Chapter 0384: First Forays
In the five days of travel towards the East Sea, Wu Yu had already completely laid out detailed battle tactics, group battle strategies, as well as his own experience.
Right now, each squad of 10 was led by their own decarch and Wu Yu's doppelganger, forming a small unit that was its own battle ring.
This way, they would not be surrounded by the opponent.
Even if there were too many opponents, they might still be able to hold out.
When they attacked, Wu Yu's doppelganger took point, and the decarch held position in the center, supporting the companions all around them. It made for wonderful results.
And the real Wu Yu was located in the middle of the entire group. Because of his clones, he could perfectly control the movements of the entire Heaven's Equal Camp. At the same time, his own body was freed, and he could become a dagger that specially aimed for where the ghostly cultivators were strongest!
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Above the blue spirit ore mine, golden light flickered. The Yan Huang Warship landed, causing the Yan Huang Immortal Soldiers and Inner Sea Dao Sect members below to break out in cheers.
Following which, the eight teams appeared on the left and right, each charging up in support. It was truly like heavenly soldiers descending!
Wu Yu looked down. There were indeed many ghostly cultivators in the black mist around them. They were currently employing all kinds of techniques, cunning and wicked. They used dark and ghoulish methods to fill the air with the stench of blood.
The battle situation was too intense, and the smell of blood was everywhere.
The fresh support troops instantly scared half the ghostly cultivators into retreating, but half still remained, either caught up or uncowed. They held their ground.
Wu Yu charged forward first, rushing into the thick of battle!
Looking out, everywhere he could see, there were ghostly cultivators. There must have been a few thousand of them! Some were on the level of the Yan Huang Immortal Army, while some had just condensed their Jindan and had already come to fight.
Ghostly cultivators used all kinds of cruel and wicked ways to achieve their means. They cultivated their dao without conscience, and the stronger the ghostly cultivator, the more sins they had committed in the past.
They naturally relied on spirits, on slaughter, and used human blood and souls to fortify themselves. They did not care about the common good, but sought any way to strengthen themselves. Naturally, they would stop at nothing.
The Scarlet Sea's Seven Ghosts and Ghostly Wings of the Black Mountain that Wu Yu had met before were undoubtedly such beings. Especially that Ghostly Wings of the Black Mountain. His Sumeru Pouch had been filled with many evil things. Who knew how many human lives those had cost.
Those humans who lived in the world of ghostly cultivators were undoubtedly trapped in a hell on earth.
For example, the Ghost Isolation Array that Ghostly Wings of the Black Mountain had used to elevate his own cultivation level. That was probably very common here.
And, faced with such a cruel existence, Wu Yu could not find it in him to show any mercy.
The Yan Huang Heaven Raising Staff appeared in his hand. Clad in the Yan Huang Immortal Armor, he was like a tiger amongst the sheep. All the ghostly cultivators he connected with were demolished in a single staff strike, regardless of who they were.
In truth, the resistance of the water was enormous. Because the ghostly cultivators were used to it, they fought much more easily.
However, Wu Yu's tremendous physical strength could resist the pressure, which was why this underwater environment had a very limited impact on his battle strength!
Ping, ping, ping!
A bolt of golden light darted and weaved throughout the ocean floor, sending ghostly cultivators flying along its wake. A direct and violent approach. Wu Yu did not even spend a single breath's time on each ghostly cultivator.
He focused on those at the eighth tier of the Jindan Dao Realm and above. Although their cultivation levels were the same as him, not one could withstand a single attack from Wu Yu. There was even a martial cultivator at the Violet Kingdom of the Inner Sea Realm who was hooting. He had been fending off a few Yan Huang Immortal soldiers by himself. After Wu Yu rushed over, his head was crushed with a single strike.
"Reinforcements have arrived!" The Yan Huang Immortal soldiers and Inner Sea Dao Sect members were relieved, cheering.
They had held out until now in a nail-biting manner. It had not been easy.
"Who is this one!?"
"Wearing the Yan Huang Immortal Armor of a centurion, how can he be only at the Jindan Dao Realm? And how can he be so strong?!"
"I know, he's Wu Yu!"
"That's right, it's him!"
Just as they were worked up, Wu Yu had already disappeared before their eyes. A trail of fallen ghostly cultivators was left in his wake.
"The weapon he uses is indeed violent. No matter what ghostly cultivator immortal treasure stands before him, it falls before his onslaught!"
At this time, Heaven's Equal Camp had also entered the fray thoroughly. At this time, the sudden swelling of Yan Huang Immortal Army numbers caused them to have the advantage despite the numbers of the ghostly cultivators. In the various skirmishes, the ghostly cultivators were beaten back on all fronts by the Yan Huang Immortal Army's formation!
Of which, the Heaven's Equal Camp was the most courageous. Because Wu Yu's doppelgangers led them, they were all sharp knives that lanced out at their opponents! Wu Yu's doppelgangers were the main force, and Heaven's Equal Camp behind them were kept busy just looting Sumeru Pouches.
Wu Yu had no interest in the Sumeru Pouches of these small grunts. He willingly gave them to them, while he himself charged and killed, picking the bigger loot.
A pity that along the way, he wounded many ghostly cultivators, leaving them with grave injuries and even incapacitating their Jindan, but not many were actually killed. It depended on how strong the stench of blood was on their bodies. Those who killed to the point of desensitization could not conceal it.
But he had indeed gained many Sumeru Pouches.
However, because there was only one Violet Kingdom of the Inner Sea cultivator, the majority of his loot was Golden Essence Pills, which did not total to much.
Four teams of the Yan Huang Immortal Army had entered the battle on this side, and many ghostly cultivators had also run away. The battlefield quickly turned into a rout.
Seeing the situation, the ghostly cultivators were even more fearful. They had no organization to speak of and were free to run away if they wanted to. Under the aggressive onslaught of the Yan Huang Immortal Army, many of the ghostly cultivators were either defeated or dead, the rest running away.
"Yan Huang Immortal Army! This is the territory of us ghostly cultivators! You have overstepped your boundaries! We ghostly cultivators are very angry! No matter how many you bring, it's a matter of principle! We'll kill every one of you!"
"That's right, this blue spirit ore mine is ours! The main force of our Spirit Devourer Demonic Sect will soon be here! And at that time, it will be your doom!"
"You want to take our territory, and snatch what belongs to us! A fool's dream! Inner Sea Dao Sect! Don't think you have won! The worst is yet to come! You are all doomed!"
As they fled, the ghostly cultivators called out threats, even revealing the names of many other sects.
In short order, the ghostly cultivators that could run away had all done so. Only those who were incapacitated remained, sighing and groaning or cursing.
These people would be dealt with by the Inner Sea Dao Sect. Wu Yu heard Huangfu Pojun's order not to chase the cornered enemies. Right now, the most crucial thing was to set up a new defense line, and so Wu Yu called his troops back.
He inspected the situation of Heaven's Equal Camp. Perhaps because he had the doppelganger protecting them, there were no serious wounds or deaths. However, there were a few light wounds that required treatment.
However, their rewards had been great.
Wu Yu had decreed that if they defeated any opponent as a group, then the rewards belonged to the group, to be equally split in the end. If they defeated an opponent single-handedly, then the reward was theirs alone. On this point, no one had objections.
Wu Yu only cared about Heaven's Equal Camp.
The news was that of the other seven newly arrived camps, there were a few serious injuries despite the briefness of the skirmish. Two had died, and one of them had been from Green Willow Camp.
Wu Yu was not about to indulge in schadenfreude, because he knew that the battle here had been a vicious one. If not for his own doppelgangers protecting them, Heaven's Equal Camp would have lost members, or at least been heavily wounded as well.
"Commander, many thanks for your protection!" The brothers and sisters of Heaven's Equal Camp naturally knew Wu Yu's goodness. After one battle, they were all moved, and now felt a sense of belonging to Heaven's Equal Camp.
"Less of that now. I already said that I would do my best to protect all of you here. However, in the end, it still depends on you. Cultivation is not easy, let's work hard!"
"Yes, Sir!"
Right now, the Yan Huang Warship was poised directly above the blue spirit ore mine. New and old Yan Huang Immortal Soldiers mingled there. Because two centurions had died, the original camps had been redistributed into six. There were roughly 600 people remaining. They looked extremely fatigued and bore more wounds.
The original eight centurions had a general commander as well, but he was not even at the fourth tier of the Violet Kingdom of the Inner Sea. That was why after Huangfu Pojun arrived, he assumed command as the general commander of all 14 camps.
Over on the Inner Sea Dao Sect side, Wu Yu saw that their combined strength was roughly equivalent to two or three camps. They had also fought hard in battle, and their leader was their Sect-Protector, a third tier Violent Kingdom of the Inner Sea cultivator by the name of Gong Shuming. He was a white-haired elder, and he was leading the Inner Sea Dao Sect martial cultivators, who knelt to Huangfu Pojun. In a loud voice, he declared, "Gong Shuming greets General Commander Huangfu on behalf of the Inner Sea Dao Sect disciples. Finally, the esteemed Yan Huang Immortal Army has arrived. From this day on, Gong Shuming and the Inner Sea Dao Sect disciples will also submit to the commands and instructions of General Commander Huangfu."
Huangfu Pojun said, "No need to stand on ceremony with us. We too have received benefits, which is why we put our lives on the line here. You are familiar with the ways and principles in which the Yan Huang Immortal Army acts. I will cut the crap. Since we are here, then we will guard this place for three months. Now I will reassign positions based on the east and west battlefronts. Everyone, listen up. Firstly, the Yan Huang Immortal Army section."
Yan Huang Immortal Army was split into 14 teams.
"The east and west are battlefronts. Beyond the east is the endless East Sea, where the ghostly cultivators come from. A majority of the ghostly cultivators' attacks originate from there. That is why there is a need for more camps to be there. Of the former six camps, you have more wounded, but you also have experience in dealing with the ghostly cultivators. So choose three camps to guard the east. A total of eight camps will man the east side."
This means that of the newly arrived eight teams, five would guard the east.
After all, they could not all be new. Since they had just arrived, they did not have much experience, and still needed to interact and learn from those who had come before.
Wu Yu expected that he would be assigned to the east side.
He had not expected that by the time Huangfu Pojun had finished his assignments, he had not yet called on Heaven's Equal Camp.