank Insect Witch had acted, essentially testing the waters.

Since the Merit List opened, has the intensity of disaster strikes not increased a hundredfold?

The Zhenhai Army might scoop up some merit here today, but tomorrow it will be deducted.

They followed the front line for several thousand li, yet gained very little merit, far below the average level.

"Seeing the other friendly army units feasting, General Zhenhai, Lan Hongming, could not sit still."

"After much persuasion, he managed to secure an opportunity for his subordinates at the military conference of the Nine Heavens Yingyuan Bureau, getting an army of eighty thousand to land. One of the units is the force commanded by Jiang Ming."

"The other is Li Que, oh, the superior of Chen Lu whom you saved last time."

Zhao Xing smiled. "The Wolf God Tribe has been nearly wiped out by the Shenwei Army and the Li Yang Army. Now the only places left to fight are the Huolong Pass in the southeast and the Fengming Mountain range in the southwest."

"This old fellow really has no luck."

The Zhenhai Army is just a detached force of thirty thousand; they cannot venture into the Fengming Mountain Range because there are no friendly troops there. Sending such a small force into those vast mountains is no different from going to die.

Continuing southwest from the Fengming Mountain Range lies the hardest bone to crack among the Four Wang Ting—the Yan Guang Wang Ting.

Baboke's sandworms are something even Old Master Zhao would have nightmares about.

Whoever attacks that direction will be beaten into a sandbag.

"It cannot be said to be bad luck," Chen Shijie said. "The Zhenhai Army landed relatively late; the attack routes and battle sequences of the theater were already assigned."

"Before finding a good solution, they can only watch and wait for an opportunity behind the scenes."

Previously, before finding the method of the Earth-Fire Lotus, Huolong Pass could only be attacked by force.

Jiang Ming could only depend on the breath of the other main forces because the division of the theater was not up to him; even if he had a mission, he could not cross into their defensive zones.

Now that the battle is going smoothly, you want to eat the merit? I want to eat it too! How could I let you?

Zhao Xing finally understood why a Commandant of Jiang Ming's stature was so humble.

Liao Rulong said a word, and he personally went to guard the volcano.

Earning merit is not shameful.

"We are almost there." Chen Shijie glanced out the bow window of the pavilion ship, then quickly walked to the command cabin to issue orders.

First, raise the Shenwei Army's banner to identify themselves to the small flying boats closing in.

Immediately after, Chen Shijie dispatched a small flying boat to negotiate. After repeatedly confirming their identity,

under the guidance of fifty small flying boats, they descended into the territory of Dongsangcheng.

During this time, the Cloud-Rain Pavilion Ship's defensive formation was required to be opened, while the crossbow ports of twenty small flying boats remained aimed directly at the Cloud-Rain Pavilion Ship.

"Jiang Ming's military discipline is quite strict," Zhao Xing said as he disembarked from the Cloud-Rain Pavilion Ship and followed Chen Shijie onto a Swordfish flying boat.

"It is the shadow cast by fighting naval battles," Chen Shijie whispered. "If you were frequently ambushed, you would be the same."

"Someone is coming. That three-leaf flying boat has raised the Sea Moon banner of the main commander."

Zhao Xing and Chen Shijie had not yet landed.

Jiang Ming took off proactively to meet them in mid-air.

The Zhenhai Army's banner is a full moon hanging over the great sea.

The Shenwei Army's is an image of a green dragon rising into the clouds, surrounded by a sword formation.

"Brother Chen, I failed to welcome you from afar, I failed to welcome you from afar."

Jiang Ming was stocky with a typical general's belly; looking down, he probably could not see his own feet.

His head was also somewhat fat and round, looking quite prosperous.

Zhao Xing saw at a glance that this person was proficient in the 'Gluttony Art' and had already cultivated it to the fourth layer or above, in a critical period.

The primal energy within his body was much more abundant than that of a typical sixth-rank practitioner; both his endurance and defense exceeded the sixth-rank threshold.

It is just that his flexibility might be affected.

If he cannot break through, his physique will remain like this forever.

"Commandant Jiang is too polite," Chen Shijie said. "It is we who have caused trouble for Commandant Jiang."

"No trouble, no trouble!" Jiang Ming laughed, his face's fat squeezing together. "The Shenwei Army's affairs are the Zhenhai Army's affairs! Family members do not speak with two sets of words."

"Has Brother Chen eaten? Why not rest first?"

Jiang Ming's attitude was enthusiastic, even to the point of being somewhat humble.

Although he was one rank higher than Chen Shijie, he did not mention the rank at all, directly addressing Chen Shijie as a brother.

That was one thing, but even Zhao Xing standing beside Chen Shijie was addressed as 'Brother Zhao'.

However, neither of them looked down on Jiang Ming because of this.

Because Zhao Xing understood Jiang Ming too well; in his past life, he also led a group of brothers to make a living.

To take on missions and scoop up merit, he was even more humble than Jiang Ming; as long as there was a benefit, a seventh-rank officer would bow to a sixth-rank officer and call him 'Father'!

"This subordinate has military duties and would like to see the volcano first," Chen Shijie said.

"As it should be, as it should be,"Jiang Ming smiled. "I shall lead the two brothers there at once."

His flying boat cleared the way ahead, while Zhao Xing and Chen Shijie returned to the Yunyu Tower Ship.

They soon arrived at Chengnan, the southern part of Dongsangcheng.

A volcano six hundred meters high stood there.

Snow capped the summit, yet peach blossoms bloomed on the mountainside, while the foot of the mountain was utterly desolate, not a blade of grass growing.

Five li from the mountain's base, a circle of tents was pitched, and Jiang Ming's Fu Hai Tower Ship had docked nearby.

Zhao Xing and Chen Shijie requested that the flying boat circle the volcano once.

They then descended on clouds to observe at close range.

Jiang Ming accompanied them the entire time, acting like a bodyguard; whatever the two asked, he did.

"How is it?"Chen Shijie asked Zhao Xing.

"It can be opened,"Zhao Xing said, "but the people must be evacuated first."

"How far? Is twenty li enough?"

"Thirty li, no, make it forty li."

Chen Shijie was somewhat surprised: "So terrifying?"

"My Volcano Art carries a bit of metaphysics; I don't know to what extent it will open,"Zhao Xing pointed to the tents below, "but at this distance, it certainly won't work."

Jiang Ming, listening nearby, was also somewhat surprised.

He had not expected Zhao Xing to be the main force this time, not Chen Shijie.

Jiang Ming had heard of the Volcano Art; he never expected Zhao Xing to be the one to open this volcano.

Moreover, from what the other said, it seemed the power would be particularly great?

Not even twenty li is enough; isn't that a bit of boasting?

"Commandant Jiang, please evacuate everyone from the foot of the mountain thirty li outward,"Chen Shijie said.

"Very well,"Jiang Ming's main focus was providing top-notch service.

He immediately ordered the army below to break camp, pack up, and leave.

Following Zhao Xing and Chen Shijie's instructions, they retreated directly to the wasteland thirty li away before stopping.

"Commandant, please evacuate the warships in the sky as well, those below the fifth tier."

Jiang Ming found this somewhat strange.

My ships are all parked in the thousand-meter Gao Feng Layer; must these be evacuated too?

He did not take it to heart in his mind, but he did as told.

Only his own Fu Hai Warship remained.

"What do we do next?"Jiang Ming asked.

"Just wait for Zhao Xing to cast the spell,"Chen Shijie said.

He and Jiang Ming had already returned to the deck of the warship in the sky.

Zhao Xing flew down toward the volcano.

"Hush~"As the clouds and mist beneath his feet dispersed, Zhao Xing landed on the edge of the crater.

"The crater's diameter is 359 meters, and its depth is 245 meters."

"It can only be called a small volcano."

"Opening this volcano is not very difficult,"Zhao Xing pondered.

This one in Dongsangcheng can only be called a small volcano.

After all, its height is only six or seven hundred meters, and its diameter and depth are not large.

A truly large volcano, just the diameter alone is over a hundred kilometers, and the depth exceeds five thousand meters.

However, Zhao Xing cannot shake such a volcano.

This small volcano now happens to be within his capability.

"The Volcano Art evolved from the Five Elements Earth-Splitting Art; although this method involves only the Fire attribute, it still retains the characteristic of luck enhancement."

That is to say, the Volcano Art Zhao Xing knows still belongs to the gambler's combat style.

It has merely become a high-tier art, with the spell gaining directionality.

"Pssst~"

Zhao Xing jumped onto the tuff at the crater's mouth; at this moment, only the twenty-meter diameter in the center showed white smoke rising.

To the naked eye, even the magma could not be seen. "Whoosh!"

A beam of Jin Guang spell struck one spot.

"Gurgle~"

The ground cracked open, and a wisp of sparks rose up.

For the high-tier Volcano Art, casting is a gradual process.

Mountain arts are all like this; it is not a mere wave of the hand that yields immediate results.

Zhao Xing was altering the mountain's structure.

"Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh!"

Beams of Jin Guang spell drilled into the ground.

After entering the crater, they went straight down, deep into the earth.

Every two hours, Zhao Xing changed locations.

Sometimes he even flew to the mountainside or the foot of the mountain to cast spells.

Either he dug through a massive boulder, or he collapsed a section of mountain soil.

He was like a craftsman, carving this mountain.

Time passed while Zhao Xing cast his spells; in the blink of an eye, three days had gone by.

Jiang Ming accompanied them patiently.

But the volcano still looked no different from three days ago.

Will it actually work?

Jiang Ming murmured to himself as well.

Yet he knew well that an amateur should not direct a professional; despite his doubts, he kept them hidden in his heart.

Instead, he occasionally comforted Chen Shijie and Zhao Xing, urging them to rest more.

Zhao Xing came up to the warship to rest twice.

Mainly because high-level spells consume too much Yuan Qi; even though he was now at the thirty-eighth stage of Gathering Yuan, he still found it hard to withstand such terrifying consumption.

"How is it?" Chen Shijie ran over and asked; he had already sensed a change in the earth vein power, especially the Fire Element power, which had gradually grown dense.

"Almost there; one more descent, and this volcano can be activated." Zhao Xing frantically ate fruits that replenished Yuan Qi.

Once his Yuan Qi had recovered sufficiently, Zhao Xing prepared to fly down again.

Just before leaving, he looked at Jiang Ming: "Commandant Jiang, are you sure everyone has evacuated?"

Jiang Ming said, "Rest assured; within a thirty-li radius, besides us in the sky, there isn't even a feather down below."

"Good."

Zhao Xing jumped down.

Chen Shijie said, "Commandant Jiang, activate the defensive barrier of the Fu Hai warship and raise it to fifteen hundred meters."

"Set the formation's defense level to the highest."

Jiang Ming could finally hold back no longer: "Is this necessary? Our Fu Hai warship is a fifth-grade supreme-grade vessel; setting it to level two defense should be enough."

Chen Shijie nodded and said, "It is necessary."

Seeing this, Jiang Ming could only helplessly issue the order.

The night of the fourth day.

The quiet night was suddenly broken by a loud explosion.

"Boom!"

It sounded as if a massive boulder had struck the ground and collided, yet the sound was very dull.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom~"

Continuous explosions rang out; the dull sound made even the soldiers of the Zhenhai Army thirty li away feel a heaviness in their hearts, as if the heavens and earth were brewing something.

It was not as violent as a thunderclap, yet it made one's heart feel heavy, as if a great change was about to occur in the world.

"What happened? Did it thunder?" Ouyang Song ran out of the tent, looking toward the horizon.

"It wasn't thunder." He Yu also ran out; both were Military Agricultural Officials and immediately went to check the disturbance. "It's the disturbance from the volcano."

"No way; we evacuated thirty li, yet we can still hear it?"

He Yu suddenly crouched down, pressing his ear to the ground.

"An earthquake."

Before he finished speaking, the ground indeed began to shake slightly.

"Quick, notify the Commander; the entire camp must continue retreating!" He Yu shouted.

"Huh? Is that really necessary?" Ouyang Song asked.

"Did you forget what happened during the training at the Ten Yang Cave Heaven?" He Yu said, "Back then, Zhao Xing had just entered the Ninth Rank, yet he opened an isolation zone over ten kilometers long in the Earth Fire Plain."

"Now he is a Seventh Rank Upper!"

"Old friend, you must remember this! Go notify them quickly!"

Recalling the past events, Ouyang Song shivered; back then, he had nearly died of thirst in the Earth Fire Plain.

If not for Wei Chen of the Black Armor Army giving him a gourd of water, he might not have even made it to Yang City.

"I'll go right now!"

After such a dull sound continued for one shi,

it suddenly ceased, as if everything had become calm.

However, in the next moment—

"Bang!"

The night instantly turned into day.

A mushroom cloud rose from the volcano's crater!

Amidst the scorching and burning smoke.

A pillar of fiery red light shot straight into the sky, like a fire dragon ascending to heaven!

The heavens and earth underwent a violent change!

"Swish!"

Zhao Xing's figure rose rapidly, flying out from the black smoke.

He jumped onto the deck of the Fu Hai tower ship.

Seeing this, Chen Shijie immediately roared: "Run!!"

Jiang Ming's scalp went numb, because standing on the deck and looking down, he saw that the fiery red pillar of light, in the blink of an eye, had pierced through the thousand-meter Gao Feng layer.

The surrounding Gao Feng layer had been blasted open with a huge gap, and the momentum did not diminish; in an instant, it reached the warship's hovering height of fifteen hundred meters.

"Hard left, ascend, southeast... damn it!"

Before Jiang Ming could finish issuing all the commands, he felt a tremendous force surge through the deck.

The force was so terrifying that he, a sixth-rank martial artist, couldn't even stand his ground and was flung into the air.

The others were also thrown about in a daze, all crashing against the barrier or the walls of the warship inside.

Boom!

Even a fifth-rank supreme warship, though massive, was grazed by the erupting column of volcanic fire and sent spinning away!

It spun through the air like a top, and in the blink of an eye was blasted three thousand meters away.

Jiang Ming's head was knocked dizzy, the world spinning around him; the warship only stabilized a full minute later.

"Good heavens!" Jiang Ming was stunned. "Is this the Volcano Art?"

Jiang Ming prided himself on his vast experience; having reached the sixth rank, what scenes had he not witnessed?

But this scene, he truly had never seen before.

The crater originally had a diameter of just over three hundred meters, but now it exceeded one thousand meters!

The lava emitted a scorching heat, black smoke billowed, and the entire top of the crater was completely burned red, refracting a blinding crimson light.

Red volcanic ash danced, like dark clouds raging in a frenzy.

Scorching heat erupted from the deep underground, like a roaring beast seeking to intimidate, causing all living beings to tremble before such power.

The sky was shrouded in clouds, no longer allowing a view of the Gang Wind layer through it.

The ground around the crater trembled continuously, as if the earth itself was shaking in endless agony.

The volcanic eruption grew more violent, lava flowing over the surrounding wasteland, directly forming a sea of molten fire.

In that instant, the ferocity and madness struck a profound blow to Jiang Ming's soul.

He now understood why Chen Shijie and Zhao Xing had repeatedly urged them to retreat further.

The might of Heaven and Earth, this is the might of Heaven and Earth!

Had they not maximized the defense of the fifth-rank supreme warship beforehand, the ship might well have been burned through by now!

In that case, let alone the others on board, whether even he, Jiang Ming, would survive was another matter entirely.

A sixth-rank Tian Gang realm cultivator can survive in the Gang Wind layer at an altitude of fifteen hundred meters.

But now, the Gang Wind layer three thousand meters above this crater has been completely scattered!

"Is anyone injured?!"

"The military doctor, where is the military doctor!"

Chen Shijie, clutching a mast, saw the warship stabilize and immediately shouted.

Jiang Ming also came to his senses and immediately began checking the condition of the warship and the casualties.

A stick of incense later, Jiang Ming slumped to the ground, cold sweat breaking out on his body.

Fortunately, he had listened to advice; no one on the warship had died, but many had broken bones under the violent impact.

It was hard to imagine what would have happened if the defensive barrier had not been activated at that time.

At this moment, the look in Jiang Ming's eyes toward Zhao Xing had completely changed.

His gaze was filled with shock.

"The Volcano Art is so terrifying; if my army camp had been pitched at the foot of the mountain, would it not have been annihilated by now?"