Chapter 2689: Chapter 2689: Nine Edges Weapon Refining Array

Zen wasn't really acting too quickly, from the perspective of Alfie, Rupert, and the others.

In fact, the speed of him launching every strike was very slow as each strike took about three seconds.

But Zen was focused on accuracy over speed. Not a single one of his strikes missed its intended target.

His precision was almost inhuman in its mechanical perfection. Every strike was launched in the same way, with the same force, as if Zen was a robot programmed to repeat the exact same movement over and over again.

Everyone was surprised, and very impressed, by Zen's astonishing aim and efficiency.

The Sharp-winged Sun Crows fell before his strikes, one after another, like dominoes.

In less than half a minute, Zen had killed ten Sharp-winged Sun Crows.

They were intelligent creatures, at least as smart as the average human being.

The Sharp-winged Sun Crows couldn't fail to notice that they were gaining no ground. The loss of ten companions scared the remaining crows.

They communicated with each other in a series of furious quacks.

Finally, they seemed to come to an agreement. Quacking, the rest of the Sharp-winged Sun Crows rose, turned, and fled the scene.

The crowd watched the crows leave. They had been panicking when the Sharp-winged Sun Crows attacked them, but as soon as they were gone, they all turned to look at Zen as though he was a freak.

Many stared at him with awe and shock, processing what he had just done.

From atop the city wall, armed only with his sword, he had fended off the crows.

Every movement had been carefully calculated. Not only had he hit every crow he aimed at, none of the bodies fell within the boundaries of the wall. Zen had killed each one before it could enter the city limits.

“Zen, how did you do that?” Alfie asked, staring wonderingly at Zen.

Zen spun his long sword a few times, then, with a flash of light, sheathed it in his space ring. He smiled. “The important thing is to keep your focus. They're very fast, but they can be stopped if one acts with care as well as speed.”

Sure, that sounded simple enough. But no one believed what he had just said.

Rupert's eyes flashed at Zen. “Just focus? Your performance just now was reminiscent of the martial skill of the Flow Sword Sect!”

“The Flow Sword Sect?” Zen raised his eyebrows, looking thoughtful.

After his battle with the young man named Milo, he had done extensive research on the Flow Strike.

He had found that the Flow Strike was similar in many ways to the Emotion Closing Godly Way. If he had the chance, he thought he would like to practice the Flow Strike too. ṘαΝОВĚs

Rupert glared at him. “Yes! It's said that the martial skill of the Flow Sword Sect transforms the cultivators themselves, and anything they wield, into powerful swords. Each movement is skillful and instinctive, allowing warriors to enact feats of great power and strength...” Rupert trailed off, staring at Zen expectantly.

“I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm a long way from being able to do any of that,” Zen said lightly.

Everyone continued to stare at Zen, convinced he was just being modest.

His astonishing skills had saved the lives of everyone present. His feat with the crows had changed their impression of Zen completely.

So, this guy was not as simple as he had seemed!

Alfie suddenly flushed, recalling how he had asked Zen to hide behind him earlier.

“What should we do now?” someone in the crowd shouted.

Rupert considered it for a moment. “We should stay here and stand guard. That's the order given by Master Maxim.”

They were affiliated with the Oneness Guards, and bound to obey Maxim's orders. Any disobedience would result in punishment.

But it would be all right to stand guard now. Zen had already driven away the immediate threat of the dangerous and troublesome Sharp-winged Sun Crows. Everyone felt relief at how the crows had retreated. In the meantime, Rupert helped to heal the two warriors of the Other Shore Realm, who had sustained injuries. Alfie and the others returned to the city wall to fulfill Maxim's order.

The southern corner of the city where Zen and the others were stationed was not an important location. This spot was not the primary target of the Sun Crow race. Instead, they would aim to reach the four Arrays of Innumerable Swords in the city.

In the distance, they could still hear the sound of swords ringing, as well as the squeaks and cries of the crows.

The fight in the Blue Cloud City lasted until the faint glow of sun appeared on the horizon. When all the attackers from the Sun Crow race were finally driven away, Maxim arrived.

He looked terrible. His face was pale, his body was riddled with small wounds, and his suit of armor was badly torn and scratched.

It was clear from his expression that he had expected to find something else upon arriving at this south station. He glanced at the people manning the city wall.

All ten of them were alive! And only two had been injured...

This attack launched by the Sun Crow race was the fiercest one recently. In other areas of the wall, many Oneness Guards had lost their lives in the battle.

Indeed, the Other Shore Realm warriors tasked with defending the city wall had suffered great losses today. Some stations had lost virtually all their guards.

Maxim had been worried for Zen and Gant, whom he viewed as inexperienced and reckless. He had thought they wouldn't stand a chance against the Sharp-winged Sun Crows. To his surprise, both Zen and Gant were completely unharmed.

Maxim was nonplussed. “All of you... Is everyone all right?” he asked.

Rupert stepped forward to give a full report. “Master Maxim, this morning, the Sun Crow race launched an aggressive attack against us. We did our best to defeat them.”

“And it seems you have succeeded. Well done,” said Maxim, nodding at Rupert.

Maxim believed that there must be one or two warriors in the group that had demonstrated their real strength to back off the enemy. He guessed that Rupert and Alfie would be the ones who had shown themselves as more capable than the others. He had recognized their strength and talents the moment he met them, and knew that the Other Shore Tokens they had merged were perhaps also extraordinary.

Maxim took a deep breath and spoke to everyone assembled, “I know you have traveled thousands of miles to come here. Most of you aim to accumulate merit points and join the ranks of the Oneness Guards. If you can make great contributions here, with my recommendation, you will all have a good chance to become Oneness Guards very soon. Come on, everyone!”

The warriors stirred at his announcement, feeling a sense of excitement. Merit points were everyone's goal. In order to be promoted and take the test to become a Oneness Guard, a person would need a high number of merit points. But in the end, the points were only a means to an end; the final goal was to become part of the ranks of the Oneness Guards.

To receive Master Maxim's recommendation meant that there was a chance to directly join the Oneness Guards in the Mountain Viewing Province. That was a huge step forward and it would save them a lot of time and effort.

Upon their return to their own clans or sects, such a feat would be considered highly commendable, and their status would rise accordingly.

“The Sun Crow race have ceased their attack for now. We are no longer on high alert, so you may leave this station to get some rest. Each of you can get ten divine crystals by the tokens I gave to you,” said Maxim. He nodded at everyone, then walked away.

It would be nearly impossible for the Sun Crow race to return and attack them again after they had just been defeated in a major battle. Despite this, Rupert and the others decided not to leave the wall, and they sat in meditation to cultivate.

Gant, meanwhile, had been heartened by the news that they could leave the wall temporarily. He went to Zen. “Flag Master, I want to go and see Eira.”

He knew there was a chance that Eira was already dead, but he had vowed not to give up until he saw her for himself.

Zen patted him on the shoulder. “Okay, we'll go together.”

They left the wall, and traveled through the southern districts of the city. Every area they saw was a mess, littered with rubble and corpses.

Dead crows could be seen everywhere on the ground. Their feathers littered the roofs and streets. Some of the Sharp-winged Sun Crows were actually a vivid red in color, as large as an average man; and these strong and intelligent three-legged crows were perhaps the main fighting force of the Sun Crow race.

Fortunately, these red crows did not attack the south of the city this morning.

Despite this, the crows had still managed to do a lot of damage. The cries of women and children could be heard among the ruins. In their determination to reach the four large arrays, the Sun Crow race had wreaked great havoc in Blue Cloud City. Not only guards but civilians had died in the battle.

As they passed through, seeing people grieving and suffering, Zen frowned.

Wars between different races were somehow more brutal than wars among different groups of human beings. In this kind of war, there was no mercy, no communication or empathy. There were only battles that led to death and devastation.

As Zen and Gant had made their way to the center of the city, something strange happened. Several beams of green light suddenly appeared ahead of them, emitting a strong aura of energy.

Gant's face was bathed in the green glow of the light. “It's the Nine Edges Weapon Refining Array of our Su Clan,” he said definitively.