Chapter 157: Unleashing One's Skills

The earth trembled ever more violently as the barbarian army surged forward like a tide, a black mass that nearly covered the entire plain before Setting Sun Village.

Shouts of killing shook heaven and earth.

Jiang Xiaomu took a deep breath, raised his saber, and prepared to face this final battle.

At that moment, a burly figure beside him moved.

This Ghost-faced Army commander stood nearly two meters tall, like an iron tower amidst the crowd.

He wore an evil grin, leapt up, and actually jumped straight off the shaking earthen wall!

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

Jiang Xiaomu was shocked and turned pale.

Though the wall wasn't high, it was enough to break a leg, and below swarmed countless barbarian soldiers—was this guy courting death?

Before Jiang Xiaomu could react, an even more shocking scene unfolded.

The commander landed, stood firmly on the ground, then… took down the huge iron bell on his back!

The iron bell was taller than a person, black and dark, engraved with strange patterns, emitting a cold metallic sheen.

Jiang Xiaomu stared, mouth agape—how heavy could this thing be?

How could he have carried it all this way? What monster is this guy?!

The commander seemed oblivious to Jiang Xiaomu's shock; he silently set the iron bell on the ground, took a deep breath, wrapped his arms around it, and slowly lifted it.

"What is he doing?"

Xiong Kuohai also noticed the commotion over there and asked doubtfully.

Jiang Xiaomu shook his head; he was equally clueless.

Just then, the vanguard of the barbarian soldiers had already rushed forward, waving blades and spears, slashing at the commander.

"Hahaha....."

The commander laughed wildly and slammed the iron bell in his hands down onto the ground!

"Boom!" A deafening bell rang out, making the earth tremble.

A visible shockwave spread outward from the iron bell as its center.

The barbarian soldiers at the front were instantly thrown into the air, tracing arcs before crashing heavily to the ground, alive or dead unknown.

However, this was only the beginning.

The commander raised the iron bell again, took a deep breath, then opened his mouth wide and unleashed a heaven-shaking lion's roar!

"Roar!!!"

The roar was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, making Jiang Xiaomu's eardrums ache.

He watched in disbelief as the roar, infused with powerful internal energy, spread outward.

The nearby barbarian soldiers, hit by the roar's impact, spat blood and collapsed.

Some soldiers even had their internal organs shattered, dying on the spot.

In an instant, a vast swath of barbarian soldiers before him collapsed, piled up like a mountain.

Jiang Xiaomu and Xiong Kuohai stared, mouths open—this… this is too terrifying!

"Boss, who… is this guy?"

Xiong Kuohai muttered to himself.

Jiang Xiaomu shook his head; he didn't know either.

He only knew that this Ghost-faced Army commander was absolutely a hidden master!

Just then, Ye Ying walked over, looked at the commander, and a flash of admiration crossed her eyes.

"Zhongming, well done."

"Zhongming?"

Jiang Xiaomu and Xiong Kuohai asked in unison.

Ye Ying nodded.

"His name is Zhong Kui, one of the strongest commanders in the Ghost-faced Army."

Zhongming spat contemptuously at the pile of barbarian corpses.

"Pah! What barbarian elites, just a bunch of trash!"

He laughed in a rough voice, his powerful inner energy shaking dust from the city walls.

Seeing this, Wuzhu felt his lungs about to explode with rage.

He pointed at Zhongming and hurled a string of insults in a language Jiang Xiaomu couldn't understand.

But from his twisted expression and thunderous gestures, it was surely nothing nice.

Immediately, Wuzhu drew the saber at his waist, pointed it to the sky, and began to howl hysterically.

At once, bugle calls echoed across the plain; enemy archers nocked arrows, a black mass aiming at Setting Sun Village.

"Release!"

At Wuzhu's command, a rain of arrows fell like a locust swarm.

Zhongming had been ready; before the arrow rain fell, he swiftly retreated behind the city wall and hid behind that huge iron bell.

"Clang clang clang!"

Arrows struck the iron bell, producing a dense metallic clatter like a downpour.

Zhongming hid behind the iron bell, not only unafraid but unusually excited.

"Hahaha… come on, shoot! Grandpa I'm thick-skinned and tough—I'm not afraid of your lame arrows!"

Xiong Kuohai stood beside Jiang Xiaomu, watching this scene, his eyes wide as saucers, his mouth open enough to fit a goose egg.

He pointed at Zhongming and stammered:

Old… Lao Da, this… this guy… is he human or a ghost?

Jiang Xiaomu also looked shocked; he had never seen such a brave person.

This Zhong Ming is practically a monster!

The arrow rain lasted a full quarter of an hour before gradually stopping.

After the dust settled, Zhong Ming poked his head out from behind the iron bell, completely unharmed.

He brushed off the dust on his body and grinned.

"Just this? Not even enough to scratch an itch!"

Seeing this, the enemy commander was so angry he almost spat blood.

He again ordered the attack, and the barbarian soldiers surged toward Luoxia Village like a tide.

Zhong Ming raised the iron bell again, preparing to meet the enemy.

Jiang Xiaomu watched this heart-pounding scene before him, and a surge of hot blood rose in his heart.

He gripped the long blade in his hand and said to Xiong Kuohai beside him:

"Xiong Kuohai, let's go too!"

"Alright, you few take a rest first; the rest will be left to Ba Dao."

Ye Ying spoke, pointing to a burly, red-faced Ghost Face Army commander behind her.

Jiang Xiaomu and Xiong Kuohai only then noticed that among the Ghost Face Army there was actually such a stalwart.

Ba Dao and Zhong Ming were about the same height; standing there, he was like a small mountain, giving an overwhelming sense of oppression.

"Ba Dao? That name… really lives up to its meaning."

Xiong Kuohai scratched his head and muttered quietly.

Jiang Xiaomu didn't speak, just silently watching.

Since Ye Ying specifically called for Ba Dao to act, there must be a purpose.

Ye Ying gestured to Ba Dao.

Ba Dao nodded, said nothing more, leapt up and jumped straight down from the earthen wall over ten meters high.

"Holy shit! Is he crazy too? Jumping down like that will surely break him!"

Xiong Kuohai exclaimed.

However, Ba Dao landed steady and sound, showing no sign of injury.

He pulled out a red talisman from his bosom, muttered an incantation, then stuck it onto a huge beheading sword.

In the next moment, a shocking scene occurred.

That originally ice-cold beheading sword suddenly burst into flames.

It transformed into a huge fire dragon, coiling in Ba Dao's hand and emitting resonant dragon roars.

"What… what the hell kind of sorcery is this?"

Xiong Kuohai's eyes widened, his jaw almost dropping.