Black Tiger's First Roar

Chapter 35

The power of the mid-stage Meridian Condensing Realm surged endlessly through his meridians, like a ferocious beast freed from its second set of shackles—restless and ravenous. The Fierce Tiger Domain remained stable within a two-zhang radius, dark-red currents curling around his body like living things, his control over the domain growing ever more precise.

Chen Qing stepped out of the command tent, his gaze sweeping across the drill ground.

The expanded Black Tiger Camp had undergone a complete transformation. Three thousand hardened soldiers stood in bright armor with snow-bright weapons, their formations brimming with a murderous solemnity. After Old Niu, Sun Quezi, and the others had put them through hellish training, along with Chen Qing occasionally "baptizing" them with Killing Intent, these recruits had swiftly taken on a fierce, tragic air of their own and blended with the veterans. The vitality and Killing Intent of three thousand men faintly connected, forming an invisible dark-red cloud above the camp that made hearts tremble.

This was a peerless vicious blade that had been tempered and quenched, waiting only to drink blood!

"General!" Old Niu, Sun Quezi, and three newly promoted squad commanders hurried forward, bowing deeply with fanatical gazes.

Chen Qing gave a slight nod, his eyes settling to the north. "What movements have Northern Mang made recently?"

Old Niu immediately replied, "Reporting to the General, that old bastard Wuwei suffered a crushing loss and has completely withdrawn into his shell. Scouts from the front report that Northern Mang's main camp has reinforced its defenses considerably, and their roaming cavalry has pulled back as well. Looks like they were truly scared out of their wits!"

"Scared?" A cold curve touched Chen Qing's lips. "They are not scared. They are waiting."

"Waiting?" Sun Quezi's eyes flashed. "General, do you mean they are waiting for reinforcements, or... news from other routes?"

Rather than answer directly, Chen Qing asked, "How many spirit jades do we have left?"

"Of the thousand spirit jades bestowed by His Majesty, the General used more than half during seclusion, leaving a little over two hundred. In addition, Commander Zhou and the marshal's headquarters have allocated some cultivation resources, though their quality is average," replied one of the squad commanders responsible for logistics.

"Distribute all spirit jades, as well as any decent-quality pills, to the squad commanders of every unit and the brothers at the peak of the Skin Refining Realm," Chen Qing ordered. "I want them to raise their strength as much as possible within ten days."

Everyone froze for a moment, then erupted in delight. "Thank you, General!"

Such generous rewards were enough to push their cultivation another step forward in a short time! The General was clearly preparing for something huge!

"Go and make preparations." Chen Qing waved a hand.

The men accepted their orders and departed. The training on the drill ground grew even more frenzied, their roars like thunder as Killing Intent filled the sky.

Chen Qing climbed the camp's watchtower alone and gazed into the distance. Northern Mang's main camp lay there like a colossal beast in hibernation, silent and dangerous. He knew Wuwei would never let the matter rest. This temporary silence was surely brewing an even fiercer storm.

Passive defense was not what he wanted. He needed to take the initiative, tear open a breach before the storm arrived, or even... divert the storm elsewhere.

His target was no longer scattered roaming cavalry or supply lines, but Northern Mang's forward stronghold—a military town driven like a nail into the flank of Great Yan's defensive line, guarded by another of Wuwei's great generals, Bater, known as the "Mad Wolf"—Wolf Fang Fortress!

If he could pull out Wolf Fang Fortress, he would not only sever one of Northern Mang's tentacles, but greatly raise his own side's morale. He might even force Wuwei to launch the decisive battle ahead of time!

Risk? Attacking a heavily fortified military town that had been established for years and was guarded by a late-stage Meridian Condensing Realm general naturally carried enormous risk. But the rewards were just as astonishing! The merit and resources from taking Wolf Fang Fortress were far beyond anything gained from harassing supply routes. More importantly, there would surely be a higher-quality source of Killing Intent there—exactly what he urgently needed!

Ten days later.

The atmosphere in the Black Tiger Camp had tightened to the breaking point. Under Chen Qing's no-expense-spared allocation of resources, Old Niu and Sun Quezi successfully broke through to the initial stage of the Meridian Condensing Realm! The other three squad commanders had also reached the peak of the Skin Refining Realm, only one step from the threshold. The Black Tiger Camp's overall strength had surged by a great margin!

That day, at dusk.

Chen Qing summoned every officer at squad commander rank and above.

There was no pre-battle mobilization, no impassioned speech. He merely spread out a rough map of Wolf Fang Fortress, his tone calm yet carrying unquestionable resolve:

"Target: Wolf Fang Fortress. We depart at midnight tonight."

The tent fell deathly silent. Then heavy breathing rose. Attacking Wolf Fang Fortress! The General truly intended to pull off something enormous!

"Old Niu."

"This subordinate is here!"

"You will lead your unit as the vanguard. Bring all siege equipment. Once you arrive, attack the south gate at all costs!"

"Orders received!" Savage light burst from Old Niu's eyes.

"Sun Quezi."

"This subordinate is here!"

"You will lead your unit around to the eastern side of Wolf Fang Fortress. The terrain there is gentler, and its defenses are relatively weak. Once the battle at the south gate begins, find an opportunity to infiltrate, create chaos, burn the tents, and strike from within and without!"

"Understood!" Sun Quezi licked his lips like a venomous snake.

"The remaining three units will follow me in the center, reinforcing wherever the battle demands."

"Yes!"

Chen Qing's gaze swept across them. "In this battle, victory is mandatory—defeat is not an option! Wolf Fang Fortress must be uprooted! Anyone who fears battle and retreats—beheaded!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The generals growled, Killing Intent filling the tent.

At midnight, beneath a moonless sky and howling wind.

The Black Tiger Camp's three thousand armored cavalry swept silently from their station like a black tide surging through the night, bearing down on Wolf Fang Fortress.

Chen Qing rode at the front. The spiritual awareness of his mid-stage Meridian Condensing Realm spread like an invisible spiderweb across several li. He could clearly "see" the three thousand riders behind him, their vitality like burning flames and their Killing Intent like congealed black clouds, converging into an unstoppable torrent.

This time, it was no longer a sneak attack, no longer harassment.

This was an army advancing in open grandeur, with the force of thunder shaking ten thousand lands!

He would show Northern Mang, the Imperial Capital, and all under heaven exactly what kind of terrifying roar this black tiger, raised by his own hand, could unleash!

In the darkest hour before dawn, the savage outline of Wolf Fang Fortress, like the fangs of a giant wolf, appeared at the edge of sight. Torches blazed atop its walls, and the silhouettes of patrolling soldiers were clearly visible.

"Hold!" Chen Qing raised a hand.

Three thousand riders reined in at once. Not a sound could be heard, save for the occasional snorts of warhorses, unusually clear in the silent night wind.

Chen Qing drew a deep breath, feeling the power within him that longed to burst forth, as well as the gathered killing intent and conviction of the three thousand hardened soldiers behind him.

Slowly, he drew the ring-pommel saber at his waist.

Its blade was dark red, wreathed in Killing Intent, giving off a bloodthirsty hum in the darkness.

The next moment, he pointed the blade forward. His voice was not loud, yet it crashed like thunder beside the ears of every Black Tiger Camp soldier:

"Black Tiger Camp—"

"Breach the formation!"

"Roar—!"

Like volcanoes set alight, three thousand men unleashed an earth-shattering roar! Iron hooves shattered the earth as they charged toward Wolf Fang Fortress like a black storm of death, launching a fearless assault!

The black tiger's first roar vowed to drink the blood of wolf fangs!