Night Raid

Li Jinshui was shaken awake by Monkey.

When he opened his eyes, his mind was still muddled, feeling as if it had been filled with lead.

His eyelids were too heavy to lift, and every muscle in his body ached, especially the wound on his left shoulder, which burned like fire.

"Jinshui! Jinshui! Wake up!" Monkey's voice was kept very low, but the urgency in it could not be hidden.

Li Jinshui sat up abruptly.

The barracks were unlit, with only moonlight leaking in through the window lattice. Monkey's face looked pale and greenish in the moonlight, but his eyes were terrifyingly bright.

"What is it?"

"The Commander has issued an order!" Monkey swallowed hard. "A night raid on the Di Camp! Everyone still capable of moving, assemble at the camp gate in a quarter of an hour!"

Li Jinshui froze for a moment, then his mind cleared instantly.

A night raid?

He threw off his quilt and stood up, the movement tugging at his wounds and making him wince.

Looking down, he saw the wound that stretched from his left shoulder to his right waist was still seeping blood, staining the bandages a dark red.

There was no time to worry about that.

He grabbed his saber, donned his armor, and followed Monkey as they rushed out of the barracks.

About a hundred men had already gathered at the camp gate.

Li Jinshui took a quick look and understood the situation—they were all those who could still move, those with light injuries, those who hadn't lost limbs.

Qin Lie, Zhao Tieniu, and Zhou Tai were all there, their faces weary but their eyes burning with a fierce light.

Standing at the front were five men whose presence was entirely different.

The Personal Guard Battalion.

Five Inner Strength Realm experts.

The leader was in his early thirties, with a fair complexion that made him look like a scholar, yet the pressure he exuded just by standing there was stronger than that of Zhou Kui. He was at the late stage of the Inner Strength Realm, perhaps even at the peak.

Zhou Kui was there too, along with several other camp commanders, all of whom were in the Inner Strength Realm.

"Everyone is here." The scholar-like Personal Guard spoke, his voice not loud, yet everyone heard him clearly. "No need for nonsense. The Di People just retreated and think we won't move tonight. We are going to give them a surprise."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd:

"Target: provisions. Burn their supplies, and tomorrow they'll be left with nothing but air to eat. Once successful, retreat immediately; do not get bogged down in combat. The Personal Guard Battalion takes the lead, camp commanders and squad leaders follow closely, and everyone else follows the orders of their respective officers."

"Move out!"

Without another word, the hundred-odd men vanished into the night like a gust of wind.

A forced march.

Li Jinshui followed within the ranks; his perfected Tiger Walk made his movements light and effortless.

However, the ordinary soldiers beside him were having a miserable time, gritting their teeth and pushing themselves to the limit, terrified of falling behind.

The Di Camp was located thirty miles north of North-Rejecting City, nestled against a small hill.

That was where the five thousand Di soldiers from the daytime had come from.

The unit took a wide detour, sneaking toward them from the flank.

The moon was obscured by clouds, and it was pitch black, unable to see one's own hand.

Only the lights of the distant Di Camp flickered in the darkness like eyes.

The Personal Guard leading the way was clearly familiar with the terrain, guiding them through the darkness in complete silence.

When they reached the flank of the Di Camp, Li Jinshui finally saw how large the encampment was—the endless rows of tents stretched as far as the eye could see, enough to house at least seven or eight thousand men.

The five thousand from the day had truly only been the vanguard.

"The provisions are in the north-central part of the camp." The scholar-like Personal Guard lowered his voice. "Once we charge in, head straight for the supply piles. After setting the fire, retreat immediately to the east; there is a river there, and once we cross it, we will be safe."

He took a deep breath and drew the saber at his waist:

"Charge!"

Five figures surged out first, as fast as five arrows released from their strings.

Li Jinshui followed closely behind, pushing his Tiger Walk to the limit.

The Di sentries hadn't even reacted before the five Personal Guards had already breached the camp gate; with a flash of blades, the guards at the entrance fell without even a groan.

"Enemy attack!!!"

Someone finally shouted, but it was already too late.

A hundred men stormed into the camp like a sharp knife piercing a heart.

Li Jinshui charged inward with the crowd, the deafening sounds of battle ringing in his ears, the sight of fleeing Di soldiers before his eyes.

Those who reacted quickly enough to raise their blades were cut down one by one by the Personal Guards.

For the Inner Strength Realm, those below that level were nothing but fodder for slaughter.

But soon, the experts in the Di Camp also reacted.

"Stop them!!!"

A furious roar came from deep within the camp, followed by seven or eight figures rushing out of tents, all in the Inner Strength Realm!

The Scholar Soldier didn't look back, only shouting, "Keep charging! The grain and fodder are ahead! Leave the Inner Strength experts to us!"

Five figures moved to intercept, instantly clashing with the seven or eight Di people in the Inner Strength Realm.

Li Jinshui didn't stop.

He led the remaining members of Squad Jia, charging forward with the crowd.

Ahead, the grain and fodder were piled up.

Dozens of small mountains of grain, stacked high, gleamed golden in the torchlight.

"Light it up!!!"

Someone yelled.

Li Jinshui fumbled for a fire starter in his pocket, lit it, and tossed it towards the nearest grain pile.

The flames licked up, spreading instantly.

Others also lit fires.

Dozens of grain piles ignited almost simultaneously, flames soaring into the sky, illuminating the entire camp.

"We did it! Retreat!"

Everyone turned and fled.

But just then, Li Jinshui heard a furious roar from behind: "You think you can run after burning the grain?!"

He looked back and saw three figures charging out of the sea of fire, radiating murderous intent.

Inner Strength Realm!

Three Inner Strength Realm experts!

And not early stage, at least two mid-stage and one late-stage!

The three clearly recognized him as one of the leaders and charged straight at him.

Li Jinshui's pupils constricted.

Run?

It was too late.

He gripped his saber and turned to meet them.

"Squad Leader!" Monkey's voice came from behind.

"Take the men and retreat first!" Li Jinshui said without looking back, "That's an order!"

The first Inner Strength expert arrived.

His curved saber slashed down, accompanied by a piercing whistle through the air.

Li Jinshui dodged sideways, his perfected Tiger Walk barely allowing him to evade the blow.

But the man's saber was too fast, the edge grazing his armor and sparking.

Wolf Killing Seven Forms - Wolf Fang Bite!

He counterattacked with a triple slash.

The first saber strike was parried, the second was blocked, and the third—the man slammed a palm into Li Jinshui's chest!

"Bang!"

Li Jinshui was sent flying backward, crashing into a burning grain pile, his back searing with pain. The ninth layer of Iron Shirt allowed him to withstand the palm strike, but his chest still churned with qi and blood, a coppery sweetness rising in his throat.

"Body Forging ninth layer?" the man sneered, "You're asking for death!"

The second expert also arrived.

The third expert flanked him from the side.

Three Inner Strength Realm experts surrounded him.

Li Jinshui wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stood up.

The firelight flickered across his face.

He glanced at his status panel:

[Points: 23]

Enough for a few more slashes.

The first Inner Strength expert lunged again, his curved saber sweeping horizontally.

Li Jinshui advanced instead of retreating, shifting sideways with Tiger Walk. As he dodged the saber, he slashed towards the opponent's ribs.

Perfected Saber Technique, swift as lightning.

The man had not expected him to react so quickly, and he parried in a rush.

Blades collided, sparks flying—Li Jinshui was jolted back three steps, and the man swayed as well.

"A bit interesting," the man sneered, "but you still have to die!"

The three of them struck simultaneously!

Blade light, palm shadows, and leg winds assaulted him from three directions.

Li Jinshui's mind was crystal clear.

Pushing his Tiger Walk to the limit, he wove through the gaps in the three attacks, dodging two blades but taking a palm strike—a sharp pain flared in the old wound on his left shoulder, but he used the force of that blow to spin and slash his blade toward the third man's throat!

Wolf Killing Seven Forms: Wolf Charge!

The strike was impossibly fast; the man at the early stage of the Inner Strength Realm didn't even react before the blade sliced through his throat.

[Killed Northern Di, early Inner Strength Realm, points +10]

"Third Brother!"

The remaining two roared, their offensive becoming even more ferocious.

Li Jinshui had no time to catch his breath before the second man's blade arrived.

He raised his blade to block, but the man kicked him hard in the lower abdomen.

"Pfft—"

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Li Jinshui flew backward, crashing into another grain stack. The stack collapsed, and the burning grain tumbled down onto him.

Hot!

His whole body was burning!

But he did not stop.

He climbed up to fight again.

Add to Iron Shirt!

[Consumed 10 points, Iron Shirt proficiency +10]

[Iron Shirt: 9th Level 21/50]

A surge of heat flowed in, and the pain in his body lessened significantly.

The two men had already charged before him.

Li Jinshui took a deep breath and met them head-on.

He unleashed his Perfected Saber Technique, every strike a lethal blow.

However, his opponents were both at the middle stage of the Inner Strength Realm and coordinated perfectly; he couldn't gain any advantage.

Ten moves.

Twenty moves.

He added several more wounds to his body, the deepest one on his left leg. Blood flowed down his leg, leaving a bloody footprint with every step.

But the two men were not faring well either.

One had half an ear sliced off, and the other had taken a blade to the arm, deep enough to expose the bone.

"Is this brat a monster?" the one missing an ear cursed. "How can a 9th Level Body Forging cultivator be this durable?"

The other gritted his teeth: "Stop talking, finish this quickly!"

The two exchanged a look and unleashed their full power simultaneously!

A blade and a palm struck with the force of thunder!

Li Jinshui did not retreat.

He poured all his remaining points into Iron Shirt!

[Consumed 13 points, Iron Shirt proficiency +13]

[Iron Shirt: 9th Level 34/50]

Internal energy surged wildly within him, and his skin took on a dark golden glow.

He took that blade and palm strike head-on!

"Bang!"

"Crack!"

Bones fractured!

But he had seized the opportunity—

Blade light flashed, Wolf Killing Seven Forms: Wolf Devour!

His military saber flew from his hand, spinning as it sliced through the man's neck!

[Killed Northern Di, middle Inner Strength Realm, points +15]

Only one remained.

The man froze, watching his companion fall, fear appearing on his face for the first time.

"You... you..."

Li Jinshui gave him no chance to speak.

He charged forward, bare-handed, and smashed a fist towards the man's face!

The man instinctively blocked, but Li Jinshui's fist suddenly changed direction, striking his temple!

A full-power blow from the ninth layer of Body Forging, amplified by the Iron Shirt, sent the man's head lurching to the side. He swayed.

He hadn't fallen yet.

Li Jinshui's second punch arrived.

A third.

A fourth.

A fifth.

He struck like a madman, blow after blow, until the man's face was completely disfigured, until he collapsed on the ground and stopped moving.

[Killed Northern Di Inner Strength Realm mid-stage, points +15]

[Current points: 15]

Li Jinshui panted heavily, his whole body trembling.

He looked down at the three corpses, at his blood-stained hands, and suddenly grinned.

Three Inner Strength Realm cultivators.

He had killed three Inner Strength Realm cultivators.

"Jinshui!!!"

Monkey's voice echoed from afar.

Li Jinshui turned, seeing Monkey running towards him with several people, shouting as he ran, "Run! The Di are increasing in number! The Personal Guard Battalion has already retreated!"

Li Jinshui looked up—

In the distance, at least a hundred Di soldiers were charging towards them, with seven or eight Inner Strength Realm cultivators at the forefront!

He picked up a saber from the ground and turned to flee.

He pushed Tiger Walk to its limit, running with a limp, the thunderous roars of battle behind him.

Reaching the edge of the camp, he saw the Scholar Soldier.

The scholar was covered in blood, covering the retreat of the remaining guards. Seeing Li Jinshui, his eyes lit up, "Quick! Cross the river!"

Li Jinshui didn't hesitate, plunging into the river.

The icy water submerged him, and he swam forward desperately.

Behind him, the shouts of battle gradually faded.

Reaching the opposite bank, he collapsed on the riverbank, gasping for air.

More people crawled out of the river one after another. Qin Lie, Zhao Tieniu, Zhou Tai, and dozens of soldiers.

Monkey also climbed ashore, lying beside him like a dead dog.

The Scholar Soldier was the last to emerge, soaked through, standing by the river and looking at the burning Di camp on the opposite bank.

The supplies were still burning.

The great fire reddened half the sky.

"Let's go," he said. "Back to the city."

The group supported each other, staggering as they walked back.

Li Jinshui walked among them, wincing with every step.

But he didn't stop.

Three Inner Strength Realm cultivators.

It was worth it.