Boom!
Just at that moment, a surge of powerful energy descended from above, and figures suddenly shot forward, intercepting and neutralizing the heavy cannon strikes.
In an instant, the losses of the Qin Dynasty's army significantly decreased. The blinding white light that had previously erupted began to dissipate, revealing the scene ahead.
"Despicable! They couldn't hold back and had to intervene!" Fang Yiping frowned deeply, his voice laced with anger as he surveyed the situation before them.
The ones who intervened weren't just anyone; they were the Qin Dynasty's marquises and other high-ranking generals. More than three hundred of them stepped forward to neutralize the heavy cannon strikes. Normally, the unspoken rule was that such powerful individuals wouldn't meddle in the clashes of regular armies. Yet, seeing their side suffer such severe losses, they couldn't help but take action, even at the risk of being ridiculed.
The elders from the three factions were furious, but Lin Qian seemed unbothered. After all, this was war.
If your army is on the verge of being wiped out and you still don't act, that would be sheer stupidity!
"Esteemed elders, it seems that the time has come for you to step in." At that moment, Lin Qian stood up, wiped his mouth, and turned to the gathered group. With a wave of his hands, various components and cores of soul artifacts appeared before them.
Seeing the soul artifact components and cores, the expressions of the three factions' elders subtly changed.
Three days earlier, Lin Qian had approached them, asking if they could temporarily lend him their soul artifact components and cores. Initially, they hesitated. Soul artifact components and cores were vital for empowering their soul artifacts. Without them, they wouldn't be able to fully arm themselves, drastically reducing their combat effectiveness.
It was considered quite impolite for Lin Qian to ask for such items. But out of respect for the three grand elders, they reluctantly handed over their components and cores.
Afterward, they wondered what Lin Qian intended to do with them. It wasn't as if he could use them himself. After reaching the Awakening Realm, one's soul artifact would take on a form unique to the individual, so most components and cores were custom-made by skilled artifact forgers.
Only when they couldn't find a good forger right away would they use generic components as a temporary solution.
But when Lin Qian returned their components and cores, each one had been enhanced by an entire grade.
As they marveled at the improvement in their soul artifact sets, Lin Qian's next move puzzled them even more.
Suddenly, several scrolls appeared in Lin Qian's hands, each inscribed with strange lines and mysterious symbols.
Whoosh!
Without warning, the scrolls in Lin Qian's hands ignited, transforming into fiery orbs that hovered in his palms.
Then, with a sudden flick of his wrist, Lin Qian sent the burning orbs flying towards several of the elders.
Lin Qian's bizarre actions left the elders of the three factions bewildered. They noticed that the expanding fireballs had no heat, which only added to their confusion.
For some reason, the targeted elders made no attempt to evade the incoming flames, allowing the fireballs to hit them directly.
What happened next astonished everyone. As soon as the fireballs made contact with the elders, they were absorbed entirely into their bodies.
Immediately, a faint red glow began to spread from the point of impact, radiating throughout their bodies.
From a distance, these elders appeared to be bathed in a glowing red light, making them stand out starkly.
"Incredible!" One of the glowing elders looked up at Lin Qian in amazement. "Lin Qian, what just happened?"
The other glowing elders also stared at their hands in disbelief, clearly shocked by what had just occurred.
"What happened? Why are you so surprised?" Nearby elders, curious about their colleagues' reactions, approached to ask.
From their descriptions, it became clear that after being struck by Lin Qian's flaming scrolls, the areas where they had weaknesses were strengthened, resulting in a substantial increase in their overall power!
After all, each person had their own strengths and weaknesses. Some elders excelled in speed, while others were stronger in terms of power.
But after being hit by Lin Qian's flames, their weaknesses had been bolstered, significantly enhancing their overall capabilities.
For example, the wine-loving elder from the Xiaoyao Sect had always had powerful soul techniques, but they consumed a great deal of energy. Unfortunately, his soul energy reserves were slightly below average.
However, after being struck by Lin Qian's flame, his soul energy reserves had increased significantly.
Originally, he could only use his famous soul technique three times in a battle, but now he could use it at least seven times, making him much more formidable.
As Lin Qian looked at the glowing elders, he clapped his hands in satisfaction and said, "This is called 'filling the gaps.' It strengthens your weak points for a day, ensuring that those marquises and generals from the Qin Dynasty will no longer be a match for you."
Lin Qian's explanation enlightened the elders, who quickly understood the changes in their bodies.
Turning to face the distant battlefield, Lin Qian saw that the hastily erected barrier had been shattered, and the Qin Dynasty's army had begun regrouping. The heavy cannon barrage had already cost them a third of their forces.
With their Awakening Realm experts now in action, both the Central Qin Regular Army and the Eight Directions Regular Army felt reassured.
However, as they glanced warily at the raging river below, a lingering fear remained.
The countless lives lost among their comrades had been claimed by the soul power beams erupting from the five great rivers flowing below them.
A marquis, who had been forced to intervene, gazed towards the distant battleship, whose massive frame resembled a floating fortress.
"Where in the world did this Hua Xia Empire come from? And what are Wei and Qiu Kingdoms doing? Weren't they supposed to launch a surprise attack on the Xiaoyao Sect and the Blood Spirit Valley three days ago? Why haven't we heard anything yet?" The marquis frowned, cursing inwardly.
According to their plan, they were to gather their forces and draw the attention of the three factions. Meanwhile, three days earlier, the Wei and Qiu Kingdoms were supposed to assemble their troops and launch a sneak attack on the Xiaoyao Sect and the Blood Spirit Valley.
When news of the rear assault reached the three factions, it would undoubtedly throw them into disarray!
Yet the current situation left them bewildered. Without even facing the enemy head-on, they had already lost nearly a third of their forces at an alarming speed. If it weren't for their intervention, they might have lost half of their army by now!
As the marquis pondered this, the river below suddenly exploded again, and the familiar yet terrifying soul power beams shot forth, catching the Qin army off guard once more.
Seeing this, the marquis cursed aloud, "Damn it! Whose territory are we fighting in? Why are there so many traps?!"