The northern wind cut like a knife across Lingchang Prefecture's blood-soaked frozen earth.
Outside Soul-Severing Valley, within the temporary camp of the Great Wall Prefecture Left Route Army, Anping County's eight hundred Black-Armored Guards stood like eight hundred emotionless killing machines, armor-piercing heavy crossbows in hand, silently stationed behind the top-grade second-tier defensive array that had just been repaired.
Since Chu Bai issued his ironclad order to "stop the pursuit, form ranks, and hold this position to the death," the remnants of the entire Left Route Army had passed through their initial bewilderment and frenzy. Under the absolute authority he earned by slaying a half-step Purple Abode Demon King, and the rewards of hard silver and gold, they had finally become a cold, efficient defensive fortress.
No one knew what Chu Bai was waiting for—until dusk that day.
Directly ahead of the camp, in the direction leading deep into the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the dim, lead-gray sky suddenly began to twist violently.
Then three exceedingly faint streaks of flight light, like dying candles in the wind, broke through the swirling snow. Almost tumbling and crawling through the air, they plunged headlong toward the Left Route Army's camp.
"Enemy attack! Everyone on alert! Cock the heavy crossbows!"
The Chief Banner Officer from Anping County guarding the gate barked his command. Hundreds of heavy repeating crossbows coated in Blood-Transforming Demon Poison rose instantly, their icy killing intent locking onto the three falling streaks of light.
"Don't... don't shoot! It's us! The Great Wall Prefecture Central Route Army! We're human!"
Amid agonized cries filled with boundless despair, the three streaks fell like dead birds with broken wings, crashing outside the defensive barrier and plowing three glaring trails of blood through the snow.
Hearing the commotion, Zhang Cheng, Hu Hao, and the others hurried