Cannon Fodder

Yang JingTian.

He was steadily advancing from behind Wang Shijie.

Wang Shijie felt an intense killing aura emanating from behind him. Judging by the shocked expressions of Sun Manju and the others, he realized someone was approaching.

"Release my wife, or I will take your life,"

A roar.

Yang JingTian was roaring.

Wang Shijie, trembling, tightened the knife against Bai Yun's neck, stammering, "Yang JingTian, don't—"

A flash of white light.

Like a long rainbow piercing the sun, soaring into the sky.

The ship trembled violently, a blinding white light forcing everyone to shield their eyes.

Before Wang Shijie could utter another word, he fell to the ground.

He collapsed forever, blood streaming from his seven orifices, eyes rolled back, no visible wounds on his body, yet dying in a particularly horrifying manner.

No one knew how Yang JingTian had made his move.

Bai Yun, still in shock, was immediately embraced by Yang JingTian, who tenderly said, "I've said it before, no one can hurt my wife."

Tears instantly brimmed in Bai Yun's eyes.

"Boom,"

Along with the sound of cannon fire, cries of "Follow Heaven's Will, for the Continent of the Wind God" came from the pursuing warships.

Sun Manju, having no time to ponder over Yang JingTian's extraordinary move, ordered, "Direct everyone to prepare for battle immediately."

Holding Bai Yun, Yang JingTian said, "I love a good fight. Wait and watch my performance."

As the enemy ships closed in, Sun Manju commanded the ship's archers to release their arrows, and a close-quarter battle commenced on the vast sea.

Yang JingTian's involvement surprised everyone. Finding it troublesome to shoot arrows one by one traditionally, he grabbed handfuls of arrows, hurling them directly.

The arrows flew, slicing through the sea breeze and piercing through the thick decks of the enemy ships, embedding into the chests of their men.

Not even Hou Yi reborn could match this feat. However, even Hou Yi relied on his Divine Bow, while Yang JingTian needed no bow at all.

Astonishing divine strength.

With such a brave warrior among them, all archers on the Wind God stopped firing.

A good blade must choose its wielder wisely, and the arrows found their marks. They piled all the arrows around Yang JingTian, letting him snatch them at will.

Yang JingTian, now wholly engrossed, operated both hands simultaneously, unleashing dozens of arrows in one go.

"Ah,"

Cries of death echoed intermittently from the enemy ships.

The archers of Fengshen, taking cover behind fortifications, watched Yang JingTian's display with immense satisfaction—it was like witnessing a superlative performance.

Ziyan, gazing admirably, murmured, "Miss, with JingTian here, perhaps there's no need to journey to the Central Plains after all."

"You're right," Bai Yun concurred. "His strength alone is sufficient to capture Zhou Hongbin. Why should we fear the rebellion cannot be subdued?"

Sun Manju remained speechless, watching Yang JingTian's exploits, utterly entranced. No one could guess the thoughts brewing inside the mind of the proud Fengshen Gang's heiress.

The opposition's sailors lacked such leisure. Each strike from Yang JingTian cost them more than a dozen allies, and relentless as it was, no number of men would withstand the storm of arrows.

What struck fear into them was the realization that no hiding spot was safe—the arrows, like entities with vision of their own, pursued relentlessly. Skies and walls provided no refuge.

The fear of death loomed over everyone.

Forced into a corner, the warships could only ram full force against Fengshen, attempting to close the distance for hand-to-hand combat, hoping their numerical advantage would prevail.

But they couldn't have been more mistaken.

As soon as their ships grazed Fengshen, Yang JingTian leaped onto the enemy deck, barehanded, striking down anyone in his path.

"Thud,"

Repeated loud crashes were heard as those struck by Yang JingTian were flung against the ship's sides, producing an echo of thuds.

All who witnessed the scene exclaimed, "This man is a born warrior!"

Nearly three hundred men on one ship toppled in less than half an hour—a staggering record, especially since their vanquisher was a bare-handed sixteen-year-old boy.

The warships made haste to retreat.

Only distance could offer escape from the dreadful slaughter.

Yet, under Yang JingTian and Sun Manju's collective assault, only one enemy ship managed to escape. The remaining two became tombs for the deceased.

"Sun Manju, I command all of you to lay down your weapons and surrender, or I shall order the cannons to sink Fengshen," someone from the enemy ship finally yelled.

Sun Manju, stepping forward, retorted, "Zhou Dongwei, dream on—"

Regaining composure, Yang JingTian inquired, "And who might this lad be?"

Clutching Yang JingTian's arm, Bai Yun feared another outburst and explained, "He is Zhou Hongbin's son, Zhou Dongwei."

"So, the rebel leader's son, little wonder he's so audacious. I'll just go and capture him," Yang JingTian declared.

Ziyan pleaded, "Don't! Your murderous demeanor frightens me. Promise not to kill like that again, will you?"

Yang JingTian paused, "But they wanted to kill you."

"To save a life is worth more than creating a seven-storey pagoda. The same goes for sparing a life," Ziyan reasoned.

Bai Yun nodded in agreement, "Sometimes, to make your enemies yield, you needn't resort to killing."

Yang JingTian, with a chuckle, said, "Easy done, I'll just bring them here then."

Sun Manju coldly observed, "They are half a mile away from our vessel. How will you reach them?"

"You underestimate me. Can't you see that I can fly?" Yang JingTian asserted with irritation.

Having seen his display of power, Sun Manju realized that this man's abilities were not to be comprehended by ordinary means and remained silent.

Yang JingTian, with pride, stated, "Leave them to me. Women should steer clear from conflicts; this is a matter for men."

His unabashed chauvinism infuriated those around him, yet he carried on with self-congratulation, utterly contented.

Facing Zhou Dongwei, Yang JingTian roared, "The ones who should surrender are you! Otherwise, I'll fly over there, and you'll all be pleading for mercy from your ancestors!"

What utter nonsense. How could one intimidate the seasoned veterans of the martial world with such words?

Yet aboard Zhou Dongwei's ship, panic ensued, as with Yang JingTian's defiant roar, the giant waves nearly overturned the warship.

This youngster was extraordinary, akin to a war deity.

His every word seemed capable of becoming reality.

"Fire the cannons!" Unable to quell the fear in his heart, Zhou Dongwei ordered his crew to light over thirty cannons.

"Boom, boom, boom,"

Thirty-six cannons fired almost simultaneously, their cannonballs, as large as heads and black as coal, hurtled directly toward the Fengshen.

And it was not just one, but a full thirty-six.

If these thirty-six cannonballs hit the Fengshen, even if the ship survived, the chance for its crew to live would be a luxury.

Moreover, following the first volley, another set of thirty-six was ready to launch.

"Cannons? Like the stones we used to play with as kids?" scoffed Yang JingTian with a gigantic shout.

In that instant, from his body burst a brilliant white light that illuminated the entire sea. His body, arched backward, rose into the air as the light intensified stronger. Along with a mighty roar, a true tsunami was summoned.

Waves rolled, reaching heights of thirty feet, sweeping toward Zhou Dongwei's warship.

As people looked up, the cannonballs traversed the rising waves, heading straight for Yang JingTian.

"No!" Bai Yun and Ziyan shrieked in unison, their cries tearing through the air.

"Boom, boom,"

The tsunami soared to the sky, with flashes of fire and thunderous echoes shaking the entire sea.

The intense light blinded everyone, and for a moment, no one knew what had happened.

As the waves settled and the cannonballs' explosions subsided, tranquility returned to all.

When everyone opened their eyes, the sight before them left them dumbfounded.

All three warships were gone, not a single one adrift on the sea. The surface was calm, spotlessly clean, not even a piece of wood or a body surfaced—unlike the usual aftermath of Yang JingTian's roars, this time there wasn't even an extra dead fish.

The sea behaved as if nothing had happened, as if there had never been a Yang JingTian, nor had Zhou Dongwei led three warships in pursuit. What they had seen and experienced seemed nothing more than a dream.

Yet the body of Wang Shijie, lying on the deck, confirmed that their experiences were no illusion.

Had they stepped into another realm, vanishing altogether from this world?

Sun Manju could not explain, Bai Yun was baffled, Ziyan couldn't comprehend, and no one had any answers.

The only thing known was that Yang JingTian had used his body to shield them from the bombardment, turning the tide with a colossal wave that swept away all ships, and with them, he disappeared forever.

Tears now graced the faces of Bai Yun and Ziyan.

Looking up at the blue sky, Sun Manju let a single crystal tear fall—a tear she'd never shed, not even when her mother was captured, because she believed as long as she lived, she could save her. Yet faced with Yang JingTian, this stranger, she felt an unstoppable wave of sadness. No matter her skills, she could not bring him back.

Unless a miracle occurred.