Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1464 - 920: Is the Yang family really this extravagant? (2)

"This material, is it the Essence of Mystical Iron? This can even be used to forge spirit artifacts, yet they made it into arrows?"

He couldn’t help but murmur in his heart as he examined the arrows' materials and craftsmanship.

A surge of happiness followed, "The Yang family is truly wealthy! If I had known this earlier, I would have pledged my allegiance sooner!"

"I wonder if Yang Zhenshan still remembers this old acquaintance of his. Hopefully, this time, I can latch onto the Yang family's mighty influence and safely pursue opportunities for Foundation Establishment!"

His heart churned with both anticipation and a touch of apprehension.

He yearned for Yang Zhenshan's notice and approval, yet dreaded that the now-successful Yang Zhenshan might disdain him, his old, unremarkable friend.

Unbeknownst to anyone else, the battle raging outside the town had escalated to a new intensity.

A relentless volley of arrows continued to fly, while Fang Shou and the few remaining Immortal Cultivators desperately held their ground against the ever-advancing shadows on the street.

Amidst the hail of arrows, figures emerged, darting swiftly.

They formed a triadic formation: one wielding a spear, and two with sword shields, their shields positioned forward, the spear thrusting from behind, as they charged directly at Fang Shou.

The relentless arrow storm ceased, and Fang Shou felt a momentary reprieve as the potent force of the magic shield in his hand subsided, the explosive pressure vanishing.

"They've stopped!"

A thought flashed through his mind, and a look of relief softened his pale features.

But before he could fully relax, a premonition of danger struck his heart. Acting on instinct, he commanded his shield to block in front of him once more.

With a resounding crash, an immense force slammed into him, tearing his shield from his grasp and sending it flying.

In the very next instant, a spear tip, glinting with lethal intent, lunged towards his chest.

The spear point pressed against his sternum, driving him back more than ten paces.

His face drained of color as he stared at the deadly gleam before him. So close, agonizingly close, to meeting his end. If not for the persistent enchantment maintaining his Protective Magic Shield, that thrust would have claimed his life.

However, there was no time for respite. Even as the spear's threat lingered, a blade attack swiftly followed.

This time, Fang Shou reacted. His mana surged, propelling him backward to narrowly evade the sweeping blade.

"Damn it all!"

Fang Shou let out an enraged roar.

He downed an Elixir while channeling his mana. With a flick of his sleeve, a blazing serpent of fire shot towards the three soldiers advancing on him.

The instant the fire snake erupted, the three soldiers reacted instinctively.

The two Sword and Shield wielders moved forward, interlocking their shields to form an impassable barrier.

Simultaneously, they sprang forward, resuming their charge towards Fang Shou.

The fire snake detonated, its scorching flames painting a fiery swath across the night sky. Yet, the twin shields pierced through the inferno, reappearing directly before Fang Shou.

The shields parted, blades flashed out, and the spear thrust in.

Fang Shou had never anticipated such flawless coordination from the three soldiers – it was almost unbelievable.

They moved as one entity, with no discernible weakness.

He had presumed that even a single Fire Snake Skill would be enough to repel these three, but he never imagined they would negate it so effectively and press their attack so relentlessly.

The spell he was preparing remained unfinished, his mana reserves depleted, and the unexpected assault was already upon him.

Bang~~

Two blades struck his sides, his waist and abdomen, and the Protective Magic Shield enveloping him flickered and dimmed instantly.

With a sickening thud, the sharp spear pierced through his chest.

Before he could even register the next movement, another blade descended, whistling towards his neck.

His head was severed, flying upwards, blood erupting in a crimson spray that shimmered under the moon's glow.

Innate Martial Artists and Qi Refining Cultivators occupy similar tiers. Typically, a Third Layer Qi Refiner is weaker than a Martial Artist at the Qi Sea Stage. Fourth to Sixth Layer Qi Refiners are comparable to those at the Earth Evil Stage, while Seventh Layer and above Immortal Cultivators generally surpass Martial Artists of the Heavenly Gang Stage.

At the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, an Immortal Cultivator can practically annihilate a Heavenly Gang Stage Martial Artist in an instant.

Naturally, this assumes a direct comparison of power. When other variables are factored in, the outcome can shift dramatically.

Fang Shou, possessing Ninth Layer Qi Refining cultivation, would have been akin to a tiger among sheep had he faced a group of Heavenly Gang Stage Martial Artists, leaving over a dozen unable to even mount a defense.

However, this opponent was not a collection of Heavenly Gang Stage Martial Artists this time, but rather a meticulously trained army that had been ambushed beforehand.

A volley of arrows rained down for suppression, followed by a swift three-man team initiating a surprise attack once the Immortal Cultivators had depleted their mana.

Within a mere fifteen minutes, over thirty Qi Refining Cultivators in the Late-stage met their demise on this very spot.

This engagement was a testament to the deep-seated foundations of Spirit Source Land, built over fifty to sixty years, far beyond the capabilities of a few soldiers or martial artists.

Following the skirmish, five hundred soldiers emerged from the adjacent streets, maintaining a disciplined formation while keenly observing their surroundings.

Han Fei, clad in black Iron Armor and with a long saber at his hip, cast a cold gaze upon the grim scene strewn across the ground.

"Clear the battlefield!"

"Yes!"

The assembled soldiers responded in unison.

Their resounding voices shattered the quiet of the night.

"Most satisfactory, most satisfactory indeed! It appears I underestimated your Yang family!"

Abruptly, a voice echoed, and beneath the brilliant moonlight, two figures materialized, suspended in the air as if by unseen means.

Han Fei tilted his head upward to face the two aerial figures, his pupils contracting slightly.

"Foundation Establishment Cultivators!"

Fang Ze surveyed the fallen bodies littering the ground, then shifted his chilling, venomous gaze toward Han Fei, noting the unwavering formation of the Yang family soldiers.

Their strategy had been to let these Qi Refining Cultivators advance as a vanguard, drawing out Yang Zhenshan, after which they would launch their surprise assault.

To prevent Yang Zhenshan from detecting their presence prematurely, they had deliberately maintained a considerable distance.

Yet, they had not anticipated that these Qi Refining Cultivators would fall into an ambush even before reaching the town, and much to their astonishment, they were completely annihilated within a quarter of an hour.

In truth, there was another factor they had failed to foresee: their attempt at stealth had been utterly pointless. Yang Zhenshan had been aware of their approach for a considerable time.

Yang Zhenshan's Spiritual Sense now extended over three thousand zhang in all directions, encompassing even Li Shangyuan, who was concealed twenty miles away, within its profound reach.

A surge of anger coursed through Fang Ze, accompanied by a deep sense of humiliation and fury.

He had assembled this contingent of Loose Cultivators, and while they might have been a motley crew, he had believed them sufficient to sow significant discord within the Yang family.

But what had transpired?

This ragtag assembly had been utterly wiped out before they could even set foot in Yang Family Town.

It was an outright public humiliation, delivered with unmistakable force.

"Hmph!"

Unable to maintain his composure, Fang Ze felt an urge to unleash his pent-up rage upon the soldiers standing before him.

With a casual flick of his sleeve, a ferocious ball of flame materialized from thin air, brilliantly illuminating the surrounding night sky.

The roiling inferno descended rapidly, aimed directly at Han Fei and the assembled soldiers.

Undaunted, the soldiers braced themselves. The Sword and Shield corps raised their defenses, the archers notched their arrows, and Han Fei, gripping his saber, prepared for conflict.

Just as Fang Ze was about to engulf these