Commander, Fengtian County City—I'll Help You Defend It

A dim saber light emerged, like lightning flashing out in an instant.

The demon-transformed Xiantian Realm expert only had time to raise his outstretched arm before him.

Clang—

The long saber struck his arm, ringing with the sound of metal colliding.

Half an arm covered in black scales fell to the ground.

Aah—

With his arm severed, the demon-transformed Xiantian Realm expert's aura instantly plummeted as he howled in agony.

Yu Lin flicked his long saber upward, its edge grazing beneath the Xiantian Realm expert's armpit and cutting off another section of the severed arm.

The Xiantian Realm expert screamed and fell backward.

Yu Lin held his saber level and swept its edge toward Young Master Ouyang on the other side.

Young Master Ouyang, who held a flexible sword, was already pale as death. With nowhere left to retreat, he gripped the flexible sword in both hands and forcibly took Yu Lin's strike.

Clang—

The flexible sword shattered. He staggered back several steps, fell and sat on the ground, then gushed out a mouthful of blood and passed out.

A Half-step Xiantian Realm expert could not even block a single strike from Yu Lin.

The Xiantian Realm expert entangled by Zhang Yuan in the distance had never expected the situation to turn out like this. Horror appeared on his face.

"End this quickly—"

Yu Lin gave a low shout and looked toward Zhang Yuan with his saber in hand.

Zhang Yuan's saber paused. Its originally slanting momentum turned into a heavy cleave.

Clang—

Clang—

After three consecutive chops, the Xiantian Realm expert's blood and qi churned, and the wounds across his body burst open.

Zhang Yuan suddenly flung out his saber. The blade hooked around the broken spear in the Xiantian Realm expert's hand, then smashed into his chest.

Before the Xiantian Realm expert could recover his senses, Zhang Yuan had already stepped forward. His hands rose as though supporting mountains, palms turning into fists as he struck heavily into the expert's chest.

Mountain Yue Fist Technique, Moving Mountains and Seizing Peaks!

Bang—

A sound like a war drum being hammered rang out. The Xiantian Realm expert's body retreated uncontrollably, blood spraying from his mouth.

Zhang Yuan advanced. His right arm bent, then snapped straight, and he half-charged in close before smashing down with an elbow.

Ironclad Fist, Hanging Sky Elbow.

Boom—

The elbow struck the Xiantian Realm expert's neck. Zhang Yuan could feel the crack of his cervical bones breaking.

The Xiantian Realm expert, who had been retreating, suddenly halted. His knees gave way, and he heavily collapsed to his knees.

Buzz—

A thread of innate aura escaped, turning into a pillar of radiant force.

A Xiantian Realm expert had fallen!

Zhang Yuan had personally slain a Xiantian Realm expert!

His body trembled as the Chaos Screen rose in his mind, suffused with blood-red mist.

Bright crimson blood beads rolled down. The River of Light drifted into view, and Insight Beads condensed.

This time, several azure round beads also appeared.

Before Zhang Yuan could examine his gains, Yu Lin's voice rang out again. "Come, kill him—"

Yu Lin's long saber pointed at the demon-transformed Xiantian Realm expert, who had lost an arm and was stumbling away in flight.

Zhang Yuan reached out, pulled his long saber from before the Xiantian Realm expert he had slain, and flung it out.

His steps chased after the saber as he sprinted forward.

The fleeing demon-transformed Xiantian Realm expert sensed the wind behind him and twisted his body to the side.

Bang—

The long saber plunged into a tree trunk ahead, shaking it with a thunderous hum.

Zhang Yuan had already arrived from behind. He leaped into the air and kicked out.

Mountain Yue Fist Technique, Stepping Mountains and Collapsing Clouds.

The one-armed Xiantian Realm expert barely turned around, raising his remaining arm before him.

Bang—

As though struck by a galloping steed, the Xiantian Realm expert flew backward, his feet plowing a long furrow through the earth.

Zhang Yuan drew a breath, grabbed the long saber embedded in the tree trunk, and chased after the retreating Xiantian Realm expert, swinging his saber out.

Pfft—

A head as large as a bucket flew into the air. A pillar of blood splattered over a yard high like a fountain, drenching Zhang Yuan's head and face.

The second pillar of a Xiantian Realm Fall rose into the sky!

Having killed two Xiantian Realm experts in succession, even if both had been gravely injured, Zhang Yuan was now surging with Sha Qi, his eyes blood-red.

"Good, good, good—"

Behind him, Yu Lin threw back his head and laughed. Blood gushed from his mouth, and his body fell backward.

Zhang Yuan hurried over and reached out to pull Yu Lin's body. The two fell and sat on the ground as Yu Lin's helmet rolled away.

Only then did Zhang Yuan see that Yu Lin's face was ashen. He was clearly at the end of his oil and his lamp.

"Heh, this old man never entered the mid-stage Xiantian Realm at all. Just now, I merely used a secret art to ignite my last potential and unleash one final strike. If you could not kill them, we would already be dead."

Yu Lin coughed blood, his hand holding Zhang Yuan's arm.

Zhang Yuan wanted to help him up, but Yu Lin pressed him down and shook his head.

"Kid, I am doomed to die. You need not bother with me."

Staring intently into Zhang Yuan's eyes, Yu Lin took a deep breath. Blood foam welled from his mouth.

"I do not care how you can raise your cultivation so quickly, nor do I care why you could bring the Mountain Yue Saber Technique to great mastery so fast. I only know that you are a Great Qin Warrior."

"Remember everything I am about to say."

Sorrow appeared on Yu Lin's face, while the light in his eyes began to scatter.

"I harmed the people of Fengtian County City, and all the soldiers in the city."

"The order I received was to hold Fengtian County City for one month, yet I stubbornly held on for three months."

"This time, Great Qin's plan already was to abandon Fengtian County in exchange for the five counties of Northern Yan. Fengtian County City never needed to be defended to the death."

If Fengtian County City had not been defended to the death, at least a thousand warriors would not have needed to die.

If Fengtian County City had not been defended to the death, the common people would not have suffered so many casualties either.

Yu Lin's persistence had indeed harmed everyone.

"Great Qin has never lost territory—that is merely what is written in the history books, to fool the common folk. But I, Yu Lin, could not accept it. Could not accept it..."

Yu Lin's eyes had already dimmed. His hand clasped Zhang Yuan's arm as though using all his remaining strength.

Even knowing that retreating by order did not count as losing territory, Yu Lin still could not accept it.

He had defied orders and refused to retreat.

Zhang Yuan did not know whether he should hate him or respect him.

Deep in Yu Lin's bones were also the courage and glory of a Great Qin Warrior.

But this persistence had killed far too many people.

"Kid, you... tell Zhao Changming. Tell him to leave. Leave..."

Yu Lin's voice turned into a murmur, gradually becoming inaudible.

His aura slowly sank as well, about to extinguish.

Zhang Yuan's gaze fell upon Yu Lin's armor.

A trace of resolve shone in his eyes.

His palm gently pressed against Yu Lin's chest, which was rising and falling ever more faintly.

"Commander, Fengtian County City—I'll help you defend it."

On the city wall of Fengtian County City, all the defending soldiers waited anxiously.

The three distant pillars of light marking the fall of Xiantian Realm experts filled their hearts with panic.

If the Commander had fallen, then Fengtian County City could no longer be defended.

All of them would likely die as well.

Even if they had already resolved to die, that did not mean they did not want to live.

Three Yan Army Xiantian Realm experts had encircled and tried to kill Yu Lin. Now, three pillars marking Xiantian Realm Falls had risen.

Then who had survived?

Zhao Changming, spear in hand, gritted his teeth and stared intently toward the scrub forest.

In the distance, the Yan Army formation slowly moved. At least three Xiantian Realm experts headed toward the scrub forest.

Having partnered with Yu Lin for so long, he knew Yu Lin's strength.

The Commander could not possibly return—

"That is—"

A figure in crimson battle armor stepped out of the scrub forest!

The crimson armor reflected the setting sun, glimmering with faint golden light.

Dragging a long saber at an angle, he ran in great strides, green innate force gathering on the blade.

The saber light sprayed forth, as though mountains were collapsing.

One strike slew three cavalrymen!

Mountain Yue Saber Technique!

Yu Lin, Crimson Scale Army Commander!

The crimson armor charged as though through an empty land. The saber light sprayed forth, carving a bloody path as he returned directly to Fengtian County City.

Standing beneath the city wall, the crimson-armored general stopped and slowly raised his war saber horizontally.

On the city wall, Zhao Changming raised an arm and shouted loudly, "Great Qin—"

The defending soldiers atop the pass cried out in agitation, "Mighty—"

In the distance, the clang-clang of the gong sounded.

The Yan Army that had been closing in slowly retreated.

The crimson-armored general turned around, stepped on the weathered walls, and climbed the twenty-foot-high city wall in three steps. The warriors around him formed a path and shouted, "Great Qin is mighty!" as they excitedly welcomed him.

The crimson-armored general said nothing, dragging his long saber as he headed straight down from the wall.

Zhao Changming followed behind him, confusion on his face. When they reached the military camp, entered the Li Family Mansion, he finally spoke in a low voice. "Commander, are you injured? How are your injuries? Do you need—"

Before he could finish, the crimson-armored general stopped, slowly turned around, lifted his faceplate, and removed his helmet.

Zhao Changming's entire body trembled, his eyes widening.

"How, how... is it, is it you—"