The Battle Pauses

While the South City was under heavy pressure, there was no fighting on the eastern front.

Apart from the howling wind, the only sounds across the entire East City were the crunching of soldiers patrolling the snow.

The distance between the East City gate tower and the South City was quite far, making it impossible to see the battle situation on the other side. Only rising smoke and faint shouts and roars could be heard.

But even just hearing these sounds was enough for the Feather Forest Guard and border troops in the East City to imagine the battle situation in the South City.

Some were afraid, some were relieved, and some were eager to try.

Xu Yuan stood atop the city gate tower, observing the varied expressions on the faces of the soldiers below, and sighed softly.

"Deputy General Cang, do you think Qingyan's plan can succeed?"

"."

As soon as he finished speaking, Deputy General Cang, with his eyes lowered, seemed not to have heard Xu Yuan's question.

Ever since he learned of Prince Wu Yuan's intentions, he had been pondering some things.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan didn't urge him, knowing that the other party was most likely thinking about military matters.

After a while,

Deputy General Cang glanced at the smoke in front of him, then at the rather flimsy City Protection Array on the dome.

The defensive formation of Beifeng City the city did not affect the operation of the formation there, but the overloaded operation of the formation patterns there drew away the Source Qi from the rest.

In other words,

Before the Qi is replenished, the City Protection Array can provide almost no protection.

With these thoughts in mind, Deputy General Cang sighed:

"That Barbarian King is no pushover. The battle situation changes in an instant. I don't know if we can succeed, but with the princess in the south of the city, at least we won't collapse."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan glanced towards the smoke-filled South City.

With the blessing of the Blood Origin Heart-Fall Technique, he could see the inner city covered with flesh and blood that had been frozen into blocks of ice.

In ancient times, wars would generally be defeated if one or two tenths of the soldiers died, and those who could hold out with three tenths of their soldiers were considered elite. I wonder what the situation is like in this extraordinary world.

Xu Yuan withdrew his gaze and said softly:

"As long as we don't suffer a complete defeat, then this trip can be considered a success."

Deputy General Cang chuckled and said:

"Lord Xu, I'm not sure if we've captured Cang, but I suggest you return to the government office first."

"Back to the government office?"

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow, subconsciously glancing at the thick, Sun Veil smoke. "Deputy General Cang, what have you discovered?"

Deputy General Cang also looked at the smoke-shrouded natural barrier outside the city:

"Lord Xu, as the war has progressed, those Barbarian Tribe chiefs who were obsessed with building up their strength are either dead or have become vassals of other large tribes under the leadership of that Barbarian King."

After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan reacted quickly:

"You mean that after learning that Li Qingyan had launched a surprise attack on the Barbarian King's central flank, they wouldn't choose to send troops to help, but instead would directly attack the city from both the east and west?"

"Yes, the remaining chieftains of the Barbarian Tribe are well aware of the fighting strength of our Great Yan's elite troops. Even if reinforcements are urgently dispatched, the princess can directly turn her forces around and attack back into the city from the South City."

Deputy General Cang seemed to know these old enemies of the Barbarian Tribe very well; his eyes were solemn.

"They are all seasoned veterans, with a keen sense of the changing battlefield. The fact that the princess dared to lead her army to attack the Barbarian King's camp means that she brought eight or nine tenths of our elite troops from Beifeng City, leaving the city vulnerable. The most advantageous option is to trust that Barbarian Tribe Alien King and lead your troops to attack the city directly."

"."

Listening to Deputy General Cang's analysis, Xu Yuan subconsciously glanced at the Yulin Army below, who were standing ready for battle.

Alright, Li Qingyan is ready.

He had previously thought that his fiancée, who wore a bodice, had left this battalion of Feather Forest Guard behind to provide backup, but now it seemed that she had no intention of returning from the East City gate at all.

But are all tacticians this cunning?

I wonder if he'll be able to control this woman with the bound breasts in the future.

Hmm, the second day of missing the Big Ice Block.

Seeing Xu Yuan remain silent, Deputy General Cang cupped his hands in a respectful gesture after finishing his sentence:

"Lord Xu, war is likely to break out in East City very soon. My apologies."

Having said that,

He didn't give Xu Yuan time to react, and directly whispered:

"Qu Li, Zhang Hong, you two escort Lord Xu back to the government office!"

"."

Xu Yuan glanced at Deputy General Cang with slight surprise.

Knowing that the Barbarian Tribe would attack the city, he knew they wouldn't let him stay on the city gate tower. His fifth-rank cultivation was indeed quite high among the elite Imperial Guards who were mostly sixth or seventh-rank, but in the chaos of battle, a stray arrow fired from a weapon or an attack from a Barbarian Tribe squad could be fatal.

But he didn't expect the other party to take the initiative to pave the way for him.

This lieutenant has potential.

Xu Yuan glanced at the two deputy generals and guards who were trotting over and grinned:

"Deputy General Cang, you certainly know me well."

Deputy General Cang's expression remained unchanged:

"If anything goes wrong with you, I, Cang, will not be able to explain to the princess, and the princess will not be able to explain to the prime minister. Please proceed."

Xu Yuan hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

Deputy General Cang frowned.

Xu Yuan smiled and said:

"A wise man does not stand by a crumbling wall, but hasn't this wall not become a crumbling wall?"

Deputy General Cang looked somewhat puzzled:

"Lord Xu, there's no point in you staying on this city wall."

Xu Yuan knew, of course, that it was pointless.

If he were on the South City right now, it might still have some significance.

After all, the Black Scale Army is there.

Through brainwashing by the Tian'an Martial Hall and within the Black Scale Army, a kind of personality cult has formed in the minds of most Black Scale Army.

The cult of personality surrounding his father.

Even if he did nothing, just standing on the city wall was equivalent to a prince personally leading an expedition against the Black Scale Army, which boosted their morale.

However, apart from a Yulin Army, the East City only had 10,000 regular sect border troops.

The problem is, he doesn't dare go back to the government office now.

Li Zhaoyuan is still staying in the government office.

Deputy General Cang wouldn't harm him, but Li Zhaoyuan might be a different story.

Although Qin Weijiu ordered the bombing of the sect's warehouse and Su the Succubus carried it out, it is still uncertain whether Li Zhaoyuan was involved.

If the other party really is cooperating with Qin Weijiu, they must want to get rid of him.

Even if they didn't know he was the designated heir of the Prime Minister's Estate, they would still want to get rid of him based on his rapidly increasing cultivation over the past year.

Barbarian Tribe attacked the city, and the prime minister's three sons died suddenly—how pleasant that sounds!

after all,

The best Prime Minister's Estate Prime Minister's Estate one without an heir.

Xu Yuan stared at Deputy General Cang and said seriously:

"Deputy General Cang, not everything in this world needs a meaning. There are many things that I need to experience firsthand and see with my own eyes. Otherwise, in my future understanding, the lives of these soldiers will forever remain just a string of cold numbers on a dossier."

"."

Deputy General Cang's expression changed for a moment, his gaze softening as he looked at Xu Yuan. He didn't say anything, but waved his hand to dismiss the two deputy generals and guards.

Amidst the cold wind and the distant shouts of battle echoing from the south of the city, time ticked by.

suddenly,

A sudden hurricane swept through, but instead of the Barbarian Tribe, a tall, slender figure dressed in a prince's jade robe appeared.

It was Li Zhaoyuan.

Upon seeing the other party, Xu Yuan's expression remained unchanged, but his heart sank slightly.

A moment of silence,

Xu Yuan didn't move, but the Deputy General Cang beside him immediately knelt on the ground:

"Your Highness!"

Li Zhaoyuan glanced at him, his voice neither cold nor indifferent, carrying a hint of aloofness:

"Deputy General Cang, the military situation is urgent, there's no need for formalities."

Upon hearing this, Deputy General Cang immediately stood up, cupped his hands in greeting as he looked at Li Zhaoyuan's toes, and said:

"With the Barbarian Tribe invasion imminent, what brings you here, Second Prince?"

Li Zhaoyuan's face, with its sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, remained unsmiling.

"I have done all I can within the government office. Now that the military situation is urgent, as a prince, it is only natural that I must come to the front lines to contribute."

Xu Yuan scanned the Second Prince from head to toe.

Although he had slapped the boy in the face, he didn't actually know the Second Prince's cultivation level, since his father was walking ahead when he slapped him.

However, judging from the unfathomable aura of the other party, they should at least be a third-grade Grandmaster.

Deputy General Cang remained bowing and clasping his hands.

"Your Highness, the battlefield is not like a battle between ordinary cultivators. Your body is of utmost importance."

"Deputy General Cang"

Li Zhaoyuan raised his hand to interrupt him, his eyes filled with complex emotions as he looked at the patrolling soldiers below, his tone serious:

"I need to see these soldiers who are willing to die for the Great Yan with my own eyes. Otherwise, in the future, they may just be a string of cold names in my heart."

Xu Yuan almost lost his composure.

Upon hearing this, Deputy General Cang, who had his head bowed, displayed a rather strange expression.

A moment of silence,

Deputy General Cang coughed lightly and bowed forward with his hands clasped in salute:

"Ahem, Your Highness's concern for the soldiers is something I will always remember."

After saying that,

Deputy General Cang straightened up and looked straight ahead towards the outside of the city.

At this time,

Li Zhaoyuan then turned to look at Xu Yuan and asked:

"Third Young Master, aren't you going back to the government office to rest?"

Xu Yuan suppressed his smile and said:

"I want to see what the front lines are like."

Li Zhaoyuan offered his advice with great concern:

"War is no child's play; safety is paramount. If the Third Young Master is willing, I will immediately arrange for guards to escort you back to the government office."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan inwardly hissed.

broken.

Is this guy really planning to pull off a "Barbarian Tribe siege, the prime minister's three sons die suddenly" charade?

Meeting the other person's sincere gaze, Xu Yuan shook his head.

"Thank you for your concern. Isn't Deputy General Cang here with us?"

After a pause, he turned and asked in return:

"However, Second Prince, if you truly wish to remember the importance of soldiers' lives, why not go to the South City? They need you more there."

Li Zhaoyuan's reason for coming here is too strange; it's hard for Xu Yuan not to think in that direction.

Xu Yuan was indeed aware that the other party wanted to establish their authority within the Great Yan army.

But the question is, if Li Zhaoyuan truly wants to establish authority, wouldn't it be a better choice for him to go to the South City now?

Not only is the military situation in the South City more urgent and requires high-level cultivators, but Li Qingyan is also there.

It is indeed more dangerous, but greater risk means greater reward.

Li Yunqing, the sixth son, might not have dared to take that risk, but Li Zhaoyuan would absolutely.

Li Zhaoyuan's expression remained completely unreadable as he replied without hesitation:

"With my younger sister and Commander Yuan already overseeing things there, I don't need to go."

"Oh"

Xu Yuan chuckled noncommittally, then suddenly turned to Deputy General Cang beside him and asked:

"Deputy General Cang, do you usually command your troops by charging at the forefront or by staying in the rear?"

The records in the Prime Minister's Estate regarding military formations basically state that a general needs to be stationed in the central army. Even if the general, who is the key to the formation, is injured, it will affect the maintenance of the formation. If the general dies, the entire formation will collapse directly.

However, Xu Yuan had previously observed Yuan Hao's fighting style in Wanxiang City, where the main general would directly charge to the front.

Deputy General Cang's voice was calm:

"My training in military formations is not as adept as Your Highness's; I usually sit in the central command."

Xu Yuan nodded upon hearing this:

That's good.

If Deputy General Cang, like Yuan Hao, liked to charge ahead, then he really should just call for reinforcements and run away.

Although it's uncertain whether Li Zhaoyuan intends to harm him, this is not something to gamble on.

Deputy General Cang said softly:

"Lord Xu, rest assured, as long as I am alive, you will certainly be safe and sound."

Thanks.

Xu Yuan smiled easily, then turned to look at Li Zhaoyuan beside him:

"Your Highness, is this your first time on the front lines?"

"Yes."

Li Zhaoyuan turned his head, a faint smile playing on his lips:

"The Third Young Master should be too, but why do I get the feeling that you don't seem nervous at all?"

Xu Yuan shrugged, looking quite shrewd.

"I'm used to a relaxed lifestyle and I don't have the habit of being tense."

He paused, then stared at him and smiled:

"Although I'm not nervous, I value my life. Your Highness will have to keep an eye on me. So many people have seen Your Highness beside me. If there's any danger, it wouldn't be right for you not to help me."

Xu Yuan emphasized his words slightly at the end.

"."

Li Zhaoyuan's eyes narrowed slightly.

Xu Yuan smiled and met his gaze.

Li Zhaoyuan was the first to look away and whispered:

"There should be other Black Scale Guard inside the city, right?"

Xu Yuan also looked at the smoke-covered barrier blocking his view and smiled:

"Yes, they do exist, but I don't know where they are now."

Li Zhaoyuan's voice was calm and soothing:

"The Third Young Master is Lord Xu's most beloved son, and Lord Xu is a pillar of our Great Yan Kingdom. Naturally, I will protect the Third Young Master."

Not long after Li Zhaoyuan finished speaking

The Barbarian Tribe in the east of the city, having endured the bombardment of Demon Beast, finally began their attack on the East City.

Since there were no war colossi to the east, the Barbarian Tribe immediately ordered their warriors to hurle countless iron spikes at the start of the siege. These spikes embedded themselves deeply into the city wall, forming a series of steps on the surface for the Barbarian Tribe soldiers to use as leverage.

The smoke released by the Sun Veil became, in a way, the best cover for the Barbarian Tribe siege.

Taking advantage of the fog, countless Barbarian Tribe soldiers swarmed forward nimbly.

Although the city's City Protection Array in the sky was becoming increasingly faint due to insufficient supply of Source Qi, it continued to provide continuous protection for the Great Yan garrison on the city walls, with various defensive weapons firing blindly into the mist below.

Every now and then, one could hear the painful cries of agony coming from below the city.

From the mist below the city, one after another, condensed Demon Beast totems would shoot out and charge towards the great formation in the sky.

Each impact caused the City Protection Array to sway for a moment.

After a stalemate lasting about the length of a cup of tea,

The first Barbarian Tribe leaped onto the city wall, but his towering body was instantly cleaved in two by a single sword strike from a soldier of the Imperial Guard.

But then came the second Barbarian Tribe, the tenth Barbarian Tribe, and the hundredth Barbarian Tribe!

This was the first time Xu Yuan had ever seen a Barbarian Tribe tribe in person.

It has a humanoid shape, but it is grotesque and terrifying, giving it a distinctly uncanny valley effect at first glance.

The Imperial Yulin Army formation on the city walls, seemed to have long since adapted to the enemy's appearance, and their standard-issue Ancient Ingot Longblade were wielded with deadly ferocity.

Kill as many as come up.

It was almost a one-sided massacre.

The Barbarian Tribe's dark blood gradually stained the city walls, rising in heat only to dissipate in an instant, quickly turning into solid ice in the icy cold.

But soon, the City Protection Array in the sky seemed to have exhausted its Source Qi due to the impact of the totems in the mist, and the frequency of its attacks gradually slowed down. The Great Yan defenders finally suffered their first casualties.

Once it starts, the casualties can never be stopped.

The Barbarian Tribe below the city seemed endless; for every one you killed, two more would leap up.

The Barbarian Tribe who built bridgeheads on the city walls tried to expand their gains, but the crossbow bolts arranged at varying heights sent them flying through the air.

Xu Yuan saw a Barbarian Tribe chieftain, whose aura was no weaker than his own, try to withstand the array-patterned crossbow bolts head-on. As a result, his body was instantly destroyed, leaving only his legs standing in place.

I also witnessed a Yulin cavalryman being struck by a totem phantom and instantly blasted into blood and gore.

The scorching red and black blood splattered continuously, then rapidly cooled and froze in the icy temperature, eventually shattering into ice shards that flew everywhere when the intertwined Source Qi of both sides clashed.

Standing atop the city gate tower, Xu Yuan silently watched the war that belonged to the extraordinary world below, his breathing going from calm to rapid, and finally back to normal.

With the Barbarian Tribe numbering like a tidal wave,

One after another, valuable crossbow carts with array patterns were destroyed, and countless brave Imperial Guardsmen fell in pools of blood. The area occupied by the Barbarian Tribe on the city walls began to expand step by step.

This is the price Li Qingyan paid for concentrating his forces in a desperate gamble to fight a decisive battle.

The advantage of the south of the city was gained at the cost of the precarious situations in the east and west of the city.

Time seemed to lose its meaning at this moment.

Only splattered blood and the stench of death lingered on the city walls.

At this stage, it has become a contest of willpower between the two commanders and their soldiers.

Whoever collapses first loses.

Xu Yuan clenched his fist slightly, but suddenly realized that Li Zhaoyuan beside him had abruptly disappeared.

The next moment,

A blinding flash of white lightning almost illuminated the sky shrouded in snow clouds, and the powerful aura of First-Grade Mortal Shedding began to rage unchecked across the city walls.

Dao Domain suddenly appeared, and lightning filled the sky within a radius of a hundred feet!

In the blink of an eye,

One hundred tall Barbarian Tribe soldiers fell to the ground and turned into charred remains.

Upon seeing this scene,

Xu Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted.

Oh no, he slapped a prince who had just Mortal Shedding in the palace.

However, the next moment, Xu Yuan raised his eyes and looked at the City Protection Array in the sky.

Even if Li Zhaoyuan was Mortal Shedding expert, he didn't believe the other party would dare to be so ostentatious in a war of this scale.

Because the moment a high-level cultivator makes a move, the next thing they receive is a bombardment from the military formation.

And just as Xu Yuan had thought,

Just as Li Zhaoyuan's Dao Domain was unfolding and his moves were still in progress, a giant python phantom suddenly burst out from the smoke!

The sturdy city wall instantly turned to dust the moment it touched the python's body, infiltrating Li Zhaoyuan's boundless lightning domain. Thick arcs of lightning struck the giant python's phantom but could not stop it in the slightest.

Unfortunately, the city-protecting formation that had almost come to a standstill in the sky reappeared at this moment.

A thick shield instantly formed around Li Zhaoyuan.

The shield collided with the giant python, and the two Source Qi intertwined and clashed, causing a huge shock that made the entire East City tremble slightly!

Xu Yuan steadied himself and instantly understood what the Second Prince was planning to do.

He deliberately withdrew the Source Qi of the City Protection Array, and then made his move at the crucial moment. With the protection of the array, he used his own strength to crush the morale of the Barbarian Tribe in one fell swoop.

The Barbarian Tribe general below, who was controlling the military formation totem, was naturally no slower than Xu Yuan.

After Li Zhaoyuan killed nearly a hundred more Barbarian Tribe soldiers, a giant tortoise shell phantom materialized and blocked the lightning arc that Li Zhaoyuan had transformed into.

The Thunder Dao Domain instantly subsided, and the lightning that illuminated the sky gradually transformed into a terrifying purple. Li Zhaoyuan's speed suddenly surged once again!

At that moment, an invisible, immense pressure descended from the City Protection Array in the sky.

The tortoise shell phantom cracked instantly upon encountering the lightning arc and immense pressure. The cracks spread rapidly, and within moments, it shattered into starlight, disappearing into the air.

Just when Xu Yuan thought Li Zhaoyuan would continue his solo performance, he suddenly stopped and flew back into the city gate tower.

Xu Yuan looked at Li Zhaoyuan, whose body was still crackling with lightning, and asked with a smile:

"Second Prince, has the City Protection Array completely run out of Source Qi reserves?"

Li Zhaoyuan also answered very honestly:

"Of course, I wouldn't dare to act recklessly in such a military formation. The morale of the Barbarian Tribe should be collapsing. I'll leave the rest to Deputy General Cang."

This turn of events has once again altered the balance of power on the city walls.

Not long after,

Excited exclamations from atop the city wall reached Xu Yuan's ears:

"The Barbarian Tribe have retreated!"

"The Barbarian Tribe have retreated!"

"Long live the Second Prince!"

"Second Prince, Second Prince, may your military fortunes prosper!!"

"."

Hearing these shouts, Xu Yuan turned around and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Li Zhaoyuan:

"Your Highness has gained quite a lot; your cultivation level is so profound that it truly terrifies Changtian."

Li Zhaoyuan maintained his previous calm and composed expression, his face slightly pale, and gave a faint smile:

"Third Young Master, there's no need for such formalities. This time, I relied on some external help."

He paused for a moment,

Li Zhaoyuan seemed to have heard something, glanced sideways in the direction of the South City, and said with a light laugh:

"My younger sister has already entered the city. She asked me to take you there, Third Young Master."

Xu Yuan didn't move upon hearing this, but grinned:

"Oh? How did you contact each other?"

"Our royal family can control the City Protection Array, so naturally we can use it to transmit messages within the city."

Li Zhaoyuan pointed to the dome above and said gently with a smile, "Of course, Third Young Master can also have Deputy General Cang arrange for someone to send you there."

Xu Yuan gave the other person a deep look, then laughed heartily:

"Your Highness, you're being too polite."

Having said that,

Xu Yuan glanced sideways at Deputy General Cang due to the backlash from the battle formation, and said loudly:

"Deputy General Cang, I'll go with the Second Prince to see Qingyan now. Take care."

Pulled along by Li Zhaoyuan's Source Qi, Xu Yuan and his companion quickly arrived at the South City, at the military camp of the Yulin Army.

They arrived together outside the huge barracks belonging to Li Qingyan.

Before the two could speak to the guards outside, Li Qingyan's rustling sound came from the barracks:

"Second Brother, please wait a moment. The Prince Consort, please come in first."

It's a bit late, a bit longer (6k), posted after I finished coding.

or?