Refining the Heavens 4 (炼天四)

Chapter 21: Valley of Kings

The Astroire Army separated into over fifty groups in the Bagua formation and they cut into the flank of the Frosthral army like poisoned knives.

Each team was made up of sixty-four members and operating their Ki Barrier to the maximum, they cut where their enemies were the densest.

They trudged forward as far as they could, and when it is no longer safe to carry on, their formation changed into the Starfire Array and they activated it.

What happened next was both terrible and magnificent.

Desperation tends to limit the field of view. The barbarians were so focused on the Saint Empire army in their struggle to retaliate, they did not notice the bright spheres of Fire Ki that are sweeping over.

Those brushed with this deadly runic energy felt it invade their Meridian Systems. Unless they overpower the foreign power with their own Ki, it will spread like actual fire and kill them. Unlike actual flames, it's fuelled by one's energy.

Inner Energy, Ki, the very thing that can stop the Starfire Array is also what feeds it.

Once again, terrible screams envelop the battlefield as soldiers were cooked in their own skin. Nothing to cover up this noise, even the ruckus from the clash of weapons could not dull how frightening it sounded. It was the stuff of nightmares.

The full power of the Starfire Array had never been tested until now and it left everyone's throat dry and parched with horror.

To keep it a secret, the Saint Empire troops had been trained in this array but they were never allowed to use it against other soldiers. Their only data were derived from small hunting parties against beasts and when the Snowdrifts used it against the Orcs.

They know that a half-powered Starfire Array will slowly burn the enemy while the effects from a complete version is instant, however, they did not know the extent of its power.

Fifty arrays formed by three thousand three hundred people had wiped out over ten times the amount, three hundred fifty thousand dead in one go.

For those that survived, the turbulence their hearts experienced was enough to shake them to their core and the fighting stopped.

Their last stand crumbled when they saw that death might be preferable.

"Surrender!" declared a booming voice that no less valiant than their Warlord Daichin but without the vicious cold-heartedness over lives.

"Surrender. I'll give you one chance. Follow after me, and I will guarantee your lives," the voice spoke again.

A reply came instantly, "Haha, and let us live as slaves? I'd rather die!"

Although the barbarians' fighting spirits were crushed, they still held pride in their hearts.

There were murmurs of concurrence and the remaining Frosthral soldiers reformed their ranks once again.

A figure robed and hooded stood on air with invisible winds wrapping around his shoes.

He descended above the remaining Frosthral army and said, "Will you follow me if I invoke the promotion trial and succeed?"

"Saint Empire cur! Go back to your fancy doghouse instead of barking here will you?"

"Our tradition is not for the likes of you! You mangy mongrels!"

"We'd rather die with our heads held high than serve one of you!"

"Come my brothers, today we shall wade in their blood."

"Kill one and we've done our duty, kill a pair and it's a bonus."

"Fight to the death!"

"Fight to the death!"