Path of Alchemy Mastery
Chapter 174 - 176: Demon Clan Attacks the City

Chapter 174: Chapter 176: Demon Clan Attacks the City

Mu Can was in one of the satellite cities that surrounded the Nanyuan Empire Capital, a star among stars holding the line as the last defensive barrier of the Nanyuan Empire.

With a Saint Level Array Master at its helm, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the city was as impregnable as a fortress of gold.

"Let’s go! To the city walls." As the Demon Clan laid siege to the city, Mu Can could not just stand by idly. It was also a perfect opportunity to gauge the strength of these demons.

After initial chaos, order had gradually been restored within the city. It seemed that this was not the first time the Demon Clan had launched a large-scale attack.

The sound of marching boots echoed throughout the city, as platoons of soldiers clad in black standard armor marched in neat rows toward the city walls. Moreover, the majority of the Cultivators in the city were also rushing towards the walls. For a moment, the skies were filled with flickering shadows—a lively scene indeed.

The most powerful elder in the teahouse also stood up.

"With the Demon World invading, defending our homes and nation is our duty. We Cultivators fear not battle; I shall follow this young hero to the frontline," said the elder, bowing to Mu Can before speaking.

Seeing the elder take the lead, everyone else also stood up, determined to join Mu Can at the city walls to face the enemy.

"Dead, dead, all dead, but you are alive," the crazed old man shouted out loud, both crying and laughing, after seeing so many people standing up. He took a fall and looked at his heart’s content.

Mu Can was already accustomed to the crazed old man’s behavior. The man had astonishing strength but was somewhat muddled in the head. Mu Can was curious about what could cause a bona fide Martial Saint to end up in this state.

When Mu Can and the others arrived beneath the city walls, they found the place heavily guarded.

Just as they were about to ascend the ramparts, they were stopped by two soldiers.

"In times of war, no civilians are allowed on the city walls," the soldiers said coldly to Mu Can, showing no signs of backing down even if there were only two of them.

"Call your general out. Tell him his Uncle Jin is here," the elder from the teahouse said coldly after seeing the soldiers blocking their way.

The two soldiers exchanged glances; one jogged up the wall while the other stayed, still barring the way with his weapon.

"Senior, you know the general in charge of defending this place?" Mu Can asked curiously.

"He’s my nephew. Alas, my older brother already sacrificed himself on the battlefield, leaving only this nephew behind," said the elder with a face full of sorrow.

The soldier who went to report ran down the city walls to the old man surnamed Jin and made a slight gesture.

As the battlefield situation could change in the blink of an eye, Mu Can led everyone hastily up onto the city walls.

Hundreds of miles away from the walls, a massive, dark mass of Demon Clan soldiers was already assembled, stretching as far as the eye could see. The soldiers guarding the city felt immense pressure but remained silent.

"Xiao Jindou (little Gold Bean)!" Elder Jin shouted towards the general who was observing the enemy from atop the walls.

"Uncle, there are so many soldiers here, why did you come?" The general walked over upon seeing Elder Jin, his face expressing difficulty.

"Nonsense, your uncle is a Martial Arts Sect, and if I don’t contribute now, am I supposed to be protected by you?" Elder Jin, while he wouldn’t dare oppose the Saint Heir from the Immortal World, was quite assertive with his own nephew.

"Only when all three thousand of my soldiers guarding the city have fallen will I ask for your exertion. Unable to protect all the citizens of Nanyuan Empire, I am already filled with guilt," the Golden Armor General spoke in a deep voice.

Mu Can nodded. Although the Golden Armor General only possessed the strength of early-stage Martial Venerate, his aura felt as if his cultivation had advanced a step further.

This was the iron-blooded aura unique to military cultivators. As soldiers, their mission was to defend their country and wage wars on the battlefield.

"This general, I am here to help. Could you explain the situation to me?" Mu Can said.

The Golden Armor General took a look at Mu Can and found that he could not see through the young man’s strength. He put away his previous underestimation and began to slowly explain the current situation to Mu Can.

This was the second siege by the Demon Clan. The previous probing attack had ended in failure, and this time they had returned in full force, tripling their numbers. Nearly thirty thousand Demon Clan soldiers appeared like dark clouds pressing down from hundreds of miles away.

And like a heavy stone weighing on the hearts of everyone inside the city.

"Is there a Demon Lord among them?" Mu Can asked. With thirty thousand demons versus three thousand human defenders—a difference of ten times—if the Demon Clan also had a Demon Lord leading them, without using the Reincarnation Pearl, there would be no hope of victory.

The Golden Armor General shook his head, certain that there was no Demon Lord among the demon forces. Had there been a Demon Lord, the city’s defenses would definitely not be able to withstand its assault.

"How about this array?" Upon standing atop the city wall, Mu Can realized the entire city had been made into a gigantic array. It appeared that the Saint Level Array Master had made many preparations.

Not just arrays, but also those huge crossbow bolts on the city walls. The arrows looked like long spears, their tips glinting coldly, with a mysterious shade of green—clearly poisoned.

"Demon Extermination Crossbow." Created with the entire strength of the Nanyuan Empire, each bolt fired was equal to a full-strength blow from a Martial Saint, already capable of breaking through a Demon Lord’s defense.

Keep in mind, the entire Nanyuan Empire had only managed to forge just over twenty Demon Extermination Crossbows.

"Nine Life Annihilation Poison." As Purple Cloud caught sight of the green gleam on the arrows of the Demon Extermination Crossbows, her gaze sharpened.

What truly posed a threat to the Demon Lords was not the bolts themselves, but the poison coated on them.

Even a Martial Saint’s full-strength blow could only scratch a Demon Lord’s skin and do no real harm, but this poison was different.

This poison acted directly upon the soul. Even with formidable healing abilities, it would be useless. Just a touch of it would lead to obliteration, even if one had nine lives.

"Destructive to heavens and morale, alas!" Such poison existed only in extreme terrains, and its collection cost lives.

Cultivators had to ingest a specific medicine and become contaminated personally. After contamination, they would allow the toxin to manifest, and their entire soul would eventually dissolve into a wisp of green venom—this was the true Nine Life Annihilation Poison. After the cultivators’ refinement, this poison became incurable.

Mu Can, gazing at the arrangements on the city wall, fell into a thoughtful silence, "What strength does the other side possess?"

The thirty thousand-strong Demon World army, all soldiers at Martial Arts Sect level, with Commanders above Martial Venerate. Whether Generals were at Martial Saint level or if there were hidden Demon Lords was unknown.

"Don’t worry, those Demon Lords, even if they could cross worlds, wouldn’t dare to show themselves now."

With that, Mu Can took out the head of a Demon Lord from his storage space and weighed it in his hand.

"Dead person, dead person, haha, heehee," the mad old man burst into tears and laughter upon seeing the Demon Lord’s head.