The once thunderous sounds of battle seemed to have been cut off in an instant.
Clouds churned in the sky, branches and leaves whirled across the ground, and all that remained in their ears was the sound of wild wind whipping against the sails.
All the Heavenly soldiers held their breath and retreated; even the Heavenly Generals did the same.
As for the demon ranks, they trembled uncontrollably, every last one of them.
In the midst of shifting winds and clouds, visible streams of spiritual power gathered around him, the glowing aura illuminating a face both extraordinarily handsome and cold as ice.
Three eyes, the Trident Saber, heroic spirit radiating from his brow—who under heaven does not know the Manifest Sage General Erlang’s name?
Erik Yang descended with the wind, landing steadily. His gaze was calm as still water, and the military formations before him seemed as nothing.
All the Heavenly soldiers swallowed nervously.
Brushing off his sleeve, Erik Yang reached out and lifted the Trident Saber, now spotless after drinking its fill of blood and flesh. He nodded to Miles Moon, who had just landed on the deck, and then walked toward Anna Yang.
His movements were gentle and slow—so slow, in fact, that he seemed almost mortal, slow enough that everyone, both humans and demons, had ample time to taste the fear in the air.
Every gaze converged on him, eyes blinking, not a soul daring to breathe.
Bending down, Erik Yang reached out to check Anna Yang’s pulse, then pressed his lips into a faint smile and stood up, slamming the hilt of his saber onto the deck.
Instantly, without needing a command from their officers, the once-fearsome Heavenly Fleet soldiers retreated in panic like beaten dogs, scrambling into defensive formations.
In front of Erik Yang, did they really dare to attack?
“Erik... Erik Yang—why is he here?” The leading Heavenly General stared wide-eyed, trembling as he spoke.
His breathing was more rapid than ever before.
The Heavenly soldiers holding bows and crossbows all drew their strings taut, aiming directly at Erik Yang.
Yet Erik Yang simply stood facing the wind, letting the moonlight fall on him like snow. His face was as frosty as ever, utterly motionless and indifferent.
"That one on the deck... looks like Anna Yang..." a soldier cautiously reminded the Heavenly General.
"What... Anna... Yang?" The Heavenly General’s eyes nearly popped out. He took a deep breath, summoned his courage, and shouted, "General Erlang! This is none of your concern! If you dare shield the demons... one day, we will surely report you to the Jade Emperor and have you prosecuted for colluding with the enemy!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, General Erlang’s lips curled into a faint smile. He slowly turned around, still silent, but all three of his eyes widened and glared at the Heavenly General.
That glare nearly made the Heavenly General’s heart leap out of his chest. For a moment, this veteran of countless battles cried out in shock.
His face twitched as he clutched his chest and backed away step by step: "Retreat... retreat!"
"General, are we really just going to retreat like this?"
"Didn’t you hear me? I said retreat!"
The formation immediately scattered, and all the Heavenly soldiers rushed back to their warships. In a flash, the two panicked vessels sped away and vanished from sight.
Watching the two ships disappear into the clouds, Miles Moon finally let out a sigh of relief and respectfully clasped his hands. "Junior Miles Moon greets Manifest Sage General Erlang."
Erik Yang returned the salute with equal respect. "You honor me too much. Since my younger sister has joined Crescent Star Cave as your junior, I cannot accept such deference."
This Erik Yang was, as always, refined and courteous.
With a faint sigh, Miles Moon said, "I have an unreasonable request—may Manifest Sage General Erlang lend us his aid. He who receives such kindness will repay it with his life, no matter the cost."
"Please, speak."
"My Uncle Samson is still trapped in danger. If Manifest Sage General Erlang could help, he would surely be saved..."
Before he finished, Miles Moon saw Erik Yang clasp his hands and bow: "The affairs between Heaven and the demons are not mine to intervene in, nor am I permitted to do so. If I did, many more would be harmed. I arrived an hour ago and have understood most of what has happened. The reason I delayed taking action is simple: if I help you and word reaches the Jade Emperor, it may cause even greater trouble. In the end, it is unclear whether I am helping or harming him. My intervention just now was already a transgression. Please, forgive me, Daoist brother."
At this, Miles Moon could say no more.
"It seems Uncle Samson’s fate is his own. No matter what, with Erik Yang here, at least this group is safe."
He thought.
......
On the main battlefield, the so-called elite force of two thousand demons faced an unprecedented crisis.
The Heavenly Fleet, after their initial fire attack failed, quickly changed tactics. Fifteen warships split into fifteen small teams, weaving around the demon ranks, using their speed and ranged attacks to wear down the demons’ will.
The demons could only use the heavy shields of the Black Tortoise Division to form shield walls against the arrows. Unfortunately, these walls could stop arrows but not the much stronger ballista bolts fired directly from the warships.
Each ballista blast left a bloody, mangled mark in the demon ranks, killing at least five demons every time.
After every strike, the demons had no time to cry out—they had to step over their comrades’ corpses to fill the gaps in the shield wall. If they hesitated, the roaming Heavenly soldiers would widen the breach with arrows, causing even more casualties.
The arrows they shot back through the shield wall gaps did little against the agile Celestial Army, especially with the downward angle and the Flowguard Formation conjured by the Heavenly Generals.
Most of the flying-type demons had already been lost, except for those sent to escort warships and protect lower-level Spirit-Focusing demons. Even the survivors dared not show themselves now.
As for the Spirit Shackles that had frightened off the Black Tortoise Division before, they were just as useless against the Heavenly Fleet.
It could be said that the demons’ defeat was only a matter of time.
"This time, we’re truly finished." Leo gave a bitter laugh, standing beside the Monkey King. "But we’ve done better than ever before. Not one of us is a Spirit-Transcending demon king, yet we’ve fought off Celestial Armies led by two and then three Spirit-Transcending Heavenly Generals. Even if we die here, it’s no loss. Hahaha!"
With his head raised, the Monkey King gazed at the Celestial Army darting through the sky, his face dark with despair.
These elite Heavenly Fleet troops were nothing like the Heavenly soldiers stationed at the South Heaven Gate, lounging in their barracks all day. Their combat experience was beyond imagining.
They had fought demon kings more than once or twice before.