Azure Edge Guards the Wicked, Blocking Heavenly Decree; Halberd Shadows Subdue the Mad, Shattering Demonic Forms

"Stop!"

A sharp cry split the air above the field ridges. Before the words had faded, a streak of sword light like a white rainbow swept in from beyond the crowd.

The sword light unfurled like silk, shrieking sharply through the air. In the blink of an eye, it had reached the field ridges.

A series of crisp clangs rang out, and the long sabers in the Blood-Clad Army's hands were all jolted free by that single sword strike. The blades plunged into the mud, still humming violently.

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a woman in green robes descending through the air. Her sleeves snapped in the wind as the tip of her foot lightly touched a floating longsword, and she drifted gracefully to the ground.

The flying sword arced through the air like a swimming fish before flipping back into her hand.

The woman landed lightly, graceful as wind curling through snow, ethereal and exquisite.

Her longsword pointed diagonally at the ground, its blade like an autumn pool or a frigid abyss, a thread of cold light gathered at its tip.

The chill in her eyes matched the blade as she stared straight at Zhao Cheng. "Blood Butcher will always be Blood Butcher. A demon's nature cannot be changed! Earlier, when I saw you create the Field Irrigation Machine to benefit the people, I thought I might have misunderstood you somewhat. Who would have thought that, in the blink of an eye, you would be slaughtering an honest official!"

Zhao Cheng had long known that these people were watching him from the shadows, and he also knew of their connection to Xiaoyaozi. He simply had never had the time to deal with them.

Now that this woman had jumped out to meddle, he found it rather amusing.