Apotheosis

Small chunks of rubble fell down the lower floors as quick footsteps rushed up the stony steps of the staircase. Zen, leading other disciples from Cloud Sect, climbed a side staircase to reach the rooftop in the barracks. When they reached their destination, the horrific view that greeted them stunned their group into silence.

The once clear sky was now dominated by swirls of dark, thick clouds and smoky fog.

In the distance, they could see an increasing mass of dark figures that had started to climb up the city's walls. They were demon generals and soldiers, who swarmed almost all the sides of the city wall like an incoming tide.

To make the dreadful scene even worse, black human-shaped demon birds with gigantic scaly wings emerged. They circled around in the air, each of them armed with black long bows and arrows.

Hundreds of the hideous demon birds carried demon generals and soldiers in their huge talons. Upon reaching the periphery of White Emperor City, the demon birds released the demon soldiers along with the demon generals from their grip, dropping them into the city.

The horrifying horde of demons in the sky weren't even the main forces of the opponent's massive army. They were only used as a prelude to make way for the truly formidable demons.

Back then, during the more peaceful times, the Heaven and Earth towers had prevented war from breaking out in White Emperor City for many years. However, when the demons unexpectedly occupied the two towers, they immediately planned and executed a direct attack at White Emperor City in such a short amount of time.

"Swash! Swash! Swash!" the loud flapping of the demon birds' scaly wings rippled through the dark atmosphere.

They proceeded to aim their arrows at the disciples of Cloud Sect who stood on the rooftop barracks after spotting them.

With their long bows aimed at their targets, the demons' black arrows rained down on the rooftop.

Luckily, the pointed tips of the arrows weren't that sharp, so all of the disciples were able to fend them off with their skills.

The most direct forms of defenses came from Zen. When the arrows came near,

were the most ordinary soldiers, with their strength at the marrow refining level. They could fend off the demon soldiers with all their might, but they were next to nothing when faced against a demon general. One encounter would be enough to get them killed.

However, military orders strictly prevented them from holding back. There was a saying among the imperial army, which was "as long as he is alive, the operator must ensure that the firing catapult is not destroyed." Being in the army demanded their whole being to obey the strict order.

If one gave up the firing catapult and ran for his life, a more grueling punishment awaited him. Then again, their sense of honor as imperial soldiers did not allow them to escape.

The demon general drew closer and closer back on the scene. Two of the soldiers frantically continued to work around the firing catapult, while the other unsheathed his sword and summoned all the courage and strength that he could muster to face the demon general.

Even the small praying mantis could dare to stop a raging chariot, and it was the same for the imperial army who fought against the demons in White Emperor City all the year round. The ordinary soldier, despite being at the marrow refining level, was able to contain his fear and resist the demon's frightful aura. He pushed back his thoughts in his head and drew out his sword with shaky hands to confront the demon general.