Chapter 280: Decapitation Operation

The projection of the Venerable's dissipation did not bring the joy of victory; instead, it felt like a heavy stone pressing on Chen Wen's heart.

"Master personally," "Doom's descent"—these ominous words echoed in his mind like a curse.

He had a strong premonition that he must utterly uproot the Iron Crow Army's core here before that so-called Master could react more extremely, perhaps finding more clues about the truth, even a way to restrain that Master.

His gaze, like the most precise ruler, swept over the space gradually returning to normal after the projection faded, finally locking onto the area behind still shrouded in thick shadow, as if independent of the battlefield.

That was the enemy camp's deepest point, also where the crystal array had risen earlier, and moreover the initial and most stable source of that cold will.

He could sense that something still lurked there.

Perhaps it was the Iron Crow Army's true command core here, or perhaps a device linking to that Master, or perhaps... something else.

But no matter what, it must be destroyed.

"Li Wu."

Chen Wen's voice broke the silence, carrying an indisputable resolve.

"Your subordinate is here!" Li Wu stepped forward immediately; although the recent clash of wills left him uneasy, his eyes remained firm.

"Select the finest personal guards to follow My actions."

Chen Wen's gaze remained fixed on that shadowed area.

"Target, the enemy army's core command."

"Execute... beheading."

"Your Majesty!" Li Wu exclaimed in shock, "Your sacred person, how can you again venture into danger! Let me lead the troops; I will surely destroy the enemy chief!"

"No." Chen Wen shook his head, his tone calm yet with unyielding force, "That thing there is no trivial matter; only I Myself can go."

He paused, then added, "Besides, I have just broken through and need a battle to consolidate my realm."

This is not wholly an excuse.

Although the power of Level 6 is mighty, it still requires actual combat to fully break in and master.

More importantly, he had an intuition that within that shadowed area lay something he must personally confront.

Seeing Chen Wen's resolve firm, Li Wu said no more, immediately clasping his fists in acceptance: "Your subordinate obeys! Personal guard unit, assemble!"

Soon, five hundred elite personal guard cavalry in relatively good condition were assembled.

Each bore wounds, their armor stained with blood, yet their eyes burned with fervent fighting spirit, tightly encircling their emperor.

Chen Wen mounted his horse, glanced over this loyal and fearless unit.

He said nothing more to boost morale, merely slowly raising the "Stabilizing Karma" blade in his hand.

The blade's edge, illuminated by the Fortune Momentum's golden light, flowed with a cold radiance.

"Confer concentration—"

His voice was not loud, yet it seemed to carry an uncanny power, clearly transmitted into each guard's ear.

"Sixteenfold."

An invisible surge of power instantly enveloped the five hundred guards!

Unlike the previous broad conferment, this time it was a more concentrated, stronger sixteenfold amplification!

In an instant, the five hundred guards felt an explosive force surge from deep within their bodies, their former fatigue and wounds seemingly vanishing!

Their muscles bulged, qi and blood surged, senses became extraordinarily sharp, even each other's breathing and heartbeat seemed to resonate, forming a wondrous sense of unity.

The five hundred seemed to become a killing entity with a shared will.

"Depart."

Chen Wen kicked his horse's belly, taking the lead like a golden arrow shooting toward the dense shadow.

"Protect Your Majesty!"

Li Wu roared, the five hundred personal guards like a bursting flood followed closely, hoofbeats like dense war drums shattering the battlefield's brief tranquility.

Their speed was extreme, sweeping like a hurricane over the battlefield littered with corpses and routed soldiers, ignoring sporadic resistance, their goal pointed straight at the shadowed area!

Along the way, Northern Han's defeated troops fled in terror, parting like a tide, daring not to block this cavalry radiating a terrifying aura.

Soon, that shadowed area lay before their eyes.

Only upon approaching did they discover this was not a simple camp, but a strange domain twisted by some force, where light could hardly penetrate.

The outskirts were shrouded in a thin yet tenacious Nether Energy barrier, faintly with twisting runes flowing within.

"Break it!"

Chen Wen shouted sternly, the "Stabilizing Karma" blade in his hand suddenly slashing forth!

A blade aura condensed from Fortune Momentum's golden light, like a crescent moon, slashed upon the Nether Energy barrier!

"Screech—!"

The barrier violently fluctuated, a clear crack appearing at the struck point, yet it did not shatter completely.

At the same time, within the barrier, the shadow surged!

Dozens of black silhouettes, like phantoms, emerged from the shadow, blocking Chen Wen and the guards ahead.

They differed from the "Nether Bone" previously encountered, being more slender and agile, covered in matte-black leather-like material, wielding weapons formed from condensed Nether Energy that constantly shifted shape.

Their eyes were two swirling dark vortices, emitting cold mental undulations.

"They are 'Nether Shade'! The Iron Crow Army's core guard!" Li Wu recognized these formidable foes, mentioned in prior intel, more adept at concealment and mental attacks than the Nether Bone.

"Kill them!"

Chen Wen hesitated not, blade light flaring again, he charged straight at the dozens of Nether Shade!

The five hundred guards unleashed a heaven-shaking roar, like a golden torrent, fiercely slamming into the black reef!

The battle instantly erupted!

The guards endowed with the sixteenfold amplification had astonishing power; they cooperated seamlessly, blades and spears raised, fighting alongside the Nether Shade.

The Nether Shade's movement was uncanny, like a slippery loach; their Nether Energy weapons shifted endlessly—sometimes sword, sometimes whip, sometimes emitting a piercing mental screech that disturbed the mind.

If it were an ordinary unit, they'd probably suffer a major loss at first contact.

But Chen Wen's personal guards not only possess sixteen times the strength and speed, but under the protection of Fortune Momentum's Huang Guang, they also have extremely strong resistance to mental attacks!

Their attacks are powerful and heavy, often able to forcibly break through the Shades' strange defenses.

Their coordination is flawless, always able to block off the space the Shades try to evade into.

Shades continually are chopped apart and pierced by spears under the violent assault, turning into wisps of black smoke that dissipate.

But the personal guards also paid a price.

The Shades' attacks are equally fierce and tricky; their shade-energy weapons contain a power that erodes vitality, and once struck, the wound quickly turns black and necrotizes.

Personal guards continually scream as they fall.

Chen Wen charged to the forefront, becoming the primary target of all the Shades.

Several Shades simultaneously launched an attack on him!

Shade-energy chains coiled toward his limbs, a mental shriek like steel needles stabbing at his sea of consciousness, and two shade-energy daggers like venomous snakes thrust at his vital points!

"Your Majesty, be careful!"

Chen Wen's eyes turned icy; facing the encirclement, he did not retreat but advanced!

Sixty-fourfold strength erupted within his body, and Fortune Momentum's Huang Guang condensed on his surface like substantive armor!

"Break!"

With a low shout, the shade-energy chains coiling toward him shattered inch by inch!

The mental shriek struck against the Huang Guang, like a mud ox entering the sea!

Wielding the Karmic blade, he traced a perfect arc!

"Clang! Clang!"

Two clear rings sounded, and the two shade-energy daggers were precisely severed!

The blade's momentum undiminished, like a hot knife through butter, it swept across the bodies of the two Shades!

"Pfft! Pfft!"

The two Shades' bodies stiffened, then split apart, turning into black smoke that dissipated.

Chen Wen's steps did not stop, his blade moving with him; like a tiger among a flock of sheep, wherever he passed the Shades scattered in disarray, and not a single one could withstand a single exchange!

His might thoroughly inspired the personal guards behind him.

They fought desperately to slash and kill, forcibly tearing a gap in the Shades' interception line!

"Follow Your Majesty!"

Li Wu, drenched in blood, cleaved a Shade attempting a sneak attack with one strike, shouting loudly.

Five hundred personal guards, like a wedge, tightly followed Chen Wen, fearlessly charging into the core of the shadowy region!

Finally, after paying the price of nearly a hundred personal guard casualties, they completely broke through the Shades' defense line and stepped into the core area shrouded in shadow.

The sight here made everyone suck in a breath of cold air.

There were no tents, no banners.

Only a single structure, built from countless black crystals stacked like an altar.

At the altar's center hovered a giant azure crystal about the size of a millstone, constantly pulsing like a heart!

Within the crystal, countless intricate runes seemed to flow, emitting energy fluctuations that made the heart race.

And beneath the altar, a figure sat cross‑legged, clad in a complete black crow‑feather robe, with a faceless mask covering the face.

His aura shared the same source as that earlier Venerable's projection, but was more substantial and profound.

Obviously, he is the true leader of the Iron Crow Army here, and also the core maintaining this shadowy region and that "heart" crystal.

At this moment, he slowly lifted his head; beneath the faceless mask, two icy gazes seemed to pierce space and fall upon Chen Wen.

The objective of the decapitation operation was now within sight.

The final obstacle remained only this last person.