"On the 133rd day, Salt Qi indeed arrived with envoys from Fengcheng.
The warriors of Yu Village had already set up a checkpoint in front of Black Bear Valley, blocking their path.
"Look, my lord, how arrogant Yu Village is!" Salt Qi pointed to Yu Village's checkpoint.
The Fengcheng envoy, seated on the back of a barbarian elephant, stared at the checkpoint, sneering, "Just a small checkpoint, yet they dare to obstruct my path."
However, a subtle hint of suspicion flashed in his eyes. The checkpoint was too professionally and tightly constructed, even more impressive than what Fengcheng could achieve. It didn't seem like something a village in the middle of nowhere could create.
What's going on with Yu Village?
"Attack the checkpoint for me!"
"Yes!"
The Fengcheng warriors, clad in leather and armor, wielding iron spears, quickly formed a well-trained formation and began assaulting the checkpoint.
They didn't take the defending warriors of Yu Village seriously.
So, when the first volley of arrows descended, the leader of the Fengcheng warriors, who had been using a shield to advance, urgently shouted for shields.
Their iron shields blocked most of the arrows, allowing them to advance through the arrow rain.
Jian Yunchuan, standing on the checkpoint, noticed the limited effect of arrows. He ordered the switch to a catapult.
This catapult was a simplified version based on the information provided by the elves. Currently, it could only launch smaller stones.
But even these small stones caused significant damage to the overconfident Fengcheng warriors.
"There are rocks!"
"Quick, dodge!"
The leader of the Fengcheng warriors shouted.
Unfortunately, the warriors who had just used shields to block the arrows didn't immediately notice the stones falling from the sky, and many were hit.
The Fengcheng envoy, seated on the barbarian elephant's back, immediately sat up straight, closely watching the sudden appearance of the catapult and the stones hurling toward the Fengcheng warriors. His face changed rapidly.
"A catapult? How do they have this!"
"I... I don't know. We never saw this when we fought against Yu Village."
Salt Qi, bewildered by the incoming stones, had never seen such a contraption.
The Fengcheng envoy scolded him harshly, "You foolish thing, utterly useless. You didn't even clarify such an important matter. Are you trying to get us killed!"
Salt Qi was scolded mercilessly.
In his anger, the Fengcheng envoy wished he could just kill Salt Qi with one blow.
At this moment, the leader of the Fengcheng warriors at the checkpoint had already realized the situation. He quickly instructed his men to change formation, spreading out and attacking the checkpoint from both sides.
They, with more experience and better reactions than warriors from ordinary villages, found a way to avoid the catapult.
The catapult was, after all, a cumbersome device with limited range.
Jian Yunchuan and Yu Su didn't expect to win with just the catapult; it was merely a tactic to inflict casualties and dampen the enemy's spirit.
Jian Yunchuan immediately changed tactics to counter the Fengcheng warriors' attacks.
...
Yu Su watched the battle from a high vantage point.
The Fengcheng warriors were indeed formidable, well-equipped, and experienced in combat. The leader's on-the-spot reactions were quick, truly surpassing warriors from ordinary villages.
Observing the armor and shields on the Fengcheng warriors, Yu Su realized he had neglected something, something he would have to address after this battle – the lack of protection for his own warriors.
The enemy had armor and shields, while Yu Village did not.
Fortunately, Yu Village's warriors were all trained in martial arts, agile, and strengthened by battle spirits. Whether in evasion or attack, they surpassed the Fengcheng warriors.
Jian Yunchuan had already ordered the warriors to target vulnerable areas without armor, such as the neck, armpits, and thighs.
The warriors of Yu Village, acting in perfect harmony, grew more courageous as the battle progressed.
On the other hand, the Fengcheng warriors, initially underestimating Yu Village, were caught off guard during the first direct confrontation, resulting in several of them losing their heads.
This dealt a significant blow to the morale of the Fengcheng warriors. In contrast to the confident Yu Village warriors, a vivid contrast was formed.
Even though the leader of the Fengcheng warriors sensed something amiss and attempted to change tactics, it was too late. The Fengcheng warriors had already lost momentum in terms of morale.
The Fengcheng envoy, sitting on the barbarian elephant's back, witnessed the changing dynamics on the battlefield. His face alternated between surprise and anger.
"These valiant warriors from Yu Village are not something an ordinary village could produce!"
He immediately suspected that Salt Village had lied and not revealed the true situation.
He glared at Salt Qi, "You'll be punished by the Shaman God!"
Salt Qi was sweating profusely, watching the scenes unfold on the battlefield. The Fengcheng people now believed he had lied, but in reality, he hadn't. The warriors of Yu Village a year ago didn't possess such astonishing strength. In just a year, they had undergone a complete transformation.
He knew the consequences if the Fengcheng warriors were defeated.
"My lord, I truly didn't know before. Now, please let me make amends." After Salt Qi spoke to the Fengcheng envoy, he signaled his Salt Village warriors to join the battle.
Since the previous defeat, Salt Village had suffered losses, and their warrior numbers were insufficient. Only two hundred people accompanied Salt Qi this time, but their participation somewhat boosted the morale of the Fengcheng forces.
The face of the Fengcheng envoy looked slightly better for a moment, but it didn't last long. He saw the duel between their warriors and those from Yu Village, and the Fengcheng forces were gradually pushed back.
His expression turned gloomy, and after a while, he picked up a dark clay flute hanging around his neck and blew into it. A low, melodious tune echoed, creating a unique rhythm that altered the atmosphere on the battlefield.
The Fengcheng warriors, who had been at a disadvantage, suddenly shouted, bursting out with even greater momentum, charging toward the warriors of Yu Village.
Their strength had increased!
Observing from above, Yu Su frowned and immediately descended to Jian Yunchuan's side.
"Father, what is that thing?"
Jian Yunchuan had already furrowed his brows, "It's the War Song of the Shaman God. Only a few Shaman priests from the Shaman God Temple can understand it. It seems that the person blowing the flute is a priest from the Shaman God Temple, also an underling of the newly appointed High Shaman."
Jian Yunchuan hadn't expected that Fengcheng would send a priest.
"This thing can boost the morale of the warriors. In a short time, it significantly enhances their strength."
Yu Su understood; this was something similar to a battle spirit.
Originally, Yu Village's warriors held the upper hand, but now the situation seemed to be turning against them.
If it continued like this, even if Yu Village won, they would need to pay a greater price.
"Lord Yu Su, shall we ask Leader Lu and the others for help?" suggested the deputy leader of the warriors.
Yu Su looked at the battlefield, "Wait a little longer."
He didn't want the Five Elements Warriors to intervene so soon; after all, a blade needs sharpening.
The strength of
any warrior requires practical war and the stimulation of blood, just like the formidable warriors of the Barbarian tribe who owe their prowess to continuous battles with desert lizards.
Moreover, Yu Village's warriors, who practiced battle spirits, needed the stimulation of blood even more.
At this moment, Lu Yan also arrived, standing next to Yu Su and observing the battle.
"I heard the tune of the clay flute. Was it blown by that Fengcheng envoy?"
"Yes, Father said it's the War Song of the Shaman God, similar to our warriors' battle spirits."
Lu Yan gazed across, coldly remarking, "Shall we kill that person?"
Yu Su reiterated, "Wait a little longer."
The deputy leader was puzzled, "Lord Yu Su, why wait?"
Yu Su explained, "Let our warriors release their wild nature completely. They need more training."
The deputy leader understood, "I see."
"At this moment, the battle intensified compared to before.
The evenly matched fight easily ignited the fierceness in the warriors of Yu Village.
As their fierceness and determination grew stronger, the effect of the battle spirit became more potent. Gradually, a unique momentum formed on the battlefield, unexpectedly overshadowing the sound of the flute from the opposite side.
The Fengcheng envoy, seated on the barbarian elephant's back, began to break out in cold sweat, deeply shocked.
He hadn't expected that even after using the flute, the opponents could become even more valiant.
He could vaguely sense an invisible force enveloping those warriors from Yu Village, a force that made him, who hadn't stepped onto the battlefield, feel threatened. The sound of the flute seemed to be suppressed, becoming heavy.
He had never encountered such a situation!
Even when facing warriors from distant northern cities, the Shaman God's War Song from Fengcheng had always played a crucial role in determining victory or defeat.
This was the first time the effectiveness of the Shaman God's War Song was being suppressed.
On the other side of the checkpoint, Yu Su gazed at the Fengcheng envoy across. His eyes focused on the clay flute in the envoy's hand, revealing a hint of curiosity, as if he wanted to study it.
He was intrigued, wondering what effect it would have if played with spiritual power.
The more he thought about it, the more intense his gaze became.
Lu Yan noticed, "Do you want that flute?"
Yu Su snapped out of his thoughts, shaking his head, "No, I'm just curious about that war song."
Lu Yan understood, "Do you want to learn it?"
Yu Su replied, "Just a bit of curiosity. I'll study it after the battle is over."
On the other side, the deputy leader and others watched as the warriors of Yu Village, initially evenly matched with those from Fengcheng, now not only held their ground but also suppressed the Fengcheng warriors.
They increasingly understood what Yu Su meant earlier – the key was in the bloodthirstiness and determination of the warriors from Yu Village. The stronger their bloodthirstiness and determination, the more potent the effect of their battle spirit. In this way, they didn't need to fear the enemy's war song at all!
"Lord Yu Su, your wisdom shines," the deputy leader couldn't help but admire.
He knew Yu Su was formidable, but each time, Yu Su's excellence surpassed their expectations, strengthening their admiration and awe.
Yu Su commented, "If it continues like this, there's no need for us to intervene."
Everyone shared the same sentiment. The battle spirit of Yu Village burned more fiercely, and the warriors became more formidable. The Fengcheng warriors had already started to retreat.