Chapter 380

Sima Xin loudly roared and shouted at the Divine Martial Army soldiers near the city gate; all the Divine Martial Army soldiers stared at him as if looking at a mad dog.

Translation: Sima Xin loudly roared and shouted at the Divine Martial Army soldiers near the city gate, and all the Divine Martial Army soldiers stared at him as if looking at a mad dog.

We need to keep same meaning, not add extra. Ensure we include all info: Sima Xin roared loudly at the Divine Martial Army soldiers near the city gate, shouted abuses; all the Divine Martial Army soldiers looked at him like looking at a mad dog.

We'll produce: Sima Xin loudly roared and shouted at the Divine Martial Army soldiers near the city gate, and all the Divine Martial Army soldiers stared at him as if looking at a mad dog.

Sima Xin loudly roared and shouted at the Divine Martial Army soldiers near the city gate; all the Divine Martial Army soldiers stared at him as if looking at a mad dog.

Outside the city, a large detachment of elite Jaguar Cavalry had gathered; they formed a triangular assault formation and were ready to attack.

Translation: Outside the city, a large detachment of elite Jaguar Cavalry had gathered, forming a triangular assault formation, ready to attack.

a large detachment of elite Jaguar Cavalry had gathered, forming a triangular assault formation, ready to attack.

Meanwhile, the Spirit-Slaying Army also had an assault team fully assembled; each assault team numbered over ten thousand, and if they attacked simultaneously, the mere twenty-zhang-wide city gate could not accommodate two teams advancing side by side.

Translation: Meanwhile, the Spirit-Slaying Army also had an assault team fully assembled; each assault team numbered over ten thousand, and if they attacked simultaneously, the mere twenty-zhang-wide city gate could not accommodate two teams advancing side by side.

Meanwhile, the Spirit-Slaying Army also had an assault team fully assembled; each assault team numbered over ten thousand; if they attacked simultaneously, the mere twenty-zhang-wide city gate could not accommodate two teams advancing side by side.

The senior officers of the Jaguar Cavalry and the Spirit-Slaying Army gathered together, loudly arguing.

Translation: The senior officers of the Jaguar Cavalry and the Spirit-Slaying Army gathered together, loudly arguing.

The senior officers of the Jaguar Cavalry and the Spirit-Slaying Army gathered together, loudly arguing.

They all saw that only a few thousand Divine Martial Army soldiers remained at the city gate; whether Jaguar Cavalry or Spirit-Slaying Army, a single charge could likely break into the city. Once inside the castle and occupying the altar, they could obtain the altar's reward.

Translation: They all saw that only a few thousand Divine Martial Army soldiers remained at the city gate; whether Jaguar Cavalry or Spirit-Slaying Army, a single charge could likely break into the city. Once inside the castle and occupying the altar, they could obtain the altar's reward.

They all saw that only a few thousand Divine Martial Army soldiers remained at the city gate; whether Jaguar Cavalry or Spirit-Slaying Army, a single charge could likely break into the city; once inside the castle and occupying the altar, they could obtain the altar's reward.

Nobody was willing to give up the opportunity to attack.

Translation: Nobody was willing to give up the opportunity to attack.

Nobody was willing to give up the opportunity to attack.

The two armies competed, the two assault teams shoved and crowded each other; then began shouting insults; although no weapons had been drawn yet, ill-tempered soldiers already spat at each other's faces; the area before the city gate instantly descended into chaos.

Translation: The two armies competed, the two assault teams shoved and crowded each other, then began shouting insults; although no weapons had been drawn yet, ill-tempered soldiers already spat at each other's faces, and the area before the city gate instantly descended into chaos.

The two armies competed, the two assault teams shoved and crowded each other; then began shouting insults; although no weapons had been drawn yet, ill-tempered soldiers already spat at each other's faces; the area before the city gate instantly descended into chaos.

Sima Xin laughed loudly, he pointed at the two assault teams mixed together and roared: "Do you see it? The opportunity, the opportunity is right before you… You must not be greedy for life and fear death; you are all hounds of my Great Jin Divine State—rush out of the city and attack!"

Translation: Sima Xin laughed loudly, pointing at the two assault teams mixed together and roared: "Do you see it? The opportunity, the opportunity is right before you… You must not be greedy for life and fear death; you are all hounds of my Great Jin Divine State—rush out of the city and attack!"

Sima Xin laughed loudly; he pointed at the two assault teams mixed together and roared: "Do you see it? The opportunity, the opportunity is right before you… You must not be greedy for life and fear death; you are all hounds of my Great Jin Divine State—rush out of the city and attack!"

Sima Xin kicked a Fourth Commandant in the buttocks and shouted angrily: "Coward, charge for me!"

Translation: Sima Xin kicked a Fourth Commandant in the buttocks and shouted angrily: "Coward, charge for me!"

Sima Xin kicked a Fourth Commandant in the buttocks and shouted angrily: "Coward, charge for me!"

The Fourth Commandant's face turned pale with rage; he glared fixedly at Sima Xin but dared not speak.

Translation: The Fourth Commandant's face turned pale with rage, he glared fixedly at Sima Xin but dared not speak.

The Fourth Commandant's face turned pale with rage; he glared fixedly at Sima Xin but dared not speak.

This Fourth Commandant was merely from an ordinary military household, having painstakingly earned his rank through years of service; Sima Xin, being of the Great Jin Imperial Clan, how could he dare provoke such a high-ranking figure?

Translation: This Fourth Commandant was merely from an ordinary military household, having painstakingly earned his rank through years of service; Sima Xin, being of the Great Jin Imperial Clan, how could he dare provoke such a high-ranking figure?

This Fourth Commandant was merely from an ordinary military household, having painstakingly earned his rank through years of service; Sima Xin, being of the Great Jin Imperial Clan, how could he dare provoke such a high-ranking figure?

Moreover, Sima Xin was the battalion leader of the First Battalion, Camp Jia, Right Camp of the Vanguard of the Divine Martial Army; a third-rank general's token hung from his waist, constantly emitting faint auspicious vapors, very conspicuous.

Translation: Moreover, Sima Xin was the battalion leader of the First Battalion, Camp Jia, Right Camp of the Vanguard of the Divine Martial Army; a third-rank general's token hung from his waist, constantly emitting faint auspicious vapors, very conspicuous.

Sima Xin was the battalion leader of the First Battalion, Camp Jia, Right Camp of the Vanguard of the Divine Martial Army; a third-rank general's token hung from his waist, constantly emitting faint auspicious vapors, very conspicuous.

Sima Xin slapped the Fourth Commandant across the face, then placed the tip of his sharp halberd against the man's chest; with slight force on his wrist, the divine soldier halberd easily pierced the Fourth Commandant's Ninefold Spirit Armor, and half an inch of the spearhead sank into the man's chest muscle.

Translation: Sima Xin slapped the Fourth Commandant across the face, then placed the tip of his sharp halberd against the man's chest; with slight force on his wrist, the divine soldier halberd easily pierced the Ninth Commandant's Ninefold Spirit Armor, and half an inch of the spearhead sank into the man's chest muscle.

Sima Xin slapped the Fourth Commandant across the face; then placed the tip of his sharp halberd against the man's chest; with slight force on his wrist, the divine soldier halberd easily pierced the Fourth Commandant's Ninefold Spirit Armor; and half an inch of the spearhead sank into the man's chest muscle.

A wisp of chilling mist flickered on the halberd; large portions of the Commandant's chest muscle rapidly froze into piercing cold frost, then quickly turned into ice shards that silently fell from his ribs.

Translation: A wisp of chilling mist flickered on the halberd, and large portions of the Commandant's chest muscle rapidly froze into piercing cold frost, then quickly turned into ice shards that silently fell from his ribs.

A wisp of chilling mist flickered on the halberd; large portions of the Commandant's chest muscle rapidly froze into piercing cold frost; then quickly turned into ice shards that silently fell from his ribs.

The Fourth Commandant's face went ashen from pain; he stood rigidly in place, staring fixedly at Sima Xin and said: "Sir… according to the Divine Martial Army regulations, you are not the commander of this force… you have no authority to issue orders to them."

Translation: The Fourth Commandant's face went ashen from pain, he stood rigidly in place, staring fixedly at Sima Xin and said: "Sir… according to the Divine Martial Army regulations, you are not the commander of this force… you have no authority to issue orders to them."

The Fourth Commandant's face went ashen from pain; he stood rigidly in place, staring fixedly at Sima Xin; and said: "Sir… according to the Divine Martial Army regulations, you are not the commander of this force… you have no authority to issue orders to them."

Sima Xin then slapped the Fourth Commandant's face again.

Translation: Sima Xin then slapped the Fourth Commandant's face again.

Sima Xin then slapped the Fourth Commandant's face again.

This Fourth Commandant belonged to the Ninth Battalion, Camp Yi, and had followed the officers' charge from outside the city as reinforcements under Jiang Hu's orders.

Translation: This Fourth Commandant belonged to the Ninth Battalion, Camp Yi, and had followed the officers' charge from outside the city as reinforcements under Jiang Hu's orders.

This Fourth Commandant belonged to the Ninth Battalion, Camp Yi; and had followed the officers' charge from outside the city as reinforcements under Jiang Hu's orders.

Seeing Sima Xin mistreat the Commandant, several officers of Camp Yi trembled with anger; as Sima Xin's slap landed, a third-rank commander of Camp Yi lunged forward and grabbed his wrist.

Translation: Seeing Sima Xin mistreat the Commandant, several officers of Camp Yi trembled with anger; as Sima Xin's slap landed, a third-rank commander of Camp Yi lunged forward and grabbed his wrist.

Seeing Sima Xin mistreat the Commandant, several officers of Camp Yi trembled with anger; as Sima Xin's slap landed, a third-rank commander of Camp Yi lunged forward and grabbed his wrist.

"General Sima!" the third-rank officer glared ferociously at Sima Xin, slowly spitting out four words.

"You dare block me?" Sima Xin likewise glared ferociously at the other party.

Also present were many officers from the various camp headquarters; seeing Sima Xin's behavior, everyone simultaneously looked toward the commander of the Jia Camp, second-rank general Sima Hu. Sima Xin was the commander of the Jia Camp's First Battalion, and Sima Hu was his direct superior, and Sima Hu was also a member of the Great Jin imperial family.

To be precise, the Jia Camp of the Right Wing of the Vanguard Army had a total of forty-nine camp headquarters, including Sima Hu's central command; the officers of these forty-nine headquarters were basically surrounded by the Great Jin imperial family and imperial relatives. Therefore, the Jia Camp was also secretly called the "Imperial Relatives and Nobles Camp" by the troops of the Right Wing of the Vanguard Army.

Because of Jiang Hu's order, all senior officers of the six major camp headquarters—Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji—of the Right Wing abandoned their troops and rushed to the castle for reinforcements.

Sima Hu also led the officers of the Jia Camp, a large group of imperial relatives and nobles, charging toward the castle.

However, because these imperial relatives and nobles had a soft combat style, over eighty percent of the officers were blocked outside the city and unable to break in; at this moment, aside from Sima Hu and Sima Xin, only twenty-something officers of the Sima clan and a dozen or so Sima clan in-laws were present inside the city.

Altogether, that amounted to nearly forty Womb Storage realm experts.

Seeing so many camp officers staring at him, Sima Hu's complexion slightly darkened; he had five flowing whiskers, giving him a somewhat scholarly air, his face sank like water as he stood aside, neither humming nor hawing, showing no expression.

Sima Xin was Sima Hu's patrilineal cousin, and moreover the mothers of Sima Hu and Sima Xin were biological sisters, so the two were extremely close in their daily relations.

Sima Hu was quite capable; otherwise he could not have become the commander of the Jia Camp.

Sima Xin lacked talent, but thanks to Sima Hu's continual protection and patronage, he accumulated countless military merits, which allowed him to rise to the position of commander of the Jia Camp's First Battalion.

All along, Sima Xin had stirred up countless troubles in the army, even oppressing and framing his own subordinates; Sima Hu always helped him cover up these matters.

Wanting Sima Hu to stop Sima Xin's actions… was not easy.

Sima Hu narrowed his eyes and glanced at the distant altar; the grand Dao patterns flowing like water from the altar's top, and the increasingly intense and powerful aura emanating from Wu Tie, made his mood also deteriorate.

Sima Xin's actions actually aligned more with Sima Hu's thinking.

This battle for the blood banner is a rare opportunity; the reward for the first stage on the altar naturally ought to belong to the descendants of the Great Jin imperial family.

"Huo Xiong," a mere military household origin, having achieved only minor merits, that is merely their duty as hounds and watchdogs of the Great Jin imperial family.

To lay down their lives for the Great Jin imperial family is the duty of these lowly military households like Huo Xiong; it is their fate. Huo Xiong should voluntarily yield the altar to Sima Xin, then let those imperial relatives and nobles around Sima Hu enjoy the altar's benefits.

If it weren't for the fact that, during the charge, Sima Hu slowed his speed to ensure the safety of the nearby imperial relatives and nobles, arriving at the city a step behind Jiang Ping and the others… Sima Hu himself did not know what he would do.

"Charge! Charge out, fight!" Sima Xin suddenly spat a mouthful of saliva onto the face of the third-rank officer who had grabbed his palm.

The faces of the Divine Martial Army soldiers nearby all changed.

This third-rank officer, Jiang Kua, moved to restrain Sima Xin, and he had the confidence to do so, being a scion of the Jiang clan's prestigious military family, whose status in the Great Jin Divine State was comparable to that of the Jiang clan, and moreover he was of the main line of the Jiang clan, considered a core bloodline descendant.

Under the gaze of all present, Sima Xin spat a mouthful of saliva onto Jiang Kua's face.

On the altar, Wu Tie noticed the commotion here, and his heart instantly leapt with joy.

This altar was extraordinarily strange; the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique operating on its own was bad enough, but moreover, vast power continually poured into him from the void around the altar, incessantly filling his life reservoir, forcibly pushing his cultivation toward the Womb Storage realm.

No matter how Wu Tie tried to control himself, under the push of this immense force he was almost compelled to use the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique as a blueprint to forcibly break through the Womb Storage realm!

But this was not what Wu Tie wanted.

He cultivated the Primordial Scripture; Wu Tie's plan was to fully comprehend all the Dao mysteries within the Primordial Scripture, then break through the Womb Storage realm in the most perfect way. The Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique is indeed powerful, but compared to the Primordial Scripture it is merely a drop in the bucket, far too inferior.

Sima Xin's action gave Wu Tie the best excuse.

With a shudder of his body, the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique, which had been on the verge of breaking through the sixth revolution, suddenly ceased its operation; Wu Tie's body erupted with intense spiritual light, the surrounding void emitted faint cracking sounds, and he forcibly broke free from the void's immense power's confinement, stepping off the altar.

At the peak of the fifth revolution of the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique, Wu Tie directly possessed the cultivation of a half-step Womb Storage realm.

Although it was only a half-step Womb Storage of the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique, not of the Primordial Scripture, the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique's power was extraordinarily formidable; describing Wu Tie's current cultivation as a rebirth would not be an exaggeration.

Without using any divine abilities or secret arts, Wu Tie stood at the edge of the altar, took a step, and with a shake of his body crossed over two li plus, arriving near the city gate.

Thud—

Sima Xin spat a mouthful of saliva onto Jiang Kua's face, and Jiang Kua responded with a furious shout, driving his knee into Sima Xin's abdomen.

The celestial soldier armor on Sima Xin's body flashed with spiritual light, completely neutralizing Jiang Kua's strike; Sima Xin suffered no injury, but the force was so fierce that his body was still launched high into the air.

Jiang Kua grabbed Sima Xin's wrist, swinging him around like a windmill, then slammed him heavily to the ground.

The ground inside the fortress was extremely hard; Sima Xin smashed heavily onto it, the surface unmarred, while he was tossed about disorientedly, his pupils dilating and constricting, obviously dazed from the fall.

Before Sima Xin could even get up from the ground, Wu Tie had already flashed to his side.

Wu Tie glanced at Jiang Kua, then at the prone Sima Xin, and finally at the unmoving Sima Hu standing aside.

"Listen up, lads… form ranks, hold the line; whoever dares to step out of the city will be cut down without mercy." Wu Tie waved the newly seized celestial soldier three-pronged two-bladed spear, nodded at Sima Hu, then strode to the front of the battle formation.

Sima Hu glanced at Sima Xin lying on the ground, then finally waved his hand lightly.

Two Sima clan relatives helped Sima Xin to his feet.

Sima Xin trembled all over, he glanced at Jiang Kuo, pressed his lips, then looked at Wu Tie's back, and then hysterically shouted, "Huo Xiong, dare you defy orders?"

Wu Tie didn't turn his head, pretending not to have heard Sima Xin's words.

Jiang Ping and the others also abandoned the infusion of dao patterns on the altar, then all left the altar and rushed to the city gate.

Hearing Sima Xin's curses, Jiang Ping laughed angrily: "I am the commander of the Bing Third Battalion, Huo Xiong is my subordinate, you people of the Jia Battalion, what kind of military order did you give him? Do you think I'm dead?"

Before Jiang Ping finished speaking, the Bing Battalion commander standing aside, likewise a second-rank general of the Jiang clan, Jiang He, lightly coughed: "Even if Jiang Ping this brat isn't here... Sima Xin, are you treating me as mere decoration? Without my order, dare you try to move even a hair of my Bing Battalion?"

Seeing Jiang He about to speak, Sima Hu immediately laughed.

"Sima Xin, shut up... we are merely following orders to reinforce; Grand Commander Jiang Hu didn't let you recklessly point and gesture." Sima Hu smiled and nodded at Jiang He: "Jiang He, we still need to cooperate to hold this fortress."

"I..." Sima Xin still wanted to shout and fuss, but Sima Hu waved his hand, and the two relatives immediately covered Sima Xin's mouth.

"Sima Xin, also eager to serve the country." Sima Hu smiled falsely: "Actually, if we had charged out just now, we could have harvested quite a few. The Leopard Cavalry and Slay Spirit Army lacked coordination; if we had charged out just now, it would indeed have been a good opportunity."

Sima Hu began to clear Sima Xin of responsibility.

Jiang He laughed and shook his head: "Perhaps... but our mission is not to reap many kills, but to hold this place."

Sima Hu narrowed his eyes: "You're too defensive; offense is the best defense. However, since this is your Bing Battalion's troops, then whatever you say goes... we are merely following orders to reinforce."

Sima Hu smiled brightly, he spread his arms, and dozens of Sima clan members and relatives lined up behind him in a row, forming a posture of "following orders to reinforce."

So-called following orders to reinforce means... they are here to reinforce; don't expect them to fight on the front lines.

The lives of the imperial clan are precious; they cannot be lightly harmed.

Jiang He and the others wore grim faces, also too lazy to deal with Sima Hu's group; they all entered the formation, released their defensive immortal soldiers and spirit soldiers, merging their aura with the thousands of elite troops beside them.

Outside the city, the Leopard Cavalry and Slay Spirit Army seemed to have reached an understanding; low war drumbeats and muffled bell sounds rang continuously, and the Slay Spirit Army's assault unit slightly retreated to one side, opening up attack space.

Afterward, the Leopard Cavalry hesitated not at all; tens of thousands of elite troops, almost all officers of colonel rank or higher, let out low roars, like a pack of beasts breaking out of cages, charging toward the city gate.

Even though they were still several li away, hundreds of attacking immortal soldiers had already swept in, skimming the ground.

Strong light flames quickly engulfed the twenty-zhang-wide city gate.

Jiang He and the others shouted simultaneously; among them, dozens of defensive immortal soldiers and hundreds of highest-grade defensive spirit soldiers flew out in succession, stacking up in layers before the city gate.

Standing at the front of the formation, Wu Tie only felt a flash before his eyes, then a violent gust swept over, his body scorching hot, and in an instant he turned into a pile of ash.

The Nine Turn Mystic Technique operated at full speed; a beam of spiritual light burst from within, Wu Tie wielded his immortal soldier and heavily swung forward, forcibly splitting the oncoming gust into two.

The earth trembled violently; the spirit soldiers Jiang He and the others launched were instantly destroyed, dozens of immortal soldiers had twenty-odd dimmed lights, then they directly exploded in midair.