Chapter 640

Zong Tang raised the shield in his hand and stepped in front of his father, using the shield to block the enemy's spear. The spear and shield collided, producing a loud "Dang!" as sparks shot out in all directions from the tip of the spear. Zong Tang exerted all his strength to resist the force transmitted from the enemy's spear tip; his muscles bulged all over, and the clothing on his upper body actually tore apart from being unable to withstand the muscle tension. The ground beneath his feet was stepped into a depression, over an inch deep.

That winged warrior obviously hadn't expected Zong Tang's strength to be so formidable; attacking from above in midair, he used the advantage of his dive, yet he failed to push Zong Tang back even half a step.

Zong Tang (person), father (generic)

craftsman (generic), half arm (generic), key (generic), Zong Yuan (person), Soldier Hiding Cave (place)

Another winged warrior wheeled in midair, pulling his iron bow open again; the feathered arrow nocked above was extremely special, its tail ignited and sprayed a comet‑like tail half a foot long. As the arrow was drawn and ready to fire, a short sword suddenly spun like a windmill and flew straight at his chest. The winged warrior startled, instinctively raising his right elbow to block the sword with the iron armor on his elbow—clang! —sparks flew, and his attention was also drawn to this sudden attack.

The one who threw this short sword was none other than Hu Xiaotian. Seeing the winged warrior draw his bow to shoot the demon craftsman Zong Yuan, he knew that warrior's bow and arrow were out of the ordinary—the arrow likely carried an explosive that would detonate on impact, which is why that artisan had just been blown to pieces. Hu Xiaotian didn't expect his thrown short sword to inflict much damage on the airborne winged warrior; even if it hit, the force would be negligible at that range, and besides, the opponent wore wing armor with excellent defensive capability.

Hu Xiaotian (person), Flying Wing Archers (faction), arrowhead (generic), bow (generic), feathered arrow (generic)

Hu Xiaotian gauged the arrow's trajectory, raised his shield and shoved it forward. The feathered arrow struck the shield and exploded with a 'Peng!'—he still underestimated the blast's power. The shock made him cry out and fly backward, soaring over two zhang before he hit the ground, still gripping the shield tightly. Fortunately, the shield's toughness saved him from being torn to pieces; Hu Xiaotian was left a mess. Lying on the ground, his qi and blood churned, stars flashed before his eyes, his arms went numb, and he lost consciousness for a short while, feeling as if the body were not his own.

The winged archer assumed he was surely dead. After changing the direction of his wings and turning in midair, he drew his bow again and aimed once more at Zong Yuan, who was fleeing into the arms cache under everyone's protection. Before the bowstring was fully drawn, he felt a sudden whoosh behind him. The winged archer tilted his body and quickly adjusted the angle of his wings; a sideways glide at about a forty‑five‑degree angle narrowly avoided the sudden attack. Then he saw a round, dark object whistling overhead—it was Hu Xiaotian hurling his shield like a flying disc.

Seeing that this fellow had not been blown to death, the winged archer's anger flared. He drew his bowstring—'xiu!'—and shot another arrow at Hu Xiaotian. Although Hu Xiaotian had just been rattled, the tremendous restorative power of the Formless Divine Skill let him recover completely in an instant. Having thrown his shield, he now held no weapon or armor. Seeing the enemy renew his attack, Hu Xiaotian's lips curled in a faint smile as he unleashed the Dog‑Dodging Eighteen Steps, weaving through the chaotic scene. Earlier he had merely misjudged, choosing to meet the rocket head‑on, which is why the blast's shockwave flung him away; now he intended to expend the enemy's ammunition with nimble footwork.

The winged archer fired five arrows in succession, each exploding with a 'Peng!'—the blasts came one after another. Hu Xiaotian dodged left and right amid the firelight, moving with ease. None of the archer's explosive arrows hit their mark; instead they wounded many bats, frightening the creatures away from Hu Xiaotian, thus inadvertently helping him drive off the bats. When he later reached for more arrows, he found the quiver's explosive rounds already empty.

The winged archer spread his wings, then bent his left wing like a bow. Having personally witnessed winged warriors using their iron wings to shoot down foes, Hu Xiaotian panicked and sprinted toward the nearby buildings, intending to use them as cover against the archer's shot.

Zong Yuan (person)

Zong Tang let out a tiger's roar, his shield again blocking the enemy's thrust. His body leapt up like a fierce tiger as he swung his precious blade, hacking hard at the spear's shaft; the spear was cleaved in two by his single stroke, but the winged warrior's body suddenly shot up several zhang.

As the two winged warriors prepared to launch another wave of attack, a whistle suddenly sounded from afar. They glanced at each other, each seeing the other's reluctance, yet neither dared to linger; like a cloud of bats, the creatures swarmed toward them, enveloping both warriors in their midst.

Snow Eagle (item), white Snow Eagle (item)

Hu Xiaotian (person), Feather Demon Li Chang'an (person), Li Chang'an (person), demon craftsman (generic)

The attackers came and went like the wind; in the blink of an eye they had vanished without a trace, leaving only a ruined sword hall in disarray.

Hu Xiaotian came to Zong Tang's side; Zong Tang nodded gratefully at him. He thought that if Hu Xiaotian hadn't drawn the winged archer's attention, his father would hardly have escaped so easily, and even he himself would have struggled to fend off a two‑on‑one assault by the winged warriors. A great debt needs no thanks, and Zong Tang offered no pleasantries, lowering his voice to ask, 'Are you all right?'

Hu Xiaotian replied, 'I'm fine!' At that moment, distant wails caught their attention. Hu Xiaotian said, 'Let's rescue the wounded first.'

After receiving the report, the Jingzhao Prefecture sent personnel who arrived at the scene an hour later. The leader of the detachment was Constable Bai Jingxuan, whom Hu Xiaotian had previously met at the Divine Farmer's Society. Bai Jingxuan led his men to the site, where all he heard was a chorus of wails and cries. Accompanying him were the senior disciple Fan Mingyu of the Divine Farmer's Society and several assistants; they had come expressly to rescue the injured.

Fan Mingyu had not expected the casualties to be so severe; by the time they arrived, they had already found fifteen corpses and thirty‑two wounded, most of the injuries serious, with another twelve missing. Bai Jingxuan ordered his men to search the ruins for survivors.

Fan Mingyu (person)

Hu Xiaotian (person), Fan Mingyu (person)

Fan Mingyu said, 'I brought some, but I didn't anticipate the death toll being this high; I'll send someone back right away to fetch more.'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'The more the better. Of the thirty‑two wounded, seven have serious injuries requiring surgery. Elder Brother Fan, please help ease their pain and apply Golden Trauma Medicine to the lighter wounds; I'll be right back.'

Fan Mingyu nodded, took over Hu Xiaotian's task, and summoned a junior fellow to return at once to the Divine Farmer's Society for reinforcements.

The demon craftsman Zong Yuan stood before the kiln's ruins, like a clay figurine, his whole person seeming dazed. Flames still burned, the raging fire lighting his aged face red; his hair bun was loose, his gray‑white hair spilling over his shoulders. A night wind blew in his face, tugging at his tangled locks. Zong Yuan did not know whether ash had gotten into his eyes, but suddenly tears poured down like rain.

Zong Tang (person), Zong Yuan (person), kiln (generic)

Zong Yuan bellowed, 'But what about human lives? So many lives—just saying they're gone, they're gone……All this is my sin……I have done wrong; if you want to take my life, go ahead—why harm others?' He beat his chest and stamped his feet, wailing loudly; a grand master, overcome with grief, could not control his emotions.

Zong Tang (person), Zong Yuan (person)

At this moment Hu Xiaotian approached them, waving to Zong Tang, who handed his father over to a junior disciple for care and came before Hu Xiaotian: 'Hu Sir, what are your orders?' Tonight, Zong Tang had witnessed everything Hu Xiaotian did; his earlier wariness of Hu Xiaotian had vanished completely, leaving only gratitude.

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Seven people have severe injuries; they must undergo surgery immediately, or else their lives may not be saved.'

Zong Tang replied, 'Then let's do as Hu Sir said.'

Hu Xiaotian (person)

Only then did Zong Tang understand what Hu Xiaotian wanted from him; the workshop beside the dragon kiln had not been destroyed, and the devices he had previously made for Hu Xiaotian should still be there. He hurriedly said, 'I'll go get them right away.'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Not only these devices, but there are other things I need you to make as quickly as possible—remember to use the finest steel.'

What Hu Xiaotian needs are steel plates and screws; two people have suffered serious fractures, and ordinary splints can no longer fix the problem.

Hu Xiaotian has not yet mastered the blood transfusion technique of this era; if Meng Zai or Qin Yutong were here, perhaps the blood loss problem would not trouble him. What he can do now is to do his best. Although Hu Xiaotian usually does things in a carefree, unscrupulous manner, and often even resorts to any means necessary, deep inside he still has a doctor's benevolent heart; he respects the lives of every kind person, witnessing the tragic scene before him, how could he just stand by and do nothing? (To be continued~^~)