Sometimes, the outcome of a battle is determined by much more than the cultivation level of both sides. Intelligence, numbers, morale, magical artifacts, and even combat experience—all these factors play a role.
These Heavenly Generals had clearly studied Nigel Wyrm inside out, preparing all sorts of countermeasures just for him. And Nigel?
He knew absolutely nothing about these Heavenly Generals!
From a certain perspective, Nigel had already lost half the battle before it even began.
That claw strike, naturally, landed on empty air.
Nigel thought he had broken up the battle formation, but in that very instant, when he lifted his head, he realized he was wrong.
From start to finish, he was only sinking deeper into the same quagmire.
The Heavenly Generals had spread out in a precise pattern all around him, forming a sphere—with Nigel at its center.
Next, he saw the Heavenly Generals linking their spiritual power together, weaving it into a Heavenly Net.
"It's over." Two words flashed through Nigel's mind.
He had seen this kind of Heavenly Net before—back in Xiniu Hezhou, during the battle with the Six Demon Kings, the Celestial River Navy used a net like this to trap those six. The difference was, back then the nodes were warships and the net was much larger; now, the nodes were Heavenly Generals.
A distant Shortbeak’s mind went blank.
Seeing Nigel trapped, the Serpent Lord beside him could no longer restrain himself and rushed out. In the panic, Shortbeak hurriedly grabbed him.
"Don't go!"
"Do you want to just stand by and watch Nigel get caught?"
"No." Shortbeak trembled slightly, his eyes wide as he said to the Serpent Lord, "He won't be in danger yet, trust me. Right now, we have to look for the right opportunity instead of charging out recklessly. If we get caught too, then we're truly finished!"
"What do you mean, the right time? Say something!"
Shortbeak blinked and looked around.
He was actually flustered too; as a follower of the Traveler's Path, he barely understood things like the Sage's Path and the Heavenly Net.
Maybe not bringing Anna Yang was the biggest mistake of this operation.
After a long while, his gaze finally settled on the cloud layer beneath the Heavenly Net. Hesitating, he said to the assembled demons, "We attack from there—launch a surprise assault and focus all our strength on the lowest Heavenly General. As long as we tear open a gap and rescue Nigel, that's enough. Don't get caught up in a prolonged fight."
He kept Monkey's instructions in mind—control the losses.
The Celestial River Navy had six hundred thousand Skyward Legionnaires and countless Heavenly Generals. Blossom Mountain, by contrast, was poor and had only the forces gathered here—they couldn't afford losses!
At that moment, the gathered demons failed to notice that behind them, General Trent, who had left the warship early, was quietly watching them with more than ten Heavenly Generals.
After a long time, General Trent sighed expressionlessly, "Finally found them."
His scarred face radiated intense killing intent.
Just then, the previously silent warship suddenly began to shake violently.
After the piercing roar, the smoke that had filled the crowded cabin began to dissipate, revealing Marshal Silver.
He held a long sword, his sharp gaze sweeping over the assembled Skyward Legionnaires.
Behind him, a steel breach forcibly opened from the lower cabin led straight here, where dozens of floating Heavenly Generals gathered, including Tiannei who followed closely.
Inside the exposed cabin, the Heavenly Generals stood dumbfounded in the biting wind, unable to spot their target.
Well? Are we fighting here? This isn’t exactly your strong suit.
Let’s go outside—I’m afraid you’ll run." Marshal Silver paced slowly, his gaze scanning every corner.
Oh? Should I thank you for that?
If you want to thank me, just offer up your head.
All the Heavenly Generals tensed, gripping their weapons tightly.
A loud crash rang out, and the swirling smoke was swept into every corner by the raging wind.
He’s over here!
After him!
The whole warship began to tremble, violently shaking as if it could crash at any moment, yet it stubbornly pressed onward.
Outside the warship, the Heavenly Generals—General Skyler, General Trent, and others—stared wide-eyed.
What’s going on? General Skyler gripped the jade slip in his hand.
No response. The Marshal didn’t respond.
According to the original plan, if they managed to trap Nigel, the flagship crew should have launched their attack.
They were supposed to deliver a fatal blow to Nigel.
But there was no response from the jade slip.
Has fighting broken out inside the warship? Did someone sneak aboard?
Who could it be? Did the Handsome Monkey King come in person?
At the center of the Heavenly Net, the now completely berserk Nigel had transformed into his nine-headed feathered wyrm form, all nine heads spewing searing flames at the surrounding net.
Faced with these terrifying flames, the entire Heavenly Net began to destabilize. Its glow flickered, yet it still managed to hold Nigel and all his fire in place—locking him up like a blazing fireball.
Staring at the beast he’d trapped in the blazing fire, General Skyler clenched his teeth, sweat trickling down his forehead.
Since the battle began, it was the first time he’d felt his heart willing but his strength lacking.
This Heavenly Net was the fruit of countless Celestial craftsmen’s labor, with many enlightened Heavenly Generals participating in its creation. Using this net, they could evenly distribute spiritual power to each node, and when attacked, instantly concentrate it at one spot.
In other words, wherever Nigel struck, he was fighting all fifty Heavenly Generals at once.
Yet with every round of Nigel’s attacks, General Skyler felt as if his spiritual power was being drained dry.
Nigel, in his nine-headed feathered wyrm form, was truly formidable.
Now, General Skyler could only hope the fighting inside the warship ended quickly and reinforcements arrived. Otherwise, he doubted he could keep Nigel contained for long.
Meanwhile, Shortbeak’s group had quietly moved beneath the Heavenly Net, while General Trent’s detachment, which had been lurking behind them, was now poised to strike.
Just then, another piercing roar erupted from the nearby warship on their flank.
A huge hole blew open in the violently shaking hull—a Heavenly General was flung out along with a shower of metal shards. Before he could steady himself, blood spurted from his mouth.
Catching his breath, the Heavenly General gripped his spear and charged back toward the breach in the warship.
But before he could reenter, General Skyler saw a staff shoot out from inside, yanking hard and splitting the warship clean down the middle.
The warship tilted, and countless objects poured from the breach, vanishing into the clouds below.
Inside the nearly gutted warship, the battle had reached its climax. Marshal Silver and Monkey collided with a heavy crash, the impact sending metal shards flying.
A Heavenly General quietly appeared behind Monkey, thrusting his sword at Monkey’s back.
Before the sword could reach Monkey, the Heavenly Generals saw Monkey’s body shift back, his staff deftly knocking aside the blade and sending both himself and the swordsman crashing through the metal wall.
Long live the Marshal!
Amid the flying metal shards, the Heavenly Generals erupted in cheers—only Marshal Silver did not smile.
He knew Monkey was doing it on purpose.
Without a moment’s pause, he grabbed his sword and chased after Monkey. The other Heavenly Generals quickly followed.
Sure enough, in the blasted crater, they found only a Heavenly General lying on his side, mortally wounded with his abdomen pierced. As for Monkey, he had already vanished into the warship’s compartments.
Come out—! Marshal Silver roared at the swirling metal shards.
Heh heh, you brought all these people and want me to come out? You’ve got guts.' A voice echoed in Marshal Silver’s mind.
Marshal Silver began searching his surroundings.
Marshal Silver was at a disadvantage in terms of spiritual perception. Fighting in a nearly shattered warship put him on the defensive.
Suddenly, Marshal Silver’s gaze fell on General Trent.
Everyone froze in surprise.
Before the Heavenly Generals could react, Marshal Silver let out a furious roar and swung his sword at General Trent.
General Trent dodged, and in the shadow behind him, a staff thrust out, blocking Marshal Silver’s sword.
Another wave of impact burst forth, twisting and shattering the surrounding walls.
Under the collision of those two forces, the steel warship shook like a paper boat about to collapse.
Marshal Silver and Monkey tangled once more, their weapons clashing with sparks flying and shockwaves spreading. In this chaos, the other Heavenly Generals could barely intervene, only able to seize any opportunity to assist from the sidelines.
The two rampaged through the warship, and in moments, the entire bow was torn apart.
The last remaining warship finally gave out, slowly breaking apart midair before the eyes of both the monsters and the Heavenly Generals, scattering into fragments that drifted down into the clouds.