Chapter 298: Three‑Board Axe

Bai Lang's fingertips were unscathed; innate yang qi harder than steel had gathered at his fingertips, and there was still a paper's thickness between the sharp spear tip and his finger. The spear blade likewise suffered no damage, but under the transmission of great force the spear shaft could not endure. The blossoming spear shaft finally shattered, Dan Xiongxin's hands were covered with fragments and blood; his body‑refining technique was not as powerful as Bai Lang's.

Because of that thrust, the distance between him and Bai Lang became too close, already entering the monster's attack range—actually he had already been within Bai Lang's attack range. In his younger days Bai Lang cultivated the Tiger Form True Meaning; each lift and swipe, like a ferocious tiger, could reach three to five zhang. How far was Dan Xiongxin from him? The spear was only eight chi long; no matter what martial skill or footwork he used, to thrust the spear tip into Bai Lang's body the distance could be at most seven chi—perhaps he could cultivate spear qi?

Adding spear qi on top of sword qi and blade qi wouldn't be a problem, the issue is whether Dan Xiongxin possesses such a technique. Moreover, he could not control his footwork; his thoughts were eroded by Bai Lang, causing his true qi circulation to falter— even a moment's delay was enough to prevent him from withdrawing in time. "What does timely reaction matter? My forward‑pounce is already swift and fierce, taking the intent of a tiger's strike; how could a mere Dan Xiongxin escape?"

Dan Xiongxin couldn't react in time, but the guards beside him could— not because their martial skill surpassed his, but simply because they were several beats slower than Dan Xiongxin, which happened to match Bai Lang's pounce rhythm. The three of them each wielded a weapon: one a knife, one a sword, and the last a large shield studded all over with long spikes. These knife and sword were not short blades, but long‑handled weapons over two chi in length, usable with both hands for chopping, slashing and thrusting.

These are the weapons used on the battlefield; the three coordinated seamlessly, lunging at Bai Lang the moment Dan Xiongxin lost control. At that instant Bai Lang flipped his hand and seized the detached spear blade, "What a fine weapon, but too light and short to be useful." The trio's movements gave Bai Lang no trouble; he snapped out a single palm strike, the very first palm landing directly on the shield.

The shield was undoubtedly a weapon, its surface covered with sharp long spikes, and at its center a four‑edged sword blade over a foot long. Yet Bai Lang completely ignored the spikes; with a lengthened posture his strike hit as if striking a broken reed—the spikes, originally cast, were instantly bent flat, and the shield itself was made of oil‑soaked old vines woven thinly and encased in a metal shell—light yet sturdy, but under a single palm it shattered completely.

Bai Lang's palm was no different from a massive bronze hammer striking; the force not only shattered the shield but also pulverized the arm that held it. The man let out a wail, yet the sheer force, after breaking the shield and arm, slammed into his chest and abdomen, the bones snapping and splintering, instantly ending his life—he could not survive, though death did not come instantly.

This is the Sky‑splitting Palm Force; Bai Lang had not yet added a whirlwind to shred half of the man's body. The knife and sword were also extremely fierce, yet they only cut the air. Bai Lang's figure floated through the arcs they carved, passing before they could strike. His target was Dan Xiongxin; at this moment Dan Xiongxin finally steadied his true qi and mind, charged forward a few steps, then swiftly employed Lightness Skill to retreat, now a little over a zhang away from Bai Lang.

But what good is that? His subordinates, even if they risk death, can only buy him a few extra steps, and those steps are useless before Bai Lang. Bai Lang's snarling face grew larger and clearer in Dan Xiongxin's eyes; Bai Lang stretched out his arm, grasped Dan Xiongxin's face, and using the momentum of his pounce twisted the head a full 180 degrees, then...

This time the force of exerting strength and tearing/pulling was used exquisitely to the finest detail; even Shan Xiongxin's hair wasn't disturbed, his head came off and was held in Bai Lang's palm. The headless torso kept retreating, then sprayed blood and fell to the ground. The two soldiers wielding swords and knives also couldn't turn back now, because they were entangled by the county troops. Spears thrusting and great axes chopping, although the martial technique could only be considered crude, but with the internal energy transmitted by Bai Lang supporting them, these martial arts transmitted by Bai Lang are also very practical.

These two, whose martial skill alone surpasses any county soldier, were now bombarded from different angles by two or three long spears thrusting together, leaving them flustered, and then cleanly cut in half by a great axe, ending them.

Bai Lang tossed the head backward; naturally a county soldier lifted it onto a long spear and raised it high, then Bai Lang let out a roar and continued the charge. Dan Xiongxin's formation had already broken, the commander dead, his troops scattered. The scattered soldiers rushed toward the rear formation but were swiftly shot down. The second formation was also wavering; how long had Bai Lang been charging—was it a tea‑time? He had already cut down Dan Xiongxin; the second formation consisted of Li Mi's personal guard cavalry, and Cheng Yaojin didn't know if they could hold.

The wavering second formation was directly slain on the spot by the supervising personal guard and Cheng Yaojin; against the extremely ferocious Sui general in front, defense alone could not hold, so they met the charge with cavalry. Not to mention, the twenty cavalry behind and the other county soldiers could not withstand the onslaught of a thousand of Li Mi's personal guard cavalry. If Bai Lang were left alone, he could not defend Xingyang City, let alone win the battle.

Cheng Yaojin's cavalry had already completed their formation; Bai Lang raised an arm, a ferocious roar echoing in all directions, "Form up! Prepare to strike the cavalry formation!" Bai Lang had trained the command a few times, and it seemed that cultivating Internal Force likely enhanced intelligence, so the "berserkers" now infused with White Tiger Army Qi instantly lined up in several rows.

This formation was also rather odd: spearmen stood beside axe‑men, and the twenty cavalry in armor had not yet charged, now positioned behind the infantry. Once the spearmen and axe‑men were arranged, they ran forward with Bai Lang—indeed, this half‑exposed fellow still led the entire army. He was about twenty steps away from the county soldiers behind him, and he could not employ Lightness Skill now.

Otherwise it would be completely disjointed; Bai Lang does not believe his county soldiers, after only brief training, can easily resist a thousand‑cavalry charge—this formation is merely a casual drill, not yet perfected. The distance between spearmen and axe‑men is widened, and the front and rear rows are also spread far apart; a five‑hundred‑person formation stretched and widened to the size of a several‑thousand‑person array, and Bai Lang doubts they can block multiple cavalry assaults.