The Banner Strategist Lures the Enemy, Plotting a Slowdown; The Worn-Out Travelers Worry, Awaiting a Turnaround

Above the walls of Chenliu City, a bitter wind howled past, sweeping up dust.

Yan Lu and Yang Ren found a relatively level spot beside the battlements and sat cross-legged. Behind them stood the densely packed soldiers of the Wei-Qi allied army; before them stretched the open wilderness.

The direction of Ten-Mile Slope was clearly visible, making it convenient to keep watch for Zhao Cheng, who could come charging at any moment.

Both men had a taut string wound tight within their hearts, their sense of urgency intense.

The instant they sat down, they pulled medicinal pills from their robes and swallowed them. Closing their eyes, they focused their minds and circulated their cultivation techniques, doing all they could to replenish the True Essence depleted within their bodies.

Fortunately, their masters had given them quite a few pills to restore True Essence when they came down the mountain this time. Otherwise, after such a brutal battle, there truly would not have been enough for them to squander like this.

Below the city walls, the routed soldiers of the Wei-Qi allied army poured into the city in a miserable state.

Most had cast aside their helmets and armor. Some carried broken weapons over their shoulders, while others limped along, supporting each other. Their armor was stained with blood and dust, and their faces were deathly pale with lingering terror.

The moment many of them entered the city, they collapsed against the base of the walls, gulping down breaths of air, their hands still trembling uncontrollably.

"Cough... cough, cough..."

A young soldier clutched his chest and coughed violently, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. Staring toward the wilderness beyond the city, his eyes brimmed with fear. "That Blood-Clad Army... they're simply not human. One slash could split