Chapter 370: Ninth on the Heaven Ranking, Yang Yanzhang

Having resolved the Death Hag, Sinuoli still could not rest. The intensity of this great battle had actually escalated following the dissipation of Khaine's phantom.

Previously, the strategic goal of the God-Blessed villains was to break through the interception; the spoils they had plundered on this trip were already enough. But now, every Dark Elf knew that this shortcut was no longer viable; they had to completely crush the defensive line to have any chance of escaping with their lives. Considering the fighting enthusiasm of the Dwarfs and the Cathayans, this was almost turning into a war of annihilation.

"Release the sea beasts!"

Luoxiya-Fellheart roared from the back of the Black Dragon as the blood-colored light in the air gradually dissipated. As a successful pirate lord, he would avoid risks and challenges whenever possible, but if he truly could not avoid them, he would never show the slightest fear.

The Black Ark is a "hybrid" combining magic propulsion and sea beast towing. Under the current circumstances where the Jade River is flowing backward due to the influence of the Five Elements Compass, both are indispensable for moving forward quickly.

Once the sea beasts are released, even if the defensive line is torn open, the Black Ark would not have enough power to pass through the gap in time. When Fellheart issued this order, it meant that both sides were going to fight to the death.

"Creak, creak!"

Sinuoli heard a violent sound of winches coming from inside the Black Ark beneath him. Looking down, he saw the Black Guard who were halfway up the stairs actually starting to retreat.

"Decisive, aren't they!"

He muttered to himself. The captives had no armor or weapons, and in a battle of this level, they were barely qualified to be cannon fodder. The leader of the God-Blessed villains simply abandoned them, pulling the remaining elite forces to the most critical locations.

As for Sinuoli himself, what harm was there in staying here? His attack range was limited, and his speed was not impressive; by the time he rushed back to the front line, the outcome would likely already be decided.

"Looks like I have to go underwater for this fight!"

As the chains were unhooked, three huge black shadows, accompanied by several smaller ones, darted out from under the Black Ark. That Black Ark back in Tilea had abyssal sea monsters, so the God-Blessed villains naturally would not lack them.

"You cannot intervene in the main battlefield; find a place to protect yourselves as best you can. This Black Ark should not sink easily."

The survivors of the ordeal sat slumped on the ground; a significant portion of them were common civilians, so where had they ever seen such a terrifying scene? After Sinuoli instructed the Colonel named Liu Xiang, he walked to the tower railing, preparing to jump into the river to intercept the released sea beasts.

"Splash!"

Just then, Sinuoli heard the sound of waves breaking. He saw several warships flying the flags of Weidong Province speeding over from upstream on the Jade River.

"Hey! Who goes there? I am the King of the Southlands, Sinuoli of the Storm Hammer!"

"I have long heard of your great name! I am Yang Yanzhang, General of Lishan. Having just received a message from the Prime Minister, I have brought my troops to suppress the thieves and protect the sovereign!"

Hearing Sinuoli's shout, a man stood up on the bow of the lead ship. His voice was full of vigor, carrying clearly even over the sound of the wind, waves, and battle cries.

"Good! This King shall ride your warship to join the fray!"

Sinuoli felt a surge of joy. He immediately leaped down, landing on the deck of the warship—or to be precise, the second deck. This ship was not the treasure ship of the Ming Dragon, and the first deck was smashed through instantly.

Brushing off the dust, Sinuoli walked to the bow and stood beside Yang Yanzhang, looking down to observe this General. He was in his forties, middle-aged, with a gray goatee on his chin. He wore Bright Armor but had chosen a Wubian Great Crown instead of the matching helmet.

"Puff!"

Before they could even speak, a huge snake head emerged from the river, opening its blood-red maw to swallow the two men on the bow. Sinuoli reacted extremely quickly, flicking a Storm Hammer out of his hand and smashing it into a cloud of blood mist.

"Ho! I have long heard that you are proficient in the art of transformation, that the flying hammer in your palm has the power to split mountains, and that slaying a Demigod or fighting a Greater Demon is all in a day's work for you! Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinarily brave!" Yang Yanzhang bowed and gestured to Sinuoli.

"Hahaha, I have also long heard of the fame of your Coiling Snake Seven Probe Spear!"

Sinuoli was not just being polite. While sailing on the sea earlier, Hu Daozhang had introduced him to the capable and extraordinary people of the Zhendan Empire. Enthusiasts had ranked the powerhouses other than the True Dragons into Earth and Heaven Rankings; although some were slightly controversial, they were generally considered fair.

The Heaven Ranking consisted of grandmasters who had founded their own sects, while the Earth Ranking consisted of ordinary heroes and gallants. The man before him, nicknamed the Coiled Snake Spear, Yang Yanzhang, was ranked ninth on the Heaven Ranking and was also the top general under the Ming Dragon.

According to Hu Daozhang, this ninth place on the Heaven Ranking had significant weight; since the list was first posted, the top three of the Heaven Ranking had never changed. Whenever he mentioned this, Hu Daozhang would always drink a few extra cups, because the one who had occupied the top of the Heaven Ranking had always been the successive masters of the Blood Jade Temple.

The history of the Blood Jade Temple could be traced back to before the arrival of Chaos. The Old Ones had thrown a portion of the humans they created onto the land of Zhendan, but the True Dragons did not pay attention to these ants at first.

The ancestors of ancient humans gave birth to the rudiments of religion during the stage of slash-and-burn cultivation. The founding Grandmaster of this temple, the Blood Jade Immortal, claimed to have received the empowerment of the Old Ones. It is rumored that he even ascended to the upper realms after passing down his Daoist lineage.

"I dare not, I dare not! It is merely a hollow name given by friends in the martial world!"

Amidst the mutual flattery, the warship had already sailed past the Black Ark. Some Dark Elf ranged units attempted to interfere, but as their main force was fully committed to the front line, they could not cause trouble for this elite unit.

"General Yang has arrived!"

"That is the flag of the Yang Army!"

"The strange god has dissipated, and reinforcements have arrived; our army will surely win this battle!"

"Long live the Governor! This subordinate is late in coming to protect the sovereign, please forgive my crime!"

As a mortal, Yang Yanzhang held high prestige in the army. Seeing the large "Yang" character on his ship's sail from afar, the Cathayan army formation erupted in cheers, while he bowed from afar to report his arrival to Yin Yin.

"The thieves have released the sea beasts. This palace intends to lead the Frog-Ninjas into the river to exterminate them. I entrust these Long-Winged Lizards to the two of you!"

When the phantom of Khaine dissipated, Yin Yin had anticipated that the Dark Elves would fight to the death. Just as she was unable to spare herself, Yang Yanzhang's arrival with Sinuoli brought her great joy.

"Understood! Come!"

After kneeling and bowing to receive the order, Yang Yanzhang stood up and gestured with his right hand. Two sturdy soldiers responded by carrying over a bright silver spear and handing it to him.

Sinuoli narrowed his eyes. This spear was no ordinary item; it was a living dragon shape. The dragon scales raised in circles on the spear shaft served as a non-slip grip. There was no tassel at the end of the shaft; a lifelike dragon mouth held a point of cold light.

"Yang Army, hear my order! Follow me to kill the thieves!"

With the spear in hand, Yang Yanzhang's aura soared. Dragging the spear, he jumped onto the treasure ship, covering the distance to the stern in three steps. Following closely behind him was a group of elites, equipped not with the standard Halberds of the Jade Warriors, but with long spears.