Slaughtering All Sides

Over the next few days, the atmosphere on the battlefield grew increasingly bizarre.

Huyan Zhuo seemed determined to wear them down, sending a few thousand men to attack in waves every day; they would retreat as soon as they hit resistance, only to return the following day.

The defenders of North-Rejecting City were ground down by this rhythm, exhausted, yet forced to man the walls every single day.

Li Jinshui, however, found these days to be a cathartic killing spree.

He had discovered a new joy on the battlefield: specifically hunting down Di soldiers in the Inner Strength Realm.

That brat Tuoba Feng searched for him daily, but Li Jinshui refused to take the bait.

Relying on his minor success in Inch Step and his mastery of the Tiger Walk, he wove nimbly through the chaos of the battlefield, diving straight into wherever the Inner Strength Di soldiers were gathered.

Whenever Tuoba Feng chased him, he would duck into the thick of the crowds, twisting and turning until Tuoba Feng missed him every single time.

"Li Jinshui! You stand your ground!" Tuoba Feng roared from behind.

Li Jinshui didn't even look back; he cleaved an early-stage Inner Strength Di soldier in two, his feet never stopping as he charged forward.

[Killed Northern Di Decurion, early-stage Inner Strength, points +10]

"Stand my ground? You tell me to stop, so I stop?" he muttered while running. "I'm not that stupid."

Another mid-stage Inner Strength soldier appeared; Li Jinshui lunged forward, unleashing the full power of his White Tiger Blade Technique to take him down in thirty moves.

[+15]

By the time Tuoba Feng caught up, he saw only the corpse lying on the ground, while Li Jinshui had already vanished into the crowd.

"Argh! Li Jinshui! You coward! You spineless rat! Have some guts and fight me!"

Li Jinshui heard the roar from afar, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Fight you? I can't kill you even if I win, so what's the point?"

He continued to harvest his next target.

In three days, over a dozen of the Di Army's Inner Strength soldiers had been killed.

Tuoba Feng was driven into a rage every day, several times even attempting to charge into the Zhou Army's formation to hunt him down, only to be held back by his own Pulse-Opening Realm superiors.

"General! Let me go kill him!"

"Calm down! That's a trap!"

When Tuoba Feng was dragged back, his eyes were bloodshot, locked onto that distant figure.

Li Jinshui merely waved at him from afar before turning to continue his slaughter.

Frustrating.

Utterly infuriating.

On the fourth day, before the battle began.

Li Jinshui stood beneath the city walls, waiting to march out in formation.

He noticed that the regular troops from the capital formed their own circle, standing in perfect order with gleaming armor, standing in stark contrast to the ragged, local soldiers of North-Rejecting City.

A few capital soldiers were pointing in their direction, whispering with clear mockery on their faces.

"Look at those mud-legged peasants, wearing nothing but rags."

"I heard they were nearly overrun by the Di people a few days ago. Is that all they've got?"

"If we hadn't arrived, they'd be finished already."

The voices weren't loud, yet they drifted over clearly.

Monkey's face flushed red, and he moved to confront them, but Li Jinshui grabbed him.

"Ignore them," Li Jinshui said.

However, his gaze swept over those capital soldiers before shifting away.

He recognized one of them—the accomplice of the burly man who had searched his barracks that day, the one who had stood at the door watching the spectacle.

That man saw him too, curling his lip in a disdainful sneer.

Li Jinshui withdrew his gaze, his face devoid of expression.

The war drums sounded.

The two armies clashed once more.

As soon as Li Jinshui hit the battlefield, he noticed that the number of Inner Strength Di soldiers was significantly lower today.

Between his kills over the past few days and those of others, the Di Army had lost nearly half of their Inner Strength fighters.

The ones who took the field today were sparse, numbering fewer than twenty.

He charged into the enemy formation, his blade flashing as he cut down another early-stage Inner Strength soldier.

[+10]

Looking around, the remaining Inner Strength soldiers were either tied up by his side's experts or hiding in the back, too terrified to show themselves.

Tuoba Feng was indeed charging at the very front, but he had already been targeted by several Inner Strength Realm experts from his own side and could not break free.

Li Jinshui looked at the dense swarm of Body Forging Realm Di soldiers, a glint flashing in his eyes.

Body Forging Realm?

Although the points were few, they made up for it in sheer numbers.

Killing a hundred of them would still net him several hundred points.

He grinned, turned, and charged into the ranks of the Di Army infantry.

Unleashing the White Tiger Blade Technique with all his might, his blade light flowed like a streak of silk; wherever he passed, Di soldiers fell one after another!

[+1]

[+2]

[+3]

[+1...]

The points began to jump frantically!

He was like a harvester, rampaging through the enemy formation, one blade for one, two blades for a pair!

Those Body Forging Realm Di soldiers could not withstand a single strike from him, forced to watch helplessly as their comrades fell beside them!

"Hahaha! Come! Come on!"

Li Jinshui was caught up in the thrill of the slaughter and could not help but laugh wildly.

Wherever his blade light pointed, corpses littered the field!

He had never killed with such exhilaration!

Those Body Forging Realm Di soldiers were like wheat before him, falling row after row!

[+1]

[+2]

[+3]

[+1...]

His points had already broken through three hundred!

"Hahaha! More! Give me more!"

The more he killed, the wilder he became, his blade momentum growing increasingly fierce until he looked like a madman!

The surrounding Di soldiers saw him and retreated in terror, not daring to get close!

Just then, a terrifying aura descended from the sky!

"Little beast! You court death!"

Li Jinshui's hair stood on end, and he jerked his head up—

A burly figure lunged through the air, true energy surging around his body as he struck down with a palm!

Pulse-Opening Realm!

And a mid-stage one at that!

Li Jinshui's pupils constricted, and he desperately activated Inch Step to dodge to the side!

"Boom!"

That palm struck the spot where he had just been standing, blasting a massive crater into the ground and sending gravel flying! The shockwave caught him, sending him flying through the air to crash heavily onto the ground!

"Pfft!"

He spat out a mouthful of blood!

Li Jinshui scrambled up and ran!

But no matter how fast he ran, he could not outrun a Pulse-Opening Realm expert!

The Di Pulse-Opening Realm expert had already landed, and with a single stride, he caught up to him, striking out with another palm!

Li Jinshui dodged for his life, but the palm wind grazed his shoulder, leaving half his body numb!

He fled in a panic, unable to stop himself from cursing loudly:

"You damn Pulse-Opening Realm, bullying me, an Inner Strength Realm, have you no shame?!"

The Di Pulse-Opening Realm expert sneered, "When you were slaughtering my Di soldiers, why didn't you think about whether you had any shame?"

Another palm strike!

Li Jinshui was struck again, sent flying into a boulder that shattered upon impact!

He climbed to his feet, covered in blood, yet he kept running!

"Help! Help!" he shouted toward his own lines, "Which Pulse-Opening Realm expert, come save me!"

But the Pulse-Opening Realm experts on his side were all tied up by their own opponents.

Yun Ruoxi was fighting three opponents in the distance, unable to break free.

Zhao Zheng was facing two enemies alone, barely able to protect himself. The other guest retainers were also occupied by their own opponents and had no way to spare a hand to save him.

"No one is coming to save you!" the Di People Pulse-Opening Realm warrior sneered, "Today, you are a dead man!"

Another palm strike!

Li Jinshui was sent rolling across the ground, several bones in his chest cracking from the impact!

His mouth was filled with blood and his vision was swimming with darkness, but his instinct for survival drove him to scramble back up and keep running!

Add points! Quickly add points!

He frantically poured points into his skills as he ran!

First, add to the Evergreen Art!

Advancing from the middle stage of the Inner Strength Realm to the late stage required raising his proficiency from Minor Achievement 12/500 to Major Achievement, which would take about 488 points. He had saved over three hundred points over the past few days, and after killing dozens of Body Forging Realm enemies just now, his total was already over five hundred!

Add everything to the Evergreen Art!

[Consumed 488 points, Evergreen Art proficiency +488]

[Evergreen Art: Minor Achievement (12/500) → Major Achievement (0/800)]

Boom—

The warm current within his body suddenly surged! Like a bursting dam, it frantically scoured his entire body!

His internal organs were strengthened over and over, his meridians were widened repeatedly, and his internal energy grew exponentially!

His entire body was enveloped in a warm flow, and the wounds on his skin healed at a speed visible to the naked eye!

He had broken through!

Late stage of the Inner Strength Realm!

The Di People Pulse-Opening Realm warrior struck with another palm, and he desperately activated his Rock Body to take it head-on!

"Bang!"

The strike forced him back seven or eight steps, a sharp pain flared in his chest, and he spat out another mouthful of blood.

But he did not fall!

He had actually withstood it!

A flash of surprise crossed the eyes of the Di People Pulse-Opening Realm warrior: "You broke through? Late Inner Strength? Even at the late stage, you should still die!"

He attacked even more ferociously!

Li Jinshui fought while retreating; the combination of his Minor Achievement Rock Body and the self-healing ability of his Major Achievement Evergreen Art meant that although he spat blood with every hit, he never went down!

But he knew he couldn't hold on for long like this!

He had to run!

Add points to Inch Step!

[Consumed 72 points, Inch Step proficiency +72]

[Inch Step: Minor Achievement (28/100) → Major Achievement (0/200)]

The strange sensation beneath his feet surged instantly!

Within a square inch, it felt as if he could teleport!

As the Di warrior struck with his palm, Li Jinshui tapped his foot, and his entire body instantly shifted three zhang to the side, narrowly dodging the blow!

"Hm?" The Di warrior froze, then flew into a rage, "Let's see how long you can dodge!"

He gave chase even more tightly!

Li Jinshui fled for his life. Major Achievement Inch Step allowed him to burst forth with terrifying speed over extremely short distances, but the Di warrior was, after all, in the Pulse-Opening Realm, and his speed was far greater!

Palm after palm rained down; although he dodged most of them, there were always times he couldn't avoid them!

"Bang!"

He took another strike to the back, sending him flying through the air to crash into the ground, carving a long trench in the dirt!

He scrambled up and kept running!

Covered in blood, with no idea how many bones he had broken, he kept running!

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" he cursed as he ran, "When I reach the Pulse-Opening Realm, you will be the first one I kill!"

The Di warrior sneered, "You won't get that chance!"

Another palm strike!

This blow struck his back, sending him flying toward the city gate!

Li Jinshui spat out a mouthful of blood in mid-air, his vision blacking out as he nearly lost consciousness!

Yet he gritted his teeth, using the force of the blow to desperately scramble toward the city gate!

He was close!

Closer!

The city gate was right ahead!

The Di People pursuer caught up again, striking down with a palm!

Just then, a figure swooped down from the city wall!

"Scram!"

Palm met palm!

"Boom!"

The Pulse-Opening Realm Di People was sent reeling back several yards, his expression changing drastically!

Seventh Prince stood before Li Jinshui, true qi circulating around his body. Though his face remained pale, the aura he exuded was still too intense to look at directly.

He looked coldly at the Di People: "You want to kill my people? Did you ask me first?"

The Pulse-Opening Realm Di People's face turned livid. He glanced at Seventh Prince, then at the Pulse-Opening Realm expert who had already rushed out from North-Rejecting City, gritted his teeth, and turned to flee.

Seventh Prince did not pursue; his injuries had only healed by sixty or seventy percent.

He turned around and looked at Li Jinshui, who was sprawled on the ground.

Li Jinshui was covered in blood, his face bruised and swollen, blood-flecked foam still bubbling from his mouth. He lay on the ground, gasping for air like a dying dog.

Yet, his eyes remained open.

He looked at Seventh Prince, wanting to say something, but as he opened his mouth, another mouthful of blood spilled out.

Seventh Prince watched him for a heartbeat, then crouched down, fished a medicinal pill from his robes, and shoved it into his mouth.

"Swallow it."

Li Jinshui swallowed with difficulty. A surge of heat spread through his body, and the excruciating pain eased slightly.

Seventh Prince stood up and ordered the nearby personal guards: "Carry him back and see that he is well cared for."

The guards lifted Li Jinshui onto a stretcher and headed into the city.

Lying on the stretcher, Li Jinshui watched the clouds drift across the sky, still muttering to himself:

"Pulse-Opening Realm... bullying me, an Inner Strength Realm... once I reach Pulse-Opening... I will definitely kill him..."

Monkey followed alongside, his eyes red: "Jinshui, stop talking! You're almost dead!"

Li Jinshui tried to grin, but it pulled at his wounds, making him wince in pain.

"Can't die yet..."

He closed his eyes and pulled up his panel for a look:

[Name: Li Jinshui]
[Realm: Inner Strength Realm (Late Stage)]
[Techniques: Evergreen Art (Great Success 0/800), Rock Body (Minor Success 60/200), White Tiger Blade Technique (Great Success 100/300), Iron Thread Fist (Minor Success 0/100), Inch Step (Great Success 0/200), Marching Step (Minor Success 0/80), Iron Shirt (Perfected), Wolf Killing Seven Forms (Perfected), Tiger Walk (Perfected)]
[Points: 3]

He had nearly died.

But he had survived.

Once his wounds healed, he would make that Pulse-Opening Realm expert understand what a true nightmare was.

The stretcher was carried into the barracks, and he was placed on a bed.

Monkey scrambled to change his dressings and bandage his wounds, while Er Gou paced around in a panic, holding a basin of water.

Li Jinshui lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

His mind was filled with the image of his pathetic flight from the pursuit.

Being swatted away palm after palm, rolling on the ground like a ball.

That frustration, that humiliation, that rage at his own powerlessness—

He clenched his fists, his fingernails digging deep into his flesh.

"Jinshui?" Monkey looked at him with concern.

Li Jinshui closed his eyes.

"I'm fine."

The sunlight from outside shone in, falling upon him.

He lay in the patch of light, his face devoid of any expression.

Only his closed eyelids twitched slightly, as if he were caught in the midst of a violent dream.