Another batch of Death Warriors rushed out, this time carrying rolling logs.
These rolling logs were what they had cut down over the past few days.
Compared to stones, wood was not only larger in volume but also lighter.
Therefore, one person could carry multiple logs at once.
If not for the time constraint, the first wave should have used wood instead of stones.
The Death Warriors braved the arrow rain and fire oil, charging towards the trenches.
One after another fell, but the trenches were also being filled little by little.
Suddenly, a long cry echoed from the city wall.
The grey-robed elder, Daoist Xuanming, leaped down, gracefully landing from the five-zhang-high city wall as if weightless.
"You Prodigies, prepare to die!"
He formed a hand seal, and a visible cold Qi erupted from his palms.
"Profound Ice Palm!"
The dozen or so Death Warriors in the front row were instantly frozen into ice sculptures, solidified in their charging postures.
Daoist Xuanming moved like a ghost, weaving through the ranks of the Death Warriors.
Wherever he passed, Death Warriors fell one after another, turning into ice sculptures.
Grand Marshal Zhang Lieming gasped, taking a cold breath:
"Is that even human?"
"Could he be the legendary Immortal?"
Despite his internal fear, he suppressed it and immediately ordered:
"Third wave, surround and kill that old Daoist!"
Five thousand tall Death Warriors charged out.
They held fine steel long spears, encircling Daoist Xuanming from all directions.
The elder sneered, flicking his sleeve, and three long spears snapped in response.
But the Death Warriors were fearless, rushing forward one after another.
"Bang!"
One Death Warrior was sent flying by his palm, his chest bones shattered.
However, before the man landed, he still forcefully threw his broken spear.
Daoist Xuanming dodged sideways, but a corner of his sleeve was still torn.
A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes:
"What kind of monsters are these? They're not even afraid of death?"
Just as he had a Divided Soul, five Death Warriors simultaneously pounced, tightly grabbing his limbs.
Daoist Xuanming roared, his Internal Energy erupting, sending the five men flying.
But another ten quickly filled the gap.
His Profound Ice Internal Energy was already exhausted; now he could only use ordinary Internal Energy.
Damn it... If he hadn't yet achieved a Breakthrough to the Innate realm, he wouldn't be struggling so much against these monsters.
Moreover, these soldiers were extremely troublesome, often requiring two or three heavy blows to completely kill, which greatly accelerated the consumption of his Internal Energy.
On the city wall... Han Wei looked at Daoist Xuanming, who was completely surrounded, and his heart tightened:
"Quick, archers, support the Daoist!"
Arrows rained down again, this time indiscriminately, covering both the entangled Death Warriors and Daoist Xuanming.
The elder roared, and a layer of Internal Energy Qi shield appeared around him, deflecting the arrows.
The Death Warriors, however, were shot into pincushions, yet still clung tightly to the Daoist.
"Damn it!"
Cold sweat seeped from Han Wei's forehead.
"Prepare rolling stones and logs!"
The first trench was finally filled, and the Death Warriors continued their charge, treading on the corpses of their companions.
Huge stones and burning logs rolled down from the city wall, crushing the Death Warriors in the front into a bloody mess.
But the Death Warriors behind continued to advance silently, paving a bloody path with their bodies.
Grand Marshal Zhang Lieming watched the casualty numbers constantly climbing, his palms slick with cold sweat.
In just half a day, nearly five thousand Death Warriors had been lost, yet they hadn't even touched the city wall.
At this rate, it would be impossible to capture Jubei City within two days.
Just then, he noticed that the defense at the southwest corner of the city wall seemed weak.
"Order the main force to feign an attack on the East Gate, and send another five thousand soldiers to bypass to the southwest corner!"
The Death Warriors quickly adjusted their formation, with most continuing their fierce assault on the East Gate to draw the defenders' attention;
Another unit quietly detoured towards the southwest.
Han Wei naturally noticed this change, but he was not overly tense.
This was precisely the trap he had set.
He had originally thought the enemy commander had some strategy, not attacking earlier, and he had believed he had seen through the plan.
Now it seemed, it was merely a slow reaction.
The city wall at the southwest corner appeared undefended, but in reality, it harbored hidden dangers.
Han Wei had already laid a fire oil trap there, waiting only for the enemy to step into it before igniting the wall of fire.
He stood at the top of the city tower, coldly watching the detouring Death Warrior unit.
"Let them in," he whispered to the messenger beside him, "Wait until the vanguard has crossed the third trench before lighting the fire."
Grand Marshal Zhang Lieming saw that the unit had successfully bypassed the defensive line, and a smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Fighting isn't so difficult after all; it seems he also has the talent to be a general.
Grand Marshal Zhang Lieming stood on a high slope, watching the detouring Death Warrior unit, like a black torrent, surging towards the southwest corner of the city wall.
His rough fingers unconsciously stroked the bowstring, and an indescribable excitement surged in his heart.
"Soon, very soon..." he murmured, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
In the southwest direction, five thousand Death Warriors had already crossed the first trench.
They moved like ghosts; even when stepping into the sharp wooden stakes of the horse pits, they merely paused briefly before continuing forward.
Some had their foot soles pierced, black blood seeping into the mud, but they seemed to feel no pain, still advancing steadily.
On the city wall, the defenders seemed unaware, their attention still focused on the fierce battle at the East Gate.
"Great Marshal, the vanguard has crossed the second trench!" a Death Warrior reported.
Grand Marshal Zhang Lieming nodded, a grim smile appearing at the corner of his mouth:
"Order the entire army to press forward and capture the southwest corner in one fell swoop!"
However, just as the Death Warriors were about to cross the third trench, a sudden change occurred.
"Boom—"
A wall of fire several zhang high suddenly shot up from the ground, instantly engulfing over five hundred Death Warriors.
Flames licked their bodies, emitting a horrifying "sizzling" sound.
Even more terrifying, rows of archers suddenly appeared behind the wall of fire.
Arrows with cloth strips soaked in fire oil tied to them, once ignited, rained down like a torrent, shooting into the ranks of the Death Warriors.
"It's a trap!"
Grand Marshal Zhang Lieming's face changed dramatically, and he slammed his fist heavily against a nearby tree trunk.
On the city wall, Han Wei burst into laughter:
"Fool! Do you really think this general would leave such an obvious flaw?"
He turned to his deputy beside him and ordered:
"Order, half of the East Gate defenders, annihilate this enemy force!"
In the sea of fire, the Death Warriors were still advancing.
Their bodies were on fire, yet they seemed to feel no pain, merely charging forward mechanically.
Some had already become moving torches, yet still wielded their weapons until they were burned to charcoal, only then collapsing with a crash.
Cold sweat seeped from Grand Marshal Zhang Lieming's forehead.
He finally realized he had made a fatal mistake—underestimating the wisdom of the defending general.
But at this point, regret was useless; he had to immediately find a way to salvage the situation.
"Order!" he said through gritted teeth.
"East Gate forces, intensify the assault, attract the defenders' attention at all costs!"
"Southwest corner forces... continue the charge!"
This was the only viable option.
The soldiers feared neither flames nor death; they could forcibly cross the sea of fire.
Although casualties would be extremely heavy, as long as a small portion of them successfully ascended the city wall, they could open a Breakthrough.
Once a Breakthrough was opened, no matter the cost, it would be worth it.
He now had an army of one hundred thousand, and furthermore, if there were many casualties, it would save provisions for the remaining troops to fight long-term.
He refused to believe that the enemy could exhaust his entire army of one hundred thousand... Chang'an City, Imperial Palace.
"Useless! All useless!"
The Martial Emperor of Great Wu, Zhao Yuanbao, slammed the memorial heavily to the ground, his face ashen.
The entire court of civil and military officials were silent as cicadas, no one daring to look up.
"Qingshan City fell within a day, Tongbei Pass fell in three days! Now Jubei City is also sending repeated requests for aid!"
"What good are all of you people I've raised?!"