The Blade-Wielding Legend

The setting sun was like blood, dyeing the surging seawater dark red.

At the junction of crimson and navy blue, a silhouette slowly emerged like the backs of giant beasts surfacing from the abyss.

Ships cast shadows, masts like a forest; although still more than ten miles away, unable to see the details of their flags, the unique silhouette of the Japan-style Tang-style ship tower, appearing at this hour, at this location, could be no other.

"It’s the pirates from Japan!"

The sentinel on the coastal lookout tower suddenly shouted hoarsely.

The broken gong-like shout shattered the silence.

"Clang—clang clang—!"

The urgent sound of the gong instantly exploded in the camp.

The Great Xuan troops, barely surviving a bloody battle and having arrived here less than half a day ago, hadn’t even exhausted the firewood used for cooking before being forced to drop their tasks, grab their weapons, and rush to the designated defense area.

Sounds of armor clashing, officers shouting, and horse hooves beating the ground blended into one.

Fatigue was etched on every face, but fear was absent from their eyes.

The formation quickly took shape as they ran—sword and shield soldiers stood in the front raising their shields, long spears spread out like a forest, crossbowmen pulled strings behind the slope ready to fire.

Most reassuring to the soldiers was the swiftly forming artillery position behind the formation: black "General Zhenyuan Cannons" were dragged by mules into pre-set positions, gunners deftly removed fixing ropes, ammunition men unloaded boxes of solid iron balls and firing packets from tarpaulin-covered carts.

"Why panic!"

A colonel with a full beard spat, shouting roughly while cleaning the cannon barrel, "The pirates’ Ghost Soldiers might be fierce, but didn’t they become rubble in White Tiger Gully days ago?"

"Now our ammunition is abundant, they’re sitting ducks on the sea!"

"Everyone, adjust the cannon’s aim, and when they’re closer, give them a blossom party!"

These words elicited a round of agreement from the surrounding soldiers.

Indeed, the power of the new artillery had deeply penetrated the soldiers’ minds. The scenes outside White Tiger Gully, where Japan’s Ghost Soldiers rushed with a fishy wind, only to be blown away by a salvo, with limbs flying and black smoke dissipating—many still remember vividly.

No matter how sinister the ghosts conjured by evil techniques appear, before the thunder of cast iron and gunpowder, they ultimately were just weak things.

The gunners moved skillfully, distance measuring gauges were set up, and firing ropes were prepared at hand.

Everyone was watching the gradually clearer ship fleet on the sea, waiting for the command to turn this sea area into a sea of flames.

However, suddenly, a change arose.

Before the Great Xuan’s artillery formation was fully prepared, an orange-red fireball burst rapidly onboard the largest Anzai Ship amidst the pirates’ fleet!

Immediately after, the deep sound like rolling thunder came across the sea, slightly delayed due to the distance, but the shrill sound of the solid iron ball tearing through the air had already arrived!

"Boom——!!"

The point of impact was still a hundred steps away from the front shield formation, hitting the soft muddy sand on the shore, exploding instantly into a deep pit about six feet wide.

Frozen earth, stones, broken wood mixed with leftover snow splashed several meters high, raining down on nearby soldiers. A few unlucky soldiers were hit by flying stones, screaming as they fell.

The barrage did not cease. The main ship’s side portholes repeatedly flashed fire, one after another shells whistled over the sea, landing along the coastal defense line.

Although the extreme range affected accuracy, not directly hitting the concentrated army formation, the force of the impact and the spraying damage were enough to be alarming.

"They have cannons too?!"

In front of the command tent, the Grand Marshal of Anti-Japanese pushed aside the personal soldiers attempting to raise shields for protection, staring fixedly at the sea, eyes blazing with almost erupting anger, "New cannons...guarded day and night, yet still stolen by these moles!"

Beside him, the Wudang Sect Leader Yu Chanzi frowned slightly, and said in a deep voice, "Judging by this range, it’s likely not ordinary imitations. I fear...even the latest batch of ’Breaking Prison Cannons’ from the Divine Machine Camp, yet to be equipped by the army, has fallen into thieves’ hands."

The surrounding generals’ faces turned livid at these words.

The court was extremely strict on controlling new firearms, each being numbered, yet pirates possessed finer quality, the implications are unsettling upon thought.

The fire in the enemy ship’s side portholes kept flashing, thunderous roars arose again.

Several solid iron balls came whistling, still not directly hitting the meticulously arranged military formation but exploding near the offshore, the splash of muddy water and waves were intimidating.

The splattering stones and ice pieces made the shields in the front row crackle, the formation slightly stirred.

"We can’t withstand this!"

Marshal Gao decisively ordered, his voice echoing like a bell, "Order! Front-line sword and shield, spear and pike soldiers retreat a hundred steps sequentially, and rely on the slope behind to reorganize! Artillery, all General Zhenyuan Cannons, switch to the largest firing packets, aim not to hit enemy ships but bombard the sea ahead of them, block those bastards’ firing line!"

Orders were passed down layer by layer.

The well-trained army immediately moved back like a tide, quick but orderly.

Meanwhile, the artillery position roared in fury.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" Though the range of Great Xuan artillery fell short, heavy iron balls mostly hit the sea dozens of yards in front of enemy ships, failing to damage their hull, yet stirred up towering water columns, continuous and unending.

The murky seawater mixed with ice shot into the sky, creating a temporary chaotic "Water Wall" on the sea between the enemies, greatly disrupting vision and trajectory.

Under the thunderous artillery sounds and forest-like water columns’ cover, Li Yan gave a look to the man beside him.

That man was none other than Kuai Dayou, the descendant of Mystical Sect’s Divine Craftsman from the Capital, expert in the military engineer camp.

He had been observing the situation between enemies and allies, understanding it at this moment, he whispered, "Brothers, show our stuff!"

Several craftsmen with him immediately pulled out some peculiar items from the rear supply car.

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