Chapter 1148

Just as Gai Nie was puzzling over it, the old man on the high platform pointed in Gai Nie's direction and shouted something loudly.

The green-skinned creatures below shrieked one after another, raising weapons of every color and pounding their chests as they cheered.

After the cheering, these green-skinned creatures turned their heads and came charging toward Gai Nie in a massive, surging wave.

The formation looked just like a great army marching out to war.

Seeing this, Gai Nie sighed inwardly.

He understood that whether or not these were the Lu Li Tribe, today he would likely have to spill blood here.

Though he did not know exactly what had happened, nor what these people truly were.

But things had come to this pass, and Gai Nie could only draw out the broken half of the Yuan Hong Sword.

If you want to harm the common folk of the Nine Provinces, you'll have to step over Gai Nie's corpse first!

Whoooosh……

A gust of wild wind came howling in.

Though the green-skinned army was still quite a distance from Gai Nie, this gust of wind suddenly swept over.

Gai Nie sensed something was wrong and immediately circulated his true essence, gathering it onto the broken sword.

Before the gale could reach him, he flicked the broken sword upward and laid out the defensive stance of the Vertical Sword Art directly.

Clang!

Sure enough, a sound of metal striking metal rang out, followed by an extremely violent force.

This force was quite different from a martial artist's true essence.

Judging by its impact, it even made Gai Nie feel his breathing grow tight, and he retreated half a step.

Though his body fell back, Gai Nie's swordsmanship did not falter.

The Vertical Sword Art, which excelled at defense, was pushed to its absolute limit in an instant.

Within a radius of over a zhang around him, dense, countless sword shadows were laid down.

Every single one of them was not to be taken lightly!

Bang bang bang……

Another string of explosive crashes rang out, even flashing several bursts of sparks flying in all directions.

By the light of the sparks, Gai Nie used his martial arts qi sense and finally saw clearly what kind of person was attacking his defensive sword strikes.

It really was those green-skinned creatures!

Only these green-skinned creatures were quite different from ordinary green-skinned creatures.

Not only were each of their limbs thicker and more agile, their tusks more protruding—

Several banners were even stuck into their backs, like opera performers of the Central Plains.

Each one would suddenly draw a blade out of thin air, slash at Gai Nie's sword shadows, and when they could not break through—

They would use the momentum to vanish into the air, disappearing without a trace.

Their bladework was not particularly exquisite.

In Gai Nie's estimation, this bladework was at best at the Yellow Grade level.

But though their bladework seemed utterly unremarkable, every now and then it could erupt with an extremely powerful impact.

Just like how the first slash had sent Gai Nie retreating half a step earlier.

Every so often, a slash would suddenly explode forth.

The density of Gai Nie's Vertical Sword Art defense was truly exceptional among sword arts.

But even so, it could not withstand these green-skinned creatures, who would suddenly appear and slash, then suddenly increase the force on their blades.

On top of that, Gai Nie's Yuan Hong Sword was already destroyed.

After taking several heavy strikes in a row, Gai Nie's sword shadows were gradually hacked back a great deal by these green-skinned creatures who appeared and vanished like ghosts.

His entire body was forced to retreat nearly ten steps.

If he retreated any further, he would enter the bounds of the cloud and mist.

He wanted to counterattack, but these green-skinned creatures would strike once and then vanish into the air.

If it were not for the fact that when they struck, he could still rely on his martial arts qi sense to catch a fleeting glimpse of their figures—

Gai Nie would not even know who he was fighting, nor how many he was fighting.

His heart hardened, and he made up his mind: the next time a green-skinned creature appeared, he would no longer care whether they truly were members of the Lu Li Tribe.

He would absolutely use a Vertical Sword Art strike that combined defense with offense to take down one or two of them and break their assault.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, the charging army of green-skinned creatures was also about to arrive.

Gai Nie felt bitterness well up in his heart—was the strength of one person truly so powerless against this?

Just as Gai Nie was about to be swallowed by the green-skinned army, a high-pitched voice rang out,

"Shadow Guard, hear my order—slay these beasts and defend the rivers and mountains of Great Qin!"

From deep within the cloud and mist, Qin Huang Ying Zheng slowly emerged, surrounded by the dragon qi of Great Qin.

Seeing Ying Zheng appear, Gai Nie inexplicably let out a breath of relief.

Then he immediately felt extremely guilty.

If not for his own moment of mercy, no matter what he said, Wei Zhuang could not have broken the seal of the Lu Li Tribe.

Judging by the ferociousness of these green-skinned creatures, once they broke through this final defense, they would surely ravage the common folk of the Nine Provinces.

Thinking of this, Gai Nie felt even more unspeakably guilty.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Zhang Han led a group of somewhat exhausted Shadow Guards, following Ying Zheng out of the cloud and mist.

Though utterly exhausted, they still responded to Ying Zheng in perfect unison.

Then, following the Shadow Guard's combined formation, they charged in threes and fours in small squads, pushing back against the terrifying momentum of the green-skinned army's charge.

Compared to the green-skinned army's surging, overwhelming charge, like a flooding Yellow River.

The handful of Shadow Guards led by Hearing Zhang Han couldn't even count as a reef.

Just like a single small boat in a raging wind and giant waves, about to be swallowed in the blink of an eye.

But the Shadow Guards truly lived up to being the Qin Emperor's last line of defense.

Though each was only at the Grandmaster realm in cultivation, these Shadow Guards gathered in threes and fives, forming small squads into formations.

The small formations of three or five then combined again, forming an even larger combined formation.

Some wielded pointed blades, some bone-clinging chains, some hidden weapons.

Under Hearing Zhang Han's command, these Shadow Guards firmly held their ground against the green-skinned army's charge, briefly checking their assault.

The green-skinned army was vast in number, with burly, brutish bodies; every attack surely carried a force of over a thousand jin.

Moreover, their weapons were mostly heavy arms like hammers, great sabers, heavy swords, even whole logs.

Every strike came with tremendous force and weight.

Though they didn't combine into formations like the Shadow Guards did.

They surrounded the Shadow Guards' formation on all sides, shrieking "wahaha," then hurled their heavy weapons out in one go.

No matter how formidable the Shadow Guards' formation was, every minute, every second, Shadow Guards fell into pools of blood.

Vertical and Horizontal!

Seeing the Shadow Guards pay such a heavy price, yet only manage to delay the enemy briefly.

More and more Shadow Guards died tragically at the hands of the green-skinned warriors.

More and more green-skinned warriors broke past the Shadow Guards' formation, charging toward the mist.

Hearing Gai Nie held back no longer — even if these green-skinned warriors were truly from the Lu Li tribe, he could only begin the killing!

At once, Hearing Gai Nie unleashed a move of Vertical and Horizontal; taking advantage of a green-skinned warrior's saber striking his sword shadow.

He suddenly followed the momentum to attack, sweeping aside with one sword, then thrusting straight at the green-skinned warrior's chest.

After besieging Hearing Gai Nie's defensive sword shadow for so long, these green-skinned saber-wielders had long grown accustomed to the rhythm: one strike misses, immediately vanish and retreat to gather momentum.

Seeing Hearing Gai Nie suddenly abandon his defensive stance and thrust with his sword, this green-skinned saber-wielder was first somewhat startled.

Then a trace of savagery appeared on his face; he no longer vanished and retreated.

Gripping that heavy saber in his hand — like a door panel — he slashed diagonally toward Hearing Gai Nie's head.

This green-skinned saber-wielder was truly ferocious beyond compare.

Clearly Hearing Gai Nie was attacking his vital chest area, yet he didn't turn his saber to save himself, but instead tried to cleave Hearing Gai Nie's head — his plan was to trade life for life.