Chapter 194: The War Drums
Officers and soldiers gradually arrived at the military drill ground in their formations. There wasn’t any disorder, in the slightest degree. Only the sound of their synchronized march and of the clanging noises from their armor could be heard.
Lin Feng’s heart started to beat faster when he saw the officers and soldiers within the military drill ground.
He looked as far as his eyes could see and saw that there were three large groups of soldiers which gradually turned into three huge square-shaped formations. There wasn’t the slightest iota of chaos. The light from the sun shining on their armor was dazzling. There were three different colours shining throughout the formation.
The armor of these soldiers were three different colours: bronze, silver and gold.
The gold armored soldiers were the highest ranked while the bronze armored soldiers were the lowest of rank. That was clear from just a glance.
Duan Tian Lang’s armor was pitch black. He looked like the devourer of souls. His attire was filled with endless coldness and austerity. He looked intimidating and majestic.
“Clang, clang clang.”
The marching sounds of the soldiers rose and fell in succession. A row of bronze armored soldiers lifted their war drums and walked forwards. The war drums were so heavy that four bronze armored soldiers were required to lift a single drum.
“BOOM!”
A deep sound spread through the atmosphere. The front row of bronze armored soldiers lifted up the war drums and moved towards the other soldiers. Then the second row of bronze armored soldiers did the same. When the drums hit the floor however there was a huge crashing sound followed by a slight tremor.
In total, there were five rows and each of them had nine war drums.
“What is that?” Lin Feng was surprised. He didn’t know what these bronze armored soldiers were doing with the war drums. However, other people were indifferently watching the scene as if it was completely normal. Excitement also sparkled in all of their eyes.
“Today, the students of two big institutions as well as some other student cultivators have joined us in this war. We beat these drums for all the students. Besides, There is something else I want to announce today, Duan Tian Lang will be joining us, as the Chief Commander. My sister, Duan Xin Ye, will be joining as Vice Chief Commander. She will also be present on the battlefield. Today, it is for all these people that we beat the drums. Besides, the people who can make more drum beats than the others can become the protectors of Princess Duan Xin Ye.” said Duan Wu Ya. Immediately after, from the middle of the troops, a beautiful silhouette appeared. Even though she was wearing armor, one could see her beautiful figure. That was the imperial princess Duan Xin Ye.
The crowd was surprised. The princess Duan Xin Ye was acting as the Vice Chief Commander? What was the reason she had come to this battle?
Regardless of the reason why things had turned out this way, these young men were excited. The ones who could make the most drum beats could become the princess’ personal guards which meant that they would constantly be accompanying her. Such opportunities were really rare.
Lin Feng seemed perplexed. Duan Tian Lang was the Chief Commander?
Lin Feng didn’t understand what relations there were between Duan Wu Ya and Duan Tian Lang. Besides, Duan Xin Ye was the Vice Chief Commander, what was this supposed to mean?
“Five people, who will come first?” shouted Duan Tian Lang. Immediately after, silhouettes flickered and immediately arrived in front of the war drums while saying: “I am willing to start first.”
In the blink of an eye, there was a great deal of people in front of the war drums.
Five people moved at the same time. They released an incredible quantity of piercingly cold Qi.
“Boom!”
Someone brutally punched the war drum which emitted a slight buzzing sound but it didn’t emit the sound of a drumbeat. Besides, some energy bounced from it and was reflected back to the attacked which knocked them backwards.
At that moment, that person looked extremely embarrassed and blushed. They lowered their head and went back to their seat. They had been unable to make the drums beat.
The second person looked imposing and majestic. With an insane strength, he punched at one drum which emitted a buzzing sound and then a light cracking beat. That person looked very excited. Without stopping at all, he directly moved to another drum and punched it. It made a crackle sound again, which filled people with enthusiasm.
Making the war drums emit any sounds was already extremely difficult. Making the drums emit even cracking sounds could improve the soldiers’ morale.
Only those who had a high status like the officers would be able to beat war drums. Those who could make the most drums beats would be adored by both officers and soldiers.
But that same man didn’t manage to make the third war drum emit a sound. The man suddenly looked dispirited and depressed.
After that, the third person managed to make three drums emit a sound. The fourth person managed to make two drums emit sound and the fifth person also only managed to make only three drums emit sound.
They then went back to their respective seats. The bronze armored soldiers put the war drums back in order. As before, there were five rows of soldiers with nine war drums in each row.
Lin Feng looked pensive and was intensely gazing at the war drums. He had the impression that these war drums followed a regular pattern. In other words, he had the impression they matched a person’s cultivation level, for example, someone of the second Ling Qi layer could make two drums beat, someone of the third could make three drums beat… so making nine war drums beat required to be at the ninth Ling Qi layer.
Of course, it didn’t seem to be an absolute rule either. A moment ago, someone of the third Ling Qi layer had only made two drums beat while the first one was only at the first Ling Qi layer and hadn’t managed to make any drum emit a sound.
“Next one?” said Duan Wu Ya while smiling at the crowd.
“I’ll go.” said Yuan Shan who was sitting next to Lin Feng while standing up and going towards the war drums.
“Yuan Shan, brother, I’ll go too.” said Duan Feng following Yuan Shan.
A short moment after, five people had gathered around the drums.
Amongst these five people, the strongest one had broken through to the fourth Ling Qi layer. They managed to make four drums beat and then walked away while smiling.
Yuan Shan was at the third Ling Qi layer and managed to make three drums beat. Besides, Duan Feng managed to surprise everybody. He had broken through to the second Ling Qi layer but managed to make three drums beat as well. Many people started looking at him with new eyes.
Many people tried, but the best person could make only four drums beat.
At that moment, a silhouette stood up and said to the students of the Celestial Academy: “I am Tu Fu of the Holy Courtyard of Xue Yue. Who will accompany me?”
“Tu Fu…” When Lin Feng saw that big guy, he was astonished. They used to be fellow sect disciples in the past. Tu Fu also used to be from the Yun Hai Sect. Now, he was a student at the Holy Courtyard of Xue Yue.
The crowd was suddenly interested. The Holy Courtyard of Xue Yue had started provoking the students of the Celestial Academy.
“Are there only cowards at the Celestial Academy?” said Tu Fu when he saw that nobody was replying to him. He couldn’t help but laugh.
“Not only are you a shameless turn coat but you also dare to speak such nonsense.” said Lin Feng coldly surprising Tu Fu who immediately looked at him.
“The winners can have a prosperous life while the losers can only die. The weak are the prey of the strong. That is the main rule on the path of cultivation. When Duan Tian Lang annihilated the Yun Hai Sect, of course I followed him. That is just common sense.” shouted Tu Fu coldly. Then, while staring at Lin Feng, he added: “Lin Feng, if you want to join the Holy Courtyard, you can go and beg Duan Tian Lang, maybe then he will take care of you.”
“Oh, you have now become a cowardly turn coat whose devotion to righteousness really inspires reverence.” said Lin Feng coldly while looking at Tu Fu. He then turned around, looked at someone wearing a bronze mask and said: “You go.”
“Alright.” replied the person, wearing the bronze mask, while slightly nodding. He then looked at Tu Fu and said: “I am coming.”
When he finished talking, his silhouette instantly appeared in front of the war drums.
Tu Fu’s facial expression was gloomy. He then quickly arrived next to the war drums and said: “Who will start?”
“You can start.” indifferently said the person wearing the bronze mask. Tu Fu slightly nodded, his silhouette started moving and immediately moved forwards.
“BOOM!”
A drum beat spread through the air resonating in people’s ears. The war drum had been smashed into pieces.
Tu Fu was unceasingly moving, insanely punching the war drums. The second and the third war drums were instantly crushed emitting explosion sounds in the air.
“Ahhhh.” Tu Fu had used one breathe to do that. He shouted loudly and continued punching. The fourth war drum was crushed.
“Crack.”
Tu Fu’s was violently stepping on the ground as he punched the drums. He then made a beat from the fifth war drum, which nobody had managed to do until that moment.
After, as if Tu Fu had a surplus of strength moved towards the sixth war drum.
“Crrr… crrr…”
The sixth war drum was unceasingly vibrating but at that moment, his strength bounced on the war drum and blew Tu Fu’s body a hundred meters backwards… but there was already a small crack on the war drum as well.
“Fifth Ling Qi layer and almost made the sixth one emit a beat. Worth being called a former disciple of the Yun Hai Sect. Too bad that he’s a shameless turn coat.” said Lin Feng in a low voice when he saw the crack that appeared on the sixth war drum. A cultivator of the fifth Ling Qi layer was nothing in Lin Feng’s eyes. Ba Dao was going to teach him a good lesson.