Zhao Guanshou immediately reacted, shouting, "There are rebels!" Before he had finished speaking, the line of stopped vehicles simultaneously opened their windows and doors, launching volleys of crossbows in all directions without hesitation. The sharp crack of arrows slicing through the air grew continuous and relentless. Zhao Guanshou's elite Mungo Guards, truly the best of the best, instantly rose into the air, forming a compact, fortress-like formation that encircled him at the center. At the same time, their swords flashed rapidly, deflecting the incoming arrows. Gao Shen reacted swiftly, pressing and pinning one after another of Ding Liu to the ground, his ears filled with cries of pain. The force of the arrows pressed so hard that he could hardly lift his head, only hearing a continuous wave of screams. Suddenly, a deep thud echoed from the upper watchtower—soldiers of the Jin Yu Guard had been struck and fell. Ding Liu saw the man lying motionless nearby, blood spreading out, still convulsing. Although the archery barrage sent the Yulin Wei reeling, their training and discipline kept them composed. As the first wave of arrows still swept through, sharp alarm signals rang out across the hills and valleys. The flames from the high ground fire towers rose, branching out into countless arms that interlaced and intertwined, and within moments, the entire golden mine appeared enveloped by a vast, semi-spherical fire dome—so intense and vibrant from afar that it seemed as though fiery spheres were about to burst upward. While the second wave of attacks had not yet begun, Gao Shen pulled Ding Liu and rushed forward—being in the midst of a battle, he had no interest in aligning himself with either side, only wanting to find a cave or a sheltered corner to ensure their safety. Just a few steps in, the sound of vehicles grew intense. It seemed the Scorpion Eye forces had anticipated being pinned down by the artillery and swiftly reversed course, their passengers leaping and rolling off the vehicles, some wielding steel swords, others dancing with short lances, fiercely charging toward the nearby Jin Yu guards. The double-wood staff is known as a rare and unique weapon. Though it appears unimpressive at first glance, it possesses tremendous power. It is similar in principle to the theory of Yeh Liu Xi, who wields a sword—once mastered, the arms seem to extend far beyond the body, with a central chain providing added flexibility and ease of movement. A single strike can generate force equivalent to hundreds of pounds, and even if one does not fall, they will surely be rendered incapacitated. Indeed, it is as if it defeats gods and demons alike, carving a bloody path through chaos. Ding Liu, following closely, suddenly felt a sense of dizziness, as though the tall, imposing figure had become an unbreakable wall, shielding her from all the fierce winds and bloodshed. A tremendous roar echoed—the vehicle, unable to avoid it, was struck directly by a shell fired from above. The middle section of the vehicle instantly collapsed inward, while the ends rose upward, nearly transforming it into a "V" shape. After the first shot, a series of consecutive explosions followed. The cannon balls used here differed from those in the northern frontier—some weighed several dozen catties and were stone projectiles launched from a height, their force unstoppable. Others resembled locally made "crushing cannons," which only exploded upon impact, and contained numerous iron nails and fragments that spun out at high speed over a wide area; some passed straight through the bodies, others severed the necks, even cutting off half the heads—truly horrifying. As another "crushing cannon" exploded around her, high deep in the midst of the chaos, she didn’t pause to think—she immediately wrapped her arms around Ding Liu, rolled them both to the ground, and then grabbed a nearby corpse, pulling it over her body. The sound of the corpse’s body being struck and punctured continued without pause, as the body trembled under the force of the impacts. Suddenly, someone cried out, "Look! Look at that!" Gao Shen lifted his head to look, and saw across the mountain face leading up to the upper battery, dark grass spreading rapidly, swiftly encircling a cannon that had just been primed for firing. Suddenly, the grass surged and lifted the cannon, carrying it off with only a moment's notice. The cannon's muzzle was twisted off-kilter, and the stones it launched struck straight into the heavy shield raised by Jin Yu Wei. The shield wall shattered instantly, people flying out, the shield itself spinning wildly in the air, colliding with the stone wall and forcing a gaping hole through it. Shards of stone flew outward, toward Gao Shen and Jia. Gao Shen couldn't dodge in time, and was swept by stones that grazed his back of the head. His vision went black, blood rushing to his eyes, his consciousness like air in a syringe—first compressed suddenly by the plunger, then drawn back up again. Ding Liu pushed him with a crying voice: "Gao Shen! Gao Shen! Are you all right?" Gao Shen lifted his head, and found the world around him upside down and chaotic. — The Qiqiang grass swayed high above, its form resembling a sea demon's tangle of wild hair. Suddenly, it struck with a long lash, and Zhao Guanshou's human wall and fortress crumbled instantly; — Under the flickering flames, strange, eerie shadows emerged on the ground—with sharp, gleaming fangs, claws, and tails—suddenly leaping upon the shadow of a Golden Feathers guard cast on the ground and tearing at it fiercely. The guard cried out in agony, slashing wildly with his long sword, yet nothing seemed to be there around him—only blood gushing from his neck and his body twisting before he collapsed to the ground; — Massive green leaves spun gracefully in midair, like lotus leaves, glowing under the firelight, endowing an unusual grace: yet suddenly, folding at the center, they flapped their wings and surged downward, tightly enclosing a person like a dumpling, holding fast. When they unfolded and rose back into the sky a moment later, the person had vanished entirely, and blood dripped steadily from the leaves all around; — A Golden Feathers guard shouted desperately, issuing orders: "Scorpion-Eye has brought an evil spirit! Hurry—call Highly focused, his gaze suddenly settled on the golden-faced elder at the upper level. Amidst the chaos, only that face remained unmoved—gazing down with composed stillness, observing silently as though everything unfolding were entirely unrelated to it. With a determined resolve, High Deep roared, "Quick! Xiao Liu, let's charge straight into the golden-faced elder's presence!" No blood, no cries—just two hollow shells, along with their clothes and pants, softly collapsing onto the ground. How could anyone believe that Long Shen, this old man, would even come? The twin siblings could only parrot what others said, offer simple replies, lacking both ingenuity and adaptability, unable to face the light directly. Thus, they used their lifelike, flawless shells from head to toe to block out the light; once the shells were broken, they vanished silently and without a sound. With this strike, he had poured all his strength, gasping for breath, and in his peripheral vision, he caught the head of the Jin Yu Guard rushing over. Immediately, he composed himself, restoring his usual calm, composed, and unflinching demeanor. The head of the Jin Yu Guard looked visibly anxious: "Sir, the scorpion-eyed one has come prepared. The mountain's sorcerers may not be able to hold their own against these beasts. Could we please bring in sorcerers from Black Stone City as soon as possible? Ideally, someone from the Long family..." Zhao Guanshou glanced at the Jin elder's face halfway up the mountain. After a moment, he spoke cautiously: "They're just a collection of — The chain bridge swayed dramatically, the iron chains rubbing against the abutments and shedding fragments of stone. Ye Liuxi and Jiang Zhan had exchanged a full round of combat, remaining evenly matched. Jiang Zhan's advantage lay in his steady posture—he had evidently trained in fighting on the chain, while Ye Liuxi's base was unstable and she feared stepping off the chain, often reaching out to grasp the lateral chains. Yet her blade was exceptionally sharp; a single flick severed the head of the iron ruler. With her expansive arm movements and wide arc of motion, Jiang Zhan was forced to evade her attacks, and after several exchanges, found himself unable to land a decisive blow, his face growing increasingly pale. Subtle tremors rippled through the mountain, suggesting an unexpected development at the mine. Qingzhi looked up with growing unease, her expression growing more and more doubtful. Ye Liu Xi’s heart pounded fiercely, yet his smile grew broader and more vibrant as he launched sharp remarks at Jiang Zhan, aiming to make him restless: “People should never overestimate themselves—no matter how much they praise it, iron staff and hemp rope aren’t truly weapons, are they? Well, Jiang Zhan, men value their word—don’t switch weapons halfway.” Jiang Zhan sneered, “Ye Liu Xi, you’re still feeling confident? That’s too early.” As he spoke, he pushed hard with his foot, then flipped over, landing with a controlled roll. As he descended, he pressed his arms heavily against the side chains, causing the entire chain bridge to tremble violently. Ye Liu Xi lost her grip, slid sideways, and nearly tipped her entire body off the bridge—thankfully, she caught herself with a quick handhold on the lower chain. Jiang Zhan’s descent continued unbroken, and his iron staff struck hard against her outstretched hand. Chang Dong, who had just instructed the Mungu Guard to fetch several cow horns from the sacrificial pit, shouted, “Liu Xi—don’t try to match his length with your short reach!” "The words were obscure, yet Ye Liuxi understood them instantly. As the iron bar struck, he loosened his grip and, with his back pressing against the bottom chain, executed a sudden backflip, swinging one leg around to wrap it securely around the side chain. He didn't pause to watch—instead, he flicked his sword with the other hand, the blade cutting straight toward Jiang Zhan's position. Jiang Zhan reacted swiftly, gripping the bottom chain with both hands and arching his neck, so that the cool edge of the blade nearly grazed his throat, leaving a faint tingling sensation—likely a laceration with blood seeping through. It had been a year since they last saw each other, and Ye Liuxi's skill had surpassed his expectations. Without pausing to reflect, Jiang Zhan used the momentum to lightly leap upward and stand on the bottom chain, while Ye Liuxi remained motionless, one leg still wrapped around the side chain, his body hanging loosely, swaying naturally with the chain's movement. With his hand, he formed a graceful sword flourish, a slight smile playing at his lips, and said, 'Be careful now.' Jiang Zhan was momentarily startled. A sudden thought flashed through his mind Ye Liuxi's expression shifted abruptly, her face stiffening as she swept her sword across his lower body—either stabbing, probing, brushing, or hooking—with a wrist movement as swift as lightning, one blade after another still coming—never faltering. Jiang Zhan stood steady, rooted firmly on the base chain as if walking on level ground. Her attacks mostly targeted his upper and midsection, which was her strength—yet a weakness for her. She couldn't counter his strengths with her own weaknesses. If they continued to face each other directly, she would inevitably fall behind. His mind cleared momentarily, and without further thought, he quickly grasped a thick, curved cow horn, stepped back a few paces, then dashed forward again. When he reached the cliff's edge, he leapt, pressing the horn against the base chain, gripping both ends as if it were a suspension cable, and slid swiftly toward the center of the bridge. It turned out to be quite fortunate—just as the arrow was firmly lodged in the crease between the scales, with the side scales slightly lifting and securing it, Chang Dong’s temples bulged with veins, his jaw clenched tightly, and one hand desperately gripping the shaft of the arrow, his arm nearly pulled out from the strain. Fortunately, as their bodies swayed slightly, they managed to stay in place. Looking down, Ye Liuxi had been struck through the legs, with the arrow piercing from front to back, causing her to tremble all over. She still clutched the hilt of her sword tightly. Chang Dong wrapped his arms around her, reached for the sword, and softly said, “Liuxi, hold onto this arrow in my hand with both hands—hold on tightly, don’t let go.” Ye Liuxi’s face turned pale, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, and she only nodded, gripping the shaft firmly. Chang Dong quickly released his hold, wrapped his arms around her waist, and used her strength to slide downward, aiming precisely at the feather of the arrow embedded in her leg, then seized it firmly and drove it back into the snake’s body. The snake’s body seemed to shiver slightly. Chang Dong saw it, his heart tightened instantly, then clenched his teeth and pretended not to have noticed. Fine—two arrows now firmly positioned, usable both to grasp and to step on, giving them stability. He applied force to his wrist, cutting through the section of arrow protruding from Ye Liuxi’s leg, then stepped onto it, reaching up to grasp the upper shaft of the arrow, and softly said, “Done.” Ye Liuxi, too, had no strength left; as soon as her voice fell, her arm drooped. Chang Dong lifted her arm, lowered it gently, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Above, Jiang Zhan was bending down, intently probing. The plump Tang, who had been pressed flat against the lower chain, suddenly cried out anxiously, “Brother Dong, are you both all right? Has Sister Xi been hurt?” Below, in the pool shimmering with golden foam, the body of the fierce bird guardian, once planted there, now floated—corroded and reduced to only half its original form.