Fang Hao’s three Formation-Breaking Awls pierced through, and the effect was instantaneous! It was like poking a hornet’s nest with a fire poker; the dark red Blood Fiend Light Shield beneath the Tiebi Pass opposite them flickered violently as if it were spasming. The red light flickered erratically, and those with sharp eyes could even see several fine cracks snap across the surface of the barrier! The baleful Aura that had been crashing against Luoxia City’s Formation in wave after wave like a tide suddenly stalled, as if someone had grabbed it by the throat!

This stall was a major development!

High in the sky, those two Nascent Soul Old Monsters were currently locked in a struggle, their Aura clashing at the most critical moment. They were fully concentrated, unable to afford even the slightest slip-up. When the Blood Fiend Formation shuddered and the energy supply hit a minor snag, even if it was only for the blink of an eye, the flaw was far too obvious for an expert of Cloud Crane’s level!

"Good opportunity!" A sharp glint flashed across Cloud Crane’s usually tranquil face. With a gentle shake of his whisk, the layers of Clear Light Lotus Petals that had been purely defensive suddenly seemed to come alive. The edges of the petals became incredibly sharp, spinning as they surged forward to shred the Blood-colored Escape Light opposite him! Their speed was more than double what it had been just moments ago!

"Junior, you’ve ruined my great plan! Die!" A roar of shock and fury erupted from within the Blood-colored Escape Light. Clearly, that Nascent Soul old demon from Great Qin hadn’t expected his own Formation to fail at such a pivotal moment, and in his haste, he could only channel his blood light to resist by force!

Screech—! 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The Clear Light Lotus Petals sliced into the dense blood light like a knife through tofu, letting out an ear-piercing sound! The blood light vibrated violently and dimmed significantly! Although he hadn’t managed to crush the opponent in one blow, the difference in strength was now clear! Cloud Crane had firmly seized the upper hand by capitalizing on this fleeting opportunity!

"Good!"

"The Immortal Master is mighty!"

On the walls of Luoxia City, the defenders who had been watching the battle tensely immediately erupted into earth-shaking cheers! Morale soared! Even General Li and Commander Lei pumped their fists hard, long-absent smiles appearing on their faces. Having the advantage at the Nascent Soul level had a massive impact on the entire battlefield!

Meanwhile, Fang Hao, who had created this crucial tactical opening, had no time to watch the spectacle in the sky. He was running for his life!

"Run! Run back! Don’t look back!" Fang Hao shouted at the top of his lungs to Little Grandson and the two veterans beside him. He grabbed one in each hand, practically dragging them as they sprinted across the scorched earth! He pushed Shrinking the Ground to an Inch to its limit, covering dozens of feet with every step, wishing his parents had given him two extra legs!

Why such a desperate effort? Because the pursuers had arrived!

The garrison commander of Tiebi Pass was no fool. With the Formation nodes destroyed and the Old Ancestor in the sky suffering a loss, how could he not vent his rage on the instigators? With a thunderous boom, the pass gates swung open, and a troop of Great Qin cavalry riding ferocious Demon Beasts and wreathed in Evil Qi charged out like a red whirlwind, howling as they pursued Fang Hao and his group! The officer leading them was the very same Golden Core Cultivator who had previously wounded Old Chen with a Saber Beam; even from a distance, one could feel his murderous gaze!

"Fire! Stop them!" General Li, atop the city tower, immediately gave the order upon seeing this. Luoxia City was also well-prepared; the ballistae and archers on the walls instantly opened fire with full force. A dense rain of arrows swept toward the pursuers, attempting to cover the retreat of Fang Hao’s squad.

Whiz, whiz, whiz! Boom!

Arrows pierced the air, and occasionally several beams of Spell light shot out, exploding in front of the pursuers to slow them down.

However, the pursuers were clearly elites; even under the rain of arrows, their speed didn’t decrease at all! Especially that Golden Core officer—with a swing of his long saber, an arc of Saber Qi swept out, grinding all the arrows that reached him into dust!

"Damn it, we can’t shake them!" Fang Hao glanced back, cursing inwardly. The distance was closing bit by bit! At this rate, they would be caught before they even reached the base of the wall!

"Guest... Guest Official Ning, leave me behind... My... my leg is broken..." One of the veterans Fang Hao was dragging had a deathly pale face and blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. During the retreat, his leg had been struck by a flying stone, and it was clear he could no longer run.

"Bullshit! If we die, we die together!" Fang Hao’s eyes widened. Instead of letting go, he forced out another mouthful of essence blood, increasing his speed by another thirty percent! Fang Hao was not the type of person to abandon his comrades!

Little Grandson and the other veteran also gritted their teeth, desperately keeping up. Little Grandson would occasionally turn back to throw a few Smoke Bombs or Poison Caltrops to create trouble for the pursuers.

With less than fifty zhang remaining to the city wall, the Golden Core officer behind them had closed to within a hundred paces; they could even see the savage murderous intent on his face!

"Little brat, give me your life!" The Golden Core officer roared, raising his long saber once more as a terrifying Saber Intent locked onto Fang Hao!

At this critical juncture!

"Vile creature! Cease your insolence!"

A cold shout rang out from the top of the wall! Commander Lei had leaped down from the battlements at some unknown point, transforming into a bolt of lightning. His speed was incredible as he instantly blocked the path between Fang Hao’s group and their pursuers! The lightning-flickering spear in his hand was like a venomous Dragon emerging from its lair, thrusting directly at the Golden Core officer!

Clang!

Spear tip met saber edge, producing a deafening explosion! Lightning and blood-colored light splattered everywhere!

Commander Lei was at the Early Golden Core Stage, while his opponent was at the Middle Golden Core Stage. After a direct exchange, Commander Lei’s figure swayed and he took half a step back, but he successfully intercepted the fatal strike!

"Into the city!" Commander Lei roared without looking back.

With that brief delay, Fang Hao and the others finally reached the foot of the wall! Baskets and ropes were immediately lowered from above!

"Quick, get up!" Fang Hao first pushed the wounded veteran into a basket, then he, Little Grandson, and the other veteran grabbed onto ropes, scrambling up the wall!

Arrows fell like rain from the wall, desperately suppressing the pursuers who still wanted to charge forward.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The three of them collapsed onto the city wall one after another, paralyzed with exhaustion. They panted heavily, their bodies soaked in sweat and blood. Little Grandson’s arm had also been grazed by a stray arrow, and blood was flowing freely.

"Old Chen... Old Chen, he..." Once Little Grandson caught his breath, he remembered Old Chen, who had fallen to the ground heavily wounded while saving Fang Hao, and his eyes instantly turned red.

Fang Hao’s expression was grim, his fists clenched tightly. The last glimpse he had of Old Chen was him lying in a pool of blood, his fate unknown, as he was submerged by the pursuers... He was likely more dead than alive.

"Damn it!" He punched the wall bricks hard, feeling both stifled and furious. This was war; a living person could be gone in an instant.

At that moment, Commander Lei also fought as he retreated, safely returning under the cover of the battlements’ fire. His face was somewhat pale; clearly, taking a direct hit from a Middle Golden Core Stage opponent was not easy.

"Well done, Guest Official Ning!" Commander Lei walked up to Fang Hao and clapped him firmly on the shoulder. Though exhausted, his eyes were bright. "You’ve performed a great service! Not only did you destroy the enemy’s Formation nodes, but you also created a tactical opening for Cloud Crane! The Prince will surely reward you handsomely!"

Fang Hao forced a slight smile and nodded, but he couldn’t feel happy. Old Chen’s fate weighed on him like a stone.

He looked up at the sky. After the previous turn of events, Cloud Crane had completely seized the initiative. His clear light surged majestically, suppressing the Blood-colored Escape Light and forcing it back step by step, leaving the opponent barely able to defend. The pressure on Luoxia City’s defensive Formation had decreased significantly, and its light had stabilized.

The entire situation of the battlefield had shifted crucially because of Fang Hao’s seemingly insignificant strike.

But Fang Hao knew this was far from over. Having suffered such a great loss, the enemy would never let the matter rest. A more brutal battle likely lay ahead.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and began to meditate to recover his spiritual power. Now, every bit of strength was vital.