The citizens ran out from their homes, looking up at the sky with terror before quickly grabbing their weapons and preparing for the worst.
Those children within the recently constructed Martial Hall wherein they were trained, rushed into an underground passageway to be kept safe.
B-, BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Broadside after broadside struck the powerful formation protecting the city.
The crimson fog didn't budge an inch despite the heavy firepower brought down by the tens of small sky ships bearing down on it!
"RUOOOOOO!!!"
"FEAST ON THEIR FLESH!"
"RID THE HUMAN SCOURGE FROM THE DEMON REALM!"
"FOR THE DEMON REALM!"
"FOR THE HIGH KING!"
"FOR CALIBRIA!"
War cries shook the heavens as hundreds of thousands of feet pounded against the earth all at the same time, countless Chain Realm aura's shot into the sky like a violent storm!
Liu Gang rushed up onto the walls of the city which had grown thick and strong, his gaze focused solely upon the various stronger existences within the enemy army.
Xiao Wun stood beside him, his gaze piercing and his Sword Aura sharp.
Above them, tens of frigate class sky ships rose into the air giving off a dreadful sensation.
Yui Luo stood atop the foremost ship, her Teasury Hall Scholars taking control of the ships with precision.
Her lips parted.
"RETURN THEM THEIR LITTLE KING!"
Drawing his sword, Liu Gang let loose a terrible war cry!
"IF THE HEAVENS SPIT FIRE, THEN BURN THEM DOWN!"
The fire from the tens of Sky class Frigates of the Shou Clan which were powered by the blood stones they had amassed fired constantly at the Demon Fleet high above.
The ground shook.
Liu Gang and Xiao Wun took to the front alongside the Warrior Hall.
Colors made the land look like it was dyed by a fallen rainbow as techniques flew in all directions seeking to vanquish the enemy, a tooth and nail fight began.
—
"The fighting had begun." Maqi said lightly as her eyes lingered on the distant battle and the sounds of explosions and war cries reached her, "Dragon Woman, your orders?"
Lady Mu frowned at the title she had earned during her youth, yet she didn't care, her eyes flexing as the entire situation appeared in them, a curious glint flashing by.
"Let them be for now," A slight smile curled itself upon her face, "Things may yet be decided without us."
—
"You dare!" Tens of sword lights flashed out like lightning cutting into Xiao Wun and turning him into a sieve!
"Why would I not dare?!" A shadow appeared behind the Hawk Demon General it's eyes shooting sword aura as he cut down!
"Geh!"
Pf-, Pfft!
Xiao Wun's figure fell from the sky like a broken kite, three claw marks dug deeply into his chest exposing his ribs.
The Hawk Demon General smirked and fell from the heavens at breakneck speeds seeking to make Xiao Wun into halves.
Carry the wind, settle the earth, Falling Mountain Cut.
The Hawk Generals eyes widened, yet it could not react in time, being cleaved itself instead.
With a satisfied smile, Xiao Wun was caught by the scholars atop their sky ships who immediately began rendering aid by helping to expunge the qi from his body.
They did the same for many others, the moment the qi was expunged, their bodies which where also cultivated healed quickly, allowing them to get back into the fight.
So long as a strike was not immediately fatal, their bodies could survive it as long as the qi was expunged quickly.
Looking skyward, Xiao Wun saw the countless flashing lights of cannons firing.
Weeeiiirrr!!!!
A sky ship groaned as it fell from the sky, a flaming tail coiling from it's side!
"Quickly, move the ship!"
In a few breaths, a shield appeared over the frigate, covering it from the debris of the burning ship as it moved away.
"Damn it! Gather the rest of the reinforcements and prepare for a final offensive!" Shouting at the top of her lungs, Yui Luo's eyes were ravenous!
The battle had been going on for twelve hours already without pause, the demons who had bodies of steel were difficult to fight against, and even with their own battle cultivators being able to get back into the fight if not immediately fatal, it was difficult.
In truth, neither the ships of the Treasury Hall, nor the battle specialization of the Warrior Hall were the true reason why they could hold on for so long without a single casualty.
The Great Sanguine Sword Formation.
The Undying Soldiers of Baylen's Rest.
These two factors heavily influenced the weight of the battle.
With the Great Sanguine Sword Formation, thousands of Demon's fell every hour unable to resist the Law Realm strength, and with the constant supply of blood stones, it was nearly impossible for it to run out of strength.
As for the Undying Soldiers of Baylen's Rest…. It was a double edged sword.
With the great fumes of battle so proliferant, and killing intent and aura of death, even those powerful Law Realm Undying Soldiers began to arrive leading massive thousands strong contingents, attracted over by the battle.
They did not care who they attacked, they only sought the slaughter!
"THE HIGH KING WILL NEVER FALL!"
"THE SHOU ARE ETERNAL! SLAUGHTER!"
His body full of scars and gaining new ones at rapid pace, Liu Gang's eyes were rabid and his sword picking up speed like a furious hailstorm!
Gather in the name of my honor, Hailstrome!
Blood turned cold and into ice, winds swept up around him and a terrifying tornado let loose the screams of hell unto the battlefield slaughtering the unprepared demons!
Carry the wind, settle the earth, Falling Mountain Cut.
"DIE BASTARDS!"
Seeing this, Xiao Wun jumped from the sky ship unable to be stopped in time by the medics, his aura seething with pure rage as he entered the eye of the Hailstrome!
The immense Qi behind his cut was redirected through it, and slashed in all directions ignoring friend and foe alike!
His maniacal laughter rang through the field as body parts split away from the their owner's, and children became orphans before his blade.
The demon's were not terrified, but instead redoubled their efforts!
"IT'S CRACKED! PUSH FURTHER!"
A sky creaking shout came from behind the demon frontlines and the Great Sanguine Sword Formation began to shake violently and power leaked out in dense clumps causing many to go insane directly!
However, not the Shou Clan Warriors, not them!
Living within Baylen's Rest, a place with such thick Miasma one lived with nightmares even in their waking moments, they could withstand it and because of this the demon frontline took ungodly casualties and were pushed back despite the weakened Formation!
"RUOOOO!!!!"
The Undying Soldiers amid the battlefield revelled in the blood and slaughter, with the cracking of the formation they sortied forward with great ferocity as though sharks with blood in the water, a frenzy with told neither friend nor foe!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Above even the formation, a terrifying light show took place in which lives were lost like flies in the summer heat.
"BOARD THEM!"
Swords cut, bows twang, Hammers smash, Mountain Crusher!
Yui Luo's eyes rolled back into her head and a berserk aura rose all around her, her Warhammer being thrown ahead of her onto the nearest enemy ship, crushing it's deck and through through to the furnace below deck keeping it up!
As it began to fall, she jumped from her ship, countless cannon spells flying past her and into her fleet yet missing her all the same, an insane smile across her face as she landed on the falling ship, grabbing her weapon and jumping back into the sky, picking up by her flagship!
"MAKE THEM BLEED FOR EVER INCH!"
Her ferocious roar rang in the hearts of the demons.
"SHOW THEM THE MIGHT OF THE COALITION NAVY!"
A second roar rocked the skies as the captain of the Demon Navy arose from beneath the deck for the first time, an aura of a Law Expert billowing off him in all directions.
Skyward Domain!
Phantom ships appeared in the place of those ships which had been destroyed, a heavy broadside instantly firing off!
"DIVE! DIVE! DIVE!"
Under her swift order's, the Shou Fleet rose their shields and dove down into the maelstrom below, hiding in the crimson clouds of the melee battlefield!
"DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!"
The Admiral of the Coalition Fleet had a ferocious air as his flagship dove in after them!
Xiao Wun's ears twitched as he felt sunlight on him for the first time since the battle broke out and the formation arose.
Raising his head from the melee around him, he took a sharp breath.
The Shou Fleet crashed through the clouds followed by incoming cannon fire.
"BRACE!"
Amid the turbulent fighting, Xiao Wun raised his arms forming a small array to defend himself against the cannon shells!
Liu Gang's pupils shrank and with a single swift action, he let loose a powerful barrier, letting everyone know what was happening.
Those few medic ships light just above the melee and over the walls activated their shields and spread them out to help defend against the bombardment.
"FIRE!"
Yui Luo's fleet having arrived beneath the clouds first had the advantage of sight and the instant the flagship of the Coalition arrived beneath the clouds, it was met by tens of frigates letting loose their broadsides!
Ships fell from the sky like fireballs crashing through the shields and exploding upon the battlefield, the shrapnel taking limbs and lives of friend ad foe alike!
"HEAVE!"
Taking several steps backwards, Liu Gang's scream let the Shou Warriors who were severely outnumbered know.
"They are retreating! PUSH FORWARD!"
The High General let loose a horrifying roar amid his tyrannical Law Expert aura, if not for the fight against the Law Undying Soldiers and the Grand Sanguine Sword Formation, this battle would have been over.
The demons were incensed after almost a full day of chaotic fighting!
They let loose their last reserves of strength, many going directly insane as they charged forward!
"NOW!"
Just as they reached the walls amid mounting wounded and collapsing battlelines, Liu Gang raised his voice in a furious roar!
The earth trembled and cracked open!
Yui Luo's eyes sharpened like a hawks and she firied down at the earth just before the wall once Liu Gang and the medic ships took down their shields, her eyes shining!
The incensed demons couldn't predict or react in time to the sudden heavy bombardment, especially not expecting it towards their own allies!
"Ruthless!"
Yui Luo let out a terrifying laugh at the Admiral's disgusted shout.
"THIS IS WAR! THE SHOU WILL DO WHAT WE MUST FOR ONE ANOTHER, TO LIVE TOGETHER OR DIE AS ONE! FOR THE SHOU!"
Liu Gang echoed her shout as he and his Warrior Hall rushed behind the walls as quickly as possible.
"DO NOT FORGET YOUR OATH WARRIORS! WE LIVE AND DIE AS ONE!"
His shout reverberated around the battlefield.
The morale of the demon forces shattered.
If they were willing to incur casualties upon themselves in order to win, what would they do to them if they lost?
If they were defeated here… what would happen to their families at home?
A moment of clarity in the insanity of war broke them.
The demons routed.
"FIGHT DAMNIT!" The High General screamed at the tops of his lungs, but even he was being pushed back to the ever increasing pressure applies by the Undying Soldiers whose strength rose with each new addition!
Seeing the situation below and the cannons being set up on the walls of the city below, the Admiral turned his eye to Yui Luo, that nightmarish woman who would fire upon her own allies.
She was smirking with foxlike eyes.
His heart burned! Oh how it burned!
But seeing the situation and the increasing defenses being prepared on the walls without a moment of hesitation, as well as the Formation which was slaughtering the retreating forces below despite being almost destroyed, he grit his teeth, cracking them.
"Retreat." His words were low and cold.
"Admiral?" His second in command's eyes widened.
"COVER FOR THE INFANTRY! WE ARE LEAVING!" The Admiral, amid the disgrace and loss of face, still made the same call.
Yui Luo who stood with her crippled fleet, felt her heart twist in pain.
The final part of the plan was not seen through.
They did not expect the infantry to route that way.
After all, their target was never the infantry….
…it was the ships.
Taking off from the walls, Yui Luo and the fleet behind her fired broadside after broadside chasing the fleeing Admiral at a safe distance, not allowing them to provide assistance to their infantry, not without shedding blood for every, damned, inch!
The cannons on the walls aimed at the infantry as well, however they could not fire as well because of how tired the Warrior Hall was, and due to the Blood Stones running low after this single battle which lasted a day.
It was not until the Grand Sanguine Sword Formation had powered down, and the sky was visible once again, that clear sky, it was not until then that Yui Luo stopped her pursuit and the sounds of cannons from the walls stopped.
The realization, looking at the thousands of corpses strewn around the city backed up against a cliffside, Shoai, the realization that it was finished.
The Battle of Baylen's Rest….
…was won.
They stood on their own feet without their master, or matriarch and won against overwhelming odds.
They had proved to the world that they were not just children following at the heels of their master.
They were the Shou Clan.
And they were strong.
The city was reborn anew.
—
"It seems they didn't need our help, in the end." Lady Mu stood at the head of her massive fleet without a care, "They've won, and without taking a single casualty."
"Mother!" Yelling in a lowered tone, Maqi had many questions, "Isn't the Admiral of the Coalition Fleet a bit traitorous? Why did he not just charge off his ship and kill the head of the enemy fleet? No one was stopping him?"
She did not even glance down at her daughter as she replied.
"Why do you believe she would show herself if there is a Law Expert present? Isn't it suicide?" Eating a grape, Lady Mu paused to give her a chance to reply.
Maqi's eyes widened slightly, "She was baiting him out? But why? She should have died!"
"Because, if he attacks, she will die yes, but so will he. In the center of the enemy fleet, they would not hesitate to strike her ship down and with it, him. A Law Expert is not immortal. Amid such intense fire, he would die and his fleet lose." Lady Mu looked at her daughter's shock with great satisfaction, "The Shou are all insane, Maqi, never forget that."
"Wait, but what about the Law experts? Surely they could have ignored the Undying Soldiers and simply destroyed the defenders with a flick of their wrists, no?" She refused to be wrong, this battle should have been lost!
Once more, she ate a grape.
"If they ignore the Undying Soldiers and charge forward blindly without knowing of the enemy trump cards, then it would be tantamount to genoiciding their own troops," She ate another grape running out of them, "Also. They were waiting and wary."
"Of what?" Maqi asked curiously, she could guess, but she was far too agitated to do so.
"The Sword Dragon Shou Xin and the Violet Storm Feng Wuqing."
"Sword Dragon?" She snorted on instinct, "He is hardly strong enough to call himself anything more than a child of a dragon."
"But they do not know," Lady Mu smiled, "They are not aware that the two of them are currently away in the Exiled Realm."
Her pupils shrank and eyes widened.
"Are you saying that they gambled? They gambled everything at the drop of a hat like that?!" Maqi's scream was ear piercing as was her disbelief, "They're all insane! All of them!"
"Yes," Lady Mu raised a hand, ordering her fleet to leave, "Yes, they are."
"Then, what about attacking their own? How was that to help?" Maqi's mind went into overdrive as she could not figure out the motives of that.
"Showing a weakness to a desperate foe to lure them in. By showing the weak side of their fleet to the enemy admiral, they sought to lure him into range of the cannons on the walls and destroy them, turning at once." Lady Mu shrugged carelessly, "They were never interested in the infantry, if one watched carefully they would know the fleet was the backbone of both armies. Shatter it, and they all fall."
"Then, is the reason they chased them all the way out of their territory as a show of strength that they were not afraid? To keep up the facade of hidden masters lying in wait in the city?" Her eyes bulged, "Didn't the coalition think themselves into a hole then?"
"Yes, yes they did."
—
Sitting in a tent together in the sky, the High General and the Admiral of the Coalition could hear and see the celebration just over on the horizon occurring in the city.
It was a bitter defeat.
They discussed how to avoid being executed for these failures.