Chapter 81: The Counterattack of the Qi Practitioner

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(This book will be available next week, accompanied by a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake giveaway. Detailed event rules can be found within individual chapters…)

Even though two arrows missed their mark, one arrow flew dozens of steps before deeply embedding itself into the trunk of a large tree. Another arrow struck a stone and ricocheted away.

Of the last two arrows, one was narrowly dodged by a Qi practitioner. However, the final Qi practitioner acted recklessly, attempting to block the crossbow bolt with his internal energy shield. If not for a nearby comrade’s quick reflex to pull him aside, this fool might have died on the spot.

Despite this, the bolt grazed the Qi practitioner’s shoulder, tearing flesh and causing profuse bleeding; he was temporarily unable to lift one arm.

Witnessing the power of the crossbow bolts, the Qi practitioners’ expressions changed drastically.

Such crossbows, capable of immense damage, were strictly forbidden for civilian possession.

Ordinary Qi practitioners rarely had the chance to even see one!

Wang Zhenling’s three hundred militia soldiers only had five crossbows thanks to Chen Bushi’s connections.

Though Wang Zhenling had only five crossbows, he possessed over a hundred bows.

In this era, people were simple and valorous. While the court prohibited civilian ownership of crossbows, bows were not banned.

Moreover, archery was a popular cultural practice; wild game was abundant, so many practiced bow hunting. Even among Wang Zhenling’s three hundred militia, it was easy to select a hundred archers.

Thus, after the crossbow volley came a hundred or so arrows fired simultaneously, dense and overwhelming, sending chills down one’s spine.

Two more Qi practitioners charging forward were struck—one seriously wounded, the other lightly injured.

Of the seven attackers, four were already wounded, three seriously so.

Among these Qi practitioners were masters with powerful internal energy shields. Stripping off their robes to release their energy externally, they wielded it like steel wires, deflecting numerous sharp arrows.

These Qi practitioners were agile and quick, moving through the mountainous terrain like flying shadows, reaching the militia swiftly.

At this point, neither bows nor crossbows could be fired again.

The militia shouted in unison, forming small formations of three to five men, mixing spears and swords, coordinating their lengths in defense.

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However, in the rugged mountain terrain, the troops could not tightly cluster and thus had to rely on these small formations.

If these were imperial guards clad in heavy armor wielding long blades, such a small formation could easily trap and kill a single master-level Qi practitioner.

But Wang Zhenling’s men were mere militia, mostly clad in simple leather armor, many without any armor at all; their weapons were ordinary as well…

Such defenses could not withstand the ferocity of the Qi practitioners. The leading master-level Qi practitioner sent a punch through the air, his internal energy shield as heavy as a mountain and as hard as iron, smashing three spears aside and lunging into the formation.

The two remaining swords shattered as if hit by a train.

The spearmen and swordsmen alike spat blood and were thrown backward, some falling flat on their backs.

“A master of the Divine Awakening realm!”

Wang Zhenling’s eyes flickered as he recognized the power.

The shockwave from that punch exceeded three meters, yet it still sent so many militia flying.

This was beyond the capability of ordinary Qi practitioners!

Even at the peak Qi Consolidation stage, masters were still forging their divine chambers; their spiritual strength was limited.

If their internal energy shield extended beyond one meter, it became unstable and disintegrated.

Moreover, Qi practitioners could not finely control their energy shields; they could only push like a solid wall to strike.

Therefore, this attacker was no ordinary Qi master but a formidable figure who had stepped into the Divine Awakening realm.

However, despite his overwhelming power, the Qi practitioner had exhausted his internal energy.

Before he could summon more energy, Wang Zhenling suddenly charged from the side, thrusting his spear like a venomous dragon into the practitioner’s flank and twisting sharply.

The Qi practitioner, unable to replenish his energy and block the spear, screamed and collapsed, dead.

In the chaos of battle, no matter how powerful a master is, without heavy armor and comrades’ support, their true strength cannot be fully realized.

Otherwise, if a single person could take on a thousand soldiers alone, armies would be pointless.

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Wang Zhenling gripped his spear, twisting and withdrawing it, then swept it like a dragon towards the second Qi practitioner.

Though this practitioner was also a master in the Qi Consolidation stage, his shoulder was badly wounded by a crossbow bolt earlier.

Now, he was too weak to block Wang’s sweeping spear and was violently sent flying.

The spear is the king of all weapons in battle formations, more essential than swords, clubs, axes, or hooks; it is the most commonly used and effective weapon.

Wang Zhenling had not been skilled in spear combat before but had learned quickly while leading troops.

In battle formations, spear techniques are straightforward—the most practical move is the thrust.

Most people imagine spears as simple red-tasselled weapons.

But on the battlefield of the cold weapon era, spears were long, at least three to five meters, stronger with every inch of length.

Such long spears rarely allow for fancy moves.

His sweeping attack just now relied on his own strength and the power bordering on the Divine Awakening realm to overwhelm opponents.

Having now sent the last master-level Qi practitioner flying, the remaining ones were merely ordinary Qi practitioners, easy for the militia to handle.

Wang Zhenling no longer needed to intervene; his militia was sufficient to deal with them.

The last two Qi practitioners realized the situation was hopeless. One charged again but was trapped by two small formations.

The very last practitioner turned to flee but exposed his back, drawing the twang of bowstrings. He was shot down within thirty steps, blood pooling on the ground.

The final Qi practitioner, seeing all comrades dead, faltered and was cut down by the militia.

In an instant, all the attacking Qi practitioners were eliminated, yet Wang Zhenling’s face showed no joy, only solemnity.

He realized that these Qi practitioners’ assault in Wuzhi Mountain was not a small, sporadic raid but a premeditated, full-scale counterattack.