War Erupts

At dawn, before the sky had fully brightened, the gates of North-Rejecting City swung open.

They were not breached; they were opened voluntarily.

The Seventh Prince stood atop the city gate tower, clad in a moon-white robe. Though his face remained pale, his back was as straight as a spear. Beside him stood an old man in grey, appearing to be in his early sixties with greying hair and a gaunt face, yet his eyes shone with an astonishing brilliance.

The old man stood with his hands behind his back, his aura so restrained he seemed like an ordinary person, yet the moment Li Jinshui glanced at him, he felt an invisible pressure.

Origin-Opening Realm.

And one far more profound than the pressure the Seventh Prince had previously displayed.

One hour ago.

Everyone at the Inner Strength Realm or higher had been urgently summoned to the main hall of the General's Mansion.

The Seventh Prince sat in the primary seat, with the grey-clad old man standing motionless behind him, not even lifting his eyelids once.

"Gentlemen," the Seventh Prince began. Though his voice was weak, it remained clear and forceful. "Today's battle concerns the survival of North-Rejecting City and the national prestige of the Great Zhou."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across everyone present—Zhao Zheng, Yun Ruoxi, and the other three guest retainers, as well as the battalion commanders, squad leaders, and those from the Personal Guard Battalion like Li Jinshui.

"The enemy has two Origin-Opening Realm experts—Huyan Zhuo, and Huyan Lie, who has yet to recover from his severe injuries," the Seventh Prince said calmly. "Although Huyan Lie is gravely wounded, he still possesses the combat power of the Origin-Opening Realm if he fights to the death."

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

Two Origin-Opening Realm experts.

And on their side, the Seventh Prince was still injured and unable to fight.

Zhao Zheng stepped forward, cupping his fists. "Your Highness, our side's Origin-Opening Realm..."

The corner of the Seventh Prince's mouth curled slightly as he glanced at the grey-clad old man beside him.

The old man remained hunched, showing no reaction.

But everyone understood.

Zhao Zheng's eyes lit up, and he bowed to the old man. "May I ask, Senior, who you are..."

The old man finally spoke, his voice hoarse and low, like sandpaper grinding against stone. "This old one is surnamed Chen, and I have followed His Highness for decades. I was lured away some time ago, which nearly cost His Highness his life. This time, I shall not leave again."

He did not even lift his eyelids as he spoke, yet the faint killing intent caused the temperature in the hall to drop by several degrees.

Li Jinshui felt a chill in his heart.

Lured away?

That meant the attack on the Seventh Prince was a deliberate attempt to draw away his protector.

The traitor's reach was truly long.

The Seventh Prince waved his hand and continued, "The enemy has two Origin-Opening Realm experts; Huyan Lie is heavily wounded and can exert at most fifty percent of his strength, so Elder Chen alone will suffice. Your task is to hold off their Pulse-Opening and Inner Strength experts."

He looked at Zhao Zheng. "How many Pulse-Opening Realm experts does the Di Army have?"

Zhao Zheng's expression was grave. "Scouts report at least twelve. Five came with Huyan Zhuo, and seven were subordinates of the former Di commander, Huyan Lie. Including Huyan Lie himself, that makes thirteen."

Thirteen Pulse-Opening Realm experts.

And on the side of North-Rejecting City—

The Seventh Prince was severely injured and could not be counted as combat power. The five guest retainers were all in the Pulse-Opening Realm, and with Zhao Zheng, that made six.

Six against thirteen.

A disadvantage.

The Seventh Prince's gaze swept over the five guest retainers. "The five of you, each must hold off at least two. Any problems?"

The four male guest retainers' expressions shifted, but they dared not speak.

Yun Ruoxi said coolly, "Three is no problem."

The Seventh Prince's gaze landed on Li Jinshui and the other Inner Strength Realm soldiers.

"Inner Strength against Inner Strength; do not allow the Di people to slaughter our ordinary soldiers."

Li Jinshui stood in the crowd, silent, merely nodding slightly.

The Seventh Prince's gaze lingered on his face for a moment before moving away.

"One more thing." The Seventh Prince stood up; though he swayed slightly, he managed to steady himself. "Today, North-Rejecting City will open its gates to meet the enemy."

The hall erupted in an uproar.

Open the gates to meet them?

Facing tens of thousands of Di troops, they were to abandon the advantage of the city walls and engage in field combat?

"Your Highness!" someone exclaimed. "This..."

The Seventh Prince raised a hand to silence the discussion, his voice turning cold:

"With the Di army at our gates, if we cower inside, where will the face of the Great Zhou be when word gets out?"

He scanned the crowd, enunciating every word:

"Today's battle is not for the sake of defending the city, but to shatter their morale. Let them know that the Great Zhou is not to be bullied."

"Open the gates! Prepare for battle!"

After the meeting adjourned, the others left one by one.

As Li Jinshui walked out of the hall, he glanced back—

The Seventh Prince was still sitting in the main seat, and that gray-clad elder remained by his side, back hunched, like a statue.

The five guest retainers had not left; they were gathered around the Seventh Prince, seemingly discussing something.

He withdrew his gaze and strode away.

Only six people remained in the hall.

The Seventh Prince, Elder Chen, Yun Ruoxi, and those four guest retainers.

Once the doors were shut, the Seventh Prince's expression instantly collapsed. He slumped back into his chair, beads of cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

Yun Ruoxi stepped forward to support him: "Your Highness, your injuries have not yet healed; you should not be exerting yourself like this..."

The Seventh Prince waved a hand, signaling that he was fine.

He looked toward Elder Chen: "Elder Chen, the enemy has two late-stage Origin-Opening Realm experts. What are your odds?"

Elder Chen lifted his eyelids and said indifferently: "Ten out of ten."

The Seventh Prince was stunned for a moment.

The Seventh Prince nodded, remained silent for a while, and suddenly asked: "Is there any news from the Imperial Court?"

Yun Ruoxi shook her head: "Not yet. But after the news of your ambush reached them, several princes joined forces to investigate. Although there is no direct evidence, everyone knows exactly whose claws have reached too far."

The Seventh Prince sneered: "What use is knowing? Without evidence, we cannot move against them."

He paused, a flash of killing intent crossing his eyes:

"However, if we cannot strike at the roots, we can start by chopping off the claws. Send word back, tell Third Uncle to investigate those old cases from years ago. Whatever needs to be reopened, reopen it; whoever needs to be arrested, arrest them. Do not fear startling the snake—only when the snake is startled will it reveal its flaws."

Yun Ruoxi nodded: "Understood."

He pulled up his panel and took one last look:

[Name: Li Jinshui]
[Realm: Inner Strength Realm (Mid-stage)]
[Techniques: Evergreen Art (Minor Achievement 12/500), Rock Body (Minor Achievement 60/200), White Tiger Blade Technique (Major Achievement 0/300), Iron Thread Fist (Minor Achievement 0/100), Inch Step (Minor Achievement 0/100), Marching Step (Minor Achievement 0/80), Iron Shirt (Perfected), Wolf Killing Seven Forms (Perfected), Tiger Walk (Perfected)]
[Points: 0]

Enough.

He raised his head and looked toward the opposite side.

At the third quarter of the Chen hour, the sun had fully risen.

The gates of North-Rejecting City slowly opened, and the drawbridge was lowered.

Squads of the Zhou Army surged out from the gates, forming ranks outside the city.

Li Jinshui stood within the formation, gripping his newly replaced military saber, watching the dense, dark mass of the Di Army opposite them.

The two armies stood three hundred paces apart, banners blotting out the sun, killing intent soaring to the heavens.

He glanced back at the city wall—the Seventh Prince stood on the watchtower, the gray-clad elder behind him. Yun Ruoxi, the other four guest retainers, and the governor had already descended from the wall and stood before the Zhou Army ranks, their auras fully unleashed. The pressure of six Pulse-Opening Realm experts merged into one.

Within the Zhou Army ranks, morale surged.

The Di Army's formation had already spread out, a dark, oppressive sea covering the entire horizon.

At the very front, two figures stood suspended in mid-air.

The one on the left was burly, bare-chested, with a hideous scar across his chest—the one left by the Seventh Prince. His complexion was still somewhat pale and his aura unstable, yet that ferocious air still made one's heart tremble.

Huyan Lie.

The one on the right wore a blood-red cloak, rode a giant black wolf, and had a sinister face with eyes like a hawk.

Huyan Zhuo.

Two Origin-Opening Realm experts.

Behind them were over a dozen Pulse-Opening Realm experts hovering in the air, and behind them, a dense mass of Inner Strength Realm and Body Forging Realm soldiers.

An army of thirty thousand, standing in formation.

Huyan Zhuo's gaze fell upon Elder Chen. He narrowed his eyes, then sneered:

"An old thing with one foot in the grave dares to block me?"

Elder Chen lifted his eyelids, glanced at him, and said nothing.

But that single glance caused the smile on Huyan Zhuo's face to stiffen for a moment.

He let out a cold snort and raised his hand.

The war drums began to thunder.

The Di Army began their advance.

Five thousand paces, three thousand paces, one thousand paces—

"Kill!!!"

A heaven-shaking roar of battle erupted as the two armies collided like two torrents, slamming into each other with brutal force!

Li Jinshui charged at the very front, unleashing the White Tiger Blade Technique to its full extent; his blade light was like snow, cleaving a charging Di soldier in two with a single strike!

[Killed Northern Di soldier, points +1]

He did not stop, continuing his charge forward.

He needed to kill more people.

He needed more points.

Because only points could allow him to survive.

Just then, two figures soared into the sky from the ranks of the Di Army!

Huyan Lie and Huyan Zhuo!

Elder Chen moved as well.

With a tap of his foot, he transformed into a streak of gray light, shooting straight into the clouds!

"BOOM—!!!"

The three figures collided in mid-air, and a violent shockwave swept outward, causing those on the ground to lose their footing!

Li Jinshui looked up, seeing only three blurred shadows clashing frantically, each impact erupting with earth-shattering roars.

Then, he withdrew his gaze and continued to slaughter the enemy.

Because he knew that he could not intervene in a battle of that caliber.

All he could do was kill.

Kill until those people fell, or until he fell himself.

Kill!

Two violent forces collided in the air, the shockwave sweeping across the field and flipping over rows of soldiers fighting below!

The three separated upon contact, only to pounce at each other again, locked in a chaotic brawl!

Elder Chen's palm winds were like blades, each strike carrying the power to split mountains and shatter rocks. Huyan Zhuo's blade technique was fierce, his blade aura sweeping across dozens of feet.

The two fought from the sky to the ground, and from the ground back to the sky; wherever they passed, boulders crumbled and trees were reduced to ash!

The five guest retainers also met the Pulse-Opening Realm experts of the Di, pairing off to fight!

On the battlefield, the battles of the Pulse-Opening Realm were heaven-shaking, the battles of the Inner Strength Realm were tragic and bloody, and the Body Forging Realm soldiers fell in droves like ants.

Li Jinshui charged at the very front.

White Tiger Blade Technique: Tiger Pounce!

With a single downward cleave, the Di Squad Leader in front of him was split in two, blade and all!

[Killed Northern Di Squad Leader (Early Inner Strength Realm), points +10]

He did not stop his pace, unleashing Inch Step to shift three feet sideways in an instant, dodging a spear thrust from the side before backhanding his blade—

Tiger Sweep!

The blade light swept horizontally, and three Di soldiers were cut in half at the waist!

[+1]

[+1]

[+1]

He was like a sharp dagger, stabbing fiercely into the formation of the Di Army.

With the White Tiger Blade Technique at Great Success, every strike carried solidified blade aura; anyone below the Inner Strength Realm died in one hit. Those at the early Inner Strength Realm took at most three.

With the Evergreen Art at Minor Success, his internal energy was as vast as a river or sea; the more he killed, the more energetic he became, showing no signs of exhaustion.

With his Rock Body more than halfway through Minor Success, the blades of those Di soldiers left only white marks on his skin, unable to even break the surface.

He was a killing machine that never stopped.

A Di Centurion locked his eyes on him; he was at the mid-Inner Strength Realm, wielding dual hammers and roaring as he charged over.

Li Jinshui did not dodge or evade, charging straight to meet him!

As the twin hammers smashed down, he dodged to the side, his Inch Step allowing him to close the distance to the centurion in an instant—

Iron Thread Fist!

A single punch slammed into the centurion's chest!

"Pfft!"

The centurion spat out a mouthful of blood, his chest caving in to form a deep crater as he was sent flying backward!

Before he could even hit the ground, Li Jinshui's blade had already arrived—

White Tiger Blade Technique: Tiger Roar!

The blade aura transformed into the sound of a tiger's roar, severing the centurion's head with a single strike!

[Killed Northern Di centurion (Inner Strength Mid-stage), Points +15]

He picked up the severed head, held it high, and let out a long, piercing cry!

Seeing this, the surrounding Zhou Army soldiers felt their morale surge, and their battle cries grew even more ferocious!