Xiangyang is surrounded by Wudang Mountain, Jing Mountain, Funiushan Mountain and Tongbai Mountain. It is connected to the Nanyang Basin in the north and faces Fancheng across the Han River in the west. The geographical pattern of alternating mountains and rivers and the relatively closed regional environment make this area easy to defend but difficult to attack.

Someone once said, "Is the most advantageous location in Huguang located in Wuchang? In Xiangyang? Or in Jingzhou? I would say: In terms of the whole world, the most important one is Xiangyang."

As long as Xiangyang survives, the Southern Song Dynasty survives; if Xiangyang is lost, the world is lost!
Xiangyang City can be regarded as the lips and teeth of Jingchu, the gateway to the Yangtze and Han Rivers, the northern gate of the Southern Song Dynasty's border defense system, and the central defense core of the Southern Song Dynasty.

In the past decade or so, the Jin Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty fought hundreds of battles of varying sizes here, all of which ended in the Jin army being defeated.

No matter how many troops the Jin Kingdom mobilized, they were blocked outside this huge city.

In addition to the insurmountable natural barrier of the Yangtze River, it is itself an unimaginably strong and huge city.

The city wall alone is more than ten feet high and stretches for more than ten miles.

It also relies on high mountains and remote areas such as Yagu Mountain to form one defense node after another with giant mountains as the core.

On the north bank of the Yangtze River, Fancheng served as a salient, guarding Xiangyang like a soldier.

But this time it was different, because the Jin Kingdom had mobilized the entire country to march south, with the veteran general Wanyan Zongbi, the owner of the "Fourth Prince" Lie Ri Wu Qing Jia, as the core. This time the Jin Kingdom wanted to seal his merits in one battle!
A full 500,000-man army surrounded Fancheng on the north bank of the Han River on three sides like a dark cloud! As long as Fancheng was broken, the Song people on the north bank of the Yangtze River would no longer be able to resist and could only passively defend themselves.

Of course, Song Tianen naturally knew the importance of Fancheng. There were not only 50,000 Jin soldiers and General Liu Guangshi, but also eight martial arts masters in the initial stage of the innate realm, including the four great detectives who were incorporated into the Xianzhen Camp. As for the acquired masters, there were also hundreds of them. It can be said that the essence of the southern martial arts was all here. These martial artists were led by the chivalrous hero Wang Xiaoshi.

Of course, the three sides of the city gate are also filled with hundreds of large and small red cannons manufactured by the imperial court with all its efforts, as well as various chain crossbows and sub-crossbows!
The south side of the city is connected to the Han River, so Xiangyang City can transport resources into the city continuously.

It can be said that this is a city that will never fall.

This is indeed the case. Since Wanyan Zongbing established the Zhongdu Camp ten days ago, the siege has never stopped!

To the north of Fancheng, the mountains were littered with dead bodies, and even the large forest was blasted to pieces by Lian Jue.

The entire ground was full of potholes and a charred black mass, and the entire air was filled with the stench of rotting corpses.

The surging drumbeats shook the earth.

In the distance, a line of cavalrymen stretched as far as the eye could see on the horizon.

Liu Guangshi and Wang Xiaoshi went upstairs together.

"In the past few days, the Jin army has lost a total of eight thousand-man troops! I think the same will happen to today's ten thousand-man troops."

Liu Guangshi shook his head and said, "Master Wang, I have been dealing with the Jin people for fifteen years. I can say that I know them better than I know myself. All the previous offensive means were just tests and to consume our ammunition. Those 10,000-man troops were not the Jin people at all, but our Han people and the former Liao soldiers. Today, it is different. It should be the main force of the Jin soldiers who are going out. If I am not mistaken, today will be an unimaginable fierce battle."

"General Liu, there is one thing I don't understand. Why don't the Jin people collect the corpses scattered all over the mountains? Aren't they afraid that the poisonous aura of the corpses will spread across the battlefield and be disadvantageous to them?"

Liu Guangshi shook his head: "To be honest, I don't know! But I know that today's battle will definitely be difficult. Tell me to order the entire army to be on alert! Load the cannons! All archers and crossbowmen go up to the city walls."
-
Just as Liu Guangshi expected.

Today, the main force of the Jin army came out in full force, with Wanyan Zongbing at the center and his sons leading the vanguard.

The reason why we chose to attack today.

It was Wanyan Zongbing who discovered a pattern using the flesh and blood of the Han soldiers: the firepower of Fancheng would drop by one level every three days.

If my guess is correct, the Song people will need to replenish their ammunition every three days.

Today is another cycle!
Moreover, he and Wanyan Loushi had once agreed that once Wanyan Loushi broke through the natural barrier of the Yangtze River and captured Anqing, he would divide half of his troops and go up the river to encircle Fancheng.

Take Fancheng in one fell swoop, and then destroy Xiangyang!

"General Liu, look at what those Jin soldiers are doing?" Wang Xiaoshi handed the telescope in his hand to Liu Guangshi.

Through the telescope.

There were more than a dozen wizards and shamans performing witchcraft in front of the formation, and black smoke filled the entire position.

The corpses that were beginning to rot all over the mountains and plains actually began to decay at an accelerated rate, and in just a few breaths they turned into piles of bones. The filthy flesh and blood on the ground swept towards the Jin soldiers' main camp like a black torrent that was summoned.

Seeing this weird and disgusting scene, the Song soldiers on the city wall frowned.

Although I don’t know what the Jin soldiers are doing.

But Liu Guangshi knew that it was definitely not a good thing and he could not allow the other party to manipulate him!
So he gave the order: "Fire, blow him up!"

The messenger asked in confusion, "But Marshal! The enemy's main camp is out of range. Moreover, each of our cannons can only fire 15 more rounds, and the ammunition in Xiangyang will not be replenished until this afternoon."

"Who asked you to bombard the Jin soldiers' main camp? I want all my artillery fire to target the black blood and the rest of the dead bodies! Hurry! A moment's delay will lead to unexpected events! Pass the order down quickly, and anyone who disobeys will be executed."

As Liu Guangshi's order was issued.

From the battlements extended cannons.

Soon, the fire bolt spewed deadly iron balls across a distance of a hundred feet, hitting the corpses all over the mountains and the black water.

Blood and flesh debris splattered everywhere.

What was strange was that the dead body actually let out a sharp wail, and through the telescope, ghost faces appeared on the surface of the black blood hit by the shells.

After Fancheng fired nearly half of its ammunition and artillery fire at all costs, half of the black blood lake disappeared.

The remaining half were all thrown into the main camp of the Jin soldiers' Iron Pagoda.

When the black fog dissipated, only the Iron Pagodas, who were originally wearing heavy armor, could be seen. On the surface of the armor there were countless disgusting flesh and blood fragments as the outermost layer of flesh and blood helmets.

These golden men actually used shamanic magic. No! These shamans were no longer human, but were parasitized by extraterritorial demons, so the spells they cast were extremely evil.

"Kill!" Wanyan Zongbing's eldest son, Wanyan Lie, raised his long sword and swung it.
The Iron Pagodas that were cursed came out in droves, and even the entire earth began to tremble.

Following Wanyan Lie's order, those Iron Pagodas covered in flesh-and-blood armor rushed towards Fancheng with unstoppable force like evil spirits crawling out of hell.

On the city wall, Liu Guangshi clenched his fists and looked at the enemy with sharp eyes. He knew very well that this battle not only concerned the safety of Fancheng, but also the fate of the entire Southern Song Dynasty.

"Archers, get ready!" Liu Guangshi shouted, "Target - Iron Pagoda! Shoot!"

Following his order, the archers on the city wall quickly adjusted their angles and fired arrows at the approaching iron pagodas. However, when these arrows came into contact with the flesh and blood armor, most of them only splashed a string of sparks and failed to penetrate the disgusting layer of protection.

"Keep firing! Don't stop!" Liu Guangshi immediately ordered to increase the firepower. The remaining artillery roared again, and the shells cut through the sky and landed accurately in the Iron Pagoda's ranks. Explosions continued and smoke filled the air.

However, even under such fierce artillery fire, the heavy armor on the Iron Pagodas still maintained their amazing toughness. Unless they were hit directly and blasted into pieces, the explosions caused by other shells would not cause them any damage.

Wang Xiaoshi frowned upon seeing this. He knew that it was difficult to stop these Iron Pagodas blessed by the magic spell with conventional weapons alone. So, he took a deep breath, the Qi in his body surged, and he shouted angrily.

"My fellow soldiers, follow me, use your true Qi to empower your arrows and shoot these evil demons to death!" Wang Xiaoshi shouted loudly, and at the same time a powerful true Qi surged out of his body, pulling the giant bow in his hand.

These strange giant bows were specially made by the white-robed monk for martial artists, so that they can attach their true energy to them.

Upon hearing this, the martial arts masters on the city wall followed suit, condensing their inner energy into arrows and shooting them in the direction of the Iron Pagoda. The sky was filled with light, and countless arrows of inner energy cut through the sky, hitting the target with a sound of breaking through the air.

The power of these Qi arrows was far beyond that of ordinary arrows. They easily penetrated the flesh and blood armor and penetrated deep into the body of the Iron Pagoda, emitting a dazzling light. As screams rang out, the Iron Pagodas that were hit fell down one after another, turning into pools of bloody debris.

However, the number of Iron Pagodas was too large, and even under the leadership of Wang Xiaoshi and others, they only shot and killed a part of the vast number of cavalry.

The cavalry arrived at the bottom of the city in a flash, and they drew their bows and shot arrows.

hum!
The sky was filled with rain of arrows, shooting upward from bottom to top.

"Shieldmen, charge!" Liu Guangshi saw this and quickly adjusted his tactics, shouting loudly. The soldiers on the city wall responded quickly, raising their heavy shields one after another, forming an indestructible line of defense. The rain of arrows poured down like a rainstorm, but most of them were blocked by the shields. Only a few escaped and penetrated the line of defense, but they were also quickly dealt with by the soldiers in the rear.

"Prepare the kerosene!" Liu Guangshi gave the order again. Soon, barrels of kerosene were carried to the edge of the city wall, and the soldiers poured the kerosene on the outer edge of the city wall in a tense and orderly manner, forming a kerosene belt.

"Ignite!" With the order, the flames soared into the sky, spreading rapidly along the kerosene belt, forming a blazing wall of fire. The iron pagodas that had already rushed to the city were immediately engulfed in the sea of ​​fire, and screams and horse neighs intertwined, forming a hellish scene.

However, even so, the Iron Pagoda's offensive did not stop. They seemed like machines that were tireless and fearless of death.

A vicious rain of arrows hurled towards him.

Even with the shieldmen blocking the way, there were still casualties on the city wall, and the casualties increased as time went on.

The bows and arrows of the Jin man seemed to be cursed. Even if they scratched the skin a little, the wound would suddenly fester and cause people to suffer excruciating pain.

Even though the soldiers defending the city were the elite among the elite of the Song army, they could not endure the hellish pain. Wailing and screaming filled the entire city gate tower.

The screaming people will disturb others, which will cause flaws in the defense line and allow arrows to penetrate.

The casualties are increasing step by step!

Liu Guangshi knew that this was not a solution. The Jin soldiers were numerous and fearless. If he kept fighting, his chips would soon be used up! He had to find a way to break the curse.

"Wang Xiaoshi, you are proficient in the art of Qimen Dunjia, do you have any way to crack this witchcraft?" Liu Guangshi turned and looked at Wang Xiaoshi, his eyes full of expectation.

Wang Xiaoshi pondered for a moment, frowning, and said, "This witchcraft originated from outside the domain, and is completely different from the Taoism of the Central Plains. It is extremely difficult to crack. But there is a way. If we can find the person who cast the spell and kill him, perhaps we can stop the witchcraft."

"Okay! Then you will lead the team and make sure to find and kill those shamans!" Liu Guangshi gave the order decisively.

Wang Xiaoshi took the order and quickly assembled a group of elite soldiers, including a martial arts master who was proficient in light skills and assassination techniques. He led some war horses and was about to go out from the side door to kill the shamans.

However, the situation on the battlefield changed again.

Suddenly, a man covered in red flames appeared in the Jin army's main camp. There seemed to be a fire wheel spinning under his feet that allowed him to fly into the air.

He stretched out his hands forward like an equilateral triangle, and a small sun seemed to condense in his hands, and then streaked across the sky like a meteor.

Liu Guangshi's scalp exploded on the city wall!
The unbearable events of more than ten years ago seemed to flood into my mind.

Back then, the gates of the huge city of Bianliang were not damaged by either the Gongchengyan or the Thunderbolt Fire, but this fireball, which was only the size of a Cuju, directly collapsed them.

"Scatter! Everyone scatter!"

Unfortunately, this reminder came too late.

The fireball seemed to be moving slowly, but it actually hit the gate of Fancheng very quickly.

"boom--!"

The huge explosion shook the sky, and the whole Fancheng seemed to tremble. The city gate collapsed instantly under the impact of the fireball, and rubble and smoke flew all over the sky, blocking the view. The defenders behind the city gate were knocked to the ground by the sudden shock wave, and some were directly blown away by the air wave, and wailing came one after another.

"General!" The deputy general stumbled to Liu Guangshi, his face full of fear and anxiety, "The city gate has been lost, the Jin soldiers are about to rush in!"

Liu Guangshi gritted his teeth and looked at the enemy with a sharp gaze. He knew that he must not lose his composure at this moment. He quickly looked around and saw that the soldiers on the city wall were a little flustered due to the sudden change, but they were more angry and unyielding. He took a deep breath and shouted loudly: "Everyone, hold your ground! We can't let the Jin soldiers step into Fancheng!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already drawn his sword and rushed to the city gate like lightning, vowing to stop the invasion of the Jin soldiers. Seeing this, Wang Xiaoshi did not hesitate to lead a team of elite soldiers to follow closely behind him. They knew that at this time, only a fight to the death could give them a glimmer of hope.

The Jin soldiers took advantage of the loss of the city gate and poured into the city like a tide, but they were met with even more fierce resistance from the Song army. The archers on the city wall kept shooting arrows, shooting down batches of Jin soldiers who were rushing to the front line. The soldiers in the city engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand fight with the Jin soldiers, with swords flashing and blood splashing.

Just when Wang Xiaoshi and others were rejoicing that they had blocked the Jin people at the door.

hum~
The ominous voice was heard again, and fireballs flew all over the sky! (End of this chapter)