The Strife of Chaos Chapter 78: One Man, One Staff—A Thousand Troops Cannot Break Through

The thunder dragon, crackling with electric light, charged at the very front and collided headlong with the divine wolf. The two beasts immediately began a fierce struggle, tearing and biting at one another. Yet the arcs of lightning from the dragon left only faint traces on the wolf’s body, while the wolf’s sharp fangs sank deep into the dragon’s flesh. Fortunately, at that moment, the pegasus crashed into the divine wolf, knocking it aside and allowing the thunder dragon to break free.

But with a shake of its massive head, the wolf sent the pegasus flying to one side. Swiftly, the wind bird darted around the divine wolf, nipping at it from time to time, though its efforts yielded little result. The colossal wolf leaped left and right, always failing to catch the nimble bird.

Then, seizing its chance, the fire pheasant—long poised for attack—rushed in wreathed in explosive flames and struck the divine wolf’s hindquarters. The fiery force of the “Separation Martial Essence” finally left a visible wound upon the wolf’s hide.

Seeing their Martial Essences wounded, several soldiers could no longer sustain their power and coughed up blood. Now, Huluner grew serious. With a sweep of his long blade, the divine wolf threw back its head and howled to the sky, unleashing a terrifying aura that sent shockwaves in all directions. All four Martial Essence manifestations were blasted backward, hurled hundreds of meters away.

Without pause, the divine wolf’s hind legs exploded with power as it lunged at the fire pheasant. Its jaws gaped wide and swallowed the bird whole. Li Qiutong felt his connection with the “Separation Martial Essence” instantly severed, a wave of weakness flooding through him.

Having dispatched the fire pheasant, the divine wolf pressed its attack. The prairie Martial Essence surged forth again, this time targeting the approaching thunder dragon. The dragon coiled itself around the wolf, binding it tightly. A bolt of lightning as thick as a bowl crashed down from the heavens, striking the wolf with a tremendous clap.

When the thunder faded, only a few fading sparks remained in the sky—and the divine wolf still stood tall. On closer inspection, however, some of its fur was singed, proof that even the thunder dragon’s desperate strike had left its mark.

The great wolf turned its massive head, blood-red eyes fixing upon the last remaining wind bird and pegasus. Sensing the dire situation, Li Qiutong quickly changed tactics, recalling both creatures to his side.

“What’s the matter? Giving up already?” Huluner called out, utterly unashamed in the face of his overwhelming advantage.

Dismissing the pegasus, Li Qiutong summoned another Martial Essence to his side. “We were only warming up. Now the real battle begins—you’d better be careful.”

Huluner sneered, “Show me everything you’ve got.”

Li Qiutong raised his battle staff, gathering a white Martial Essence about him. In the next instant, it split apart—revealing a blue water serpent and a green wind bird, both hovering before him. As his Martial Essences merged with the Yin-Yang Dragon Patterned Staff, Li Qiutong flashed forward, appearing before Huluner in a blink.

“Yin-Yang Dripping Shadow Thrust!”

Huluner, confident only a heartbeat before, suddenly felt a deadly aura lancing straight for him. Before he could react, Li Qiutong and his staff materialized right in front of him. The attack struck Huluner square in the chest, but fortunately, his body was protected by a Martial Essence shield of a Three-Star Saint Warrior. It absorbed most of the blow. Yet the Yin-Yang Dripping Shadow Thrust was Li Qiutong’s most powerful single-target technique; if it pierced the shield, Huluner’s mere mortal flesh could never withstand it.

As expected, though less than a tenth of the force broke through, Huluner felt a searing pain in his chest. His priceless wolf-fur armor tore apart, and the power of the blow sent him flying from his steed, tumbling backward through ranks of soldiers before finally coming to a stop.

Clutching his chest in fury, Huluner glared at Li Qiutong, then drew his long sword and shouted, “Wolf Howl! Kill!”

All at once, the soldiers raised their bows and let loose a storm of arrows. At the divine wolf’s howl, the arrows blotted out the sky—all aimed at one man: Li Qiutong.

Exhausted, Li Qiutong slowly raised his battle staff. He gathered two Martial Essences—one yellow, one black—and with them summoned a pitch-black bull and a massive yellow-furred hound: the manifestations of Earth and Mountain Martial Essences, the Earth Bull and Mountain Hound.

As before, the two Martial Essences fused along the Yin-Yang Dragon Patterned Staff.

Li Qiutong spun his staff rapidly, forming an impenetrable disk.

“Yin-Yang Stone Shield!”

A deep yellow barrier radiated from Li Qiutong’s center, expanding outward. It met the rain of arrows head-on, its vast protection blocking every shaft, so that not a single arrow made it through to North Tong Pass.

Initially, the Yin-Yang Stone Shield held firm against the arrow storm, but as the onslaught continued and the wolf’s howls battered the shield, its color faded. At last, a few arrows pierced through, though the barrier’s breadth kept them from striking Li Qiutong directly. Yet as his Martial Essence and strength waned, more arrows broke through. One grazed his waist; another pierced his right thigh. Gritting his teeth, Li Qiutong dropped to one knee, but his hands never relinquished the staff. Fate, it seemed, was not yet finished mocking him: an arrow shot through his right arm, and at last, unable to bear it, he collapsed, supporting himself with his only uninjured left hand.

With Li Qiutong’s strength gone, the shield faded and vanished into the air.

Seeing his foe finally fall, Huluner, back on horseback, raised his right hand to signal an end to the arrow storm.

“Saint Warrior, can you still stand?”

Li Qiutong gripped the Yin-Yang Dragon Patterned Staff, slowly rising on his left leg. Bowing his head, he suddenly laughed, “When have I ever fallen?”

Watching Li Qiutong struggle to his feet, Huluner felt a twinge of genuine respect. He spoke solemnly, “You are worthy of the title Saint. I, Huluner, sincerely admire you. I have no wish for mutual destruction. If you surrender, I will make you my army’s chief warrior. When we conquer the Central Plains, you may have fame, fortune, rank, women, martial arts—anything you desire. Why fight to the death?”

Li Qiutong calmly raised his head and looked at Huluner. “To be honest, your offer is not bad. But apart from Sister Yun, I don’t like to take orders from anyone.”

“Then you can die.” Huluner raised his sword again. “Gather your strength—Divine Wolf Charge!”

At his command, all Martial Essences converged on Huluner. Riding his horse, he charged at Li Qiutong, the divine wolf leaping overhead to join the attack.

Li Qiutong exhaled deeply. “Come, then.” Summoning his last reserves, he raised his staff, and crimson Martial Essence blazed around him.

Flames engulfed Li Qiutong. Suddenly, wings of fire unfurled from his back.

“Ah—!” The wings beat, and a burning divine bird soared forth from Li Qiutong, radiant and perfect.

The divine bird spread its vast wings in the sky, each fiery feather burning with Martial Essence—it was the Vermilion Bird, manifestation of the Four Symbols.

The Vermilion Bird dipped its wings and dove at the divine wolf and Huluner. Though Huluner was stunned by Li Qiutong’s power, he could sense the instability in his opponent’s aura—whatever happened next, Li Qiutong’s life would be forfeit or ruined.

Wolf and Vermilion Bird clashed in the air, their Martial Essences evenly matched, but the bird’s flames suppressed the wolf, burning away half its fur. The prairie cavalry poured their Martial Essence into the wolf, desperate to bolster its strength. For a moment, Li Qiutong alone stood against five thousand men and their martial formation.

But reality was harsh: how could Li Qiutong’s battered body compete with an army? The Vermilion Bird’s flames dimmed, its attacks slackened. Sensing an opening, Huluner drove the divine wolf forward—the beast’s jaws clamped down on the bird’s wing.

Weakened, the Vermilion Bird shattered into fragments of light, and Li Qiutong, reeling from the backlash, spat blood and collapsed beneath the empty city gate.

Huluner, still strong, showed no mercy. He charged at North Tong Pass in a single surge.

Victory seemed certain—but then a massive figure dropped from the sky, slamming to the ground. Wielding a huge, peculiar axe, he planted himself before Li Qiutong.

“Third Brother, why are you here?” Li Qiutong, opening just one eye, sounded almost angry.

“Big Brother, I won’t let you fall alone.” With that, Deng Zhanxuan raised his massive axe before him.

“Tortoise Martial Shield!”

Black Martial Essence gathered upon the shield of the Black Tortoise Earthquake Axe, layer upon layer forming a shield large enough to cover the two-meter-tall Deng Zhanxuan.

Huluner, seeing his opponent had no Martial Essence manifestation, felt a bit at ease. Yet when his blade struck the shield, he was shocked by a sense of helplessness. Even weakened by the Vermilion Bird’s assault, his strike should have been at least that of a First-Star Saint Warrior—yet his blade stalled. Alarmed, he hastily summoned the divine wolf, and as it charged, Deng Zhanxuan’s shield shattered layer by layer.

Gritting his teeth, Deng Zhanxuan abandoned his defense, spinning his axe toward Huluner’s head.

“Black Serpent Strike!” he roared, swinging the massive axe at Huluner with astonishing speed. Forced into a desperate defense, Huluner drew back his sword just in time to block the axe at his throat, then pushed Deng Zhanxuan away with all his might.

Deng Zhanxuan was sent flying, crashing down beside Li Qiutong. Yet his intervention had sapped the momentum from Huluner’s charge.

“Are you alright, Third Brother?” Li Qiutong struggled to lift his head.

Propping himself up with his axe, Deng Zhanxuan rose easily. “I’m fine, Big Brother.”

“Why did you come back?”

Deng Zhanxuan laughed heartily. “I’m not the only one—the entire Black Tortoise Army is on its way. We have all sworn to fight at your side to the very end.”

Hearing this, Li Qiutong was not sure whether to sigh or to be moved.