In Broad Daylight, the Might of Double Pupils

That night.

Li Xian summoned the guards and gathered them at the Estate Guard Compound, briefly explaining the situation. Some of the guards followed him wholeheartedly; others grumbled inwardly. Yet every one of them obeyed. They stood in neat ranks, armored and armed with sabers, their imposing presence fierce.

The last time the Yellow Dragon besieged the Manor, all the soldiers had been captured and later transferred to the Prefectural City. But their weapons, horses, and armor had been left behind. Fine armor had been stockpiled in the storehouse, and fine horses were kept at the horse ranch.

When the guards took the field, they were soldiers. Clad in armor and with Inner Qi surrounding them, they all counted as elite troops and were quite powerful. They trained on ordinary days, and today they would put that training to use.

To build up morale, Li Xian paid out of his own pocket, rewarding each man with several dozen taels of silver, the amount varying from person to person. He spent all his savings on it, even completely emptying his purse.

And so their morale surged like a rolling tide.

They would wait only until Chen Hour, then break into the city in broad daylight.

Elsewhere.

Luo Xia wore Fish-Scale Armor, her long hair tied into a high ponytail. Beneath her bed, she took out half a mask.

Its red face was fierce and hideous, like a demon or a Rakshasa. It covered half of her beautiful face, making her look utterly terrifying. Light flashed from her eyes, and she was so excited that she had not slept all night.

She dismantled the shoulder pole she used to carry water and pieced it together into a long spear. She practiced with it through the night, using the Red Dragon Spear