Fang Qingyu's expression turned cold. He hadn't expected Wang Jie to act so decisively.
Sensing something amiss, Wang Jie had immediately raised his troops in rebellion.
"Since you've chosen to rebel openly, don't blame me for showing no mercy."
He turned to a guard beside him. "Send the signal."
The guard nodded slightly and instantly went to the window, a signal flare appearing in his hand.
He raised his hand and pulled the cord. A streak of red light shot out.
Rumble.
The red light shot straight into the sky. After exploding, it blossomed into a shower of red sparks.
It was one of the Gongshu family's ingenious creations: a signal flare.
At the Fang Clan residence in Jade City, the current clan head, Fang Qinghua, saw the signal in the sky and narrowed his eyes.
"Have the Attendants assemble. Everyone, follow me to the Yellow Flower Pavilion to rescue our eldest brother."
The subordinate standing beside him immediately nodded. "Yes, Clan Head."
Within two breaths, the ten cultivators who had already been waiting, fully prepared, received the summons. They followed Fang Qinghua as he charged out of the Fang Clan residence and headed for the Yellow Flower Pavilion.
Elder Huang's gaze sharpened as he looked toward the commander, Huang Tairen.
Huang Tairen was actually his nephew, and Elder Huang had raised him himself. That was why, despite being only at the Body Strengthening level, he could enjoy a peaceful retirement in the Archives Hall.
Huang Tairen spoke gravely. "We've got a tough fight ahead."
"I'll deal with Wang Jie. The rest of you, do everything you can to eliminate his fighting force."
"Yes!"
Everyone's hearts weighed heavy. Li Qing narrowed his eyes.
He stood by the window, watching the cavalry sweep toward them in the distance.
Wang Jie, at their head, was shrouded in a mass of black-and-red killing intent.
Every cavalryman behind him seemed to wear specially made armor, its blood-red runes flickering.
Now all the runes lit up, their Radiance winding around Wang Jie.
Everyone felt their hearts sink as they sensed the immense pressure.
More than a dozen figures were concealed among the cavalry, close behind Wang Jie.
The Blood Demon Sect's mysterious True Disciple, Young Master Blood Spirit, had already arrived unnoticed in the shadows below the Yellow Flower Pavilion.
He wore an elegant black robe, with a feathered fan in hand and a scholar's cap on his head. An enchanting smile played across his handsome face.
A glint of blood seemed to flicker in his eyes as he waited for the right opportunity.
The cavalry reached the Yellow Flower Pavilion in the blink of an eye. Jade City fell utterly silent.
Wang Jie's voice rang out from ten zhang away from the Yellow Flower Pavilion.
"Fang Qingyu, Huang Tairen, surrender and submit. I may spare your lives."
By the window, Fang Qingyu and Huang Tairen had already joined up. They looked toward the cavalry thirty zhang away.
Fang Qingyu regarded Wang Jie with contempt. "Wang Jie, you young scoundrel! You're a rebel who has turned your back on the emperor's grace. Your crimes deserve death."
"You think I'll surrender to you? You're not worthy."
"Call out the Blood Demon Sect people behind you. You alone aren't enough for us to kill."
Wang Jie's expression was cold. He raised a hand slightly. "Since you refuse to know what's good for you, then die."
"Loose!"
In an instant, the thousand-strong cavalry behind him raised their bows. A Tiger Tally appeared in Wang Jie's left hand, wreathed in a strange black-and-red aura.
The Tiger Tally burst with black-and-red Radiance, and countless threads connected it to the soldiers behind him.
A faint red-black hue spread across every soldier, and their armor shimmered in the Radiance.
This was the Military School technique, Tiger Tally Augmentation. It joined the vital essences of commander and soldiers as one.
For a time, it allowed every soldier to wield the vital essence naturally generated within their bodies.
Their attacks could rival a strike from an Essence Refining cultivator.
The more soldiers there were, the more powerful the technique became. On the battlefield, Military School generals were nearly invincible.
The next instant, countless streams of vital essence converged on the arrows.
A thousand arrows flew as one.
Thwack, thwack, thwack.
A thunderous rush of air split through the sky as a thousand arrows wreathed in red light swept toward the Yellow Flower Pavilion.
Fang Qingyu and Huang Tairen gave cold smiles, then flipped around and darted inside the Yellow Flower Pavilion.
The others had already gathered on the first floor.
Seeing the two men drop down, they immediately prepared themselves.
Huang Tairen shouted, "The moment the first wave of attacks is over, charge out!"
"Break his battle formation. Kill anyone who resists!"
"Yes!"
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
Countless arrows rained down on the Yellow Flower Pavilion's buildings.
Each arrow carried tremendous force. They pierced the pavilion's structure, and the entire building collapsed in an instant.
Wang Jie's icy voice rang out again. "Battle formation—charge!"
Like a torrential flood, Wang Jie led the charge on horseback, the Red Tassel Divine Spear in his right hand shimmering black and red.
A thousand horses galloped, shaking the earth.
The Tiger Tally still radiated black-and-red light, enveloping the entire force. A ring of black-and-red light gathered in front of Wang Jie.
It was like a colossal shield, charging straight toward the nearly collapsed Yellow Flower Pavilion.
The surging charge struck the pavilion's ruins, and everything crumbled, reduced to even finer dust.
A path was carved straight through the ground, crushed beneath them, powerful enough to destroy almost anything.
At that moment, a figure suddenly burst out of the ruins.
A heavy hammer appeared in Huang Tairen's hands, shining with brilliant silver light.
It was like a mountain, swelling tenfold in an instant until it became a giant hammer three zhang in diameter.
The hammer soared into the air and crashed down toward the cavalry.
Wang Jie's expression turned fierce. He thrust out his spear.
A red tiger shot from the Red Tassel Divine Spear in his hand and pounced straight at the hammer overhead.
It brought a heavy paw down.
Clang, clang, clang.
The violent collision rang across the sky, and a vast shock wave swept in every direction.
The area within a few dozen zhang shook violently.
The cavalry didn't stop. They continued charging toward Huang Tairen.
Huang Tairen now had no weapon in his hands. Facing the terrifying cavalry, he seemed utterly insignificant.
At the same time, a streak of blood-red light, like a flame, shot in from another direction. In a flash, it transformed into a raging inferno that swept toward Huang Tairen.
A light laugh rang out. "Heh, heh, heh. You finally came out."
Pure blue-green flames surged from the ruins, transforming into an Azure Fire Phoenix that lunged at the blood-red flames.
The two collided and vanished into each other, bursting into countless fireworks.
Flecks of fire fell all around. Everything they touched was reduced to ash in an instant.
Fang Qingyu flashed toward the figure in the distance.
At some point, a blood-red spear had appeared in Huang Tairen's hands.
Artifact—Blood-Drinking Divine Spear.
Huang Tairen roared, "Wang Jie, I'll show you what the Military School's tactics look like!"
A Tiger Tally appeared in his hand. Bloodlust flickered across it as he suddenly slammed his palm against his chest.
Countless streams of bloodlust swiftly spread over his body, coating him in blood-red armor.
At that moment, his body seemed to grow to three zhang tall.
He swung the divine spear in his hand.