Form the Formation, Break the Formation

So that Young Master Ouyang was the son of Ouyang Shucai, commander of the Yan State's Western Suppression Army.

Even while in Great Qin, Zhang Yuan had heard the tale of Ouyang Shucai, who, with Late Xiantian Realm cultivation, led three thousand Western Suppression Army soldiers in a hard stand against a Great Qin Martial Grandmaster.

This commander of the Western Suppression Army was hailed as a powerhouse certain to become a Grandmaster.

Across the Five Nations and Three Domains, Zhang Yuan knew of no more than thirty or fifty Grandmaster Realm experts in total. Scattered among the nations, each nation had fewer than ten Grandmasters.

A quasi-Grandmaster was already among the foremost figures in an entire nation.

No wonder the Yan Army had launched a night raid tonight. It was because of Young Master Ouyang's identity.

"Hmph, who cares what young master he is? Take Fengtian County City if you have the ability." Zhao Changming pointed his spear forward and shouted loudly.

He knew Zhang Yuan could not speak.

Zhang Yuan slowly raised his long saber and pointed it downward.

The two Xiantian Realm experts exchanged glances, then turned and left.

Before long, the sound of the gong came from the direction of the Yan Army camp.

With Yu Lin present, there was no need for them to force an assault.

Only South City remained in Fengtian County City. The five hundred remnant soldiers were clearly prepared to fight to the death, and the Yan Army was unwilling to mount a forced attack now. Their own soldiers' lives were lives too.

Besides, there were two Xiantian Realm experts within the city. If they truly joined forces and came out to fight, the Yan Army would find it hard to withstand them, whether in battle or retreat.

"Great Qin is mighty—"

As the Yan Army withdrew, Crimson Scale Army soldiers atop the city wall cried out.

Before battle, morale was crucial.

If soldiers lost their will to fight, they would not even be able to lift their blades.

Watching the Yan Army retreat, Zhang Yuan finally turned back with his long saber in hand. Light flickered in Zhao Changming's eyes as he followed him down from the city wall.

When the two returned to the small courtyard, Zhang Yuan removed his faceplate and said in a low voice, "The Commander once taught me the Mountain Yue Saber Technique. Before his death, he used a secret art to seal Xiantian True Essence within me."

"This Xiantian True Essence diminishes every time it is used."

"Moreover, my true combat strength is far inferior to that of a real Xiantian Realm expert."

Zhang Yuan knew what Zhao Changming wanted to ask.

His cultivation, his combat strength, his saber technique.

So he spoke first.

So that was it.

Zhao Changming nodded and looked at Zhang Yuan. "True Essence can indeed be passed down through secret arts, but your saber technique..."

After a pause, Zhao Changming said softly, "I understand now why the Commander wanted the wounded soldiers and civilians to leave."

"He wanted to send you away."

Zhao Changming had long proposed sending the civilians and wounded soldiers away first, but Commander Yu Lin had never agreed.

This time, after teaching Zhang Yuan the cultivation technique, Commander Yu Lin had suddenly sought out Zhao Changming and arranged for the wounded soldiers and civilians to leave the city.

Great Qin placed great importance on martial inheritance.

Yu Lin had found a fine seedling capable of inheriting his martial arts and cultivation techniques. That was why he sent the wounded soldiers and civilians to break out of the city.

Was there selfishness in it?

There was.

Who in this world had no selfishness?

Even Zhao Changming himself—if he encountered a younger disciple with extraordinary cultivation talent, would he not also be selfish and want him to live?

Looking at Zhang Yuan, Zhao Changming's expression was complicated.

Zhang Yuan, whom Commander Yu Lin had been willing to send out at the cost of his life, had instead returned to Fengtian County City.

"I don't know whether I have exceptional talent for cultivation, but the Commander's Mountain Yue Saber Technique feels as though it was born for me to cultivate," Zhang Yuan said quietly.

He was still that sixteen-year-old Ninth-rank Black Robe Guard.

Yet the experiences of these past days, along with his awakened memories and the cultivation insights he had gained, had made his state of mind no longer that of a sixteen-year-old youth.

He already understood what he should say, and how he should say it.

But some things were carved into his bones, and he still could not change them.

Such as that burning blood, that pride of a Great Qin Martial Guard.

"Right, was Young Master Ouyang slain by the Commander?" Zhao Changming recalled what the Yan Army's Xiantian Realm expert had said. "At the time, four Xiantian Realm experts fought, yet only three streams of force scattered from that forest..."

Zhang Yuan did not hide it. He told him how Ouyang Ming had been severely wounded, and how he had told Duan Hong to take him away.

That arrangement made Zhao Changming's eyes light up.

"Ouyang Ming's status is extraordinary. Perhaps..."

He glanced at Zhang Yuan but said no more. Instead, he changed the subject, telling Zhang Yuan to rest well and not let the soldiers see through his identity, then left the small courtyard.

After the consecutive fierce battles and strange experiences, Zhang Yuan was already exhausted once he finally calmed down.

He did not dare remove his armor. He kept the battle puppet on, lowered the faceplate, and lay on the bed.

Young Master Tao and the others should have escaped danger by now, right?

Duan Hong should have caught up with Young Master Tao and the others with Ouyang Ming too, right?

The scene of Yu Lin unleashing his saber technique and fighting three enemies alone kept surfacing in his mind.

Chen Youde leading two soldiers back to hold off the enemy, Chen Wuxiong dragging his battle axe as he shoved Zhang Yuan away, and the gleam of that cavalry saber slicing through the air...

Intense cries of battle made Zhang Yuan roll up from the bed.

The sunlight outside was blinding.

It was already noon.

Grasping his long saber, Zhang Yuan stepped out of the small courtyard. The soldiers standing guard at the entrance hurriedly bowed.

"Commander, Deputy Commander Zhao said you suffered some injuries yesterday and were not to be disturbed. The Yan Army's offensive has been fierce and unceasing since morning..."

As they followed Zhang Yuan, the two soldiers reported the battle situation.

Zhang Yuan stepped onto the city wall. Crimson Scale Army soldiers were scattered across the hundred-zhang wall, loosing high-arcing arrows while rolling logs and broken stones crashed down without pause.

Below the wall were siege ladders and catapults.

Nearly three thousand Yan Army soldiers charged like a swarm of ants. They were beaten back, only to surge forward again.

Now, this stretch of South City was all the Qin Army held. Even if the Yan Army's main force attacked, they could only deploy three thousand troops.

But they could rotate their forces and wear down the defenders.

"Commander, you arrived at just the right time. I have the city wall covered. Go see whether the breaches in the streets and alleys behind us are in danger." Seeing Zhang Yuan arrive, Zhao Changming, who was guarding the city wall, spoke in a clear voice.

If Zhang Yuan had truly been Yu Lin, Zhao Changming would not have said that.

But Zhang Yuan's cultivation was not truly at the Xiantian Realm. If he acted atop the city wall, someone might see through him.

It would be better to let Zhang Yuan go into the city. So long as he appeared, the soldiers stationed there would surely be greatly encouraged.

Zhang Yuan nodded and left with his saber dragging behind him.

When he reached the streets and alleys not far from the city gate, the Crimson Scale Army soldiers blocking the alley entrance all straightened up.

"Commander!"

"Greetings, Commander!"

Zhang Yuan gave a slight nod in acknowledgment and cast his gaze ahead.

The streets and alleys had been blocked by rubble and wooden stakes. At a broken section of bridge, soldiers on both sides fired bows and crossbows at one another in the confined space.

They had retreated to South City earlier because a river ran through the city here. So long as they held the riverway and several small bridges, the Yan Army could not get through.

"Pingma Bridge can't hold!"

A soldier shouted not far away.

Zhang Yuan immediately turned and left, the soldiers guarding him hurrying after him.

After turning through the streets and alleys, he saw a squad of Yan Army soldiers in black armor who had already crossed Bluestone Bridge and forced the Qin Army soldiers back.

Those Yan Army soldiers wielded heavy shields and advanced in layered ranks. Behind them, soldiers held hand crossbows, pinning the Qin Army at the bridgehead so they could not advance.

The Qin and Yan armies employed similar tactics, but unfortunately, the city's defenders lacked equipment and had long since run short of crossbow bolts suited for close combat.

Bang—

Two Qin Army soldiers carrying small shields braved the crossbow bolts and charged forward, only for the heavy shields ahead to slam into them viciously and send them staggering back.

The shield-bearing Yan Army soldier leading the charge had already reached the Late Houtian Realm. Advancing in formation and borrowing Battle Formation Power, a single strike carried two thousand jin of force!

The two Qin Army soldiers retreated. Their shields could not protect their bodies, and the Yan Army crossbow bolts flew forth, piercing through them and scattering a trail of blood.

Several Qin Army soldiers roared and charged out.

Zhang Yuan tightened his grip on his long saber, stepped forward, and sprinted through the air.

"Form the formation—"

"Stop him—"

"Careful—"

The Yan Army soldiers on the stone bridge recognized the identity represented by Zhang Yuan's armor. A wave of startled cries erupted as the heavy shields locked together layer upon layer, and a crimson flare shot into the sky.

When facing a powerful enemy, they called for powerful reinforcements.

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

When Zhang Yuan was five zhang from the stone bridge, a barrage of arrows and crossbow bolts was already hurtling straight at him.

"Form the formation and help the Commander break the formation—"

A soldier behind Zhang Yuan shouted.