Long Spear Whirls Snow, One Smile Makes Light of Marquises

Zhang Yuan's face was taut as he nodded heavily.

Over the past Three months, Xu Huanshan had saved Zhang Yuan at least twice.

Reaching out to close the thin, dark-skinned middle-aged man's eyes, Zhang Yuan gripped the Crossbow Bolt that had Pierced through his body with his left hand and twisted hard.

When he released his hand, the thin, dark-skinned middle-aged man had already breathed his last.

Zhang Yuan stood up, his body stiff.

This was not the first comrade-in-arms he had sent off, nor would it be the last.

Boom—

Up ahead, the Black Armored Soldiers charging from the Alley entrance were finally forced back. But several Siege Crossbows fired whistling Crossbow Bolts across the street, Piercing through the bodies of the city defenders blocking the alley.

Crossbow Bolts fired by Mounted Crossbows with the Strength of Three Bulls meant certain death to anyone they struck.

"Duan Hong, hold this place. I'm going to dismantle those Mounted Crossbows."

The Red Armored Warrior leading them gave a Low shout. Holding his long spear, he flipped onto a roof a zhang high. Dragging the spear behind him, he kept his body low and raced toward the Mounted Crossbows positioned at the breach in the city wall.

Without the Late Houtian Realm Red Armored Warrior charging at the front, the Black Armored Soldiers at the Alley entrance attacked again with sabers and spears in hand.

"Form up! Raise the shields, raise the shields—"

Duan Hong roared. He tossed his saber aside, picked up a heavy Door Panel Shield, held it crosswise before the Alley entrance, and pushed forward with his feet.

The spearmen in formation braced their long spears against the Door Panel Shield and thrust heavily forward, holding back the charging Black Armored Soldiers.

The soldiers holding bows leaned diagonally against the Walls of the streets and alleys, trading shots with the opposing archers.

An Early Houtian Realm Martial Artist possessed Five Hundred Jin of strength. With a Three Stone Hard Bow, firing across ten zhang, an arrow could pierce a body.

Saber in hand, Zhang Yuan rushed several steps to Duan Hong's side. He lowered his body and pressed his shoulder against the Door Panel Shield.

Young Master Tao, holding a Wooden spear by the rear wall, was somewhat dazed.

In the past, Zhang Yuan had never charged to the front.

"You kid—"

Duan Hong gave a Low shout, but before he could finish, a thunderous crash came from the Door Panel Shield ahead.

Bang—

A wooden pillar half a zhang long and two chi around, carried by four or five Black Armored Soldiers, slammed into the Door Panel Shield.

The heavy blow from the pillar made Duan Hong's face redden, veins bulging on his forehead.

Zhang Yuan, with his shoulder braced against the Door Panel Shield, also flushed red.

He lowered his head and tightened his grip on the saber in hand.

In his mind, a blood-red bead rolled down from the chaos, followed by a Blue-gray bead that shattered apart.

Surging qi and blood flooded into his meridians. The painful feeling of being so full that he seemed about to tear apart instead steadied Zhang Yuan's heart.

This was the power Xu Huanshan had given him.

One blood bead gave Fifty jin of strength.

With another Fifty jin added, Zhang Yuan felt that he now possessed Six Hundred Jin of strength. His cultivation had taken another step closer to the Houtian Mid-stage.

Without a heaven-defying fortuitous opportunity, someone like him, Zhang Yuan, should never have been able to touch the threshold of the Houtian Mid-stage in his entire life.

The Blue-gray bead in his mind shattered, and an image of wielding a saber in a sweeping slash emerged.

Cape Saber Technique.

Xu Huanshan, long saber in hand, had begun with each stroke and movement as a rigid chop. But once he started killing on the battlefield with his saber, his moves became disorderly.

Such disorderly moves carried greater killing power than rule-bound techniques.

A life-and-death struggle was the greatest Tempering for martial combat techniques.

The image faded, and Zhang Yuan felt his comprehension of saber techniques reach a realm difficult to put into words.

After the previous battle, Zhang Yuan's understanding of the Cape Saber Technique had reached the Great Accomplishment Level.

Now, the martial insights gained from two finishing blows had Increased his understanding of saber techniques to an even higher level.

"Saber Technique Great Perfection!"

Zhang Yuan murmured softly, his head lowered.

In his mind, the information reflected upon the chaotic interface indeed read: Cape Saber Technique Great Perfection.

Not just saber techniques.

There was also fist technique.

After raising his saber technique, that insight of light and shadow Turned into clear gray breath and dispersed into Zhang Yuan's body.

Zhang Yuan could feel his muscles and bones tighten, then relax again.

The Ironclad Fist was commonly practiced in the army.

This six-form Ironclad Fist, originally meant only to temper muscles and bones, had undergone a different change in Zhang Yuan's perception.

It had likewise reached the Great Perfection Level!

Bang—

The powerful impact from the Door Panel Shield interrupted Zhang Yuan's thoughts.

He, Duan Hong, and the other two soldiers holding up the Door Panel Shield all Retreated several steps.

A Crossbow Bolt as thick as an arm pierced through the Door Panel Shield, driving in only a chi from Zhang Yuan's shoulder. It penetrated more than two chi through the shield, its massive arrowhead gleaming with cold sharpness as it hummed and vibrated.

If the Crossbow Bolt had been off by one more chi, it would have pierced Zhang Yuan's skull.

Bang—

Before Zhang Yuan and the others could catch their breath, the heavy wooden pillar slammed into the Door Panel Shield again.

Zhang Yuan and Duan Hong shuddered from head to toe and Fell and sat on the ground.

The other two soldiers spat blood and collapsed limply to the ground.

"I, the Captain, have slain Crimson Scale Army Captain Zhou Quan in West City of Fengtian County—"

Up ahead, a resounding cry that carried for miles turned everyone's faces deathly pale.

Crimson Scale Army Captain Zhou Quan was the Red Armored Warrior who had just rushed out to destroy the Mounted Crossbows.

A Late Houtian Realm expert, a martial powerhouse with one thousand five hundred jin of strength, had died before the battle lines.

Hummm—

On the City wall ahead, a pillar of blood-red smoke rose up, shooting three zhang into the air before bursting apart.

When a Xiantian Realm Martial Artist fell, their Qi and Blood True Essence returned to heaven and earth, becoming a Qi and Blood Pillar!

A Xiantian Realm powerhouse had fallen!

"I, the General Cao Yun, have slain Feng Jiliang, Crimson Scale Army Major General of Great Qin."

His voice was like exploding thunder, rumbling through the entire city.

Duan Hong, holding up the Door Panel Shield, and the scattered soldiers around him all revealed despair on their faces.

Major General Feng Jiliang was the commander of the Crimson Scale Army stationed in West City.

Fengtian County had a total of six Xiantian Realm powerhouses. Over the past Three months, three had fallen.

With Major General Feng Jiliang slain today, only Crimson Scale Army Commander Yu Lin and Deputy Commander Zhao Changming, two Xiantian Realm experts, remained in the city.

How could Fengtian County City still be defended?

Clang—

Clang—

Clang—

The urgent strikes to Sound the Gong rang out.

"All Qin Army soldiers, fall back and make a last stand at South City!"

The voice issuing the command was somewhat hoarse, yet resolute.

"Retreat, retreat..." Duan Hong held the Door Panel Shield as he watched the Black Armored figures surging through the streets and alleys ahead. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed Zhang Yuan by the shoulder and turned to run.

After only a few steps, Zhang Yuan stopped short and broke free of his grasp.

Saber in hand, Zhang Yuan turned and Looked towards the Black Armored Soldiers charging and killing their way through the streets and alleys.

If no one stayed behind to Cover the rear and they allowed the pursuing soldiers to attack, no one in their squad would make it alive to South City.

"Chief Duan, the camp rules: finishing blows and covering the rear."

"You were always the ones charging at the front before. Now it's my turn, Zhang Yuan's turn, to cover your retreat."

Duan Hong's entire body trembled, his lips quivering.

"Ha ha, covering the rear? I'm here." Young Master Tao, standing by the streets and alleys, laughed. He spun his Wooden spear in a flourish, held it one-handed, and crossed two zhang in three steps, blocking the middle of the alley.

"Go, go!"

"Long spear whirls snow, one smile makes light of marquises. With a spear in hand, I, Tao Yulin, am not incapable of killing."

The spearhead of the Wooden spear was merely a dagger, but its flashing cold gleam swept across the necks of two Black Armored Soldiers, bringing forth dazzling crimson blood.

One spear broke through two sets of armor.

At least the cultivation and strength of the Houtian Mid-stage!

Young Master Tao, who had always feared killing, actually possessed such combat power.

After succeeding with one spear thrust, Young Master Tao smiled. His long spear spun and flew as he stabbed seven or eight times in succession, forcing back the charging Black Armored Soldiers.

"Go—"

Young Master Tao gave a Low shout.

Duan Hong and the other soldiers exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, and turned to leave.

In battle, each had their own duty. Whoever was meant to Cover the rear had to sacrifice their life to do so.

"Zhang Yuan, don't die." As an old soldier wearing half-body iron armor ran past Zhang Yuan, he spoke in a low voice.