Chapter 194: Drumming to Summon Generals
The soldiers gradually arrived at the training grounds, forming neat ranks without the slightest disorder. Throughout the entire grounds, only the rustling sound of footsteps and the clatter of armor could be heard.
Lin Feng's gaze swept over the soldiers in the field, his heart growing slightly solemn.
He saw an endless sea of soldiers divided into three major camps, forming three enormous square formations, perfectly aligned without any tilt. Sunlight fell upon the three-colored armor, refracting dazzling light that pierced the eyes.
The three armored corps were Bronze Armored Soldiers, Silver Armored Soldiers, and Golden Armored Soldiers.
The Golden Armored Soldiers stood at the very front, while the Bronze Armored Soldiers were arranged at the rear, their ranks clear at a glance.
As for Duan Tianlang, the general's armor he wore was pitch-black, captivating the soul, filled with a fierce, murderous aura that inspired fear in all who saw him.
"Rustle, rustle, rustle!"
Footsteps rose and fell in succession. A row of Bronze Armored Soldiers carried war drums, advancing toward the front of the assembled troops. These drums were as tall as a man, extremely heavy, requiring four Bronze Armored Soldiers to lift each one.
"Boom."
A heavy sound rang out as the Bronze Armored Soldiers set the drums upright, placing them before the troops. Behind them, more Bronze Armored Soldiers continuously carried out drums and set them on the ground. The rumbling sounds echoed without cease, and even the earth trembled slightly.
Five rows, each row with nine war drums, arranged from front to back like five straight lines, each line containing nine drums.
"What is this for?"
Lin Feng's gaze froze, uncertain why the Bronze Armored Soldiers were bringing out the war drums. However, many others seemed completely at ease, as if this were a common sight, their eyes even gleaming with excitement, eager to try.
"Today, it's rare that the two academies and other young talents have come to this battlefield. Let the drums be sounded by you. Additionally, I have another announcement to make. For this campaign, the War King, Lord Tianlang, will serve as the main commander. The deputy commander will be my sister, Duan Xinye. She has come today and will accompany everyone to the battlefield. Whichever young talent sounds the most war drums today will be responsible for protecting Xinye."
Duan Wuya spoke indifferently. Then, from behind the central army tent, a graceful figure emerged. Even clad in armor, it could not conceal her beauty—it was Princess Duan Xinye.
Everyone's gaze focused. Princess Duan Xinye as deputy commander? Why was that?
Regardless of the reason, the eyes of the young talents gleamed with excitement. Whoever sounded the most drums would become the princess's personal guard—an opportunity to get close to her that was far too rare.
Lin Feng's eyes flickered uncertainly. Duan Tianlang as the main commander?
Lin Feng couldn't yet understand the relationship between Duan Wuya and Duan Tianlang, nor what he meant by appointing Duan Xinye as deputy commander.
"Who will be the first five?"
Duan Tianlang shouted. Immediately, figures flickered, and several people arrived before the war drums, saying, "I'll go first."
In an instant, each of the five rows of war drums had someone standing before them.
The bodies of the five men moved simultaneously, powerful auras bursting forth from them, extremely fierce.
"Boom!"
One man punched out, striking a war drum. The drum hummed, but remained unmoved, and even emitted a slight rebound force, causing him to step back and grunt.
Instantly, the man's face turned extremely ugly, flushed red. He lowered his head and silently returned to his seat. He hadn't even sounded a single drum.
The second man's eyes darkened, a hint of gravity added to his expression. A wild, domineering fist smashed out. With a humming sound, the war drum burst apart. A look of excitement appeared in his eyes. Without any pause, he punched again. The second drum burst apart as well, the booming sound stirring the heart.
Sounding the war drums wasn't simply about making them ring; it was about making them explode. Only the booming of a bursting drum could inspire the soldiers' morale.
Beating the war drums was also called "summoning generals." Only soldiers of a certain status were qualified to strike the drums. It was also a time for soldiers to establish their authority. The more drums one sounded, the more the soldiers would revere them and win their hearts.
However, when this man struck the third drum, he failed to shatter it. A look of dejection appeared on his face.
After him, the third man sounded three drums, the fourth man sounded two drums, and the fifth man also sounded only three drums.
When they returned to their seats, Bronze Armored Soldiers immediately came out to replace the drums, still five rows, each row with nine drums.
Lin Feng's gaze flickered as he stared at the war drums. He noticed a pattern: generally, a cultivator at the Second Layer of Spirit Martial Realm could sound two drums, one at the Third Layer could sound three drums, and the nine drums seemed to correspond to the nine layers of the Spirit Martial Realm.
Of course, this wasn't absolute. For example, the man just now, who was at the Third Layer of Spirit Martial Realm, only sounded two drums. And the first man, at the First Layer, didn't sound a single one.
"Next, who else will come?"
Duan Wuya smiled faintly as he looked at the crowd, speaking again.
"I'll go." Yuan Shan, who was beside Lin Feng, stood up and strode toward the war drums.
"Brother Yuan, I'll go with you." Duan Feng stepped forward, following Yuan Shan.
In just a moment, five people gathered before the war drums.
Another series of drum booms rang out. Among the five, the strongest was at the Fourth Layer of Spirit Martial Realm, sounding four drums. That man left with a smile.
Yuan Shan, at the Third Layer of Spirit Martial Realm, sounded three drums. As for Duan Feng, though he was at the Second Layer, astonishingly, he also sounded three drums, earning him many admiring glances.
Many groups of people took turns, but no one managed to sound five drums.
Just then, a figure stood up and said to the crowd from Heavenly One Academy, "I am the Butcher of the Holy Academy. Is there anyone from Heavenly One Academy willing to compete?"
"Butcher!"
Lin Feng looked at the burly man before him, his gaze freezing. The Butcher had once been a disciple of Cloud Sea Sect, just like him, but now he stood with the Snow Moon Holy Academy.
The eyes of both Heavenly One Academy and Snow Moon Holy Academy flickered with sharp light. Snow Moon Holy Academy was starting to provoke.
"Is Heavenly One Academy full of cowards?"
Seeing no response from Heavenly One Academy, the Butcher let out a scornful laugh.
"Shameless traitor, and you dare to speak of courage?"
Lin Feng said coldly, causing the Butcher's gaze to freeze. His eyes then fell on Lin Feng.
"The victor thrives, the vanquished perishes. The weak are prey to the strong—that's the law of martial arts. The War King destroyed Cloud Sea Sect because Cloud Sea Sect was weak. Of course, I follow the greater trend. This is called knowing the times and being a man of insight."
The Butcher shouted coldly, staring at Lin Feng. "Lin Feng, if you're willing to join Snow Moon, I'll plead with the War King for you. Perhaps His Highness will be willing to take you in."
"A traitor can still speak with such righteousness?" Lin Feng looked at the Butcher, his tone icy. Then he turned his gaze to a man wearing a bronze mask. "You go."
"Alright." The bronze-masked man nodded slightly, stepped forward, and glanced indifferently at the Butcher. "I'll take you on."
With that, he walked straight to the war drums.
The Butcher's eyes darkened. He stepped forward as well, arriving before the drums. "Who goes first?"
"You first," the bronze-masked man said indifferently. The Butcher nodded slightly, crouched his body, and then took a step forward.
"Boom!"
A shattering sound shook the eardrums of the crowd. The first war drum instantly turned to fragments.
The Butcher didn't stop. His wild, domineering fist struck forward. The second and third war drums burst apart in an instant, the explosive sounds shocking.
"Ha!"
The Butcher finished one breath, let out a fierce shout, and punched again. The fourth drum shattered.
"Break!"
The Butcher stomped hard on the ground, both fists striking out together. The fifth drum, which no one had yet moved, shattered as well.
Then, the Butcher seemed to still have strength left. He spun his body, whirling backward, and collided with the sixth drum.
"Hum, hum!"
The war drum trembled violently. A ripple of spatial energy appeared, and a powerful rebound force sent the Butcher's body flying back a hundred meters. However, that drum now had cracks on it.
"Cultivation at the Fifth Layer of Spirit Martial Realm, and he almost moved the sixth drum. No wonder he was once a genius of Cloud Sea Sect. What a pity he's a traitor."
Lin Feng looked at the cracked drum and murmured softly, but he didn't care. Now, the Fifth Layer of Spirit Martial Realm meant nothing in his eyes. Ba Dao would teach the Butcher a profound lesson.