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The Dongming quickly entered the bend. Once past the bend, the view opened up, but it was also even more shocking.

This is a stretch of water where the mountains on both sides are towering and the river channel is relatively narrow and turbulent. At this moment, a fierce water battle is unfolding on the river.

The shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, the muffled whistling of catapults, and the piercing whistling of rockets mingled together, deafeningly shattering the winter silence of the river.

The two sides were vastly unequal in strength. The disadvantaged side consisted of three medium-sized, antique-style warships, whose design and flags resembled those of the Duba Manor in Jingling County.

Two of the ships were already engulfed in flames, with flames licking at the masts and sails, and thick smoke billowing out, illuminating the nearby waters and reflecting the desperate struggles of the people on board in the firelight. The pungent smell of burning flesh and acrid burning flesh filled the air with the wind.

Besieging them were five longer warships with sharp rams at their prows. These warships were painted entirely in dark colors, and their flags bore a ferocious demon head design.

Upon seeing it, Shan Meixian's pupils contracted slightly, and she whispered, "It's the 'Ghost Head Ship' of the Garuda Tribe! Zhu Jie's forces!"

The five ghost-headed warships were launching a fierce close-quarters attack on the three Jingling warships. Utilizing their numerical advantage and superior speed, they continuously fired rockets and stone projectiles, while agile sailors attempted to throw grappling hooks to forcibly board the ships. The battle was a one-sided massacre.

Just as the Dongming entered the battlefield's view, the only one of the three Jingling warships that had not yet caught fire, but was already badly damaged, seemed to have seized upon the enemy's momentary lapse in vigilance. It suddenly turned its bow around, recklessly rammed through a ghost-headed ship that was trying to block its way, and desperately broke through towards the Dongming with the swift current!

The five ghost-headed ships were clearly unwilling to let any survivors go. They immediately abandoned their attack on the two fire ships that were beyond saving and, like a group of sharks that had smelled blood, turned around and chased after them one after another!

"Whoosh whoosh—!"

Hundreds of rockets, like locusts swarming through the sky, hurtled towards the fleeing Jingling warship with a piercing whistling sound. The stern, the deck, and even the sailors struggling to fight back were instantly engulfed in this rain of fire.

"boom!"

A powerful rocket struck the stern of the escape ship with pinpoint accuracy, instantly igniting the dry planks. Flames shot up and began to spread across the stern.

Almost simultaneously, two deafening booms echoed as two massive boulders, each the size of a head, launched from the catapults of the Ghost Head ship, slammed into the stern of the escape vessel. Wood chips flew, planks scattered, and the ship rocked violently, tilting to one side, seemingly on the verge of capsizing. However, unexpectedly, amidst a grating creaking sound, the ship miraculously regained its balance. Although its speed was reduced by the damage and the fire at the stern grew increasingly intense, it stubbornly and erratically charged towards the Dongming, carrying a tragic air of desperate struggle for survival.

On the deck, some figures could be vaguely seen struggling to put out the flames, while others with weapons gathered at the bow, preparing for a final stand.

Dan Meixian frowned deeply. The Garuda tribe dared to be so rampant, openly besieging ships suspected to be from Jingling on this waterway.

She subconsciously looked at Yi Huawei again.

Yi Huawei put down his teacup, stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the boat, his blue robe fluttering in the river wind. He calmly watched the escape ship rushing towards them, trailing flames and thick smoke, and the five menacing, ever-approaching ghost-headed warships behind it. His face was expressionless, devoid of both anger and pity.

"Pass on the order,"

Yi Huawei spoke calmly, his voice clearly reaching the ears of the Dongming faction general standing behind him: "Full to left, cross the river. Archers, prepare. Target: enemy ship's sails and masts. No boarding, maintain distance."

"Yes!"

The general accepted the order and quickly went to make arrangements.

The massive Dongming ship turned again, no longer moving forward, but cleverly positioned itself across the narrowest and most turbulent part of the river, like an insurmountable barrier, blocking the escape ship's path and facing the five pursuing ghost-headed ships.

On both sides of the deck, heavy barriers were pushed aside, revealing rows of exquisitely designed and powerful crossbows, their massive bolts gleaming coldly and aimed forward. More Dongming warriors, armed with powerful bows and crossbows, were hidden behind the parapets, their arrowheads reflecting the cold light of the fire.

The survivors on the escape ship had clearly also seen the suddenly appearing, enormous ship, far larger than they had imagined, and the imposing formation on board. They seemed to hesitate for a moment, but with pursuers closing in and the fire at the stern becoming increasingly uncontrollable, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and, with their last hope, rush toward the gaps on the side of the Dongming, attempting to seek shelter, or... pass through.

The five ghost-headed ships behind, seeing the uninvited guest, the Dongming, interfere, not only didn't slow down but intensified their attack. More rockets and stones were fired at the fleeing ship, and they even began tentatively firing at the massive hull of the Dongming! Clearly, relying on their smaller, more agile ships and numerical superiority, they didn't take this seemingly merchant ship seriously, or rather, they were simply bloodthirsty and wanted to eliminate this troublesome vessel as well.

With a "thud," a stray arrow struck the wooden plank beneath the mainmast of the Dongming, its fletching still trembling.

Shan Meixian's eyes turned cold as she looked at Yi Huawei: "Alliance Leader, these remnants of the Garuda tribe seem to be courting death."

Yi Huawei's gaze remained calm as he watched the approaching ghost-headed ship and the sailors on board brandishing weapons, their faces contorted in rage. He simply uttered two words:

"Clearance."

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Shan Meixian's eyes, and a layer of icy coldness instantly covered her elegant and noble face. She slightly turned her head and nodded to the Dongming Sect general standing behind her.

"Ballast guns, fire!" The general swung his command flag down sharply.

"Bang! Bang! Bang—!"

The dozens of heavy crossbows on both sides of the Dongming simultaneously roared in a deep voice! The specially made crossbow bolts, as thick as a child's arm and gleaming with a cold, eerie light, shot out like dozens of black lightning bolts, instantly covering the distance of less than a hundred paces between the ship and the nearest ghost-headed vessel!
"Om-!"

At the same time, a chilling twang of a bowstring rang out first!
Behind the parapets on both sides of the Dongming, hundreds of elite crossbowmen simultaneously released their bowstrings! In an instant, a dense rain of arrows, like locusts swarming across the land, whistled through the air, covering the two leading ghost-head ships! A series of rapid, piercing sounds followed, and the ghost-head ships' once-bulging sails were instantly riddled with holes, like tattered rags, no longer able to effectively hold back the river wind. Several powerful crossbow bolts accurately struck the critical joints of the mainmast; amidst flying splinters, the mainmast of one of the ghost-head ships creaked under the strain, shaking violently. Although it didn't immediately break, its speed was significantly reduced.

This sudden and precise strike clearly caught the arrogant Garuda pirates off guard. Accustomed to close-quarters combat, they had never witnessed such an unreasonable tactic that only disrupted maneuverability from a distance.
The Garuda sailors on the Ghost Head ship, who had been clamoring and trying to get close and launch rockets because of the ship's small size and agility, were terrified when they saw such a dense and terrifying barrage of crossbow bolts coming at them!
"Get out of the way! Get out of the way—!"

The exclamations abruptly ceased.

"Boom! Crack—!"

However, the attack on the Dongming was far from over.

"put!"

With another command, more than ten heavy crossbows mounted on both sides of the ship roared, their spearheads gleaming coldly, and with unparalleled penetrating power, they shot towards the enemy ship!

"Boom! Crack!"

A giant crossbow bolt slammed into the side of another ghost-headed ship near the waterline. The powerful kinetic energy shattered the thick planks, leaving a shocking hole, and murky river water immediately rushed in! The ghost-headed ship tilted violently, and the pirates on board panicked and tried to plug the leak, but it was too late.

Just as long-range firepower suppressed the enemy ships' charge.

With a fierce glint in her eyes, Shan Meixian lightly touched the deck with her lotus feet, her figure like a pale purple swan gracefully leaping out of the tall side of the Dongming ship. Without any external force, she flew directly towards the ghost-headed ship whose hull had been pierced by a bullet!
Her figure was elegant, as if she were riding the wind, and her true energy surged around her, pushing away the fierce river wind.

While still in the air, Shan Meixian lightly raised her jade hand, and several cold stars shot out like meteors chasing the moon! Those were the "armor-piercing ridges" specially made by the Dongming Sect, which were designed to break through internal energy and protective hard skills! The cold stars accurately pierced the throats of several leaders on the deck of the Ghost Head Ship who were trying to draw their bows and nock their arrows. Without even uttering a sound, they fell backward.

The next moment, Shan Meixian landed lightly in the center of the chaotic deck of the Ghost Head Ship, like a celestial maiden. The moment she touched the ground, she circled her palms and unleashed a powerful, yet subtle, palm force that surged outwards like a tidal wave! It was the Dongming Sect's ultimate technique—"Flowing Cloud Palm"!
As the palm struck, seven or eight howling pirates who rushed forward were struck as if by an invisible giant wave. They spat out blood and flew backward, crashing into the ship's side or mast, their bones broken, clearly beyond saving.

Shan Meixian's figure darted erratically on the deck, her palms and fingers striking and tapping, each move killing a pirate. None of them could withstand a single blow from her! Although she was a woman, she was ruthless and decisive in her actions, showing no mercy.

At the same time, Song Yuzhi also shouted, "Song family sons, follow me to kill the enemy!"

With a leap, like a nimble swallow, he used the ropes hanging from the side of the Dongming ship to swing swiftly towards another ship, the Guitou ship, whose speed had been greatly reduced due to mast damage! His apricot-colored riding and archery uniform was particularly eye-catching in the firelight, full of youthful vitality and vigor.

While still in mid-air, Song Yuzhi's hand had already rested on the hilt of the knife at his waist.

"Choke!"

With a clear, resonant sound, a blade of light as shimmering as autumn water suddenly shone forth! The opening stance of the Song Clan's ultimate technique—the "Eight Techniques of the Heavenly Blade"! Although Song Yuzhi had not yet grasped the essence of his father's "Heavenly Blade," the moment he raised his blade, he already displayed the demeanor of a master. The blade's light was sharp and carried an unwavering determination!
"puff!"

With a flash of light, the head of a pirate standing on the ship's side, preparing to throw out his grappling hook, flew into the air, and blood gushed out like a fountain.

"Follow me and kill!"

Song Yuzhi lightly touched the gunwale with her toes, her body moving without hesitation as she plunged into the band of pirates! Her swordsmanship was swift and fierce, following a light and ruthless approach. Combined with her agile movements, she moved back and forth on the deck. With each flash of her blade, a pirate would fall to the ground with a scream.

The Song Dynasty guards she brought followed closely behind, like tigers descending a mountain, their blades flashing, and they fought fiercely with the pirates on the ship, instantly tearing a gap in the resistance on the deck.

The arrival of these two top experts was like two red-hot daggers plunged into butter, instantly altering the course of the local battlefield. The two ghost-headed ships they had targeted, already damaged, were now in even worse shape, their decks in chaos, suffering heavy casualties.

At that moment, the Jingling escape ship, which had desperately tried to break through, finally approached the Dongming, albeit wobbly. The fire at the stern had been partially brought under control, but thick smoke still lingered. The ship was damaged in many places and had a deep draft, clearly indicating that it wouldn't last much longer.

On the bow of the ship, a man in his forties, dressed in a tattered brocade robe, his once handsome face now stained with soot and blood, his expression carrying a hint of relief at surviving a calamity, was escorted by several loyal subordinates. He shouted at the top of his lungs towards the figure in a blue robe standing with his hands behind his back on the bow of the Dongming:

"Is the Alliance Leader right in front of me?! I am Fang Zetao from Jingling, formerly a steward of Duba Manor. I am now on the orders of Empress Yin... no, Vice Alliance Leader Zhu, to make contact in Bashu! On the way, I was ambushed by the Garuda tribe and the Western Turkic Yun Shuai tribe. I implore the Alliance Leader to come to my rescue!"

Behind Fang Zetao stood a man who was equally disheveled, but tall, with deep-set features, slightly sunken eyes, and obvious Western Central Asian characteristics.

Although the man was dressed in rags, a rebellious air still lingered between his brows. At this moment, he was scrutinizing the Dongming ship with piercing eyes, especially the figure in blue robes at the bow of the ship, his eyes filled with astonishment.

As soon as Fang Zetao finished speaking, a hoarse, owl-like voice, filled with inner force, roared from the largest and most menacingly decorated ghost-headed ship behind them:
"Fang Zetao! You traitor! And those women from the Dongming Sect! How dare you ruin my plans! Today, none of you will escape! Men, kill them all! Master Zhu will reward you handsomely!"

Meanwhile, on another ghost-headed ship, a figure silently appeared at the bow. This person was tall and thin, his face hidden in the shadows of his cloak, but he exuded a cold and eerie aura, seemingly out of place amidst the surrounding firelight. He didn't speak, but simply raised his hand and pointed at the Dongming.

In an instant, the remaining three ghost-head ships, disregarding casualties, charged even more frantically towards the Dongming and the precarious escape ship! Rockets, poison canisters, and even barbed grappling hooks rained down like raindrops!

Clearly, the main figures Fang Zetao spoke of—"Garuda King" Zhu Jie and the Western Turkic national teacher "Yun Shuai"—had personally arrived and were genuinely enraged by the Dongming's interference. (End of Chapter)