The Heavenly Generals' flying swords cut through iron like mud, and wherever the Iron Maw Crusher rolled, even the hardest mountain rocks were ground to powder. A blast of spiritual power from the Refining Spirit Realm could shatter massive boulders instantly—and at even greater speed.
As for General Shay's Cloud Ghost Banner, anyone touched by the ghosts released from it would immediately fall into hallucinations, unable to distinguish friend from foe.
These are all standard issue for the Heavenly Army—deadly tools for legion warfare. If the two armies had clashed head-on instead of the demons ambushing, the power of these weapons would be unimaginable.
But now, no matter how powerful these weapons are, they still have to hit their target.
The Monkey King, riding his Cloud Vault, darted quickly around the battlefield, weaving up and down, left and right. A swarm of flying swords and Iron Maw Crushers followed close behind, shredding every obstacle to dust. Spiritual blasts exploded against the rocks around him, sending sand and gravel flying, while the ghosts relentlessly pursued and blocked his escape.
Yet after a long stalemate, there was hardly any result to show for it.
Whenever the magical tools seemed to trap the Monkey King, he would suddenly accelerate out of the encirclement. Whenever a spell was about to strike, he would flicker and dodge away...
Riding the Cloud Vault, the Monkey King was like a slippery loach, impossible to catch. Though he didn't seem fast, he could suddenly accelerate; heading east one moment, then abruptly veering west without warning.
It looked as if he was deliberately mocking the generals.
Another thunderous cheer erupted from the demon ranks, their already soaring morale rising even higher.
Meanwhile, with the Flowguard Formation lost, the Skyward Legionnaires were exposed to the arrow volleys from the demons atop the cliff—blood splattered, screams echoed.
The rain of arrows might mean little to Heavenly Generals at the Spirit-Refinement Stage, who possessed certain magical defenses, but for Skyward Legionnaires at the Spirit Channeling Stage, it was absolutely deadly.
Those Skyward Legionnaires who followed the Traveler's Path and reached the Spirit Channeling Stage might not fear the arrows, but how could they defend against the arrow storm while also facing the charging demon assault?
In an instant, the hard-won Heavenly Army front was once again on the verge of collapse. Ever since the Monkey King joined the battle, the demons had become utterly frenzied.
For the Heavenly Army, the situation was once again spiraling toward catastrophe.
In the midst of the arrow storm, General Shay still wielded his Cloud Ghost Banner, eyes wide and darting as he tried to track the Monkey King's movements. His gestures changed rapidly, muttering incantations, but no matter what he did, he couldn't send even a single ghost wisp onto the Monkey King.
At this moment, controlling as many as fifty ghosts at once was already pushing him past his limit.
Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead; he was starting to sense the opponent's strategy.
The Monkey King's maneuver wasn't meant for direct confrontation, but simply to lower their defenses. As long as he kept the Heavenly Generals occupied, without the Flowguard Formation, the Skyward Legionnaires were completely exposed to the arrow rain.
Most of the Heavenly Generals in the army followed the Sage's Path, which made them better suited for legion tactics than the Traveler's Path. But if the Skyward Legionnaires were wiped out, and a horde of Spirit-Absorption demons closed in...
This is only the true beginning of disaster!
If the Skyward Legionnaires were wiped out, the Heavenly Generals would be facing tens of thousands of demons—there would be no escape, only death.
Who knows, the entire army might be annihilated before reinforcements could even arrive!
Thinking this, he stopped operating the Cloud Ghost Banner. "Listen up, let's form up and break through the defenses above together."
His voice wasn't loud, but those nearby heard it clearly and were immediately stunned.
By "us," he meant the Heavenly Generals at the Spirit-Refinement Stage. If "we" left, then what about "them"—the Skyward Legionnaires?
"General Shay, if we do this... how will we explain ourselves when we return?" a Heavenly General asked hesitantly.
"Explain? You're still worried about explanations?" General Shay gasped, shouting, "If you're so afraid of explaining yourself, then stay here—if you die, you won't have to explain anything!"
His roar echoed so loudly that every Skyward Legionnaire and Heavenly General present heard it clearly.
Everyone stared in shock at their commander—in the Heavenly Court, a defeated general abandoning his troops is a grave crime!
Seeing the strong reaction from the generals, General Shay gritted his teeth and glared at their fearful faces, speaking slowly: "This is the only option left. If you want to come with me, then come; the rest of you, do as you see fit."
With that, he quickly unfurled the wings on his back, clouds and mist gathering beneath his feet.
Seeing this, more than ten Heavenly Generals also unfurled their wings.
"Oh?" The Monkey King, having caught his breath and now hovering at a distance, slowly broke into a smile. "Trying to force your way through? I wonder if the underlings will agree to that?"
Before he finished speaking, a commotion erupted among the Skyward Legionnaires.
The Skyward Legionnaires fighting on the front lines began to retreat; at this point, how could they still fight wholeheartedly?
"General! You can't do this!" cried a Skyward Legionnaire, rushing forward and grabbing General Shay's leg. "You can't leave us behind!"
"Get off!" General Shay kicked the soldier away, glaring around and shouting, "If you want to come, then try to keep up—if you can't, don't worry, I'll petition the Heavenly Court for you, so you may have better fortune in your next life."
His words sounded noble, but before he finished, the Monkey King flew overhead, a formation glowing in his palm as he absorbed the souls of several fallen soldiers. "Better petition me! Once your souls are in my hands, the Heavenly Court can't touch you. Hahahaha!"
"You—! You wretched monkey, don't get cocky! If I escape, I'll bring an army to cut you into a thousand pieces!"
"Oh? Is that so?" The Monkey King laughed, standing upright on the cliff wall, leaning on his Cloudwalker Staff. "Then there's no way I can let you escape, huh? Fine, I won't stop anyone else from breaking through—I'll just stop you!"
With a chuckle, he added, "Everyone else, take your time. Just leave your commander's head behind."
Hearing these words, General Shay was furious, his face turning purple with rage.
Looking down, he saw all the Heavenly Generals and Skyward Legionnaires around him silent, as if waiting to see him make a fool of himself.
With a clang, he drew the longsword at his waist and roared, "Follow me—let's kill this demon monkey first, then break out!"
Before he finished, the Monkey King called down from above, "Don't mind him! Didn't he just say, if you can keep up, come along; if not, then don't? Just let him go first—if he dies, I promise not to stop any of you next time. How about that?"
General Shay was about to explode with anger.
He was a seasoned warrior, but he'd never seen such a shameless enemy commander.
The battle below the cliff raged on, but the Heavenly Army's morale was shattered—their defeat was now inevitable.
General Shay hesitated, clenching his fists and trembling.
The Monkey King continued hovering a hundred yards above, picking at his ear. "What, you're not charging now? If you don't hurry, it'll be too late. Aren't you going to make a heroic sacrifice for your comrades? Don't worry, if you die for them and lose even your soul, when they return safely, they'll surely petition the Jade Emperor to reward you. As for me, seeing you so brave, I'll ask our Serpent Demon King to give you a grand burial. How's that sound?"
With that, he flicked the earwax he'd just picked out straight at General Shay's face.
"You... you..." General Shay trembled, pointing at the Monkey King but unable to speak.
How did the battle end up like this?
"Go on, let him charge—don't stop him." The Monkey King laughed and sighed.
Lowering his head, General Shay roared at the other generals, "Are you coming with me or not?"
Each Heavenly General lowered their head in silence.
A lone Skyward Legionnaire quietly muttered, "General Shay, maybe... it's best if you take one for the team?"
Hearing this, General Shay's mouth twitched, his face contorting as he stared blankly at the soldiers and generals around him. "You... you're just going to watch me die? I'll kill you all—!"
Enraged and humiliated, he swung his sword at the soldier.
Instantly, chaos erupted in the small remaining army at the cliff's center, and the front line crumbled even faster.
"Oh, now they're fighting among themselves?" The Monkey King whistled and leapt onto a withered pine atop the cliff. "Time's running out—let's get a move on."
"All right!" The demons all waved their weapons in response.
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