Ms. Diviner: The Prodigal Daughter's Return Chapter 1437: At This Moment, Mu Hanyan Is the War God in Their Hearts

A low, rumbling sound echoed, the earth itself trembling beneath a persistent, muffled thunder.

The complexions of all present shifted dramatically. It wasn't thunder they heard, but the thunderous hoofbeats of colossal Exotic Beasts on the charge!

A swirling cloud of dust billowed up, and in a mere instant, a vast horde of Exotic Beasts erupted from the canyon, their roars filling the air as they surged toward Beining Pass!

For months, the steadfast soldiers and resilient civilians of Beining Pass had endured daily battles for survival against these Exotic Beasts. Forged in the crucible of war, their hearts had become as unyielding as stone, yet in this very moment, an undeniable tremor ran through them, a cold sweat breaking out on their palms.

Significantly outnumbering and outclassing any previous onslaught, the Exotic Beasts attacking Beining Pass today were beyond compare. A swift estimation indicated tens of thousands of beasts, with the weakest individuals possessing strength rivaling Sixth or Seventh-tier Swordsmen, and an innumerable legion belonging to the Sword Master Realm.

While defenders traditionally held a significant advantage, often requiring ten or even dozens of times the attacking force's effort to breach a city, the sight of this immense wave of beasts, the dust rising from the distant canyon hinting at even more to come, drew gasps from the onlookers.

This confrontation felt like the ultimate, decisive battle. After this, it was a grim uncertainty how many would witness another sunrise.

All gazes, by unspoken agreement, turned towards Han Yan. At some point, their collective hope had become anchored to her, and this moment was no different.

Han Yan’s gaze remained fixed upon the surging horde below, her expression as placid as a tranquil lake.

An assault on this magnitude from the Exotic Beasts had been within her expectations. However, these creatures alone posed no existential threat to her. It was clear that the true powerhouses had yet to reveal themselves.

Could Yun Qianmo have been alluding to the elusive Netherworld Beast? Or perhaps an even more formidable entity lurked unseen?

For Han Yan, in this present moment, none of that truly mattered. The immediate priority was to repel this initial wave of the Exotic Beast assault.

Drawing the Cold Sky Sword, Han Yan held it aloft, pointed resolutely forward.

Behind her, sons from numerous noble families let out a unified shout. A cascade of lights flashed as dozens of snarling, formidable Sword Pets were summoned, their deep growls resonating through the air.

Confronting the oncoming tide of beasts, their expressions were cool and resolute, fiery battle intent blazing within their eyes.

In their hearts, Han Yan was the very embodiment of a War God! With her presence, they feared nothing!

Witnessing this display, the soldiers and civilians, who had harbored a flicker of unease, found their apprehension melting away. The hands gripping sword hilts regained their customary steadiness and strength. With a resounding beat upon their chest armor, all soldiers let loose a unified howl toward the heavens.

The blare of horns and the thunder of war drums shook the very heavens and earth!

Massive stones, resembling falling meteors, were hurled down with devastating force upon the charging Exotic Beasts.

Beining Pass, situated with a strategic and commanding elevation, was now inundated by tens of thousands of tightly packed Exotic Beasts, their movements severely restricted. In mere moments, hundreds of these creatures were obliterated, reduced to mere pulp. Yet, for the vast multitude of tens of thousands, such a loss was inconsequential, utterly failing to impede their relentless advance.

The catapults were reloaded and drawn back, launching their deadly payload again and again. Behind the pass, four majestic Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants continuously swung their powerful trunks. Giant stones rained down below the pass, splashing upwards in sprays of bright red liquid. Nevertheless, the roaring beast horde progressively drew nearer to Beining Pass.

"Release!" boomed the Fifth Prince's voice.

A volley from hundreds of longbows unleashed their deadly shafts, and a torrent of arrows descended. While their individual power paled in comparison to the catapults, the proximity of the targets ensured they inflicted significant damage upon the Exotic Beasts. Especially the dozens of Cloud Piercing Stone Breaking Bows, which exhibited astonishing lethality.

A sharp whistling sound pierced the air, and the horde responded with a chorus of agonizing shrieks. Thin rivulets of blood began to snake their way down to the mountain's base.

Still, this barrage proved insufficient to halt the Exotic Beasts' aggressive momentum.

At long last, the vanguard of the Exotic Beasts reached the very base of the pass.

The precarious and confined nature of the terrain undeniably offered numerous advantages to Beining Pass, but it also presented distinct disadvantages. Confined by geography, Beining Pass could not boast the towering grandeur of Lu'an City. While its walls were robust, their height barely exceeded three zhang.

In bygone days, after a barrage of catapult stones and arrows, hardly any Exotic Beasts managed to breach the pass's defenses, and those that did were usually weakened or severely wounded, allowing the soldiers atop the walls to repel them with relative ease. But this day was starkly different. The sheer number and formidable strength of the Exotic Beasts overwhelmed the defenses. Despite the relentless bombardment from catapults, the might of four Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants, and a constant hail of arrows, hundreds of Exotic Beasts still reached the wall's base, and most were frustratingly unharmed.

A wall of mere three zhang in height was clearly insufficient to halt these monstrous creatures. The once-sturdy stone surface bore the marks of countless impacts, now pocked with dents and bumps. Utilizing these imperfections, hundreds of Exotic Beasts scaled the structure, their hideous fangs bared and sharp claws extended.

"Kill!" The Fifth Prince and Han Yan bellowed in unison, their longswords a silver blur as they sliced towards the approaching Exotic Beasts.

The true carnage was about to commence.

The relentless beat of war drums, the cacophony of battle cries, reverberated through the heavens. Nearly a thousand Sword Lights, sharp and cold as driven snow, flashed through the air, radiating a biting killing intent that chilled the very atmosphere.

While these Exotic Beasts possessed immense power, their discipline and organization paled in comparison to that of the disciplined humans. They exhibited no coordinated effort, fighting as solitary beasts driven solely by bloodlust, their inherent wisdom lost to a primal instinct for slaughter.

The Fifth Prince, Qu Fengting, and the other defenders stood shoulder-to-shoulder in their battle armor, forming an impenetrable bulwark. Although Han Yan and his companions lacked armor, their status as elite scions of various aristocratic clans meant their sword robes possessed inherent defensive capabilities. Bolstered by the protection of dozens of Sword Pets, their defensive line proved as formidable as that of the Fifth Prince and his soldiers.

Crucially, their attacks and defenses were executed with precision and excellent coordination. Typically, they advanced in groups of three or four to engage a single Exotic Beast, aiming for a decisive blow, while others in their vicinity rotated their Sword Force, diligently guarding their vital areas. Despite their disparate family origins, days of shared combat had dissolved any prior animosities, fostering complete trust and the willingness to entrust their very lives to their comrades.

With the successive fall of Sword Nets, Exotic Beasts were hewn from the walls one after another!

The catapults and the four Red Cloud Gold Armored Elephants ceaselessly hurled massive stones, while archers positioned behind the Fifth Prince and Han Yan continued their relentless arrow storm, transforming the advance path of the Exotic Beasts into a gruesome tableau of fallen foes.

Yet, the Exotic Beasts seemed to have cast aside all notions of self-preservation, life, and even fear. Even as deadly stones and arrows whistled past them, the unbridled madness in their eyes showed no sign of waning, their ferocious roars continuing as they charged headlong towards the pass.