Volume One, Chapter 14: The Legion of Demonic Spirits—The Celestial Cannon Reveals Its Divine Might!
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The cannonball streaked across the sky like a meteor and crashed onto the Heavenly Gang Mysterious Yuan Formation with a thunderous explosion.
Everyone’s breath caught in their throats as an ear-splitting blast reverberated through the air.
Against the bombardment, the Heavenly Gang Mysterious Yuan Formation collapsed instantly like fragile bubbles bursting.
Ten elite Forbidden Army cultivators, once the pride of the Shining Dynasty, were swept away like autumn leaves in the wind—seven of them turned to dust in an instant, leaving not even ashes behind.
The remaining three were covered in eerie black runes, screaming in agony as they clawed desperately at their flesh, blood and sinew flying everywhere in a scene of utter carnage.
All present were stunned by this spectacle.
The cannons of the Demon Qing demonstrated such terrifying power, seemingly capable of obliterating everything.
Even the Heavenly Gang Mysterious Yuan Formation was so easily shattered?
The Demon Qing envoys looked at the outcome before them and laughed arrogantly.
“Your so-called defenses of the Shining Dynasty are as fragile as thin ice beneath the spring sun—shattering at the slightest touch—and yet you still dare to block the iron cavalry of Demon Qing?”
“What nonsense is this Heavenly Gang Mysterious Yuan Formation? It’s utterly useless!”
“The so-called ultimate techniques you boast of are, in Demon Qing’s eyes, mere childish tricks with no substance whatsoever—a joke!”
The voices of the Demon Qing envoys echoed arrogantly across the martial arena, filled with mockery and provocation.
A general trembled with rage, clenching his teeth as he snarled, “These demon cultivators are outrageously arrogant! We must never allow them to be so insolent! We will make them witness the might of the Shining Dynasty!”
Meanwhile, the Donglin Party members were filled with anxiety, their gazes shifting repeatedly toward Zhu Youjian, full of worry and helplessness.
“Your Majesty, you have just ascended the throne—young and impetuous—you should never have accepted this duel with Demon Qing. What are we to do now?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Look at the result—we have suffered a devastating defeat. How will this end?”
Zhou Yanru was overwhelmed with shame and earnestly advised on the spot, “Your Majesty, in this humble official’s opinion, it is unwise to continue this conflict with Demon Qing. It would be better to call off these three gambles altogether!”
Yet Zhu Youjian remained unusually composed.
He didn’t even glance at those Donglin Party pedants.
These men were all talk and no action, lacking will or backbone when it mattered most.
They had been the loudest in their clamor, and now they urged him to give up.
Zhu Youjian inwardly sighed, no wonder the Ming Dynasty in history fell into decline.
The Demon Qing envoys wore triumphant expressions and laughed recklessly, as if mocking the weakness and incompetence of the Shining Dynasty.
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“Ha ha, it seems the people of the Shining Dynasty have been so frightened by our might that they are utterly disheartened.”
“Of course. Our firearms combine shamanistic witchcraft of Demon Qing with the exquisite modifications of the Mohist craft—power boundless!”
At that moment, a thunderous sound approached.
All turned to see Yuan Chonghuan and Sun Chengzong leading dozens of Forbidden Army soldiers, slowly rolling out a massive and peculiar cannon.
This cannon was unlike any ordinary artillery; its colossal size and immense weight were staggering.
Everyone stared in astonishment.
Isn’t this cannon far too enormous?
It stood in the center of the martial arena like a small mountain, its barrel adorned with strange patterns emitting a faint spiritual radiance, exuding an aura that sent chills down one’s spine.
Its dark, cavernous muzzle seemed capable of swallowing everything, prompting speculation about what kind of cannonball it could fire to possess such terrifying power.
“What… what kind of cannon is this?”
A minister gasped, unable to close his mouth, his eyes filled with shock and curiosity.
“I’ve never seen a cannon so enormous—could this be a secret weapon His Majesty obtained from the Mohists?”
Another minister wore an expression of disbelief.
In truth, even Zhu Youjian himself was unclear about the origins of this Celestial Heavy Cannon, for even in later eras no such powerful weapon was ever encountered.
After all, these were fabricated in the military factory granted by the system—somewhat like a fantastical enhanced version.
Upon the Celestial Heavy Cannon’s appearance, the Demon Qing shaman furrowed her brows, her gaze growing solemn.
She sensed the tremendous aura emanating from the cannon and knew it must not be underestimated.
She immediately commanded, “Do not underestimate the enemy—manifest your demon forms and form the Myriad Spirits Demon Array!”
The demon warriors’ bodies burst forth with light, their forms suddenly expanding and transforming into fierce demon beasts.
Wolves, tigers, leopards, bears—all terrifyingly savage, radiating dense demonic energy.
They moved swiftly, taking positions according to some mysterious pattern, their demonic energies intertwining to form a vast barrier that enveloped the entire martial arena.
Everyone present furrowed their brows, watching the demon warriors’ transformations with silent awe.
“Once the demons manifest their true forms, their bodies become nearly invincible against opponents of the same realm. This is truly troublesome.”
“Indeed, coupled with this Myriad Spirits Demon Array, said to gather the power of demons to form a formidable defensive barrier, the cannon’s attacks may be unable to penetrate.”
“Although the cannon His Majesty brought looks extraordinary, breaking through their defense seems almost impossible.”
“The strength of Demon Qing’s cannon lies partly in the exquisite Mohist mechanical modifications that greatly amplify its power; partly because it incorporates shamanistic witchcraft, imbuing its attacks with strange demonic energy that’s hard to defend against.”
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Everyone waited with bated breath, for no one knew the true power of this cannon—not even Zhu Youjian himself.
Yuan Chonghuan gave the order, “Load the cannon!”
Over a dozen Forbidden Army soldiers worked together to laboriously push the enormous cannonball into the barrel.
The cannonball was extraordinary as well, its surface covered with mysterious patterns emitting a faint glow, as if containing the enigmatic power of heaven and earth.
Vast amounts of spiritual energy were poured into the barrel, thunderous rumbles echoing inside as the energy gathered and roared wildly.
The cannonball was finally pushed to the muzzle, silently awaiting the command to fire.
At the next moment, Yuan Chonghuan gave the command again, “Fire!”
With an earth-shattering roar, the entire sky and earth seemed to tremble; the cannonball streaked forth like a meteor blazing across the heavens, carrying the aura of total annihilation toward its target.
The Celestial Heavy Cannon’s blast made the entire Western Garden martial arena quake violently.
Even the Forbidden Army cultivators at the third realm of comprehensive understanding staggered, barely able to keep their footing.
They watched the cannonball rush forward with astonishment, their hearts filled with anticipation and tension.
Where the cannonball passed, space itself seemed rent apart, leaving trails of black cracks.
Those fissures swallowed all around like abysses, instilling dread.
The cannonball itself burned like a blazing meteor, radiating scorching light and a sense of destruction.
With a tremendous explosion, the cannonball struck the Myriad Spirits Demon Array, erupting with dazzling light and overwhelming shockwaves.
The Myriad Spirits Demon Array shattered instantly under the bombardment, dissolving into countless specks of light that vanished into the air.
The demon warriors in beast form were also obliterated by the residual force of the blast, disintegrating into streams of blood mist that drifted away.
The ten demon warriors who had manifested their true forms and formed the mighty Myriad Spirits Demon Array were wiped out in a single strike.
Not a trace remained!
The Demon Qing shaman, who had been calm and composed, suddenly narrowed her eyes.
She sensed the terrifying power contained within the cannonball and felt a surge of fear rise in her heart.
She hurriedly used spiritual energy to shield those behind her, attempting to withstand the lingering blast.
Yet the residual force was so overwhelming that even she was forced to retreat ten steps backward.