Seeing the reinforcements defeated and slain one after another, Zhang Guifang had no choice but to don his armor and take the field himself.
But without the aid of the Four Sages of Nine Dragon Island, his strength alone was no longer enough to match Xiqi's generals.
On the battlefield, he fought to the death without cease, fighting until his strength was spent and his breath ran thin. In the end, Nezha, Huang Tianxiang, and the others encircled him layer upon layer, trapping him completely in a deathly predicament.
Zhou soldiers blocked him in from every side, ring upon ring, killing intent filling the air. Jiang Ziya seized the chance to urge him to surrender, promising generous treatment and persuading him to abandon Shang and submit to Zhou.
But Zhang Guifang threw back his head and laughed, the sound tragic, fierce, and chilling.
"I am a great general of Great Shang. My family has received Shang's grace for generations. In this life, I am a minister of Shang—how could I bend myself to Xiqi's rebel camp!"
As his words fell, he suddenly tightened his grip on the long spear in his hand. A cold gleam flashed from the spearpoint, and Jiang Ziya and the others hurriedly retreated on guard at the sight.
Zhang Guifang swung the spear crosswise and reversed his grip. The spearpoint resolutely cut across his throat, and he slit his own neck on the spot, dying for his country as he collapsed in a pool of blood.
Jiang Ziya looked at his heroic corpse, shaking his head and sighing again and again, his heart full of regret.
"A man of such loyalty, righteousness, and unyielding spirit—unable to be used by Xiqi. Truly a pity, truly lamentable."
At the side, Li Xingba personally witnessed Zhang Guifang's death in